There is a new installment of the Kung Fu Panda comedy/adventure animated film series and its continuing to blow audiences away with its marvelous story, superb voice acting, and stellar music! Kung Fu Panda 4 continues the tale of Po (voiced by Jack Black, The Holiday, School of Rock) who improbably becomes the “Dragon Warrior” –a master of kung fu. Po is a giant panda and in this film is chosen to be the spiritual warrior of the Valley of […]
Chromic Duo made up of Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan, performed at the Crystal Ballroom on Friday March 22nd, as a part of the Celebrity Series of Boston’s Stave Sessions and this was not the oft pictured typical classical piano concert! They played on toy pianos, a toy xylophone, a synthesizer, as well as on a stand up piano to breathe fresh air into works, such as Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Path of the Wind” from My Neighbor Totoro and wrapped up […]
St Patrick’s Day has come and gone. The parades are over. But behind the festivities is the proud history of the Irish Americans who arrived in America escaping famine and political victimization. Saint Patrick is known for bringing Christianity to Ireland. He used Christianity to help him through his time as a slave and escaped back to Ireland. The most famous myth about St Patrick is that he drove out all the snakes in Ireland. Although the reason for his […]
TikTok is currently facing a possible ban by U.S policymakers. This recent development, which has been a very controversial move and bold statement by the federal government, is subject to speculation and debate across multiple economic sectors. Lawmakers are currently examining the implications of this decision, considering the social, economic, racial, and free speech ramifications. Over the past four years, TikTok has become an undeniable staple of American life and media consumption. The platform has had a tremendous influence in […]
With additional reporting from Milourdes Augustin and Kery Forges EDITOR’S NOTE: The developing story of Haitian Prime Minister Aryel Henry’s March 11th resignation has resonated throughout the Haitian community stateside, especially the estimated 14,000 who have come to the Greater Boston area in the past few months. The violence that has erupted in Haiti in recent weeks has been fueled by an explosive mix of government corruption, emboldened gangs and a string of natural disasters on the deeply traumatized Caribbean […]
Sampan went to Rubato, a Hong Kong style café, in Quincy to speak with Chef and co-owner Laurence Louie about his busy year as a Chopped champion, being a James Beard semifinalist, winning both Bon Appétit and Eater Boston’s Best New Restaurants awards in 2023, as well as being an expectant father. Of the items that we tried, the real stand out was Rubato’s signature dish—the fried chicken bolo bao. It was the perfect blend of succulent, perfectly cooked, fried […]
The Greenway Conservancy recently announced two new public art installations that celebrate the Year of the Dragon which will be installed at Auntie Kay and Uncle Frank Chin Park. The installations are Year of the Dragon by Ponnapa Prakkamakul and Far Away, From Home by Zhidong Zhang. Sampan sat down with the two artists to talk about their work, which is part of the annual Chinese Zodiac series. Sampan: What does it mean to you to have your installation on […]
The Boston Air Pollution Control Commission voted at a December 2023 meeting to reject an application to keep in use 30 exempt, longtime parking spaces on a strip of land along Harvard and Hudson Street near the future site of affordable housing. The land currently is part of a lot used by Tufts Shared Services, the non-profit corporation that handles infrastructure needs for both Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center. The lot has been, for about 20 years, used as […]
The cries came from over the hill, past the trees, but it was pointless to determine the exact location. It was nighttime, and the only light was the small campfire we’d made. The sounds were ominous but oddly rhythmic: one long howl, followed by shorter, higher-pitched screams, over and over, for several minutes. Then silence. The coyotes were out, and it was time to bring the dogs in. This scene replayed itself many times throughout my childhood in rural and […]
The marriage of two people from different cultures is becoming more common in the U.S.’ ever-evolving society. But it hasn’t always been this way. In the past, especially, interracial marriage had long elicited hostility and discrimination – and was even banned at times. Even states now known for progressive and liberal policies like California prohibited interracial marriage. But consider: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 had even restricted Chinese immigration for over a half century and Japanese Americans including U.S. […]
