From the 1960s when Asian American students began to organize on campuses with fellow students of color, our political identity began to take shape.  The term, Asian American, now celebrating its golden anniversary, sprang from a desire to unite us and bring our disparate experiences together around a common identity.  As Asian American studies programs and community organizations began to emerge, artists and writers began to proudly identify themselves and speak up.

A lot of progress has been made over the last few decades and discussion continues about our identities, personal and collective.  As we move forward, we recognize that this term and all that it implies should continue to be explored, flushed out and challenged.  Who are we and are we working to connect and support our young people, our elders, our artists, storytellers and scholars?  Are we including those who continue to be marginalized?  Are we bringing their stories to light?

From its inception in the early 1990s and our relaunch in 2017, riksha has recognized the need to continue to provide a space for the Asian American experience.  Art moves us to reflect on where we come from and who we are now.  This process moves us forward to action and inspires us to create change in our own lives and communities.  We do this to find space for ourselves but more importantly for the generations to come.

With every issue, we are humbled and inspired by the talent and vision of the artists and writers in our community.  We are honored to present their work in our third digital issue and we would love to hear from you.  Thank you for taking the time to experience this work.

Welcome to riksha V2.3!