Why did you join Yellowworld?

[BeTheReds]

Disclaimer: The question in the response is intended to be answered by hapas. While non-hapas are encouraged to respond to the hapa responses, leave the answering of the question itself to the hapas.

Why did you join Yellowworld? Were you originally interested in Asian-American politics and community building before you joined YW? Did this forum have anything to do with your decision to join?

Many hapas have joined YW specifically because this forum is here. A few don't seem to want to leave the hapa forum. For the most part, those who are not interested in Asian-American issues, realize that our hapa forum isn't like hapas.com or eurasiannation.com, they take off.

Some though have become more aware of Asian-America because of YW, and that would never have happened if we didn't have a hapa forum to lure them here to begin with. So why did you join?
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My response:


I admit, when I first came over to YW, it was because of the hapa forum. IT wasn't until I ventured out of that forum that I realized that YW wasn't another Asian-Avenue or even worse, another Korealink.

But what drew me to the hapa forum to begin with had nothing to do with Asian-American identity or Asian-American community. I actually came with the intent of arguing against "the hapa movement" in what I assumed would be a forum full of "hapa movement" advocates just like every other hapa forum I had ever seen or participated in. (especially those where you'd be villified for suggesting that there isn't really anything special about being a hapa, or suggesting that hapas are not yet established enough to be considered a community.) I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't look like all the other hapa forums, and that full blooded Asians actually participated in discussions with and about hapas, not always being negative or stereotypical.

Upon venturing out of that forum, I was even more pleasantly surprised by what the YW forums were like. On practically every other Asian-American forum or chat room I had ever been to, once someone figured out I was not 100% AZN I'd be banned or ignored completely, or people would call my mom a sellout (again, assuming that my mom was Asian and my dad was white, which isn't true.) Any valid opinion I had was worth less than a troll's invalid opinion. So, the fact that I could be treated with respect and get my point across here kept me around.

[Filiprish]

This forum didn't attract me at all but did play a role in why I've stuck around. I came here as an MM exile and have found YW very hospitable, this forum being a testament of that. I've been fairly involved in Filipino/AA orgs growing up and in college, I didn't come here looking to discuss hapa issues. I'm not very conscious of hapa politics nor do I have plans to devote any energy to that, at least in the near future. But, when it comes down to it, I'm really glad this forum exists and thinks it is very underutilized.

[BeTheReds]

Well, the reason it's underutilized is because honestly there isn't a whole lot to talk about. Hapas who are interested in Asian-American issues would have loads more to post elsewhere on YW.

This forum has two purposes. One, to try to get full blooded Asians to become more aware of hapas who believe in the Asian-American cause, and what seperate issues they might face, and two, to get hapas who might not otherwise be aware of Asian-American issues to become aware of them through Yellowworld (kind of as bait, you might say...)

While there are many many topics that we like to discuss here, once most of us have posted once, the discussion ends, mainly because hapa regulars on YW are pretty scarce.

[asvenus]

i found the forum rather inadvertently...it was thrown up by google when i was completing some research for my dissertation (yes another one!!)...i stuck around when i realised that many of the members and the issues here were interesting and challenging..people expressed (for the most part) themselves in a valid and educated way, even issues which i didnt agree with i found views expressed were interesting and well-discussed. i liked the fact that no one was in some mad rush to ignore/dismiss anything said by someone who is only part asian and our views were considered valid...if nothing else...very informative and engaging...me likey!!
oh and of course...im in love with kim!!

[Chad]

I was on some hapa/eurasian forums and got tired of the BS and non-stop trolling. I didn't like the way so many discussions had the same themes and every other day another non-hapa marched in to tell us how it was and how we were wrong for calling ourselves "hapa" or "eurasian" or whatever. I also felt like the Cali hapas were somewhat elitist; I'm sorry but I can't relate to someone from Cali who lives in a mansion and grew up with domestic servants and goes to an elite school.

[rice cracker]

Oh, I barely remember anymore (which is so sad because Hi! Joined only two years ago!), but I'm pretty sure someone on MM was, um, "talking" about this site so I came to check it out and stayed.

[kimpossible]

There was no hapa forum when I first arrived. I wanted to discuss issues with Asian Americans, tap into the larger AA community. But I did think it was nifty cool that they wanted to be inclusive of mixed Asians. One of the first times I felt I was considered a whole being by Asians.

[Anaestacia]

Steady waning of interest in other forums among other things. YW doesn't drift, keeps moving forward. The activism is strong here too. It's not overwhelmed with personal histories of "finding yourself".

[yoMAMA]

Oh, I barely remember anymore (which is so sad because Hi! Joined only two years ago!), but I'm pretty sure someone on MM was, um, "talking" about this site so I came to check it out and stayed.


and the rest is history!

:wink:

[SunWuKong]

if a mono-racial Asian can interject...

i'm really glad at the way that the hapa forum has turned out. it was created early in YW's history and i don't think achtungbaby (the webmaster, for all you newbies) gave it too much thought when he created it. i think it was his way of saying that hapas are welcome and it was a recognition of mixed-Asian people being a part of our community. but ironically, i know that some have felt that it alienates hapas because it is also a recognition that they have issues that are different from mono-racial Asians, when these hapa issues should really be considered to be just another natural aspect of our community without any differentiation.

so i just wanted to say that i think it's great that it's been taken to another level.

here's a little YW trivia for you: the name of this forum, "Hello Hapas", to what does it reference? (and i know you mods know this, so let the newer members try to figure it out. :wink:)

[yoMAMA]

here's a little YW trivia for you: the name of this forum, "Hello Hapas", to what does it reference? (and i know you mods know this, so let the newer members try to figure it out. :wink:)

the omnipotent magnificent her majesty and highness ruler of the four seas and barbarian taming generalissmo

Kimpossible?

:wink:

[BeTheReds]

Hint: it has nothing to do with REAL HAPAS!

www.realhapas.com

[Hiroshi2]

It was the first time i ever met asian people who basically do the same things as everybody else, so coming here has defintely erased any stereotypes I had about asian people.

[jongeh]

i accidently came across this forum, but i joined because i have grown up in a predominately white redneck hicktown, so anytime i wanted to discuss issues about being asian or partially asian, it had to be with a white person. and that white person would either think i was bragging, or complaining ("i'm not accepted in either worlds.. WAHHH"). so i would like to become more comfortable with the asian community and learn about it (i will and have ventured into the non-hapa parts of YW) , and the hapa forum also helps me remember that i am not the only hapa in the world. plus, a lot of the hapa forums i saw were just plain... weird.. mostly involved looks or complaining.

[yuuteya]

i learned about asian american people before so i wanted to meet them. maybe im the same to them i thought, but after a while trying out this forum i realized i am different from asian american people.

about this section, i never even heard before whats a "hapa" so it was the first time to me to meet the "hapa" ideas. then i realized it supposed to include me according to the asian american's definition, but later i realized it is not suitable to me and im not interested in it.

[shimaore]

I am getting married with my SO ( special one ) who happens to be a chinese citizen (we studied together at Sheffield University ).
I found this forum interesting because it gives a good idea what it 's like to be mixed in today ( US and the rest of the world ) since we plan to build a family I want see the possible pitfalls/joys of being a mixed kid ( asian and non asian ) .

That 's about it - educate me guys
:smile:

[kimpossible]

I am getting married with my SO ( special one ) who happens to be a chinese citizen (we studied together at Sheffield University ).
I found this forum interesting because it gives a good idea what it 's like to be mixed in today ( US and the rest of the world ) since we plan to build a family I want see the possible pitfalls/joys of being a mixed kid ( asian and non asian ) .

That 's about it - educate me guys
:smile:

No offense, but it's not really our job and we've been asked this about 1,378,502 times by IR couples - usually the non-Asian male of the couple. You're free to read what's already in the forums and we have a pinned topic especially for questions like this. Shortened, it's no one can really tell you what it would be like for potential children with the female you're with. And you can't do too much to be prepared for it.

The hapa forum functions for adult mixed Asians already born and all growed up. But here's the Advice for Parents of Mixed Children (http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=23980) thread.

[Filiprish]

I'm with kim. We know EXTREMELY little of the environment you plan to raise this child in. C'mon, if you think you're responsible enough to raise a child you should exhibit that by asking at least specific questions. You do have some. Btw, welcome.

[jdmdrift]

i joined mainly for the hapa section, but after joining i realized that it seems to be mainly hapa's with identity issues.
so ive decided to explore the rest of the forum

[LaiSteve66]

I discovered this forum because I was looking for a list of famous "hapas". I joined to talk about Asian issues and talking about half-Asian issues is just a side thing. I feel I have more in common with purebred Asians. Growing up a token My Lai in an overwhelming Vietnamese crowd does this and I never met that many half-Asians growing up and alot of the ones I did meet "fell over" to the White side and thus we did not relate that well IMO.

I've found Asians to be accepting of half-Asians for the most part and I'm signed up at a few other APIA forums and two of the other ones have "hapa" rooms. I'm also signed up at hapas.com and EAN but I don't really post there.

[jdmdrift]

i actually grew up around more white people but i was always the outcasted one, so i think thats why i identify with asians more, thats why i joined here, not to mention it seems more adult not so "AzN!i" like say asian avenue