Glamour Magazine

Carrie and the magazine were featured in Glamour Magazine’s March 2003 issue.

World Journal — 世界日報

World Journal, a prominent Chinese-language newspaper in the U.S., featured Carrie and the magazine in an article, translated below. The accompanying photo shows Carrie with her mother (Phoebe Chang). See below for translation.

Monolid Bimonthly Magazine: Looking at Asians with Heart

Carrie Chang Aims to Provide a Sanctuary for Second-Generation Asian Americans to Find Themselves and Their Identity

Reported by Liang Dongren in Cupertino

"Monolid" is a very special magazine. Editor-in-Chief Carrie Chang says, "The world seen through our monolid eyes is different from the reflection in mainstream American society." The bi-monthly magazine "Monolid," first published in December, brings together young Asian Americans from the East and West Coasts. Through their pens, they write down in-depth observations of social phenomena and personal experiences growing up in America. It is a recommended spiritual read.

For second-generation Chinese Americans born and raised in the United States, this is not an easy question to answer. Growing up as a minority, Chang also felt uncertain.

Chang said, "It wasn't until I returned to Taiwan to learn Chinese and walked down the street, feeling for the first time that I was the same as everyone else, that I perhaps understood how white people feel in America. Now I know that I am a Chinese person in America, and Chinese culture is my root and blood. No matter where I am, this is an unchangeable fact."

Why is it called "Monolid"? Chang explains, "Because I am proud of my monolids. The beauty and inner meaning of monolids have different connotations." The motivation for Chang to found this bi-monthly magazine came from her incomprehension of why so many Asians desperately get double eyelid surgery. A Korean friend of hers had the surgery done by her parents at birth. Under the influence of American culture, "double eyelids" have become one of the symbols of identity.

By standard measures, Carrie Chang's resume is something her parents can be proud of. She entered Stanford University in 1988, obtained a Master's degree in English in 1993, studied Chinese for a year at the National Taiwan University Stanford Language Center in 1994, and with a passion for journalism, became a reporter for Asian Week in 1995. In 1996, she entered the Journalism Department at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1997, she received a Swedish government scholarship to report on "Chinese, Americans, Chinese Americans, American Chinese?" in Stockholm, and in 1998, she obtained another Master's degree in journalism.

Gathering with a group of like-minded partners who agreed to "look at Asians from a different perspective," the bi-monthly magazine "Monolid" was published. From the perspectives of culture, political participation, art, literature, music, religion, and documentary reports, the magazine delves into the inner world of second-generation Asian Americans, hoping to find a sanctuary for their souls. There is no cultural conflict, no ambiguous identity; instead, there are clear articles that help to settle confused thoughts and find the right direction.

Another idea is to change the mainstream stereotype of Asians. "Not every Asian girl is as weak as Miss Saigon or Madame Butterfly. Asian women also have their own views and opinions and can do many things besides being a wife and mother."

Chang's mother, Phoebe Chang (Deng Fuyi), is her biggest supporter, allowing her to develop freely without pushing her to study computer science, become a doctor, or pursue a doctorate. A short remark from Chang's mother perhaps resonates deeply with many parents: "Sometimes I think I regret it a bit. If she had grown up in Taiwan, perhaps she wouldn't have the identity struggles she does now." Carrie Chang said, "Fortunately, I found myself." Through "Monolid," she hopes that more Asian Americans can share the joys and sorrows of growing up in America. Monolid magazine can be purchased in many bookstores, and the website is at monolid.com.