Hyphen (magazine)

Hyphen (magazine) is a quarterly cultural magazine founded in 2003 that covers Asian American arts, politics, and popular culture. It operates from San Francisco and has engaged with a wide network of writers, artists, and activists connected to institutions such as the Asian American Writers' Workshop, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and the Asian American Arts Centre. Over its run the magazine has intersected with figures and organizations like Ai Weiwei, Margaret Cho, Mira Nair, Jeff Chang, and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, publishing journalism, criticism, fiction, and visual work.

History

Hyphen emerged from a milieu shaped by events and institutions such as the 1994 establishment of the Asian American Journalists Association, the 1999 protests surrounding the World Trade Organization in Seattle, and the growth of student organizations at universities like the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University. Founders and early staff drew on networks associated with the Asian American Studies programs at institutions such as San Francisco State University and UCLA, and collaborated with cultural centers including the Wing Luke Museum and Kearny Street Workshop. The magazine's early issues featured contributions from writers and artists linked to the MacArthur Fellows program, the Guggenheim Fellowship, and festivals like the Sundance Film Festival and South by Southwest. Funding and support for initial issues came from foundations and grantors similar to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ford Foundation, while distribution partnerships connected Hyphen to independent bookstores, university presses, and community organizations such as the Japanese American National Museum, the Chinese Historical Society of America, and Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach.

Editorial Focus and Content

Hyphen's editorial agenda blends coverage of film directors like Ang Lee and Mira Nair, musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma and Ryuichi Sakamoto, comedians including Margaret Cho and David Choe, and authors like Maxine Hong Kingston and Jhumpa Lahiri. Regular columns and longform features examine intersections of art and activism, referencing events and movements such as the March on Washington, Stop Asian Hate demonstrations, and campaigns led by groups like the Asian American Political Alliance and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. The magazine publishes poetry, short fiction, and criticism engaging with works such as Joy Kogawa's novels, Wong Kar-wai's films, and the plays of David Henry Hwang, and it highlights visual artists with connections to institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, and the Walker Art Center. Hyphen also runs interviews and profiles of journalists and cultural critics associated with outlets and programs like The New Yorker, The Atlantic, NPR, and PBS Frontline, situating coverage within broader dialogues involving the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Census.

Distribution and Readership

Distributed through independent bookstores, college bookstores at universities such as UC Berkeley, NYU, and University of Washington, and at festivals including the Asian American International Film Festival and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the magazine reaches readers linked to community organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Japanese American Citizens League, and the Korean American Coalition. Subscriptions and newsstand distribution have been augmented by collaborations with libraries and archives such as the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and the Bancroft Library, and partnerships with online platforms that intersect with media outlets like Salon, Vice, and The Huffington Post. The readership includes students, scholars, artists, and activists connected to programs and conferences hosted by the Association for Asian American Studies, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People during joint forums, and cultural institutions such as the Asia Society and the Japan Society.

Awards and Recognition

Over its history Hyphen has received recognition and awards from organizations and grantmakers similar to the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, and private foundations that also support entities like the MacArthur Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Individual contributors published in the magazine have gone on to receive honors including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, MacArthur Fellowships, and Guggenheim Fellowships, and have been finalists in competitions such as the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Asian American Literary Awards. Coverage and projects from Hyphen have been cited and excerpted in anthologies and reference works alongside authors and editors associated with Harvard University Press, Oxford University Press, and Columbia University Press.

Controversies and Criticism

Hyphen has faced critique and debate in contexts that involve institutions and public figures such as city governments in San Francisco and Los Angeles, arts commissioning bodies, and community organizations like the Filipino American National Historical Society. Controversies have centered on editorial decisions related to representation of diasporic communities linked to events such as debates over affirmative action at the Supreme Court and municipal responses to immigration policy changes influenced by the Department of Homeland Security. Critics from academic and journalistic arenas associated with The New York Times, The Washington Post, and academic journals have questioned coverage choices and perceived alignments with particular advocacy organizations, while supporters have defended the magazine's role in amplifying voices connected to grassroots movements, labor unions such as the Service Employees International Union, and educational programs at institutions like Stanford and Harvard.

Category:Magazines published in San Francisco Category:Asian American culture