Lifestyle

How comfortable are you with talking about death? Would you feel more comfortable talking about it over some beers and pizza with friends?

If information is power, then shouldn’t we all strive for all the people in our community to feel powerful? 

How to survive winter, Japanese style

When I got cancer, I thought that would be my biggest problem. I was very wrong.

How a mom of two navigates the difficult lesson of inclusivity—which you would think is easy as a minority, but it's a little more complicated.

Investing in your mental health has an impact that echoes through generations. Read on for reflections on my dad's journey and my own as a new parent.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and also Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. If you know someone who's recently welcomed a baby, here are 10 ways you can help support them.

There are so many things I wish I knew about fertility that I didn't end up learning until I became pregnant and had babies myself.

Not a productive life hack or daily routine schedule, just a real look at what it's like to be a Work at Home Mom.

You should travel as far and as wide as possible. It's the only way to taste the fullness of life.

It is exhausting to live in a world where I’m told to celebrate my whole self while being encouraged to abandon my basic needs to live a full and healthy life in order to be valued and accepted by society.

If you are like me (or me previously) and have a compulsory need to pack 5 pairs of shoes for a 3 day trip and you want to change, then this article might be the one for you. Here’s my guide to going from a 50 lb check in bag to a 17 lb backpack for my 7-day Japan trip and all the options I had to consider.

What I did, and how I traveled through Japan knowing a limited amount of Japanese.

Despite the mixed reputation of Valentine's Day, I'm here to offer a few reasons to help advocate for my personal favorite holiday. We really do love love, so why not love Valentine's Day too? :)

Looking for new music? Check out our December radiYO! playlists curated by some of our favorite tastemakers.

Question: Can you play my song request? Answer: No. Find out the answers to your deepest darkest DJ questions from real DJs.

Five playlists from five very different individuals... There's bound to be something in here that suits your taste.

Let me ask you: what do your dreams and passions look like when they’re not bound by the pressures of time, status, or money?

Find out what your doppelganger in Japan listening to with this short quiz!

I’m not sure whether having lofi on in the background while we work or think provides a reprieve from overstimulation or is a manifestation of need for stimulation, but in both cases, lofi has come about in the most connected and fast-paced time in history.

Here's (almost) all of the semi-mainstream Asian and Asian American artists – and archetypes who listen to them – that you need to catch up on before you try showing off to your judgmental Gen Z family member. Again. ‍

Aside from the last name and the smile, these 78s were the one thing that I could share with my grandfather - the thing that I knew was ours.

Gamers of different video game generations with different opinions. Which do you identify with the console kids? The Minecraft gen? or the OG Lan-party kids?

Gamers used to be perceived as losers and incels (and some still are), but it's 2022: a lot has changed.

Iszac Gaton and Taylor Weik, developers of the upcoming indie game J-Town: A Visual Novel, talk about the game development process and all things Japantown.

Is your life stressful? Try out some of these stress-free games!

I would rather my son start playing video games than just watching TV. I believe there are a lot of benefits to playing video games, despite it being unfairly blamed for violence and obesity.

Cai Kagawa explores the problematic racial representation in D&D

Ripple Effect: Walk for Suicide Prevention, was an event hosted by Changing Tides and was intended to be a moment of reflection for those we have lost by suicide and to be a reminder that anyone can create a ripple effect in suicide awareness and prevention.

For a long time, I have had this dream of going on a cross country roadtrip constantly pestering me.

A bucket list for families to embrace an adventure mindset with kids during the summer.

Summer break, some find it too hot, some find it too short, others don't care cause they're stuck in their cubicles during it. Let's see how teachers and students feel about it and why it is important.

Running my first half marathon to kick off summer 2022

There’s a lot to love about this sport that may seem extreme, silly, or inaccessible from the outside. And while I don’t intend to turn anyone into a hardcore climber from this article alone, maybe you’ll be inspired to get a day pass at your local gym the next time a friend invites you along!

Traveling can feel overwhelming as an overpacker. Use this packing template so you can focus on the actual fun of the trip, not what to bring and how much!

Can fashion define a generation or is it transgenerational? We ask, they answer, you decide.

Creating a sustainable wardrobe doesn’t mean throwing out all of your fast fashion pieces. Keep what you already have and adjust how you care for them.

Personal color consultation will tell you what colors look best on you. For a mom of two, it meant the beginning of a chromatastic adventure.

Sharing stories of personal peace... after leaving the job.

"There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met."

Nick Lee, 24, is forging his path in the music industry. After a meteoric past couple of years, Nick sat down with Yo! Magazine to talk about how his background as an Asian American has influenced his career and his artistic process.

Through a friend of a friend. Isn't that how most people meet their significant others?

Add these iconic Little Tokyo spots to your date-rotation. Bonus points if you hit them all in one go!

Lisa and Steven answer some relationship questions from the Yo! editorial team.

I'm not big about hugging. But is it because I was raised that way?

3 Generations respond to 1 topic. 15 questions. In this issue: LOVE.

February in the JA community is filled by two major holidays: Day of Remembrance and Valentine’s Day. Let's honor both by re-evaluating how we look at gender, pronouns, love, and identity with our youth.

Henry Golding, Sung Kang, Simu Liu, and Jimmy O. Yang are the next wave of optics/progression with representation for Asian American/Asian men. Their charm, humble mindset, fists, and not to mention six-packs are awe-inspiring and perhaps even redefining Asian male masculinity.

With just a few tips, you can enhance your local grocery store flowers (or flowers picked from your backyard) into a thoughtful arrangement that will reflect your true feelings.

If someone were to ask me about my childhood, the first memories that would rush into my mind would all revolve around my time spent with my grandmother.

Planning for your organization is STILL a challenge given the present circumstances, but not impossible. Here are ways that you can create the mindset and practice to plan proactively.

The Bullet Journal is a life changing method of decluttering your mind and doing more with your time. If you don't agree, maybe you did it wrong.

With so many people having made New Year’s resolutions related to diet and exercise, it is the perfect time to confront what it is that we really value in our lives.

We are excited to announce “Yo! Records”, an independent record label based in Los Angeles. Our goal is to release music from up-and-coming Asian American artists and celebrate our unique community. 

During the holidays, it’s important to take time for yourself and to allow the nervous system to reset. Here are some of my tips to help you relax and find a little “Me” time.

Brianna (@brimoreecofriendly) is here with 4 easy and sustainable ways to wrap your presents this holiday season!

To Santa or not to Santa, that is the question. More than ever, it takes a lot of effort and maneuvering on the parents’ part to keep this magic alive. Some will say that the fight is worth it, others will argue it’s time to stop lying to our kids—because yes, that is what it takes sometimes to keep it going. Lying.

The magic sweet spot for friends’ kids gifting is it has to be useful enough for the parent to appreciate it, but still fun for the kid (because you want to be the cool one), and also something kind of off the mainstream path so the parent hasn’t gotten it for them yet. Oh and obviously not super expensive because dude, you’re just the weird auntie/uncle still, and no need to invest in that kind of relationship.

Small talk is small talk, I get that. But I do wish that these “new parent-isms” we spit out at these folks were a bit more helpful.

Mental health and therapy have always been taboo topics within the Asian American community. But, if we’re able to move past that stigma, therapy can be a life-changing, super-charged version of self-care. 

With the holidays coming up, there will be plenty of potlucks, parties, dinners, etc. that many will be attending, so here's a non-definitive list of how to avoid faux pas at Asian American gatherings.

Inspired by our Roll for Initiative article, we wanted to share a beginner's dice guide! We went to our resident DM, Mariko to learn more and get recommendations.

Examining the allure of Solvang, California in an attempt to better understand my parents.

Chocolate or fruit candies? Candy corn, do you love it or hate it? See if your favorites made it into our top 10 candies.

Struggling to decide what to be for Halloween this year? Here are some ideas for Asian Halloween costumes!

Businesses like Amazon have become consumer staples because of convenient shipping options and low costs. Despite reports of unethical practices and its misalignment with my own values, why is it still so hard to give it up?

Dungeons & Dragons is back and its players are more diverse than ever. In this article we explore how Japanese American players navigate the fantasy world, D&D's problematic past, and what they've learned about themselves along the way.

There can be consequences to dating within the JA community if things go poorly, but it may just be a risk worth taking.

Dogs love to go outside. Some may be fortunate to have a yard so that your dog can run around. But if you’re like me and live in an apartment, getting outdoors means walking your dog up and down a street so they can pee and poop. But sometimes, your dog just wants a little more.

As you sit by yourself in the middle of the forest like the lonely otaku you are, you wonder to yourself which of the Demon Slayer characters would be the best individuals to camp with. You begin to ponder and imagine, but alas your best boy and/or girl is clouding your reasoning. Luckily, you have me to tell you which characters would provide the best camping experience.

Want to go solo camping but worried about your safety? We interview camping expert Rebecca Joy Ozaki for tips.

As COVID shut down businesses and prevented us from laying out at the beach, I turned to spearfishing in Hawaii.

Driving across America in the middle of a pandemic.

Me and my group of friends did some unintentional forest bathing when we went camping in Joshua Tree, ten minutes outside of cell reception.

An iconic destination, a world wonder, and a treasure trove of memories. What's it like climbing the Andres on the Inka Trail to get to the breath-taking Machu Picchu? Read on to learn more!

How to stop getting in your own way and start living with fullness.

As we continue to get vaccinated and return to our lives, let's move away from retail therapy and start investing in community care.

The state of my garden is certainly a reflection of where my mental health is at in that time of my life; recently, I’ve noticed that my garden is flourishing more consistently than before.

Breaking up is hard to do. Relive the past with us as we share the floundering routines we used to do post-relationship.

Access to streaming platforms has brought esports to the forefront of competitions worldwide. Check out one sports fan's journey into the late nights, fierce competitions, and growing community.

Homemade kombucha, forts, sourdough crackers, and a chicken coup? Indoor time with the family means time to get creative.

I caught up on all the movies that I should have seen... and it was worth it.

Hair salons were closed. This is what a year of growth literally looks like, but in hair.

With more time at home, and less time with people, I compiled a list of all the things I did during quarantine (with price ratings!)

What might be even more revolutionary than seeing AAPI masculinity on screen is the idea that Asian men—like k-pop boyband BTS—can subvert gendered concepts of beauty and desire altogether.

Whether on Zoom, Google Meet, or FaceTime, virtual backgrounds are always an option, but how about getting to see the "natural beauty" of video conference backgrounds to get a genuine sneak peek into people's lives?

Dressing down for the pandemic world but dressing up for the digital world - some of my favorite video games give me opportunities to go all out in flashy outfits when I barely make an effort anymore in real life.

Hey, come and check out this bowl cut.

Insecurities get the best of us, but there are some that are unique to the Asians and Asian Americans. Here is a list of some of those insecurities and how to deal with them.

It took me a long time to accept myself. Asian beauty standards for men in K-drams and K-pop groups gave me comfort.

The fox-eye trend, particularly when paired with the migraine pose, is remarkably similar to how Asian people are often mocked for the shape of their eyes.

Attraction is subjective, but hotness is not. Here are the hottest people that we know.

Let's face it: when it comes to skincare, most of us don't know where to start. Here is a helpful list of products that we actually tried out.

Team Yo! sits down to share our personal New Year's Resolutions. From all of us, we want to wish you a happy new year and thank you for joining us on this journey.

Christmas cards feel like a holiday staple, but not everyone feels the ~spirit~ of the exchange. Are you #TeamChristmasCards??

Take a short quiz and get yourself a good luck charm for the new year!

We all have them. Here's a collection of the tree decorations we don't want you to see.

To reclaim some of that missing holiday spirit this year, read about one author's visit to Tanaka Farms’ Hikari – A Festival of Lights.

In need of some holiday spirit? Check out these holiday light displays throughout Southern California!

If you're feeling like the holidays don't have the same sparkle, we got you.