The choice for the name Banana is meant to be an inside joke. For anyone who has ever been called a ‘banana,’ you know that it’s a nickname that has been given to many first generation Asians growing up in a western world, like the magazine’s editors. It’s not meant to be derogatory, but celebratory. Birthed in Chinatown NYC, Banana strives to navigate through the blurred Eastern and Western boundaries and create a voice for contemporary Asian culture. It wants to use the magazine as a platform to feature, celebrate, and join the conversation with Asian creatives in a journey to define our collective identity.