Civil Rights Commission issues report on federal reponse to anti-Asian racism

Law enforcement agencies across the United States need to be more vigorous in investigating alleged hate attacks against Asian Americans, says a new report.

The United States Commission on Civil Rights released the report Tuesday, "The Federal Response to Anti-Asian Racism in the United States." Based on extensive research, expert and public testimony, the report assesses the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the US from 2019 through 2021, and the federal role in preventing and enforcing federal hate crime laws.

“The report indicates that language barriers are impeding the reporting of incidents and that many incidents that do not meet the legal criteria for hate crimes, such as racial slurs or being spat on, still evoke fear but go unaccounted for in official statistics. said Commission Chair, Rochelle Mercedes Garza.

This report examines three main areas: 1) national trends and data regarding the rise of hate incidents and hate crimes against members of Asian communities; 2) local and state law enforcement’s prevention and reporting practices regarding hate crimes; and 3) federal efforts and policies that encourage greater participation in reporting hate crime incidents, as well as prosecution and enforcement efforts to prevent hate crimes.

“Ultimately, the absence of adequate performance metrics poses a significant challenge in assessing the federal government's effectiveness in combating the surge in hate crimes against the Asian community," said Garza. 

"While these barriers continue to exist, the Commission has outlined holistic strategy to combat anti-Asian hate incidents, ranging from data collection improvements and legal enforcement to community support and education initiatives.”

While anti-Asian sentiment is part of US history, the bias encouraged a rise in attacks against all Asians during the Donald Trump administration when through the use of racist slurs and innuendoes, Trump linked the COVID-10 virus to China and by inference, Chinese people. That surge of anti-Asian hate continues to this day.

Key findings in the report show that more comprehensive and national data is necessary to fully understand the extent of the harm that is being felt by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities.

The report found:

● A major impediment to understanding the severity and magnitude of hate crimes against persons of Asian descent is the lack of comprehensive data. 

● The transition to the NIBRS data collection has been slow for some agencies: for 2021, the number of participating agencies within the FBI hate crime database was 11,834, compared to the 15,138 participating agencies for 2020 data, and many of the agencies that have not submitted 2021 data are the largest jurisdictions. 

A major impediment to understanding the severity and magnitude of hate crimes against persons of Asian descent is the lack of comprehensive data, states the report. "Without mandatory national data collection and training law enforcement on how to accurately identify and report hate crimes, preventing these crimes is substantially challenging."

As a result, the report concludes, hate crime victims are less likely to report incidents due to fear of retaliation, concerns that justice would not be served, and distrust in the criminal justice system.

Another major barrier to gaining a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude of hate violence against Asian communities may be due to incidents not rising to the legal benchmark of a hate crime. Many incidents that are reported to community organizations, such as being spit on or called racial slurs are not accounted for in official numbers, yet still invoke fear in community members

In addition, the report finds that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and victim services must identify deficiencies in and bolster their Limited English Proficient (LEP) programs to ensure all community members are reached.

SCREEN CAPTURE / X

Rep. Grace Meng, left, gets a briefing on the report from Civil Rights Chair Commission Chair
 Rochelle Mercedes Garza.

Among the eight members of the Commission is Queens resident Glenn Magpanta, the only Asian American on the panel. Magpantay was recommended and sworn in this past February and Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-NY.

“As the only Asian American Pacific Islander currently serving on the Commission, this report has a deep personal connection to me,” said Filipino American Magpantay. “I am the survivor of a hate crime for being gay from 25 years ago and the victim of a hate crime for being Asian from 25 months ago.

Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, welcomed the report but acknowledged that more needs to be done to address the continuing attacks against Asian Americans.

"While there have been comprehensive efforts to address the alarming increase in anti-Asian hate crimes since the coronavirus pandemic began, like the enactment of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, the findings in this report show that more must be done to ensure this law is fully implemented and the civil rights of AANHPIs are fully protected."

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 Analysis: Asian Americans base their vote on policy, not race

ANALYSIS

Republicans are in for a rude awakening if they think they can break up the Asian American vote which went heavily for Democrats in 2020 and 2022. The GOP has two Indian Americans vying for the Presidential nomination, one of which  could possibly be the Republican candidate for President, or more likely, selected as a running mate.

Nearly all Asian American registered voters (97%) say a candidate’s policy positions are more important than their race or ethnicity when deciding whom to vote for, according to a new analysis by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.

A candidate's race, it appears, is not that critical to Asian American voters, the fastest growing voting bloc in the US. This sentiment is widespread among all major demographic subgroups of Asian registered voters. 

These findings are especially relevant as the 2024 US presidential election approaches. Two candidates of South Asian ancestry, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, are running for the Republican nomination.

At the same time, a 68% majority of Asian registered voters say it’s extremely or very important to have a national leader who can advance the concerns of the U.S. Asian community, according to a nationally representative Pew Research Center survey conducted from July 2022 to January 2023.

Much like other American voters, inflation is the top concern for Asian American registered voters, according to the Pew survey with 41% reporting it’s the most important issue facing the community they live in. 

Economic inequality (16%) is the second-most mentioned issue, followed by violent crime (11%) and racism (9%). Having violent crime and racism come in a distant third and fourth among Asian American concerns is somewhat of a surprise considering the surge in anti-Asian hate aattacks that have surged since the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic.

Althouh a candidate's race may not be the deciding factor for Asian American voters, 68% say it’s important to have a national leader advancing the concerns of the Asian American community, says the Pew survey.

Asian American voters tend to prefer the Democratic Party almost two-to-one: 62% are Democrats or lean Democratic, while 34% are Republicans or GOP leaners. Most Asian origin groups are majority Democratic. However, more Vietnamese registered voters identify as Republican than Democratic (51% vs. 42%).

Views of top issues also vary somewhat by nativity among Asian American registered voters – that is, based on whether they were first generation immigrants or if they were born in the US. The Pew survey, taken in the latter half of 2022 and early 2023, was focused on the six largest Asian American communities: Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese and conducted in those languages.

Asian registered voters born in the US are slightly more likely than immigrants to view economic inequality as the most important issue facing their community. However, importance of issues varies less by nativity than by party among Asian Americans.

Among the six largest Asian subgroups surveyed by Pew, inflation is consistently cited as the biggest issue facing Asian American voters’ communities.

In addition, the ranking of issues is largely similar across the diverse Asian communities, though some minor differences emerge:

• Japanese registered voters (28%) are more likely than Chinese (15%), Filipino (15%), Indian (13%) and Vietnamese (9%) voters to view economic inequality as the biggest issue facing their community.

• 15% of Indian registered voters say climate change is the most important issue facing their community. This is higher than the share saying the same among Filipino (7%), Chinese (6%), Japanese (6%) and Vietnamese (5%) voters.

Though Asian Americans make up only about 7% of the total US population, their communities are concentrated in key districts and states an d can tilt the election one way or the other. For example, the Asian American vote was a factor in tthe 2020 election where Georgia's electoral votes went to Democrat Joe Biden even though before the election, the state was thought to be a safe vote for the Republicans. Georgia's shift to the Democrats also gave that party a majority in the US Senate.

Asian American votes were also the deciding factor in Congressional races in California with its large Asian American communities and flexed their political muscles in New York, South Carolina, New Jersey, Michigan and Minnesota.

As a result, both major parties realize that the Asian American vote cannot be ignored and are making moves, with varying degrees of success, to influence Asian American voters in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Other surveys revealed that 50% of Asian Americans have a bachelor's degree or higher, more than any other ethnicity. College-educated voters of all racial groups is a demographic that has leaned towards Democrats in recent election cycles.

As the Pew results suggest, in choosing policy over a candidates' race, Asian American voters are more politically savvy than traditional strategists assumed in the past -- a result of racial bias -- and the Asian American electorate won't be swayed by appealing to ethnic loyalty.

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.

Two Asian American gymnasts make US gymnastic team, but not Suni Lee

The US women's gymnastic team going to Worlds are, from left: Joselyn Roberson, Leanne Wong, Shilese Jones, Kayla DiCello, Skye Blakely and Simone Biles.

One familiar name will be missing on the women's gymnastic team the United States will be sending to the Artistic World Championships this coming weekend. However, the 2020 Olympic all-around gold medalist Sunisa Lee will not be making the trip to Antwerp, Belgium.

The 20-year old Lee, the first Hmong American to win an Olympic gold for the US, had to withdraw from competition to recover from nagging health issues.

“It was a very difficult decision, but my health is more important and I’m not in the best shape right now,” said Lee in an Instagram story post last week.

“I have been in and out of the gym just because there’s just so many doctor’s appointments, and I’m taking a lot of medication, so it kind of varies every day,” Lee told Olympics.com last month. “I could wake up very swollen some days and not be able to put my fingers inside my grips. It’s really difficult to kind of work through, but on the days that I can do stuff and I am feeling good, I try and take advantage of that and just get everything done.”

Leading the US women's team will be Simone Biles, who at the age of 26 is making a triumphant return to competitive gymnastics after she dropped out of the 2020 Olympics for mental health reasons. The same kidney-related condition was a factor in Lee dropping out of competing for Auburn University last year.

Joining Biles on the US team are two less familiar Asian Americans but who have been competing internationally for years: 2021 World all-around silver and floor exercise bronze medalist Leanne Wong, and 2021 World Championships all-around bronze medalist Kayla DiCello, who was named traveling replacement athlete.

Rounding out the team will be 2022 World all-around and uneven bars silver medalist Shi Jones; 2022 team gold medalist Skye Blakely; 2021 World all-around silver and first-time Worlds competitor, 2023 US vault champion Joscelyn Roberson.

The Worlds US team wa named following a second day of select routines Sept. 20. Also named were the US women's team for the Pan Am Games slated for Oct. 21-25 in Santiago, Chile.

DiCello will also compete in Santiago along with Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles; 2023 US floor exercise runner up and Winter Cup champion Kaliya Lincoln; 2023 Pan American Championships all-around, balance beam and team gold medalist Tiana Sumanasekera; and 2023 Winter Cup and Core Hydration Classic uneven bars champion Zoe Miller.

Sixteen-year old Sumanasekera, from Pleasanton, California, is the first Sri Lanka-born athlete to represent the US.

Suni Lee

Suni Lee, a Minneapolis-native, however, has no regrets for passing up this year's competitions. Her next goal is to prepare herself for next season’s tryouts for the 2024 Olympics.

“(It) was definitely a hard decision, but I’m 100% sure I made the right call in order to be my best for the upcoming year,” said Lee.

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.

New Jersey: Asian American congressman challenging embattled Sen. Bob Menendez

US Sen. Bob Menendez, left, is being challenged by US Rep. Andy Kim.

Representative Andy Kim, one of New Jersey's most popular political leaders, announced that he will run against US Senator Bob Menendez, who is under indictment for numerous bribery charges.

US Rep. Andy Kim launched his 2024 campaign against Menendez after the Cuban American senator ignored calls for his resignation.

“This is not something I expected to do, but I believe New Jersey deserves better,” Kim said in a statement. “We cannot jeopardize the Senate or compromise our country’s integrity. I believe it’s time we restore faith in our democracy, and that’s why I am stepping up and running for Senate.”

After the latest indictment charges, Menendez said Friday, “I am not going anywhere.” ignoring calls from Democratic Party leaders and fellow senators to step down.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also announced that Menendez would have to step down as chairman per Senate Democratic caucus rules, since he has been charged with a felony. His announcement fell short of asking Menendez to resign.

US Attorney Damian Williams said: “As the grand jury charged, between 2018 and 2022, Senator Menendez and his wife engaged in a corrupt relationship with Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes – three New Jersey businessmen who collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes Benz, and other things of value – in exchange for Senator Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich those businessmen and to benefit the Government of Egypt."

Authorities who searched Menendez’s home last year found more than $100,000 worth of gold bars, as well as over $480,000 in cash — much of it hidden in closets, clothing and a safe, prosecutors say. The indictment includes photos of cash stuffed in envelopes in jackets bearing Menendez’s name and of a luxury car that prosecutors say was given to the couple as a bribe from the businessmen.

The Department of Justice which issued the indictments, reminded media that the chargesare merely accusations, and "the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."

If Kim is successful in winning the New Jersey Senate seat, he would be only the third Asian American US senator, joining Illinois' Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono.

"I feel compelled to run against him. Not something I expected to do, but NJ deserves better. We cannot jeopardize the Senate or compromise our integrity," Kim said in a social media posting.

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 202O Census: A majority of Native Hawaiians don't live in Hawaii

US CENSUS BUREAU





HIGHLIGHTS
• Native Hawaiian was the largest Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) alone group (199,880) and alone or in any combination group (680,442).
•  Nearly all NHPI groups grew from 2010 to 2020. The Chuukese alone population was the fastest growing NHPI alone group, increasing 296.2% to 10,500 in 2020.
• The fastest growing NHPI alone or in any combination group was Papua New Guinean, which increased by 249.3% to 1,453 people during the decade.

There are more Native Hawaiians living on the Mainland than in Hawaii, according to a report from the US Census released Thursday.

Less than half of the Native Hawaiian alone or in any combination population lived in Hawaii (46.7%) in 2020, down from 55.0% in 2010.

That finding is based on the data collected in 2020, the exodus of Native Hawaiians from their homeland continues in 2023 exacerbated by the high cost of living in the island state.

On a county-by-county basis, the top three counties with Native Hawaiians  are, in descending order, are Honolulu, Hawaii and Maui. The next two are Clark County, Nevada (which includes Las Vegas) and San Diego County in California.

“The truth is, we see it. We see our people moving. We hear about it,” said Kuhio Lewis, CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

“This is our families, this is our neighbors, this is our friends. So we felt this trajectory coming a long time ago,” he told Hawaii News Now.

A lot of Native Hawaiians have moved to California. The Golden State also appears to be the favored destinations for immigrants from Pacific nations and territories of the US. It is home to the largest communities of Samoans, Chamorros, Tongans, Fijians and Marshalese.

The information about Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders was part of a treasure trove of data gathered from the US Census. 

The Census Bureau's press release follows:

Newly released results from the 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A show that the populations of nearly all the 31 detailed Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) groups grew over the past decade.

The Chuukese alone population was the fastest growing NHPI alone group, increasing 296.2% to 10,500 people from 2010 to 2020, according to the 2020 Census data released today.

The fastest growing NHPI alone or in any combination group was the Papua New Guinean alone or in any combination population, which increased by 249.3%, to 1,453 people during the same period.

In this article, we discuss data from the race question on detailed race alone and race alone or in any combination populations.  

The race alone population represents the minimum number of people who identified as that detailed group, and includes respondents who reported one response, such as Native Hawaiian.

The race alone or in any combination population includes respondents who reported one response, such as Native Hawaiian, and those who reported more than one, such as Native Hawaiian and Samoan or Native Hawaiian and Asian. The race alone or in any combination population represents the maximum number of people who identified as that detailed group.  

This information is important to frame the discussion of racial and ethnic composition and help us understand our country’s changing demographics as it becomes much more multiracial.

Change in detailed NHPI groups: 2010-2020

Nearly all detailed NHPI groups grew over the decade. Detailed NHPI alone or in any combination groups with smaller populations in 2010 (less than 50,000) tended to grow faster over the decade.

The Papua New Guinean, Chuukese, Ni-Vanuatu, Carolinian, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, Marshallese, I-Kiribati and Yapese alone or in any combination populations more than doubled, increasing more than 100% in 2020.

Detailed NHPI groups with larger populations in 2010 (greater than 50,000) more frequently grew at slower rates but remained the largest detailed NHPI groups in 2020.

The Native Hawaiian alone or in any combination population grew by 29.1% from 527,077 in 2010 to 680,442 in 2020. It remained the largest NHPI alone or in any combination group in 2020, comprising nearly 43% of the NHPI alone or in combination population in the United States.

The Native Hawaiian alone population was also the largest NHPI alone group (199,880 or 29.0%) and grew 28.0% between 2010 and 2020.

The Samoan population continued to be the second-largest detailed NHPI alone or in any combination group (256,997) and the second-largest detailed NHPI alone group (133,148), representing 16.2% of the NHPI alone or in combination population and 19.3% of the NHPI alone population.

The Samoan alone population grew by 21.4% and the Samoan alone or in any combination population grew by 39.3%.

Chamorro was the third-largest detailed NHPI group, with 10.2% of the NHPI alone population identifying as Chamorro alone (70,704) and 9.1% of the NHPI alone or in combination population identifying as Chamorro alone or in any combination (143,947).

The Chamorro population was the only detailed NHPI group that experienced population loss in both their alone (down 19.9%) and alone or in any combination (down 2.6%) populations. These declines are not surprising because of the improvements made to the 2020 Census to disaggregate data for the Chamorro and Guamanian populations and may also be related to demographic changes over the past ten years.

The next largest detailed NHPI alone or in any combination groups were Tongan, Fijian and Marshallese, which all had populations over 50,000.

        FYI: 

• To learn more about the 2020 population size of all NHPI groups for the nation, states and counties, view the Detailed Races and Ethnicities in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2020 Census data visualization.
• Asian Indians alone are the largest group among Asian American communities.

Detailed NHPI Population Shifts in States

The proportions of several detailed NHPI groups living in California and Hawaii declined while the shares of these populations increased in other states across the country.

Arkansas had the largest proportion of the Marshallese alone or in any combination population in the country, which was a change from 2010 when the largest share was in Hawaii.

From 2010 to 2020, the share of the Marshallese population living in Hawaii dropped from 33.0% to 18.8%, while the share living in Arkansas increased from 19.3% to 23.1%.

California had the largest proportions of the Samoan, Chamorro, Tongan and Fijian alone or in any combination populations in the country, though the shares of these populations living in the state declined.

Less than half of the Native Hawaiian alone or in any combination population lived in Hawaii (46.7%) in 2020, down from 55.0% in 2010.

Only one of the six largest NHPI groups had its population concentrated in one state in 2020: Over 70% of the Fijian alone or in any combination population lived in California and no other state had more than 10% of this group.

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.

2020 US Census: Asian Indians now the largest Asian-alone group in US

Ongoing immigration from Asian countries, which outpaces immigration from Latin America, is continuing to change the United States in so many ways -- culturally, sociologically, economically and racially -- and reshaping the popular image of what an American looks like.

One of the surprising findings of the US Census is that the Asian Indian alone population has surpassed all other Asian groups. 

It makes sense because immigration from India is a relatively recent phenomenon compared to the older Asian communities which experienced surges in the late 20th century. As a largely first-generation immigrant community, Asian Indians have had less time to integrate, or intermarry, into the wider American population.

The finding underlines the complex diversity within the Asian American communities  beyond the most popular East Asian image that most non-Asians have of Asians and the limitation and danger of lumping all the Asian ethnicities and nationalities under one group.

The Census released a report issued today (Sept. 21) highlights some of the bureau's findings based on the 2020 US Census. The press release follows:

The Asian Indian alone population became the nation’s largest Asian alone population group in 2020, growing by over 50% to 4,397,737 between 2010 and 2020.

The nation’s most populous Asian alone or in any combination group in 2020 was the Chinese, except Taiwanese population with 5.2 million, an increase of 37.2% since 2010.

2020 Census demographic characteristics on 41 detailed Asian groups released today show that the Nepalese population increased over 250% and was the fastest growing Asian alone and Asian alone or in any combination group among those with populations of 50,000 or more in 2010 (Table 1).

The Nepalese alone population increased 295.5% from 51,907 in 2010 to 205,297 in 2020. The Nepalese alone or in any combination population grew from 59,490 to 219,503, a 269.0% increase over the decade.

        FYI: For the complete US Census report on race and ethnicities, click here.

In this article, we present data from the race question on detailed race alone and race alone or in any combination populations.

The race alone population includes respondents who reported one response, such as Filipino. The race alone or in any combination population includes respondents who reported one response, such as Filipino, and it also includes respondents who reported more than one, such as Filipino and Asian Indian or Filipino and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. The race alone or in any combination population represents the maximum number of people who identified as that detailed group.

As our country becomes much more diverse and multiracial, this information is important to frame the discussion of racial and ethnic composition and help us understand our country’s changing demographics.

Largest Asian Alone Groups in 2020

The Asian Indian alone population increased 54.7% to 4,397,737 between 2010 and 2020 to become the most populous Asian alone group in the nation.

The next largest Asian alone groups and their population change from 2010 to 2020:

• Chinese, except Taiwanese alone, 4,128,718 (up 31.6%).
• Filipino alone, 3,076,108 (up 20.4%).
• Vietnamese alone, 1,951,746 (up 26.0%).
• Korean alone, 1,508,575 (up 6.0%).
• Japanese alone, 741,544 (down 3.2%)

The Asian Indian alone or in any combination population increased 49.8% to 4,768,846 and was the second largest group in 2020.

The next four largest Asian alone or in any combination groups and their population growth from 2010 to 2020:

• Filipino alone or in any combination, 4,436,992 (up 29.9%).
• Vietnamese alone or in any combination, 2,293,392 (up 32.0%).
• Korean alone or in any combination, 1,989,519 (up 16.6%).
• Japanese alone or in any combination, 1,586,652 (up 20.6%).

To learn more about the 2020 population size of all detailed Asian alone and Asian alone or in any combination groups for the nation, states, and counties, including less populous groups such as Laotian, Sikh, Hmong, Bhutanese, and more, explore the Detailed Races and Ethnicities in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2020 Census data visualization.

States With Highest Shares of Largest Asian Groups

Of the six largest detailed Asian alone or in any combination groups, the largest share of each group (more than 18%) lived in California in 2020.

New York had the second largest proportions of the Chinese, except Taiwanese (15.9%) and Korean (8.1%) alone or in any combination populations in 2020.

Texas was the state with the second largest proportions of Asian Indian (10.6%) and Vietnamese (14.2%) alone or in any combination populations in 2020.

Hawaii had the second largest proportions of the Filipino (8.6%) and Japanese (19.7%) alone or in any combination populations in 2020.

Washington became an increasingly popular place of residence and is now in the top five home states for all but the Asian Indian alone or in any combination population. That’s a change from 2010 [PDF 2.6 MB] when Washington was in the top five only for the Filipino, Japanese and Vietnamese alone or in any combination populations.

Washington has now surpassed New Jersey to become the state with the fifth largest proportion of the Chinese, except Taiwanese alone or in any combination population and has surpassed Virginia as the state with the fifth largest proportion of the Korean alone or in any combination population.

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.

'Here Lies Love' where politics clashes with art

The musical "Here Lies Love" continues to stir fierce debate among lovers of Broadway musicals and political activists; between pro-Marcos and anti-Marcos factions; between harsh historical reality and glorified twisted history.

Since the musical debuted Off Broadway several years ago, there are those who absolutely hate the production and there are those who love the way the audience is immersed in the show and ultimately becomes part of the performance. 

The controversial musical, which features an all-Filipino cast, follows the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, the wife of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the Philippines for 20 years, amassing a fortune stolen from the Fililpino people and arrested and killed opposition leaders and took over businesses.

Yet, Filipino voters, awash in decades of misinformation and rewriting of history, elected the son, Bong Bong Marcos, as the nation's current President.

    FYI: Read more about the controversy surrounding 'Here Lies Love'

Does the musical glorify the Iron Butterfly? Or, does it make the audience realize their own transformation from being seduced by dancing with the former beauty queen; to becoming one with of the People Power  protesters who kicked the Marcos family out of the Philippines.

It is therefore not surprising that academia chimes in on the debate. If you're in the New York area and want to explore the implications of the musical that takes place during a dark chapter of the Philippines, you might be interested in the following two-day event.

The Philippine Studies Initiative at NYU invites you to the launch of “Here Lies Love in Critical Contexts,” a public syllabus by Nerve V. Macaspac (Queens College) and Lara Saguisag (New York University). The syllabus compiles resources that contextualize and complicate the musical Here Lies Love, which premiered on Broadway in July 2023. 

The two-day program, held in commemoration of the 51st anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines, includes film screenings and teach-ins that invite audiences to engage with some of the texts and themes included in the syllabus.

Here Lies Love is hailed as groundbreaking for featuring Broadway’s first all-Filipino cast. While we recognize and celebrate the talent of Filipino and Filipino American artists on Broadway, the organizers of the seminars also invites careful consideration of Filipino presence and representation in the musical and, more broadly, in the performing arts.

The syllabus hopes to bring to light the tensions that constitute and are generated by the Broadway production of Here Lies Love. In what ways can Filipino performers and producers recalibrate and remix a musical that is conceptualized, choreographed, and directed by White creators? What happens when a production that omits or liberally reinterprets facts about the conjugal dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda is supplemented by paratexts and community outreach efforts that seek to educate the public about Philippine history? How can projects that attempt to humanize Imelda account for how she shored up power through the dehumanization of tens of thousands of Filipinos? And what do we make of the responses and agencies of audience members, who come to the musical with varying degrees of knowledge about the Marcos regime?

Observed at the performances, some audience members giddily danced as the actors playing the Marcoses sang. At the same time, others stood still as if refusing to sway along. Some cheered when the words “Marcos wins!” flashed on the theater’s walls; later, others joined the performers in raising their hands to make the "L" sign for “Laban!” (Fight) to show their opposition.

“Remember, it’s a party!” This is one of the “party rules” for Here Lies Love’s dance floor ticket holders. The musical encourages the audience to dance and to lose themselves in the glamor of a nightclub setting.

There is no doubt that many are dazzled by its spectacular and innovative design. Yet even before the disco ball starts to turn, some are asking: How do we crash the parties of the powerful, the parties that come at the cost of people’s lives and freedoms?

“Here Lies Love in Critical Contexts” is a practice of paying attention to every beat and every false note, of hearing through distractions and distortions of tyrants. We hope this public syllabus strengthens our capacity and resolve to never again dance with dictators.

FYI: All events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.  Register via this Google Form.

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.

Free press wins as Maria Ressa acquitted of another trumped up charge

Maria Ressa overjoyed after the court acquits the Filipino American journalist.

Chalk up another win for democracy and the free press in the Philippines.

Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and her online news outlet Rappler were acquitted by the Philippines Regional Trial Court Tuesday (Sept. 12, 2023) on the final criminal tax charge leveled against them by the regime of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Ressa , 59, had a smile on her face as the judge delivered the acquittal, said AFP news agency. "You gotta have faith," she told journalists after the verdict was rendered.

"The acquittal now strengthens our resolve to continue with the justice system, to submit ourselves to the court despite the political harassment, despite the attack on press freedom," added the Fillipino American journalist Ressa, who spent part of her youth in New Jersey and graduated from Princeton University. She frequently visits family who still reside in New Jersey.

The judgment comes after a legal battle lasting nearly five years. If they had lost the case, Ressa could have been jailed for up to 10 years, while Rappler would have faced a fine.

“This verdict underlines that it is possible for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to chart a different course to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who waged a relentless campaign of media repression,” said the Hold The Line Coalition Steering Committee, an international coalition of free press advocates.

“We hope this judgment signals a revival of judicial independence in the Philippines after the previous administration’s instrumentalization of the courts as a means to erode press freedom and discredit independent reporting,” the Hold the Line Coalition said.

Ressa and Rappler were charged in connection with an alleged failure to accurately report financial details on their tax return pertaining to an amount of approximately US$ 11,000. But they have already paid twice that amount in bail and travel bonds associated with the charge.

In January, Ressa and Rappler were acquitted of four tax evasion cases before the Court of Tax Appeals in Manila in an emphatic victory.

While the verdict represents another reprieve, Rappler and Ressa, still face a sustained campaign of legal persecution and online violence, with 23 individual cases against them opened by the government since 2018.

Rappler and Ressa have maintained their innocence and continue to fight three other cases, including Ressa’s 2020 conviction on a trumped-up charge of criminal cyber libel, currently in the final phase of appeal before the Supreme Court. In that case alone, Ressa faces a seven-year jail sentence.

In an historic precedent, Rappler was officially issued a shutdown order in June 2022, reinforcing an earlier decision to revoke the outlet’s license to operate. The order was the first of its kind for the issuing agency and for Philippine media. The threat of shutdown lingers.

“This is a victory not just for Rappler but for everyone who has kept the faith that a free and responsible press empowers communities and strengthens democracy,” Rappler said in a statement.

“As an immediate next step, we call on the government to abandon all remaining cases against Rappler and Ressa, and in doing so, put a long-overdue end to their persecution,” in a statement issued by the Coalition.

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 Study: 1 in 5 Asian Americans hide their ethnic identity

YOUTUBE

ANALYSIS

One of my pet peeves about some AANHPI of mixed race heritage, especially Filipino Americans: When asked the inevitable question, "What are you ... really?" The response I decry lists part this, part that, this and that, and then at the very end, as an afterthought, they'd add, "... and Filipino," even though one of their parents is full-blooded Filipino.

It is as if they were ashamed to admit that part of their racial make-up. Apparently, this desire to fit in is common beyond Filipino Americans and afflicts many in the AANHPI communities, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.

“[It] was kind of that stigma when you were little, a teen, or you were younger that [you] don’t want to speak Chinese … because people would think that you’re a FOB [fresh off the boat] or an immigrant,” said one respondent, a 2nd generation Chinese American in his early 30s.

RELATED: How Asian Americans identify themselves

Many recent Asian immigrants said they have tried to fit into the US and fear that others may judge them negatively for sharing their heritage. US-born Asian Americans with immigrant parents often said they hid their heritage when they were growing up to fit into a predominantly White society.

FYI: For the complete Pew survey

In it's wide-ranging survey, which Pew teleased earlier this year, the research center learned that 1 in 5 Asian American adults say they have hidden a part of their heritage – cultural customs, food, clothing or religious practices – from non-Asians at some point in their lives. 

Fear of ridicule and a desire to fit in are common reasons they give for doing this, according to a Pew Research Center survey of Asian adults in the United States conducted from July 2022 to January 2023.

Why some Asian Americans hide their heritage

Pew analysts found tht Korean Americans are more likely than some other Asian origin groups to say they have hidden part of their heritage. One-in-four Korean adults (25%) say they have done this, compared with smaller shares of Chinese (19%), Vietnamese (18%), Filipino (16%) and Japanese (14%) adults.

Asian Americans who said they have hidden part of their heritage also shared why they did so. Some of the most common reasons were a feeling of embarrassment or a lack of understanding from others.

However, different immigrant generations also cited various other reasons for hiding their culture:

• Many recent Asian immigrants said they have tried to fit into the US and fear that others may judge them negatively for sharing their heritage.

• US-born Asian Americans with immigrant parents often said they hid their heritage when they were growing up to fit into a predominantly White society. Some in this generation mentioned wanting to avoid reinforcing stereotypes about Asians.

• Some multiracial Asian Americans and those with more distant immigrant roots (third generation or higher) said they had at times hidden their heritage to pass as White.

Birthplace and immigrant roots play a role in who is most likely to hide their heritage: 32% of US-born Asian adults have done this, compared with 15% of immigrants. 

Interestingly, second-generation Asian adults born in the US and whose parents were immigrants were more likely to hide their cultural heritage than their own children by almost a 3-to-1 margin (38% vs. 11%). It is as if after the desire for identifying with one's roots became stronger after a generation of denial. 

Complex struggle for identity

The generational see-saw battle between ethnic assertion and assimilation is not new. In the turbulent civil rights battles of the 60s and 70s, young Asoam adults and students found affinity with the manongs and manangs of Manilatown and Delano, in direct opposition to their parents' strategy to become more "American." 

It will be interesting to see the results of this back-and-forth pattern for identity continues. Will the fourth generation reject the third generation's search for ethnic identity or choose to become part of the American melting pot, the goal of their  grandparents?

The surge of anti-Asian hate appears to have galvanized the Asian American communities and united the generations in asserting their racial and geographical  roots. 

The same Pew study also found that Asian Americans identify more closely with their own subgroups, ie. Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, etc. before their identify "Asian American."

Complicating matters is that the struggle for identity is constantly being stirred because of the ongoing influx of immigrants from Asia, who have to ask themselves the same questions that faced previous generations, starting the cycle anew.

For Asian Americans, the search for self-identity is an ongoing quest with many variables. There is no one answer and there is no start and finish.

A young Korean American second-generation man told the Pew researchers: 

“(T)here are going to be ups and downs. Definitely one of the downs is being labeled by other people for our differences. But one of our ups is that we have culture and language that we can always rely on; we have some diversity in customs and cultures that we could go back to. And if people are willing to experience these new differences, we can definitely pass it on and spread awareness of different cultures.” 

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.