Meet America's Top Young Scientist. She's 11 years old

Gitanjali Rao

AT AN AGE most 11-year old girls are more worried about fitting into middle-school, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan inspired Gitanjali Rao to invent a device to detect lead in drinking water.

For her invention, on Oct. 17, the Colorado student was named winner of the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and named "America's Top Young Scientist."

Young Gitanjali is working to develop Tethys, a sensor-based device that can detect lead in water faster than other current techniques to bring it to market.

"So I've been following the Flint water crisis for about two years now," the seventh-grader said. "I thought about creating a device when I saw my parents testing for lead in our water using the test strips. I realized that it wasn't a reliable process. I wanted to do something to change this, not only for my parents, but for the residents of Flint and places like Flint around the world. ... 

"There are two main ways to test for lead in our water or just water quality in general," she explained. "One is the test strips, and the other one is sending our water off to the EPA. The test strips, on one hand, are easy to use and fast. But they're not accurate. And sending our water out to the EPA is accurate, but it's expensive. It requires expensive equipment and it's time-consuming."

Rather than using expensive equipment for testing, Gitanjali's cost-effective approach to water safety uses a mobile app that populates the water's status almost immediately. Tethys is designed to be portable and easy to use, allowing individuals to test water safety whenever needed. She hopes to solve the water contamination crisis and decrease long-term health effects from lead exposure.

"With most of the money, I plan to continue evolving my device so that it can be put out into market, and it can be in everyone's hands. With the rest of the money, I plan to give back to the organizations I volunteer for, such as Children's Kindness Network. I would also like to put the rest into my college fund."

No doubt, most colleges will give some financial incentives for this future scientist to attend their institution.

Meet Gitanjali Rao:

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Korean American tax evader to pay $14 million penalty

A KOREAN/AMERICAN will pay the U.S. $14 million for filing false tax reports on his income  that he hid in foreign bank accounts.

Hyung Kwon Kim of Greenwich, Conn., pleaded guilty last week to failing to report funds he maintained in foreign bank accounts to the Department of Treasury, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Chief Don Fort, IRS Criminal Investigation.  

“For more than a decade Hyung Kim concealed his wealth in secret offshore accounts, evading reporting requirements and the payment of income taxes due,” said Goldberg. “With his guilty plea, he is now held to account for his criminal conduct."     

According to court documents and information provided in court, Kim, a citizen of South Korea and, since 1998, a legal permanent resident of the United States, resided in Massachusetts and later in Connecticut.  

Around 1998, Kim traveled to Switzerland to identify financial institutions at which to open accounts for the purpose of receiving transfers of funds from another individual in Hong Kong.  Over the next few years, Kim opened accounts at several banks, including Credit Suisse, UBS, Bank Leu, Clariden Leu, and Bank Hofmann.  In 2004, the value of the funds in Kim’s accounts exceeded $28 million.

U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and permanent legal residents with a foreign financial interest in or signatory authority over a foreign financial account worth more than $10,000 are required to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, commonly known as an FBAR, disclosing the account.

Kim conspired with several bankers, including Dr. Edgar H. Paltzer, to conceal the funds from U.S. authorities.  Paltzer, who was convicted in 2013 in the Southern District of New York for conspiring to defraud the U.S., and the other bankers assisted Kim in opening accounts in the names of sham entities organized in Liechtenstein, Panama and the British Virgin Islands.  

Paltzer and the other bankers facilitated financial transactions for Kim, so that Kim could use the funds in the U.S.  For example, between 2003 and 2004, Kim directed Paltzer and another banker to issue nearly $3 million in checks payable to third parties in the U.S. for the purchase of a residence in Connecticut.  In 2005, Kim created a nominee entity to hold title for the purchase of another home on Stage Harbor in Chatham, Mass., for nearly $5 million.  Kim and Paltzer communicated about the purchase in a manner that created the appearance that Kim was renting the property from a fictitious owner.

Between 2000 and 2008, Kim took multiple trips to Zurich, Switzerland and withdrew more than $600,000 in cash during these visits.  He also brought his offshore assets back to the U.S. by purchasing millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry and loose gems.  For example, in 2008, Kim purchased an 8.6 carat ruby ring from a jeweler in Greenwich, Connecticut, which he financed by causing Bank Leu to issue three checks totaling $2.2 million to the jeweler.

Kim also admitted that from 2000 through 2011, he filed false income tax returns for 1999 through 2010, on which he failed to report income from the assets held in the foreign financial accounts that he owned and controlled in Switzerland.  

As part of his plea agreement, Kim will pay a civil penalty of over $14 million dollars to the United States Treasury for failing to file, and filing false, FBARs, which is separate from any restitution the Court may order.

“We owe it to the vast majority of honest U.S. taxpayers to tirelessly search for and prosecute those who avoid paying their fair share, regardless of how they may try to disguise their income,” said Chief Don Fort, IRS Criminal Investigation.

Kim faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 26, the DOJ said. He may also face supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties in addition to the $14 million he has already agreed to pay, the government said.

Fil-Am History Month: Race car driver Michele Bumgarner

THIS FEATURE is part of Filipino Disruptors series as presented by Next Day Better and AARP for the month of October, Filipino American History Month.

A #FilipinoAmerican Story as told by Race Car Driver, Michele Bumgarner @michelebum. 

Read her full story below: 

“I won my first go-kart race in my second year of racing. I tasted victory, and it felt so good. I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was 11. 

"I spent every weekend at the tracks. I sacrificed time with friends and a regular school life. I smelled like gas and burnt rubber. I just loved the atmosphere, the race weekends, the waking up, practicing, qualifying, and racing. 

"I joined the Asian Karting Championship and competed in five different countries against people from all over Asia. 

"When I won all I could in Asia, I thought I was done. But there was still Europe—where the top drivers of the world race against each other. I actually ended up qualifying 11th out of 170 drivers in my very first race and realized I could go against the best of the best of the best! It was the most amazing feeling ever. 

"I decided to make a career in racing in the United States. By then I owned the track record in Carmona Philippines, had become the first female to win a heat race in a World Cup in Japan, was the first female to ever win the Rock Island Grand Prix (one of the biggest street races) and its first female back-to-back champion. 

"Most of my success has been on go-karts, and I want to mirror that into my car racing career as well. I am working my way to get to IndyCar and the Indy500, but it’s been tough. 

"Many people think being a race car driver is so glamorous. They don't know the blood, sweat, and tears that go behind the scenes. Accidents happen multiple times. 

"There are more downs than there are victories. You can be on a high after winning a race one day; the next day, your car won’t start, and it all goes away. 

"I feel like I still have so much more to show, and so much more to give, and so much more to prove to myself especially. Every day, I train to be ready for the next opportunity. I believe nothing good or worth it comes easy. 

"You just need to keep pushing until you make it until you get to where you want to be.”

VIEW the full video, click here.

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Surrogate mother gives birth to two children by different fathers.

SCREEN CAPTURE / ABC

Surrogate mom Jessica Allen gave birth to two babies was able to reclaim her biological child.

ASAM NEWS

AGAINST incredible odds, a surrogate mother gave birth simultaneously to two newborns from two different fathers.

The babies were born behind a screen and were taken away before the surrogate mom could even see them.

Jessica Allen was that surrogate mom. She shared her story with the New York Post.

She was paid $35,000 to give birth for a couple from China where surrogacy is illegal.

One day Jessica received a photo and a phone call from the couple who she identified as the Lius (not their real name).

“They are not the same, right?” said Mrs. Liu. “Have you thought about why they are different?”

A DNA test was conducted and it was confirmed Mike came from the Chinese father’s sperm, but Max belonged to Jessica and her now husband, Wardell Jasper.

The baby was half White and half Black.

The Lius wanted nothing to do with that child and asked Jessica to repay them $18,000 to $22,000.

On top of that, Jane said the Lius put Max up for adoption.

Jessica demanded to have Max and refused to return any of the money to the couple.

Max is now with Jessica and Wardell and the baby has been renamed Malachi.

“Wardell and I, who got married in April, weren’t planning to expand our family so soon, but we treasure Malachi with all our hearts,” concluded Jessica. “I don’t regret becoming a surrogate mom because that would mean regretting my son. I just hope other women considering surrogacy can learn from my story. And that a greater good will come out of this nightmare.”

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AARP to pay for 1000 medals for Filipino veterans

SCREEN CAPTURE

Filipino WWII veterans await the start of the ceremonies awarding the Congressional Gold Medal.

AARP saluted the Filipino and Filipino American veterans of World War II by funding the minting of 1,000 bronze replicas of the Congressional Gold Medal to be given to veterans and their family members in recognition of their service and sacrifice. 

Commissioned by Congress, the medals are the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.

The veterans were honored in a national celebration on Capitol Hill on Oct. 25, where House Speaker Paul Ryan presented them the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the nation for the distinguished service of 260,000 Filipino and Filipino/American soldiers and guerrillas during World War II in the Philippines.

RELATED: Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Filipino veterans

“AARP is proud to support the efforts to recognize and celebrate Filipino and Filipino American World War II veterans,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy. “We are so pleased to join with the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project and this nation in the shared goal of ensuring that future generations of Americans understand these vets’ incredible sacrifices.”

The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) spearheaded the effort to pass the Congressional Gold Medal legislation and worked with the U.S. Mint to manage the minting and production of the medals.

“It has been 72 years since the end of World War II, and these vets’ service and sacrifice have not been forgotten,” said FilVetREP Chairman (Ret.) Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba. “These Congressional Gold Medals recognize and celebrate the extraordinary sacrifices and contributions of Filipino WWII soldiers. AARP’s support has been extremely valuable in this effort.”

Filipino World War II veterans or surviving family members are urged to register so they can receive long-overdue recognition of their service. 

• Register with The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project here.
• If any individual. business or organization wishes to donate to help pay for the veterans' medals, click here. 

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4th grader teaching the world to code

Samaira Mehta

ASAM NEWS

ENGINEER, coder, entrepreneur, speaker, and writer Samaira Mehta has been making waves in Silicon Valley with her unique ideas. She has launched her own business, spoken at major conferences, and conducted workshops all across the nation before entering the fourth grade!

Mehta’s passion for coding drove her to launch a board game called Coder Bunnyz to help other children, specifically girls, learn how to code at a young age. Coder Bunnyz combines learning with fun by presenting the information in an interactive format for the children.

Considering the nominal number of women in technology, Metha hopes to encourage more girls and women to enter the field. Girls U Code is a nonprofit organization that she started to give underprivileged girls an opportunity to learn more about engineering, and to help them succeed in the future.

She has taught 60 workshops in the Bay Area alone to approximately 2,000 children. Common locations for her events are libraries, schools, community centers, and tech events. Additionally, Google gave her the opportunity to host a session at their headquarters to support her mission.

Cookies with Coder Bunniez is Mehta’s and Coder Bunnyz’s primary online presence. It is a talk show that she initiated to interview entrepreneurs, leaders, and educators in the tech field. This provides encouragement and easily accessible knowledge to all aspiring engineers!

Her campaigns have caught the eye of news outlets, tech companies, and the White House. She has been invited to speak at both CMG Impact 2017 Women in Tech and SVF 2017.

Speaking to crowds of hundreds of people is no joke, let alone at Mehta’s young age. Her accomplishments and confidence have not gone unnoticed. She has been recognized by establishments such as NBC, Sony, and Mercury News. Sony even went so far as to feature her in a documentary they created on Silicon Valley!

Eventually, Mehta hopes to change the role of women in technology by showing them that they are not closed off to the field. Her speeches, as shown below, explain that at a young age women are taught to be “princesses” and not to find math and science enjoyable. Her mission is to abolish that stereotype and encourage women to pursue engineering globally!

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Ballplayer suspended for 5 games for racist gesture, but ...

Yuli Gurriel caught doing this during the World Series to taunt Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish.

YULI GURRIEL, the Houston Astros ballplayer, who pulled his eyes back to mock Yu Darvish, a Japanese pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers, was admonished by his team and suspended for five games.

His racist gesture was caught by the cameras and sparked at avalanche of criticism on social media.

However, because of the way baseball has its appeals system set up, it was decided to mete out the punishment at the beginning of next year's baseball system.

Last Thursday, in the first inning of the third game of the World Seriess, Gurrial smakcked a home run off of Dodger pitcher Darvish. After he returned to the dugout, he did the slant-eyed thing, called Darvish "Chinito," and laughed.

"I did not mean it to be offensive at any point," Gurriel told ESPN's Scott Lauber. "Quite the opposite. I have always had a lot of respect [for Japanese people]. ... I've never had anything against Darvish. For me, he's always been one of the best pitchers. I never had any luck against him. If I offended him, I apologize. It was not my intention."

Makng it even worse, Gurriel, who later apologized, also said he was aware that “chinito” is racist as hell.

“In Cuba and in various places, you don’t say ‘Japanese,’ you call all Asians ‘chinitos,’ ” Gurriel said. “But I was in Japan and I know they are offended by that.”

What? He knew what he did was offensive, but, he did it anyway? 

So ... Gurriel ... meet Chris Rock. Rock, you will remember, was the comedian hosting the Oscars two years ago and made fun of Asians in a poorly received joke against Asians. Apparently, it is still OK to make fun of Asians. Imagine the uproar if he had poked fun against an African/American player?

By the time Gurriel serves his punishment, people would have forgotten what he did. If MLB really wanted to make an anti-racist statement, it would have been more fitting to have the Astro third baseman sit out a game immediately during the World Series, when his absence would have more impact.

A day after the incident, during the broacast of the fourth game of the World Series, nobody said anything about what Gurriel did. It's already been forgotten.

Sorry MLB, you missed the opportunity to really make a strong statement.

Fil-Am History Month: Why Filipino veterans were given the Congressional Gold Medal

Donations sought for medals

BEFORE THIS MONTH, Filipino American History Month, is over, we need to recount why the Filipino veterans of World War II were recently given the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor given in peacetime by the U.S. Congress.

It is unfortunate, but many Filipino/American youngsters and recent immigrants from the Philippines, still don't know why such importance was given to this historic event that occurred in Washington DC last week.

Watch this video from the Filipino Veterans Recognition & Education Project:

For 75 years, Filipino American leaders sought to correct this grievious slight and broken promise of a recalcitrant Congress and a reluctant President Harry Truman.

Of the 66 nationalities that fought alongside the U.S. during World War II, only those from the Philippines were denied this recognition.

If you have spent time with these men, you know they are full of pride. Their loyalty to the U.S. and the ideals of democracy remained steadfast, even though they were insulted by the broken promise of benefits, recognition and citizenship as promised by President Franklin Roosevelt.

In the late 60s and 70s, some Filipino American leaders lobbied sympathetic Congressional representatives in California and Hawaii, some who were WWII veterans themselves, to fulfill Roosevelt's promise.

Leading the charge was Alex Esclamado, publisher of the Philippine News, and founder of fledgling umbrella organizations such as the Filipino American Political Association and the Filipino American Council of Northern California. 

RELATED: 

• Filipino veterans awarded Congressional Gold Medal
• 1946: A turning point in US history
• A shameful anniversary for the US Congress

I'm proud to say that for a number of successive terms, my father, Melchor V. Diokno, was president of the FACNC during this era. As a documented member of the US Army, my father had no problem with his benefits. He did not fight for personal gain. He fought for his comrades and the thousands of others he found with and who he marched with in the Bataan Death March and with whom he shared rice with in the POW camp.  He fought to correct an injustice and for what was right.

The Filipino community, up until then was fractionalized into regional and professional groups and weakened by the divisions caused by the Marcos dictatorship. They learned to  use the power of collective action to garner the attention and support of congress members. This era marked a period of educatoin: The first stirrings of political activism in the Filipino/American community as theiy began to learn the ins-and-outs of US politics; members of Congress had to be educated at the injustice of what had happened to the veterans. 

The issue came up to Congress, time and time again, under the authorship of a long series of congressional representatives, only to have the bill die in committee and buried in red tape. 

But they never gave up. Victories started to come in: Citizenship for all former members of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East; benefits for those with documentation of their service; widening of benefits to include those veterans who fought in guerrilla units or whose documentation was destroyed in the war; benefits for their children, reunification with their families.

Image of the Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino WWII vets.

Only one Congressional Gold Medal was created. It will be displayed in a museum. Most likely it will become part of the Smithsonian.

Replicas are available to be given to those veterans or their descendants, who can prove their participation in the war or who can prove the eligibility of their elderly relatives. Unfortunately, the medals will not be free. They cost several hundred dollars each.

There were 250,000 Filipino veterans who answered Roosevelt's call to fight against the Japanese Empire and who became eligible for the award but there are only about 18,000 surviving veterans left after the long battle for recognition.

The Filipino Veterans Recognition & Education Project is raising funds to help defray the expenses involved. If you, your business or your organization would like to donate, click here, or copy and paste this website: https://www.filvetrep.org/resource.
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"Slant eyed" insult caught on camera in the World Series

INSTAGRAM

Astros ballplayer Yuli Gurriel went from "hero to zero," with this racist gesture.

WHAT? REALLY? Did this really happen in baseball's World Series? The same night a ballplayer was making fun of an Asian player, he was getting an Asian/Amerian baby named after him.

The Houston Astro's first baseman Yuli Gurriel mocked Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish by pulling his eyes back to make those infamous slant eyes.

Just about every Asian or Asian/American has suffered the indignity of stupid bigots who want to make fun of people from Asia by pulling back their eyes. The hateful gesture, as harmless as might seem to non-Asians, is destructive to kids' self-esteem and still gets the blood boiling, even as adults.

Gurriel had just hit a homerun last night (Oct. 27) off of starting pitcher Darvish putting his team ahead 1-0. Back in the dugout, cameras caught Gurriel making that racist gesture while saying "Chinito," Spanish slang for "Little Chinese," then laughing.

Darvish, who is half-Japanese, said the gesture was "disrespectful" and "offensive to everybody," while calling for Gurriel to be reprimanded.

“I’m sure the Astros have Asian fans, too," he told journalists in Japanese.

Well. Gurriel had at least one Asian/American fan. And after last night, he has at least two.

Ironically, the same night Gurriel was acting like an ass, a Japanese/American fan Rickie Sakamoto from Houston was naming his newborn son Yuli, after the ballplayer.

As of late last night, there has not been any apology from Gurriel or Astro's management.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to meet with Gurriel Saturday (Oct. 28) to discuss the incident and will "consider discipline," per the New York Times.

MLB's Sam Dunn wrote: "Yuli Gurriel may have himself two home runs in the World Series, but he just went from hero to zero.

​"To say that this is not okay is a titanic understatement."

According to MLM, there's precedent for suspension for making derogatory comments of gestures, though none applied to race or occurred during the postseason, let alone the World Series. Yunel Escobar was suspended three games in 2012 for featuring a homophobic slur on his eye black, while Matt Joyce and Kevin Pillar each received two-game bans in the last year for making anti-gay remarks during games.

In this era of heightened sensitivity because of the racially insensitive - or to be kind, racially ignorant -  leadership in Washington and the reemergence of the presence and teachings of white supremacists, racist gestures, words or actions - intentional or unintentional - need to be pointed out and condemned. As people of color, we can no longer remain silent and just internalize the emotions stirred up by those situations.

It may have not been Darvish's night. In his first World Series appearance, he lasted only 49 pitches before being pulled. The Dodgers went on to lose the game 5-3, giving the Astros a 2-1 advantage in the best of seven World Series.

Despite his poor performance, Darvish doesn't deserve that. Nobody does.

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TGIF FEATURE: Disney and 'Andi Mack' make history

The women of the Mack family, Bex, Andi and grandma Celia.

IF YOU'RE not watching Andi Mack , you're missing out on one of the most progressive shows on television.

With its theme parks and cast of characters, the Walt Disney brand is about as all-American, wholesome and family-oriented as you can get.

The Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, starring breakout star Peyton Elizabeth Lee, kicks off its second season by revealing one of its principal characters to be gay. 

It may be disconcerting to some Disney aficionados who consider the entertainment company alongside with the flag, motherhood and apple pie, that a Disney Channel TV show would make history by using a storyline of one its principal characters adjusting to the realization that he is gay. Then, again - why not?

If you haven't watched Andi Mack, you might think that a Disney production would be a bland (read "white") uncomplicated interpretation of the real world, where birds sing as they create a dress for Cinderella. No, no, no, my friends.

There's more to the Mack family than what one might see upon first glance. It turns out that  Andi's real mother is Bex, the young woman she grew up thinking was her sister (Lillian Bowden). The woman who raised her as her daughter, is really Andi's grandmother (Lauren Tom). Not exactly Ozzie and Harriet or Leave it to Beaver.

So right off the bat: Disney Channel has created a family comedy-drama aimed at kids, ages 6-14, that features parents dealing with teenage pregnancy.

The coming-of-age series, which debuted in April, follows the adventures of Asian/American tween Andi Mack and her pals, Buffy Driscoll (Sofia Wylie) and Cyrus Goodman (Joshua Rush) as they navigate adolescence. Not one of them is blonde and blue-eyed.

In Friday’s (Oct. 27) season premiere, Andi is struggling with a crush on a middle school boy, Jonah Beck (Asher Angel). Later in the episode, Cyrus begins to realize that he, too, has feelings for Jonah. That realization marks the beginning of Cyrus coming to identify ― and eventually embrace himself as ― a gay tween.

A stroll down Main Street in Disneyland harkens back to a simpler time when the country didn't have the divisive problems we face today. It represents is a period in American history that many Donald Trump supporters dream of when they talk about "making America great again."

The Walt Disney company appears to expect some blowback from some of its fans who embrace that brand. It released a statement regarding Andi Mack‘s stories and characters, writing:

“The Disney brand has always been inclusive, with stories that reflect acceptance and tolerance and celebrate the differences that make our characters uniquely wonderful in their own way. We constantly strive to live up to that legacy by continuing to create and share compelling storylines from our studios and media networks that entertain with inspirational and aspirational themes and reflect the incredibly rich diversity of the human experience. Our stories are timeless because they speak to the heart; our characters appeal to children across gender, ability, and experience because they’re defined by kindness, loyalty, humor, courage, wit, and other traits that make a good friend. Disney remains committed to continuing to create characters that are accessible and related to all children.”

This story arc is the first of its kind for the cable network, and it was devised with input from child development experts. The season premiere episode was also screened in advance for organizations like Common Sense Media, GLAAD, and PFLAG. Disney Channel claims they’ve aimed to craft a story that maintains their signature brand of age-appropriate storytelling while building a narrative of inclusion and kindness.

“With more and more young people coming out as LGBTQ, Andi Mack is reflecting the lives and lived experiences of so many LGBTQ youth around the country,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. 

“Television reflects the real life world and today that includes LGBTQ youth who deserve to see their lives depicted on their favorite shows. Disney has been a leader in LGBTQ inclusion and there are so many young people who will be excited to see Cyrus’ story unfold,” stated Ellis.

Andi Mack has quickly become one of the Disney Channel’s most popular shows among young audiences. To date, the show featuring an Asian/American family as its centerpiece, is ranked as the year’s top TV series among girls 6-11, 9-14 and 6-14," according to Deadline.

And if you can teach tolerance and appreciations of diversity at that impressionable age, you can change the world.

Andi Mack season 2 premieres at 8 p.m. today, Friday, Oct. 27 on the Disney Channel.

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Hollywood Reporter: Actor Daniel Dae Kim's latest role is behind the camera

Daniel Dae Kim, actor AND producer

AFTER HIS CONTROVERSIAL departure from CBS hit Hawaii Five-0, actor Daniel Dae Kim has fallen into the role of being the poster child of the racial inequities that exist in the world's entertainment capitol, whether it be in casting or in Hollywood's creative decision-making process.

In his latest Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter, he touches on his successful series produced by his production company The Good Doctor and how it has become a vehicle for his beliefs; and his role as Hellboy's Major Ben Daimo, the first Asian/American comic book superhero to be depicted on the big screen. 

The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Kim about what it means to play an Asian/American superhero, his goals as a producer, and the aftermath of his taking a stand on salary parity

"I ... think it's really important that all of us do something to participate. It's easy to point fingers and say well, it's because of this, that. To get involved in the nitty-gritty is sometimes a daunting task, but a necessary one.

"Something I often say is, I stand on the shoulders of the people who came before [me], and I’m ready to lift up people to stand on my shoulders. And one of the ways we can do that is to hire them. And that’s why it was so important for me to be a job creator, because there is no substitute for on-the-job experience," Kim said.

"A lot of us, and I can tell you from experience, just didn’t have the kind of opportunity it required to get better at the same rate as others.

"So it’s really important to me to create those opportunities," Kim continued. "And as a producer, I think The Good Doctor shows that I’m not in it to create roles for myself, although I won’t rule that out, but it’s not my primary focus."

To read the entire interview, click here.

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Another actress accuses movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of rape

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