Excuse me for nerding out: Isa Briones dropped from final season of "Star Trek: Picard"

Isa Briones, left and middle, play the twin daughters of android Data in Star Trek: Picard.

More than halfway through the 10-episode season, it is evident that Filipino American actress Isa Briones won't be returning to Star Trek: Picard. Or, are fans being set up?

Trekkers: Stay with me, now. 

The last time we saw Briones' Star Trek character, Soji, in season 2, she was being whisked away to become a Supervisor for the mysterious race of Travelers, who can manipulate time and space. 

Her time on the iconic Star Trek universe came to an end after only two seasons after writers who apparently ran out of ideas how to advance her storyline as an android searching for her identity.

One of the reasons for getting rid of the Soji story was to open up the ultimate storyline of what could possibly the last we see of the steely-eyed Picard played by British thespian Patrick Stewart. Whatever the fate of Star Fleet Admiral Picard, the TV series will end after this so-far deeply satisfying season,  which ties up a lot of loose ends from the characters from Star Trek: Next Generation, which has its own loyal fan base separate from the other Trekkers who follow the whole franchise.

We're sorry to see Soji go. Briones was the only FIlipino American (that we know of) who became part of the Star Trek universe, which from the original Star Trek, was a groundbreaking series featuring a diverse cast of crew, something that creator Gene Roddenberry did intentionally. 

One of the hallmarks of Roddenberry's unwritten casting rules was to always have at least one Asian playing major recurring roles in the subsequent Star Trek iterations. This tradition started with the original Star Trek which featured the iconic helmsman Hikaru Sulu, played by George Takei, to Garrett Wang (Ensign Harry Kim)  in Star Trek: Voyager, Alexander Siddiq (Julian Bashir) in Deep Space Nine, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (Captain Philippa Georgiou) in Star Trek: Discovery and Christina Chong (La'an Noonien-Singh) on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. That tradition appears to be missing in Picard's third season.

In an earlier interview, Briones confirmed that she was not resigned for Season 3 and that seems to have been the final word.

But (stay with me, now), is that the last we see of Soji?

SPOILERS AHEAD: Stop here if you haven't seen Episode 6 of Star Trek: Picard.

One of the hallmarks of Season 3, is the introduction of the children of the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Thus far, we have met the two daughters of Geordi La Forge and the son of former chief medical officer Beverly Crusher and Jean Luc-Picard. (Apparentely, we are learning that the Captain is human and might very well have children across the galaxy.) We also know that Captain William Riker (formerly No. 1) and empath Deanna Troi, have a child.

Now we have the return of the android Data (who has met his end twice, already), or at least a new and improved version of Data, who retains all the memories of the original.

Soji and her twin sister, Dahj, were secretly built by Dr. Bruce Maddox (John Ales) in 2396. The synthetic twins were made through a miraculous process called "neuronic fractal cloning" from one of the disassembled Data's salvaged positronic neurons. So in essence, they are Data's daughters.

With the reintroduction of Worf, (Michael Dorn), the Next Generation's crew is all present and accounted for. That also includes Ro Laren, played by Michelle Forbes, who was one of the Federation officers sent to upbraid Jean-Luc and Riker for their antics.

Laren returns in Ep. 5 and apparently has been forgiven by the Federation after she betrayed Picard and the Federation by joining a rebel group way back in the Next Generation storyline. In her return, Picard and Laren confessed that their hearts were broken, hinting that their relationship was deeper than platonic (again, Picard, that rascal, may have broken a few Federation rules).

Laren demonstrates her love/loyalty to Picard by sacrificing herself to save the Next Generation crew.

Season 3 also allows us to see the end of "Q," that mysterious impish character who loved to bedevil Picard and his crew with his powers over time and matter.

Data's return might signal another passing of the torch to the "next generation" which in Data's case, would be his remaining daughter Soji. After introducing the children of La Forge and Picard's son, it sets the stage for a possible spinoff.

The original Data depended on La Forge for any repairs to the android creating a bond between the two. 

It would be a shame if Data doesn't get to share a heartwarming moment by meeting his own offspring and introducing his best friend's daughters to his own daughter, thus continuing the underlying "passing-of-the-torch" theme. 

Soji, who by this time, has gained new powers over time and space as a Supervisor and she might be needed to rescue the old gang.

The "Next Generation" crew seems to be in a heap of trouble by Ep. 6 and it will take a miraculous event (ie. Soji's return) to set the universe right.

Do you think Briones' earlier interviews were a "red herring" so we couldn't guess what the "Final Season" mean for Picard, the series and the iconic character?

WATCH: "Star Trek: Picard" streams on Paramount Plus with new episodes every Thursday.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Ice Dancers Chock and Bates score historic win at World Championships

Gold Medals for the ice dane couple, Madison Chock and Evan Bates.

Long-time ice-dancing pair of Hawaii-born Madison Chock and fiance Evan Bates finally stepped onto the gold medal platform.

Chock, 30 and Bates, 34, became the oldest gold medalists in the event and only the second US pair to win at the Wolds competition held in Saitama, Japan last weekend.

“We wouldn’t be sitting here today without many of those challenges that we faced, not just this season, but through all the many seasons of our career,” said Chock, who was born in Redondo Beach, Calif. and is of Chinese and Hawaiian descent.

“We really persevered and showed a lot of grit, and, I think, maybe our performance today was a little reflection of that — perseverance and grit yet again. That little blip in the middle was so fast and so unexpected."

Despite that uncharacteristic fall in the Saturday's free dance, the Americans were able to score 226.01 points total between free dance and rhythm dance categories.

WATCH:World championships highlights air Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on NBC, NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app.

It's the fourth world medal for the couple, who held their lead from the rhythm dance to top fellow veteran squads Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy (219.85) and Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (217.88), who finished with silver and bronze, respectively.

Chock's and Baes' gold medal skate follows in the footsteps of Sochi 2014 Olympic champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who captured World gold in 2011 and 2013.

"We're elated," a breathless Chock said to the Saitama Super Arena crowd, calling her fall a "boop." While the team lost one point for the mishap and took a dent in their Program Components, their overall technical marks were far superior on the day.

"We've been pursuing this goal for so many years and it just happened 10 seconds ago," added Bates. "It's really hard to put this moment into words and what it means to us. This ice dance field is so competitive; we've known these teams for so long. We're just so happy."

“I don’t know what the next four years will hold,” Chock said referring to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. “But we’re committed to each other and our goals, and we’ll decide when the time comes.”

The next big event for the couple is their wedding in the summer of 2024.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Hepatitis B: The virus that silently haunts Asian Americans

There is a virus that may affect immigrants born in Asia that can be undiscovered for years - even decades - until a cancer develops in the liver. By then, it can be fatal.

Asian Americans make up 6% of the total population in the United States, but account for 58% of the 862,000 Americans living with chronic Hepatitis B. Prevalence is also high among Pacific Islanders living in the United States. 

If discovered early, it can be treated but because of cultural and institutional barriers, AANHPI often don't discover the virus until later in life. 

Therein is the problem. A person can have Hepatitis B and not show any symptoms, except, perhaps, a general tiredness. Many people who don't know they have Hepatitis B often just learn to accept and  consider that condition as "normal." 

How is Hepatitis B spread? 

Hepatitis B is spread when someone comes in contact with blood from a person who has the disease. Most people born in Asian countries who have Hepatitis B were infected as infants or young children. Hepatitis B can be passed from an infected mother to her baby at birth or from a family member to young children. 

Considering that 70% of the AANHPI are first-generation immigrants, according to the US Census, and that they can inadvertently spread the virus to the next generation born in the US, it is may affect a good portion of the AANHPI population

It is important to know that Hepatitis B is not a genetic disease. People also do not get Hepatitis B from sharing meals, bowls or utensils with someone who has the disease. Hepatitis B is not spread through breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing. 

The following is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Hepatitis B disproportionately affects Asian Americans

Hepatitis B is common worldwide, especially in many parts of Asia and the Pacific Islands. In the United States, hepatitis B disproportionately affects Asian Americans. While Asian Americans make up 6% of the US population, they account for more than 60% of Americans living with hepatitis B.

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Hepatitis B is serious, but treatments are available

Left untreated, nearly 1 in 4 people living with hepatitis B develop serious liver problems, even liver cancer. In fact, hepatitis B-related liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among Asian Americans. Getting tested for hepatitis B can help many people access lifesaving treatments that can prevent serious liver damage.

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2 in 3 Asian Americans with Hepatitis B don’t know they are infected

People can live with hepatitis B for decades without having any symptoms or feeling sick. hepatitis B is usually spread when someone comes into contact with blood from someone who has the virus, and many people living with hepatitis B got infected as infants or young children. Testing is the only way to know if someone has hepatitis B.

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Who should get tested for Hepatitis B?

• Anyone born regions of the world where hepatitis B is common, including Asia, the Pacific Islands and Africa
• Anyone born in the United States, who was not vaccinated at birth, and has at least one parent born in regions of the world with high rate of hepatitis B, including East or Southeast Asia the Pacific Islands (except New Zealand and Australia) and Sub-Saharan Africa
• Hepatitis B testing identifies people living with hepatitis B so they can get medical care to help prevent serious liver damage. Talk to a doctor about getting tested for Hepatitis B.

What should be done when a family member has Hepatitis B? 

Doctors will want to test all family members of people with Hepatitis B. This includes adults and children living in the same house. The test involves a simple blood test that takes only a small amount of blood from a person’s arm. Testing family members is important. Family members who have Hepatitis B should get medical treatment. Other family members who do not have the disease should get the Hepatitis B vaccine. This protects them from getting the disease. 

Hepatitis B test results will be kept confidential. People with Hepatitis B cannot be forced to leave the United States. They also cannot be fired from a job, or forced to leave school. 

CDC has developed resources, such as fact sheets and community mobilization toolkits, to help educate people born in these countries about the importance of hepatitis B testing.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Vanessa Hudgens' Philippine trip might be a propaganda ploy for Bong Bong Marcos

Vanessa Hudgens arrives in Manila.

Vanessa Hudgens, beware!  I'm not sure if Filipino American actress Hudgens is aware that her so-called documentary about her first visit to the Philippines is being directed by a Marcos propagandist. Instead of a documentary, it might turn out to be a commercial.

Paul Soriano, who is directing the documentary, is President Bong Bong Marcos' communication specialist and handled the PR for Marcos' presidential campaign. He also directed the new President's first State of the Nation Address.

"For me, if we can support our president it just means that our country will be better," says Soriano.

When Soriano was sworn-in in October last year as the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications, the government press release explained:

“Soriano is tasked to advise the Chief Executive and assist departments and agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations, on matters that will enhance their information dissemination programs and initiatives.”

“I’ll reach out. I read, and people message…people that I really respect…. We may have a lot of disagreements but maybe we can agree on one thing and let’s do that together…. For me, if we can support our president, it just means that our country will be better,” he added.

Film director Paul Soriano and Philippine President Bong Bong Marcos.

Soriano's connection to the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos goes even deeper.

Soriano is related to the Philippines' First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. Additionally, both President Marcos and the First Lady were wedding sponsors or godparents to Soriano and his wife, TV personality and YouTuber Toni Gonzaga. Gonzaga was also among Marcos’ top celebrity endorsers in 2022, according to Rappler, the online news outlet co-founded by Maria Ressa, who was targeted of President Rodrigo Duterte, Bong Bong Marcos' predecessor.

At a press conference in December of 2022, the presidential adviser on creative communication, said he will be rolling out ways to “creatively communicate what’s in the heart” Marcos, Jr.

Singer/actress Hudgens, whose popularity exploded for her part in the High School Musical franchise from  Disney Studios, landed in the Philippines Monday (Manila time), and was met at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by Soriano and other Department of Tourism officials.

When news about the proposed documentary was first reported, there was no mention about the connection to Marcos and the possibility that it would be used as a propaganda piece lauding the current administration.

Bong Bong Marcos, (aka Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.) who was elected last year, is the son of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos who with his wife, Imelda, ruled over the Philippines for two decades with an iron hand and enriched themselves with ill-gotten wealth. Some estimates assert that the Marcos family stole up to $30 billion from the Philippine people. Despite that dark legacy, using a campaign of lies, half-truths and misinformation, he won the election last year.

On Hudgens' schedule later this week is a "courtesy" visit to Malacanang Palace, the Philippine President's residence in Manila. 

The documentary will follow Hudgens as she visits the homeland of her mother. With her sister Stella and mother Gina, Hudgens will film in Manila and travel to Palawan, a popular tourist destination.

Don't be surprised if Bong Bong Marcos, or one of the other members of the Marcos family, makes an appearance in the Hudgens documentary.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

US needs more immigrants, says Biden's economic advisors

Immigrants could be the answer to America's labor shortage.

Immigrants could be the solution to the labor shortage facing the United States. There is a shortage of health professionals, K-12 teachers, tech workers, farm workers and a workers in other professions.  President Biden's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) believe more immigrants could alleviate the country's labor shortage.

In the newly released annual Economic Report of the President, the White House Council of Economic Advisors includes an unequivocal set of facts that immigrants and immigration reform are key to growing and strengthening the American economy.

The "silver tsunami" of Baby Boomer retirements coupled with the US lower birth rate creates a labor shortage, the annual report says. The US needs to reform its immigration system to allow more people to come into the country and transform workplace practices.

“Necessity is the mother of invention," CEA Chair Cecilia Rouse told Reuters. Besides immigration, the US also needs to change workplace traditions -- such as creating a work/nonwork balance, employer sponsored childcare, a shorter work week and allowing more working from home -- to increase incentives for employees.

Rouse said changes were imperative to ensure US growth: "These are not political issues; these are economic issues. If we want to continue the kinds of economic prosperity that we count on … we have to have all hands on deck."

"For much of the last year, there were two job openings for every unemployed person—an unprecedented gap between labor demand and supply that has shifted the balance of power between workers and businesses," the CEA report states.

"Slowing population growth and declining labor force participation are significant headwinds for U.S. labor supply," the report continues.

Presently, while the majority of immigrants are from Latin America, the fastest growing group of immigrants are coming from Asia with the vast majority coming from China, India and the Philippines. Immigrants from Asia are projected to be the largest immigrant group by 2065, according to the Pew Research Center.

The workers provided by the undocumented and immigration would offset the aging demographics and boost innovation, without a big impact on the wages and employment of the American-born population, says the CEA report.

Immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented individuals would also help increase the labor supply, the report says. Additional immigration reforms suggested by the report could include removing per-country caps on employment, expanding diversity lottery visas, and expanding the J-1 exchange visa program, which would bring additional faculty, scientists, and students to the United States for training and sharing knowledge and methods.

Immigrants from Asia also start their own businesses, from modest salons and restaurants to high tech companies such as YouTube, Snap, Yahoo, LinkedIn and Zoom. According to the US Census, in 2020, there were 612,194 Asian-owned businesses employing about 5.2 million in the United States, the highest among all minority groups, thus injecting vital energy into the US economy.

Meanwhile, new research released Wednesday by the CATO Institute on the fiscal impact of immigrants and immigration finds, “the net fiscal impact of immigrants is more positive than it is for native‐​born Americans and positive overall for the federal and state/​local governments.”

These studies are just the latest in an overwhelming and consistent body of research that shows why modernizing our immigration system, including legalizing long-settled undocumented immigrants, is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.

Farmers are having a hard time finding workers to harvest their produce.

“The economic consensus remains clear and overwhelming: getting our economy right today and in the future requires immigrants and immigration. Despite this reality, Republicans are blocking the legislative fixes we sorely need to keep our economy humming and workers operating on a level playing field, which would benefit all workers, consumers and producers in our economy, said Douglas Rivlin, Director of Communication for America’s Voice.

"Every American pays a daily price for the nativism that grips the Republican Party."

"The worst part of the GOP obstruction may just be the reality that they know the importance of immigrants yet continue to block a legislative overhaul. Republicans know full well that immigrants help make the American economy great while at the same time bashing immigrants as a threat.

"Top GOP politicians in particular understand – whether it’s Donald Trump employing and exploiting undocumented workers in his family businesses, Gov. Ron Desantis’ Florida, which relies on immigrant service and agricultural workers up and down the state or Kevin McCarthy representing the Central Valley of California and its agriculture sector that relies on immigrant labor," says Rivlin. "The GOP’s opposition to immigration is political, hypocritical, and self-defeating for our country.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Documentary will be made of Vanessa Hudgens’ first trip to the Philippines

Vanessa Hudgens and her mother, Gina.

Like many other Filipino Americans, actress Vanessa Hudgens is proud of her family roots. She will be traveling to the Philippines for the first time this month and her trip to her mother's homeland will be filmed and turned into a documentary.

The star of High School Musical and the three Princess Switch movies will be accompanied by her mother Gina Guangco-Hudgens and her younger sister Stella on what promises to be be an emotional journey of self-discovery as she meets her mother's family, visits the part of the Philippines where her mother is originally from.

"My mom is from the Philippines, and growing up, there weren't really that many women who looked like me and my mom and my family on screen. It’s so important to share all the different stories because America is a massive melting pot, [just like the] world," the Hudgens told Glamour UK.

The yet-to-be-named documentary will showcase her close relationship with her mother and family. The film is being produced and directed by Filipino filmmaker Paul Soriano.

“We are honored to work with Vanessa for this film project,” says Soriano. “It’s inspiring to note that with everything she has achieved in life, she wants to discover her Filipino roots and pay homage to her mother’s country. Hopefully, this opens doors for many more collaborations to come.”

Hudgen's mother immigrated to the US at the age of 25 and married Greg Hudgens, a firefighter who died in 2016. 

The singer-dancer-actress did her first feature in the film, Thirteen, but her breakout role as Gabriella Montez was in Disney's High School Musical series. 

Filming of the untitled documentary is slated for later his month and so far, will include shooting in Manila and the island of Palawan.

In the past, Hudgens has expressed the hope that her mother's immigrant story is worthy enough to be made into a movie. 

“I feel like ours is such a relatable story to so many women all over the world,” Hudgens said. “The more that we can share, the more we can lift each other up.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Representation: Disney brings back FilAm Prince Charming and Black Cinderella

When Disney introduced a Black Cinderella and a Filipino American Prince Charming 26 years ago, the entertainment company was treading on new ground.

Disney announced Wednesday that it is bringing back Paolo Montalban as Prince (now King) Charming and Brandy as Cinderella in a new movie, Descendants: The Rise of Red, the latest installment in the studio's music-driven Descendants franchise.

In this story, the fairytale couple will play the parents of Chloe (Malia Baker) who befriends Red (Kylie Cantrell) the daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora).

Descendants: The Rise of Red follows the story of Red, the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, Cinderella’s perfectionist daughter. When the tyrannical Queen of Hearts incites a coup against Auradon, polar opposites Red and Chloe must join forces and travel back in time to undo the traumatic event that set Red’s mother down her villainous path.

Filmmaker Jennifer Phang (Advantageous, Half-Life, Foundation, The Flight Attendant) is the director and co-executive producer of Descendants: The Rise of Red.

Montalban and Brandy introduced their characters in ABC’s 1997 “Wonderful World of Disney” TV movie “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” which won an Emmy.

"There was diversity not just in the principal cast, but there was diversity in the supporting cast in the background," said Montalban.

Brandy became the first Black actress to play Cinderella on screen and the late Whitney Houston played the role of the Fairy Godmother.

Montalban, 50, an actor and singer, has appeared in numerous stage productions including the King and I, Pacific Overture and The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Descendants: Rise of Red will debut April 7 on Disney+.

 EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Four Asian Americans awarded national arts medals

Honored at the White House, from left: Mindy Kaling, Joan Shigekawa, Vera Wang and Amy Tan.

Four Asian American creatives were awarded with national medals for the arts or humanities at the White House Tuesday:

Actor and producer Mindy Kaling, fashion designer Vera Wang and film producer Joan Shigekawa were each awarded the 2021 National Medal of Arts, while author Amy Tan was given a 2021 National Humanities Medal.

“We’re a nation, a great nation, in large part because of the power of the arts and humanities. That’s stamped into the DNA of America,” President Biden said during the ceremony in the East Room. “Today … (we) continue the legacy of awarding two of our nation’s highest honors to 23 extraordinary Americans,” that included celebrities such as rocker Bruce Springsteen, singer Gladys Knight  and actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

"The work of our honorees is as diverse as the nation that celebrates with them today," said Biden. "But — but common threads weave them together in many ways in the very fabric of America: the pursuit of excellence, the drive to create, the yearning to connect, and the boldness to be truthtellers, bridge builders, and change seekers."

He introduced Mindy Kaling, "The first woman of color to create, write, and star in a primetime sitcom, she empowers a new generation to tell their stories with their own irreverence and sincerity. The daughter of Indian immigrants ..."

About fashion designer Vera Wang, Biden said: You’re one of the greats, Vera. You really are. And I know your dresses always look beautiful on my wife, God love her. (Laughter.) Your designs are timeless. Her vision, her influence in industry. Her business became an empire. A name that’s synonymous with artistry, excellence: Vera Wang.

Biden evoked laughter when he stumbled on the last name of Joan Shigekawa. When Shigekawa helped him with the pronunciation, Biden, "I have trouble pronouncing. You can call me 'Bid-en.'"

"Shigekawa," he corrected himself. "Your contributions to art in America is legendary and is lasting. And the head of the National Endowment for the Arts, she’s lifted rural and urban artists, created programs for military families, and helped measure how the art grows the economy — arts grow the economy. And she proves that art makes our country stronger.

Amy Tan, the fourth Asian American awardee was introduced, "The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Amy Tan’s books capture the courage, the pain, and the joy — and the joy — of the immigra- — of the immigrant experience, and how their legacy and memory fulfill the promise of America for all Americans."

The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the U.S. president. The National Endowment for the Arts oversees a nomination process on behalf of the White House.

The National Humanities Medal, on the other hand, honors an individual or organization “whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources.”

After the ceremony, Kaling messaged her fans via social media: "Yesterday, I went with my family to receive the medal at the White House," Kaling wrote in the post. "To hear the President speak about my parents, their journey to the United States, my late mother's dreams for me, and the power of comedy to make people understand each other was almost too much to take in. It didn't feel real!"

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, said, “The National Medal of Arts recipients have helped to define and enrich our nation’s cultural legacy through their life long passionate commitment. We are a better nation because of their contributions. Their work helps us see the world in different ways. It inspires us to reach our full potential and recognize our common humanity."

The full lists of awardees can be found here and here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

High-ranking Filipino American leaves Biden administration; Indian American confirmed to AF post

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Gina Ortiz Jones leaves the post she held since 2021.

One of the highest-ranking Filipino Americans in President Biden's administration has left her post as Under Secretary of the Air Force.

After instituting a string of reforms vastly improving the diversity of the US Air Force, Gina Ortiz Jones stepped down from her office Marce 6. 

Also, in another personnel action unrelated to Jones' departure, earlier this week the Senate confirmed Ravi Chaudhary to be the Air Force Assistant Secretary for Energy.

"Throughout her tenure, Under Secretary Jones has been a tireless advocate for the Department of the Air Force and its people," Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in the press release Monday. "Her leadership in enabling all airmen, Guardians, and their families to serve to their full potential and providing the resources they need has enhanced the readiness of the Air and Space Force for years to come."

The Air Force didn't say why Ortiz Jones is leaving her office and Jones herself was mum about her departure leaving a single statement on social media thanking President Biden for having be part of his administration. 

In a recent interview with Verve Times, she said it seemed like a natural time to go, and that she’s ready for a break after working 12- to 14-hour days on “really meaty, meaty issues” that affect military personnel.

Although she didn't specify what her next step would be, Jones said, “It will always be related to public service.”

She pushed through some of the most significant diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the Defense Department, and did so by espousing a pretty simple idea: It’s crucial for military recruitment, retention and readiness.

Jones, a member of the LGBTQ community, served in the Air Force under the military's old "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" discriminatory policy, which allowed non-heterosexual service members to stay in the ranks if they remained closeted.

In her role as under secretary, the Iraq war veteran helped push a wide variety of reforms aimed at making life in uniform easier for women, minorities and parents.

This past September, Jones spearheaded a policy change that allowed pregnant service members and civilians to apply for Air Force Officer Training School, reversing the service's previous rules that barred candidates from going through the program until 12 months postpartum.

Almost a year ago, she issued a statement reminding service members that the Air Force could help protect them from anti-LGBTQ state initiatives, such as one in Texas that raised the possibility of child welfare investigations against parents with transgender children. The guidance Jones issued said the service would use medical, legal and other resources to support its personnel who run into such problems.

“We are closely tracking state laws and legislation to ensure we prepare for and mitigate effects to our airmen, guardians and their families,” Jones said, using “guardians” as the official shorthand for members of the U.S. Space Force. “Medical, legal resources and various assistance are available for those who need them.”

Additionally, this past August, Jones helped set new demographic goals in hopes of getting more diverse applicants for the service's officer corps, which has historically leaned toward white males.

Under those new goals, the Air Force and Space Force aim to have 36% of their officers be women, up from the previous target of 30% nearly a decade ago.

"We're in a race for talent, and our policies need to reflect that," Jones said in a press release regarding the OTS change. "This policy change will ensure we're able to fully tap into the talent amongst our force, as well as those looking to join us."

Ortiz Jones oversees the department’s $173 billion annual budget and directs strategy and policy development, risk management, weapons acquisition, technology investments and human resource management across the service.

She also ran a vigorous campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas' 23rd District in 2018 and 2020. Jones, a Democrat, ended up closely losing both races.

The former Air Force intelligence officer’s duties will be taken over by Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller Kristyn Jones until a new under secretary is appointed, according to a press release.

Ravi Chaudhary is the US Air Force Assistant Secretary for Energy

Meanwhile, on March 15, the United States Senate confirmed Ravi Chaudhary, an Indian American, as the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and the Environment. Chaudhary won the mandate with a vote of 65-29, making him one of the top civilian leaders in the Pentagon. He is the first Indian American to serve in this position.

Chaudhary, a former Air Force pilot, will be responsible for the Air Force's sustainability and operational readiness. This includes developing installations and basing strategies, as well as ensuring the quality of military housing.

Chaudhary previously served as a Senior Executive at the US Department of Transportation where he was Director of Advanced Programs and Innovation, Office of Commercial Space at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

He was responsible for the execution of advanced development and research programs in support of the FAA’s commercial space transportation mission.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

'Asian Glow' is no joking matter

Asians and Asian Americans often joke among themselves about the Asian Flush or Asian Glow, but it's a real thing and research by scientists in Japan and at Stanford University are finding out that it is nothing to laugh at.

After a few drinks, we've seen friends with roots from countries from East Asia and Souteast Asia exhibit  this redness in the face, after a glass of wine, a pint of beer or a couple shots of vodka, gin or tequila. In social situations, this can be embarrassing or you can take it as a warning to put down that cocktail.

Unfortunately, the tendency among a group out on the town is to just laugh it off and order another round. 

Stanford scientists published a paper on Jan. 25 in the journal Science Translation Medicine that found that those who tend to suffer from the flushing, might have a higher risk of heart disease. The findings suggest that those with that gene might want to reconsider their drinking habits.

Specifically, the variant causes blood vessel inflammation in response to alcohol consumption. This limits the flow of blood throughout the body, and could lead to coronary artery disease.

“When treated with alcohol, mice with this variant demonstrated enlarged vascular size, increased vascular thickness, and impaired vascular contraction and relaxation,” said Joseph Wu, director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and co-author of the study, told The Daily Beast in an email.

Researchers discovered even a modest amount of alcohol could trigger the flush, “one standard drink,” Wu said. This means that any amount of alcohol is potentially dangerous to those with the variant—especially if you already have exacerbating factors such as a family history with heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, health hazards common among Asian American immigrants and their offspring.

An earlier study in Japan found that this particular gene that causes the facial flush  in East Asians can lead to gastric cancer.

A US analysis of the Japan research showed that facial flushing response to alcohol was associated with higher cancer risk in men in East Asia, especially in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, yet facial flushing was not significantly associated with cancer risk among women.

Populations in East Asia have long been disproportionately affected by stomach cancer compared to those of Western countries. Half of all gastric cancer cases worldwide occur in China, and it is the most common type of cancer among men in Japan. Yet in the US, gastric cancer accounts for only about 1.5% of all new cancers diagnosed per year.

If that's not enough to stop drinking alcohol, according to a 2018 study in Nature, mice with the gene responsible for the Asian flush in humans showed four times more DNA damage after a single dose of alcohol than mice without the gene.

The Stanford research released in January 2023 focused on how the gene can be harmful to Southeast Asians by leading to coronary artery disease.

If you enjoy alcohol, to loosen up a little, relax or reflect, abstention could be difficult, especially when we are deluged with media associating alcohol with good times.

“We realize it is very difficult for people to abstain from alcohol completely for a variety of reasons,” Wu said. “Hence we encourage people with this variant to be cognizant of the strong scientific findings that point to the harmful effects of alcohol and to cut down on alcohol consumption as much as possible.”

Wu said his overall message is simple: “If you’re drinking, drink less. If you’re not drinking, don’t start.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Marking the 2nd anniversary of the Atlanta shootings by prayers, flowers, candles and speaking out

Remember their names.

OPINION

Yesterday, March 16, was a somber day of reflection as the two-year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings that took the lives of eight individuals, six of whom were Asian American women.

The mass shootings began on the afternoon of March 16, 2021, in Cherokee County, Georgia, near Atlanta.

Deputies were called out to Young's Asian Massage parlor located along Georgia Highway 92 near Bells Ferry Road, about a mile west of Woodstock. It was there that 22-year-old Robert Aaron Long shot and killed four people: Xiaojie "Emily" Tan, 49; Daoyou Feng, 44; Delaina Yaun, 33; and Paul Michels, 54 — and seriously injured Elcias Hernandez Ortiz.

Less than an hour later, Long drove about 30 miles south to Atlanta, where he killed three women — Suncha Kim, 69; Soon Chung Park, 74; and Hyun Jung Grant, 51 — at Gold Spa, crossed the street and killed 63-year-old Yong Ae Yue at Aromatherapy Spa.

Spurred by the racist rhetoric from the Donald Trump administration, latent bigotry in many individuals was unleashed that resulted in attacks against people of Asian decent, In the year following the attack in Atlanta, Stop AAPI Hate documented nearly 5,000 hate incidents targeting the AANHPI community.

The attacks against AANHPI continue to this day. Recently released FBI hate crime statistics show that there were 789 attacks against AANHPI in 2021, the same year the Atlanta shootings took place. That number was almost 500 more hate crimes – a 168% increase – over the 2020 figures and, by far, the highest number of reported hate crimes against AANHPI community members and institutions since the FBI data collection program began in 1991.

Two years after Atlanta, we in the AANHPI community mourn the loss of lives and the thousands of individuals who have been scarred, not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally, by the continuing attacks.

After the expressions of sadness and sympathy, the attacks have spurred an activism within the AANHPI communities smashing the stereotype of a reticent, acquiescent community. That new energy of standing up and speaking and joining together has sparked a new era for the AANHPI community resulting in unprecedented activism in the arts, education and politics that cannot be deterred and cannot be ignored.

No matter what your immigration status is, if you are a citizen or not, if you live, study or work in this country; no matter if you have an accent or speak another language; no matter if you are half, a quarter, one-eighth, one-sixteenth of Asian descent, or you have only an drop of Asian blood in you; you are all part of Asian America.

As a community we remember Atlanta with observances throughout the nation - saying prayers, laying flowers and lighting candles - from the coastal metro hubs to the enclaves of AANHPI in the Midwest and the South, we join with you all in crying out with righteous indignation: No more to the silence, no more to isolating ourselves, no more to the hate.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

California "Teacher of the Year' accused with 'child sex abuse'

Jacqueline Ma

An award-winning teacher in National City, Caif. pleaded not guilty Monday after getting arrested and accused of having an "inappropriate relationship" with one of her 6th-grade students.

Jacqueline Ma, 34, is accused of child sex abuse for sending lewd photographs and videos to a student who was 12-years old. He is now 13-years old.

Ma, who was named the county's  "Teacher of the Year" for 2022-2023, faces up to 15 felony charges, including lewd acts with a child along with possession of child pornography, according to court documents.

"When she was arrested, she had a photograph of the victim in her wallet, she had jewelry with his initials, love letters were discovered in her classroom," said Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart during a Monday court hearing during which Ma participated via the internet.

"In some of the messages, she expressed frustration at the child for not responding to the situation quicker. She expressed jealousy when the victim was talking to other girls."

According to prosecutors, Ma would allegedly send illicit photographs of herself to the student and ask the victim to do the same. Prosecutors said that she would persistently tell him to “engage in sex acts” while he was at home.

She faces up to 15 felony charges, including lewd acts with a child along with possession of child pornography. If convicted of the 15 charges, Ma could spend 29 years behind bars.

The judge ordered that Ma remain in custody without bail. Her lawyers said he will appeal the judge's bail ruling on March 17.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.