US Surgeon General: Loneliness is at the heart of a growing mental health crisis

Widespread loneliness in the US poses deadly health risks, US Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy said in declaring the latest public health epidemic.

As Minority Mental Health Month comes to the end, the problems caused by isolation and loneliness remain, especially among Asian American and Pacific Islander elders.

The mass shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay were committed by older Asian American men are tragic reminders that many AANHPI elderly are not receiving the care they need.

While loneliness affects elders of all ages, language and cultural barriers and fear caused by the anti-Asian hate attacks exacerbates the problem among AANHPI senior citizens, who would rather sweep the feeling under the rug than to talk to strangers about it.

To bring attention to the issue rarely talked about in the AANHPI communities, Surgeon General Murthy, an Indian American medical professional, issued the following opinion article:

By Vivek H. Murthy
United States Surgeon General

Mental health is the defining public health crisis of our time, and for many Americans, loneliness is at the heart of that crisis. At any given moment, about one out of every two of our fellow citizens is experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. It is not something we talk about or easily see: Loneliness is a condition that is hidden in the shadows.

More than just a bad feeling, loneliness is a corrosive condition with grave consequences. Social disconnection puts us at increased risk for depression, anxiety and suicide, as well as heightening our risk for stress-related physical ailments like heart disease, stroke and dementia. Its impact on our risk of premature death is on par with smoking 15 cigarettes daily.

Why is this so? It is because we evolved to live in community. As hunter-gatherers, we found safety in togetherness. Being isolated from the group put the individual at elevated risk — from predators, from starvation, from exposure — and that created stress. Our survival depended on being a part of something larger than just ourselves.

As much as our circumstances are very different today than they were in our hunter-gatherer days, that basic truth remains: We are hardwired to live in community. Connection is the essential glue of our lives. It is what brings us happiness and fulfillment. We need social connection for our survival and collective well-being.

This epidemic of loneliness has been building over many years. The pandemic made it worse, to be sure, but it is a crisis that has been evolving for a half-century or more. During that time, there has been declining participation in communal life. Fewer people belong to churches or synagogues or other religious institutions or are engaged with civic organizations. We, as a society, move around more. We change jobs more frequently. We don’t put down roots in the same ways as our parents and grandparents.

RELATED: White House hosts AANHPI mental health summit

Too often, we imagine loneliness as a condition of the elderly living in isolation with no one to support them. While that can be true, loneliness in the United States is not limited to older Americans. There are people in marriages who are lonely, CEOs of major companies who are lonely, seemingly happy people posting pictures of their fabulous vacations on social media who are lonely. And far too many young people who are lonely. From the outside, everything looks fine. But inside, they are struggling.

Addressing this national crisis is a profound challenge. We all want to be seen and understood. Sometimes all we need is acknowledgment of our worth and value. This is something we can do for each other — and for ourselves. Taking just 15 minutes a day to reach out to someone you care about can make a huge difference in how connected we feel.

There is nothing more fundamental to the health and well-being of people in our country than ensuring that we are building a moral and spiritual foundation that guides how we interact with each other. Toward that goal, service is one of the greatest antidotes to loneliness. When we help somebody else, two things happen. One is we forge a connection with them. The second is that we remind ourselves that we have value, and that can help us in times of our own loneliness. The less worthy we feel, the harder it is to reach out to other people.

I know this from my own experience. When my first stint as Surgeon General ended abruptly in 2017, I felt profoundly lonely. During my time as Surgeon General, I threw myself into the job at the expense of my friendships. When the job ended, I was left without those relationships that had sustained me before. I was lonely, and also ashamed. I believed it was my fault because I had neglected those relationships. It was a choice I had made, and I felt embarrassed to call my friends and say, “Hey, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you for the last two-and-a-half years.” It took the urging of my wife, who recognized what was happening to me and that I was withdrawing more and more, to reach out to reconnect.

One of the best definitions of a friend that I ever heard was when I was in college: A friend is somebody who reminds you of who you are when you forget. And we all do forget from time to time. We all go through periods in our life when we feel unworthy or that we fall short. That is when we need our friends to step in. That is why I think that at a time such as we are now experiencing, when as a community we are struggling so much with our mental health, we need these connections in our lives.

Yes, we do need more psychiatrists and better access to psychiatric care to address the mental health crisis that confronts our country. Yes, we do need more psychologists. Yes, we need the technology to bring the care that is needed to people in their homes.

"We need to come up with ways to tip the balance toward love and away from fear, to rebuild the public square so that we can once again speak rationally with each other."

But we also need each other. We need to turn our attention to reinforcing the caring, supportive institutions, communities and relationships that give our lives purpose and meaning. We need to come up with ways to tip the balance toward love and away from fear, to rebuild the public square so that we can once again speak rationally with each other. To address this crisis of loneliness, we need to return to the core values of kindness, generosity and friendship that are so essential to the social fabric of our communities.

Ultimately, it comes down to one thing: Embrace love. It has the extraordinary capacity to heal and is the force we need to reach for each and every day in our lives. Love is our oldest medicine.

FYI: This column is adapted from a conversation Dr. Murthy had with Oprah Winfrey at UCLA’s Royce Hall in May during the 2023 WOW (Wisdom of Wellness) Mental Health Summit to benefit the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

: Filipinas lose World Cup game vs Norway but future looks bright, next goal is qualifying for 2024 Olympics

SCREEN CAPTURE

Filipino fans flocked to the World Cup venues in New Zealand to cheer on the Filipinas.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Edited throughout for more clarity and details. - 2 p.m., July 30, 2023.

The final score was Norway 6, Philippines, 0, but the 23 Filipinas on the World Cup team have changed the sport of Philippines football. Soccer in the Philippines will never be the same.

The final score was not surprising as the 46th-ranked Filipinas were overmatched by the 12th-ranked Norway Grasshoppers, which was predicted to win the four-team Group A before the World Cup play began.

The 23 women on the Filipinas were playing on soccer's biggest stage, the FIFA World Cup, the first time a Philippines team -- men or women -- qualified. The  debutantes (a term used in soccer for first-time qualifiers) made history again by scoring a goal. They made another milestone by winning a game against favored New Zealand. The only one of the eight debutant teams to earn those accomplishments.

With their victory over the Philippines, Norway's Grasshoppers join Switzerland to move on to the Round of 16 in the World Cup tourney.

Although the Filipinas' scored only one victory at the World Cup, their story may be the biggest sports story in the Philippines this year.

Soccer, or as the rest of the world calls it "football," is not particularly popular in the Philippines. Basketball is the No. 1 sport, followed by boxing. Even volleyball is more popular. 

The nation's soccer advocates -- sponsors, coaches and players -- hope the Filipinas' historic run the World Cup is only the beginning and will help boost the sport's popularity in the Philippines.

TWITTER

Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, left, and Filipinas co-captain Hali Long console each other
after loss to Norway.

The impact of the women's historic run from can not be underestimated. The team could have the same impact in the Philippines as the US women's soccer team began winning games in the 1990s. The Philippines players want to inspire the Philippines' young girls and that legacy will move women’s soccer to the future.

When the Philippines upset co-host New Zealand last earlier this week, cheers went up in Manila shopping malls, the Internet went wild, #LabanFilipinas trended in social media and Filipinos scattered around the world began tuning in, waving flags and marching in the streets chanting "Fi-li-pi-nas! Fi-li-pi-nas!"

TV networks in the Philippines were caught flat-footed on World Game coverage but as audiences grew, they quickly made arrangements to broadcast the Filipinas' games.

FILIPINO HEART & SOUL

At the beginning of the current team's formation two years ago, complaints arose that there were too many "foreigners" on the team. Eighteen of the 23 Filipinas were born in the US, only one player was born in the Philippines. The international composition of the Filipinas was the result of an intensive search by Filipino American soccer fans and coaches.

Those critics were drowned out by the "Fi-li-pi-nas!" changes Sarina Bolden scored her header against New Zealand, the first historicPhilippine goal in World Cup play which turned out to be enough to score an upset. That win set up the game against Norway.

By the third game, Group A, dubbed the Chaos Group by broadcasters because all four teams -- including underdog Filipinas -- had a chance to move on to the next round.

By the end of the Norway game, the Filipinas' meteoric rise from an underdog team most football followers didn't know existed to not just playng in the World Cup but  showing their mettle against the world's best, was the stuff sports journalists love to write about. The mixed racial heritage of the players was forgotten as new fans joined the bandwagon.

“Honestly, can’t tell you where everyone was born and for me it’s irrelevant," manager Alan Stajcic told the Inquirer. "They all play for the Philippine) flag, they all play for the country and they all play for the people of the Philippines, wherever they reside,” 

“We’ve traveled the world last year, traversed the whole planet and the amount of fans we have across the world regardless of where, whether it’s Europe, Central America, South America, North America, Australia is just amazing to have, that support from the diaspora all around the world," he said at a media conference.

“So, I don’t really care. I just know that this team has Filipino heart and blood and courage and spirit and that’s only the criteria regardless of their birth,” added Stajcic.

Falling to 12-ranked Norway is no reason to be ashamed, says Stajcic.

"I'm proud of the heart and spirit of our team. They fought to the end, they fought to the death. And from that perspective, it's been an amazing World Cup," he said in a post-game media meet.

"The players have punched so far above their weight. They've delivered an amazing memory, and history to Philippines football, and one that will go down into the annals of Philippine sporting history."

The Filipinas acknowledge their fans after beating New Zealand.

Prior to the New Zealand game, Filipino fans marched through the streets of Wellington to the stadium. Dressed in bright colours, banging drums and singing, they made the venues sound like home games in Manila, cheering every Filipinas possession.

ARE THE OLYMPICS NEXT?

Laguna Beach-born goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel was disappointed with the loss but admitted Norway was the better team -- this year. The national team will learn from this and get better, she insists.

"We're definitely going to try to get back here in the next four years. This is not the end for the Filipinas. There's a lot more in us. We (have]) a lot of tournaments this year so it's not the end. We're excited to keep going," said McDaniel, whose goaltending skills have attracted interest from pro-team scouts.

For a team that has played together for less than two years, with players moving in and out of the lineup, the international experience will only help them get better.

“Four years is a long time from now, but the process starts now and how we can get better, how can we grow from this, learn from this,” said Sarina Bolden, whose goal against New Zealand has made her one of the most recognizable stars to emerge from the Filipinas. “And I have no doubt in my mind that we’ll be able to be a better team for it.”

“I’m ready for the next World Cup,” said striker Bolden, who learned the sport while growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The players know that they are playing for the future of the sport, especially proviting inspiration for young girls. They know that thousands will see them and want to be them.

“I just want all the little girls in the Philippines to know that this is a dream that can be attainable. They can do this,” McDaniel said after the game, patiently answering reporters' questions.

Co-captain Hali Long, who grew up in Missouri, added: “The little girls I see waving and cheering, they deserve to be here. And I want them to know that it's possible for them.

“But we have to make it possible for them,” she continued. “Through investment, through funding.” And that, she knows, is the difficult part.

Long gave credit to prominent businessman Jefferson Cheng who helped fund the Filipinas the last couple of years.

“Jefferson Cheng and the PFF took a really big chance to give us anything and everything we could to prepare, to even qualify for the World Cup,” Long said. “And to bet on the unknown is a risk — in business, in life.”

But it’s a worthwhile risk, she argued. “It's the utmost honor to bring ‘Lupang Hinirang’ (the Filipino anthem) here, to bring the Philippine flag here for the first time,” she said. “And to be on the pitch to do that — definite highlight of my life."

“These players have really left their mark and left a legacy for future generations. I can't ask any more. They gave everything," said Stajcic.

For the immediate future, the Filipinas will focus on the Hangzhou Asian Games in September and in October, the second round of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament which they they are grouped with host nation Australia, Iran and Taiwan.

Meanwhile, in Long Beach, California, 11-year old Filipino American Avery Rivas watched all the Filipinas' World Cup games. "Watching them play makes me proud to be Filipina,"

She tells Spectrum News, "I would love to play for them if I get the opportunity."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau names three Asian Canadian immigrants to his Cabinet

RECHIE VALDEZ

Filipino Canadian Rechie Valdez  made history with her appointment to Justin Trudeau's Cabinet.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Cabinet got more diverse July 26 when he named three new ministers of Asian descent, including the country's first Filipino Canadian minister and first minister from Sri Lanka.

RECHIE VALDEZ

Rechie Valdez will serve as the minister of small business. She was first elected as Member of Parliament (MP) in 2021 in the riding, or district, of Mississauga-Streetsville, 

While she was not a parliamentary secretary before being elevated to cabinet, Valdez was a member of a few parliamentary committees and associations.

Born and raised in Zambia, Valdez immigrated to Canada with her family in 1989 and is the country's first Filipina MP and now she the first Filipina in Canada's Cabinet.

“I realize the responsibility that lays on me to be able to speak about the issues that are very similar to others, but very unique to Filipinos," said Valde "It’s a very proud moment.”

Before entering politics, Valdez was an entrepreneur. She owned a baking business and co-founded a line of Filipino fusion pastries.

“I’ve gone through so much transition and change. I've pivoted from corporate banking to owning a small business, so this is no different,” she told CTVNews.ca in a recent interview. “The things that I'm learning are different, they're unique, because they're all about politics and policies… but that's the only difference.”

She also competed on a season of the competition show "The Big Bake" and has helped raise funds for charities such as SickKids.

Valdez has also worked in corporate banking, has been an advocate for women in business, and is a self-described sports enthusiast.

GARY ANANDASANGAREE

GARY ANANDASANGAREE

Gary Anandasangaree was first elected in 2015 as the MP for the Toronto riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park.

On Wednesday, he was sworn in as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, a position previously held by Marc Miller.

Anandasangaree had previously served as the parliamentary secretary to the Crown-Indigenous relations minister, as well as to the justice and heritage ministers.

Born in Sri Lanka, he arrived in Canada with his mother in 1983. Anandasangaree holds degrees from Carleton University in Ottawa and Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.

He managed a law firm in Scarborough that focused on business, real estate and international human rights law, and has represented the organization Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada at the United Nations. He's also been involved with Tamil community organizations.

In March, Anandasangaree made the news for comments he made on Sri Lanka, calling it "a failed and bankrupt state."

MINISTER ARIF VIRANI

ARIF VIRANI

India-born Arif Virani was first elected as the MP for Parkdale-High Park in Toronto in 2015. He was named minister of justice and attorney general on Wednesday, replacing David Lametti.

Along with previously serving as parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice, Virani also was parliamentary secretary to the ministers of international trade, democratic institutions, heritage and immigration.

An Ismaili Muslim and Ugandan Asian refugee to Canada in 1972, Virani has a bachelor's degree in history and political science from McGill University in Montreal and a law degree from the University of Toronto, where he graduated as valedictorian.

During that time, he spent a year working in Ottawa under the Parliamentary Internship Programme.

Virani practised law for 15 years, including as a civil litigator at Fasken Martineau and a constitutional litigator at the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario. He is a founding board member of the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, in Toronto, which provides legal services to people on low incomes who are of South Asian heritage.

He also worked as an analyst with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, an investigator at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse in Montreal, and an assistant trial attorney at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal prosecuting the Rwandan genocide.

The three new ministers were among the seven new members named to Trudeau's cabinet during Wednesday's reshuffling, including:

• Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism
• Terry Beech, minister of citizens' services,
• MP Ya'ara Saks,minister of mental health and addictions,
• Jeanna Sudds, minister of families, children and social development.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

US Mint unveils design of the quarter honoring Patsy Mink

The US Mint is putting the image of Patsy Takemoto Mink on the quarter coin.

The US Mint recently released the design for a quarter honoring the late Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color to serve in Congress representing the state of Hawaii.

The US Mint began designing the quarter after a letter from Hawaii's US Senator Mazie Hirono in 2021.

“Patsy Mink was a champion for social justice, equality, and civil rights—she was a trailblazer in every sense of the word,” said Senator Hirono.

“As the first woman of color to serve in Congress and a lead author of Title IX, Congresswoman Mink worked to ensure that all women in our country have every opportunity men have. I’m glad to see the Mint honoring Rep. Mink as part of the American Women Quarters Program so that people all across our country can learn more about her immeasurable contributions to Hawaii and our nation.”

The obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington, originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washington’s 200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John Flanagan design.

The reverse (tails) depicts Mink holding her landmark “TITLE IX” legislation. In the background, a view of the US Capitol Building prominently features the south wing, home to the US House of Representatives, where Mink served in Congress. The lei she wears represents her home state of Hawaii.

Authorized by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, the American Women Quarters Program features coins with designs emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of prominent American women.

Contributions come from a wide spectrum of fields including, but not limited to, suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored come from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds.

As required by the law, no living person will be featured in the coin designs, and thus all the women honored must be deceased. The Mint is issuing five coins with different reverse designs annually over the four-year period from 2022 through 2025.

Other Asian American women already honored by the program are the first Asian American movie star Anna May Wong, and Native Hawaiian cultural teacher and advocate Edith Kanakaole.

Besides Mink, other women who will be featured on quarters in 2024 include:

• Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray – poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest
• Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – Civil War era surgeon, women’s rights and dress reform advocate
• Celia Cruz – Cuban American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century
• Zitkala-Ša – Native American writer, composer, educator, and political activist

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

White House convenes summit addressing mental health needs of AA and NHPI

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Krystal Ka'ai, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. 

This year's mass shooters in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, the suicide of popular singer Coco Lee, the trauma suffered by Asian American elders in the season of anti-Asian hate are all recent examples of the growing need to address the mental health needs of Asian Americans.

“Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders face unique barriers to behavioral health care, and today’s summit is a critical step in destigmatizing psychological needs, improving health outcomes, and expanding access to quality, affordable mental health services for our communities,” said Krystal Ka‘ai, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. 

July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and last week, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) hosted an in-person summit focused on improving equity and access to behavioral health care for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities.

“Our national survey data shows that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have significant mental health needs and concerns,” said Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and leader of SAMHSA, which co-hosted the July 20 mental health summit. 

Held in recognition of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the historic event featured officials from key federal agencies, mental health professionals, researchers, federal policymakers, community organizations, and Biden-Harris Administration leaders -- including members of President Biden’s Cabinet. Through five issue-specific conversations, attendees worked to identify innovative federal and local solutions for the unique behavioral health challenges AA and NHPIs face.

“The well-being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals and families hold tremendous significance in our efforts to build a healthier nation,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. 

“At HHS, we embrace cultural competency and are committed to making behavioral health services accessible to underserved communities. This inaugural event will help to strengthen our efforts around behavioral health for AA and NHPIs,” said Becerra.

AA and NHPI communities have been deeply impacted by America’s mental health crisis, with the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-Asian sentiment fueling a rise in depression, anxiety, stress, and physical symptoms. 

According to federal data, in 2020, suicide was the leading cause of death among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, ages 10 to 19, and the second leading cause of death among those ages 20-34. 

The political and cultural conditions that have generated anti-Asian hate has created a shaky mental health environment for AA and NHPIs.

The mental health woes are compounded because AA and NHPIs are some of the least likely communities to seek mental health treatment due to longstanding barriers – including cultural stigma, the lack of culturally competent care providers, and language barriers.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra spoke at the first ever AA and NHPI mental health summit
held at the White House.

The July 20 event, the first AA and NHPI mental health summit ever convened the Biden-Harris Administration, is the direct result of a May 2022 recommendation from the President’s Advisory Commission on AA and NHPIs. It also follows the release of the Administration’s first-ever national strategy to advance equity and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities in January 2023, and builds on President Biden’s comprehensive national strategy to transform how mental health is understood and treated.

In May 2021, President Joe Biden re-established and reinvigorated the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders through Executive Order 14031. The Initiative engages federal agencies to improve interagency policymaking, program development, and outreach, and address barriers impacting AA and NHPIs across the country.

“If we want to raise the bar in education, we must ensure our students feel safe, seen, and supported while at school. Yet the pandemic led to troubling declines in mental health for all students, including our Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian students,” said US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

“Because the AA and NHPI population is not monolithic, it is important to not only recognize the health disparities the whole community faces, but also the specific, distinct health inequities among these communities.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Playing in the World Cup with heart, the Philippines women footballers make history with first victory

Sarina Bolden is excited after scoring the Philippines first World Cup goal

Santa Clara-born Sarina Bolden made history when she scored the Philippines Womens National Football Team 's first-ever goal in the FIFA World Cup tournament.

The Filipinas beat co-host New Zealand 1-0 Tuesday (Monday, PDT) marked the first victory for the Philippines national football team, men or women.

Bolden, who plays professional in the Australian league, scored in the 24th minute with a header with a pass from Norway-born Sara Eggesvik, who plays professionally in Norway. Bolden was bracketed by two New Zealand players but she rose up to headbutt the ball to the net after the Ferns' goalkeeper Victoria Esson mishandled the ball. 

"I think they showed true heart, bringing out their puso, which means heart in Tagalog,” said Philippine coach Alen Stajcic in an interview after the upset victory.

Eighteen of the 23-member Filipinas were born in the US. Only one player was born in the Philippines. Others came from Germany and Australia.

It was not an easy match. The Ferns held a two-to-one edge in possession over the Philippines. New Zealand had numerous almost scores with the ball bouncing off the goal post or going wide. The Ferns kept the Filipinas goalie, Olivia McDaniel, had 14 goal attempts compared to the three attempts by the Filipinas, with one finding the net.

The 25-year old Laguna Beach-born goalie made one spectacular save in stoppage time by diving at a net-bound ball knocking it wide of the boal.

One ball did get past McDaniel but an offside call nullified what could have been a game-tying goal.

The Filipinas depended on their defense to keep the Ferns at bay. The swarming strategy of manager Alen Stajcic was to keep constant pressure on the ball handler.

WATCH: The Philippines team's game against Norway is scheduled for July 30, New Zealand time. Because of the International Dateline, that would be midnight, July 29 PDT for US viewers. Watch the match on FS1 network.

In their first matches, the Filipinas lost against Switzerland 0-2 and New Zealand upset Norway 1-0.

The Philippines victory puts them in a three-way tie in the four-team Group A. The top two finishers will move on to the round of 16 with a Norway-Switzerland match still to be played. In order for the Filipinas to continue their history-making run, they would have to pull another upset over Norway in their final Group A game. Switzerland would have to beat the Norway later today and follow that up a win over the Ferns.

It's a tall order and the odds are against the Filipinas, but the Philippines team has already surprised the soccer world just by qualifying for the World Cup followed by the upset victory versus New Zealand. Could they manage another surprise?

"We had some luck, but we also earned our luck," Stajcic said in a post-game media event. "For team sports, it would have to be one of the best achievements in the history of the country," 

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

18-year old Filipino American makes her World Cup debut

Alyssa Thompson  takes control of the ball in the World Cup match against Vietnam.

Alyssa Thompson, the teenage phenom on the United States Women's National Football Team made her World Cup debut July 22 playing alongside her soccer idols.

The US women were ahead 3-0 and in control in the second half of its first 2023 World Cup game against Vietnam, when manager Vlatko Andonovski in the 75th minute, called on the Filipino/Peruvian American to go into the game, subbing for starter Trinity Rodman.

And that may be Andonovski's way to get the teams youngest member and budding star valuable international experience in a real-game situation with minimum pressure: when the opponent is tired, put in  Thompson known for her speed and nimble ball-handling.

Now that the young Californian, who plays for the first-year pro team, Angels FC, is over her nerves, no doubt we'll see more of her as an aggressive forward.

"I was pretty nervous just to play my first World Cup game," said Alyssa after the game. "But once I was on the sideline, I was kind of overcome with happiness and excitement, just because I was going into my first World Cup, and I wasn't feeling any other emotion. 

“But once I stepped on,” she said, “obviously all the nerves go away, and I’m just ready to play soccer and win the game.”

“She improvises and you never know what she is going to do,” said  Andonovski. “She can do one-on-one or one-on-two and can use her right or left foot. It is very difficult to mark her because she is so creative.”

Playing without the pressure of having to score is good for Alyssa, who is expected to be eventually become one of the stars of the United States' next generation of soccer stars that includes Rodman and Sophia Smith, both of whom were also playing their first World Cup match. Smith scored two goals in the game against Vietnam.

The three also represent the new diversity emerging in the sport that in the 1990s after the US won its first World Cup. The leagues that sprung up inspired the stars such as Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain gained a reputation as  a sport for white suburban girls.

Alyssa first began getting attention of the soccer world when she was 14-years old and not only playing on a boys team, but outperforming them. Playing with the boys through high school got her used to the more physical game.

This Spring when she was still studying for her high school finals, Alyssa was the first player picked in the pro-league draft when the Angel City FC drafted her.

She earned a call-up to the national team last year and played in a match in England, subbing in for one of her idols Megan Rapinoe. “Even now, every time I see her I’m starstruck,” Alyssa admitted last month. “I don’t believe that I’m her teammate. It’s crazy to me.”

“I look up to so many people on this team,” Alyssa said.

A former coach said she could be for soccer what Serena Williams is for tennis.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but I’m not joking,” said Carlos Marroquin, coach and owner of the semi-pro Santa Clarita Blue Heat. “In another two or three years, Alyssa is going to be the best player in the US and the world.”

FYI: The next World Cup match for the US is against the Netherlands on Thursday, July 27, in Wellington, New Zealand. Because of the International Dateling, US fans can view the game July 26, 6 p.m. PDT on FS1.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Filipinas lose to Swiss but gain valuable experience in World Cup debut

The Philippines' goalkeeper (No. 1) just blocked two Swiss goal attempts when Seraina Piubel
 (No. 17) found the rebound and kicked in Switzerland's second goal.

It was not the Cinderella script that the Philippines Women's football team wanted. Instead, the Filipinas saw a reality show when they lost their first game, 0-2, at the FIFA World Cup games in New Zealand.

"Unfortunately, we got an unfortunate PK [penalty kick] and messed around in the box but I mean, things won't go our way sometimes and we just have to keep building off from that, learn from this time and get ready to go for the next one," the Filipinas' Olivia McDaniel told the Manila Times.

The seasoned team from Switzerland overwhelmed the scrappy and disciplined Filipinas, primarily made up of players born in the United States and one of the youngest teams at the World Games. It was the first time the Philippines, men or women, qualified for international football's premier tournament.

"There's no doubt they are the better team, and they should be," Philippines coach Alen Stajcic said after the match Thursday. "I was really proud of the spirit that our team showed. I think we showed that we can be competitive."

Switzerland had 17 goal attempts vs. 3 by the Filipinas. In the early going, the 46th-ranked Philippines team looked like they might be a match with the 20th-ranked Swiss even though the Europeans were bigger and used their size to their advantage in the one-on-one matchups.

In the 16th minute, it appeared like the Philippines scored with an attempt by Katrina Guillou, who was born in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, the goal was nullified by an offsides call. 

The near score seemed to wake up the Swiss offense as they began to dominate the game. Switzerland finally scored with a free kick on a controversial penalty with one minute to go in the first half.

If not for Philippines' goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, the score could have been more lopsided. Constantly under pressure, she blocked 15 Swiss attempts. Switzerland  scored a second goal in the second half in a tussle right in front of the Philippines goal. McDaniel, born in Laguna Beach, Calif. McDaniel blocked two consecutive goal attempts but a Swiss player Seraina Piubel kicked the rebound into the net.

"For us to compete against a team like (Switzerland) is miraculous, really," said Stajcic. "You saw true spirit, true heart, a team that never gave up, proud of their jersey, proud of the flag, proud of the people they represent, and I think that's the most important thing."

"To come to this level and play against players from Europe, against a team like that is miraculous."

The opposing manager had nothing but praise for the inexperienced Filipinas, who proved to be no easy pushover. “Yes, they were a very disciplined team. A big compliment — they’re a dangerous team, and I think that they presented themselves well and displayed sportsmanship,” said Inka Grings in German after the match.

“I’m excited to see how their next two games will play out. I think that every single player and the country should be very proud.”

With the win, Switzerland will next face Norway with a place in the next round of 16 at stake. Only the top two teams in each four-team groups will advance. Favored Norway was upset by New Zealand in the World Cup opener, 0-1.

The Philippines next World Cup match will be against co-host New Zealand on July 25. (Because New Zealand is a day ahead of the US, the game can be viewed in the US on July 24, 10:30 p.m. PDT on the FS1 Network.) In a friendly match on Sept. 22, 2022, the New Zealand beat the Filipinas 2-1. 

It was an emotional moment for the 23-member team and the thousands of Filipinos in the stands at in Forsyth Barr Stadium when Lupang Hinirang, was played  before the game as it was the Philippine national anthem was played at the FIFA World Cup.

McDaniel said she's struggled to rein in her emotions after hearing the Philippine national anthem played on the biggest football stage for the very first time.

"It was a whole mix of emotions in me," said McDaniel, who has moved to the Philippines. "We all felt it — we were buzzing and ready to go. I mean, the scoreline, it didn't go our way but we were ready to go," said McDaniel,

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Pew survey: America is still in the heart for Asian Americans, most favor Taiwan but not the PRC

In the last few years, Asian Americans have been experiencing a dramatic rise in  hate incidents from verbal insults to mass shootings, a new survey finds that about  three quarters of Asian Americans say there is no other country they'd rather be in.

According to a new analysis of Asian American adults, around three-quarters of Asian Americans (78%) have a favorable view of the United States – including 44% who have very favorable views of the country. 

Conducted July 5, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023 among thousands of Asian adults living in the US, the survey found opinion of Japan, Korea and Taiwan is also quite positive, while views of Vietnam, the Philippines and India are somewhat mixed; and opinion of China is predominantly negative.

Among Asian Americans who trace their heritage to these places, opinions of their own ancestral homeland are largely positive – though Chinese American adults are the exception perhaps due to the negative media coverage of the Peoples Republic of China's espionage efforts including the recent discovery of a Chinese spy balloon flying over portions of the US. There is also growing tension between the US and the PRC as the two nations compete economically, politically and militarily.

About nine-in-ten Taiwanese and Japanese Americans say their opinion of their ancestral homelands is very or somewhat favorable, as do large majorities of Korean, Indian and Filipino adults. A smaller majority of Vietnamese Americans (59%) say they have a favorable view of Vietnam, while fewer than half of Chinese Americans (41%) hold a favorable opinion of China. (Note: Asian origin groups findings are among respondents who self-identify with one Asian origin only.)

FYI: Read the entire PEW report.

Among the report's other key findings:

• Members of each Asian origin group tend to view their own ancestral homeland much more favorably than other Asian adults. For example, among the seven origin groups highlighted in this report, the difference is the largest on views of India: 76% of Indian Americans have a favorable opinion of India, compared with 23% of other Asian Americans, a gap of 53 percentage points.

o Chinese and Vietnamese adults are the only origin groups in this analysis to express more favorable views of other places in Asia than their ancestral homelands. Chinese adults see Japan, Taiwan and South Korea more favorably than they do China. Vietnamese adults see Japan more favorably than they do Vietnam.

• As tensions rise between mainland the PRC and Taiwan, Chinese Americans’ favorability of Taiwan over mainland China is particularly notable: 62% of Chinese Americans say they have a favorable view of Taiwan, higher than the share who say the same about China (41%).

o Chinese Americans’ views of the PRC and Taiwan vary by nativity, immigration experience and how long they have lived in the United States. Chinese immigrant adults are more likely than those born in the US to hold favorable views of China (45% vs. 25%.) Meanwhile, when it comes to opinion of Taiwan, US-born Chinese adults are somewhat more likely than immigrant adults to view Taiwan favorably (70% vs. 60%).

• There is little difference in views across political party affiliation, which is particularly notable on views toward the PRC. Nearly identical shares of Republican and Democratic Asian Americans see China positively (20% and 18%, respectively) and negatively (55% and 52%). This departs from trends seen among the general U.S. public, in which our past analyses have found that Republicans are more likely than Democrats to hold an unfavorable opinion of China.

• About half of Asian Americans (53%) say the United States will be the world’s leading economic power over the next decade. About one-third (36%) of Asian adults say China will be the leading economic power globally in the next 10 years and much lower shares say the same of India and Japan. Views of the next decade’s top economy varies by place of birth, age and gender.

• Most Asian adults say they would not move to their ancestral homeland, though this varies by nativity and time spent in the U.S. Nearly three-quarters of Asian adults (72%) say they would not move there (or, in some cases, move back) if they had the chance, while 26% say they would. Asian immigrants are about twice as likely as those born in the U.S. to say they would move to these places of heritage (30% vs. 14%).

• Interest in moving to ancestral homelands is lower among immigrants who have lived in the United States for a longer time. About half (47%) of Asian immigrants who have been in the U.S. for 10 years or less say they would move to their ancestral homelands, compared with roughly one-in-five (22%) who have been in the U.S. for more than 20 years.

o Among the 26% of Asian Americans who say they would move to their ancestral homelands, the top reasons include being closer to friends or family (36%) and a lower cost of living (22%). Smaller shares also pointed to greater familiarity with the culture, better support for older people, and feeling safer in their homeland.

• The survey explores what each Asian origin group’s main reason for moving to their ancestral homelands would be. (Note: The effective sample size was too small to report Taiwanese and Japanese Americans who say they would move to their ancestral homeland.)

o Among Chinese adults living in the U.S. who say they would move to China, the main reason reported is being closer to family and friends (27%) and familiarity with Chinese culture (24%).

o Among Filipino adults living in the U.S. who say they would move to the Philippines, the main reason reported is lower cost of living (47%) and proximity to friends or family (35%).

o Among Indian adults living in the U.S. who say they would move to India, the main reason reported is lower cost of living (52%).

o Among Korean adults living in the U.S. who say they would move to South Korea, the main reason reported is access to better health care (24%) and proximity to family and friends (22%).

o And finally, among Vietnamese adults living in the U.S. who say they would move to Vietnam, the main reason reported is lower cost of living (35%) and proximity to friends and family (32%).

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

 

 

Filipino enough? Women’s soccer team represents the Filipino diaspora at the FIFWorld Cup

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Most members of the Philippines women's national soccer team were not born in the Philippines.

UPDATED: July 20, 5 PM to include television times for North America.

The women athletes come from California, Texas, Australia, Iceland and Europe. They come together to represent the Philippines in the the FIFA World Cup of women's football (for you from North America, that's soccer).

Eighteen players of the 23-member Philippine women's national soccer team line-up  were born in the United States where they grew up and learned the beautiful game.

The days when critics complained that the players were not Filipino enough are behind them. After qualifying for the World Cup, the first time a team from the Philippines qualified, the team members are being embraced by the local Filipino community and Philippine Embassy.  When they arrived in Aukland, New Zealand the crowd of Filipinos greeted them with cheers and an inspirational song.

When they won a bronze medal at the Southeast Asian Games and later qualified for the FIFA World Cup with a team that included only four Philippine-born players, some people questioned if the foreign-born players should represent the Philippines because, say the critics, "not Filipino" even though their racial heritage included at least one Filipino parent.

“It makes me feel bad, especially for some of the girls," says forward Chandler McDaniel, who was born in Orange, California and honed her skills playing for Virginia Tech and transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"Some people haven’t been really accepting but I think when you’re Filipino, you’re Filipino. You don’t need someone to tell you if you are, or you aren’t. We don’t need someone to tell us … because we know.”

That controversy may have been one of the reasons the team changed its name from the "Malditas," which in some contexts can have a negative connotation, to the more politically correct, "Filipinas."

The Philippines squad is in Group A along with co-host New Zealand, Switzerland and 12th-ranked Norway. If US audiences want to watch the Filipinas' matches, they would have to get up early in the morning. (See Schedule, below)

Watch Philippines Women's World Cup Schedule on FS1 channel.

Not unexpectedly, the 49th-ranked Filipinas are underdogs in each match. The Philippine team hopes they can have a Cinderella round going against the odds.

The turnaround for the Philippines women was with the hiring of Australian coach Alan Stajcic, who had guided Australia's Matildas to the 2016 Olympics.

"For me personally, I've said it publicly already, (coaching the Filipinas) is probably the best achievement so far of my coaching career," he said.

The Filipino players "haven't been spoiled by the trappings of professional sport or elite sport and were really grateful for everything they were given because previously they were given very little, having that gratitude and having that humility within the group, having that collective vision, I don't want this team to lose it," said Stajcic.

He had 10 weeks in California to get to know the individual players and mold them into a team for international play. It was in the middle of the COVID lockdown so many of the players were out of condition. It wasn't until the ninth week of competing against "friendlies" of other national and local teams that all of the Filipno players had played an entire 90 minutes each.

Most of the US-based players played for their college teams or with professional clubs not only in the US but also Europe, Japan and Australia.

One of the players that other teams will focus on is Sarina Bolden, who is from Milpitas, Calif. Bolden played for Loyola Marymount University in California before  playing in the US, Sweden, Taiwan and Japan. She has been with an Australian team, the Western Sydney Wanderers since 2022.

She sets an example for the rest of the players with her all-out style of play, inspiring others to give their all too.

“I’m a player who has energy,” she told fifa.com. “I try my best to bring that energy and keep the tempo high. And I think I’m a leader on the field. All of that makes me the player that I am.” 

Coach Stajcic named the roster for New Zealand July 8. They include:

• GK: Olivia McDaniel (Milwaukee Panthers)
• GK: Kiara Fontanilla (Central Coast Mariners, Aus.)
• GK: Kaiya Jota (Stanford Cardinal)
• DF: Alicia Barker (Pacific Northwest)
• DF: Angela Beard (Western Union, Aus.)
• DF: Reina Bonta (Santos, Brazil)
• DF: Malea Cesar (Blacktown City, Aus.)
• DF: Jessika Cowart (IFK Kalmar, Sweden)
• DF: Hali Long (Kaya–Iloilo)
• DF: Dominique Randle (Por/KA, Iceland)
• MF: Tahnai Annis (Por/KA, Iceland)
• MF: Ryley Bugay (Germany Saarbrucken)
• MF: Anicka Castañeda (Mt Druitt Town Rangers, Aus.)
• MF: Sara Eggesvik (Norway KIL/Hemne)
• MF: Carleigh Frilles (Blacktown Spartans)
• MF: Isabella Pasion (Lebanon Trail High School, Texas)
• MF: Jaclyn Sawicki (Western United, Aus.)
• FW: Katrina Guillou (Pitea IF, Sweden)
• FW: Sarina Bolden (Western Sydney Wanderers, Aus.)
• FW: Isabella Flanigan (West Virginia Mountaineers)
• FW: Chandler McDaniel (Milwaukee Panthers)
• FW: Quinley Quezada (Red Star Belgrade)
• FW: Meryll Serrano (Norway Stabaek)

The Filipinas proudly celebrated after their historic win qualifying them for the World Cup.

The youngest player is 16-year old Isabella Pasion from Frisco, Texas. As a reserve, she might not see any playing time, but if she does play, she'll be one of the youngest players in a world cup, male or female. 

Reina Bonta is the daughter of California's Attorney General Rob Bonta. She plays for Santos, one of the most popular teams in Brazil. Santos fans have already dubbed her "Queen Bonta."

“We’re always finding ways to improve on the ball and off the ball, tactics, set pieces, always focusing on our mentality," Stajcic told the Philippines Inquirer.

“We’re always fine tuning and always looking at those details in improving as an individual or as a whole group. I think we’re all just really excited to get to the starting line,” said the coach.

"The team spirit has been fantastic (and I) can’t fault any one of the players,” Stajcic said after the Filipinas’ second training session in Auckland, New Zealand. “It’s such a beautiful group to work with and train with.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @eduardodiok on Threads.net, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.