Shaira Natividad holds a fork and a spoon as she prepares to eat. In most Asian countries, the staple food in the Philippines is rice. It is most often steamed and always served with meat, fish, and vegetable...

Jasmine Yuen, wears a traditional Thai outfit called “Chut Thai”. It means “Thai Outfit” and can be worn by men, women, and children. Yuen said that Chut Thai for women usually consists of a pha...

Jasmine Yuen, showcases her "Chut Thai" on a bamboo blanket. "My mother is Thai and my father is Chinese, but he was born and raised in New York.” Yuen strongly feels engulfed into her Thai culture because...

Jasmine Yuen showcases her "Chut Thai" on a bamboo blanket. "My mother is Thai and my father is Chinese, but he was born and raised in New York.” Nguyen strongly feels engulfed into her Thai culture...

A Filipino dessert called "Halo-halo" is displayed on a table. Natividad said she was only exposed to Filipino cuisine for the first eight years of her life. "Lumpia was a must during my birthday parties...

Shaira Natividad was born in Manila, Philippines, but was raised in Nueva Ecija, Philippines and lived there for a total of eight years. (Sydney Welch / Xpress Magazine)

Shaira Natividad moved to California in February 2008. She didn’t know how to form sentences in English, Natividad had a difficult time adjusting to the first couple of years. "I think I was lucky that...

Sarah Naini's, culture is very important to her. Being in San Francisco has really helped her embrace her cultures. “I love the diversity and sense of community that surrounds me everyday," said Naini....

“In Korea, there is an annual Cherry Blossom Festival that my family and I brought traditional sweets, a purse & jewelry,” said Naini. (Sydney Welch / Xpress Magazine)

Iranian sweets are displayed in a decorative box along side an Iranian hand bag and a South Korean hand-held fan. “When I was younger and my grandparents would visit from Iran, they always brought a...

Sarah Naini showcases her jewelry as she clutches a bag that was given to her by a cousin from Iran. “We both share a passion for fashion, and I love to represent my culture through colorful bags & jewelry,”...

Sarah Naini, holds a manual fan that was given to her by her grandma. It has printed cherry blossoms. The cherry blossom symbolizes a time of renewal since they only bloom in early April after the long,...

Sarah Naini cluches a bag that was given to her by a cousin in Iran. (Sydney Welch / Xpress Magazine)

Sarah Naini, is half Korean and half Iranian. Her mother is from Seoul, South Korea and her father is from Tehran, Iran. (Sydney Welch / Xpress Magazine)

“I am very grateful to be a part of the Thai community, since it is scarce and unique to Southeast Asian countries in the Bay Area,” she said. “I am proud to be Thai and Chinese and I am proud to...

A traditional Thai outfit includes a necklace, bracelets, shoulder side jewel string, belt, and earrings. “This outfit means a lot to me because I grew embodying my Thai culture whether it be Thai dancing,...

asmine Nguyen showcases her "Chut Thai" on a bamboo blanket. "My mother is Thai and my father is Chinese, but he was born and raised in New York.” Nguyen strongly feels engulfed into her Thai culture...

  This photo story looks at three Asian-American women who embrace their individual cultures that form their identity. California alone has the largest Asian American population in the...

With a dream collaboration from Timbaland and Pharrell, 25-year-old Oakland producer Bakary Milon sets the tone for all of the producers out there. Making music since 12, Bakary was finally...

Monterey: Each year, millions of visitors from around the world visit California beaches to surf, kayak, fish, dive, or just enjoy the scenery. According to Sinauer, California borders the Pacific...

  In Arabic, ethereal means, “something so beautiful that it’s out of this world and thread is just like every scarf, every clothing item, everything starts with a single thread.”  Anusha...