I went to check out writers Sapphire and Jessica Hagedorn read at New York University in late October 1998. (Hagedorn is a 1998-1999 artist-in-residence at NYU's asian/pacific/american studies program & institute. The audience so well represented the city of New York that I had grown up in. A city of blacks, asians, latinos, and whites not just living in the same city but actually socializing together. On the real. Around this city I see blacks, asians, or latinos hangin' together with whites. I do not often come across blacks and asians hangin' with each other.

Asian writers and other non-white writers have limited opportunities to have their work published, or scripted and produced by television and movie industries. In this article I am taking a closer look at Asian American writers. Are they making any inroads in the publishing , television, or film industries?

Asian writers are not waiting around for mainstream publishing to take notice of the proliferation of contemporary writers. Regie Cabico, Kimiko Hahn, Ava Chin , Thadeaus Rutkowski, and Beau Sia come to mind have all made their presence known in the New York area, at readings. Some Asian Americans have established organizations to help nurture writers of Asian descent. Che Yew is the director of play development at The Mark Taper Forum based in California. Slant is a performance group that also writes their own work. There is Bamboo Girl a zine written by Sabrina Margarita Alacantra. The Asian American Writers Workshop (AAWW) located here in Manhattan, houses a bookstore, offers writing workshops, publishes 10 a literary magazine, hosts readings and other events. AAWW is also behind The First Annual Asian American Literary Awards, held here in New York at the Joseph Papp Public Theater in November 1998.

I transcribed some thoughts from poet/performer Regie Cabico, and did a question and answer bit with poet/performers Ava Chin and Beau Sia. Combined, they gave an insightful overview of just how much is going on, and coming up for contemporary Asian American writers. Each also touches on the barriers that still exist.

You can buy Beau Sia's booka night without armor II; the revenge and his CD Attack, Attack, Go! at amazon.com.

We have put together a short list of other titles by Asian American writers available at amazon.com.