Nov. 4 Special Election: California acts to prevent voter intimidation

CalMatters

Federal and state election monitors will be present at some of California voting sites.

With the Special Election just days away, California Attorney General Rob Bonta  and Gov. Gavin Newsom held a virtual press conference to announce that the state will monitor the federal monitors sent by Donald Trump for the Nov. 4 election day.

Trump's weaponized Department of Justice will deploy election monitors to five California counties on Election Day, the department announced a week ago, in what it describes as an effort to “ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.”

While it is not uncommon to have monitors at the polls, Trump's order is seen by state officials as an an attempt to suppress voting by voters of color through intimidation after the GOP-controlled Supreme Court approved racial profiling by federal agents, including agents from ICE and the Border Patrol.

“Our election laws provide the backbone for a free and fair election, and as California’s top law enforcement officer, I will do everything in my power to protect your right to vote," said Bonta at a press conference.

Attorney General Bonta, a son of immigrant parents from the Philippines, enforces California’s election laws to ensure free and fair elections. In the lead up to the election and on Election Day, the California Department of Justice will be on call to provide assistance to the Secretary of State’s Office in enforcing California’s election laws, as needed, through a team of attorneys and administrative staff located across the state.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Atty General Rob Bonta assure no interference from
federal monitors during the November 4 Special Election.

Arrests of Asians by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have tripled compared to 2024, according to a study by UCLA.

“Voting is one of our most powerful tools for creating change. Thanks to its voters, its leaders, and the work of many organizations, California has become a national leader in making voting more accessible, more convenient, and more inclusive for everyone,” said Shilpi Agarwal, Legal Director at ACLU Northern California. “But rights cannot stand on their own — we must defend and exercise them. And we can do just that by voting — and voting early — in upcoming special election.”

“CAUSE’s 'Together We Vote' programming shows that civic participation can be creative, fun, and community-driven,” said Nancy Yap, Executive Director of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE). “Together takes many forms — whether you join us at a community event, drop your ballot in an official drop box, or vote early at a local vote center, every act of voting connects us and strengthens our collective voice.”

The California Voter Bill of Rights is printed in 23 different Asian languages. It is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Burmese, Gujarati, Hmong, Ilocano, Indonesian, Laotian, Mien, Mongolian, Nepali, Persian, Punjabi, Syriac, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

Proposition 50

There is only one issue to vote on Nov. 4: Proposition 50. The measure is in response to Texas legislation redrawing five Democratic-leaning Congressional districts to include more Republican voters as ordered by Trump, who wants to retain the GOP majority in the US House of Representatives. The Texas Governor has already signed the order gerrymandering those districts.

In retaliation, California Governor Gavin Newsom, is targeting five Republican Congressional districts to favor Democrats.

The big difference between the two actions is that California voters will decide whether or not the districts can be redrawn; whereas in Texas, the state legislature and governor rammed it down the throats of the voters, who have no say in the gerrymandering.

The request for federal watchdogs came from the California Republican Party, the Associated Press reports.

A "Yes" vote approves the temporary measure allowing the redistricting. Polls indicate that the proposition will pass in the heavily Democratic state. However, the Republican a long-shot strategy, with no hope of winning the majority in a fair election, is to limit Democratic-inclined voters from casting their ballots.

Voter intimidation

California Democrats immediately denounced the presence of DOJ monitors as a weaponization of the Justice Department against the state’s voters.

Latino American voters are particularly vulnerable to intimidation with ICE and the  Border Patrol arresting, detaining and deporting anyone who looks like an immigrant, even if they are here legally. Media reports have found that at least 170 US citizens have been detained or arrested by poorly trained federal agents.

FYI: The Secretary of State’s Office issued an updated memorandum concerning voter intimidation explaining, in part, that:

• It is a felony for any person to possess a firearm at a voting location or in the immediate vicinity of a voting location.
• It is illegal for any uniformed peace officer, private guard, or security personnel or any person who is wearing a uniform of a peace officer, guard, or security personnel to be stationed at or in the immediate vicinity of a voting location.
• Shirts, hats, or other displays that indicate a person is with "Election Security" or "Ballot Security" or apparel or accessories with any semblance of a logo or display that might be confused with any private guard or security company or government agency are prohibited. This includes observers and anyone who is not there to vote. 

While the majority of California's voters cast their ballots by mail, in the past, most Latino Americans preferred to vote in person as an expression of their patriotism, according to a survey by Latino Community Foundation. The presence of federal watchdogs might dissuade voters at the polls on election day.

However, the survey also found that two-thirds of the Latino voters surveyed said they were at least somewhat worried that ICE or Border Patrol agents could show up at polling places.

State Sen. Anna Caballero, a Democrat representing Merced, a city in one of the targeted districts, told CalMatters that US citizens told her they’re afraid to go outside, especially when there have been reports of ICE sightings in the region.

ICE said that there are no plans to have their agents at polling sites. However, the spokesperson said that if agents are monitoring a suspect and that person goes to the polls, agents can make an arrest at the voting site.

“They’re not going to be allowed to interfere in ways that the law prohibits,” Bonta, a Democrat, told reporters during the virtual news conference. “We cannot be naive. The Republican Party asked for the US DOJ to come in.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Race, religion, and the New York City mayoral race

SCREEN CCAPTURE

In an emotional speech, Zohran Mamdani defends his faith against "racist and baseless" attacks.

It was inevitable that in the 2025 New York City mayoral contest, race has become a significant and controversial factor, fueled by rhetoric from opponents of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, who is Indian American and a Muslim.

The controversy grew more heated after Indian American Mamdani's used the word "auntie" emerged from his emotional speech on October 25, in which he spoke out against what he described as anti-Islamic attacks on his campaign.

In his speech, Mamdani described the discrimination he faced while growing up in the shadow of 9/11, including how his name could be misconstrued and his family's fears. He recalled how one of his "aunties" was so frightened that she stopped taking the subway while wearing her hijab, "as if her existence itself was a provocation".

In Asian Indian culture, the term "auntie" is used as a broad term of respect for any older woman with whom one has a social or familial connection, not only a blood relative. The use of "auntie" can extend to neighbors, close family friends, and distant relatives, making it a culturally accepted and affectionate honorific.

His critics, hoping to catch Mamdani in a. le, criticized him for referring to his father's cousin as his "aunt," which was misinterpreted as a lie by some in the Western media and public. In his clarification, Mamdani explained that using "aunt" for a family cousin was a natural part of his South Asian upbringing. Vice President JD Vance. Vance issued a social media post mocking Mamdani for the anecdote.

Cultural norms around kinship terms vary globally. In some cultures, particularly in South Asia, terms like "auntie" and "uncle" are used more broadly than in some Western cultures. This can be a sign of respect for older individuals or reflect a sense of extended family connection.

Mamdani, who is a New York Assemblymember, described the attacks as "racist, baseless" and designed to paint him as an "other" and frighten voters.

The incident has become a focal point in the election, with Mamdani arguing that the attacks on his story are a sign of how unfamiliar right-wing media and opponents are with the realities of Islamophobia. His campaign has also garnered interest from the South Asian and Muslim communities in New York City and beyond. Backlash:
Some critics, including Republican politicians, have used Mamdani's comments to question his credibility.

Mamdani's defense

Mamdani has defended his use of the term "aunt," stating it is how he has always referred to her. He has also accused his opponents of using the issue to distract from his message and to make him appear "soft on terrorism".

A headline from the New York Post hoping
to catch Zohran Mamdani in a lie.

The incident has become a focal point in the election, with Mamdani arguing that the attacks on his story are a sign of how unfamiliar right-wing media and opponents are with the realities of Islamophobia. His campaign has also garnered interest from the South Asian and Muslim communities in New York City and beyond.

Mamdani's campaign condemned Vance's response. Mamdani described the attacks as "racist, baseless" and designed to paint him as an "other" and frighten voters. Beyond the "auntie" comment, opponents have repeatedly used divisive rhetoric centering on Mamdani's race and faith

Divisive "wedge" tactics

Andrew Cuomo, the former governor, running as an independent, made controversial remarks during an interview with a conservative radio host. When asked about a "God forbid, another 9/11" scenario with Mamdani in office, Cuomo responded with a comment that many, including Mamdani, viewed as having anti-Muslim undertones.

Eric Adams: Weeks after dropping his re-election bid, then-Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Cuomo and referred to "Islamic extremists" who were "destroying communities".

In response to the accusations of stoking Islamophobia, Cuomo accused Mamdani of using divisive political tactics, describing the situation as "the oldest, dirtiest political trick in the book".

Instead of scaring away supporters, the racist innuendoes appears to have galvanized Mamdani's base: Mamdani's campaign has rallied supporters around his identity as the city's first potential Muslim mayor, a position that resonates with younger, more progressive, and South Asian New Yorkers.

Observers note that the focus on identity-based attacks against Mamdani follows a pattern of political discourse that has become more coarse and polarized.

Some see the attacks as an attempt to leverage the unfamiliarity of Mamdani's background to sow distrust among voters.

Mamdani is of Indian/Ugandan descent, born in Uganda to an Indian Ugandan father,  author and professor Mahmood Mamdani, and an Indian American mother, filmmaker Mira Nair.

Because he was born in Africa, on his college applications he identified himself as African and Asian, which has sometimes been a point of controversy. He has stated that he does not consider himself African American in the typical US sense (descendants of enslaved Africans), but rather as an American who was born in Africa.

Asian American support

Mamdani’s success in engaging Asian communities in New York City is a key part of his winning coalition and is part of what gave him such a commanding lead over Cuomo.

It was not surprising that he did really well among South Asians but he was also able to win over a good portion of East Asians, especially among younger voters who showed up on election day during the primary.

Some credit Mamdani's extensive canvassing, multilingual mail and viral social media videos and a ground game that included volunteers who were able to speak in Asian languages for winning over Asian American electorate. “When you talk to people in the languages that they speak, literally and proverbially, about issues that they care about, they respond,” said Democratic strategist Amit Singh Bagga . “And when you don’t, they don’t.”

Despite the attacks on his faith and complicated racial heritage, as of today, Mamdani is polling ahead of Cuomo. The Assembly member who is well positioned to become New York City’s first Asian American mayor won with the support of the rapidly growing AAPI electorate. Election day is Nov. 4 but voting by mail is underway.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

A love story: Remembering Carlos Bulosan

Sometimes, a love story isn't just about two people finding each other. It's about how that love reflects and survives the larger forces swirling around them. That's the story of Carlos Bulosan, the giant of Filipino American literature, and Josephine Patrick, a fellow activist and radical with a fire in her belly.

"When I was very young, I went out in the fields and organized in Yakima Valley, Washington," wrote Josephine Patrick in Filipinas Magazine. "That was the first time I met Filipinos. 

“They were the most militant section of the agricultural working class in this country at that time, and they made a great contribution to the development of trade unionism. They were also one of the most oppressed minority groups. Because of language and cultural differences, they were completely isolated and excluded from mainstream American society.”

It’s a story ripe for a movie. Anyone?

They met in Seattle in 1952. By then, Bulosan was a name whispered with reverence and caution in FilAm circles. His book, "America Is in the Heart," was already the gospel for a generation of Filipino farmworkers and immigrants who understood its pain all too well. Yet, for all his fame, Bulosan was also a man in decline. Years of poverty, hard labor, and tuberculosis were taking their toll.

Patrick, an American activist and Communist Party member, was already a force in her own right. She organized farmworkers and fought against the deportation of union leaders during the McCarthy-era red scare. When she and Bulosan met, a connection was instant. She wasn't just a fan of his writing; she was a fellow warrior in the same struggle.

The two were introduced to each other in 1952 at a party in Seattle and found an immediate connection. Bulosan moved into Patrick's home.

Despite their short time together, Patrick considered Bulosan the love of her life. Bulosan was inspired by her political convictions and her fighting spirit.He made a pact with her that he would write her a leter every day, a promise he kept until a few days before he died.

Their romance, however, was as radical as their politics. Patrick was separated but still legally married to another party member. In the strict, unbending world of the Communist Party, this was deemed "immoral." For their love, she was expelled from the party, a personal and political betrayal that carried a heavy price in those paranoid times.

But it couldn't snuff out her spirit. Patrick remained dedicated to left-wing causes long after Bulosan was gone. After he succumbed to his illness in 1956, she was entrusted with his manuscripts. It was her recollections, shared in interviews years later, that provided a poignant, human glimpse into the final years of a literary titan who had been largely forgotten.

Their story reminds us that the personal is always political. Their relationship wasn't just a romance; it was an act of defiance against the establishment, the red scare, and even the rigid doctrines of their own movement.

Josephine Patrick and Carlos Bulosan.

In an interview with the Seattle Times, Patrick said, "Those years with Carlos, I think that they were the happiest part of my life," Patrick says. 

"But you can't have happiness without pain."

Their romance didn't occur in a vacuum. It was a time when there were few Filipino women in the US in the early 20th century because early Filipino immigration was heavily male-dominated, and discriminatory US laws and social attitudes created a hostile environment for women to migrate and live freely. American agricultural businesses, including Hawaiian sugar and pineapple plantations and West Coast farms, actively recruited young, single, male laborers.

This recruitment strategy was designed to create a mobile and temporary workforce. Companies often housed these male workers cheaply and viewed their lack of family units as an efficient way to control costs. Recruiters also discouraged the immigration of women as a way of preventing the formation of permanent Filipino American communities.

"Carlos was very concerned, however, that I would knuckle under from all the pressures and prejudices. Even in the political milieu racism was very vicious. They disapproved of my going out with Carlos," Patrick wrote. 

 "But despite this, he always had a love and optimism about people, and the world, and no matter how much he suffered, he did not particularly blame bitterly the people around him. He didn’t get paranoid and withdrawn. They were really a very courageous people."

The romance of Bulosan and Patrick is a story of two people who found solace and love in each other, a flicker of hope amidst the darkness of a hostile world.

In early September 1956, he was interviewed by a Seattle Times reporter. Bulosan told her that he was at work on a sequel to "America Is in the Heart," which he tentatively titled "My Letter to the World," and a rough draft of a children's book.

"I want to interpret the soul of the Filipinos in this country," he told her. "What really compelled me to write was to try to understand this country, to find a place in it not only for myself but for my people."

About a week later, Bulosan passed out on the lawn of the King County Courthouse after drinking with a friend. He was taken to Harborview Hospital where he died  of pneumonia, not tuberculosis, on Sept. 11, 1956. He was 44. 

Carlos Bulosan is a name we celebrate today, his books read in classrooms and inspiring new generations. But it's important to remember the woman who loved him in his final years and carried his legacy forward. 

Patrick was present during Bulosan's time in the hospital, and she helped care for him during his final years. 

Bulosan died in 1956 in Seattle, and Patrick was at his side. She became the custodian of his unpublished letters and manuscripts which she later donated to the University of Washington Library. 

She continued to share stories about the author, but also about his cooking, his sense of humor, his love of nature, his bouts of melencholy  which includes a deep disappointment of his so-called East Coast friends who abandoned him. Patrick spent the rest of her life keeping Bulosan's legacy and memory alive.

Josephine Patrick, the friend and former romantic partner of Carlos Bulosan, died in the Seattle area on July 23, 2005, at the age of 86.

Their story is a powerful testament to the fact that while history books focus on the headlines, the real struggle and the deepest connections often happen behind the scenes. It's a reminder that America's story—especially the Filipino American one—is filled with countless such untold tales of love, defiance, and resilience.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

After 10 months of Trump, AAPI conservatives second-guessing their choice

Donald Trump lights a candle to commemorate Diwali at the White House.

The so-called shift to the right  by Asian American and Pacific Islander voters  is tilting  leftward after Donald Trump's authoritarian attempts to weaken American institutions have been exposed and his policies have failed to live up to his hype. 

Any inroads the Republicans had gained among AAPI voters in the 2024 elections has all but disappeared, according to recent polls which show a range of favorability ratings for Trump drop among Asian Americans.

As of July 2025, Donald Trump's favorability had declined among Asian American adults, with 71% holding an unfavorable opinion of him. According to an AAPI Data/AP-NORC poll from July, 71% of Asian American adults had an unfavorable view of Trump. This marked an increase from 60% who felt this way after the 2020 election.

Most AAPI adults prioritize the economy, jobs, and inflation, but few approve of how Trump is handling these issues. AAPI support for the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics is also low. 

As the Trump administration intensifies its enforcement of policies targeting illegal immigration, a new AAPI Data/AP-NORC Poll shows growing disapproval among AAPI adults of its approach. More AAPI adults now disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration than six months ago (71% vs. 58%), and two-thirds say Trump’s deportation policies have gone too far. 

Only about 2 in 10 support targeting neighborhoods with higher immigrant populations, deploying the military or National Guard to carry out arrests and deportations, detaining immigrants at their workplaces, or allowing agents to cover their faces during arrests. Roughly 6 in 10 oppose these tactics. 

While about half of AAPI adults favor deporting immigrants living in the United States illegally who have been charged with misdemeanors, fewer favor deporting all immigrants living in the United States illegally (35%), those who express views that the federal government disagrees with (30%), or those who have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade (24%). 

Foreign-born AAPI adults tend to be older and less Democratic leaning than those who were born in the United States. They are more likely to approve of Trump’s handling of crime (43% vs. 24%) and immigration (33% vs. 22%) and are more in favor of deporting all immigrants who are in the country illegally (39% vs. 28%) and those charged with misdemeanors (56% vs. 41%). 

Key details from the July 2025 AAPI Data/AP-NORC poll include:Declining favorability: 

• The number of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) with an unfavorable view of Trump rose to 71% in July, up from 60% seven months prior.

• AAPI adults are particularly worried about the economy, citing high costs and the fear that new tariff policies will increase expenses. Economic issues appear to be a central factor in the shift in opinion.

• The poll highlighted that AAPI adults who identify as independent have become especially negative toward Trump. About 7 in 10 AAPI independents viewed him unfavorably, a 20 percentage point increase since December.

Factors potentially contributing to shifts in opinion could include economic concerns or views on trade policies.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders widely disapprove of the Trump administration’s handling of immigration, even more so than earlier in this year,” says Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data and a researcher at UC Berkeley.

“Most AAPI adults believe that the administration has gone too far on immigration enforcement, and they oppose various tactics that immigration agents have used in large-scale enforcement operations.”

Most AAPI adults prioritize the economy, jobs, and inflation, but few approve of how Trump is handling these issues. AAPI support for the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics is also low.

“On the economy, you saw AAPI voters shift — not in a big way, but shift nonetheless — toward Trump” in the 2024 election, Ramakrishnan tells the Associated Press. “They are not seeing big economic benefits pan out. Quite the contrary, they are seeing big economic risks on the horizon based on Trump’s action on tariffs.

As the Trump administration intensifies its enforcement of policies targeting illegal immigration, a new AAPI Data/AP-NORC Poll shows growing disapproval among AAPI adults of its approach. More AAPI adults now disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration than six months ago (71% vs. 58%), and two-thirds say Trump’s deportation policies have gone too far. 

Only about 2 in 10 support targeting neighborhoods with higher immigrant populations, deploying the military or National Guard to carry out arrests and deportations, detaining immigrants at their workplaces, or allowing agents to cover their faces during arrests. Roughly 6 in 10 oppose these tactics. 

While about half of AAPI adults favor deporting immigrants living in the United States illegally who have been charged with misdemeanors, fewer favor deporting all immigrants living in the United States illegally (35%), those who express views that the federal government disagrees with (30%), or those who have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade (24%). 

Foreign-born AAPI adults tend to be older and less Democratic leaning than those who were born in the United States. They are more likely to approve of Trump’s handling of crime (43% vs. 24%) and immigration (33% vs. 22%) and are more in favor of deporting all immigrants who are in the country illegally (39% vs. 28%) and those charged with misdemeanors (56% vs. 41%). 

AAPI adults also express large disapproval of Trump’s handling of several major issues. Compared to the general public, more AAPI adults disapprove of his approach to trade with other countries (75% vs. 63%), the IsraeliPalestinian conflict (75% vs. 60%), foreign policy (74% vs. 59%), immigration (71% vs. 56%), the economy (74% vs. 62%), and crime (63% vs. 53%). 

Asian Americans joined the anti-Trump No Kings march.

And while few AAPI adults approve of Trump’s handling of key issues, most say these topics are important to them personally, particularly those related to the economy. Ninety-two percent say the economy is extremely or very important to them, followed by inflation (89%), and jobs (79%). A majority also say crime (73%), trade negotiations (68%), immigration (63%), and foreign policy (59%) are important. 

When it comes to various political and economic ideologies, AAPI adults tend to view left-leaning positions more favorably. Economically, capitalism is viewed more positively than socialism. A majority hold a favorable view of capitalism (57%), while about half feel the same about the progressive movement (51%) and liberalism (47%). Fewer express favorable views of socialism (44%), conservatism (35%), or the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement (26%). 

Reflecting their ideological positions, many AAPI adults support government action on market-based issues such as prescription drug prices and housing costs. Most AAPI adults support the federal government capping prescription drug prices (85%), providing free daycare to children (71%), and requiring new housing developments to include affordable units (70%). About half favor the government forgiving student loan debt for low-income borrowers (53%). 

“These findings underscore the nuanced political and economic perspectives within the AAPI community,” said Jennifer Benz, deputy director of The Associated Press-NORC Center. “While the community embraces capitalism, their more progressive ideologies mean they support government action when the private sector falls short on issues like housing and prescription drug costs.” 

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

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Social media influencer found dead at L.A. home

GMA

Filipino American social media influencer Emmanuelle "Emman" Atienza, the 19-year-old daughter of Filipino TV host Kim Atienza, died by suicide at her Los Angeles home on October 22. Her family confirmed her passing and requested privacy in a statement released Oct. 24 on social media.

"It's with deep sadness that we share the unexpected passing of our daughter and sister, Emman," the statement began.

"She brought so much joy, laughter, and love int our lives and into the lives of everyone who knew her," they continued.

The family described Emman as someone who made "people feel seen and heard."

"She wasn't afraid to share her own journey with mental health. Her authenticity helped so many feel less alone," they added.

Reading about the suicide of 19-year-old Emman Atienza, I can't help but think about the unspoken stories of our community.

This is a story that goes beyond a single tragedy. It's a snapshot of a bigger problem, one we rarely talk about. Here was a young Filipino American influencer, seemingly with the world at her fingertips, who was battling demons in plain sight. Emman was candid about her mental health struggles on TikTok and Instagram, but her bravery couldn't shield her from the constant vitriol of online hate.

We're often told to be resilient, to just brush things off or simply pray to God. But what happens when the weight of the world, amplified by a thousand faceless trolls online, becomes too much to bear?

Emman was a popular social media personality who built a massive following at 19, with over 900,000 on TikTok and 240,000 on Instagram. Through her social media accounts, she was an advocate for mental well-being and empowered Gen Z through body positivity.

She had been open on her platforms about her mental health struggles. In a social media post in January 2024, she disclosed that she had struggled with mental illness since age 12 and had relapsed into self-harm.

In the months leading up to her death, Emman had briefly deactivated her TikTok account, despite having over a million followers. In an Instagram broadcast on September 1, the influencer explained the reasons behind the deactivation. She could be heard saying:

“Some of you guys messaged me asking where my TikTok account is, if I got banned, if I deleted it, etc., and I just wanted to update saying I deactivated it. I feel like the hate has piled up in my head subconsciously.”

She explained that she needed time away from social media to “recollect my thoughts, reset my values, and clear my head of the dread.”

Her death has prompted a wider discussion about the impact of cyberbullying and online harassment on mental health. In a September 2025 post, Atienza detailed the toll that constant negativity and anxiety took on her mental health from online hate.

Her father, Kim Atienza ,is a popular television host in the Philippines and a former Manila councilor.

We see a young life cut short and hear the echoes of a family's grief. It's a reminder that even in the darkest moments, hope is needed. Emman's passing has ignited a new conversation about the toxic environment of social media and its impact on mental health.

Filipino Americans experience higher rates of mental health issues like depression and anxiety than other Asian American groups, yet they are significantly less likely to seek professional treatment. This disparity is driven by a complex mix of cultural factors, historical trauma, and systemic barriers that create a profound stigma around mental health struggles and help-seeking.

This is our collective task as Filipinos and Filipino Americans: to speak up, to protect our young, and to turn our grief and/or shame into real change. The digital world is here to stay, but the compassion we extend to one another must also be a constant. Otherwise, the cycle of online harassment and silent suffering will continue.

The Atienza family asked their fans and followers to "carry forward the qualities she lived by: compassion, courage and a little extra kindness in your everyday life."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

Asian Americans march and speak out against Trump regime

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was difiant against Donald Trump.

ANALYSIS

Among the 7 million No Kings demonstrators, Asian Americans made their presence known. They were not the largest group nor the loudest, but they were there, holding signs, reveling in the knowledge that they were not alone in their anger, disatisfaction and disdain for Donald Trump.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island individuals and groups joined the Oct. 18 "No Kings" marches to express their concerns over the Trump administration's policies, focusing on issues like immigration, civil rights, voting rights and rising anti-Asian racism.

Sometimes you see a photo or hear a line of poetry that just stays with you. It’s funny how memories are like that. I recently found a black-and-white picture of my father from when he was a young man, a dashing and handsome man with smoldering eyes, staring defiantly back at the camera. We always think of our parents as old, and we forget that once they were young and had that rebellious spirit. My dad is gone now, but I think of that picture when I see a new generation finding its own voice of defiance.

That's the kind of feeling that comes to mind when I see images from the recent "No Kings" protests that swept across the U.S. this past weekend. A lot of Asian Americans, particularly in places like Boston and Los Angeles, had that same defiant look in their eyes. This wasn't about a single policy. It was about sending a message.

And boy, did Boston get the message across, with an exclamation point, I might add.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, the historic city's first Asian American mayor, was right there on the front lines in her city. Standing with thousands on Boston Common, America's first public park, she reminded everyone that resisting tyranny is about as American as it gets. For 250 years, the city has stood up against injustice, and it wasn't about to back down now.

"Boston has never been good at surrender or silence," as the crowd roared its approval. You have to love that line. It speaks to something deep in the American character—a willingness to speak up, to make a mess when things aren't right.

“In Boston, every day is No Kings Day,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said. Confronted by hecklers, she shrugged them off, saying, “This is Boston, where every voice is heard.”

Wu, who has frequently clashed with the Trump administration over its racist immigration policies, told the crowd that Trump and Republicans attacked Boston because they know it symbolizes freedom and revolution.

“We stand here today to tell the Trump administration, when it comes to our freedoms, when it comes to our families, Boston doesn’t back down,” Wu told the partisan crowd. “What terrifies them about our city isn’t just that we kicked out a king and we [can] do it again.”

“It’s not just that our city is not for sale or that we run a government that actually delivers as a home for everyone and the safest major city in the country,” she continued. “It’s not just that we empower our workers and stand with public employees instead of using them as political pawns. What scares them the most about Boston is that we are proof of the America they insist is impossible.

As one of the other Boston speakers said, "It's not nice and neat and squeaky. It's messy, it's disruptive, it's uncomfortable". And that's exactly what democracy looks like sometimes.

In Queens, N.Y., which has a large Asian American population, Rep. Grace Meng told the thousands of marchers, “One of the hardest stories that I keep hearing over and over again are from folks who immigrated to this country, whether they just came a few months ago or whether they came two generations ago, and they have a sad look on their face, exasperated, saying that this is not the country that they came to. This is not what democracy looks like.”

NYC COUNCIL

Asian Americans joined the No Kings rallies in New York City.

“They sacrificed so much, many of them fled hardships in their home countries and then they came here to build a better life for their kids and their neighbors and their families. But this is not what they came for.”

Meng continued: “In just a few months, this President has shown us who he fights for.

"It’s not America, it’s not for the people, it’s for the wealthiest and the well connected, and we’re not going to stand for it.

For many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the issues were personal. In Los Angeles, some of the participants were protesting immigration raids, worried about students being separated from their families. But it goes beyond just immigration. AAPI communities have a history of fighting for their place at the table, a history of facing discrimination and overcoming it.

Beyond Boston, other U.S. cities with strong AAPI participation in the October 2025 "No Kings" protests included Chicago, and Honolulu and, of course, in California home to 7 million Asian Americans, the most of any state.

The San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles is home to several enclaves of Asian communities: Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese and Korean. It is represented by Congressmember Judy Chu.

“This is a continuation of what we as a country are doing to resist this authoritarian, fascist regime,” Chu told the crowd, urging participants to see the event as “practice—building our muscles of protest and resistance.”

She called for peaceful but determined civic action, saying, “Power does not give up without a fight. Our anger will motivate us, but it’s community that will keep us together.”

In San Bruno, Calif. hundreds of people gathered at the Tanforan Assembly Memorial, a former horse-racing track, where Japanese American were incarcerated. Speakers included survivors of WWII internment, drawing parallels between the historical inccarceration of Japanese Americans and current immigration policies. Grace Morizawa, a 79-year-old Berkeley resident whose parents met in an internment camp, expressed solidarity with today's immigrants, stating, "you could just hear the passion in their voice when they said they don't want to see that happen again."

SCREEN CAPTURE

Seven thousand people joined the Sacramento march and. rally highlighted by a speech by Rep. Doris Matsui, who was born in one of the camps that incarcerated about 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. 

"Today we reminded Donald Trump, loud and clear, that in this country WE HAVE NO KINGS," Matsui told the participants. "We don’t worship power — we build it together: In our neighborhoods. On our streets. In our unions. "That’s who we are, that’s Sacramento, and I’ll always have your back," she said to a volley of applause and cheers.

Protesters in Oakland were marching in the city's streets, chanting, "whose streets? Our Streets." Part of the route led marchers through Chinatown down 13th Street, winding up in a rally in front of City Hall.

Asian Americans also  took part in several large-scale protests in Los Angeles. One of the protests occurred in Historic Filipinotown near downtown L.A. “When I enlisted, I swore a solemn oath to uphold the US constitution, to help protect the nation from enemies without and within. Today, I would never swear allegiance or bend the knee to a wannabe king because there are NO KINGS in America,”  US Army veteran Joe Arciaga said in a press statement.

When an administration starts to sound like it thinks it's above the law, a lot of different people, from different backgrounds, hear the same alarm bells ringing. The "No Kings" protests are a modern-day call to arms, not with weapons but with signs and voices. It's a reminder that we are a nation of laws, not of rulers.

This is a story that will continue to unfold. The protesters, with an estimated 7 million turning out nationwide, weren't just angry; they were energized and organized. They weren't just there for a single day. They were carrying a message that they intend to take back to their communities. And it is a message we all need to remember: Freedom over fascism. 

No Kings. No dictators. No fascists. No way!

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

FilAm History Month: Remembering a heroic woman serving her country

By Allison Russell

National Park Service

Florence Eberling Smith Finch was a Filipino American woman who stood up for her convictions in the face of overwhelming odds. 

She aided United States military intelligence and the Philippine resistance movement during World War II. She provided supplies to prisoners of war (POWs) in Manila when the Japanese occupied the island, and she survived arrest and interrogation. Upon her release in October 1944, she joined the US Coast Guard. Her efforts broke barriers for Asian American women in the armed forces.

“She displayed outstanding courage and marked resourcefulness in providing vitally needed food, medicine and supplies for American Prisoners of War and internees, and in sabotaging Japanese stocks of critical items … constantly [risking] her life in secretly furnishing money and clothing to American Prisoners of War and carrying communications for them.” said Lt. Col. Edward C. Engelhart in his commendation for Florence Finch to receive the Medal of Freedom. [1]

Early Life in the Philippines

Finch was born Loring May Ebersole in Santiago, in the Isabela Province of the Philippines in 1915. Her mother was Filipina. Her father was a white US Army veteran who had fought in the American takeover of the island during the Spanish-American War. She attended a boarding school for mixed-race girls and the school gave her the name Florence.

Her first job was as the assistant business manager at the Army/Navy YMCA, where she met her first husband, Chief Electrician’s Mate Charles Smith. The couple married in August 1941, before the US entered World War II. When the war started, Smith deployed on a patrol torpedo (PT) boat to defend the Philippines from Japanese invasion.

FYI: Leaern more about Filipino Americans, their history, the heroes and accomplishments and how they fought for dignity, equality and justice.

Shortly after meeting Smith, Finch transferred to a new job in US Army Intelligence. Finch assisted Major (later Lt. Colonel) Edward C. Engelhart, the second in command at G-2, or Intelligence, branch of US Army Headquarters in the Philippines. When the US government evacuated Army Intelligence staff from Manila to protect them from Japanese invaders, Finch stayed behind to care for her 16-year-old sister. Manila fell to the Japanese in January 1942. The Japanese rounded up American and British residents and put them in internment camps [2]. Finch used her Filipino citizenship to avoid arrest.

Her husband, Charles Smith, died in combat in February of 1942 during the Japanese invasion of the Bataan Peninsula.

Resistance and Capture

During the Japanese occupation, Finch resisted in two important ways. She worked for the Japanese-controlled Philippine Liquid Fuel Distribution Union. Because of her secretarial skills, she oversaw writing names on fuel ration cards. During this time, she wrote fake names for the Filipino resistance on the cards. Members of the resistance could use the cards to get necessary food and other supplies without revealing their identities to Japanese officials. Historians now estimate that she sent as much as 250 gallons of fuel a week to the Filipino resistance [3].

Finch also helped American and British POWs. When the Japanese captured her former supervisor, Lt. Col. Engelhart, he got word to her about the conditions of the prisoners in Bilibid Prison and Santo Tomas camps. Finch helped smuggle food and medicine to the prisoners, often using proceeds from the stolen fuel. She also did other things to help make their lives more comfortable, like providing clean laundry.

The Japanese arrested Florence Finch in October of 1944. They interrogated and tortured her. Finch was imprisoned first in Bilibid and then in Mandaluyong Women's Prison. When American forces liberated the prison in February 1945, Finch weighed under 85 pounds. She did not give up any information to the Japanese military.

Florence Finch rarely spoke about her time in World War II. Her friends and neighbors in Ithaca, NY never knew about her heroism until the Coast Guard named a building in Hawaii in her honor in 1995.

Becoming a SPAR

Finch traveled to the US mainland on a Coast Guard transport. She moved to her father’s hometown of Buffalo, New York. Still hoping to help the war effort, she enlisted in the US Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS) program in July 1945. Later, Finch said she had never heard of the Coast Guard before but wanted to “avenge the death of her husband.” [4] She was one of the first Asian American women to enlist as a Spar. World War II ended shortly after she joined the Coast Guard.

Legacy

Florence Finch was the first woman to earn the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon. In 1947, based on reports from former US POWs, President Harry S. Truman awarded her the Medal of Freedom.

“I feel very humble because my activities in the war effort were trivial compared with those of people who gave their lives for their country.” –Florence Ebersole Smith Finch [5]

When the war ended, she stayed in New York City as part of the SPARS. There she met her second husband, Robert Finch. They moved to Ithaca, New York, where Finch was an administrative secretary at Cornell University. She had two children.

In 1995, the Coast Guard named the administration building at the Coast Guard Base in Honolulu after her and a Fast Response Cutter in her honor in 2022.

Finch died in Ithaca, New York in 2016 at age 101.

About thte Author: his article was written by Alison Russell, a Consulting Historian with the Cultural Resource Office of Interpretation and Education and funded by the National Council on Public History's cooperative agreement with the National Park Service.

Shohei Ohtani is reaching Bruce Lee status

Shohei Ohtani pitches and homers for the L.A. Dodgers win against the Milwaukee Brewers.

As a long-time fan of the San Francisco Giants, it pains me to admit this: Shohei Ohtani is the greatest baseball player of all time. It's just too bad  he plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Giants' bitter rival, 

The Japanese-born Ohtani's Game 4 performance Oct. 15 was described by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, a Japanese American, as "the greatest postseason performance of all time,"

Shohei Ohtani led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the 2024 National League pennant with a historic two-way performance in the clinching Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers.

In the National League pennant-clinching 5-1 victory, Ohtani performed masterfully both at the plate and on the mound, a performance that had even Giants' fans in awe.

Not only did he throw six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 10 batters to earn the win; he also hit three home runs, becoming the first player in major league history to hit three homers and pitch in the same postseason game.

        RELATED: Shohei Ohtani, the new face of baseball

So has Shohei Ohtani reached Bruce Lee status? It's not a crazy idea, but it's a hell of a conversation starter. You have one guy, a martial arts legend, and another, a baseball phenom, both redefining what it means to be a powerful Asian man in America.

The thing is, it's not a one-to-one comparison. It’s about two different moments in time. Bruce Lee had to fight his way in, literally. He had to be explosive, loud, and confident on a very different stage—the movies. He was breaking down doors that were firmly locked. His masculinity was a raw, defiant force, and it was exactly what was needed back then.

Ohtani, on the other hand, comes from a different angle. He's not in-your-face, but his quiet domination is just as powerful. Standing 6’4”, he’s an athletic force of nature, a giant in America's pastime. He doesn’t need to swagger. His talent does all the talking. And for a whole new generation, that quiet excellence is the new loud. It's a different kind of strength, earned in the mainstream without the same kind of defiant attitude Lee had to embody.

Another difference is Lee excelled in the exotic martial arts originating in Asia. He did it so well that he created a new stereotype that if you are Asian you must know martial arts.

Lee challenged the long-held Hollywood stereotype of Asian men as weak, submissive servants or villains by showcasing his incredible martial arts skills and physical prowess.

In contrast, Ohtani is dominating in baseball, America's Pasttime. It's not like he is the first ballplayer of Asian origin to play the sport in the major league but the 6'4" Ohtani's three homers was a historic display of power. One of the home runs he blasted Friday went sailing over the outfield bleachers and out of the park.

On top of that, in the six innings that he pitched, he struck out 10. He faced only 22 batters and held the Brewers scoreless. Dominant. Astounding.

It shows how far we’ve come. From a time when we had to rely on a martial artist to smash stereotypes, to now, where a humble, two-way baseball star can do the same just by being the best at what he does. The foundation Lee laid for Asian masculinity is still there, but Ohtani is building a different kind of structure on top of it. One that is less about being an exception and more about being the standard.

Asians and Asian Americans say that Ohtani may be giving them a new narrative.

Evan-Thomas May and Zeph Wong wrote about their lifelong obsession with baseball–starting with Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners – and how Ohtani has solidified it:

“So when I watch the MLB roll an Ohtani commercial, or hear the taiko drums boom as I load my game, Shotime’s prominence feels like so much more than just marketing. Seeing him is a representation of my own identity, my own community, and all those who have afforded me the life I have today.”

Bruce Lee's status as a stereotype-buster is undeniable. I'm one of those kids who saw Lee as a hero and a beneficiary of his tough-guy image in Hollywood  of taking no guff from anybody with the philosophic lessons of a genuine sifu. 

Ohtani is breaking ground in the statistic-loving world of major league baseball where every at-bat, every pitch, every stolen base is documented and can't be debated. On top of his 50 home runs, 50 steals season last year, his latest performance cements his other-worldly status in sports

Except when the Dodgers play the Giants, I'll admit that every time Ohtani hits a homer, steals a base, or pitches a strike-out, I'm secretly cheering for him.

Ohtani may not be aware of what he's doing for Asian Americans -- at least he has not made any public statements on that subject. For every Asian kid who is overlooked in sports or picked last for a team because we're not supposed to excel in physical endeavors: We're told we're too small, not fast enough, not strong enough, not driven enough; stick to academe, become a lawyer or doctor, we're told. In this era, we are witnessing the  resurgence of white supremacy and the rise in anti-Asian attacks and rhetoric, Ohtani is breaking that stereotype.

And he's not done yet. The 31-year old Ohtani told TIME magazine that his best is “yet to come.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.