Alec Yoshio MacDonald
Formerly of Chicago, Alec Yoshio MacDonald is a writer and editor living in Oakland, California. His work has appeared in the Nichi Bei Times, Hyphen magazine, Nikkei Heritage, Pacific Citizen, IMDiversity.com and the Chicago Shimpo.
Updated February 2006
Stories from This Author
Plate Lunch: The Original Fusion Cuisine
May 31, 2011 • Alec Yoshio MacDonald
Folks from Hawai‘i will tell you: plate lunch starts with two scoops rice and one scoop mac salad. Atop this starchy base, go ahead and pile on any protein-heavy fare you want, just don’t skimp on salt or grease. Glistening slices of beef teriyaki, crunchy chunks of chicken katsu, gristly chains of short rib, golden slabs of mahi mahi, viscous pools of sumptuous stew, fried heaps of hot dog, SPAM, or egg—it’s all game. If the mood strikes you, pour …
Sports, Community, and History: Reflections on Recording the Japanese American Experience in Chicago
Sept. 12, 2006 • Alec Yoshio MacDonald
Outside, the bone-chilling February winds are blowing fiercely off of Lake Michigan, but inside, the buzz of the crowd seems to provide as much insulation as the sturdy brick walls of the old gymnasium. The spectators draw their energy from the teams’ frenzied movements down on the basketball court, as the players in turn feed off of the cheers from the stands and pick up their intensity. Due to the heated atmosphere of the game, everyone forgets the icy Chicago …
