< Back Haiku Kwon Contributor Haiku Kwon, aka Laura Kruis, is a Korean American #importedAsian , writer, and wanderluster, who loves dogs, weightlifting, food, and connecting with others. Through her contributions to The Universal Asian , she hopes to demonstrate the importance of storytelling and sharing one’s personal truth to build community. Haiku has held many varied roles throughout her life and travels as much as possible, which has taught her that “home” isn’t always a place. Sometimes, it’s a moment. Blog: https://haiku-kwon.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haiku_kwon/

Our Mission The Universal Asian is an open and safe online database platform in a magazine-style to provide inspiration to Asian adoptees (#importedAsians) and immigrated Asians (#hyphenatedAsians) around the world. We strive to mainstream discussions on topics related to pop culture, politics, lifes tyle, and more importantly help make our community of Asian voices universally heard . Our Val ues Anti-discrimination and abuse The Universal Asian will not tolerate racism, discrimination, violence, or abuse of any kind. We embrace diversity and are committed to ensuring a space, culture, and platform that is free from discrimination or abuse in any form. If there are any instances of racist, discriminatory, or abusive language used in deal ing with The Universal Asian or any of our collaborators, then we shall block the account immediately and call it out publicly on our platform. Honesty The Universal Asian is committed to being honest about our diverse experiences without sugar-coating or diluting the voices of our contributors and collaborators for what is shared is our TRUTH. Integrity Trust is essential to any organization. We build that trust through the actions and judgment of all The Universal Asian team — in our social media platforms, in our workplace and in what we post on the site. Respect The Universal Asian aims to build and serve a global audience that is vast and diverse representing the Asian diaspora. To do that fully and fairly, we treat our community — our readers, contributors, collaborators, and our team with the utmost empathy and respect. Collaboration The Universal Asian does not place itself in competition with others raising voices or sharing stories, but rather gives respect to and raises up the creativity and expertise from every part of the diaspora to fulfill our mission. It is our greatest aim to work together and support each other to provide a sense of community and inspiration to those who engage with us.

Essay Heather Lewis Essay Musings of a Middle-aged Matriarch: Finding my tribe There’s a sea of different people in this world. While everyone is unique and different, there are enough commonalities between us all to... Vanessa Nguyen Essay What It Means To Be Asian in America: Recognizing and breaking the cycle of trauma The rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community has left many of us questioning not just our identity as Asian-Americans, but how we... Cynthia Landesberg Essay Artificial Habitat Growing up, I lived in one of those unremarkable suburban neighborhoods everyone has seen and no one remembers. Two-story houses.... Heather Lewis Essay Musings of a Middle-aged Matriarch: How do you find joy? As adoptees, many of us have had to create our own joy. We have to work at joy because it doesn’t come naturally to us. We are too busy... Cynthia Landesberg Lifestyle Choosing Parenthood “I think, maybe, we should talk about starting a family,” my husband said one day, as we sat on the back porch of a winery north of our... Heather Lewis Essay Musings of a Middle-aged Matriarch: Looking exotic sitting at Cracker Barrel I was adopted into a small farming community with one blinking stop light. For all my life, I was surrounded by people who did not look... 1 2 3 4 5

< Back A.D. Herzel Contributor A.D. Herzel is an #importedAsian from Korea. She is a Visual Artist, writer, and educator. A.D. has exhibited work nationally for the past 20 years. She trained as a painter and printmaker at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and went on to receive her Master of Eduaction (M.Ed.) in art education at the Tyler School of Art in 2000. Her digital work has been published in the Manifest International Drawing Annual , INDA 8, and she has won several awards of recognition for her drawings. In addition to exhibiting work in numerous juried shows, she has been recognized by curators from the Amon Carter Museum of American Art , The Kimbell Museum of Fine Arts in Texas, and The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. She has been represented by galleries in Fort Worth, TX, Nashville, TN and Philadelphia, PA. A.D. Herzel is an Asian-American artist and writer who has shared her work nationally and internationally. You may learn more about her and her work by following her on social media and visiting her website. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pseudopompou FB: https://www.facebook.com/PseudoPompous Website: https://www.pseudopompous.com Medium: https://medium.com/@pseudopompous Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adherzel

< Back Kara Bos Contributor Kara Bos (Kang Misuk) is an #importedAsian from Korea to America, and is now a Dutchie—living in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband and two amazing children. Kara is an adventure-seeker discovering the world one country at a time (more than 50 so far!), an entrepreneur running a drowning prevention program Swim4Survival , and through her journey has become a resilient spokesperson for adoptees’ rights. She is determined to change the rhetoric of the more than 200,000 Korean adoptees searching for their identities and past; while also hoping to change the narrative of the definition of what adoption means to the average individual. Furthermore, she is a woman, wife, and mom, trying to do her best at all three of those while not sacrificing any of them.

< Back Heather Lewis Contributor Heather Lewis, or 노 영 미 as her biological sisters have named her, was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in the U.S. at six months old. Heather has had many professions: waitress, ballroom dance instructor, middle school English teacher, and her current role in operations. She has a master’s in English, a master’s in Critical Studies of Teaching English, and a master’s in business administration. She is a proud KAD (Korean ADoptee) and likes to explore identity through writing. She loves being married to “fake Dave Grohl” and raising her only daughter. Despite still not knowing her birthday, she’s sure she is a Capricorn. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lewie73

Fiction & Poetry Samantha Der Fiction & Poetry Appearances That night, as she stood alone on the water’s edge, the expanse of the ocean before her felt as dark and infinite as the universe. A soft... Lauren Kofalt Fiction & Poetry Poems Time Time flies by In the blink of an eye How should I spend my day So many things that I could do But in my bed i just lay Being... Samantha Der Fiction & Poetry Are You Me? The Noodles That Tie Us I loved my shirt With three pockets of color Gym shoes Blue shorts And black hair That flopped over My gold-rimmed glasses I was ready... Lauren Kofalt Fiction & Poetry Poems Nothing What can you do when there’s nothing to do The sun shines bright and the sky so blue Yet sitting inside thinking of you It seems... Samantha Der Fiction & Poetry All the Home Views Penny and Mimi raced around the house, climbed up beds and clamored up couches to look out every window. The children were excited to see... A.D. Herzel Fiction & Poetry Yuletide Solstice December I will leave you still flush from April and July, a fresh scar unveiled, an amniotic window tender not porous. taught, fragile,... 1 2 3 4 5

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#HYPHENATEDASIANS Ella Wu Entertainment 'Interior Chinatown' Pushes You To Step Outside Your Lines All 10 episodes are now streaming on Hulu. At some point, we all wonder: are we the star of our own story or just another face in the... FEATURED Ella Wu Entertainment An Adoptee’s Reaction to ‘Joy Ride’ (2023) Available in theaters July 7. “Joy Ride” hits like a solid punch to that white kid’s face: satisfying, but maybe not quite right. For... Ella Wu Entertainment 'Everything, Everywhere All at Once' Warning: possible spoilers ahead! Available in cinemas on March 25th On behalf of The Universal Asian, I had the privilege of attending... RECENT POSTS 'Interior Chinatown' Pushes You To Step Outside Your Lines Entertainment On the Edge of Extinction: 'The Last of the Sea Women' Culture ‘Dìdi (弟弟)’ (2024) Is Quiet, Awkward, but Heartfelt Entertainment Holly M. Kaplan Reflects on the Bittersweetness of Youth in 'Sunflower Girl' (2023) Entertainment ADOPTEE VOICES Ella Wu Entertainment An Adoptee’s Reaction to ‘Joy Ride’ (2023) Available in theaters July 7. “Joy Ride” hits like a solid punch to that white kid’s face: satisfying, but maybe not quite right. For... Cynthia Landesberg Essay Artificial Habitat Growing up, I lived in one of those unremarkable suburban neighborhoods everyone has seen and no one remembers. Two-story houses.... OSH Adoptees Book Review: 'The Global Orphan Adoption System' by Dr. Kyung-eun Lee "The Global Orphan Adoption System: South Korea’s Impact on Its Origin and Development" by Dr. Kyung-eun Lee is an informative and... 이영숙 Kristin R. Pak World Living as a Returned Migrant in Korea (Part 2 of 2) Reposted from Ildaro.com As Koreans from the diaspora who have returned to the motherland we are acknowledged by the government as part... IN THE WORLD TODAY Ella Wu World Introducing Studio ATAO’s ‘Food Systems 101’ Studio ATAO is raising funds for their first food education program “Food Systems 101: An Introduction to the Politics of Food &... OSH Adoptees Book Review: 'The Global Orphan Adoption System' by Dr. Kyung-eun Lee "The Global Orphan Adoption System: South Korea’s Impact on Its Origin and Development" by Dr. Kyung-eun Lee is an informative and... 이영숙 Kristin R. Pak World Living as a Returned Migrant in Korea (Part 2 of 2) Reposted from Ildaro.com As Koreans from the diaspora who have returned to the motherland we are acknowledged by the government as part... 이영숙 Kristin R. Pak World Human Rights: My life as a migrant adoptee, 2018 (Part 1 of 2) Reposted from Ildaro.com Introduction: As someone who became a migrant through intercountry adoption, Kristin Pak has a unique... ASIANS IN ENTERTAINMENT Ella Wu Entertainment 'Interior Chinatown' Pushes You To Step Outside Your Lines All 10 episodes are now streaming on Hulu. At some point, we all wonder: are we the star of our own story or just another face in the... Ella Wu Culture On the Edge of Extinction: 'The Last of the Sea Women' Now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. On the rocky shores of Jeju Island, a remarkable culture hangs on by a thread, embodied in the... Ella Wu Entertainment ‘Dìdi (弟弟)’ (2024) Is Quiet, Awkward, but Heartfelt In the summer of 2008, Chris Wang, a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy, stumbles his way through friendship, family, and identity. He... Ella Wu Entertainment Holly M. Kaplan Reflects on the Bittersweetness of Youth in 'Sunflower Girl' (2023) Skateboard wheels on asphalt and a mellow, pulsing instrumental ease us into “Sunflower Girl” (2023), a tender yet poignant coming-of-age... Join our mailing list! Get updates and subscribe to our newsletter! Subscribe Thanks for subscribing! FINDING OUR CULTURE Ella Wu Culture On the Edge of Extinction: 'The Last of the Sea Women' Now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. On the rocky shores of Jeju Island, a remarkable culture hangs on by a thread, embodied in the... Ella Wu Culture How Xenia Deviatkina-Loh Is Redefining Diversity in Classical Music Many people think of classical music as a thing of the past. Its compositions have stood the test of time, holding a unique place in... Ana Clancey Entertainment Bao Vo's Journey from Refugee to Artist Can you share a bit about yourself and how your Asian identity shaped who you are? Today I am an artist, music producer, and songwriter... A.D. Herzel Adoptees Korean Adoption Documents: The print portfolio The meaningful and meaningless documents that make up the story of my adoption inspired this set of digital composites. The first step in... LIFESTYLE OSH Lifestyle Introducing Angela Wu Angela Wu is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Empowerment Coach who is passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health in the... Cynthia Landesberg Lifestyle Choosing Parenthood “I think, maybe, we should talk about starting a family,” my husband said one day, as we sat on the back porch of a winery north of our... Haiku Kwon Lifestyle A #hyphenatedAsians POV: Christine Ha Christine Ha is a powerhouse of creativity and resilience. She was the first-ever blind contestant and winner of Gordon Ramsey’s amateur... OSH Lifestyle Food: Truly colorblind glue As I walked the streets in the Asian part of Rome near Termini Station, the Asian stores were mostly empty, perhaps as a result of COVID... IN OUR OWN WORDS Heather Lewis Essay Musings of a Middle-aged Matriarch: Finding my tribe There’s a sea of different people in this world. While everyone is unique and different, there are enough commonalities between us all to... Vanessa Nguyen Essay What It Means To Be Asian in America: Recognizing and breaking the cycle of trauma The rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community has left many of us questioning not just our identity as Asian-Americans, but how we... Cynthia Landesberg Essay Artificial Habitat Growing up, I lived in one of those unremarkable suburban neighborhoods everyone has seen and no one remembers. Two-story houses.... Heather Lewis Essay Musings of a Middle-aged Matriarch: How do you find joy? As adoptees, many of us have had to create our own joy. We have to work at joy because it doesn’t come naturally to us. We are too busy... FICTON & POETRY Samantha Der Fiction & Poetry Appearances That night, as she stood alone on the water’s edge, the expanse of the ocean before her felt as dark and infinite as the universe. A soft... Lauren Kofalt Fiction & Poetry Poems Time Time flies by In the blink of an eye How should I spend my day So many things that I could do But in my bed i just lay Being... Samantha Der Fiction & Poetry Are You Me? The Noodles That Tie Us I loved my shirt With three pockets of color Gym shoes Blue shorts And black hair That flopped over My gold-rimmed glasses I was ready... Lauren Kofalt Fiction & Poetry Poems Nothing What can you do when there’s nothing to do The sun shines bright and the sky so blue Yet sitting inside thinking of you It seems...

< Back Lauren Kofalt Contributor Lauren Kofalt is an #importedAsian . She was adopted from China at age one and is currently in the United States. Lauren has taken back her birth name of Zhu Ling Jin as of the past few months, and has been writing poetry since she was little and has always had a passion for it. She is currently attending Penn State University and is happy to share her poetry with our Universal Asian community!

< Back Samantha Der Contributor Samantha Der is a multigenerational #hyphenatedAsian . Her passions include lifelong learning; the humanities and creative arts; supporting socially conscious enterprises; and strengthening communities through family care advocacy. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. She loves writing both fiction and nonfiction. Follow her on IG @samantha_der_writer

Adoptee Voices Ella Wu Entertainment An Adoptee’s Reaction to ‘Joy Ride’ (2023) Available in theaters July 7. “Joy Ride” hits like a solid punch to that white kid’s face: satisfying, but maybe not quite right. For... Cynthia Landesberg Essay Artificial Habitat Growing up, I lived in one of those unremarkable suburban neighborhoods everyone has seen and no one remembers. Two-story houses.... OSH Adoptees Book Review: 'The Global Orphan Adoption System' by Dr. Kyung-eun Lee "The Global Orphan Adoption System: South Korea’s Impact on Its Origin and Development" by Dr. Kyung-eun Lee is an informative and... 이영숙 Kristin R. Pak World Living as a Returned Migrant in Korea (Part 2 of 2) Reposted from Ildaro.com As Koreans from the diaspora who have returned to the motherland we are acknowledged by the government as part... Heather Lewis Essay Musings of a Middle-aged Matriarch: How do you find joy? As adoptees, many of us have had to create our own joy. We have to work at joy because it doesn’t come naturally to us. We are too busy... Dr. Kyung-eun Lee Adoptees Dialogues With Adoptees: Let’s make adoptees’ rights mainstream Reposted from The Korea Times This article is the 30th in a series about Koreans adopted abroad. Apparently, many Koreans never expected... 1 2 3 4 5

Sometimes we find ourselves not knowing where or who to turn to when things get hard. But we're not alone in our mental health struggles. The Universal Asian has put together these resources that can offer support when needed. Remember that we are an open and safe space, so reach out if you can’t find what you're looking for. We're here to help. And if you’d like to see a resource added to this list, please complete the form at the bottom of this page or email us directly. Organizations: MentalHealth.gov Resources for Immediate Help This webpage provided by the U.S. Dep artment of Health & Human Services provides information on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Live Online Chat SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 ( 726-4727) National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline The NAMI HelpLine is a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public. HelpLine staff and volunteers are experienced, well-trained and able to provide guidance. Asian Mental Health Collective Asian Mental Health Collective seeks to raise awareness about the importance of mental health care, promote emotional well-being, and challenge the stigma concerning mental illness amongst Asian communities worldwide. Their goal is to build a community for Asian mental health support. Korean American Mental Health A website with a mission to make psychotherapy culturally appropriate for Korean Americans. They hope to show the world what challenges Korean Americans endure in their daily lives. MentalHealthPH #MentalHealthPH is an organization that champions and builds mentally healthier communities around the Philippines. They believe that mental health is a fundamental human right and aim to make mental health support more accessible for you—from stories and resources that inspire and educate, to professional services, facilities, and more! Active Minds Active Minds is a nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults that is dedicated to saving lives and to building stronger families and communities. The site offers an immense variety of resources, ranging from statistics, up-to-date news, and tips regarding mental health, many of which can be found by clicking “Resources.” Seeking Counsel: An Expert Panel in Mental Health Shares Wisdom This is a general guide offered by I AM ADOPTEE on how to find counseling as an adoptee. Beyond Words Psychological Services Adoptee-Therapist Directory This directory provided by Beyond Words Psychological Services includes licensed U.S. mental health professionals who identify as adoptees & work with adoptees/adoptive families in a variety of public & private settings. Only providers who have voluntarily submitted their information have been listed. The Recovery Village The Recovery Village is a free web resource that provides information about addiction, eating disorders, and mental health issues. The Adoptee Group’s KAD Village KAD Village is a community that showcases businesses, art, music, podcasts, multimedia, books, research, and other projects that are led by Korean adoptees. The village also lists adoptee support groups that are effective for the unique journey of adoptees. Directory: The following is a list of mental health profess ionals, counselors, and life coaches. Laure Badufle Korean-French adoptee, Laure is a certified kundalini yoga teacher, transformational coach and the founder of RAJAVTAR. she helps Adoptees to heal and empower through yoga classes and individual support, both online and in-person. her offerings focus on reconnecting with the body, building self-esteem, befriending emotions and manifesting life mission. Jeannie Celestial, Ph.D. **Currently serving clients at capacity & am not taking new individual clients at this time. Feel free to message for waitlist or group workshop options.** Dr. Celestial is a psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience in supporting people through personal and collective healing and transformation. She integrates EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing), CBT, ACT, and other evidence-based practices with a culturally responsive, holistic, and social justice-oriented care approach. It’s her honor to bear witness to and facilitate healing from trauma and stress. Vivi Wei-Chun Hua, Psy.D. Dr. Hua is a Clinical Psychologist & International Student Success Coach. Originally from Taiwan, she obtained her Doctor of Psychology degree from Yeshiva University in New York. Dr. Hua serves a diverse population, with a focus on first and second generation immigrants, Asian families, intercultural couples, and international students. Services are available in both English and Mandarin Chinese. Dr. Hua provides a brief free consultation call for individuals interested in working with her. Sun Mee Martin Sun Mee is a Korean/German adoptee, holistic coach, and founder of Numaru, an international community and safe space for transcultural adoptees to explore the meaning of identity, belonging, and holistic healing. Sun Mee’s own healing path has led to her mission to help fellow adoptees find clarity, compassion, and emotional courage in their adoptee journey. She offers virtual 1:1 and group support, in-person retreats, creative and mindfulness workshops, and monthly community circles to connect, be heard, and feel seen. You can connect with her @numaru.truebelonging. Kyla Mitsunaga Kyla Mitsunaga is a Depression Overcomer/Subconscious Mind Expert who works WITH women millionaires to help get their lives and their businesses out of depression using a growthspirational toolkit that helped me do the same. Kyla coaches clients globally in masterminds and 1:1 sessions on zoom. “Feel free to schedule a FREE consult WITH me — Can’t wait to meet you and work WITH you and your subconscious mind!” Kate Powers Kate Powers is a life coach who specializes in helping people use their potential and purpose. She focuses on career coaching helping people make a career transition. Kate has a holistic and comprehensive integrated perspective from previous work in mental health counseling and as a massage therapist and yoga teacher as well as corporate Human Resources and recruiting. Kate can be found on Instagram @itskatepowers and @mysuperpowerssay Cam Lee Small Cam Lee Small, MS, LPCC provides resources on this webpage, including information on an Adult BIPOC Adoptee Support Group. You can follow him on Instagram @therapyredeemed. Angel a Wu Angela Wu is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Empowerment Coach who is passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health in the AAPI community as well as helping women of color reclaim and raise their voices in order to embody their empowered authentic selves! In her therapy practice, she helps individuals find healing from trauma, anxiety, depression, and grief, as well as navigate acculturation and intergenerational issues, difficult life transitions, and relationship issues. Her approach to therapy is strength-based, culturally affirming, and anti-oppressive. In her coaching practice, Angela helps Asian American women break free from perfectionism, people-pleasing, and imposter syndrome in order to reclaim and embody their true selves. Angela offers free consultations with those interested in working with her. You can follow her on Instagram @thesassyasiantherapist. Disclaimer: The information provided by The Universal Asian on our website is for general informational purposes only. All information on our website is provided in good faith; however, we make no representation or guarantee of any kind—express or implied—regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of the provided information. Resource Suggestion Box Submit Thanks for submitting!

< Back Lauren Burke Contributor Lauren (정미나) is an #importedAsian from Korea to the U.S. Her professional background is in financial analysis and management, but when the world paused in 2020, she was able to pick up her passion for writing again. She enjoys the practice of free-writing, in addition to writing song lyrics, and now, as a contributor for The Universal Asian . You can find Lauren engaged most often with the adoptee community, opening up about life as a Korean adoptee in the U.S., and what it’s like experiencing a birth family search process. She is also a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certified instructor and hopes to use that knowledge by returning to Korea someday, even if only for a chapter of her life. Lauren loves to connect and communicate with people, and hopes to use writing as a means to help others share their story. You can find her talking about adoption, BTS, and Korean food by following her on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjungmeena FB: https://www.facebook.com/itsjungmeena

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Such termination of the Service will result in the deactivation or deletion of your Account or your access to your Account, and the forfeiture and relinquishment of all potential or to-be-paid commissions in your Account if they were earned through fraudulent, illegal, or overly aggressive, questionable sales or marketing methods. The Universal Asian reserves the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time. Relationship of Parties You and we are independent contractors, and nothing in this Agreement will create any partnership, joint venture, agency, franchise, sales representative, or employment relationship between the parties. You will have no authority to make or accept any offers or representations on our behalf. You will not make any statement, whether on your site or otherwise, that reasonably would contradict anything in this Section. Limitations of Liability We will not be liable for indirect, special, or consequential damages (or any loss of revenue, profits, or data) arising in connection with this Agreement or the Program, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Further, our aggregate liability arising with respect to this Agreement and the Program will not exceed the total referral fees paid or payable to you under this Agreement. Disclaimers We make no express or implied warranties or representations with respect to the Program or any products sold through the Program (including, without limitation, warranties of fitness, merchantability, non-infringement, or any implied warranties arising out of a course of performance, dealing, or trade usage). In addition, we make no representation that the operation of the The Universal Asian will be uninterrupted or error-free, and we will not be liable for the consequences of any interruptions or errors. Independent Investigation YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT AND AGREE TO ALL ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE MAY AT ANY TIME (DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY) SOLICIT CUSTOMER REFERRALS ON TERMS THAT MAY DIFFER FROM THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT OR OPERATE WEB SITES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OR COMPETE WITH YOUR WEB SITE. YOU HAVE INDEPENDENTLY EVALUATED THE DESIRABILITY OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND ARE NOT RELYING ON ANY REPRESENTATION, GUARANTEE, OR STATEMENT OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT. Arbitration Any dispute relating in any way to this Agreement (including any actual or alleged breach hereof), any transactions or activities under this Agreement or your relationship with us or any of our affiliates shall be submitted to confidential arbitration, except that, to the extent you have in any manner violated or threatened to violate our intellectual property rights, we may seek injunctive or other appropriate relief in any state or federal court (and you consent to non-exclusive jurisdiction and venue in such courts) or any other court of competent jurisdiction. Arbitration under this agreement shall be conducted under the rules then prevailing of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator’s award shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no arbitration under this Agreement shall be joined to an arbitration involving any other party subject to this Agreement, whether through class arbitration proceedings or otherwise. Miscellaneous This Agreement will be governed by the laws of The United States, without reference to rules governing choice of laws. You may not assign this Agreement, by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent. Subject to that restriction, this Agreement will be binding on, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable against the parties and their respective successors and assigns. Our failure to enforce your strict performance of any provision of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of our right to subsequently enforce such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. The failure of The Universal Asian to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. The Terms of Service constitutes the entire agreement between you and The Universal Asian and govern your use of the Service, superceding any prior agreements between you and The Universal Asian (including, but not limited to, any prior versions of the Terms of Service).