The New York based publication intends to offer an authentic insight into all things Asian.

Banana is a new magazine dedicated to contemporary Asian culture founded by Vicki Ho and Kathleen Tso. The creators are American natives of Chinese heritage raised in different parts of the U.S who found themselves unified by past feelings of cultural confliction.

‘Banana’ is a derogatory term used to describe first and second generation Asians growing up in the Western world. The implication being that their outer layer conceals a white interior. Banana magazine intends to subvert that narrative by turning the term into a celebration of the duality that exists within the younger Asian generation growing up in the US.

The magazine sets out to explore, through profiles and personal stories from contributors, what it means to be Asian- physically, culturally and sociologically.

Vicki and Kathleen also realise that greater understanding can only be brought about through the routine enmeshment of differing cultures. This is why, although Banana magazine revolves around the Asian experience, it’s intended for all.

We want to reach anyone of Asian descent and anyone who is just interested in reading about creative, bomb-ass Asians. The intended audience is everyone who celebrates and appreciates Asians and Asian culture.

It is easy for minorities to be reduced to an afterthought and offered tokenistic opportunities by mainstream media. But the burgeoning communities in our midst help to form the fabric of our societies, and need to be documented, rather than fetishized or reduced to a stereotype.

Asian culture is more often than not refracted through a European or American standard, which rarely offers room for an accurate Asian experience. Banana magazine could potentially go some way to redress that.