Former POW Andy Huynh is back home in Alabama with his fiancee Joy Black.
The Asian American soldier captured by the Russians in Ukraine is back home in the United States.
Andy Huynh and Alexander Drueke, two US military veterans who were captured by Russian forces while fighting with Ukrainian forces last June, returned to Alabama last Saturday.
The pair's release was a part of a prisoner-of-war exchange between Russia and Ukraine reportedly negotiated by Saudi Arabia.
As volunteers and fighting in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion made up with foreign fighters, Drueke, 40, and Huynh, 27, had gone missing June 9 in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border. The Alabama residents were released as part of a prisoner exchange. The pair had traveled to Ukraine on their own and bonded as fellow Alabamans. a
“We ended up being captured together and that’s a bond you don’t break,” said Huynh.
“At the moment of capture of capture, I felt fear and I was scared,” Huynh explained.
Although, he won't be returning to Ukraine, Huynh wants to continue to ado something to help Ukrainians keep their independence.
“It’s still surreal to me and I’m slowly but surely readjusting — getting more comfortable and just enjoying life really,” said Huynh.
“Honestly, it’s still surreal. It’s going to take time to adjust,” Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh told CNN’s Erin Burnett on “OutFront” Monday evening.
“But overall, I’m very happy to be with Joy,” he said of his fiancée, Joy Black. “I missed her every day when I was in captivity. But nonetheless, I’m very happy.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
The four main leads in Avatar: The Last Airbender are, from left: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley and Dallas Liu.
The latest iteration of Avatar: The Last Airbender, will return to its roots and cast Asian American and Native American actors in the live-action adaptation of the popular children's series.
Controversy marred the 2010 live-action movie that recast the Asian characters with non-Asian actors. That misguided project, directed by M Night Shymalan, created a huge uproar among fans of the series and advocates for representation in Hollywood productions.
The new adaptation focused on authenticity to the characters' cultures. Avatar: The Last Airbender, commonly referred to as ATLA, takes place in a world of four kingdoms of Water, Earth, Fire and Air, which are based on Inuit, Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan cultures respectively.
Writer and producer Albert Kim, (Sleepy Hollow and Nikita), serves as showrunner and executive producer for the new series. In regards to the show’s emphasis on representation, Kim stresses, “This was a chance to showcase Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people. Not just in a cartoon, but in a world that truly exists, very similar to the one we live in.”
The four main leads for Netflix live-action series are: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, and Dallas Liu. Cormier will star as Aang, with Kiawentiio set to play Katara and Ousley will play Sokka. Liu's casting as Zuko puts to rest the rumors that Dante Basco, who voiced the Zuko character in the animated series, would reprise the role in the live-action production.
Netflix has rounded out the cast of its upcoming live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” with 20 new additions including George Takei, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Arden Cho and Danny Pudi, according to Variety.
Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a boon for AANHPI and Native American actors. Among those playing characters in the series are scores of actors, including:
Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-O) will play Fire Lord Ozai, the ruthlessly driven leader of the Fire Nation who demands that everyone live up to his impossible standards, especially his teenage son, Prince Zuko
Amber Midthunder (“Prey,” “Roswell”) as Princess Yue, the compassionate spiritual leader of the Northern Water Tribe; A Martinez (“Cowboy Bebop,” “Ambulance”) as Pakku, the veteran waterbending master of the Northern Water Tribe and a fierce defender of their traditions;
Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas,” “The Stand”) as Yagoda, an empathetic healer who serves as a role model for her tribe’s female waterbenders;
Joel Oulette (“Trickster,” “Ruby and the Well”) as Hahn, a strong and skilled warrior with an unwavering loyalty to his tribe; Nathaniel Arcand (“Heartland,” “FBI: Most Wanted”) as Chief Arnook, father to Princess Yue and the respected leader of their tribe; and
Meegwun Fairbrother (“Burden of Truth,” “Mohawk Girls”) as Avatar Kuruk, a previous Avatar with a haunted past.
Unlike the original animated series, the Netflix live-action production will make the use of real actors and have a computer generate them into lifelike drawn reproductions.
The 2010 production directed by Indian American M Night Shyamalan was roundly criticized not only for its casting miscues but also the film's poor production value.
“This was a great opportunity to create new Asian American stars,’’ fumed Guy Aoki, founding president of the Los Angeles-based Media Action Network for Asian Americans, which urged a movie boycott for the first time in the organization’s 18-year existence. “When you have ready-made material that has Asian or Asian American people in it, and they still cast white people in it, that’s the last straw.’’
"To take this incredibly loved children's series, and really distort not only the ethnicity of the individual characters but the message of acceptance and cultural diversity that the original series advocated, is a huge blow," complained Michael Le of Racebending.com, a fan site of the series and advocate for representation in film.
After attending a Paramount screening meant to assuage the movie's critics, Le described the film to the Globe as “absolutely atrocious,’’ adding: “Even ignoring the whitewashing, the film was a complete disaster.’’ He also called for a boycott of the movie.
“Airbender is not an isolated case,’’ he added. “This kind of whitewashing goes on all the time. As an Asian-American growing up, it was very hard for me to find heroes I could look up to. That experience of seeing my face removed from entertainment, it definitely has an impact on you growing up.’’
Netflix has not announced the release date for Avatar: The Last Airbender but it is expected that the premiere will be in 2023. However, perhaps to build up anticipation for the new live-action 8-episode series, the streaming network has re-released the animated series to a pique the interest of a new generation of viewers and to reignite the passion of the now-adult fans who grew watching the original program.
"We'll be expanding and growing the world, and there will be surprises for existing fans and those new to the tale. But throughout this process, our byword has been 'authenticity,' To the story. To the characters. To the cultural influences.," said writer/showrunner Lim.
"Authenticity is what keeps us going, both in front of the camera and behind it, which is why we've assembled a team unlike any seen before — a group of talented and passionate artists who are working around the clock to bring this rich and incredibly beautiful world to life."
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
Many of the striking food workers at San Francisco International Airport are AANHPI.
If you're are looking for a good cup of coffee or a stiff drink before you board your flight at San Francisco International Airport this week -- good luck!
That barista that prepares the lattes and cappuccinos and the bartender offering up cocktails are probably on the picket lines outside the airport. A large number of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders are among the 1,000 fast food workers and bartenders have been on strike since Monday asking for wage increases and to preserve their current better health plan.
Outside a terminal entrance in San Francisco, some picketers were carrying signs that said “One job should be enough.”
“Everything is up but our wages,” said Frank Wang to Marketwatch. Wang, 70, who has been a bartender at the airport’s United Club lounge for 16 years, said margaritas now cost $22, hamburgers are $20 and beer is over $10. He makes $16.99 an hour.
While those wages might seem high in other parts of the country, the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most expensive places to live in the nation. According to RentCafe, the cost of living in San Francisco is 38% higher than the state average and 94% higher than the national average. Housing in San Francisco is 238% more expensive than the U.S average,
“It’s ridiculous,” Wang told Marketwatch. He added that he knows of bartenders outside the airport who make at least $10 an hour more. “The owners are not giving an inch. They should give back to the employees.”
Managers, some from other airports, are trying to fill in in some of the food outlets, but lines outside those outlets are longer. Travelers should plan to bring their own food.
Iva Chen, director of business development for Lady Luck Gourmet, which owns the Filipino restaurant Goldilocks, said via Instagram DM that she flew up from Los Angeles to work the line with non-unionized managers until 10 p.m. The restaurant is open today, despite union members pressuring Chen and her fellow staff, she says. “The economics that the union is requesting doesn’t make sense. We can’t make money appear out of thin air,” Chen said via message.
Unite Here Local 2, the union representing the workers, said most food-service workers at the airport made $17.05 per hour, and hadn’t had a pay increase in three years. Their employers are proposing that workers contribute pay to the cost of healthcare, something the employers already do. Anand Singh, the union’s president, said nine months of negotiations with employers had failed.
Some of those workers are employed directly by the outlets, while others are run by larger companies such as Compass Group PLC CPG, +1.04% and Flix. A representative for those employers did not immediately return a request for comment. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday called a special hearing at San Francisco City Hall to talk about working conditions, wages and benefits at the airport.
Ted Waechter, the media representative for Unite Here Local 2, told Eater he doesn’t know how long the strike will last. “We are prepared to strike for as long as it takes. This is about our livelihoods and families, which motivates people more than a corporate bottom line.”
Diana Gomez, 30, told Eater she has to work two jobs at the airport to make ends meet. She makes $17.35 and $18 an hour at each job, respectively.
She said a lot of airport food workers do double shifts, like her. They’re fighting not just for higher wages and to preserve their healthcare benefits but also for better staffing levels, she said, adding that the restaurants haven’t staffed up adequately since they cut back at the beginning of the pandemic.
Gomez, the breadwinner for her family that includes her husband and two kids, said she is willing to strike for as long as it takes.
“We have to,” she said. “I would hope the public would support us. I hope the restaurants come around.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
Chicago resident and former US soldier Ji Chaoqun was found guilty.
A federal jury convicted a Chinese national and former Army Reservist yesterday for acting within the United States as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ji Chaoqun, 31, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government, specifically the People’s Republic of China, without first notifying the Attorney General; one count of acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China without first notifying the Attorney General; and one count of making a false statement to the US Army. The jury acquitted Ji on two counts of wire fraud.
Evidence presented at the two-week trial revealed that Ji worked at the direction of a high-level intelligence officer in the Jiangsu Province Ministry of State Security (JSSD), a provincial department of the Ministry of State Security for the People’s Republic of China.
In April and May of 2018, Ji, a Chinese citizen living in Chicago, met with someone who was, unbeknownst to him, an undercover FBI agent. In the May meeting, Ji revealed that he was first introduced to the intelligence officer in question during a recruitment fair while he was in school in China.
Ji allegedly passed along background information on eight individuals – all naturalized US citizens born in Taiwan or China who were living in the United States.
"All eight individuals either currently worked in or were recently retired from a career in the science and technology industry, including several individuals specializing in aerospace fields," the complaint reads. It adds, "at least seven of the eight individuals worked for, or had recently retired from, cleared US defense contractors."
In 2016, Ji enlisted in the US Army Reserves under the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program, which authorized the US Armed Forces to recruit certain legal aliens whose skills are considered vital to the national interest. In his application to participate in the MAVNI program, Ji falsely stated that he had not had contact with a foreign government within the past seven years. In a subsequent interview with an Army officer, Ji again failed to disclose his relationship and contacts with the intelligence officer.
Ji's attorney, Damon Cheronis, reportedly tried to depict his client as an oblivious pawn in a larger game of global espionage. He also stressed that Ji had never stolen any government secrets. Ji has been in detention since 2018. He faces up to 10 years in prison for acting within the United States as an illegal agent of the PRC and up to five years for the conspiracy and false statement offenses. A sentencing date has not been scheduled yet.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; US. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois; and Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the US Army 902nd Military Intelligence Group.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vikas Didwania and Barry Jonas for the Northern District of Illinois and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
Many of the striking food employees walking the picket line are Asian American workers.
If you're planning in flying out of San Francisco International Airport today, expect long lines because of a strike by restaurant workers, hundreds of whom are Asian Americans.
About a thousand workers at SFO's restaurants, coffee shops bars and lounges are on strike Monday, Sept. 26. They say their wages have not kept pace with inflation and that some have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.
“You shouldn’t have to strike for basic things like a good job and affordable health care, but workers at SFO are ready if that’s what it takes,” said Anand Singh, President of Unite Here Local 2. “After months of negotiations, employers still aren’t taking workers seriously, and we’re done with it.”
Travelers expecting meal before their flight or purchasing a snake for a flight should plan on bringing their own food, says a press release.
“Some food and beverage outlets are closed, while others remain open with limited hours and offerings,” says Doug Yakel, the public information officer for SFO’s External Affairs Office. Online ordering for restaurants that serve at SFO such as Goldilocks Filipino Cuisinein Harvey Milk Terminal 1, is unavailable. Yakel says that souvenir shops that serve limited pre-packaged food are open.
Workers voted to strike in August. Since Sept. 16 there have been smaller demonstrations. 16. There is no predetermined end to the strike, say representatives of Unite Here Local 2 union.
Bloomberg reports that the union has posted several TikTok videos in which workers compare their pay — which is typically around $17.05 per hour — to the prices of food at their establishments. In one clip, a worker named Anthony says “we sell $21 margaritas and we’re getting paid $16 an hour.” In another, a woman named Vivian Narvarte who works at Pie Five Pizza and Ladle & Leaf Restaurant, said her hourly pay doesn’t cover the cost of a pizza and drink meal, which retails for over $21.
“I’m a single mom living paycheck-to-paycheck,” said Margaret Manalo, a lounge attendant at SFO for seven years. “It’s my first time getting involved with the union ... because I want to push the employers to give us the wages and health care we need. One job should be enough to have a good life and provide food for your family.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
The New York Magazine cover uses the art by Susan Chen.
If we're looking for a silver lining in the rise of anti-Asian sentiment in the United States and Canada, it has forced our community and individuals to take a good look at ourselves and our role in the country we call home.
It has pushed politicians to address the sources of hate and to represent the AANHPI communities beyond their constituency.
Celebrities were compelled to "come out" of their make-believe cocoons of imagined privilege.
Individuals in business and finance have had to relearn their connections with the AANHPI roots.
Communicators in journalism and Hollywood stepped out of their self-imposed protective shells to pitch AANHPI-centric story ideas to their editors or studios.
The latest example of the latter to hit the public is New York Magazine’s September 26–October 9, 2022 issue, “At Home in Asian America: Who Are We Becoming?” The issue presents an editorial package examining the Asian American condition as it undergoes a series of profound transformations.
The cover story “How to Hit Back” by Esther Wang, a collaboration with The Verge, delves into the rise of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic and the righteous, increasingly crime-obsessed campaign to stop it — one that is often in tension with other anti-racist efforts to fight the carceral state, states a press release.
“Like so many Asian Americans, we spent the last two years watching the meaning of Asianness change in the public conversation as well as how Asian Americans themselves have struggled to adapt or have embraced new definitions. Asian Americanness has never felt so public, and with that comes a kind of identity crisis,” said culture features editor Madeline Leung Coleman, who captained the package along with Joy Shan and Ryu Spaeth
The cover art, titled “I Am Not the Kung Flu,” by artist Susan Chen from her 2021 exhibition “I Am Not a Virus,” is part of a series of paintings created over Zoom during the pandemic. The self-portrait was inspired by Chen’s survey of several Asian American community groups focused on what they were buying to protect themselves from violence. The painting, in which Chen wears a mask and a post-vaccine Band-Aid on her arm as visual references to the pandemic-driven rise in fear of anti-Asian violence, displays the most commonly sought after items like pepper spray and tasers, as well as a Feng Shui Bagua mirror, recommended to her by many in the community as a way to deflect bad energy.
“I wanted to connect with Asian Americans across the country and learn more about how they were coping during the pandemic, their lived experiences, if they were impacted by racism, and whether their experience was being reflected in the news or was missing in the news,” said Chen.
“Everyone I knew who had bought pepper spray or some other item for self-defense had never used it, it was just something they kept in their pocket for peace of mind. I thought it was curious from a psychological place to do a self-portrait with all the items on the table together.”
Also in the package, book critic Andrea Long Chu closely reads the way that novelists use mixed Asian and white characters; Arya Sundaram chronicles the lives of Asian domestic workers working within Asian American homes; news writer Clio Chang profiles poet Cathy Park Hong and discusses how she became liberal America’s go-to Asian American thinker; Mallika Rao uncovers why Asian identity is so closely tied to what they eat; and more.
New York Magazine editor Coleman says: “We wanted to capture a moment in time, without knowing exactly what direction Asian American politics will take us, and acknowledge this moment of evolution.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
One of the unintended consequences of the China Initiative may cause the US to lose its lead in science and research.
A growing number of Chinese-origin American academics are leaving the United States and switching from US to Chinese affiliations, according to the new study conducted by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF)
The report, Caught in the Crossfire: Fears of Chinese-American Scientists,” shows the chilling effect of potential federal investigation and prosecution since the US Department of Justice’s “China Initiative,” which launched in 2018 during the Donald Trump administration and terminated by the DOJ earlier this year.
“There has been a significant increase of Chinese-origin scientists returning to China in recent years despite them wanting to contribute to science and research in the United States," said Xihong Lin, Co-Chair of the Data and Research Committee.
"The fear among Chinese-origin scientists is palpable and the U.S. runs a high risk of losing talent," said Lin. "We want to use our research to raise awareness of these concerns and continue the long history of the U.S. benefiting from attracting and retaining the best and brightest scientists and engineers from around the world.”
The national academic climate survey, conducted between December 2021 and March 2022 in collaboration with 11 Asian American professional organizations, collected responses from more than 1,300 faculty members nationwide.
Although an overwhelming majority of the survey respondents (89%) would like to remain in the US to continue contributing to the US leadership in science and technology, 42% are fearful of conducting research in the U.S., especially engineering and computing science faculty, life science faculty, federal grant awardees, and senior faculty.
Around 61% of the survey respondents feel pressure to leave the U.S., especially junior faculty and federal grant awardees, and 45% intend to avoid federal grant applications, especially engineering and computing science faculty, senior faculty, and those from public institutions.
Although the Department of Justice ended the China Initiative in early 2022 after community raised concerns about racial profiling, the new report reveals that the widespread fear of conducting routine research and academic activities, along with the significant risks of losing talent has resulted in scientists' hesitancy to remain in the US and contribute to federal sponsored research in science and technology.
AASF
Although there were some instances of Chinese researchers benefiting monetarily with agreements with the private businesses and the government of China, most of the individuals accused of espionage were cleared for lack of evidence or found to have committed paperwork errors in research grants applications.
The aggressiveness of the China Initiative did not start with Trump, although the DOJ was emboldened by his rhetoric and policies. Nonwhites in the US were always targets as foreigners. As soon as Asians reached US shores, the anti-Asian sentiment began, leading to the Chinese Exclusion Acts of the 19th century. During the McCarthy era, the FBI ran a secret surveillance program of Chinese American scientists for decades, parts of which continued into the 1980s.
The practice of racial profiling is not an unintended error caused only by individual prejudice. The biases are deeply embedded in the American psyche, buried just under the thin facade of civility.
Addressing the fears of scientists of Chinese origin and making the academic environment welcoming and attractive for all will help retain and attract scientific talent and strengthen the U.S. leadership in science and technology in the long run.
Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) promotes academic belonging, openness, freedom, and equality for all and represents more than 7,000 scientists, researchers, and scholars in the U.S.. In response to heightened anti-Asian sentiments in the U.S. and increasing profiling of Chinese Americans and immigrants in science, AASF has been a leading national voice fighting for the rights of Asian American and immigrant scientists, researchers, and scholars.
Yu Xie, Co-Chair of the Data and Research Committee, said, “It is clear from our research that the impact of the chilling effect from the ‘China Initiative’ is far from over. We must address the fears of scientists of Asian origin so that we can make the academic environment welcoming and continue the global competitiveness and U.S. leadership in science and technology for future generations to come."
Filipino American recording artist H.E.R. will play the role of Belle in 'Beauty and the Beast.'
With her mixed racial heritage, Black and Filipino American, H.E.R. will break barriers as the next Disney princess.
Five-time GRAMMY® and Academy Award®-winning singer-songwriter H.E.R. can now add Disney princess to her expanding resume as she transforms into Belle for ABC’s upcoming animated and live-action blended special, “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.”
“I can’t believe I get to be a part of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ legacy. The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle!” said H.E.R. “I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M. Chu. It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
The acclaimed R&B singer. also known as Gabriella Sarmiento, will lead audiences through the world of Belle with never-before-seen musical performances celebrating and paying homage to the beloved tale.
As previously announced, Jon M. Chu will executive produce the special, with Hamish Hamilton set to direct. H.E.R.’s casting marks the first time an Afro Filipina woman will play the role of Belle on screens. The rest of the talented cast, whose performances will be seamlessly woven through the original feature film, will be announced at a later date.
“With her obvious extraordinary talent and stage presence, H.E.R. is the perfect embodiment of our Belle and we are thrilled for audiences to see her in this celebration of creativity,” says Chu, who directed the ground-breaking Crazy Rich Asians motion picture. “We were both influenced as storytellers by the original animated movie, so it’s very exciting to collaborate together to honor the artistry of that timeless classic while also inspiring a whole new generation of creators.”
In just under four years, H.E.R. has proven herself as a versatile force, earning 20 GRAMMY® Award nominations and four wins, plus Academy Award®, Golden Globe® Award and Critics Choice Award nominations for her powerful song, “Fight For You,” from “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Next year, she will make her acting debut in the Warner Bros. adaptation of the Tony® Award-winning Broadway musical “The Color Purple.”
H.E.R. released her debut album, “Back of My Mind,” in June 2021 and won the Song of the Year GRAMMY Award for “I Can’t Breathe.” To date, H.E.R. has amassed nearly 6 billion combined audio and streams worldwide – and counting – of the breakthrough projects H.E.R. (RIAA-certified platinum), and “I Used to Know Her,” and several hit singles.
Over the years, H.E.R. has captivated audiences with countless stellar performances including The Super Bowl LV, “72nd Emmy® Awards,” “The GRAMMY Awards,” “Saturday Night Live,” ABC’s “Soul of a Nation,” “Let’s Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute to Prince,” A BET COVI-19 Relief Effort Special and “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020”; plus, all the morning and late-night television shows.
This year, 2022, marks the 30th anniversary of when Disney Animation’s “Beauty and the Beast” became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The film went on to win the Golden Globe® Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, while the theme song “Beauty and the Beast” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1992.
Disney's animated version of 'Beauty and the Beast" was nominated for Best Picture.
The special presentation includes live never-before-seen musical performances and features brand-new sets and breathtaking costumes inspired by the classic story. Each performance is created to pay homage while also adding to the iconic story for viewers at home. Songs from the original animated classic will be performed in front of a live audience at Disney Studios.
“Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” is produced by Done+Dusted in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere. Executive producers are Jon M. Chu, Caitlin Foito, Hamish Hamilton, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft and Katy Mullan. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director. H.E.R. serves as a producer.
Presented by The Wonderful World of Disney, the two-hour reimagining of the classic story will be taped in front of a live audience at Disney Studios and will air Thursday, Ded. 15 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC and on Disney+ the next day.
“‘Beauty and the Beast’ was always a game-changing cinematic experience for me,” said executive producer Chu. “When the animated movie came out, I watched it multiple times in the first weekend. It showed me the outer limits of what animated artists and storytellers could achieve, so the fact that I get to executive produce a tribute to all the creatives that made this masterpiece through our Electric Somewhere company is a dream I didn’t even think was possible.
"With world-class creatives and talent to reinterpret the classic musical numbers (with a few surprises), I can’t wait for the audiences, in person and at home, to experience what we have in store for them. It’s a true celebration of creativity.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
Hate acts against California's Asian Americans are continuing to rise even after 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study released by UCLA.
It has been well documented that this latest surge of anti-Asian hate began at the same time the pandemic took hold of the world in 2020 fueled by the racist rantings of Donald Trump linking the coronavirus to China.
More than 1 in 12 (8%) Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) adults in California experienced a hate incident due to COVID-19. Of those who experienced a hate incident, 84% said they sustained verbal abuse or insults, says a report by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research’s California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).
“The California Health Interview Survey 2020 data found that about 4% of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders had been treated unfairly because of their race/ethnicity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The data released today show that percentage has doubled,” says Ninez A. Ponce, UCLA CHPR director and CHIS principal investigator.
Since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, Stop AAPI hate has collected over 11,500 reports of hate incidents directed at Asian Americans. California, which has the largest AANHPI population in the US, led the states with the largest number of reported incidents, at over 4,000. New York came in second, with about 1,800, according to Stop AAPI Hate's latest report.
The UCLA survey, released on Sept. 20, also found that more than 1 in 5 (22%) AANHPI adults had witnessed another AANHPI person being treated unfairly due to their race/ethnicity. The findings are part of a series of COVID-related questions asked of AANHPI adults between February and May 2022, and made available on the CHIS Preliminary COVID-19 Estimates Dashboard.
Other key findings about the impact COVID-19 had on AANHPI, include.
About 1 in 2 Asian (50%) and Black or African American (52%) adults and more than 1 in 3 (37%) of Latinx adults said they always wore a mask, compared to 1 in 5 (20%) white adults.
45% of adults in Los Angeles County said they always wore a mask when leaving their homes compared to 14% of adults in Northern/Sierra counties and the Sacramento area. Among other California regions, 20% of adults in the Central Coast, 25% of adults in other Southern California regions, 36% of adults in the San Joaquin Valley and Greater Bay Area always wore a mask.
13% of AANHPI adults had difficulties performing work due to poor internet or lack of computer.
AANHPI adults were more positive about the local government’s response to COVID-19 compared to the federal government: Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) AANHPI adults said they agree or strongly agree that the local government had done a good job managing the COVID-19 outbreak compared to 50% who agree or strongly agree that the federal government had done a good job. About 1 in 4 (24%) of AANHPI adults disagree or strongly disagree that the federal government had done a good job.
Among AANHPI adults who experienced financial difficulties due to COVID-19, 54% had trouble paying utilities and 49% had trouble paying rent.
In addition to the AANHPI data, California Health Interview Survey released June 2022 findings from a series of COVID-19 questions on Californians’ experiences with long COVID, views on vaccines and boosters, personal and financial impacts of the pandemic, and risk reduction behaviors.
About 1 in 3 (33%) California adults who have had COVID-19 are experiencing long COVID symptoms. Lower-income adults were more than twice as likely to experience long COVID compared to the highest-income adults: 52% of adults at 0–99% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and 53% of adults at 100–199% FPL had long COVID, compared to 22% of adults at 300% FPL and above.
More California adults went maskless in June 2022, with more than 1 in 5 (22%) California adults saying they never wore a mask when leaving their home in the past week, compared to 8% who never wore a mask in February–March.
“Hate incidents can cause long-term psychological and physical trauma," says Ponce, "so it’s critical that we provide timely data on often overlooked racial and ethnic groups so that decision-makers can take steps to put an end to hate incidents in California."
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
Bo Bayani and his father, Bill Bayani will star in 'Firebuds.'
A new TV program for kids will center around Filipino American characters. teaching valuable life lessons about community, tolerance and valuing everyone's heritage.
The new show, Firebuds, will premiere an initial batch of episodes today, Sept. 21, on-demand platforms and Disney+. From Emmy® Award-winning creator and executive producer Craig Gerber (Disney’s Elena of Avalor and Sofia the First), the music-filled series follows a group of friends, all children of first responders, who embark on adventures to help their community and learn what it truly means to be a hero.
The lead voice cast includes Declan Whaley as Bo, Terrence Little Gardenhigh as Flash, Vivian Vencer as Violet, Lily Sanfelippo as Axl, JeCobi Swain as Jayden, and Caleb Paddock as Piston. Lou Diamond Phillips and Yvette Nicole Brown also star as co-fire chiefs, Chief Bill Bayani and Chief Faye Fireson, respectively.
In creating his characters, Gerber wanted to emphasize the diversity of the United States. He especially wanted the Filipino aspect of the show because he felt Filipino Americans are underrepresented in American media. In his creation, Bo is part Filipino and part Jewish, while Jayden is Black. Violet, who is adopted, has a Japanese and Filipino background.
Declan Whaley will voice Bo Bayani.
It also gave him an opportunity to create a role especially for Lou Diamond Phillips, who was born in the Philippines who worked with Gerber in “Elena of Avalor.” His role as Bo’s father, Chief Bill Bayani, allows him to portray part of his own heritage.
As Bo's father, Phillips had a rare chance to play a Filipino American character and enjoyed seeing part of his heritage portrayed.
“I’m often surprised by some of the material when I show up to record it,” Phillips told the New York Times. “One of the Christmas specials coming up is especially touching,” he noted, because it features Filipino traditions.
Such cultural references are woven throughout the series. Banzon told the New York Times that she developed an episode in which Bo connects with his seemingly distant immigrant grandfather — based on her own lolo — by making lumpias, or spring rolls.
Whether rescuing a young car that’s stuck in a tree, tracking down lost Dalmatian puppies or helping their neighbors stock up on emergency supplies during a blackout, the Firebuds highlight the importance of teamwork and helping your fellow citizens. Each episode is comprised of two 11-minute stories and features at least one new original song.
The show has many Filipino cultural references and representations, staff writer Krystal Banzon revealed to the Inquirer.
In addition to lead character Bo Bayani and his father Bill Bayani, the show will feature Bo's grandparents, Lola Bellen and Lolo Ben, a retired fire chief, offering bits of the wisdom garnered from respected elders.
Viewers will also be introduced to a talking jeepney, the Philippines public transit vehicle unique to that country. The jeepney will have a disco ball and a kraoke machine giving the characters a chance to break into song.
The importance of children seeing themselves reflected in media cannot be emphasized enough. Jordan Levinson with "Psychology In Action" says the opposite is true as well. When children see themselves represented as the main characters in books and television shows, the experience boosts self-esteem and self-worth. These representations help children feel seen and understood, which is especially important for children in minority groups or children with disabilities.
“I feel that in children’s programming, there is a huge, beautiful responsibility to show kids the wonderful diversity of the world. I feel fortunate and honored to be a part of bringing the Bayani family and the entire Firebuds world to life," Banzon told TheInquirer.
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Ahmed Syed, center, greets his supporters after being released.
After 23 years behind bars, Adnan Syed has been released after a Baltimore judge overturned his 1999 murder conviction.
A jury found Syed guilty of killing his girlfriend, Hae Min Lin, when they were in high school. He was sentenced to life plus 30 years.
The case gained national notoriety through a wildly popular podcast, "Serial," that began raising questions about the evidence in 2014. He has maintained he was innocent for the past two decades.
Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn ordered that Syed’s conviction be vacated Monday, saying the prosecution violated its legal obligation to share evidence that could have bolstered Syed’s defense. She ordered Syed to be placed on home detention with GPS location monitoring. The judge also said the state must decide whether to seek a new trial date or dismiss the case within 30 days.
The new findings reportedly raises the possibiity that the state may have the wrong suspect.
The crowded courtroom broke out in applause as the judge announced her decision. Syed remained quiet while the judge spoke.
He joined his family and cheering supporters outside the courtroom. Syed will remain at home with electronic monitoring as the state ponders if prosecutors will initiate a new trial. The state has 30 days to make their decision.
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It would not be inappropriate to down a tequila shot this month to acknowledge and celebrate the historical connection between Mexico and the Philippines.
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15, to Oct. 15. Filipino Heritage Month starts Oct. 1 through the rest of the month. It's fitting that the two months overlap because there is a long history of interchange between the Philippines and Mexico, thanks to Manila Galleon trade of the 16th-17th centuries.
In the history of Mexico and the Philippines, the role of Spain was often glorified while the part of history made by ordinary people were underplayed or not mentioned at all. This historical erasure is changing.
According to some fairly recent anthropologic and linguistic research, tequila, the alcoholic beverage most associated with Mexico, may have its roots in the Philippines.
If you've been to the Pacific coast of Mexico, visiting Acapulco, Mazatlan, Zihuataneo, Puerto Vallarta or any of the coastal cities and taken a tequila tour, your guide might mention this little known bit of knowledge.
Up the coast from Acapulco, in the state of Colima,wandering the streets of Manzanillo or Cuyutlan or even the inland capitol of Colima, you might run across street vendors selling a alcoholic drink similar to the wine produced in the Philippine provinces. Filipino academic Gideon Lasco was surprised to discover that the Mexican vendors call their concoction "tuba," the name of a wine distilled from coconuts.
Even today, in the making of tequila from agave, there is a stage in the distilling process before it is refined to the clear liquid so dear to North Americans, that the milky product is called "tuba."
Aside from mangoes and coconuts, Filipino sailors brought with them “coconut brandy,” a distilled coconut wine (tuba) also known to Filipinos as "lambanog." They also brought the portable stills used to distill the spirit. Using Filipino technology Mexicans started to distill their own spirits, but since there was a limited supply of coconut in Mexico and the Spaniards suppressed production of coconut brandy so as not to threaten production of Spanish brandy, Mexicans used agave, which was abundant in their land.
Legend has it -- and Mexican and Filipino scholars are beginning to document this -- Filipino sailors jumped the galleons when the ships reached the Mexican ports. Estimates vary but documents from Spain and Mexico that 50,000 to 500,000 of these freedom-seeking Filipino seafarers, essentially slave labor, fled their harsh Spanish captains in this manner during the course of the galleon trade, which ran from 1565 to 1815.
According to Spanish documents, Captain Sebastian de Piñeda of the galleon Espiritu Santo complained to the King of Spain in 1619 that of the 75 Filipino crewmen aboard his ship that crossed the Pacific from Manila, only five remained for the return voyage.
The galleon trade ended in 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. Spanish ship.
Acapulco was the biggest Mexican port for the galleons where the cargo of gold, spices, and other goods were off-loaded then transported to the Caribbean ports for the final leg of their journey to Spain. Along the way, local government officials took their share of the wealth.
So it is not surprising that DNA samples of Mexican residents from Mexico's western coast can trace their bloodline to the Philippines.
Geneticists have recently discovered that about one-third of the people sampled in Guerrero, a Pacific coastal state, had up to 10% Asian ancestry, significantly more than most Mexicans. And when researchers compared their genomes to those of people in Asia today, he found that they were most closely related to populations from the Philippines and Indonesia.
In the Philippines, local people were called Luzon indios, but when they deserted their ships in Mexico, they could not be called indios, a description already reserved for the indigenous people of Mexico. The Filipinos became known as "chinos," or Chinese. To this date, Mexicans who have Asian features, often gain the nickname of "Chino," as a term of endearment.
Conversely, Spanish commanders used Mexican soldiers in their conquest of the Philippines. Many of the soldiers wed Filipino women and established families and raised their fortunes in the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos with Hispanicized surnames could find their origins in these soldiers.
Many of these military men along with the commanders from Spain, used their connections with the Spanish rulers and Catholic church to acquire land for vast banana, coconut and sugar cane plantations establishing a wealthy elite class that still retains wealth, power and status in the Philippines.
Several of the Philippine Commonwealth's governors were actually Mexican mestizos lending their names to Philippine history.
As the video accompanying this post by Bronze Nation TV, the Filipino-Mexican connection continued into the 20th century in the formation of the United Farm Workers Association, which combined the Filipino agricultural workers' union led by Larry Itliong and the Mexican union led by Cesar Chavez.
The original Presidential proclamation for Hispanic Heritage Month says: “The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day and also celebrated as Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.”
Recognizing the connection between Mexico and the Philippines cannot be more timely, as both the Philippines and Mexico commemorated 500 years of colonial encounters—and acts of Indigenous resistance to colonization—last year. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan arrived—and died—in the Philippines. That same year, Spanish forces led by Hernán Cortés captured the Aztec capitol city of Tenochtitlán.
These two events ushered in the establishment of the Spanish Empire—one of the largest the world has ever known—on both sides of the Pacific, writes the historian Gideon Lasco.
The true story of tequila may be a minor subplot within centuries of colonial history, but it’s important because it complicates historical narratives written mainly by Europeans that "share" or forced their languages, traditions, and ways of life on local peoples. As people from the Philippines, Mexico, and many other postcolonial states look back on the past 500 years, new research is telling us that colonized peoples have a history of their own that we're just beginning to discover.
Salud!
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