kai ☆☆☆

Wasians were more visible than ever this year: Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu were the reigning queens of the Milan Olympics; Hudson Williams parlayed the fervor of ‘Heated Rivalry’ into brand ambassadorships for Peloton and Balenciaga; Charles Melton got an Emmy nomination for ‘Beef’; Megan Lawless and Lukita Maxwell starred in Gen Z horror blockbusters ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’; Olivia Rodrigo led the ‘Billboard’ Hot 100. In the U.S., there are more multiracial Asians, specifically Wasians, than ever before. Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the country, hitting a new high of 26.4 million in 2024. About one in five are multiracial, and of those, 82% are part white. What was once an isolating experience is now a mass coming of age. The generational arrival was on display in May when an open invite to a Wasian meetup in Central Park landed on Partiful and was instantly faced with backlash. People felt that Wasians, by carving out a separate space within mixed-race identity, had the air of superiority. The increasing amount of Wasian stars in Hollywood, sports, music, and social media only seemed to confirm this fear. An incoming generation, simply by their existence, dislodged a crooked anxiety that the new face of Asian America is Wasian. E. Alex Jung spoke to over 50 people, including Hollywood writers, actors, producers, and the Wasian meetup organizers, about the current moment. Read his full report on how an incoming generation of Wasians has triggered a collective identity crisis: nymag.visitlink.me/KiVPem