BUSY BEE 🐝

Greetings 👋 

Hi, how was your weekend? 

We know, things are hectic right now. Deadlines, decisions, year-end pressure… it’s a lot. But in the middle of all that, our community keeps showing up, creating, and pushing forward in their own ways.

So take a breather, grab your coffee, and catch up on what’s been happening across the Asian hustle world this week.

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Arthur Sze named first Asian American poet laureate of the U.S.

Arthur Sze has been named the 25th U.S. Poet Laureate, becoming the first Asian American to hold the position. His term begins Oct. 9 with a public reading at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., succeeding Ada Limón.

Acting Librarian of Congress Robert Randolph Newlen praised Sze’s work as “distinctly American” and full of “great formal innovation,” comparing him to Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman for his ability to fuse diverse influences into something entirely new.

Born in New York City to Chinese immigrant parents, Sze has authored 12 poetry collections, including Compass Rose (Pulitzer finalist), Sight Lines (National Book Award winner), and Into the Hush (Bollingen Prize winner). His career spans decades of teaching — from Native American reservations to prisons — and he previously served as Santa Fe’s first poet laureate.

Read the full article here.

Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Erivo coming to Singapore for regional premiere of Wicked: For Good

The stars of Wicked: For Good will walk the “yellow carpet” at Universal Studios Singapore on Nov 13, joined by actor Jeff Goldblum and director Jon M. Chu for the film’s Asia-Pacific premiere.

Singapore marks the fourth stop on the movie’s five-city global tour. The evening will include a handprint ceremony and a special screening at Pantages Hollywood Theatre, while an exclusive fan event will take place at WEAVE at Resorts World Sentosa.

Wicked: For Good — the final chapter in the witches of Oz saga — follows the massive global success of its predecessor, which grossed over US$750 million and earned 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Read the full article here.

Bangladesh’s gut-healing food for malnourished children among Time’s Best Inventions of 2025

MDCF-2, a locally developed food supplement by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) and Washington University in St. Louis, has been recognized by Time as one of 2025’s best inventions.

Made from chickpea, soybean, peanut, and green banana flour, MDCF-2 is designed to repair gut microbiomes and support growth, immunity, and brain development in malnourished children. Backed by the Gates Foundation, it has already shown strong results in Bangladesh and is now being trialled in India, Pakistan, Mali, and Tanzania.

Dr Tahmeed Ahmed of icddr,b said the invention proves how “science and compassion can come together to solve one of the most persistent global health challenges.”

Read the full article here.

Foreign beer and luxury goods spotted in Pyongyang despite UN sanctions

Recent Chinese social media posts have revealed that luxury brands like Chanel, Dior, and Adidas — along with imported beers such as Corona and Asahi — are being sold openly in Pyongyang’s stores and restaurants.

Videos posted on Xiaohongshu show aisles of foreign goods in malls like Ryugyong Golden Plaza and Daesung Department Store, where perfumes from Gucci and Jo Malone are priced between $80–$150. Some items, like Japanese products featuring the cartoon Snoopy, were altered to remove U.S.-linked imagery.

The posts raise questions about the enforcement of UN sanctions, which prohibit the export of luxury goods to North Korea. Despite these bans, the regime’s elite — including Kim Jong-un and his family — have often been seen using high-end foreign products.

Read the full article here.

LAST WEEK, ASIAN LEADERS DID 🎉

🚀Tan Su Shan (Singapore), CEO of DBS, was named Fortune’s Most Powerful Woman in Asia 2025.

🚀 Ramesh Narayan (India) was honored with the Pan-Asian AFAA Changemakers for Good Individual Leader Award for his social impact work in advertising and environmental causes.

🚀 Amelia Roziman (Malaysia) made history as the first Asian recipient of The Iceberg Excellence Award, recognized for her leadership in sustainable and legacy-driven event strategies.

🚀 Maulik Darji (British Asian) won Professional of the Year at the 2025 Asian Achievers Awards for outstanding contributions in radiography and health care leadership.

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COMPANIES DISCOVERED ✅

Anise Health

Anise Health is a culturally-attuned mental wellness platform designed specifically for Asian Americans. Its approach centres on delivering care that truly understands the unique pressures and values that influence the Asian American experience.

Anise Health combines evidence-based therapy, coaching, and self-guided digital tools to meet people where they are — whether they need short-term support or long-term growth. Every provider is trained to understand cultural nuances, from family expectations to achievement stress, enabling clients to receive care that feels personal and effective.

Using data-driven insights, Anise Health builds personalized care plans that align with each individual’s goals, values, and lifestyle. More than just a matching platform, it also cultivates a sense of belonging — a community where clients feel safe, seen, and empowered to thrive. With technology, science, and compassion at its core, Anise Health is redefining what accessible, high-quality, and culturally attuned mental healthcare can look like for the AAPI community.

Explore Anise Health and find care that truly resonates.

Enticed

“If you could be yourself without ever apologizing, would the world still accept you?”

That question sits at the heart of ENTICED, a sapphic short film led by two Thai actresses, Azy Intara and Mim Kumissara, and produced in the U.S. The film begins as an electric connection between two women but soon unfolds into something deeper: a portrait of identity, desire, and the emotional costs of authenticity.

The film is directed by Junda Wu, a Chinese filmmaker known for his acclaimed short Paranoid, which screened at major international festivals including LA Shorts and Golden State. It is written by Roxane Dupont, a French screenwriter behind the web series Couples Therapy, and also features Michael Seth Meyer (USA) and Maëva Karen (France) in supporting roles.

For Azy Intara, who also co-produced and co-wrote the film, ENTICED is a personal statement.

“There’s still a stereotype that same-sex relationships have to mirror heterosexual ones,” Azy shares. “With ENTICED, we wanted to challenge that — to show that both of us can be fully feminine and still be understood.

And without spoiling the trailer, the heart of the film really lies in that quiet struggle — the social anxiety of trying to belong as an Asian person living in the West.”

Azy is a Thai actress and former leader of the pop girl group Mira Mir. From her early days on Thailand’s biggest networks — Channel 3, Channel 7, and WeTV — to now leading a U.S. film, she continues to expand her artistic reach. ENTICED marks her U.S. silver-screen debut as a lead actress, bridging her Thai acting career with her growing presence in Hollywood.

“It’s not easy,” Azy admits. “It’s a constant jump between doubt and belief. But I’ve learned that when you’re deeply yourself, they have to make room.”

With ENTICED, she’s doing exactly that: creating space for queer stories and unapologetically human characters to take centre stage.

ENTICED is preparing for the U.S. festival circuit, with the official release targeted for early 2026.

Follow Azy’s journey: @aeyzeewhy

Follow for more updates on ENTICED at: @enticed.film

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