Excuse My Accent: We Are All In This Together

“Nowhere to call home, cause it’s burnt to the ground." This is how being an immigrant feels like these days, but this needs to change. We are more exposed than ever to different accents, people, and cultures. But when we hear an accent, this doesn’t have to bring up prejudices and stereotypes, instead, it should awaken a celebration of another group of people who can only widen our worlds. One inspiringly diverse group, between Romanian-American artist Drei Ros, African American artist RobYoung and Dominican artist Sharlene, have wanted to change the current response to an accent and immigrants by teaming up to create the “Excuse My Accent” Movement. This movement is about bringing people together to make a change for the better. They are using the platform for sharing cultural stories of inclusivity and showing their pride over their backgrounds by realizing that all people are in this together. The "Excuse My Accent" song is produced by The Donuts and MP808 (808 Mafia) with creative assistance by Grammy-nominated songwriter Kief Brown. It became an anthem for all the immigrants and minorities with its music video and delivers a message of truth, struggle, and hope. We talked with Drei Ros and RobYoung about the story behind Excuse My Accent, their experiences, and migration issues. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about celebrating our uniqueness and how to support the movement.

Reunited, Ebony Buckle's Fight For Immigration

The debate on immigration is riddled with controversy and divisiveness, yet distinctively universal. In America, we commonly think of the debate of immigration being associated with illegal immigration through the influx of aliens via the U.S. southern border. The UK faces a similar discussion. Those in favor of loosening stringent migration standards argue that countries can benefit from a greater cultural diversity, flexible labour markets, and a solution to aging populations. Those in favor of more secure borders often state free borders can result in lower wages for unskilled workers, overpopulation, and a negative impact on GDP per capita. With all said, it seems that like most political debates, an agreeable consensus seems distant. However, despite this, what remains true are the families and individuals suffering through the process.

UK artist Ebony Buckle experienced the impacts of tight UK immigration laws first hand. Her new single “Ghost” chronicles her plight with immigration when her marriage visa was refused shortly after her wedding, resulting in a two year separation from her husband. This experience inspired her to partner with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) to help fight for Asylum Seekers’ rights and provide legal support, food, medical support and more. Please read our exclusive interview to learn more about Ebony Buckle.

Art, zIssue 25Jejune ContributorAugust 4, 2020music, musician, singer, singer song writer, #singer, Immigration, immigrant, covid-19, humanity, human right, human rightsComment

Chen Tang Learns From His Childhood

Actor, Chen Tang was born in Kobe, Japan and is of Chinese ancestry. As Chinese citizen and US Permanent Resident, and fluent in both Mandarin and English - he is a picturesque embodiment of homogeny and uniqueness. As far as acting goes, Chen is set to start in Walt Disney Studios' highly anticipated film “Mulan.” It is a live action version of the 1998 classic Disney animated film with the 2020 version drawing a lot more inspiration from the original Chinese fable "The Ballad of Mulan.” Chen will also appear in Bruce Lee Entertainment and Cinemax series "Warrior” later this year.

In addition, he is dedicated to giving back to his community and environmental preservation. He has partnered with the Cambodian Children’s Fund and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn about Chen Tang and his work.