While the true origin for the term is debated amongst the Asian American community, “AZN” became popular during the late 90s and early 2000s. It’s the shorthand for “AZN PRYDE”. While some may think it is an acronym, it is really just a stylization of the word, “Asian.” Some say the term came from the forms of Asian Avenue, a social networking website that focused on Asian Americans. The website was founded in 1997, predating myspace by six years. 

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While initially used as a term of positivity, endearment, and pride towards yourself as an Asian American and the community as a whole, the term eventually morphed and was co-opted by disparagers and critiques of the modern movement. For a period of time, and still today, it has a negative connotation in some circles. Scrolling through Urban Dictionary will paint a pretty clear picture of that. 

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The term, however, has been coming back to its positive roots, especially in the Asian hip-hop community (3). I choose to embrace this term. We get to choose and define our titles, no one else. Sometimes, AZN isn’t taken seriously. When some people hear that term, they think of spiky bleached hair, corny youtube videos, and sPeLLing lyKe tHis. That isn’t what AZN is about, at least not anymore. Asian Americans have always struggled with the idea of identity. I’ve seen a great deal of Asian American men and women experience feelings of self-hatred toward their ethnicity at some point in their lives. I, myself, experienced these feelings at some point in my life. 

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We are categorized as extremely foreign and yet “white-adjacent” at the same time. They discount our struggles by calling us the “Model Minority” because we chose to rise above how we were viewed and treated. Society frequently fetishizes Asian women and culture while disparaging Asian men. And when it’s brought up or discussed, we are called “Men’s Rights Asians” as a tactic to discredit, gaslight, and silence us. We have historically been pigeon-holed as “the enemy,” racist caricatures, social doormats, quiet, passive, math geeks, scientists, computer nerds, laundromat owners, nail technicians, martial artists, etc. Hollywood frequently typecasts us, delegating us to side and Asian specific roles. Before this they would hire white people to play us (Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, David Carradine in Kung Fu). Even Charlie Chan, a fictional detective aimed at destigmatizing the negative outlook of Asian Americans, was played by white people. AZN is a call to action. It is a declaration of anger. It is a moniker, a symbol, an acceptance of yourself, and a hunger for representation. Because at the end of the day… if we don’t represent ourselves, who will?