Kat Chow

"Brown" is a word that's sometimes used to describe people who aren't white, including some people who also identify as Asian-American. NPR's Code Switch team recently got a question from a listener: Should light-skinned Asian-Americans — like some East Asians — be able to call themselves "brown"? The answer is complicated, and has to do with how diverse "Asian-Americans" are.

Before Hurricane Irma hit the U.S., it devastated parts of Cuba. In extended families, Cuban-Americans are trying to put their lives back together and help their relatives in Cuba.

While the number of Asian-American lawyers and law students increased greatly in recent decades, there are few Asian-American lawyers in top positions in the legal field.

When Bao Phi was a child, there was little literature about Vietnamese refugees in the U.S. Phi hopes to change that with his new poetry book Thousand Star Hotel and a forthcoming children's book.

Shaheen, an author and critic, spent his life battling stereotypes of Muslims and Arab-Americans in popular culture. He died Sunday in South Carolina.

A Supreme Court ruling has re-ignited the debate over the use of racially offensive trademark registrations. Simon Tam says he's pleased by the victory, but he can see both sides.

In the aftermath of the acquittal of the officer who shot and killed Philando Castile, we've rounded up some of the compelling writing about this case — and police shootings — over the past year.

Though Chinese restaurants are now an American staple, during the late 1800s and early 1900s, some Americans staged a multipronged effort to shut them down.

The Top Dawg singer's new album is as dreamy as we all hoped it would be. Code Switch and NPR Music tapped in a few members of the NPR fam to chat with us about how SZA and Ctrl resonates with them.

The law limited Chinese immigration and barred them from becoming naturalized U.S. citizens.

The perception of universal success among Asian-Americans is being wielded to downplay racism's role in the persistent struggles of other minority groups — especially black Americans.

You could say it's been a pretty turbulent week on the race beat.

How does a movie freighted with baggage over its casting of a white actress as an Asian character get marketed?

For years, advocates have pushed the Census Bureau for a box for people of Middle Eastern or North African descent. Now, the bureau recommends one. Some worry the data may be misused in surveillance.

First-time candidates are seeking offices across the country. And several nonprofits are helping American Muslims get involved in the political process.

The Southern Poverty Law Center says there has been a rise in hate groups, including groups using anti-Muslim rhetoric. Some American Muslims are pushing back by running for office.

After a scathing letter of resignation, only four people remain on the president's commission on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. It brings up broader questions of these task forces' efficacy.

At a rally in New York City on Sunday, protesters filled three city blocks to express solidarity with Muslims and to speak out against President Trump's immigration ban.

It's been a busy week on the race beat, to say the least. Here are some pieces from all across the internet that the Code Switch team especially dug.

When you're hosting this symbol-rich holiday for the first time, how do you assume ownership of rituals you don't cherish?