Part Asian, 100% Hapa - Tapa blanda

Originally a derogatory label derived from the Hawaiian word for "half," Hapa has since been embraced as a term of pride by many whose mixed racial heritage includes Asian or Pacific Island descent. Hapas number in the millions and permeate popular film, television, print, music, and sports - yet mainstream hapa awareness remains minimal at best. Award-winning film producer, artist, and professor Kip Fulbeck has created a forum for hapas to answer the question they hear again and again - "What are you?" - in their own words, accompanied by head-on portraits, to create simple but profound statements of identity. Steering clear of the exoticism so often associated with multiraciality, Fulbeck strives to photograph his subjects as they really are, minus the trappings of everyday life - the clothing and jewellery and makeup. The individuals pictured in "Part Asian, 100 per cent Hapa" look directly at the camera and at the viewer, presenting themselves to the world, a reality which will no longer be ignored. A book of intimacy, beauty, and powerful self-expression, "Part Asian, 100 per cent Hapa" is the book Fulbeck says he always wished he had growing up. An introduction to the rest of the world, and an affirmation for hapas themselves, it offers a new perspective on the evergrowing hapa population.

Kip Fulbeck is a photographer, filmmaker, writer, and spoken-word artist whose work has been exhibited worldwide. He is Professor and Chair of Art at UC Santa Barbara. You can see more of his work at www.redsushi.com. Paul Spickard is professor of history and Asian American studies at UC Santa Barbara, and the author and editor of numerous books on race in America. Sean Lennon, son of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, is a musician who lives in New York City.