Filipino American players will make history in NBA championship series

Two Filipino Americans, the Spurs' Dylan Harper, left, and the Knicks'' Jordan Clarkson will
make history when they play in the National Basketball Association Championship series.

If you want to be a witness to history, watch a basketball game June 3. Not just any game. I'm talking about the championship series of the National Basketball Association where, for the first time, two Filipino American players will play key roles for their respective teams.

Jordan Clarkson of the New York Knicks and rookie Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs will break barriers as the first players of Filipino descent to clash in the NBA Finals.

The two players will ommand the floor as second-unit guards, but they are different stages of their careers as they step onto the NBA's biggest stage:

Jordan Clarkson: The former Sixth Man of the Year adjusted his game this season after signing a minimum deal with New York. While his outside shooting was erratic during the regular season, his veteran poise, physical driving, and surprising offensive rebounding have provided a dependable edge for the Knicks' second unit throughout this deep postseason run. In the past, the 33-year old  has proven with his past teams that he could be an offensive force even though with the Knicks, his numbers are down.

Dylan Harper: The Spurs' 20-year old freshman guard has been a revelation, providing a fearless spark off the bench but he's surprised the coaches and occasionally starts. Despite battling the mental strain of the playoffs and physical soreness, he proved his resilience by hitting crucial shots to help San Antonio survive a grueling seven-game Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City during which he elevated his game earning comparisons to the likes of Kobe Bryant and Manu Ginóbili for his instant scoring off the bench.

FYI: Watch the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs live on ABC and stream via the ESPN App. Coverage begins on Wednesday, June 3, with all games tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT).

Both players are proud of their Filipino heritage and the historic nature of their meeting in the championship best-of-seven series. "I think my focus is on these next games, this next series. Obviously, it’s a blessing to represent the Philippines, where I’m from," Harper told reporters after the Spurs' 111-103 Game 7 win.

"I think me and Jordan Clarkson are doing a great job doing that. My biggest thing is to focus on what's in front of me.”

Clarkson has expressed joy and pride over Harper entering the league, noting that they are successfully expanding Filipino representation in the NBA.

Likewise, Clarkson, who plays on the Philippines' national team in FIBA-sponsored tournaments, said he is focused on the games ahead. The last time he played in the NBA finals was in 2018 when he was the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During the regular season, the veteran-laden Knicks hold a 2-1 edge over the energetic youthful Spurs, with each team's victories coming on their home courts.

Never before has a player with Filipino ancestry won an NBA title. With Clarkson and Harper on opposing teams, that streak will be snapped.

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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

FilAm strikes a nerve with Trump strategist Stephen Miller

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The Democrats' social media rapid response team led by Filipino American Paulina  Mangubat
was interviewed by the Meidastouch Network.

Republicans completely miscalculated. By trying to rely on old-school bullying tactics and outdated stereotypes of Asian American women, they ran straight into a digital buzzsaw.

A Filipino American political strategist is shattering stereotypes and giving a masterclass in clapping back after a high-stakes Twitter war erupted into personal, racist-adjacent attacks from the far-right.

Paulina Mangubat, the Deputy Chief Mobilization Officer at the Democratic National Committee, found herself in the crosshairs of Katie Miller—wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller—proving once again that Asian American leaders are no longer letting the "quiet and subservient" myth stand.

Katie Miller may have bitten off more than
she can handle.

Mangubat is a 2017 Barnard College graduate and the daughter of Filipino immigrants. Before executing her high-profile role at the DNC, she honed her skills as the digital mastermind for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Sen. Raphael Warnock. In today's hyper-fast internet age, she leads the digital armor for the Democratic party, showing that representation in the political decision-making room matters.

The drama kicked off when Stephen Miller lobbed an unprovoked, transphobic insult on X (formerly Twitter) targeting Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. The official Democrats account — overseen by Mangubat’s rapid-response team —fired back with a blunt, profane tweet: "shut up you ugly f---."

Mangubat backed it up on her personal account, throwing her own shade at Miller’s notorious track record.

The far-right's anti-Asian dog whistle?

That is when Katie Miller stepped in, using classic right-wing identity politics to single out the Asian American staffer. Miller posted Mangubat's picture online.

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On behalf of her husband, Katie Miller responded to the Democrats.

But Mangubat wasn't having it. She quickly shut down the "unmarried" insults by posting news of her trying on wedding gowns and revealing that she is in the middle of planning for her upcoming wedding.

To top it off, she shared a photo of a celebratory cake gifted by her DNC colleagues. The icing on the cake? "You ratioed Temu Hitler and also are hot."

Mangubat flipped the script on Miller, quoting Katie Miller post and writing “Well, now seems like a good time to share that I’m getting married! We just put down the deposit on the venue and bought my dress lol!”

Later, in an interview with the eidasTouch network, Mangubat would further double down on her comments about the Millers:

“I want Katie Miller to know that her husband is an ugly fuck. um Stephen Miller is one of the most powerful men in the country right now. He is a White House official who is taking to Twitter to make these absolutely false and transphobic attacks against an amazing candidate in Texas, James Talarico.”

“We simply called him ugly, and I think that what he has been doing is ugly. He is celebrating when ICE shoots down Americans in the street. He thinks that it's cool when families are separated and it's just absolutely disgusting. And so, yeah, I stand by calling him an ugly f*ck.”

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Paula Mangubat, left, and her response to Katie Miller.

For many in the AANHPI community, the public targeting of a young woman of color felt all too familiar — an attempt to bully an Asian American professional back into a corner.

New era, new strategy

The digital feud between  Mangubat and the Millers serves as a case study in modern political communication. It highlights a massive shift from traditional, polished press releases to aggressive, internet-native tactics.

Here is the breakdown of the contemporary digital strategy tactics used in this clash:

The key is "unhinged" branding that moves away from corporate terile political rhetoric toward raw, authentic and somtimes profane text.

The DNC’s blunt reply mimics the natural behavior of everyday internet users. It cuts through social media algorithms by favoring high-emotion engagement over standard policy talking points.

Utilizing internet-native terms like "ratioed" and sharing tangible, real-world visual artifacts (the cake), Mangubat reminded the audience of her modernity and humanity.

She neutralized the "sad, single liberal" narrative not with a statement, but with undeniable visual proof — an engagement announcement and a celebratory cake from her team. By labeling Stephen Miller "Temu Hitler," the team packaged a complex political critique into a highly shareable, humorous pop-culture meme.

By forcefully responding directly beneath Stephen Miller's initial post, the DNC guaranteed that their rebuttal would capture the attention of everyone following the original controversy, successfully hijacking the narrative.

Democrats' dilemma

Based on the social media reaction, this type of communicating is a hit with the younger demographic but the older establishment has doubts. The DNC's new approach has effectively shattered the "when they go low, we go high" philosophy in favor of decentralized, punchy digital combat.

For decades, the right-wing has held a virtual monopoly on aggressive, highly emotional digital media layout and have been successful in stirring up their base to amplify their messaging. The DNC's willingness to fight fire with fire has successfully hijacked the media narrative, pulling eyes away from conservative talking points and forcing Republicans onto the defensive.

Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Jasmine Crockett argue that aggressive, unfiltered clapbacks are highly effective at shattering voter perceptions that Democrats are out-of-touch, elitist, "robotic" or —worst of all —unresponsive.

Early indicators prove the approach is a metrics goldmine, with Democratic lawmakers racking up over 87 million views on response content by ditching legacy press releases for direct-to-camera, influencer-style videos.

Opponents of the "unhinged" brand argue that inside-baseball internet slang (like "ratioing" or sheet-cake memes) only appeals to hyper-online, progressive partisans and doesn't connect with ordinary folks. The true test is if the new tactic will turn into votes from younger voters, the demographic least likely to cast their ballots.

View from the edge

Mainstream media still isn’t looking, but Asian Americans are dominating the digital space, carving out their own narratives at a staggering 12-plus hours a week, according to the Pew Research Center. Instead of waiting for a seat at Eurocentric tables, Asian Americans use platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to define their own identities and for news sources.

It’s a clear sign of the times. A new generation of AANHPI political workers are stepping up, building power, and refusing to stay silent when the old guard tries to tear them down.

For a generation of younger Asian Americans and progressives weary of traditional politicos offering polite, watered-down rhetoric, Mangubat’s raw style feels undeniably authentic. It breaks the "model minority" archetype of staying quiet, showing that a young Asian American woman can fiercely hold her ground in the face of MAGA culture-war trolling.

While the internet-style feud generated massive engagement and high-flying view counts, social media points do not automatically equal ballots in the box. Young voters are disproportionately impacted by economic anxieties, high housing costs, and targeted anti-immigrant rhetoric. They are also least likely to vote.

The feud generated tens of millions of views, bringing significant attention to Democratic criticisms of prominent MAGA figures like Stephen Miller.

Mangubat is being praised online for standing her ground. Many have commended her resilience in the face of intense cyberbullying from MAGA supporters

Mangubat’s viral moment shows a formidable willingness to punch back, but the real test for Democrats won't be won through viral tweets. It will depend on whether the party can pivot from Twitter theater to real-world community organizing that addresses the substantive needs of a diverse new generation of voters.

But you can't argue that many young, progressive voters are exhausted by polite, diplomatic political rhetoric. Playing by the rules of the past doesn't work against the rule-breaking Republicans. Mangubat's unfiltered approach aligns with a desire for candidates and operatives to punch back against right-wing culture wars and "troll" tactics. 

In the fight for swing states and moderate voters, highly personal internet brawls can muddy the water, say critics. Instead of keeping the focus on critical policy matters or systemic inequities, the mudslinging risks turning off independent or apathetic youth who are already cynical about the juvenile state of American politics.

The rightwing megaphone, aided and amplified by state-sponsored actors, have had the upper edge in the social media frontlines, and responding with righteous indignation, press releases and carefully thought out policies has not been enough to counter the misinformation campaigns of the reight.

 Internal party research showed that audiences prefer fast, direct, and emotionally resonant language over conventional talking points. Many young, progressive voters are exhausted by polite, diplomatic political rhetoric. Mangubat's unfiltered approach aligns with a desire for candidates and operatives to punch back against right-wing culture wars and "troll" tactics. 

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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Voting in California is so easy

Although California's election day is June 2, voting has been underway for a few weeks already.

As a California resident, I voted yesterday by dropping off my sealed ballot at a secured metal drop box in front of the school district offices. No lines. No hurry. No worries.

If you want to vote this way, visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov to find your nearest drop box.

If you choose to mail your ballots, it is a bit more complicated. The Secretary of State website recommends that you mail your ballot five days before election day. That deadline was yesterday, May 28. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received not later than 7 days after Election Day. However you decide to go ahead and mail over the weekend, you're taking your chances with the Post Office. If mailing on Election Day, the website recommends getting a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a United States Post Office.

There's a good number of us who still prefer to go to a polling place, chat with your neighbors volunteering to work at the polls and go through the process and personally slip your ballot into the drop box. To find your polling place, click on caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. 

Even if you missed the registration deadline earlier this month, you can still register to vote on June 2. You can still go to your county elections office, vote center, or polling place on or before Election Day to complete conditional voter registration (often referred to as "Same Day Voter Registration"). Contact your county elections office for more information or visit vote.ca.gov.

View from the edge

Despite the ease in voting in the state, the overall turnout rate of eligible voters in California in the 2024 presidential general election was 62.1%. The national average for the same year was 64.1%.

The Golden State is home to a third of the nation's total AANHPI population and make up 17.34% of the voters, according to APPI Data. But voter registration of AANHPI is historically low. People who have studied the lackluster turnout at the polls, say various studies is the lack of specific outreach, not only from the candidates but from the Democrats and Republicans.

One of the biggest problems facing AANHPI is the feeling that they are being overlooked by the major parties, which translates into indifference. They want to feel like they matter. Few politicians recognize this abstract but overlooked need. If you don't speak directly to the diverse groups under the AANHPI umbrella, that is interpreted as "If you don't think my vote matters and don't address my concerns, why should I vote for you."

“Latinos, Asian Americans, and young people represent California’s future and they will dictate the future of electoral participation as well,” said Eric McGhee, a PPIC research fellow who authored a report, California’s Missing Voters: Who Is Not Voting and Why. “California has been a creative and energetic force for voter participation, and it must redouble its efforts to ensure future civic engagement.”

Democracy is not for bystanders.

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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Asian and Asian American artists' AMA wins signal changing music industry

K-Pop sensation BTS won major recognition at the AMA awards show.

Asian and AAPI artists dominated the American Music Awards, smashing records and rewriting the narrative on mainstream music's biggest night. From K-pop global icons to R&B heavyweights, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community didn't just show up—they swept.

Here is how our community made their presence known at the AMAs:

In the midst of their first tour since fulfilling their mandatory military service, the global phenomenon BTS continued their historic AMA legacy, adding three more massive trophies to their collection:

• Artist of the Year
• Best Male K-Pop Artist
• Song of the Summer for their track "SWIM"

Filipino-Puerto Rican superstar Bruno Mars continues his reign as an R&B powerhouse, dominating the genre categories with major wins:

• Best Male R&B Artist
• Best R&B Album for The Romantic
• Best R&B Song for his track "I Just Might"

Next-Gen AAPI trailblazers take the stage

The night also belonged to first-time AAPI voices and collaborative powerhouses who broke barriers in the general fields:

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• The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X (Featuring Korean-American vocalists Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI): Took home the coveted Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Song for their breakout track "Golden". Singer EJAE also secured Best Soundtrack for “KPop Demon Hunters”.

• KATSEYE: The recognition as New Artist of the Year cemented the Kpop-inspired girl group's rising global presence. The group won Best New Artist, Best Music Video, Breakthrough New Artist.

• Raja Kumari: She shattered glass ceilings as the first artist of Indian origin to win an AMA, recognized for her stellar collaboration on the track "Renegade (We Never Run)."

• During their acceptance speech, the Filipino American Sophia Laforteza took a moment to acknowledge the artists who helped pave the way for globally minded groups like Katseye. “We want to give a special shout-out to BTS tonight for inspiring us to represent our culture at a global scale,” she said , closing her speech with “Maraming, maraming salamat!”

During KATSEYE's acceptance speech, Filipino American member Sophia Laforteza took a moment to acknowledge the artists who helped pave the way for globally minded groups like Katseye. “We want to give a special shout-out to BTS tonight for inspiring us to represent our culture at a global scale,” she said , closing her speech with “Maraming, maraming salamat!”

Perhaps the emotional highlight of the evening was the reunion of the Black Eyed Peas. Fergie reunited on stage with will.i.am, Taboo, and apl.de.ap to accept the newly created AMA for Best Throwback Song for their 2009 hit, "Rock That Body."

During the AMA show, Black-Eyed Peas' Apl.de-ap thanked the group's Filipino fans.

 Apl.de.ap gave a proud shoutout to Filipino fans during the broadcast, stating, “Thank you to all the fans around the world who voted for this song, ‘Rock That Body.’  “Maraming salamat, mahal ko kayo, mabuhay ang Filipino.”

        FYI: For the complete list of AMA winners, click here.

Fergie, who left the group in 2018 for a solo career, gave a sweet shoutout to her 12-year-old son Axl and told the group she was "so happy to be reunited again with my brothers."

The announcement of their award was greeted with a standing ovation and sparked a social media frenzy hoping for a permanent reunion but no announcement about getting back together was forthcoming.

View from the edge

Forget the days when a global act would score a flash-in-the-pan debut, only to plummet into obscurity the following week once the superfans stopped clicking. In 2026, our community is exhibiting some serious staying power on the Billboard charts, and the mainstream industry has no choice but to change the way it counts the numbers.

Mega-groups like BTS are proving that international acts possess long-term commercial endurance. Their 2026 track "SWIM" didn't just spike upon release; it went on to become the longest-charting song of the year in the Top 10 of both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. US charts.

Over on the Billboard Hot 100, the trio of Asian American powerhouse singers EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami (the voices behind Netflix's K-Pop Demon Hunters) completely took over the airwaves. Their anthem "Golden" locked down the #1 spot for eight weeks, a history-making run that deservedly earned them Billboard’s 2026 Women of the Year honors.

KATSEYE, performed 'Pinky Up' at the AMA show.

Instead of waiting for traditional Western record labels to slowly "incubate" or introduce foreign acts to the American public, a new wave of mobile-first fandoms is launching artists onto the charts instantly. Multilingual groups like KATSEYE, Stray Kids, and aespa are landing on U.S. streaming charts on day one, erasing the historic "lag time" between overseas success and American recognition.

The sheer volume of global streams has forced major trade publications to adapt. With platforms altering data collection metrics to track 360-degree, multi-platform engagement, our digitally native, highly organized fandoms are leading the charge in how modern chart success is measured.

Groups like BTS are attracted thousands of fans in Mexico City in short notice to an appearance with Mexico's President and during their California stops on their worldwide tour, the group had their diverse fans singing along in Korean.

The Billboard 200 albums chart is increasingly occupied by hybrid localized acts. By mixing Western pop styling with international production and multilingual lyrics, these cross-border entities are proving that multiculturalism is highly marketable to general American audiences.

The best example of this international fusion was when  R&B artist Bruno Mars joined Black Pink's Rose for their international hit APT.

Change in the music industry, in terms of representation, is occurring at the speed of light. It can't come soon enough. Now, if only the Grammys will catch up to the international nature of the music industry.

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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Code Red in Newark: ICE agents pepperspray US Senator Andy Kim

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Just before getting peppersprayed, Senator Andy Kim tried to de-escalate the confrontation.

This incident is ridiculous. ICE agents pepper-sprayed a US Senator. The incident with New Jersey's Korean American Sen. Andy Kim demonstrates, once again, the need to rein in Donald Trump's out-of-control army.

The thin veneer of constitutional governance didn't just crack outside Newark’s Delaney Hall—it was blasted apart by a cloud of federal-grade pepper spray.
When Kim was filmed on Monday clutching an ice pack while street medics frantically flushed chemical irritants from his eyes, the imagery captured something far deeper than a chaotic protest. It gave a visceral face to a raging constitutional crisis: a rogue executive branch physically assaulting the very lawmakers empowered to oversee it.

"My eyes were hurting, my throat was burning," Kim said afterwards.

The clash

The powder keg ignited over a hunger strike inside the privately run, 1,000-bed immigration warehouse. Roughly 300 detainees are currently risking starvation to protest what advocates call "inhumane" living conditions, including acute medical neglect.

When Kim, Governor Mikie Sherrill, and other New Jersey Democrats showed up for a critical oversight visit, they were met with immediate stonewalling. Sherrill was completely blocked at the gate. Senator Kim only forced his way inside after making a direct, high-stakes phone call to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

But the true ugly underbelly of federal enforcement was waiting for Kim when he stepped back outside.

Faced with a tense standoff between an armored ICE vehicle, heavily weaponized agents, and a human chain of peaceful demonstrators, Kim did what a leader is supposed to do: he stepped into the gap. Putting his hands up in a universal "stop" motion, the Korean American senator tried to broker a de-escalation.

The federal response? In an interview with CNN''s Jake Tapper, Kim said:

US Sen. Andy Kim had his eyes flushed out after
getting pepperspreayed by ICE agents.

"So I tried my best to get between the ICE agents and the crowd as the ICE convoy decided to just go ahead and plow through the crowd, which was just absolutely so dangerous of an action that they were doing. So I remember the pepper balls starting to get shot towards my feet and past me. I did not get hit directly by a pepper ball, but certainly between the pepper balls and then the pepper spray that was happening, I’d certainly had an irritation and burning sensation in my eyes and my throat.

"But more broadly, this was something that was avoidable. We were trying to find a way to be able to move forward that wasn’t gonna escalate in this way. But ICE decided that they just had enough and they were gonna just move ahead. And I just thought that was an incredibly dangerous action for them to do. And that continued problems, that continued threat of violence and escalation continues today. Tomorrow, I mean, ... we’re seeing just a heightened level of danger right now in New Jersey."

Lawless enforcers

Let’s cut through the Department of Homeland Security’s spin, which quickly dismissed the oversight visit as a "political stunt."

The law is unequivocal. Under Section 527 of the DHS Appropriations Act, no taxpayer funds may be used to block a Member of Congress from entering or inspecting an immigration detention facility. Period. Full stop. Federal courts reaffirmed this exact mandate earlier this year in Neguse v. Noem, ruling that the executive branch lacks the authority to gatekeep congressional oversight.

ICE’s defense rests on an unconstitutional house of cards—specifically, an agency-invented rule requiring a seven-day advance notice for visits. But a federal agency’s internal memo cannot override statutory federal law.

Furthermore, under standard DHS Use of Force Directives, federal agents are legally restricted to using force that is "objectively reasonable." Deploying chemical weapons against a visible, compliant federal lawmaker attempting to peacefully negotiate a crowd clearance violates the core tenets of acceptable law enforcement behavior.

Kim to take action

Can these agents be disciplined? On paper, absolutely. The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) possess the clear authority to suspend, terminate, or recommend criminal assault charges against the officers involved.

But in the Trump regime, "can" and "will" are miles apart. With a DHS leadership that treats congressional oversight like an enemy insurgency, internal investigators will face immense institutional pressure to sweep this under the rug as standard "crowd control."

Kim hasn't signaled an intent to file personal charges or lawsuits. He knows the battlefield is systemic. Instead of getting bogged down in an uphill legal battle against qualified immunity, Kim is taking the fight back to Washington, demanding the permanent shutdown of Delaney Hall and drafting legislation to cut off the administration's ability to buy up more corporate detention warehouses.

When federal law enforcement agents feel entitled to pepper-spray the lawmakers who hold the purse strings, the balance of power is no longer just threatened. It's on fire.

“What we saw here is unfortunately just what we see all over the country,” Kim told NJ.com. “It’s sad, it’s a sad 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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

AANHPI Heritage Month: The famous meal when Obama met Bourdain

Totally comfortable in a working -lass restaurant, then-President Barack Obama and cultural
commentator Anthony Bourdain enjoy a simple meal in Hanoi.

The image remains etched in the collective memory of both Vietnam and America: Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain, two global icons sitting on low plastic stools in a cramped, fluorescent-lit noodle shop in Hanoi. 

When President Obama joined food writer Bourdain for a bowl of bún chả in 2016, it wasn’t just a staged photo op for CNN’s Parts Unknown. It was a masterclass in culinary diplomacy and a homecoming of sorts for a president whose palate was shaped far from the White House.

There is nothing to make the restaurant stand out from its surroundings. Located at 24 Lê Văn Hưu in Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung District, Bún Chả Hương Liên is a no-frills, family-run establishment. Up the stairs with other members of my small tour group to the small dining room there is a picture of Obama and Bourdain hanging over the table where they shared a simple Vietnamese meal on May 23, 2016. 

I sat there, trying to find a comfortable position on the low plastic stool.  There I enjoyed a steaming bowl of pho, perspiring a bit because there was no air-conditioning but the windows remained open to the warm tropical air letting the busy street noise filter into the cramped room. I noted the photograph of the President and the food writer/philosopher extraordinaire.

That original table, along with their plates and beer bottles, is now famously preserved in a glass case — a "museum piece" that Bourdain dryly admitted he wasn't sure how to feel about.

While the world marveled at the sight of a sitting US President navigating a crowded street stall, Bourdain noted that Obama didn’t need a tutorial. There was no fumbling with the chopsticks and no hesitation at the sight of the heap of fresh herbs. 

Bourdain later remarked on the President's effortless technique, stating, "He’s the only guest I’ve ever had on the show who enjoyed the food, handled the chopsticks, and drank the beer from the bottle."

This comfort wasn’t an act; it was muscle memory. Growing up in Hawaii and spending formative years in Indonesia, Obama didn’t just "eat" Asian food—he lived it. From the savory comfort of Hawaiian plate lunches to the spicy street stalls of Jakarta, the President was raised in the "umami" belt. 

Bourdain, reflecting on the meal, said, "I believe he had been looking forward to this for a long time. It was a bowl of cold rice noodles and grilled pork in a broth with some fermented fish sauce—all the things he grew up with." He famously added that Obama "handled the sticky, hard-to-separate noodles like a professional."

For the locals in Hanoi, seeing the leader of the free world treat their national dish with the respect of a regular was transformative. Obama wasn't there to colonize the menu; he was there to enjoy a meal he fundamentally understood. 

This moment signaled a seismic shift in U.S.-Vietnam relations. On May 23, 2016—the same day the meal was filmed—Obama officially announced the full lifting of the 50-year-old arms embargo on Vietnam. While the policy change was strategic, the meal was the emotional anchor that humanized the "former enemy" through the simple act of breaking bread.

Today, tourists and locals alike flock to the shop to order the "Combo Obama." For approximately 120,000 VND ($5.00 USD), you get the exact set they shared: a bowl of special bún chả, a fried seafood roll, and a cold Hanoi beer. It remains a testament to the idea that the best way to understand the world is to sit down, grab a blue plastic stool, and eat like a local.

Through the years, I've forgotten what kind of pho I ordered at Bún Chả Hương Liên except that it was hot and delicious. To the staff there, I was just another foreigner trying the local fare. It was about as close as I could get to Obama and Bourdain, two men I admired from afar. A simple meal with so much meaning.

Afterwards, I exited into the busy street -- scooters zooming by, car horns honking, dodging the traffic, both motorized and pedestrian, and the buzz of conversations of Vietnamese passers-by.  I boarded the small tour bus still trying to memorize the experience of my  tiny taste of history. 

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. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Memorial Day 2026: US’ broken promises to AANHPI veterans is nothing new

 
It is a pattern as old as the republic itself: America makes a promise when it needs your help, and tears up the contract the second it becomes inconvenient.

Over 250,000 Filipinos answered the call of President Roosevelt to fight for the US during WWII.

For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, this history is written in ink and blood. The Rescission Act of 1946 is not just a "budget-saving measure" or a legislative technicality. It is a calculated act of betrayal by the United States government.

When the shadow of imperial Japan loomed over the Pacific in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt didn't hesitate. He officially drafted the Philippine Commonwealth Army directly into the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE).

Filipino soldiers were legally serving under the American flag. They were promised full U.S. veterans' benefits, healthcare, and the GI Bill. They held the line at Bataan and Corregidor. They endured the Death March. They bled for a country that called them its own nationals.

But once the war was won, Congress decided their sacrifice was too expensive. With the stroke of a pen, the Rescission Act retroactively declared that their service was not "active military service." Uncle Sam got the victory, and Filipino veterans got the shaft.

A familiar playbook of deception

To anyone paying attention to the "views from the edge" of American history, this wasn't an isolated incident. It is part of a long, dark tradition of institutional dishonesty and structural colonization:

• The stolen Kingdom of Hawaiʻi: In 1893, US-backed sugar barons and military forces engineered an illegal coup against Queen Liliʻuokalani, toppling a sovereign constitutional monarchy just to secure a Pacific refueling station.

• The Original Sin of the Spanish-American War: Decades before WWII, the US.had already perfected the art of the backstab in the Philippines. In 1898, Filipino patriots had spent years fighting Spain and had successfully surrounded Manila, ready to claim independence. Instead of supporting their revolutionary allies, U.S. commanders went behind the back of Emilio Aguinaldo and cut a secret deal with the Spanish. They staged a farcical, pre-arranged Mock Battle of Manila so Spain could "save face" by surrendering to white Americans rather than the Filipinos who actually won the war. The US then bought the Philippines from Spain for $20 million in the Treaty of Paris, locking out the Filipino patriots entirely and turning the islands into an American colony.

• The abandonment of Hmong and Lao soldiers: The betrayal didn't stop in 1946; it was repeated a generation later in the jungles of Southeast Asia. During the Vietnam War, the CIA ran a "Secret War" in Laos, recruiting over 30,000 Hmong and Lao soldiers to fight communist forces, rescue downed American pilots, and block the Ho Chi Minh Trail. US officials explicitly promised to take care of them and their families. But when the US pulled out in 1975, they abandoned their loyal allies to face brutal retribution, labor camps, and genocide by the victorious communist regime. For decades, the U.S. government denied these veterans official recognition, healthcare, or military burial honors, treating their sacrifice as a deniable classified asset.

• The shredded treaties with Indigenous Americans: Hundreds of peace treaties were signed with Native nations, promising land and sovereignty "as long as the rivers run." Every single one of them was systematically violated, broken, or rewritten by the U.S. government when gold, oil, or land expansion beckoned.

• The ongoing courtroom battles for tribal sovereignty: This Native American struggle is far from ancient history; it is actively raging in federal courts today. Tribal nations are constantly forced to sue the federal government just to make Uncle Sam honor those centuries-old promises. From landmark Supreme Court battles like McGirt v. Oklahoma—which finally forced the state to recognize reservation boundaries—to ongoing corporate and state attempts to strip away tribal land, water rights, and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Indigenous communities are still on the front lines defending their survival against a government that prefers its treaties broken.

View from the edge

The Rescission Act belongs on that exact same shelf of shame. The US government has always treated people of color as temporary wartime commodities or obstacles to empire.

Whether it is trying to close out a fund for centenarian Filipino heroes to balance a congressional budget, or continuing to deny full medical care to Hmong elders who rescued downed American pilots, the underlying theme hasn't changed. 

The US government still treats AAPI service as a temporary contract. The legislation we see today isn't just about policy—it is a continuous, generational fight to force an empire to pay its historical debts. Shamefully, the Rescission Act of 1946 is still n the books and should be repealed.

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