Hard choice faces Philippine diaspora caught in the Middle East conflict

Filipino workers flee the Middle East after the US and Israel attacked Iran.

No Filipinos were killed in the US and Israeli airstrikes inside Iran, but the conflict has claimed a Filipino life in the crossfire: Mary Ann Velasquez de Vera was killed in Tel Aviv by an Iranian missile strike on February 28.

The  a 32-year-old caregiver was mortally struck by shrapnel while selflessly  transporting her elderly ward to a bomb shelter. Her employer survived. De Vera didn't.

Velasquez de Vera was found in critical condition after the ballistic missile struck next to an apartment building in the coastal city. Paramedics pronounced her dead while rushing her to the hospital. She was identified by her husband.

Mary Anne de Vera, the first Filipino fatality of the 
US-Israeli attacks against Iran.

A previous employer called Velasquez de Vera "an angel on earth" for the loving care she provided for their late mother.

Meanwhile,  the estimated 1,100 to 1,400 Filipinos living in Iran find themselves navigating a precarious landscape. Most of these individuals are long-term residents with deep roots through marriage, while about a hundred are documented workers. Their situation is a small but high-stakes piece of a much larger puzzle, as they represent just a fraction of the 2.2 million Filipinos currently living and working across the Middle East in construction, hospitality, healthcare and homecare.

With the threat of more Israeli and US military action looming, the Philippine government is shifting into a high-gear response to prevent a repeat of past regional tragedies. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has placed all diplomatic posts on high alert, and Iran remains under Alert Level 2, a status that effectively halts new labor deployments and urges those already there to limit non-essential movement.

Behind the scenes, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers are already mapping out "Plan B" scenarios, including land-based evacuation routes through Turkmenistan should Iranian airspace become a no-fly zone.

Hundreds of Filipino workers have already returned to the Philippines from various Middle East countries.

For the millions of Filipinos scattered from Tehran to Tel Aviv working in construction, healthcare, nannies and service. the government’s message is one of cautious readiness, emphasizing that while the goal is to stay safe in place, the exit doors are being prepped just in case the "big one" finally hits the region’s stability.

In retaliation to the US and Israeli attacks, Iran has responded with drones targeting US bases in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait — all countries that host large Filipino communities. The Department of Foreign Affairs estimates that the four countries are home to nearly 1.5 million Filipinos combined: 973,000 in the UAE, 250,000 in Qatar, 211,000 in Kuwait, and 56,000 in Bahrain.

The economic refugee

To understand why Mary Ann V. de Vera was in that building in Tel Aviv, you have to look past the "Bagong Bayani" (Modern Hero) rhetoric the government has hung on the Overseas Fililpino Worker (OFW). 

Government and media call them "heroes" to mask the fact that they are economic refugees. 

When the Department of Foreign Affairs raises "Alert Level 4" (Mandatory Evacuation), it is fighting a losing battle against the Philippine economy. In 2014, when Libyan militias were beheading construction workers, the Philippine government sent ships to evacuate 13,000 Filipinos. Only 2,000 boarded. The rest hid in the desert, terrified that the government would "rescue" them into joblessness.

View from the Edge

Mary Ann didn't die because she loved danger. She died because she was doing the job she was paid to do — protecting her patient — in a country that offered her a future her own homeland could not. The ₱130,000 ($2,220) monthly pension for life  is a life-changing sum for her family in Pangasinan, but it is a grim receipt for the export of our people.

For the OFWs, "Alert Level 2" in Iran feels like a recurring nightmare. The Middle East hosts over 2 million Filipinos, meaning every regional flare-up triggers a dilemma.

It is a grim calculus known as kapit sa patalim (clutching the knife). For the vast majority of OFWs, the fear of the low pay in the Philippines is statistically and psychologically greater than the fear of missiles in the Middle East.

Consider the wage gap. A caregiver in Israel earns $1,500–$2,000 USD (₱85k–₱110k). In the Philippines, the same job pays less than $150.

The choice for OFWs is tough. To repatriate is to plunge 5-10 dependent family members back into poverty.

Because Mary Ann was killed by a "hostile action" while legally employed, Israel's National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) has classified her family as victims of terror. This triggers a (for Filipinos) lifetime pension indexed to the Israeli wage — roughly ₱130,000 ($2,220) per month — granted to her family in Pangasinan is generous compared the average caregiver monthly salary in the Philippines is roughly ₱22,000 ($377). A highly-trained nurse in the Philippines earns about ₱18,000 ($308) to ₱28,000 ($480).

The irony is sharp: It took an Iranian missile in Tel Aviv to give a Filipino family the financial security that a lifetime of labor in the Philippines never could.

For the majority of OFWs in the Middle East, the choice is clear. They stay. They hide. They pray the rockets miss.

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. 

FYI: To stay connected as the situation in the region develops, Filipinos inIran and their families should keep these official contact details close at hand. The primary lifeline for those in Tehran is the Philippine Embassy's 24/7 Assistance to Nationals (ATN) hotline at +98 912 213 6801, which is also available via WhatsApp for those who might have limited mobile signal.

For matters regarding passports or visas, the Consular hotline at +98 912 105 5637 is the number to call, or you can reach out via email at tehran.pe@dfa.gov.ph

For broader support, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) operates a dedicated One Repatriation Command Center accessible through the 1348 hotline in the Philippines or (+632) 1348 for those calling internationally. Staying vigilant and keeping these numbers saved could make all the difference if the regional situation necessitates a quick move to safety.

AAPI casts of 'The Pitt' and 'Sinners' are a win for diversity at Actors Awards

The Pinay power trio on for  'The Pitt' earned Actors Awards for (from left):
Kristin Villanueava, Isa Briones and Amielynn Abellera

Look, we’ve spent years seeing Asians on TV and movies as either the "tech support" or the silent background extra, but at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards on March 1, the cast of the TV drama The Pitt and the Sinners movie officially flipped the script. 

While Asian actors did not win the top four individual acting awards this year at what used to be called the SAG-AFTRA Awards, they were vital to the night's biggest ensemble wins

The night’s biggest headline for the AAPI community was undoubtedly the historic ensemble win for The Pitt, which finally put Filipino American and South Asian actors at the center of the frame.

The medical drama didn't just win; it took home the trophy for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series, proving that when you actually cast us, we deliver. 

For the Filipino community, this wasn't just another award — it was a long-overdue "salute and recognition". In a field where Filipino nurses have been the literal backbone of American healthcare for decades, seeing the Filipino American actors  accept those awardds voted on by their peers felt like a win for every tita and tito in scrubs. 

The power of Filipino representation

Perhaps the most significant achievement of The Pitt is its unapologetic spotlight on the Filipino community. In the real world, Filipino nurses and doctors are the lifeblood of American hospitals, yet they are historically sidelined in TV scripts. With the goal of reflecting real life,The Pitt changes the narrative with a powerful trio:

• Dr. Trinity Santos (Isa Briones): A high-achieving Filipino American resident who navigates the intense pressures of the hospital with a competitive edge that feels earned and real.

• Nurse Perlah Alawi (Amielynn Abellera): A Filipino Muslim nurse whose presence brings a vital, often-ignored intersection of identity to the forefront.

• Nurse Princess Dela Cruz (Kristin Villanueva): Representing the heart of the ER, she embodies the dedication and empathy that Filipino healthcare workers are known for globally.

For decades, Filipino characters were the "background" of medical shows. Seeing three distinct Filipino characters—each with their own faith, personality, and professional standing—is a radical act of visibility. It acknowledges the historical legacy of Filipino labor in US healthcare that dates back over a century.

But The Pitt's representation didn’t end there. The ensemble win also spotlighted a deep bench of South Asian talent that is finally moving past the "nerdy sidekick" trope:

Supriya Ganesh (Dr. Samira Mohan): An American actress of Indian origin who brought nuance to the role of a workaholic resident. She’s been vocal about how South Asian women in medicine finally feel "seen" through her character.

Shabana Azeez (Victoria Javadi): The Australian-born actress plays a med-school prodigy struggling to live up to her surgeon parents’ legacy. Her presence—alongside Ganesh—shatters the "there can only be one" rule that has limited South Asian actors for years.

This wasn't just a win for a show; it was a win for a cast that looks like the actual world we live in. When they all stood on that stage together, it wasn't about diversity as a "checklist"—it was about a family of actors who earned their trophies.

The Pitt wasn't the only ensemble earning the Actors Award. The Studio won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

The Chinese-American actress Chase Sui Wonders took home a trophy as part of the winning ensemble for Apple’s hit comedy. The rest of the cast included Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn and Ike Barinholtz,.

'Sinners' cast wins

While the TV wins were a "salute" to the medical community, the film categories proved that AAPI actors were part of the Best Cast in a Motion Picture for the motion picture Sinners, including:

Hailee Steinfeld: The Oscar nominee (who is of Filipino descent) added an Actor Award to her mantle as part of the powerhouse ensemble for Ryan Coogler's vampire drama.

Li Jun Li: The Chinese American actress was a key part of the winning cast, further cementing her status as a top-tier ensemble player.

View from the edge

With these wins coming on the heels of the wild success of Everything, Everywhere All At Once in 2022, Shogun in 2024 (with a second season in the works), and current streaming hits Butterfly with Daniel Dae Kim, Ballard with Maggie Q and The Copenhagen Test with Simu Liu is an indication Hollywood is coming to realize that real diversity and inclusion of a diverse cast doesn't mean token characters here and there but a reflection of the changing demographics of real life fand signifies a major shift in visible representation and the mainstreaming of diverse narratives in Hollywood.

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. 

Bruno Mars is back, releases his new solo album 'The Romantic', & announces new tour

Its been too long (10 years) but our favorite Filipino-Puerto Rican superstar, Bruno Mars, is back in the driver’s seat after dropping his fourth solo studio album, The Romantic.

For the Asian American community, Bruno has always been a point of immense pride. Seeing a Pinoy face dominate the global stage isn't just about the music; it’s about the representation he brings to every "uptown funk" beat and "versace" slide.

Born and raised in Hawaii to a Filipino mother and Puerto Rican father, Mars' new album leans into his Latino roots with the use rhythmic accents of boleros, mariachi, and salsa. Released on February 27, The Romantic is already being hailed as a masterpiece of "modern nostalgia."

While the whole album drips with soul, three tracks stand out as his most direct tribute to those Caribbean and Latin rhythms:

"Cha Cha Cha": will most likely be a favorite among Filipinos who love get on the dance floor with the cha-cha. The most rhythmic of the bunch, this track trades the usual 808s for a mellow salsa percussion section, creating a groove that feels like a backyard party in Spanish Harlem. Rolling Stone notes it even cleverly interpolates hip-hop vibes into its tropical swing.

"Something Serious": This is where Bruno channels his inner Carlos Santana. It’s a percussion-heavy jam that Stereogum says "jacks its groove" from the legends of Latin rock and boogaloo, putting the cowbell and brass front and center.

"Risk It All": The album opener sets the stage with dramatic mariachi horns and bolero-style vocals, reminiscent of the legendary Luis Miguel. It’s a grand, cinematic nod to the "romantic" ballad tradition of his Puerto Rican roots.

A return to soul

Here’s a track-by-track breakdown of the other six songs inThe Romantic. recalling the vintage soul sounds he’s mastered over the years.

The lead single, "I Just Might," didn't just climb the charts—it teleported straight to No. 1, proving that the world was hungry for that signature Mars magic.

Here are the other cuts and what the critics (and the fans) are saying:

"I Just Might" – The record-breaking lead single is a quintessential, bubbly funk anthem that feels like an instant classic for the dance floor.

"God Was Showing Off" – A standout "sweet soul" ballad that Billboard describes as a dreamy, two-chord groove reminiscent of the Philly soul era.

"Why You Wanna Fight?" – This pleading R&B track showcases Mars’ most raw, emotional vocals yet, with raspy harmonies that some are comparing to The Weeknd.

"On My Soul" – A high-octane, sincere pledge of commitment that picks up the pace with manic electric guitar and undeniable physical joy.

"Nothing Left" – A poignant, piano-led lament that echoes his earlier hits like "When I Was Your Man," complete with a distorted, soulful guitar solo.

"Dance With Me" – The album closes with a cinematic, 60s-inspired slow dance that leaves fans swaying under "twinkling stars."

Bruno Mars' new album has influences from his Latin and Blues roots

Breaking records

When the tickets for his 2026 "The Romantic Tour" went on sale, the internet didn't just slow down; it nearly broke. Produced by Live Nation, the tour saw a frenzy that surpassed even the biggest stadium runs of the last decade.

Mars set a new industry benchmark for the most concert tickets sold by a solo male artist in a single 24-hour period, moving over 2.1 million tickets on the first day of sales. Taylor Swift holds the record with $2.4 million in the first day for her The Eras Tour last year.

Mars' staggering number eclipsed records previously held by pop icons, proving that Bruno’s "staying power" is less of a slow burn and more of a wildfire.

Mars is serving as the 2026 Record Store Day Ambassador, releasing a limited compilation titled "The Collaborations" on April 18, featuring his hits with artists like Lady Gaga and Rosé.

Hitting the road

The tour kicks off on April 10 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas—fitting, given his long-standing residency history there. What makes this run special for us is the "pamilya" feel of the lineup. He’s bringing along his Silk Sonic partner Anderson .Paak (performing as DJ Pee .Wee) and soulful openers like Victoria Monét, RAYE and Leon Thomas.

From London’s Wembley Stadium to the massive Rogers Stadium in Toronto, the world is about to get a masterclass in showmanship. For a kid who started as an Elvis impersonator in Waikiki, this isn't just a comeback; it’s a coronation.

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 Filipino American legacy of fighting for freedom is taking on Trump

Filiipino American caregivers are applying lessons from resisting authoritarianism under Philippine dictator Marcos Sr. in the 1980s.

WALTER ABAYOYONG / CREATIVE COMMONS

Filipino Americans join one of the No King's rally in Los Angeles.

By Jasmine Mithani

Republished with Permission from The 19th. This piece was published in partnership with The Xylom, a nonprofit newsroom reporting on global health and environmental disparities.

LOS ANGELES — Nurses, labor organizers and survivors of a brutal dictatorship are banding together to apply lessons learned from anti-authoritarian organizing in the Philippines to the present-day United States.

Political activist Myrla Baldonado became one of the “forced disappearances” under Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., in 1983. She was kidnapped by state agents, swept away to a secret location, tortured and then imprisoned for two years.

She sees echoes of what she experienced in the United States today. But she has hope that nonviolent protests, like the No Kings rallies, can enact change the same way they did in the Philippines. Nearly two million people marched down Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, or EDSA, in 1986 to protest against the Marcos regime. The disgraced dictator abandoned his office and fled to the United States.

“The lesson is that dictators fall. I mean, since time immemorial, this happened, from Nazi Germany to what happened during the ESDA Revolution and many other dictators. You all fall down,” Baldonado said. “It’s only a matter of time that they do.”

She wants people who are despairing or mired in hopelessness to know that the more cruel those in power become, the harder more and more people will fight back.

Joe Arciaga, a nurse and veteran, is the driving force behind bringing the No Kings rallies to Historic Filipinotown, a residential enclave west of Downtown Los Angeles. He wanted to link local activism with national pro-democracy movements, and founded the Filipino American Lakas Collective in 2025. Through that, he pulled together the rallies in Unidad Park in June and October. Now he’s gearing up for round three, in March.

Lakas — “strength” in Tagalog — is new, but it joins a rich network of community groups that have been organizing for civil and labor rights for decades. Led by advocates for Filipino health care and domestic workers, many of whom are single women new to the country, they have mobilized to support their community as violent Immigrations and Customs Enforcement actions increased across the city.

At the rallies, titos and titas handed out water and freshly baked pandesal, reminiscing of when their legs were strong enough to march all the way to City Hall. American and Philippine flags were interspersed with signs equating President Donald Trump with former Philippine leaders Marcos and Rodrigo Duterte.

California is home to 40 percent of the nation’s Filipino Americans, and the Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to the largest population of Filipinos outside of the Philippines.

The long arm of American imperialism played a role in these current demographics. The Philippines was an American colony until 1946. During that time, nursing schools were built and maintained by the colonial government. When immigration quotas were abolished in 1965, it became easier for Filipinos to immigrate to the United States, and many women nurses were encouraged to do so as the Marcos administration sought to grow the economy with diaspora funds.

At home, the democratically elected Marcos prolonged his presidency and concentrated power through martial law beginning in 1972. That spelled danger for activists like Baldonado, who started protesting against the Marcos administration when she was in college. She continued her activism for over a decade, cutting contact with her family for their safety and going by a different name. But in 1983, government agents grabbed her from a library. Baldonado became one of the regime’s “forced disappearances,” held in a secret location and tortured. After a couple weeks she was transferred to a jail, where she was imprisoned for two years. Baldonado was free but still recovering from her ordeal when the People Powered Revolution overthrew Marcos in a mostly bloodless uprising in 1986.

At the No Kings rally in June, she brought red carnations and passed them out to the attendees.

“No one believed we could bring down Marcos without bloodshed,” Baldonado said later in an interview. “The flower was a symbol of that, the urge for people to do it in the nonviolent way and to deescalate.”

Baldonado’s American chapter began in 2006, when she immigrated and took a job as a home care worker. The conditions were untenable: She experienced verbal abuse and sexual harassment, and her pay averaged only $5 per hour.

Baldonado began organizing for better working conditions for caregivers and domestic workers, first in Chicago and then across the nation. Her work was honored by the Obama administration.

Now, she works as the director of community engagement at the Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, continuing to advocate for care workers. Many of the people she works with are middle-aged single women who immigrated from the Philippines — similar to her story.

In the new Trump administration, the center has been hosting immigrant rights trainings and supporting detained Angelenos. Baldonado sees the hopelessness overtaking people in the wake of rising violence from the state, but she believes change will come through people-powered action, just like it eventually did against Marcos.

“We want them to see that there is still a glimmer of hope, despite all the difficulties that we are having right now,” she said. “History has shown that dictators don’t remain forever.” Baldonado knows that intimately.

At the No Kings rally in October, Jollene Levid climbed onto a park bench and read off the notes she had just finished compiling on her phone.

“We are here today as Filipinos, Filipino Americans, as immigrants, workers, communities of color to remind Trump that this is not 1565,” she cried.

JOE ARCIAGA

Jolene Levid (center) spoke at the No Kings protest.

“We Filipinos will never bow to a crown — from Spain to the Imperial Japanese and American colonizer, to Donald Trump and his cronies, we say NO KINGS!”

Levid had not imagined herself speaking to a crowd. But her mentors, the women who taught her how to build collective power, instilled in her the necessity of translating revolutionary ideas to everyday language.

Like Baldonado, Levid has dedicated her life to the power of collective organizing. Since college she knew she wanted to work with unions. She started organizing as an undergrad, but something felt out of place in those activist spaces: “Women’s issues were always secondary,” she said. “It was almost like always an afterthought. But my experience growing up in an immigrant family as the eldest daughter I knew was always informed by my gender, my sex.”

When she went to an event hosted by a feminist collective in college, everything clicked into place. Now her political home is AF3IRM, a feminist group fighting imperialism around the world. She has served on the leadership of the national organization and is active in the Los Angeles chapter.

AF3IRM has been active in local communities, protesting ICE as well as American intervention in Venezuela and Iran. “We’ve been hitting the streets and organizing new women to join us,” Levid said.

Levid’s family is from north east Los Angeles, one of the most concentrated areas of Filipino Americans in the country, and she still lives there today. But her day job as an organizer for the United Teachers of Los Angeles takes her all over the city.

She has always chosen to work for unions in fields dominated by women. Education and health care are some of the largest sources of overseas Filipina workers, and they wield power differently. “When those women workers strike, the facilities can’t work without them,” Levid said. “Filipino women have been instrumental in these types of labor fights.”

Levid has been busy in 2026, as 94 percent of the teachers union she works for voted in favor of a strike if benefits negotiations stall out.

Levid’s advocacy for workers took a new tack in 2020. After her aunt, Rosary Castro-Olega, became the first health care worker in Los Angeles County to die during the Covid-19 pandemic, Levid dedicated herself to documenting the deaths of Filipino health care workers.

She was part of a group that scoured obituaries to create Kanlungan, a digital memorial. Their data work laid the foundation for future studies that found Filipinos made up a disproportionate amount of nurse deaths during the first year of the pandemic. The numbers are stark: 4 percent of nurses in the United States are Filipino, but they accounted for 26 percent of nursing deaths during that time.

Her work drew the attention of Arciaga, who co-produced “Nurse Unseen,” a 2023 documentary about the history of Filipino nurses and their caregiving during the height of the pandemic.

The topic is personal to Arciaga, whose family left the Philippines after Marcos declared martial law. After serving in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War, he entered nursing, encouraged by his wife — who is also a nurse — thinking it would be temporary. Instead, the decision sparked a decades-long career.

Arciaga says it’s an honor to join the ranks of Filipino nurses who have come before him, and he is a member of the Philippine Nurses Association of America.

Arciaga was active in numerous local organizations, but he didn’t see anyone coordinating with national efforts.

“I want to live in a world, a society that respects civil liberties, that respects freedom,” Arciaga said. “I want a government that respects democracy and the rule of law, and I want my legacy to be that of someone who stood up.”

Joe Arciaga organized No King rallies in L.A.'s 
Historic Filipinotown.

He co-founded the Echo Park chapter of Indivisible, the national progressive organization, and the Filipino American Lakas Collective, a group organizing for civil liberties and democracy. And when Indivisible announced the No Kings rallies, he wanted to host one. But he had never put together a protest before.

So he called up Levid, who he met during the production of “Nurse Unseen,” remembering her experience as a union organizer. Levid shared resources she had made and trained volunteers on how to host a successful action. She helped organize the rally in June – and the following one in October, where she agreed to speak. She didn’t know how much larger the crowd would be the second time around.

Wearing all black in the blazing sun, Levid didn’t speak for long, but by the end of her speech the crowd was energized. “They have never and will never break the revolutionary spirit of women’s resistance,” Levid yelled before starting a chant.

“When women and children are under attack, what do we do?”

“Stand up, fight back!” the crowd cheered.

“When our community is under attack, what do we do?”

“Stand up, fight back!”

With two protests under his belt, Arciaga is gearing up for the third No Kings rally, planned for March 28. It will take place at Unidad Park again, where a diverse community will assemble beneath an enormous mural of Filipino freedom fighters.

The name of the mural is “Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana.”

Its meaning: A glorious history, a golden legacy.

About the author: Jasmine Mithani is the technology reporter at The 19th. Her coverage revolves around themes of information access, privacy, and politics. Online experiences shape our offline world, so she often writes about extremism and intimate partner violence as well. Jasmine's reporting frequently centers LGBTQ+ perspectives and intersects with reproductive rights. She has a soft spot for stories about the South Asian diaspora and good books and tries to report on solutions, not just problems.

Texas primary: AANHPI political influence diluted by GOP redistricting

MOCHI MAGAZINE

Texas is home to the nation’s fastest-growing AAPI population, but for many, the "Texas Miracle" feels more like a disappearing act at the ballot box. As the March 2026 primary currently underway Asian American voters are grappling with a political landscape that is simultaneously courting their vote and cutting their influence.

While the community’s numbers are surging, their collective voice is being intentionally muffled by GOP-led redistricting at the behest of Donald Trump. The redistricting is intended to increase the Republican's hold on the state's political leadership.

Unlike California's redistricting where voters decided to redraw the congressional district maps, Texas redistricting was forced on the voters by the GOP-dominated legislature, which voted on the measure in the middle of the night while most Texans were asleep. The state's voters had absolutely no say.

In what is known as he "Crack and Pack" strategy, lawmakers have used "surgical precision" to split heavily Asian neighborhoods in Fort Bend and Collin counties across multiple districts.

In Collin County’s CD-3, the share of Asian eligible voters was slashed from 10.8% to just 5.3% by shifting residents into the overwhelmingly white CD-4, which stretches all the way to the Oklahoma border.

In the Houston area, communities in Sugar Land—the most Asian town in Texas—were "fractured" and combined with rural populations hundreds of miles away to prevent them from forming a cohesive voting bloc.

Identity politics: A house divided

However, it is important to note that Texas AANHPIs are not a monolith, and the 2024 election proved it. While still leaning Democratic, the GOP has made significant inroads, particularly as voters move toward the center on economic issues.

Indian Americans remain a Democratic stronghold (55% Dem vs. 16% GOP), while Vietnamese Americans lean significantly more Republican (44% GOP vs. 30% Dem).

Chinese American voters are increasingly non-aligned, splitting almost evenly between both parties and a large 38% identifying as Independents.

Filipino Americans are often noted as being among the more liberal-leaning ethnic groups within the Asian community, even as they face pressure from GOP gains with minority voters. As a result the largest segment of FilAm voters (40%) vote Democrat as Republicans and independents split the remaining 60%.

Trump's immigration policies and the GOP's positions on other key issues have tilted the 2024 trend to the right back to the Democrats.

Issues beyond the pocketbook

Economic anxiety is high, but "non-pocketbook" issues are the real primary catalysts this cycle:

• Safety & Gun Reform: A massive 77% of AAPI Texans support stricter gun laws, a priority sharpened by recent tragedies in suburban hubs like Allen and Frisco.

• Fighting the "Land Bans": Proposals like Senate Bill 147, which targeted citizens from China and other countries for property ownership bans, have acted as a lightning rod, fueling fears of a return to "perpetual foreigner" exclusion.

• Education & Public Goods: There is fierce resistance to school vouchers, with most voters preferring to protect the public school districts (like Plano and Katy) that drew them to the suburbs in the first place.

View from the Edge

According to the Texas Secretary of State, more than 18.6 million Texans are registered to vote in the March 3, primary elections, a new record high. Early voting ends today, Feb. 27.

Democrat Taylor Rehme's upset victory three weeks ago in a special election for the Texas state senate by a double-digit margin in a district that voted for Trump in 2024, takes control from Republicans for the first time in decades serves as "a wake-up call" for the midterm elections.

Democrats are also heartened by the turnout in early voting, perhaps spurred by the highly contested race for the US Senate between Rep. Jasmin Crockett and James Talarico.

With roughly 80% of AAPI Texans feeling their interests are not well-represented in government, key strategies for 2026 include addressing economic concerns, increasing language accessibility, and building long-term local power.

However, even with the new enthusiasm and political wins, the redrawn congressional districts will definitely tamp down the AANHPI vote, which is not monolithic. However, both parties would be foolhardy to ignore the voters in this community, which could sway the results in competitive races.

In 2026, the "sleeping giant" of Texas politics isn't just waking up—it’s looking for a reason to stay in the room. As the AAPI community continues its streak as the fastest-growing demographic in the Lone Star State, the roadmap to 2026 is less about stump speeches and more about showing up where the parties haven't.

It may be too late for the primary but something to consider for the mideterms in November: To win the AANHPI vote in 2026, engagement can't be a last-minute flyer; it has to be a conversation.

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. 

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Feb. 25: People Power revolution 40 years ago offers lessons for the US

People Power can overthrow autocrats

Minnesotans braved freezing temperatures to protest the tactics of federal agents.

As the calendar turns toward late February 2026, marking the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, many in the Asian American community are looking back at the Philippines not just as a point of pride, but as a survival manual.

At Views From the Edge, we’ve always seen the AANHPI experience as a bridge between the struggles of the "old country" and the current fights here in the US. As the second Trump administration pushes the boundaries of executive power, the lessons of Feb. 25 , 1986 and the  following four days are taking on a new, urgent resonance.

The parallels are getting harder to ignore. Just as Ferdinand Marcos used the "specter of communism" to justify martial law, we see the current administration using the "specter of the invasion" to bypass the courts and deploy federal power against citizens. He is already setting the stage for disqualifying the results of the upcoming midterm elections, which polls predict will be as much a vote against Trump as it is a vote for the Democrats.

RELATED: As Filipinos took to Manila's streets, the #PeoplePower revolution impacted a young Filipino American journalist.

But the Philippines gave us the antidote. People Power wasn't just a crowd in the street; it was a total withdrawal of consent from a corrupt system.

Scenes of People Power in the Philippines in 1986.

For many Asian Americans—Filipinos, Vietnamese, Chinese, and others—the rhetoric of "strongman" leadership isn't a new political theory; it’s a family trauma.Historical Memory: We know what it looks like when a leader calls the press the "enemy of the people" and people simply disappear after being detained by federal agents.

When the Trump administration targets immigrants or rescinds birthright citizenship, Asian Americans are often the first to recognize the shift from democracy to autocracy. Our role is to sound the alarm before the "new normal" sets in.

Allies among us

In 1986, the Filipino concept of kapwa — the idea of a shared inner self and community — was what brought the nuns to the tanks, students to the streets and soldiers refusing illicit orders to fire on their fellow citizens.

In the current US climate, the Asian American community can be the "connective tissue" in a broad anti-authoritarian coalition. Whether it’s fighting the mass deportation machine or protecting the sanctity of the vote, our strength lies in moving beyond our silos to join Black, Brown, and Indigenous movements.

The 2022 return of the Marcos family to Malacañang Palace was fueled by a massive social media disinformation campaign that rebranded the Marcos dictatorship as a "Golden Age."

We see the same thing happening here with the whitewashing of January 6th, the erasure of democratic norms and the rewriting of history by removing the achievements of people of color from museums and textbooks and rebranding slavery as benign employment.

Asian American activists and content creators are uniquely positioned to fight these digital battles, using our bilingual and bicultural fluency to debunk the "strongman" myths spreading in our own communities and pushing the Christian white supremacist agenda to "make America white again."

View from the Edge: Democracy is a muscle, not a monument

The 40th anniversary of EDSA reminds us that a dictator’s power is actually quite fragile—it relies entirely on our belief that we are powerless.

Misinformation saying that both major parties are the same and  our vote won't matter; Trump's regime trying to redraw Congressional maps; and making it harder for people to vote causes people to throw up their hands in frustration and not vote. Not voting is one more vote for apathy and that's exactly what Trump and his billionaire supporters who back the goals of Project 2025 want.

When the Filipino people realized that the tanks wouldn’t fire if the people didn't move, the regime collapsed. Today, the "tanks" are executive orders and threats of retribution against politicians speaking out, media spreading the truth and exposing the corruption and the use of brute force -- Trump's loyalist private army of ICE agents, Customs and Border Control member and the US military to instill fear in us. 

The lesson from 1986 for us in 2026? Don't move. Don't comply. Stand together. Brave Minnesotans learned this this winter. The massive No Kings demonstrations are having an effect. Democracy demands participation, whether it be texting your Congressmembers, going to the voting booth, or marching in the streets. It requires action on your part. It demands People Power.

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. 

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2026 Olympics: Eileen Gu's Olympic performance expands her popularity

 

Skier Eileen Gu has reached rock star status with her fans.

The Olympic Games are over and here we are writing about Eileen Gu ... again! There is no denying the media attention the Stanford student has received has increased her popularity-- no matter what her politics might be.

Gu has once again proven she is the undisputed "Snow Princess," but her golden run at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games came with a heavy dose of geopolitical drama and personal heartbreak.

On Sunday, the last day of the Games, Gu successfully defended her Olympic title in the women’s freeski halfpipe, delivering a masterclass in amplitude and technical precision. Despite a fall on her first run, she roared back with scores of 94.00 and 94.75, cementing her status as the most decorated freeskier in history with six career Olympic medals.

Her gold medal comes after she won two silver meals at the Freeski Big Air and Slopestyle events. Combined with the two gold and silver medals that she won in 2022, Gu is the most highly decorated freeski athlete, male or female.

Did I mention that journalists hovered around her like a nest of gnats, asking over and over why she competes for China even though she was born and raised in San Francisco. She has remained consistent with her explanation of her 2019 decision.

“In the U.S. growing up, I had so many idols to look up to,” she said at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, where her stardom exploded when she began winning medals. “But in China, I feel like there are a lot fewer of those. I’d have a much greater impact in China than in the U.S., and that’s ultimately why I made my decision.

Media jiu jitsu

She has shown her adeptness at handling the media. When asked by a journalist what it feels like to "lose" her gold medal after winning a silver medals instead of gold, she responded with a derisive laugh.

“I’m the most decorated female free skier in history! I think that’s an answer in and of itself,” Gu said at the press conference.

“The two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing,” she said. “I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before and so I think that is more than good enough, but thank you.”

Vice President JD Vance reignited the debate over her decision to represent China, telling Fox News on Feb. 17 that he roots for athletes who "identify themselves as Americans" and benefit from the US system.

Gu, showing the same poise she has on the slopes, "clapped back" during a February 19 press conference, calling Vance's attention "sweet" and "flattering" while suggesting critics lump China into a "monolithic entity" due to political bias.

In another interview, she revealed that she was physically assaulted while at Stanford and her dorm room was broken into and robbed. She believed that the incidents were because she is competing for the Peoples' Republic of China, an economic and. political rival of the US.

No one asked about the political loyalties of Zoe Atkin, a Malaysian American who represents Great Britain and one of Gu's competitors in the half-pipe or the other eight US athletes playing for other countries.

I"’ve been very outspoken about my gratitude to both the U.S. and China for making me the person I am," she explained.

“I don’t feel as though I’m taking advantage of one or the other, because both have actually been incredibly supportive of me and continue to be supportive of me because they understand that my mission is to use sport as a force for unity. To use it as a form of fostering interconnection between countries, and not use it as a divisive force.”

Liu and Gu are not rivals

Gu has been contrasted with figure skater Alysa Liu of the United States in attempt to create a rivalry that doesn't exist. Despite competing for different nations, they maintain a relationship of mutual respect.

Gu reacted to Liu’s Instagram post — which showed her holding her two gold medals with the caption, “These are for y’all” — with a supportive comment: “YESSSSSS” in all caps.

RELATED:

• Alysa Liu's triumphant return from retirement. 
• Asian American Olympians honor immigrant parents
• Asian American skaters key to Team USA gold medal
• 14 Asian American athletes to follow at the 2026 Olympics
• 'Snow Princess' wins a silver medal for China
• Judging controversy tarnishes ice dancing medals
• Chloe Kim offers life lessons after winning a silver medal
• Alysa Liu and Eileen Gu divide the Chinese American community
• Eileen Gu wins second silver medal for China

Gu's triumph Sunday was bittersweet; shortly after her gold medal run, Gu learned that her maternal grandmother, Feng Guozhen, had passed away. Gu dedicated the victory to her, calling her a "fighter" and a "steam ship" who inspired her to take risks and bet on herself.

After winning the gold medal, she was informed that her grandmother had passed away. Growing emotional, Gu shared that she promised her grandmother to be "brave like she has been," and she aimed to make her proud through her performances.

For Gu, the storm isn’t going anywhere, not anytime soon. After a modeling commitment for Milan's Fashion Week, she will fly home to San Francisco to become the Grand Marshall of the Lunar New Year Parade in the city where she grew up. Her role drew criticism from some in the Chinese American community who see her choice to represent China as "ungrateful," or "unpatriotic."

In an interview with The Athletic, Gu gave advice to young people. Don’t wait until you’re older,” Gu said. “Don’t wait until tomorrow. Do it now. Do it now. Do it now … create your own pond. It’s not about fitting into existing molds. It’s not about being the best at things that exist. Create your own reality.”

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. 

Bruce Lee's stamp on America is official, says US Postal Service

In his too brief life, martial artist and movie star  Bruce Lee had a huge stamp on the lives of Asian men and now you can put his stamp on your mail.

In a move that feels like it’s been decades in the making, the United States Postal Service officially inducted Bruce Lee into its permanent collection this week. At a packed ceremony at Seattle’s historic Nippon Kan Theater—just a stone's throw from where Lee first began teaching his philosophy of "being like water"—the USPS unveiled the 2026 Forever Stamp.

More than just an action star

For the Asian American community, this isn't just about a movie star. It’s about visibility. As Views From the Edge has tracked for years, the fight for representation in media started with the trail Lee blazed in the 1960s and 1970s.

“Bruce Lee was mesmerizing to watch. Unlike the theatrical, acrobatic kung fu that came before, his movements were economical, explosive and real,” said Ben Kuo, the Postal Service’s senior vice president of facilities and infrastructure, who spoke at the ceremony.

Bruce Lee fundamentally shifted the perception of Asian men by replacing decades of demeaning caricatures with an image of physical power, sexual charisma, and defiant agency.

"He wasn't just a martial artist; he was a philosopher who forced the world to look at an Asian man as a hero, a leader, and a human being," said one attendee at the Seattle launch.

Before Lee's rise in the early 1970s, Asian men in Western media were typically relegated to "emasculated" roles such as bumbling servants, desexualized "nerds," or villainous "Fu Manchu" archetypes.

FYI: The Bruce Lee Forever® stamp, released on February 18, 2026, can be purchased for $15.60 per sheet of 20 through the USPS Postal Store website, by calling 844-737-7826, or at local post offices nationwide. The commemorative stamp is also available via the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon.

The design

The stamp itself, designed by Kam Mak, captures that kinetic energy we all remember. Its aThe Look: A black-and-white tempera painting of Lee mid-air in his signature flying kick. The background features a bold yellow brushstroke, a nod to the jumpsuit that became a global symbol of defiance in Game of Death.

In a clever bit of typography, the words "BRUCE LEE" appear to be shattering under the force of his kick..

It was only fitting that the launch happened in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is where Lee found his personal and martial arts footing, met his wife Linda, and where he now rests at Lake View Cemetery.

His daughter, Shannon Lee, was on hand to remind the crowd that her father’s legacy wasn't just about the "fists of fury," but about the mental strength required to break through the racial "bamboo ceilings" of 1960s Hollywood.

Enter Bruce Lee

He first entered America's concsiousness in the one-season Green Hornet TV series where he played Kato, the loyal sidekick. While the show was not good enough for another season, Lee's prowess as a martial artist stole every fight scene from the Green Hornet and introduced a new Asian man to America.

In breaking old stereotypes, Bruce Lee created another: the iconic martial artist.

Unfortunately, Hollywood didn't catch on to the significance of Lee's popularity with the younger generation. He still found the major studio doors closed to the concept of an Asian being a leading man.

That's why he left Hollywood for Hong Kong where his martial arts movies -- Game of Death, The Big Boss, The Way of the Dragon and Fists of Fury -- were wildly popular. Of course, the success of those films led to a collaboration with Warner Brothers to produce Enter the Dragon, the movie that reintroduced the martial artist icon to American audiences and legions of new fans that kicked off a surge of martial art studios' openings.

Bruce Lee fundamentally shifted the perception of Asian men by replacing decades of demeaning caricatures with an image of physical power, sexual charisma, and defiant agency.

        RELATED: 'Warrior' is an ode to Bruce Lee & my 'Kung Fu' audition 

Before Lee's rise in the early 1970s, Asian men in Western media were typically relegated to "emasculated" roles such as bumbling servants, desexualized "nerds," or villainous "Fu Manchu" archetypes.

Ironically, while he broke old stereotypes, his success inadvertently created a new one: the expectation that every Asian man in film must be a martial arts expert, a typecasting that actors like Jackie Chan and Jet Li later had to navigate.

Today, Lee remains an enduring icon of pride and strength, particularly cited as a source of resilience for Asian American communities during times of social challenge.

“I think it’s great for him to be recognized by the US Postal Service because a lot of people don’t realize that he was American,” says Shannon Lee. “America really shaped him and in return, he helped shape America.”

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.