The death toll of Asian immigrants in ICE Custody is growing: Part 2 of 2

Family and supporters of Parady La demand answers after he died while detained by ICE.

The numbers are in, and they paint a grim picture of what’s happening in our detention centers. In what’s being called the deadliest year in two decades, at least 12 Asian immigrants have lost their lives while in the custody of federal agents between 2024 and early 2026.

ICE agents arrested Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal around 7 a.m. on Friday, March 13, outside his apartment in Richardson, Texas. His family reported that masked agents detained him as he was preparing to drive his children to school.

“His children watched as he was surrounded and taken away,” the family said in a statement. “That moment will stay with them forever.”

A day after being arrested, Paktyawal died, of "unknown causes," according to an ICE press release. He was the twelth Asian to die while in ICE custody.

“We cannot understand how this happened. He was only 41 years old and was a strong and healthy man,” his family said.

        RELATED: ICE's wide net catching Asian Americans: Part 1 of 2

ICE described him as "illegal criminal alien,"  but he was never charged and never convicted, say his supporters.

Paktyawal was a refugee who fought for 10 years with US Special Forces in Afghanistan. When the US left Afghanistan, he and his family were allowed to apply for asylum.

The Trump regime has effectively shut refugee pathways for Afghans, curtailing the US refugee programe and instead giving preference to white South Africans.

The administration also ended temporary protected status for Afghans, leaving an estimated 11,700 Afghans in the US without protection from deportation, according to the organisation Global Refuge.

Refugee dies after being abandoned by ICE

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was one of the latest victims of federal agents carrying out the orders of Donald Trump and his hatchet man Stephen Miller.Shah Alam sas released from custody on Feb. 19. A Rohingya refugee with legal status in the United States, his body was found Feb. 26. According to publicly available reporting and information provided by his family, Shah Alam was nearly blind, did not speak English, and was unable to independently navigate transportation after being released miles from his family residence.

“Nurul Amin Shah Alam should be alive today. He is dead because US Border Patrol agents abandoned a blind refugee miles away from home and then lied to cover it up. Video footage proves that Mr. Alam was left outside of a coffee shop that was closed, not a ‘warm, safe location’ as they claimed," said Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

"The Department of Homeland Security’s cruelty, callousness, and indifference to human life is absolutely sickening," the New York congressmember continued. "As members of Congress, we demand answers and justice for his family. The Department of Homeland Security must be held accountable.” 

The death of Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal and Shah Alam are just the latest deaths of Asian American detainees in the first two months of 2026. The other two deaths this year so far include: 

• Lorth Sim (59, Cambodia): Passed away Feb. 16, 2026, at the Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana.
• Parady La (46, Cambodia): Died Jan. 9, 2026, in Philadelphia while reportedly being treated for drug withdrawal.

Asian American deaths in Trump's first year

These aren’t just statistics; they are members of our community whose stories were cut short. Eight other Asians died while in custody of Donald Trump's immigration enforcement officers in 2024 and 2025:

• Shiraz Fatehali Sachwani (61, Pakistan): Died Dec. 6, 2025.

• Kai Yin Wong (63, China): Died Oct. 25, 2025, in San Antonio after heart surgery complications.

• Huabing Xie (53, China): Died Sept. 29, 2025, after a seizure at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in California.

• Chaofeng Ge (32, China): Died Aug. 5, 2025, in Pennsylvania; a death his family is still seeking answers for through a lawsuit.

• Tien Xuan Phan (55, Vietnam): Died July 19, 2025, following a hospitalization for seizures.

• Nhon Ngoc Nguyen (Vietnam): Died in 2025.

• Jaspal Singh (57, India) and Pankaj Karan Singh Kataria (60, India): Both died in late 2024.

Community advocates like Stop AAPI Hate point to medical neglect and language barriers as a "human rights crisis" within these facilities.

An Asian American mother joins a memorial for her son and others who died in ICE custody.

The scale of the surge

The crackdown hasn't just been about those who have died; the entire system has seen a massive ramp-up:

• Asians in custody: As of early 2026, the number of Asian immigrants held in detention has ballooned. Between January and mid-October 2025 alone, 7,069 Asian individuals were detained. This is part of a broader trend where total ICE detention reached a record high of over 68,000 people by February 2026.

• Already deported: From January 20 to mid-October 2025, 2,631 Asian individuals were removed from the country.

• Who is being targeted?: Despite the rhetoric of targeting "criminals," recent data shows a "supermajority"—between 74% and 84%—of Asian detainees in 2025 had no prior criminal convictions. The top countries of origin for these arrests include China (30%), India (28%), and Vietnam (15%).

Southeast Asians targeted

In the wake of Operation Metro Surge and Operation PARRIS, Asian Americans and Asian immigrants in Minneapolis are living in fear, afraid to leave their homes without carrying their passports and worried they could be detained or deported at any moment. ICE agents have reportedly asked Minnesota residents to tell them where their Asian neighbors live.

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul is home to one of the largest Hmong American communities, most of whom are refugees because their family members aided or fought for US forces in the Vietnam War. As legal refugees, they were given Temporary Protected Status visas.

“Southeast Asian communities are being systematically targeted. Immigration enforcement knows where they live. People are not getting the medical support they need, workers are refusing to go to work, and families are living in hiding. Survivors of violence and refugees who fled war are being retraumatized. That’s no way to live,” said Xay Yang, executive director of Transforming Generations.

“Southeast Asian American communities have been dealing with ICE violence for decades, with more than 15,000 people living under deportation orders to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. We know that the problem isn’t new—but the scale is. In 2025 alone, nearly 900 individuals were deported to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, compared to an average of about 90 per year between 1996 and 2023," said Quyen Đình, Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC).

“My people consider being Hmong to be synonymous with being free, because of our resilience and survival, despite a history of persecution from ruling governments in the many places where we have migrated for thousands of years. It deeply saddens me that Trump and federal leaders are choosing to mark the 250 years of our beautiful country by undermining our democracy and taking away our human and civil rights,” said Minnesota State Representative Liz Lee, Secretary of the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators. 

“For the Karen communities in my district and across Minnesota, the loss of Temporary Protected Status and the burden of immigration re-vetting interviews are placing immense strain on families. We will continue to organize and gather to ensure that all of our legal rights are observed and respected.”

View from the edge

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) racial profiling and aggressive enforcement practices have resulted in trauma, family separation, and death. 

2025 was recorded as the deadliest year for ICE in over two decades, with deaths nearly tripling from 2024 as the detained population reached record highs of over 68,000.

“Forty people have died in ICE custody since the President took office last year. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern of lawlessness and moral decay that has come to define the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and it is our communities that are suffering,” said Meng. 

“We must rein in DHS and take every action to protect our communities, like passing the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act, which would end the deportation of Southeast Asian American refugees and provide a pathway for them to live and work in the United States. CAPAC is proud to champion this legislation.”

It's only March and we have nine more months to go. At the current rate, we are at a looking at 12 more Asian American deaths as a result of ICE activities by year's end. How many more must die before someone is held accountable?

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

ICE's wide net captures AAPI, even American citizens: Part 1 of 2

One of ICE's major goof-ups was the arrest of 300 South Korean workers at a
Hyundai plant under construction in Georgia.

To the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who supported Donald Trump, the latest data from a UCLA study serves as a devastating reality check, revealing that ICE arrests of Asian immigrants more than tripled in 2025 compared to the previous year. 

The study by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge found that Asian Americans are just as likely to be arrested and detained by immigration enforcement agents than Latinos, who make up a majority of the detainees.

That vulnerability was hammered home with the March 13 death of Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal while in the custody of ICE, the third Asian American detainee death in the first three months of 2026.

This spike is the direct result of the Trump administration's "mass deportation" policy, designed by Stephen Miller, which has shifted from targeting criminals to an indiscriminate dragnet, with 74% to 84% of detainees having no prior criminal convictions.

It doesn't matter if you're an American citizen, green card holder, a refugee who is here legally, a worker with special skills, or if you have a student or visitor visa, Trump's radical Supreme Court says ICE can detain anyone without an ounce of evidence simply on the color of one's skin or if someone speaks with an accent.

FYI: Research briefs from the UCLA Asian American Studies Center (AASC) and the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge (CNK)

Research from the UCLA Asian American Studies Center confirms that ICE arrests of Asian immigrants more than tripled in 2025, with 74% to 84% of those detained having no criminal convictions, driven by a quota-driven, indiscriminate dragnet [1.1].

The human toll of this policy is fatal, with five Asian immigrants among the 32 people who died in ICE custody in 2025, including 55-year-old Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, as the system expands its targeting of vulnerable populations.

Even though Chaofeng Ge's hands and feet were tied behind him, ICE unbelievably, ruled his
death a suicide disputed by his brother Yanfeng Ge (above).

This targeted surge — including a 471% increase in the detention of Asian women—demonstrates that the "America First" agenda is actively dismantling AAPI communities in states like California, Texas, and New York. Between January and mid-October 2025 alone, 7,069 Asian individuals have been detained.

        RELATED: 12 Asian Americans have died in ICE custody 

With the administration aiming for a million deportations annually, these findings, highlighting a 96% detention rate, expose the fallacy that any segment of the immigrant community is safe from the Trump-Miller agenda.

Other highlights of the study include:

• In the first week of June 2025, Asian arrests were nearly nine times higher than the same week in 2024.

• There was a notable 471% increase in the number of female Asian detainees, and the median age of detainees rose from 35 to 40

• Five countries accounted for roughly 80% of all Asian ICE arrests: China (30%), India (26–28%), Vietnam (15%), Laos (6%), and Nepal (3%).

•  Nearly half of all arrests occurred in just three states: California (which saw a ninefold jump), Texas, and New York.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

ICE in Irvine opposed by Asian American residents, students and politicians

For a long time, Irvine was seen as the "safe" suburban dream—the master-planned capital of the Asian American middle class. But that dream is feeling more like a nightmare lately. 

Long the bastion of Republican conservatism in deep Blue California, at first glance, the City of Irvine and Orange County might appear to be a friendly locale for ICE facilities.

However, the news that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has set up shop in a tower block near the 2000 block of Main Street has sent a shockwave through a community that’s 45% Asian.

ICE claims the office building will be used by street level agents and lawyers allaying community fears that it would be a detention facility.

This isn't just about a new office; it's about a shifting frontline. While the national narrative often ignores Asian Americans in the immigration debate, the data tells a different story.

"The establishment of an ICE office in Irvine sends a threatening message to thousands of Irvine families: you are being watched, and you are not safe," said Irvine Councilmember Kathleet Treseder.

"When agents conduct enforcement operations that tear parents from children and neighbors from their homes, that is not “public safety.” That is trauma. That is destabilization. That is fear tactics," she posted on social media.

Stop AAPI Hate reports that ICE arrests of people from Asian and Pacific Islander (A/PI) countries quadrupled between 2024 and 2025. For a community where 65% are foreign-born, the sight of tactical gear in the "safest city in America" is a loud wake-up call that nobody is immune.

What the City is Saying: "Our Hands are Tied"

City Hall is trying to play it both ways—expressing "surprise" while admitting they can't do much to stop a federal lease.

Mayor Larry Agran has been vocal about the lack of communication from federal agencies, criticizing ICE for not being transparent about their operations near childcare centers and gyms.

The City of Irvine released statements clarifying that the Irvine Police Department (IPD) is not involved in federal enforcement. They’ve even activated an Emergency Operations Center to monitor the situation and launched a legal resource page for residents.

Federal officials insist these aren't "broad raids" but targeted operations for specific individuals with criminal records. But for families watching neighbors being taken away in "30 seconds," that distinction feels pretty thin.

However, as we have seen in other parts of the country, undertrained agents unfamiliar with the Constitution and the law, have flouted the civil rights of immigrants and US citizens, detaining anyone whom they "suspect" of being an undocumented immigrant based on one's accent or the color of their skin.

UC Irvine: The student resistance

The UC Irvine campus,  58%  of its student body is of Asian descent, is a cornerstone of the local Asian American community, is officially on high alert.

The New University Editorial Board of the campus newspaper has been blunt, warning that while UCI is a "sanctuary" in spirit, the university cannot legally bar federal agents from campus property.

Students are particularly worried about the revocation of student visas as a tool to silence political activism.

We aren't just seeing fear; we're seeing fight. Hundreds of students from UCI and local high schools like Northwood and Portola have staged walkouts, proving that the next generation isn't interested in the "quiet" model minority stereotype.

The Bottom Line

ICE is bad for business. A recent UCI survey found that there was a$59 million loss in revenue in Orange County since ICE stepped up its activities. Some of that loss is also due to the poor the economic conditions that is affecting entire country.

"What we're hearing from businesses is deeply concerning," said Raiven Greenberg, policy coordinator for the Social Impact Hub who created the survey. "Owners in sectors from hospitality to retail are telling us that their customers are afraid to come out.

"You see the streets are dormant, businesses are empty, people are scared and people are hiding," said OC Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said. "That is not a formula for a healthy workplace."

Is ICE targeting Asians? The numbers say enforcement is ramping up, and the "model minority" myth won't provide a shield. Whether it's at a scheduled immigration interview or a local business near Bake Parkway, the community is learning the hard way that when the enforcement machine expands, everyone is at risk.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

FilAm cinematographer wins historic Oscar; "Demon Hunters" continues award-winning run

SCREEN CAPTURE

Autumn Durald Arkapaw's Oscar victory made history.

The 98th Academy Awards wasn't just a night of glitz; it was a powerful reminder that there's a pool of talented Asian Americans that Hollywood is just starting to recognize.

Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s Oscar for Best Cinematography for her work on Sinners is historic as the first woman to win in that category.

Arkapaw, 46, is of Filipino descent on her mother’s side and African American Creole on her father’s side. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, she was immersed in the local Filipino community, often spending time with her aunties and cousins in Fremont.

Named after her father’s favorite movie, Cheyenne Autumn, she eventually became the first woman to shoot a feature film in both Ultra Panavision 70 and IMAX 15-perf film formats.

Before her Oscar-winning work on Sinners, she built an impressive resume including Marvel's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the Emmy-nominated series Loki.

Her mother was in the audience. During her emotional acceptance speech, Arkapaw looked toward her and credited her for her success, stating, "This little girl that—their mother, who is over there, told them that they could do anything—had to meet Ryan (Coogler)," the movie's director and producer.

In accepting her statuette, she asked all the women in the audience to stand up, saying she wouldn’t be there winning an award if it wasn’t for them. “I feel like I don’t get here without you guys,” Arkapaw said. “I really, really, truly mean that.”

Speaking to the press after accepting her Oscar, she said: "I’ve learned over the past few months going through this process that it does take a village to make stuff like this happen. But this isn’t about me anymore. This is about so much more, and I know that, and I wanted it for all the ladies in the room, and I wanted it for all the girls at home.

“The one thing I was going to say that I have written down was that a lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight, and I know that," she added. "Just that, just being on stage getting this award for a movie like that will change so many girls’ lives, because they’ll be inspired when they weren’t before.”

Arkapaw is not the first Oscar winner of Filipino descent. She was preceded by:

• Robert Lopez (2014, 2018): Best Original Song ("Let It Go", "Remember Me").
• Gigi Dement, Stephen Dypiangco, & Stefanie Walmsley (2011): Produced God of Love (Best Live Action Short Film).
• H.E.R. (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson) (2021): Best Original Song ("Fight for You" from Judas and the Black Messiah).

More AAPI Oscar winners and contenders

Beyond Arkapaw, the 2026 Oscars showcased a diverse array of AAPI talent that dominated key categories:

Maggie Kang and Michelle L.M. Wong made history as the first Asian women to win Best Animated Feature for K-Pop: Demon Hunters. 

Director Kang began her acceptance in tears. “For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this,” she said. “This is for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.”

The Oscar was the latest honor bestowed on the feature, having won in the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and Producers awards earlier this year.

The songwriting team of Korean Americans EJAE, Ido, and Teddy Park took home Best Original Song for the global hit from Demon Hunters, "Golden," marking the first time a K-pop track has ever won an Academy Award.

SCREEN CAPTURE

"Golden" was one of two musical productions during the Oscar awards night with
dancers dressed in Korean hanboks

While EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna acted as the singing voices for the film’s trio of main characters, while Arden Cho, May Hong and Ji-young Yoo were the speaking voices for the characters for the animated feature, Netflix's most viewed show last year.

“[I’m) so, so proud to be Korean. Growing up, people didn’t know where Korea was or what Korea was, and that’s why it’s so incredible to have the song ‘Golden’ being sung all over the world, singing the Korean lyrics word by word,” EJAE told the media after the show.

“It means so much and I think this award is about that representation,” she continued. “Today is about celebrating culture and music that unites all culture, and we need that right now. It’s a great honor to have.”

The Best Picture Oscar went to One Battle After Another; Best Actor went to Sinners' Michael B. Jordan; and Best Actress went to Hamnet's Jessie Buckley and Best Director went to Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another.

        FYI: Click here for complete list of winners.

It should be noted that there were only two musical productions during the telecast: one from Black-oriented Sinners and the other from K-pop Demon Hunters, perhaps an attempt by the Academy to showcase more diversity to counter the criticism of the awards show being too white-centric.

“This year, our music performances are inspired by two of the most powerful cultural phenomena in film: Sinners, the most nominated film in Oscars history, and K-Pop Demon Hunters, a global pop culture sensation,” noted the show's Executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producer Katy Mullan.

At the 2026 Oscars, Chloé Zhao was back in the spotlight with a Best Director nomination for her latest masterpiece, Hamnet. While she didn't take home the statue tonight, she remains a monumental part of this conversation as the first Asian woman to ever win Best Director (for Nomadland in 2021).  Even without the win this time, her continued presence at the top of the game is a massive win for AAPI representation, proving that our creators aren't just "one-hit wonders" — they are becoming the new establishment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Autumn Durald Arkapaw: The Filipino American visionary making Oscar history

Autumn Durald Arkapaw, right, might be making history at the Oscar awards.

When the lights go up for the 98th Academy Awards today, all eyes in the Asian American community will be on Autumn Durald Arkapaw. 

The cinematographer for Ryan Coogler’s Southern Gothic epic Sinners isn’t just capturing ghosts on screen — she’s busting through some of Hollywood’s thickest glass ceilings.

As a mixed-heritage Filipino American (her mother is Pinay and her father is African American/Creole), Durald Arkapaw just became the first woman of color — and the first Filipino American — to snag an Oscar nod for Best Cinematography.

Groundbreaking tech, personal roots

On Sinners, she went big—literally. She’s the first woman to serve as DP on a feature shot entirely on IMAX 65mm. But for Autumn, the Mississippi setting wasn't just a backdrop; it was a homecoming. With her father’s family hailing from New Orleans and Mississippi, she’s spoken about the deep emotional resonance of filming in the South. She even managed to get her paternal aunt into the film as an extra, rooting the high-concept supernatural thriller in real family history.

Autumn is known for being "craft-first," but she doesn't shy away from the weight of her identity. In various interviews throughout this awards season, she’s touched on what it means to be "the first."

She often stresses that while being a "female cinematographer" or a "minority DP" are labels the industry focuses on, her goal is to make the work so undeniable that those labels become secondary to her talent.

She has expressed a quiet pride in showing younger Filipino American and Black filmmakers that the "technical" side of the house—the world of heavy cameras and complex lighting — is a place where they belong.

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, she keeps her private life low-key. Howeveer, she carries that classic FilAm drive. Whether it’s the moody, neon-soaked halls of Loki or the vast, haunting landscapes of Sinners, her "eye" is a blend of her art history background and a heritage that spans two cultures known for their resilience and storytelling.

Future collaboration

Following the success of Sinners, Durald Arkapaw is set to reunite with Ryan Coogler once again for a reboot of The X-Files at Hulu, starring Danielle Deadwyler. She is scheduled to lens the pilot episode, which begins shooting in Vancouver in April 2026. And the pair are discussing working on Black Panther 3.

From the Bay Area to the AFI Conservatory to the Dolby Theatre, Autumn Durald Arkapaw is proving that our stories look better when we’re the ones controlling what and how we see.

More than 10 years ago, Arkapaw made "Variety’s 10 Cinematographers to Watch" list. Today the cameras will be on her.

In an interview with "Variety‘s" Awards Circuit Podcast, she says, “You dream about those things. It’s a dream come true,”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

AAPI Small businesses in New York City get a boost from new fund

A new loan program is available for small businesses in New York City.

It’s no secret that the heartbeat of New York City isn’t found in the glass towers of Midtown—it’s in the AAPI-owned noodle shops in Flushing, the bodegas in Sunset Park, and the bustling storefronts of Manhattan’s Chinatown. 

However, for too long, Asian American entrepreneurs have been running on grit and pocket change while traditional banks looked the other way.

"Small, local businesses are the backbone of a thriving community," said Clara Wu Tsai, founder of the Social Justice Fund and Governor of the New York Liberty. "Investing in their success creates a ripple effect of economic opportunity across New York City. We are proud to partner with Renaissance and TAAF and look forward to seeing the continued growth of the businesses receiving this support."

That’s why the launch of the NYC Elevating Business Loan Program feels like a rare win for the community. With $5.5 million on the table, this isn't just another government press release; it’s a lifeline. 

For a mom-and-pop shop, a $100,000 low-interest loan is the difference between fixing a broken walk-in freezer or finally expanding into the space next door.What makes this shift different is the muscle behind it. The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) isn't just cutting a check; they are tackling the systemic "wall" that keeps immigrant business owners out of the room. 

By putting up $500,000 to unlock millions more in state funding, TAAF is betting on the fact that AAPI businesses—which already pump $72 billion into the city's economy—can do even more if they aren't strangled by predatory lending or language barriers.

Eligibility requirements

• The program is specifically tailored for under-resourced entrepreneurs who may not qualify for traditional bank loans.

• Your business must be located within the five boroughs of New York City.

• The program supports small business owners, including those in AAPI and other underserved communities.

FYI: Small business owners interested in applying can visit https://www.renaissancesbs.org/loan-program/nyc-elevating-business-loan-program, email info@renaissancesbs.org, or call 212-964-6022. Assistance will be available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish, and applicants may access no-cost business counseling, financial analysis, and application support.

The real game-changer? 

The multilingual support. We’ve seen it before: a brilliant entrepreneur with a solid business plan gets derailed by a 50-page application in a language they haven't mastered. By offering counseling in Chinese, Korean, and Spanish, this program acknowledges that "accessibility" means more than just a lower interest rate.

One of the program's first loans was awarded to Brooklyn entrepreneur Matt Vuong, owner of Icedu Inc. d/b/a Pho Table. "Access to capital is one of the toughest challenges for a small business owner looking to grow," said Matt Vuong. "The NYC Elevating Business Loan Program made a real difference for me by providing funding to hire new staff and do more marketing to spread the word about our restaurant. The loan application process was simple and fast, and I'm really grateful for their support."

For the AAPI community, this is about economic sovereignty. It’s a move toward ensuring that the neighborhoods we built stay in our hands, even as the city gets more expensive by the day.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Oakland celebrates hometown hero Alysa Liu

SCREEN CAPTURE / KRON

Oakland's hometown hero Olympic champion Alysa Liu yells, "This is for y'all."

Alysa Liu didn't want a parade. She wanted a party and that's what she got as thousands of Oaklanders flooded Frank Ogawa Plaza Thursday to give a hero's welcome to their homegrown champion, Alysa Liu.

“What’s up, Oakland!” Liu said. “This is for y’all,” she added, holding the gold medals around her neck as the crowd cheered.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist stood before a sea of nearly 7,000 fans who turned out for a massive homecoming rally that felt more like a family reunion than a formal ceremony. 

“She’s our hero,” said US Rep Lateefah Simon . “She’s an American hero. She brought that gold to Broadway. If you want something done, have a young woman of color do it.”

At just 20 years old, Liu has already etched her name into the history books as the first American woman in 24 years to take home individual Olympic gold in figure skating, but today was all about the Town.

The energy in downtown was electric as Mayor Barbara Lee handed Liu the Key to the City, acknowledging the skater's historic double-gold performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. The plaza is just a few blocks from the skating rink where Liu trained and Oakland School of the Arts which she attended.

In a move that felt uniquely Oakland, the event skipped the traditional parade in favor of a community-focused celebration at Liu’s own request. The stage was a showcase of local greatness, with emcee Sway Calloway keeping the crowd hyped while Kehlani and G-Eazy performed for their fellow native daughter.

The honors didn't stop at the key; the city officially declared March 12 as "Alysa Liu Day." Figure skating icon Olympic gold medalists figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and boxer Andre Ward shared the stage. Bay Area legends including Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr shared heartfelt messages  to congratulate the young star who has captured the world's attention.

While Liu recently made the tough call to withdraw from this month’s World Championships to catch her breath after the "crazy" whirlwind of Olympic success, she isn't going anywhere. She has already confirmed she has no plans to leave the ice and is fully committed to the 2026–2027 competitive season. Fans won't have to wait long to see her back in action, as she is set to headline the Stars on Ice tour starting this April in Japan before bringing the show across the United States.

Beyond the rink, Liu is looking to flex her creative muscles in the fashion world, hinting at new design projects and a fresh vision for her upcoming programs. As she signed off on her latest update with a promise to see everyone next season, it’s clear that while she’s taking a well-deserved moment for herself right now, the reigning queen of the ice is just getting started.

At the end of the sold-out celebration there was an appearance from another Oakland School for the Arts alum: Oakland's own Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Kehlani, Liu’s favorite artist. Her performance had Liu and Mayor Lee dancing to her performance.

It’s a rare thing to see an athlete with this much perspective at such a young age, especially one who could still be at the top of her game for years to come.

“Representation matters so much,” she said during a press conference ahead of the main event. “We don’t really realize it. Having one person is sometimes all you need and I’m honored and grateful that I can be that for some people.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

'Sinners' ode to Chinese Americans' unheralded role in the deep South

Li Jun Li as Grace Cho had a pivotal role in 'Sinners.'

When we talk about American history, we usually get it in black and white ... well, mostly white. But Ryan Coogler’s motion picture Sinners is opening a conversation about the "cracks" in that history — specifically the Mississippi Delta Chinese, a community that lived in a tense, racial "in-between" for over a century.

As we head into the 2026 awards season, Sinners isn't just a win for representation; it’s a history-maker. The film has emerged as a major Oscar frontrunner following its record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations and significant wins at key precursor ceremonies.

The film recently dominated the 2026 Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards) and the NAACP Image Awards, significantly shifting the momentum in its favor.

The film has shattered the all-time record for the most Oscar nominations for a single film with 16 nods, surpassing classics like Titanic and La La Land. For a "Black" movie — directed by a Black filmmaker with a predominantly Black cast with key roles by Asian Americans — to dominate the Academy in this way is a sea change for the industry.

History they didn't teach you: The "Middle Men"

The story of Grace and Bo Chow in Sinners is pulled from a rarely-discussed chapter of the post-Civil War South. After Reconstruction, Southern planters recruited Chinese laborers as a potential replacement for freed Black workers on cotton plantations.

When plantation life proved exploitative, these immigrants found a unique economic niche: grocery stores. Chinese grocers often lived in Black neighborhoods and served Black residents whom white merchants refused to serve.

WARNER BROTHERS

Hailee Steinfeld, who is part Filipino/Black costars in 'Sinners.'

In the film, the Chows operate two stores across from each other—one for Black patrons and one for white. This reflects the real-world segregation where Chinese families were "neither white enough to belong nor Black enough to be fully excluded".

FYI: The 98th Academy Awards will air live on ABC and stream on Hulu on Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT).

Systemic Limbo: While they were often "middlemen" in trade, they faced their own fierce discrimination. They were excluded from white social organizations and even forced to attend separate schools or Black schools after the 1927 Supreme Court case Gong Lum v. Rice ruled that excluding Chinese children from white spaces was legal.

By including the Chows, Coogler didn't just add "diversity"; he showed the historical bonds between marginalized groups. In the film, Grace and the Moore family are described as "family, basically," illustrating the multiracial community building that happened in the heart of Jim Crow.

View from the edge: Breaking barriers 

The significance of Sinners earning 16 nominations cannot be overstated. It is the most-nominated film ever by a Black director and the first to sweep 14 wins at the Black Reel Awards.

Ryan Coogler achieved a rare "trifecta," earning personal nominations for Best Picture (as producer), Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.

It remains to be seen if the record-breaking haul signals more than just a trend that Hollywood is finally making room for Black-led films that are culturally specific and formally ambitious, rather than just focusing on "suffering." 

By including the Chow family, Coogler didn't just add "diversity;" he showed the historical bonds between marginalized groups. In the film, Grace and the Moore family are described as "family, basically," illustrating the multiracial community building that happened in the heart of Jim Crow.

With no AAPI-centric or themed film among the Oscar nominees, we’re rooting for Sinners not just because it’s a powerhouse film, but because it finally centers the complex, layered history of everyone who lived through — and resisted — the American racial hierarchy.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

'The Pitt' takes advantage of its Asian American storylines

THE PITT
Kristin Villanueva, left, plays nurse Princess, and Amielynn Abellera portrays Perla, in the HBO Max series "The Pitt," will have expanded roles in upcoming episodes.

 The television series The Pitt, has been praised for the realism of issues, problems and people of an urban emergency room. For Asian Americans, Filipino Americans in particular, the award-winning show is about to get more real. 

As The Pitt winds up its second season the pcoming episodes tackle the problem of ICE and the federal agencies impact on the ER, especially its immigrant staff. 

That could mean trouble for the Filipino staff, Dr. Trinity Santos (played by Isa Briones), RNs Princess (Kristin Villanueva), and Perlah (Amielynn Abellera).

When casting for the show, the producers wanted the show to reflect a real-life ER and if you've ever stayed in a hospital for any length of time, most likely, that would mean Filipino medical personnel.

A win for the ensemble

The industry is finally taking notes. Just this week, the cast took home the Actors Award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series. For those of us tracking "Views from the Edge," seeing the Filipino trio stand on stage alongside Irene Choi, Supriya Ganesh, and Shabana Azeez felt like a seismic shift.

This win validates what we’ve known all along: when you stop treating Asian characters as "background techs" and start treating them as the emotional heartbeat of the story, you don't just get a better show—you get a winner. For the Filipino community, which has historically been the backbone of the American medical system with none of the glory, seeing three Pinay actresses recognized as the best team on television is a full-circle moment we won't soon forget.

What makes The Pitt head and shoulders above other medical shows is that although the cast is large, each character are given moments within the show to round out the character's backstory. The Filipino trio will get plenty of screen time in the coming episodes of this season.

Already, we've seen the Filipino nurses converse in Tagalog when sharing gossip and discovered that Dr. Santos, who is of mixed racial heritage, is also a kababayan.

The lullaby heard round the world

If you haven't seen the clip of Dr. Santos (Isa Briones) singing to a "Baby Jane Doe" in a quiet corner of the ER, your social media feed is about to get hit with a tidal wave of feels. In a scene that has the FilAm community in a collective sob, Briones leans into her roots with a haunting rendition of "Ili-Ili, Tulog Anay."(roughly translated "Sleep Little One, Sleep.")

This wasn't just another TV moment; it was a cultural earthquake. By choosing a specific Hiligaynon lullaby — a suggestion from Briones actual father, Broadway’s Jon Jon Briones — Briones brought an ethnographic precision to The Pitt that we rarely see on prestige TV. It wasn’t just "representation"; it was a deep dive into the specific regional soul of the Western Visayas.

Seeing the hospital’s most "hard-edged" resident soften into her heritage to comfort an abandoned child is a masterclass in how to bridge the gap between the "model minority" myth and human reality

A new disruptor: Joy Kwon shakes things up

While the Filipino "trio" of Santos, Nurse Princess, and Nurse Perlah has built a fortress of kapwa (shared identity) in the breakroom, a new force has arrived to test those walls. Enter Joy Kwon (played by Irene Choi), a sardonic, hyper-individualistic Korean American first-year student.

Joy is the ultimate "lone wolf." With a photographic memory and zero interest in the hospital's social shorthand, she is the perfect foil to the established AAPI dynamic. We’re hearing whispers that upcoming episodes will see Joy challenge the "Pinay Power" duo, sparking a nuanced debate on workplace gatekeeping vs. cultural safe spaces. It’s a sophisticated look at intra-Asian friction that moves far beyond the monolithic "Asian" label.

Joy Kwon also has run-in with South Asian character, Dr. Victoria Javadi (Shabana Azeez) who navigates the halls of the hospital under the watchful, often critical eye of her mother, Dr. Eileen Shamsi, Joy arrives with a very different kind of baggage.

Irene Choi plays Joy Kwon

For Victoria, the hospital is a family business. Her struggle is about carving out an individual identity while carrying the weight of two generations of South Asian medical excellence. It’s about maintenance of status and the fear of being the "weak link" in a chain of success.

Joy, conversely, is the classic "disruptor." Her family background—whispered to be rooted in a gritty, working-class Korean American experience—doesn't offer the safety net of a senior attending mom. For Joy, her photographic memory isn't just a party trick; it’s her only weapon in a system where she doesn't have a "legacy" to fall back on.

While the Filipino trio provides the show's cultural heartbeat through their shared kapwa, the tension between Kwon and Javadi provides its intellectual friction. It’s a bold look at the fact that "Asian American" isn't a monolith—it’s a spectrum of class, history, and expectation.

ICE visits 'The Pitt'

The Pitt  executive producer John Wells and star Noah Wyle have confirmed that the series will tackle the real-world impact of ICE raids on hospital environments. 

At the request of HBO executives, the production team was asked to ensure the episode presents a "balanced" view that acknowledges multiple perspectives on the issue rather than taking a singular political stance.

Wyle described the show's approach as a "Rorschach test," where the drama aims to depict the "realistic" and "untenable" situations doctors face without making overt value judgments, allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions.

        FYI: You can stream 'The Pitt' on HBO Max. New episodes on Thursdays.

Wells emphasized that ICE raids are a "real issue in emergency rooms" and that the show's priority is depicting how these events affect patient care and the medical team's duties.

The ICE storyline is expected to heavily involve the show's Asian American immigrant and first-generation staff, who have been central to the series' portrayal of the "backbone" of the American healthcare system. That might mean the Filipino staff might be central to the plot.

The ICE storyline is expected to be intertwined with other narrative threads reflecting the fictionalized impacts of President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," including significant cuts to Medicaid.

View from the edge: A lesson for Hollywood

A plea to the Hollywood decision-makers, producers and writers:

When you stop treating Asian characters as "background techs" and start treating them as the emotional heartbeat of the story, you don't just get a better show — you get a winner by engaging the viewers. Beyond simple representation, it becomes representation that matters.

For many Filipino American viewers, seeing their reality reflected on screen is long overdue. The show challenges outdated tropes and offers an authentic portrayal—from nurses speaking Tagalog to scenes that capture deep-rooted Filipino values such as utang na loob (debt of gratitude) and kapwa (shared identity).

For the Filipino American community, which has historically been the backbone of the American medical system with none of the glory, seeing three Pinay actresses recognized as part of the best team on television is a full-circle moment and portraying them as three-dimensional human beings is history unto itself.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.