Michael Yam's Mission to Empower Readers with His Children’s Book ‘Fried Rice and Marinara’

Stories

August 11, 2023

Michael Yam, the host of NFL Total Access on NFL Network, has now ventured into the world of children’s books with his first-ever creation, “Fried Rice and Marinara.”

This heartwarming tale revolves around Mikey Yam, a character just like Michael, who cherishes both his Chinese and Italian heritage. Michael wrote this story to show young readers that it’s okay to have a diverse background and to be proud of who they are.

Drawing inspiration from his own life, Michael wanted to share the joy of embracing different cultures with children. In “Fried Rice and Marinara”, he uses the magic of food to bring the story to life and spark curiosity about diverse backgrounds. Through this delightful book, Michael hopes to encourage kids to learn about their own heritage and appreciate the uniqueness of others.

As a first-time children’s book author and illustrator, Michael faced some challenges, but his passion for storytelling and connecting with young readers drove him forward.

Read through as we learn more about Michael and how he aims to inspire all children to feel confident in their identities with his book “Fried Rice and Marinara”, through an interview with Asian Hustle Network.

BREAKING BARRIERS WITH “FRIED RICE AND MARINARA”

During the course of my career, I have been fortunate enough to speak to students about a path in broadcasting. I have always been disheartened by the lack of Asian representation in media classes. Aside from cultural factors, I believe the lack of widespread representation at high levels of sportscasting is a major reason why Asian American students are picking other career paths.

Strengthening the pipeline is one of the ways I think this changes. If young kids can see themselves in stories, I think it can spark an interest in storytelling.

MIKEY YAM AS A MULTIETHNIC LEAD CHARACTER

As a kid, I didn’t think anything of the different cultures. I always knew I was Chinese and Italian, but as I got older, I realized that my friends didn’t have to think about or balance multiple cultural experiences that were very different.

Part of the reason I wanted to write “Fried Rice and Marinara” was to have young readers see a multiethnic character in a lead role. I also wanted to spark the thought that families with diverse backgrounds are normal.

At times in my childhood, I thought I had to “pick a side”, which is weird to think about now. I really want young kids to be able to embrace their heritage and be proud of their background. I know for my family, food was a backdrop to everything we did. I wanted to use cuisine as a vehicle to bring the story to life.

NAVIGATING BOTH SIDES OF HIS HERITAGE

First and foremost, it’s about embracing both cultures. I think many people focus on the differences between ethnicities, but we would all be in a better place if we gravitated to what’s the same.

Both my Chinese and Italian sides value family and the joy that comes from spending time with each other. I have fond memories of BBQs as a kid and my birthday parties having both Italian and Chinese food.

CHALLENGES HE FACED IN THE WRITING PROCESS

I’ve spent my career telling the stories of athletes. I’m comfortable in that realm, but with “Fried Rice and Mariana”, it’s the first time I tried to connect with a young audience in a medium I’ve never worked in.

I have always loved having fun with my nieces and nephews, telling them crazy stories at home. I tried to imagine telling them this story as if we were in person. No, I can’t rhyme on the fly like in the book, but it’s about the tone.

I always love asking kids questions to see where their mind goes. If you notice at the back of the book, there is a page that gives kids an opportunity to write their funky food combinations with the ability to draw them, too. It’s really important to me that the experience with the book doesn’t end when they’re finished reading it.

WHAT HE HOPES FOR READERS TO TAKE FROM HIS BOOK

I want young Asian readers to be able to see themselves as a main character in a story.

According to a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin (2022) you are nearly as likely (39% BIPOC/37% Animal/Object) to see a children’s story about an animal or object than you are to see a story depicting a character from a diverse background. I see that as a problem.

I want all children to be exposed to various cultures. The child who doesn’t often get to see characters who look like them will hopefully feel confident and have more self-worth. My hope is other children will be exposed to other cultures and develop an appreciation for experiences different from their own.

CONNECT WITH MIKE YAM

Instagram: @Mike_Yam

Twitter: @Mike_Yam

Threads: @Mike_Yam

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Taking it from her unforgettable and scary experience involving safety and security, Rajia Abdelaziz realized the importance of women’s self-protection which made her put up Invisawear, now a leading safety device manufacturer.

Together with her best friend and now business partner Ray Hamilton, they designed a piece of wearable tech that allows the user to call for help and alert emergency contacts at a double-press.

InvisaWear is jewelry that can save lives. Although their components resemble ordinary accessories, they are actually safety devices supported by America’s top security supplier (ADT).

The devices have a secret panic button that can be set to dial 911, send a pre-programmed text message to five emergency contacts, and send a GPS location to the emergency services. They are worn on the body so they are nearly always available.

The co-owner was quoted saying “InvisaWear also partnered with ADT to provide access to video streaming, voice activation, and self-defense classes as a way of “equipping people to protect themselves,”

Compared to a cellular phone, it is a more accessible safety device which comes in the form of a charm necklace.

Considering women’s safety as a very important issue, Abdelaziz rejected high-paying job offerings related to her electrical engineering training just to prioritize her advocacy even if she struggled with many challenges in starting it up.

Though laborious, Invisawear was able to raise millions of funds for the safety device.

Five years after its founding, the business has grown to produce more than just gold and rhodium-plated jewelry. It now makes fitness bands, hair accessories, and keychains, all of which have timeless appeal and fashionable, practical designs.

According to Abdelaziz in Forbes, several of their items are now also available in unisex versions since they discovered that safety wasn’t just important for women but also for some guys.

The business intends to grow in Europe and the Middle East and just announced a new cooperation with a Canadian security company.

Invisawear is a technical advancement that has significantly improved people’s lives.

Abdelaziz emphasized “One of the best moments of my life was the first time one of our devices saved someone’s life,” she says, “a young woman had been badly injured in a car accident and her keychain saved her life. Her dad was able to get to her and be with her while they waited for an ambulance, who knows how long it would have taken to find her otherwise.”

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What makes the experience even happier and better is to have six different Santas whom children and parents can choose from in making The Santa Experience happen.

In 2016, Larry Jefferson became the first African American Santa Claus in MOA.

Now, Jefferson will not be alone in completing the Christmas vibe as a diverse group of Santas will be working together to do the task. Among them are two African Americans and the first-ever Asian Santa Allan Siu, named “Santa Allan” in MOA’s record.

All of them are ready to listen to the Christmas wishes from young and young-at-heart people.

With two of the Santas able to speak both Spanish and Cantonese, it adds color in telling the children if they were naughty or nice.

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First Indonesian Vegan Cosmetic Startup Obtains $6 Million Funding From Unilever Ventures

The first and top vegan cosmetics company in Indonesia, ESQA Cosmetics, raised $6 million in a series A round led by Unilever Ventures marking the latter’s first investment in the Southeast Asian beauty market.

In the said round, East Ventures also participated, the venture arm of the global consumer goods giant.

After spending over ten years living and working in Los Angeles, Cindy Angelina and Kezia Trihatmanto created ESQA in 2016, shortly after their return to Indonesia.

The two intended to redefine luxury cosmetic products and make them more widely available and reasonably priced.

With the acquired funds, the company plans to use the money to reach more cities and markets while also extending its omni-channel distribution.

Additionally, they want to expand their product offerings, foster talent development, and amplify their marketing initiatives.

Prior to this, the company reportedly increased its sales to Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia.

TECHINASIA mentioned that one of the company’s expansion initiatives was to sell its goods through Sociolla’s physical storefronts, another East Ventures-backed startup.

Accordingly, the business stated that despite the pandemic, it had managed to turn a profit with its 120 vegan and Halal-certified products.

Avina Sugiarto, a partner at East Ventures, stated in Deal Street Asia that by having consistent profitability, they weren’t looking for high-quality, hyperlocal, and affordable beauty products.

She continued saying “We were certain that ESQA’s innovative, natural ingredients and wide-product offerings will propel ESQA to be a leader in the beauty market in Southeast Asia.”

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Big egg-shaped platters filled with famous egg noodle pancit, mouthwatering pork sisig, cold cans of beer, and blithe stand-up comic acts are offered as part of the restaurant’s unique dining experience.

The brain behind the comedy events is Filipino-American C.J. Toledano, who was born with the background necessary for such lighthearted entertainment.

The Eagle Rock neighborhood of Filipino Americans is the ideal fusion in creating the weekly program that is so exceptionally Los Angeles.

The restaurant’s co-owners, Jun Miranda and Vener Ramos, greased the wheels to serve the dishes and beverages that the predominantly Filipino audience was clamoring for when actress and stand-up comedian Felicia Folkes performed.

Toledano recalled how the Wednesday show got started and said in the Los Angeles Times that Jun Miranda was all about it.

“He just said, ‘The restaurant is yours on Wednesday nights,” Toledano stated which was backed by Miranda saying “I immediately said yes. Of course, I wanted to help the Filipino community.”

Toledano, who co-hosts the program with Orolfo and Rob Haze, stressed that the event is not just for mutual benefit but that “I have a specific vision for the show and the comedians who do it. [I want] people I’m fans of,” he continued.

He added that the intensely vibrant, funky, and fatty flavors of Filipino cuisine at “Motherland”— including the crispy sisig,a deep-fried chopped pork belly flavored with a little of lemon juice, diced onion, bell pepper, ginger and, a little of chicken liver spread; dinakdakan, a combination of grilled and boiled pork belly mixed with onions, peppers — and mayonnaise; chicken adobo with quail egg and fried potatoes; and halo-halo, among others—are just as electrifying as the acts on stage.

“I’m a Filipino guy who grew up in Pennsylvania. I didn’t have many Asian friends. So the show is really killing several birds with one stone — I’m in touch with a culture I was never close to. I’m seeing old friends. New comics. It’s exciting for me,” Toledano admitted.

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