As of October 2024, I’ve decided to take a break from the site. If you’d like to read my other Substack, I write weekly over at Gen X Taste (a beauty/fashion/lifestyle blog).
I’m Lynn Chen — an actress, writer, director, musician, blogger, podcaster, and host.
I’ve been a professional performer for over four decades, back when being an Asian-American actor mostly meant being an Asian stereotype.
When I was growing up, it was rare to see Asian faces on my television, or hear them on the radio, or read their voices in books. Now, there is much more! Which is exciting, but it also means there is a lot to see, listen to, and experience. And not all of it is worth sharing.
So I decided to start this newsletter, where I keep track of all the stuff I’ve been moved by (art, music, books, films, shows, food, design, etc.) created by Asians, or featuring Asian talent. And I’ve asked some of those talented people to share their own recommendations, as well.
Here’s just a few examples:
I realize not every Asian-American identifies as “yellow.” In addition to being very East-Asian centric, there are a lot of negative feelings tied to the term. But “the yellow pages” were an actual thing that are now outdated, and so, I’m utilizing both to reclaim that complicated history. Since every post will begin from my point of view, this newsletter is my quest for a more empowered definition and resource. For those who identify as “brown,” I’ve done my best to make sure they’re also represented.
THE YELLOW PAGES is a resource to my younger self, and to all of you.
