Ali TanakaThe Performance of Being Japanese-American in JapanAs a child, my name was mispronounced and misspelled on a regular basis, something that infuriated me and made me feel like an outsider. I…Apr 28, 2019Apr 28, 2019
Ali TanakaThe Simple Thing I Will Always Remember Denis Ten ForI can’t say anything about the death of figure skater Denis Ten that hasn’t already been said, nor do I feel that it is my place to do so…Jul 22, 2018Jul 22, 2018
Ali TanakaTwo Cultures, One MeGrowing up, I never truly believed the adults around me when they said that I should continue learning my mother’s native tongue. At the…Mar 13, 20171Mar 13, 20171
Ali TanakaYou Can’t Turn A Flight of Stairs Into A Ramp By Smiling At ThemI first read the book Nobody’s Perfect by Hirotada Ototake, a survivor of tetra-amelia syndrome, when I was seven. The cover sported a huge…Feb 27, 2017Feb 27, 2017
Ali TanakaDear Gigi Hadid… (Inspired by Chloe Bennet)Recently, Gigi Hadid was seen in an InstaStory video with a Buddha cookie seen below (video from 0:37 to 0:43)Feb 16, 2017Feb 16, 2017
Ali TanakaThe Morning AfterI am a woman of color. I am bilingual woman of color. I am the daughter of a 4th generation Japanese-American born in Hawaii who is an…Nov 9, 2016Nov 9, 2016
Ali TanakainInvisible IllnessThe Hardest Part of My Recovery From Mental Health BattlesI am not a numbers person. Contrary to my stereotype, I was horrible at math. But consider this:Aug 11, 20161Aug 11, 20161
Ali TanakaWhat We Can Learn From Japan’s Deadliest Massacre Since World War IIIt wasn’t until I realized that one of the victims in the Japanese knife attack in Sagamihara could have been a relative of mine that the…Aug 3, 2016Aug 3, 2016
Ali TanakaDon’t Cry Because Zayn Malik’s Time With One Direction Is Over-Smile Because It HappenedI remember a friend trying desperately to get me to appreciate the Spice Girls when I was in elementary school; she had all of their albums…Jul 27, 2016Jul 27, 2016