tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40723251381054965452024-03-28T01:58:28.711-07:00Views From The EdgeRaves, Rants, Reviews & Ramblings from an Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander PerspectiveEdward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.comBlogger5354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-18678122165686460692024-03-26T02:18:00.000-07:002024-03-26T02:19:35.825-07:00AANHPI Higher Education Leadership Summit will be held at UC Berkeley on April 2<div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">With students of Asian descent making up about 42% of its undergraduate studnt body, it is fitting that the University of California, Berkeley host</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> an April 2 summit of</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> higher education leaders from colleges serving AANHPI students.</span></span></div></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfcifZ-67VlfE3k2i96hSoJQCGdGUh_tlaKt6sblY_9h8Db1YT9POr3W4oHce570d0qY5A05x01cZ0OMINsig7s91t9brWRWwYWtj54-ZakP_FyNEb-PA2V1O4qcnixTOcBSTquTVN4ZH-WGV-QNxH9AEvpK8iR1_ea1gGjKBo53xGh3N7HpGlOXo0M2g/s308/new0023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="308" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfcifZ-67VlfE3k2i96hSoJQCGdGUh_tlaKt6sblY_9h8Db1YT9POr3W4oHce570d0qY5A05x01cZ0OMINsig7s91t9brWRWwYWtj54-ZakP_FyNEb-PA2V1O4qcnixTOcBSTquTVN4ZH-WGV-QNxH9AEvpK8iR1_ea1gGjKBo53xGh3N7HpGlOXo0M2g/w640-h426/new0023.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The University of California, Berkeley is hosting a summit for institutions serving large <br />numbers of AANHPI students.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">AANHPI leaders, education experts and officials from the current administration will convene to discuss the challenges facing the AANHPI communities in the field of education, and spotlight institutions that have been successful in catering to their needs.</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The summit will also spotlight innovative institutions of higher education – including </span><a href="https://hhs.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=daf3b62b181d96007784c4618&id=ce2d8aef5b&e=2e989286a5" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions</a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">(AANAPISIs) and </span><a href="https://hhs.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=daf3b62b181d96007784c4618&id=49809c6679&e=2e989286a5" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions</a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> (NHSIs) – that have made strides to build inclusive campus communities, create culturally responsive academic support services, and promote student success.</span><br style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;" /><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“Minority-Serving Institutions often serve as empowering and helpful resources for students and recent graduates interested in public service, including those from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities,” said </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">US Office of Personnel Management</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> Director Kiran Ahuja. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“As the federal government’s chief human resources agency, OPM is deeply committed to developing policies and services that advance equity across federal agencies and remove barriers to serve for underserved communities.”</span><br style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;" /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The event, which will be co-hosted by OPM, will bring together Biden-Harris Administration officials with higher education leaders, faculty, administrators, and staff to share best practices and address urgent challenges facing Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPI) in higher education.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Over the past two years, the White House Initiative of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) has hosted numerous virtual and in-person events to engage with AA and NHPI communities across the nation. This includes efforts to highlight federal internship and fellowship opportunities, demystify the federal jobs application process, and raise awareness about critical federal resources available for Minority-Serving Institutions. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Following the April 2 summit, the White House Initiative plans to continue to deepen its engagement with higher education leaders, students, and faculty to empower AA and NHPI communities and bolster pathways to public service.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The UC Berkeley summit is the first to be held on the West Coast where a majority of AANHPI reside. It marks a major step in WHIAANHPI’s efforts to put the promise of higher education in reach for more Americans – and builds on several key actions taken by the Biden-Harris Administration, including:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Celebrating AANAPISI Week: In September 2023, President Joe Biden issued the first-ever </span><a href="https://hhs.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=daf3b62b181d96007784c4618&id=03aeb5a440&e=2e989286a5" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">White House proclamation</a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> to recognize </span><a href="https://hhs.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=daf3b62b181d96007784c4618&id=6ae8b17c00&e=2e989286a5" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">National Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Week.</a></li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Launching a higher education listening tour: </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">In late 2023, WHIAANHPI kicked off a national listening tour to deepen community collaborations and strengthen the infrastructure of both AANAPISIs and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions as they prepare students to thrive in the workforce. To date, WHIAANHPI has made initial stops at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with additional visits to AANAPISI and AANHSI campuses being planned later this year.</span></li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Tackling barriers to educational attainment: With the release of the Administration’s first-ever </span><a href="https://hhs.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=daf3b62b181d96007784c4618&id=dd36115b43&e=2e989286a5" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">national strategy</a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities in January 2023, WHIAANHPI and the </span><a href="https://hhs.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=daf3b62b181d96007784c4618&id=8be6a3502d&e=2e989286a5" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">U.S. Department of Education</a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> are working to create a higher education system that is more inclusive, equitable, and affordable for all Americans.</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“Our White House Initiative is laser focused on building on President Biden’s commitment to strengthen the capacity of Minority-Serving Institutions that have long served as engines of opportunity and empowerment for millions of Americans,” said WHIAANHPI Executive Director Krystal Ka‘ai. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“With our higher education leadership development summit, we look forward to continuing to strengthen our engagement with students and higher education leaders to advance educational equity for our diverse AA and NHPI communities.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: rgb(128, 128, 128); caret-color: rgb(49, 49, 49); color: #313131; font-family: -apple-system, "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; min-width: 100%; text-size-adjust: auto; width: 100%; word-spacing: 1px;"><tbody style="border-color: rgb(128, 128, 128);"><tr style="border-color: rgb(128, 128, 128);"><td style="border-color: rgb(49, 49, 49); padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-41794189923897998512024-03-23T14:40:00.000-07:002024-03-26T01:42:56.368-07:00'The Cleaning Lady' Season 3 Episode 2 ' For My Son' is special <div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">REVIEW</span></i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Twenty-five minutes in, <i>The Cleaning Lady's</i> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Season 3, episode 2 took a historic turn</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> when the characters of the drama series began discussing aspects of Filipino culture.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/sqFwZ4a-PSs?si=ELc4Bn-RONt9xAXv" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">With Fiona (Martha Millan) and her son Chris (Sean Lew) in Manila, it gave the drama series' writers an opportunity to remind audiences of the Filipino roots of the De La Rosa family.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The locale also introduced a new character, Paolo Bellea, played by JB Tadena, a Fililpino American actor from the unfortunately cancelled <i>Kung Fu.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Belleza, a fun-loving and charming guy with a breezy sense of humor and sexy confidence. Paolo owns and operates a “Turo Turo” food stall in Manila where he is loved by his community and i (surprise, surprise) as it turns out, is Chris's biological father. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lBKvMkDXkD4x7melGD37zu-sr-798TFgO9JKmRJOlMwLgdGSOImqbEqCm6q2R_kcqazi4nHKQRRfCrFMSsGpJVFl7B-u076CxN4cOyMFYCXD8AmnPP1kceB0biFUAMV-qzLnQI3y3jeqMlzrJTMPioB58-UE7dxitn87PTTl4DHd25F8CLyjya7H8w6s/s1064/martha-millan-sean-lew-the-cleaning-lady-pop-culturalist.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1064" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lBKvMkDXkD4x7melGD37zu-sr-798TFgO9JKmRJOlMwLgdGSOImqbEqCm6q2R_kcqazi4nHKQRRfCrFMSsGpJVFl7B-u076CxN4cOyMFYCXD8AmnPP1kceB0biFUAMV-qzLnQI3y3jeqMlzrJTMPioB58-UE7dxitn87PTTl4DHd25F8CLyjya7H8w6s/w640-h362/martha-millan-sean-lew-the-cleaning-lady-pop-culturalist.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Martha Millan and Sean Lew are mother and son in 'The Cleaning Lady' sTV eries.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">(Just an FYI: Turo turo, translates into "point, point," wherein he customer orders by pointing at the dish in the steamer or on the grill.)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Paolo eases Chris' anger aimed at his mother for taking him away from his father by leaving the Philippines to the US. He explains the Filipino value of "malasakit," in the cself-sacrifice for the benefit of others.In this context:Fiona, he explains, gave up her family and everything she loved in the Philippines so that Chris can have better opportunities in the US. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Hence, the episode's title: "For My Son."</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Raleway, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">During the spisode, on the way to Paolo's turo-turo, Fiona and Chris wander through a street market where the writers again used the locale to introduced Ruby Ibarra, the Filipino American rapper whose music is often played in the background of the gritty atmosphere of Las Vegas' underworld.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlm9CfjOoGNSzHAkmgVICDg-IqkQJNNYTlIpJ-mTPVvYSWhuTVyyh8XSbZyoQLPove5srR7o5TTYTmCcyZbzoOLXh5C3SVEnlv-RbbrWHW5M_Jt7kgjhr2wS83lb_r0WGkFXmo67auXvsP8t9BMKfBqaYnhKjCGIXvz8B_SdVWtVfur88K4FDDyND2vcV/s1200/cleaning-lady-season-3-episode-2f.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlm9CfjOoGNSzHAkmgVICDg-IqkQJNNYTlIpJ-mTPVvYSWhuTVyyh8XSbZyoQLPove5srR7o5TTYTmCcyZbzoOLXh5C3SVEnlv-RbbrWHW5M_Jt7kgjhr2wS83lb_r0WGkFXmo67auXvsP8t9BMKfBqaYnhKjCGIXvz8B_SdVWtVfur88K4FDDyND2vcV/w640-h426/cleaning-lady-season-3-episode-2f.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;">SCREEN CAPTURE</span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Rapper and song-writer Ruby Ibarra is featured in an 'The Cleaning Lady.'</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;">Pay close attntion to Ibarra's lyrics because they fit perfectly into the secondary storyline of Chris discovering his past and Filipino heritage.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>FYI:</b> <span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #474747;">Watch The Cleaning Lady — Season 3 with a subscription on </span><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #d3e3fd; color: #040c28;">Hulu</span><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #474747;">, or buy it on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV.</span></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>The Cleaning Lady</i> follows a Cambodian doctor from the Philippines, Thony De La Rosa portrayed by Elodie Yung, who comes to the US for medical treatment for her son. She is forced to become an undocumented immigrant making a living as a cleaning lady. She gets involved with the of criminal underworld rabbit hole and finds herself unable to get out. </span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia;"></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><i>The Cleaning Lady's </i>Paolo Belleza is a rare character in US television. Tadena's Bellaza is a positive image of the Asian man who is not (so far) not involved in crime, or an overbearing husband or a sexless wimp providing comic relief. He is also not a computer techie, or a "best friend" relegated to the background or a martial artist (at least, so far). Hopefully, the writers will find a way to bring him back into the story.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;">The storyline also reintroduces Fiona's parents, lola and lolo, respectively played by Princess Punzalan and Alberto Isaac, and their complicated relationship with their wayward daughter, a mixture of love and disapproval.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;">The series must have a writer or cultural adviser on salary to make sure to include and not mess up the cultural references throughout the stories because someone not knowing the nuances of Filipinoness would take the time to explain some of the decisions made by of the characters. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;">Credit must go to the series producers, including Miranda Kwok who conceived the series by taking the original Argentine series and trgiving it an Asian twist (The Philippines, specifically) reminding audiences at the diversity that makes up this country and a a glimpse at a community rarely depicted on US television beyond the usual stereotypes.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</span></i></b> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><br /></p></span></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-39347592081729117472024-03-21T02:28:00.000-07:002024-03-21T02:28:45.644-07:00Buddhists pray that peace and tolerance replaces the racist history of a California city<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj9dBiAgSRwTXhhmEnB-_X1nbGhRyY76_qgfeE9Q-zNAT8OyJDz0cpyXbmTbuXfbGF_-G5CKGsKrq_Y3IGskYIbTg8Iac0GKXh8ZmhwE3CX_cA-S7u5REwa_7IUB65lKcAkApEI5-jxkRH8yjkWwvXk4pptoxcxhnGvSOZyisTtxb3t65g_FlI9NtIKCt/s752/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-21%20at%202.17.55%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="752" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj9dBiAgSRwTXhhmEnB-_X1nbGhRyY76_qgfeE9Q-zNAT8OyJDz0cpyXbmTbuXfbGF_-G5CKGsKrq_Y3IGskYIbTg8Iac0GKXh8ZmhwE3CX_cA-S7u5REwa_7IUB65lKcAkApEI5-jxkRH8yjkWwvXk4pptoxcxhnGvSOZyisTtxb3t65g_FlI9NtIKCt/w640-h382/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-21%20at%202.17.55%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Downtown Antioch was built over the former Chinatown.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hundreds of Buddhists convened in Antioch, California, offering prayers to reconcile the city's past treatment of Chinese with a future of of inclusion and tolerance.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">On March 16, 200 Buddhists gathered for the "May We Gather" pilgrimage, intentionally scheduled on the third anniversary of the </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Atlanta mass shooting</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> when a white gunman targeted female employees at Asian American massage parlors. The event also brought mainstream attention to the fearful trend already haunting Asian Americans.</span></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In 2021, <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2021/05/racial-reckoning-california-city.html">Antioch <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Mayor Lamar Thorpe</span> formally apologized </a> for the city's past treatment of Chinese.</span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">After the California Gold Rush, thousands of Chinese remained and found work building the levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta where they eventually settled and built their own communities. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> In 1876, the Chinesse residents were forbidden from being seen on the city streets. In response, the Chinese dug a series of tunnels connecting the various businesses.</span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The final blow occured when Whites set fire to the growing Chinatown driving its residents out. Instigators encouraged the mob under the guise of cleaning out the alleged sex and opium dens. With the Chinese driven out, the valuable riverside location became available for developers. It became Antioch's downtown.</span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The ceremony involved 200 Buddhists from China, Vietnams, Japan, Korea, Laos, Thailand, Tibet, India and Sri Lanka.</span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><br /></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Event organizer Duncan Williams, a religion professor at the University of Southern California and a Soto Zen priest of Japanese descent, said thet organizers didn't want just a political reaction. He told the <i>East Bay Times</i> they wanted "a Buddhist response that draws on our teachings and practice," which aims to honor ancestors and heal racial trauma, past and present.</span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="caas-body" style="padding-right: 64.7969px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Most of the ceremonies took place in Antioch's Campanile Theater, a restored vaudeville and movie theater located a block from the former Chinatown. </span><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Droid Sans, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.165px;">Antioch's dark history and the Atlanta shootings were part of the past but participants were also tying those events to the present and future.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />For years, Antioch residents have reported racist and illegal behavior by local law enforcement including fatal shootings by police officers, reports KQED. <br /><br />In 2023, an FBI investigation into criminal misconduct by Pittsburg and Antioch police officers uncovered thousands of racist text messages. Nearly half of the Antioch police department was temporarily put on leave after the discovery and the police chief resigned.<br /><br /> Ten law enforcement employees were eventually charged with federal crimes, including fraud, civil rights abuses and falsification of records.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Droid Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: -0.165px;">Cristina Moon, a Honolulu-based Zen priest, hopes the healing event would provide a new direction for the city. “Our relationship to what happened and the ways in which we can control how to act in the future.”</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Droid Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: large; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.165px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s important we recognize what happened and acknowledge it’s uncomfortable,” she continued. “It’s about not getting stuck in a painful past but moving forward in a positive manner.”</p><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</span></i></b></div></span></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-330332549688372792024-03-18T11:41:00.000-07:002024-03-18T11:59:14.389-07:00Climate change forcing Pacific islanders to leave their homes<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZNBHJtz0pXiwCg7F6LXL8_R9K8FL49-MLYro-fGz-0H-MAT0cjsUoeBdKa8VUL5QnxNVg4J9a_kAhsw1PhLqdNz3WKXvdDWROhEWFvyWe2susxuoCXHzoWbGkD7rzfojXfzVnmWkfpdje_dJmuXc8miyBzkGeLyQ-UR_UT_Kldyin7-i5IHSbHpawBEw/s900/PacificMissile1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="900" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZNBHJtz0pXiwCg7F6LXL8_R9K8FL49-MLYro-fGz-0H-MAT0cjsUoeBdKa8VUL5QnxNVg4J9a_kAhsw1PhLqdNz3WKXvdDWROhEWFvyWe2susxuoCXHzoWbGkD7rzfojXfzVnmWkfpdje_dJmuXc8miyBzkGeLyQ-UR_UT_Kldyin7-i5IHSbHpawBEw/w640-h298/PacificMissile1a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">USGS</span></i></div><b>Seawater regularly tos the manmade perimeter berm on the island of Roi-Namur in the <br />Republic of the Marshall Islands, </b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: xx-large;">For the people of the Pacific, climate change is is not a theory. It is happening. Climate change is so real that people are leaving their ancestral homes to escape the rising ocean waters degrading marine life and increasingly violent typhoons. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6qoX270FNtlGjtY8KNOSY3_s7zKfhjC9piLVPWfWi7ciKTJ3-A2PpQZJDDF1JXM9PsCOzNsoaZ9fXB2zGTVyHqBA48Gt4_DHv9q15yCAOXiscdp_WAc6LsOQ99eruXqDRpgu39QTyMUe0mvPWDSMhuP-M3rUn683YAWZpmbtcctKEHpcLBs5eTSiwIkh/s980/8pac-tcs-wpac-22jul17.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="980" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6qoX270FNtlGjtY8KNOSY3_s7zKfhjC9piLVPWfWi7ciKTJ3-A2PpQZJDDF1JXM9PsCOzNsoaZ9fXB2zGTVyHqBA48Gt4_DHv9q15yCAOXiscdp_WAc6LsOQ99eruXqDRpgu39QTyMUe0mvPWDSMhuP-M3rUn683YAWZpmbtcctKEHpcLBs5eTSiwIkh/w640-h360/8pac-tcs-wpac-22jul17.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Severe tropical storms, or typhoons, sweep across the Pacific Ocean causing great destruction.</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Because of their unique climate and location, the islands of the Pacific are at <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/">increased risk for severe weather, including tropical storms, typhoons and hurricanes</a> – and that’s a major reason residents moved from 2015 to 2020,</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> During this five-year period, from a quarter to nearly a half of their residents moved to a new residence, according to recently released <a href="https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/planning-management/release/2020-island-areas-data-products.html#dhc">2020 Census of the Island Areas tables</a>.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The nations and territories in the Pacific region are experiencing an approximate increase of 4 millimeters of sea level rise annually in certain regions, which is higher than the worldwide average of 3.4 mm per year, the World Meteorological Organization reports in its 2022 <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/our-mandate/climate/wmo-statement-state-of-global-climate/SWP-2022">State of the Climate</a> study.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Between 2015 and 2020, the <a href="https://www.fema.gov/disaster">Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)</a> declared major disasters in all four U.S. Island Areas — American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In the three Pacific Island Areas (American Samoa, CNMI, Guam), over 27.0% of movers reported natural disaster(s) as their primary reason for moving. In the USVI, over 41.0% reported moving because of natural disasters.<br /><br />Between 2015 and 2020, American Samoa had one declared disaster, Tropical Storm Gita. The CNMI experienced three declared disasters — Typhoons Soudelor, Mangkhut, and Yutu. In addition to Typhoon Mangkhut, Guam experienced two additional declared disasters: Typhoons Dolphin and Wutip. And the USVI had two declared disasters, Hurricanes Irma and Maria.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA4y6ioYCvwGC7CB2MmrffPsNZ0xhPGCbS8cvAcyiR-g5TeyZ0qyJ4PB7-oHJRw4K7bsw378VayH79n2iqRhDpW9svJugXgsEKVTq7OOJqh3BbLL_MCtlpYR-i7wFahy-_ErHwKaroKenbb-dbd6CVy-YDh1ub9TmGPKqnn9QK1qrlWL49FpklbcfJ2AH/s1164/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-09%20at%201.52.32%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1164" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA4y6ioYCvwGC7CB2MmrffPsNZ0xhPGCbS8cvAcyiR-g5TeyZ0qyJ4PB7-oHJRw4K7bsw378VayH79n2iqRhDpW9svJugXgsEKVTq7OOJqh3BbLL_MCtlpYR-i7wFahy-_ErHwKaroKenbb-dbd6CVy-YDh1ub9TmGPKqnn9QK1qrlWL49FpklbcfJ2AH/w640-h438/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-09%20at%201.52.32%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tropical cyclone Lola battered the island nation of Vanuatu in 2023.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Globally, "2023 is currently the third warmest year to date at 0.43ºC above the recent average, with the average global temperature in July at 1.5°C above pre industrial levels.” said Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of theEuropean Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, <br /><br />The WMO report said that many regions in the Pacific region, including the Solomon Sea, Banda and Timor Seas, and regions east of the Philippines and the southern shoreline of Indonesia, have experienced significant warming, with the rates two to three times higher than the global average.<br /><br />Radio Free Asia reports the glacier size in the western part of the Indonesian island of New Guinea decreased by 15% from 0.27 to 0.23 square kilometers between July 2021 and April 2022, while ice thickness dropped 24 meters from June 2010 to early 2021, with only 6 meters remaining in December 2022.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />In 2022, the South-West Pacific experienced 35 recorded natural disasters that killed more than 700 people, with floods accounting for over 70% of these incidents, according to the report.<br /><br />These events impacted over 8 million individuals, inflicting an economic toll nearing $9 billion. In the Philippines and Fiji, increasingly violent and more frequently occurring storms were the predominant reason for the high death toll and the many affected individuals.</span><div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Noto Serif", serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><br /></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Geographic mobility in the island areas</b></span><br /></span><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Roughly a quarter to just over a half of residents (age 5 and over) in the four U.S. Island Areas moved from 2015 to 2020:American Samoa had the lowest (21.3%) mover rate.</span></span></span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana had the highest (50.5%).</span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In Guam, more than a third (34.2%) of people in households (excluding those in military housing units) moved.</span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One third (33.0%) of residents in households reported moving in the US Virgin Islands.</span></span></li></ul><p></p><div class="responsivegrid uscb-main-responsivegrid uscb-grid-7 uscb-grid-tbl-12 uscb-grid-mbl-4 uscb-grid-offset-L-1 uscb-grid-offset-L-tbl-0 uscb-grid-offset-L-mbl-0 aem-GridColumn--tablet--12 aem-GridColumn--offset--tablet--0 aem-GridColumn--default--none aem-GridColumn--phone--none aem-GridColumn--phone--12 aem-GridColumn--tablet--none aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--7 aem-GridColumn--offset--phone--0 aem-GridColumn--offset--default--1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; float: left; margin-left: 28px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="aem-Grid aem-Grid--12 aem-Grid--tablet--12 aem-Grid--default--12 aem-Grid--phone--12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="imagecore image aem-GridColumn--tablet--12 aem-GridColumn--phone--12 aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; float: left; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="cmp-image" data-asset-id="5c840088-be6f-44d1-81b7-528769e52c7b" data-asset="/content/dam/Census/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/table-1.jpg" data-cmp-src="/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/imagecore.coreimg{.width}.jpeg/1707998948433/table-1.jpeg" data-title="Table 1. Geographic Mobility Status by Island Area" id="imagecore-644184c424" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="cmp-image__link" data-cmp-hook-image="link" href="https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/table-1.jpg" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2b74b7; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Table 1. Geographic Mobility Status by Island Area" class="cmp-image__image" data-cmp-hook-image="image" height="222" itemprop="contentUrl" src="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/imagecore.coreimg.jpeg/1707998948433/table-1.jpeg" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;" title="Table 1. Geographic Mobility Status by Island Area" width="640" /></a></div><div class="cmp-image" data-asset-id="5c840088-be6f-44d1-81b7-528769e52c7b" data-asset="/content/dam/Census/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/table-1.jpg" data-cmp-src="/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/imagecore.coreimg{.width}.jpeg/1707998948433/table-1.jpeg" data-title="Table 1. Geographic Mobility Status by Island Area" id="imagecore-644184c424" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="cmp-image" data-asset-id="5c840088-be6f-44d1-81b7-528769e52c7b" data-asset="/content/dam/Census/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/table-1.jpg" data-cmp-src="/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/imagecore.coreimg{.width}.jpeg/1707998948433/table-1.jpeg" data-title="Table 1. Geographic Mobility Status by Island Area" id="imagecore-644184c424" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Climate change wasn't the only reason for residents from the Pacific region to migrate. The top seven reasons for moving are: </span></div></div></div></div><div class="responsivegrid uscb-main-responsivegrid uscb-grid-7 uscb-grid-tbl-12 uscb-grid-mbl-4 uscb-grid-offset-L-1 uscb-grid-offset-L-tbl-0 uscb-grid-offset-L-mbl-0 aem-GridColumn--tablet--12 aem-GridColumn--offset--tablet--0 aem-GridColumn--default--none aem-GridColumn--phone--none aem-GridColumn--phone--12 aem-GridColumn--tablet--none aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--7 aem-GridColumn--offset--phone--0 aem-GridColumn--offset--default--1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; float: left; margin-left: 28px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="aem-Grid aem-Grid--12 aem-Grid--tablet--12 aem-Grid--default--12 aem-Grid--phone--12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="imagecore image aem-GridColumn--tablet--12 aem-GridColumn--phone--12 aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; float: left; font-size: 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="cmp-image" data-asset-id="5c840088-be6f-44d1-81b7-528769e52c7b" data-asset="/content/dam/Census/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/table-1.jpg" data-cmp-src="/library/stories/2024/02/disasters-and-island-areas-moves/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/imagecore.coreimg{.width}.jpeg/1707998948433/table-1.jpeg" data-title="Table 1. Geographic Mobility Status by Island Area" id="imagecore-644184c424" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><ol style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Employment.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Military.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Housing.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Family-related.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Natural disaster.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">To attend school.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Other.</span></li></ol><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9KetHpUPeT6tjh5i97hKNedNI18OAP3FaGSnXjz8a0eM_UZ2NaQHIxv2VpjdpYwU7fQVc5jtdINSeAp-YQd7yY9J4l9zBiMmLp_NYysntnFg2-9OXsaAgCrG9Tv2ngSBrxnmFyeATZ92nZM698MbaAKdWNUNBSkNLkQwO-Ts5xLLnutPVyDZtJhnGv0f/s1168/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-09%20at%202.04.58%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1168" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9KetHpUPeT6tjh5i97hKNedNI18OAP3FaGSnXjz8a0eM_UZ2NaQHIxv2VpjdpYwU7fQVc5jtdINSeAp-YQd7yY9J4l9zBiMmLp_NYysntnFg2-9OXsaAgCrG9Tv2ngSBrxnmFyeATZ92nZM698MbaAKdWNUNBSkNLkQwO-Ts5xLLnutPVyDZtJhnGv0f/w640-h500/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-09%20at%202.04.58%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="responsivegrid uscb-main-responsivegrid uscb-grid-7 uscb-grid-tbl-12 uscb-grid-mbl-4 uscb-grid-offset-L-1 uscb-grid-offset-L-tbl-0 uscb-grid-offset-L-mbl-0 aem-GridColumn--tablet--12 aem-GridColumn--offset--tablet--0 aem-GridColumn--default--none aem-GridColumn--phone--none aem-GridColumn--phone--12 aem-GridColumn--tablet--none aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--7 aem-GridColumn--offset--phone--0 aem-GridColumn--offset--default--1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; float: left; margin-left: 28px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><div class="aem-Grid aem-Grid--12 aem-Grid--tablet--12 aem-Grid--default--12 aem-Grid--phone--12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-80052895700705352022024-03-15T12:43:00.000-07:002024-03-21T02:36:22.151-07:00'Larry the Musical' premiering March 15 brings Larry Itliong's story to the stage<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJWQ0AgK4tDYhduoQFyeVkVcMnXCNIETz7PW2fkVSRIBhU_bT6eDHsC9SyNz5fRyYAlLgjqWO1716vAbbbhgiqiuGIrhQ_OPzSZcaOn4Nq8XldYnDwEaZ_JORnj8bhW9dvJsU7m9RaDIDjWA0Ja0q9z773bAM2DDBoFSJ2GIlB_devUGgyVwRkdZ-z7yTc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJWQ0AgK4tDYhduoQFyeVkVcMnXCNIETz7PW2fkVSRIBhU_bT6eDHsC9SyNz5fRyYAlLgjqWO1716vAbbbhgiqiuGIrhQ_OPzSZcaOn4Nq8XldYnDwEaZ_JORnj8bhW9dvJsU7m9RaDIDjWA0Ja0q9z773bAM2DDBoFSJ2GIlB_devUGgyVwRkdZ-z7yTc=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">The life and times of Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong will be told by <i>Larry the Musical,</i> which will have its world premiere March 16 in San Francisco.</span> </p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-size-adjust: auto;">With a cast and production team of Filipino Americans, the musical of a real historical figure has been years in the making building support and anticipation among the Filipino American community.</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“This is probably the most meaningful project of my career as a Filipino American theater artist,” said veteran director Billy Bustamante. </span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>Larry the Musical</i> was created by a Filipino American creative team led by </span><a href="https://www.brava.org/gayle-romasanta" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #f24d3a; letter-spacing: 0.4px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Gayle Romasanta</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, writer and executive producer, and </span><a href="https://www.brava.org/bryan-pangilinan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #f24d3a; letter-spacing: 0.4px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Bryan Pangilinan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, composer and executive producer. Inspired by the book "Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong," authored by the late historian Dr. Dawn Mabalon and Romasanta, the musical pays homage to Itliong's remarkable legacy.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The San Francisco premiere will be March 16 at the Brava Theater and run through Aparil 4. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Itliong's key role in the formation of the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez is not well known outside of the FIlipino American community despite California declaring Oct. 16 as Larry Itliong Day. A handful of cities celebrate the day and a few schools have been named honoring the labor leader.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In order to find financial support, the creative team had to educate the funders of the importance of Itliong's role in US history.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />A grant from the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) allowed the creators and artists continue their work on the musical with 20 songs and dance numbers.<br /><br />“We first heard about Larry The Musical from an online fundraising event they were hosting,” said Don Young, Director of Programming at CAAM. “We attended and were just mesmerized by the musical numbers, but as importantly, just so inspired by the team and their commitment to both creating great art and building a community foundation for the future. We decided we had to do what we could to be part of this amazing collaboration and support their efforts as best we could.”<br /><br />Larry has since received grants from other organizations such as the San Francisco Arts Commission, SoMa Pilipinas, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more. They’ve also received support from individuals within the Filipino American community, as well as the wider Asian American community.</span></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN5-PCgqRxRP4asTPDGacly6PHC7KrgbRA-hHz7sYqW46qmHAkTiIVZWbyNT7VScye1wpPR2QiN170_cgr6fKzhZs5YI8YgSZ7AqdTVYV56nurUHutdv1MCgXCVH6mhnTAXrbPB2tG7_i0PBkukOru3aMmkBqg2iBiASK-MSvXzCYkJxN_xQQ58uk1pOH/s1440/428680203_410403194833655_1129081279286130777_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1440" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN5-PCgqRxRP4asTPDGacly6PHC7KrgbRA-hHz7sYqW46qmHAkTiIVZWbyNT7VScye1wpPR2QiN170_cgr6fKzhZs5YI8YgSZ7AqdTVYV56nurUHutdv1MCgXCVH6mhnTAXrbPB2tG7_i0PBkukOru3aMmkBqg2iBiASK-MSvXzCYkJxN_xQQ58uk1pOH/w640-h426/428680203_410403194833655_1129081279286130777_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">FACEBOOK</span></i></div><b>Appropriately, the cast of 'Larry the Musical' are all union members.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Other producers include community activist, publisher, and filmmaker Mona Lisa Yuchengco; Dr. Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, professor of Ethnic Studies, Filipina/x/o American Literature and Art at San Francisco State University and founder of Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP); and Dr. Kevin Nadal, professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, psychologist, author, activist, and President of the Filipino American National Historical Society.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Both Romasanta and Pangilinan have previous background experience in theater, particularly with the San Francisco-based Filipino American theater, Bindlestiff Studio. <br /><br />The creative team of <i>Larry the Musica</i>l includes Director and Choreographer Billy Bustamante (assistant director, <i>Here Lies Love</i>; assistant choreographer of Stephen Sondheim’s last musical <i>Here We Are on Broadway</i>), music director and co-composer Sean Kana (music director, <i>Hippest Trip - The Soul Train Musical,</i> associate music director, <i>Ain’t Too Proud</i>:<i> The Life and Times of the Temptations</i>), and writer Kevin Camia (<i>Late Show </i>with Stephen Colbert, <i>The Frankie Quinones Show,</i> <i>The Dress Up Gang</i>).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Larry</i> comes a few months after the close of <i>Here Lies Love</i> on Broadway, created by Broadway veterans David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. Despite the all-Filpino cast and the infusion of celebrated Filipino and Filipino American producers, the Broadway musical stirred a debate within the Filipino American communitiy for supposedly glamorizing Imelda Marcos, the wife of the Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The responsibility of proper representation is not missed by Romasanta. She feels the responsibility of spotlighting a story that has implications, both politically and culturally. “So it’s a lot [of] trying not to feel all the pressure, but it is a huge ask; a huge, huge ask that we didn’t know that we were going to tumble into. But here we are.”<br /><br />Bustamante adds: The musical “can help fill the integrity ingredient in representation. ... This will be the first time I’ll have been a part of an all-Filipino American theater project where that doesn’t just put Filipino bodies on stage, but puts words and notes and ideas, visual creativity that come from other Filipino Americans that they get to share. That has been a missing piece, that idea of who’s writing the words, who’s writing the notes.”</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>FYI:</b> <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Larry the Musical</i><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> will be playing at the Brava Theater in San Francisco from March 16 to April 14. Get more information and buy tickets at </span><a href="https://www.brava.org/all-events/larrythemusical" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #00aaad; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.25s ease 0s;">Brava.org</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">. Some performances are already sold out.</span></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</span></i></b></div><div><p><br /></p></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-27807424083853769852024-03-14T01:41:00.000-07:002024-03-15T12:20:32.448-07:00Who is Robert Kyoung Hur, the DOJ's spcial counsel investigating Hunter Biden<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9-Ruo_v-GqRMapOjDRcK7_asm5Mb20y78OPQRLO0EgO9k4Y7lNJaKptVSdiR6ZNG9DXis-jbziBVwcRs4bZhHYwhb-OpEAqAHVLa64O0qRt5HtRgMaXRgQCIJ0c-TNf_dFA9zjw5urEMZuUuSxSam3tH-xWSL4bcBPse10yzZRBbnd7ounEzil1UL1ri/s970/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-12%20at%2011.44.46%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="970" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9-Ruo_v-GqRMapOjDRcK7_asm5Mb20y78OPQRLO0EgO9k4Y7lNJaKptVSdiR6ZNG9DXis-jbziBVwcRs4bZhHYwhb-OpEAqAHVLa64O0qRt5HtRgMaXRgQCIJ0c-TNf_dFA9zjw5urEMZuUuSxSam3tH-xWSL4bcBPse10yzZRBbnd7ounEzil1UL1ri/w640-h416/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-12%20at%2011.44.46%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It seems that no one, neither </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Democrats or Republicans, was pleased with Speical Counc</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">il </span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4072325138105496545/3793538041319306000" style="font-family: helvetica;">Robert Kyoung Hur</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;">'s report on President Biden's handling of classified governmentt documents.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee criticized Hur's assessment of Biden's memory and Republicans didn't like that Hur ultimately vindicated Biden's mishandling of the documents.<br /><br />"What I've observed in this hearing is that one side thinks you're trying to get Trump elected and the other side thinks you're trying to get President Biden elected," said Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colorado. "Welcome to Congress."</span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />"I did not sanitize my explanation, nor did I disparage the president unfairly," he said in defending his report. "I explained to the attorney general my decision, and the reasons for it. That's what I was required to do."</span><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> In Januaary 2023 Attorney General Merrick Garland<a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2023/01/breaking-us-attorney-general-appoints.html"> appointed Hur,</a> a Republican, to conduct the investigation of the alleged unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents discovered at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and the Wilmington, Delaware private residence of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hur testified in front of the Judicial Committee as a civilian. The day after he issued his report, Hur resigned. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Democrats on the judiciary committee accused Hur of deliberately mentioning Biden's alleged memory lapses a political act.</span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“You could’ve written the report about his comments with specific recollection of a set of documents but you chose a general reference to the president. You understood when you made that decision, that you would ignite a political firestorm with that language, didn’t you?” said Demorat Adam Schiff,D-CA., <br /><br />“What you did write was deeply prejudicial to the interests of the president,” Schiff said. “You say it was not political and yet, you must have understood — you must have understood — the impact of your words.”</span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His parents are Haesook Hur and Dr. Young Hur of Monroe Township New Jersey, The</span><i> New York Times </i><span style="font-size: medium;">reported. Her father is an anesthesiologist, according to a <i>NYTimes</i> article.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Republicans were just as critical at Hur's decision to not file charges against Biden. Hur felt that there was not enough evidence to convince a jury of any crimes. However, after the hearing, Hur said his reporte did not exonerate the President.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As a US Attorney, one of the high-profile cases he “led criminal cases against former Mayor Catherine Pugh, a Democrat, and two state delegates,” reported The Baltimore Sun. Pugh was convicted of wire fraud and tax evasion, </span><a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/former-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-sentenced-three-years-federal-prison-fraud">according to a press release from the DOJ.</a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In 2022 he was appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to head a commission to investigate hate crimes against Asian Americans.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Before his appointment as Special Counsel last year, Hur was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Crisis Management Practice Group. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p><p style="font-size: large;"><br style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;" /></p></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-88360476080152430142024-03-12T01:46:00.000-07:002024-03-12T01:46:36.570-07:00AAPI Victory Fund joiin Latino and Black PACs to commit $30 million for Biden's reelection<div><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvQyebr55PjtzE29jLDchNcrd80VBgunZoDmzD5iAlgNvMFhQGe-426ObhP-Tsy30rV3BmRppLOvohKajCgw_xjlB6UXNGGXw-BitZb4RPCebCf20BfgO16ZuNb2gZW_oXbemrmNxv9M3flTPzDbVmV2SiJUW_M7PbbiJS0t5CBkJXdrEld_LUEf4sbAY/s862/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-12%20at%201.11.07%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="862" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvQyebr55PjtzE29jLDchNcrd80VBgunZoDmzD5iAlgNvMFhQGe-426ObhP-Tsy30rV3BmRppLOvohKajCgw_xjlB6UXNGGXw-BitZb4RPCebCf20BfgO16ZuNb2gZW_oXbemrmNxv9M3flTPzDbVmV2SiJUW_M7PbbiJS0t5CBkJXdrEld_LUEf4sbAY/w640-h518/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-12%20at%201.11.07%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;"><b>President Joe Biden got a boost with the endorsement of three major PACs representing people of color.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Three major political action committees representing Asian American, Black and Latino voters ndorsed President Biden’s reelection bid last week and commit $30 million to mobilizing communities of color.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> The </span><a href="https://www.aapivictoryfund.com/" style="font-size: large;">AAPI Victory Fund</a><span style="font-size: medium;">, </span><a href="https://collectivepac.org/" style="font-size: large;">The Collective PAC</a><span style="font-size: medium;">, and </span><a href="https://latinovictory.org/" style="font-size: large;">Latino Victory Fund</a><span style="font-size: medium;"> announced their endorsement during Biden's rally in Atlanta.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />“President Biden and Vice President Harris <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/11/bidenomics-is-delivering-for-asian-americans-native-hawaiians-and-pacific-islandersthe-presidents-plan-grows-the-economy-from-the-middle-out-and-bottom-up-not-the-top-down/">have delivered for Asian American Pacific Islanders,</a> and that’s why the AAPI Victory Fund stands strongly behind the Biden-Harris ticket,” said Joe Nguyễn, President and CEO of the AAPI Victory Fund. </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Asian American voters are going to be key to the success of Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in 2024," said Nguyễn. "Between now and Election Day, we have robust plans to persuade and mobilize AAPI voters in culturally competent ways to speak to our communities’ values – while also aggressively calling out the harmful, xenophobic policies and rhetoric coming from Donald Trump and extremist Republicans.”</span></div><div><p class="preFade fadeIn" style="background-color: white; color: #0f2b3b; line-height: var(--body-font-line-height); margin: 1rem 0px; opacity: 1; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-delay: 0.266667s; transition-duration: 0.9s; transition-property: opacity; transition-timing-function: ease; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Biden-Harris Administration has delivered historic results for communities of color in their first term in office: </span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Canceled student debt for more than 3.9 million borrowers and created new rules that will cut the average Black borrower’s payments in half, after Trump’s nominees to the Supreme Court stopped President Biden’s larger debt forgiveness plan.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Created 2.6 million jobs for Black workers and achieved the lowest Black unemployment rate on record.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Covered almost two-thirds of births for Black mothers, helped to address Black maternal mortality, by expanding Medicaid coverage after birth from two to 12 months in most states.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Asian American unemployment has fallen by more than half since Biden took office. The Small Business Administration has distributed more than <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/04/28/a-proclamation-on-asian-american-native-hawaiian-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month-2023/">$16 billion</a> in loans to AA and NHPI entrepreneurs. The number of Asian American owned businesses <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/11/bidenomics-is-delivering-for-asian-americans-native-hawaiians-and-pacific-islandersthe-presidents-plan-grows-the-economy-from-the-middle-out-and-bottom-up-not-the-top-down/">increased by 18%</a> compared to pre-pandemic.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">AANHPI Americans are represented throughout the Biden-Harris Administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris, the first vice president of South Asian descent.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Created nearly 12 million jobs, achieving the lowest unemployment rate on record for Latinos.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Cut Latino child poverty by 43% through the American Rescue Act and Inflation Reduction Act.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Administration invested $450 billion and provided emergency relief to more than 6 million small businesses - leading Latinos to start new businesses at the fastest rate in the last decade.</span></li></ul></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“The stakes of this election could not be higher for voters of color, and President Biden and Vice President Harris could not be more honored to earn the support of these three national organizations that represent both the diversity of our party and the backbone of the coalition that stood up and voted in record numbers to defeat Donald Trump in 2020,” stated Biden campaign manager Juile Chavez Rodriguez.</span></div></div><div><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p><p><br /></p></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-87334423007904496332024-03-11T00:51:00.000-07:002024-03-11T00:52:18.606-07:00FilAm food entrepreneur finds an investor on Shark Tank'<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXcTtvBlIr1ltR2i2d9Y6YBpIiE0PR7g1J9PX-jdzxtgUlp4hGo8B3shw9mPYN3fRPn_S4JYRx6PkgXOouowWInUM7GiqwCrdgp1yE9-_sgRozfccEPw7hqFnXBzz_ww5zIHcIr6Tl099k1YJER3g4XyHHJ3K9zU4811CdDsxlKVP4y0t7CB5IGC3XW9O/s1280/rsz_screenshot_2024-03-02_at_125707_pm-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXcTtvBlIr1ltR2i2d9Y6YBpIiE0PR7g1J9PX-jdzxtgUlp4hGo8B3shw9mPYN3fRPn_S4JYRx6PkgXOouowWInUM7GiqwCrdgp1yE9-_sgRozfccEPw7hqFnXBzz_ww5zIHcIr6Tl099k1YJER3g4XyHHJ3K9zU4811CdDsxlKVP4y0t7CB5IGC3XW9O/w640-h360/rsz_screenshot_2024-03-02_at_125707_pm-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">SCREEN CAPTURE / SHARK TANK</span></i></div><b>Jake Deleon was successful in winning over a Shark Tank investor.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">A Filipino American's food business, Fila Manila, is about to get bigger after an appearance on <i>Shark Tank, </i>the TV show that links businesses with investors.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />“I’ve been a fan of Shark Tank for more than a decade,” said Fila Manila founder Jake Deleon in an interview. “I remember watching during my time in corporate and being inspired by the entrepreneurs who bared their life and business on the carpet and learning from the shark’s questions.”<br /><br />Fila Manila makes Filipino foods, which are hard to find in the most mainstream grocery stores.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"Where Filipino cuisine is today is where Korean and Japanese cuisine was 10 years ago," Deleon said during the March 4 episode of Shark Tank. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />“I’ve always been in the food business. We come from an immigrant family and with most Filipino families, food is always the center of the household,” New Jersey resident Deleon told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s no surprise that a lot of our entrepreneurial efforts as kids or even with my parents started out with food. We just made food in our kitchen and would sell to friends and family for extra income.”<br /><br />“One of the cases I made [for Filipino food] on Shark Tank is that we’re actually the fastest growing cuisine in the U.S. right now in terms of popularity,” he said. “What’s working in our favor is that if you go to most groceries, there’s not really any Filipino representation at all.”<br /><br />Deleon, a graduate from Drexel University, founded the company in November 2020, having previously created an almond milk brand that he discontinued due to setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic. In just a few years, he has been able to grow Fila Manila into a million-dollar business.<br /><br />Before becoming an independent businessman, Deleon learned the food industry business while working Procter & Gamble, developing products and managing brands for Starbucks, Pringles and the pet-food brand Iams.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />"I'm a 1st generation FilAm," Deleon writes on the company website. "who was born in the Philippines and raised in NJ with countless memories of joyful family gatherings. His family's recipes were the basis of Fila Manila's products.<br /><br />"At the center of each gathering was a table overflowing with home-cooked Filipino dishes. I remember the delicious flavors of our food together with the laughter of my family bringing comfort and joy to my heart.<br /><br />"I created Fila Manila to celebrate the joy of Filipino family, culture, and our delicious cuisine," he says.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Fila Manila's condiments include a banana-based ketchup, the increasingly popular ube and coconut spread, adobo marinade and sauce, creamy peanut sauce, and pineapple rum sauce. All of the spreads are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan with no artificial colors or flavors. The products are sold by grocers in 25 states at stores including Whole Foods, Target, Stop & Shop and Mom's Organic Market.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EgTg9fObiS0R1nxKAXTYojNeEhYHcXSEoAeyzmNRgcnH2LegXN1Yc-0JY6ACq8X60oCorSWgxxxR1UYlHFpSrh7c__UT9ThwXBuEGJZQk0CX72qFPn8532EJuScd_RgFu5fqTaxsiRaWTuDzBE4LmAKsK3F4_C0IAkkZITWpLr1yPay1Yx_EfQZPqg2h/s1226/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-10%20at%204.14.18%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1226" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EgTg9fObiS0R1nxKAXTYojNeEhYHcXSEoAeyzmNRgcnH2LegXN1Yc-0JY6ACq8X60oCorSWgxxxR1UYlHFpSrh7c__UT9ThwXBuEGJZQk0CX72qFPn8532EJuScd_RgFu5fqTaxsiRaWTuDzBE4LmAKsK3F4_C0IAkkZITWpLr1yPay1Yx_EfQZPqg2h/w640-h428/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-10%20at%204.14.18%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">FILA MANILA</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Deleon said he fully expected to have to negotiate with the sharks to get a deal done.<br /><br />"You come into the show and then you expect that you have to negotiate. And then you're familiar with how the sharks negotiate as well, so you have to come in with that mentality because if you do make a deal, you're probably starting from way up here and they're going to want to bring you way down here. You have to think about the mentality of meeting somewhere in the middle."</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />"I'm super psyched I got a deal with Daniel. He was the Shark I was targeting, and I think Daniel's experience building Kind is going to bring Fila Manila where I want it to be," Deleon said during the Shark Tank episode.</span></div><div><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</span></i></b></p><p style="font-size: large;"><br /></p></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-48428518703169703612024-03-04T11:12:00.000-08:002024-03-09T14:19:52.084-08:00FilAm teacher chosen as California's Teacher of the Year<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-6UibmXQVCq45F9Af1m5EuYU4bqgfKKlWxm2KMuG__PRHSzDg8cCqJ-2wDrAnmDowXMyXP1v8ziWEajp8SWWx3BZI0uxF14rRx_Rz2UasUYJYVl9tbH2cAjqBldfxrqeHHK9dM9aWeQNuMWw5lpjsGWSE_FqF7zgOmYl_l5uvGfYtDrnrz7MbJu0bvxhc" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-6UibmXQVCq45F9Af1m5EuYU4bqgfKKlWxm2KMuG__PRHSzDg8cCqJ-2wDrAnmDowXMyXP1v8ziWEajp8SWWx3BZI0uxF14rRx_Rz2UasUYJYVl9tbH2cAjqBldfxrqeHHK9dM9aWeQNuMWw5lpjsGWSE_FqF7zgOmYl_l5uvGfYtDrnrz7MbJu0bvxhc=w640-h336" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">CBS</span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Joseph Alvarico, center ,was chosen as one of California's Teachers of the Year.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">A Filipino immigrant brought to the US to help fill the teachershortage was named one of the top teachers in California.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Robotics teacher Joseph Alvarico, who taches at Ygnacio Valley High School in the SF Bay Area, is one of the five 2024 California Teachers of the Year, as selected by </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“I am both thrilled and humbled at the same time to have been selected as one of the 2024 California Teachers of the Year," Alvarico said. "This distinction is a reflection of the long hours and unwavering commitment that I have put into my teaching career"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It has been a year of honors for Alvarico, who was hired in 2004 by the </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mount Diablo Unified School District</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Alvarico was named a </span><a href="https://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/news/news_press_releases/two_educators_named_teachers_of_the_year" style="font-family: helvetica;">Contra Costa County Teacher</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> of the Year in September and one o the Teachers of the Year for the Mount Diablo</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> s</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">chool district in the Spring of 2023.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">He teaches high school Engineering Essentials, Introduction to Engineering Design, and college level "dual enrollment" courses through a partnership with Diablo Valley College, and is also the advisor of the school's robotics club, "Femineer" STEM club and Interact Rotary Club for youth.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />"My gratitude extends to multiple people in my life who have guided me along my professional path and supported my classroom every step of the way. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat! ("Thank you all!" in Tagalog.)" said Alvarico. Without you, I wouldn't be able to give my students the greatest service that I possibly could. I am excited to continue making a positive impact on the lives of my students, our local community, and the educational world at large.”<br /><br />California Teachers of the Year are considered to be "ambassadors for the profession and serve as representatives of the state for the calendar year," according to the California Department of Education (CDE) <a href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr23/yr23rel81.asp?fbclid=IwAR1yMIbt2Us4Q_qwZOb0UUJc0PybM8kNghX5MA7FYFt9fHK55vD802dkI_w">news release</a> announcing Alvarico's selection. <br /><br />Thurmond said he was pleased to recognize the "remarkable educators, who all display deep commitment and innovation in their work—all while supporting their students through a difficult time. They make profound differences in their students’ lives and provide both inspiration and the practical tools that students need to succeed. They’re all prime examples of the exceptional work going on in California schools.” <br /><br />Alvarico is the only Northern California teacher to receive this distinguished honor this year as the other four teachers reside in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. <br /><br />Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said she was proud that a Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year was named one of the state’s top educators. “Joseph is a great example of the high-quality teaching and learning going on in Contra Costa County schools every day and it’s a great honor for him to be selected as a California Teacher of the Year," she said. "Congratulations to him, his colleagues and MDUSD for the support they have given him throughout this process and his career.”<br /><br />Born in the Philippines to a family of educators, Alvarico has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Secondary Education degree. After answering an MDUSD ad seeking teachers in the Philippines, Alvarico immigrated to the United States in 2004 and initially began his MDUSD teaching career at Oak Grove MS, along with several other teachers hired from the Philippines. <br /><br />After 12 years, Alvarico transferred to Ygnacio Valley HS, where he has worked for seven years. He combines previous on-the-job experience in the tech industry in the Philippines into his lessons while also focusing on community-building with his students. He strives to show all his students their potential and the possibilities available when they leave high school, no matter their economic status.<br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Alvarico may be the best argument for recruiting foreign teachers to offset the teacher shortage. The recruitment of teachers from other countries has been done for decades to help fill a teacher shortage of teachers caused, in part, by the retirement of Baby Boomers and those who have left the profession for better pay or burnout. <span style="color: #2a2a2a;">The US lost 370,000 teachers since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reports the Washington Post.</span><br /><br />Foreign teachers are being hired by school districts across the country, especially those who can teach STEM subjects. In 2022 the Philippines provided the most teachers for US classrooms.<br /><br />In the years 2015 to 2021, the most recent statisticss availalbe, there were 19,491 teachers from 114 countries teaaching in teh US during that six-year period. Filipinos, because of their English fluency and economic conditions in the became part of the Philippines diaspora. The greatest numbers have come from:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Philippines, with 4,338;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Spain, with 3,614;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jamaica, with 2,213;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">China, with 1,816; and</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">France, with 1,431.</span></li></ul><div>SuperintendentThurmond chose the state Teachers of the Year based on CDE selection committees review of applications; evaluation of the teachers’ rapport with students and their classroom environments, presentation skills, and teaching techniques; and interviews with the teachers. </div><div><br /></div><div>As part of his application, Alvarico submitted this <a href="https://youtu.be/MOp_z8N1IbE?si=5CRMc0bY-89fXbvz">video</a>, in which he explains how he engages his students in learning and helps to develop their leadership and career skills. He begins with a traditional Filipino "Mabuhay" greeting, which is a formal way of saying, "hello," and includes laying the palm of his right hand over his chest in a welcoming gesture. He was also featured in a KPIX news report <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/concord-robotics-teacher-wins-teacher-of-the-year-award/">here</a>.</div></span><div><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 20px auto; max-width: 700px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"As a Filipino immigrant who didn't have much growing up, I believe education is a way out of poverty," Alvarico wrote in his CDE application. "Education has brought me here to the US And it's through education that I find myself among the best educators in California."</span></p></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p><p style="font-size: large;"><br style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;" /></p><br /></span></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-64717116848699623112024-03-02T13:34:00.000-08:002024-03-02T13:41:35.143-08:00Asian American shoppers love Costco and the retailer caters to the AsAm market<div><span style="font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0j7CW_dBdMzrPR8vc3hcAmNJNfiDNOp12yUNA9Y1gEY9O9Wu4hO5kzPaeTmjj4N981tlDlOtocsd4YEDkbicKmE9oohibBUE5GUaLbfe8vltU7yEJRn5SCoNQObJsXoonOuCFo2KjvpHQ8Kfbjh1jTPLsYmJK9NuBVJbjUZSF0WgDYJnGD5VGmz8oOaP8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0j7CW_dBdMzrPR8vc3hcAmNJNfiDNOp12yUNA9Y1gEY9O9Wu4hO5kzPaeTmjj4N981tlDlOtocsd4YEDkbicKmE9oohibBUE5GUaLbfe8vltU7yEJRn5SCoNQObJsXoonOuCFo2KjvpHQ8Kfbjh1jTPLsYmJK9NuBVJbjUZSF0WgDYJnGD5VGmz8oOaP8=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Asian American shopers are a key market target for Costco.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">While shopping at Costco recently, I was surprised to see one of the Philippines' classic dishes, pork adobo, for sale. Just heat and serve, the instructions on the box said. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">I began to keep track of the Korean pork BBQ, Taiwanese ramen, the Indian curried chicken,frozen dumpings and the big bags of rice.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There is certainly a trend among retailers to cater to Asian American shoppers, And why not? As consumers, Asian Americans are outperforming other ethnic groups. </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Costco, the big-box retailer offering goods in bulk and discounts, has certainly noticed the Asian American consumers. Through the years, the Asian food selection, especially in its frozen and prepared food items, have become more expanded way beyond frozen pizza and hamburger patties.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In 2021, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/typical-costco-shopper-demographic-asian-american-woman-earning-high-income-2021-7">Business Insider reported</a> that the average Costco customer is a 35- to 44-year-old Asian American woman. </span><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Even though Asian Americans only make up only 7% of the US population, even higher in states like Hawaii and California where Asian Americans make up 48% and 16% respectively, according to the market research firm <a href="https://www.numerator.com/snapshots/costco/">Numerator,</a> Asian Americans make up 10% of their customers in 2023.<br /><br />While Asian Americans only make up 7% of the population, they comprised 10% of Costco’s consumer base in 2023, according to Numerator, a market research firm that creates data snapshots of some of the country’s biggest retailers. <br /><br />The reasons for Asian American consumers are numerous: Immigrants from Asia make up the fastest growing segment of the US population; Asian American househohlds tend to be larger than the US average which makes buying in bulk more sense; and according to US Census data, on average, Asian Americans have a higher household income than other segmentst of the US.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Numerator study also found that Costco shoppers are 81% more likely to be of Asian descent.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />“For Asian Americans, their rate of population acceleration certainly lends to this idea that ... they’re going to be creating major market shifts,” Kymberly Graham, head of diversity initiatives at NielsenIQ, told CNBC in 2022. “Their needs are being served, it inherently becomes very profitable for anyone that’s serving them.”<br /></span><br /></div><div><div><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p><p><br /></p></div><div class="recommended-intersection-ref" data-activity-map="recommended-article-body-recommended" data-testid="recommended-wrapper" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: PublicoText, Georgia, "Publico Text", "Times New Roman", Times, Baskerville; font-size: 18px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-72375187079619226552024-02-25T22:50:00.000-08:002024-02-25T23:19:42.055-08:00People Power revolution anniversary comes and goes with barely a mention in the Philippines<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdufPrWPBn9Jgd7bZBH5ddJT5zMjemxDVnLpBghYFFaYjlk5_0Bj3DYejcVtDuKT4y_BcEKQ_b0QaDDayIggbfTGYrcbHU_Rl7lG24jbM4wNQAa5V-EI0M8RDD95jJ4C3bQstL9WGMnkrGcdU5vNm7JeYu6Rzpk-i9HhzpYWzJJ-Ee20h6GGsOLCVNgAq/s2010/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-25%20at%205.10.51%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="2010" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdufPrWPBn9Jgd7bZBH5ddJT5zMjemxDVnLpBghYFFaYjlk5_0Bj3DYejcVtDuKT4y_BcEKQ_b0QaDDayIggbfTGYrcbHU_Rl7lG24jbM4wNQAa5V-EI0M8RDD95jJ4C3bQstL9WGMnkrGcdU5vNm7JeYu6Rzpk-i9HhzpYWzJJ-Ee20h6GGsOLCVNgAq/w640-h278/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-25%20at%205.10.51%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One Feb. 25, 1986m thousands of Filipinos on EDSA Blvd. holding up their extended thumb and forefinger to form an "L" for L"aban" (Fight!)</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0JNaUeaxuWprPjhKZP3fcRzBdI8vzOiWIDDF6GCxrGty8isVvX0ssSWxwZDtLsuwb_zPbuAXQadsNdMJOaSajx9DhJ0YOmTzWE31TaVIpWPNhRb5-1ziT3RLbydt3devu8suy3gQMC5F1kJ8UQ5QqYnJsmHKWeWu55nYROb6n_4FZSdfPBYycLB47xvq/s600/7a2278e3d7d15f0fbb00a312ae4cc489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0JNaUeaxuWprPjhKZP3fcRzBdI8vzOiWIDDF6GCxrGty8isVvX0ssSWxwZDtLsuwb_zPbuAXQadsNdMJOaSajx9DhJ0YOmTzWE31TaVIpWPNhRb5-1ziT3RLbydt3devu8suy3gQMC5F1kJ8UQ5QqYnJsmHKWeWu55nYROb6n_4FZSdfPBYycLB47xvq/w640-h486/7a2278e3d7d15f0fbb00a312ae4cc489.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">If he had his way, Philippine President Bong Bong Marcos would have the Filipino people forget the People Power revolution that kicked his family out of Malacanang Palace.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Last October Marcos Jr. issued issued Proclamation No. 368 which eliminated February 25t the anniversary of the bloodless revolution as a national holiday.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Critics say that it is Marcos' attempt to diminish what he previously said was one of the "darkest days" for his family when his father, the dictator Ferdinand Marcoswas, and his family fled from the People Power revolution in 1986.The only official mention of the anniversary was a proclamation from the National Historical Commission of the Philippine which issued a statement on Facebook.</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Much of the protests took place on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue,the highway encircling Manila, giving the actions the name of the EDSA revolution.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">“The EDSA People Power Revolution was a series of demonstrations from 22 to 25 February 1986. It was a civil resistance campaign against the regime of violence and electoral fraud. The peaceful revolution led to the departure of former President Ferdinand Marcos ending 20 years of dictatorship and restoring democracy in the country.” .</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The Marcos family and their supporters have spent years and part of their ill-gotten fortune rewriting history of the 20 years spent under the Marcos dictatorship. The success of the disinformation campaign led to the election of Marcos, Jr. to the Philippine presidency two years ago.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2023, his first year in office, Bong Bong Marcos observed the anniversary, saying “I once again offer my hand of reconciliation to those with different political persuasions to come together as one in forging a better society – one that will pursue progress and peace and a better life for all Filipinos."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">This year, there was no official statement from Malacanang.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It is a watershed moment in in Philippine history that should not be forgotten. For those of us in the United States, it was a moment of pride and visibility, knowing that Filipino presence in the US media was almost zero. The protestors in EDSA were our cousins, brothers, sisters, titos and titas. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span> </span><span> </span>READ</b>: <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2016/02/feb-25-1986-30th-anniversary-of.html">As editor of the Philippine News, I had a unique perspective of that day.<br /></a></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In the US it was Feb. 24. We watched on television, with baited breath, minute by minute, as the events occurred leading to the eventual Marcos family's departure.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzOHXdXpRgT73hzyzXHwbzyYkykvi6LB_QajQvWWD07wxqDSbb4S4EgSs6mDSzjICdX6VfkEMuJayjlz-dq5HZAJAR4IA2aPVIMYKbJYbmUQ21AVSreBz_uTOfO35LUrbtdOlp2y1N8LjUILOCssWFw0uvU6UkDUWSYRX3-deR62aumQaEZhmc6lt9T-u/s449/1677069152827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="449" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzOHXdXpRgT73hzyzXHwbzyYkykvi6LB_QajQvWWD07wxqDSbb4S4EgSs6mDSzjICdX6VfkEMuJayjlz-dq5HZAJAR4IA2aPVIMYKbJYbmUQ21AVSreBz_uTOfO35LUrbtdOlp2y1N8LjUILOCssWFw0uvU6UkDUWSYRX3-deR62aumQaEZhmc6lt9T-u/w640-h406/1677069152827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Following is the Feb. 25 timeline (as reported on <i>Wikipedia</i>):</span><div><h1 style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0.25em 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">FEBRUARY 25, 1986</span></h1><ul style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">12:00 MN:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Marcos loyalist soldiers fire through barbed wire barricades on Nagtahan Street, injuring several people.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of Marcoses’ belongings are taken out of Malacañang.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3:30 AM: Marines rejoice as orders to attack Camp Crame are canceled.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3:45 AM:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Airplanes carrying reinforcements ordered by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Fabian Ver head for Clark Air Base.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The troops stay there for the duration of the revolt.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5:00 AM:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On the phone to Washington, President Marcos asks US Sen. Paul Laxalt if he should resign. Laxalt's reply: “I think you should cut, and cut cleanly. The time has come.”</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Marcos tells Labor Minister Blas Ople, who is in Washington lobbying for the Marcos regime, that he is not stepping down because first lady Imelda Marcos does not want him to.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5:15 AM: Marcos gives the go-signal for his family to prepare to leave.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">6:00 AM: Rebel soldiers advance towards the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcast_City" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Broadcast City">Broadcast City</a> complex with hundreds of people with them, accompanied by a rebel S-76 helicopter</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">8:00 AM: People are called to guard Club Filipino in San Juan in case Marcos attempts to disrupt Aquino's inauguration as president.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">10:00 AM: Aquino arrives at Club Filipino. Opposition lawyer Neptali Gonzales reads a resolution proclaiming her and former Sen. Salvador Laurel as duly elected President and Vice President.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">10:46 AM:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Aquino was sworn in as President by Senior Associate Justice <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudio_Teehankee" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Claudio Teehankee">Claudio Teehankee</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Laurel" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Salvador Laurel">Salvador Laurel</a> as Vice-President by Justice <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicente_Abad_Santos" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Vicente Abad Santos">Vicente Abad Santos</a>, at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Filipino" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Club Filipino">Club Filipino</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan,_Metro_Manila" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="San Juan, Metro Manila">San Juan</a>.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Aquino appoints Enrile as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_National_Defense_(Philippines)" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Department of National Defense (Philippines)">Defense</a> Secretary and Ramos as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_of_the_Philippines" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Armed Forces of the Philippines">AFP</a> Chief of Staff.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">11:45 AM: Marcos enters Malacañang's Ceremonial Hall for his own inauguration.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">11:55 AM: Just as President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Marcos" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Ferdinand Marcos">Marcos</a> addresses the crowds at Malacanang Palace, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Philippines_Network" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Radio Philippines Network">RPN-9</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banahaw_Broadcasting_Corporation" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation">BBC Channel 2</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercontinental_Broadcasting_Corporation" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation">IBC-13</a> all sign-off as rebel soldiers capture the Broadcast City complex, transmitters and studios of said stations. The New TV-4 and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMA_Network" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="GMA Network">GMA Network</a> continue airing as usual. The President had just taken what would be his final inauguration oath of office beforehand.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3:45 PM:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Loyalist soldiers try to ram down barricades set up at Tomas Morato and Timog Avenue in Quezon City, but people power prevails.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On Nagtahan, pro-Aquino groups and loyalists coming from Marcos’ inauguration clash.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">4:30 PM: Imee Marcos’ husband, Tommy Manotoc, relays the offer of US Brig. Gen. Ted Allen to use American helicopters or boats to move Marcos from the Palace.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5:00 PM:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Marcos calls Enrile again to coordinate his departure from Malacañang.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His aides start packing not only clothes and books but also boxes of money that have been stored in his bedroom since the start of the election campaign. Prime Minister <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Virata" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Cesar Virata">Cesar Virata</a> negotiates Marcos’ departure with Aquino.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">6:30 PM: Imee and Irene Marcos plead with their father to leave Malacañang after he tells his remaining men that he has decided to die there.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">7:00 PM:</span><ul style="list-style-image: url("/w/skins/Vector/resources/skins.vector.styles/images/bullet-icon.svg?d4515"); margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">US Ambassador Stephen Bosworth asks Cory Aquino if Marcos can be allowed two days in Paoay, Ilocos Norte province, before heading abroad. To prevent possible regrouping of Marcos loyalists, Aquino refuses.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In Malacañang, luggage are loaded on boats, which proceed to Pangarap golf course across Pasig River where US helicopters are to collect the Marcoses.</span></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">7:30 PM: The families of Ver and Eduardo Cojuangco motor to Clark Air Base in Pampanga province.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">8:40 PM: A convoy of heavily secured vehicles makes a beeline for Clark.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">8:45 PM: The Marcoses and other government officials board helicopters. Some of their possessions are loaded on the choppers.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">9:05 PM: President Marcos and his family leave the Malacañang Palace and are now on Clark Air Base, Radio Veritas and The New TV-4 announced the departure. As news of their departure reaches the people, the millions who gathered at EDSA rejoice, since their departure sparks the conclusion of the revolution. Crowds already position along Mendiola Street, Recto Avenue and Legarda Street, having arrived there late in the afternoon to await the departure of the First Family and had already encountered the pro-Marcos crowd at Nagtahan earlier</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">9:20 PM: Within minutes of the announcement of the departure of the Marcos family, President Aquino makes her first ever live address to the nation as chief executive via Channel 4</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">9:30 PM: Remaining members of the presidential household and employees begin to pack up and leave the palace complex while the pro-Aquino crowds began to walk to the gates</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">9:45 PM: Marcos lands in Clark and is met by Bosworth. People in the area welcome him with chants of “Cory! Cory!”</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">9:52 PM: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DZRH" style="background: none; color: #3366cc; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-line: none;" title="DZRH">DZRH</a> announces: <i>The Marcoses have fled the country</i>.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">10:00 PM: US Air Force TV station FEN confirms Marcos’ departure.</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">11:30 PM: Pro-Aquino crowds force the opening of the Malacanang Palace gates, as they open thousands of Aquino supporters and participants of the revolution storm the palace complex with little resistance</span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Nuns stopping tanks. Girls giving flowers to the soldiers. Soldiers refusing to fire on the crowds. The phone calls to the White House. The shoes. What a day.</span></div><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The next day, I remember the sun was shining in California. A reporter asked me how I felt. I responded, "See this smile? I can't stop smiling." </span></div><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #202122; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We will not forget. We must not forget!</span></div></div></div></div><div><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-73029847181809247342024-02-25T13:46:00.000-08:002024-02-25T13:48:23.219-08:00SAG-AFTRA: More acting accolades for Steven Yeun and Ali Wong<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYo6YEUR7vlNUbUBt9wuwfM6v8UZMFz8DYJEzlcWRqurr9CUgCBvyCAmxDxO4Erqwg5ZKK_8RNTmRE7U4cLVQrIB2bC0y1qeImqPOydgkdcqdzjolpDlgJL6Yr71zFZZOWg03kgY2boXIKSfrVEXGt606oRUujWZtH7d8JplK264x44ocvMh8u39NNiPiQ/s1108/ali-wong-steven-yeun.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1108" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYo6YEUR7vlNUbUBt9wuwfM6v8UZMFz8DYJEzlcWRqurr9CUgCBvyCAmxDxO4Erqwg5ZKK_8RNTmRE7U4cLVQrIB2bC0y1qeImqPOydgkdcqdzjolpDlgJL6Yr71zFZZOWg03kgY2boXIKSfrVEXGt606oRUujWZtH7d8JplK264x44ocvMh8u39NNiPiQ/w640-h356/ali-wong-steven-yeun.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">SCREEN CAPTURE / NETFLIX</span></i></div><b>Ali Wong and Steven Yeun won SAG-AFTRA awards for their work on the series 'Beef.'</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Who better to judge an actor's performance than other actors? Steven Yeun and Ali Wong won Best Actor and Best Actress in a Screen Actors Guild'sTelevision Movie or Limited Series for their work as the lead actors in Beef.</span></p><p><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"I want to thank my 83-year-old mother, who's here tonight in her pearls and her Tevas because she doesn't give a f---," Wong said as she accepted her award.</span></span></p><p><span color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95)" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Speaking directly to her mother, Wong said: "I know it was really hard when I told you I wanted to do stand-up comedy. I hope you feel like it's all worked out."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">TheSAG-AFTRA awards Feb. 24 makes it a clean sweep for Wong and Yeun. The dramedy series created by Lee Sung-jin already won the actors awards from the Golden Globe, Critics Chioce and Emmys.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><b><span> </span><span> </span>FYI: </b>For the complete list of SAG-AFTRA award winners, <a href="https://ew.com/2024-sag-awards-winners-full-list-8598439">click here</a>.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The seris, which is streaming on the Netflix channel, is noteworthy because it presents a different side of Asian Americans that strays from the model minority stereotype usually depicted in maistream media. A road rage incident spirals into a one-upmanship series of revenge acts between the two mentally and emotionally flawed characters portrayed by Yeun and Wong.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The SAG-AFTRA awards honor the best film and TV performances of the year at the <a href="https://ew.com/awards/sag-awards/">2024 SAG Awards</a>, with the motion picture <i>Oppenheime</i>r and TV series <i>The Bear</i> led in their respctive categories. It was streamed live on Netflix.</span><br /></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p><p><br /></p>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-51235064049636227202024-02-23T12:35:00.000-08:002024-02-23T12:37:27.613-08:00Dance workshops with Vincent Rodriguez III can transport fans into the world of 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEK1mD3jNggH2SUXV0uyV-uRjJqLqAQHE9xMuoSULfgy9KMWlp9FL8x_xKrUgCvmqjaoOBxmZPrcqvYWLCH-TxmgfGN0P0fBd6PUHUCRTH38Sq7QQ7OUCIaL7wgXJP5-LfoqoUkYvAXn9dTFODSicvkZ6IE_JLvjdgWbS9yFrwiqtz02rfz64F3cVuqCR/s640/f8bbfa086bad85ecf65ed2dfd36f50fc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEK1mD3jNggH2SUXV0uyV-uRjJqLqAQHE9xMuoSULfgy9KMWlp9FL8x_xKrUgCvmqjaoOBxmZPrcqvYWLCH-TxmgfGN0P0fBd6PUHUCRTH38Sq7QQ7OUCIaL7wgXJP5-LfoqoUkYvAXn9dTFODSicvkZ6IE_JLvjdgWbS9yFrwiqtz02rfz64F3cVuqCR/w640-h428/f8bbfa086bad85ecf65ed2dfd36f50fc.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: small;">SCREEN CAPTURE</span></div><b>Vincent Rodriguez in a musical number in 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><i>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend </i>fans have a chance to pretend they are part of the cast through dance workshops taught by one of the show's stars.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Vincent Rodriguez III, who plays Josh Chan in the groundbreaking rom-com, is offering fans an opportunity to learn the dance moves performed in the series.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Rodriguez's Filipino American character was the object of attraction of the series' obsessive character Rebecca Bunch, wonderfullly played by Rachel Bloom. It was one of the few times in mainstream media the Asian American male was a romantic lead, countering the stereotype of the sexless, unattractive male stereotype that haunts generations of Asian American male egos.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span> </span><span> </span>RELATED:</b> <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2015/10/asians-on-tv-why-you-should-be-watching.html">Why you should be watching 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The series lasted only three entertaining seasons and opened the door for a wider depiction of Asian American men.</span></p><p><i style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> was not the ordinary usual rom-com. It was a musical. At any moment or crucial juncture in the plot, the cast could break into song and dance to move the story along.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The singing and dancing came easy to Rodriguez because of his stage musical background honed on Broadway and Bay Area high school productions. Although he has been able to find other roles after <i>Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</i> wrapped, the Daly City, California native misses his first passion of singing and dancing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;"><b> </b><b>READ: </b>The original article from <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/22/why-crazy-ex-girlfriends-dreamiest-ex-boyfriend-is-teaching-dance-in-san-francisco/">The San Francisco Standard.</a><br /></i><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since January, Rodriguez has been teaching fans dance moves through workshops dedicated to the choreography that award-winning chreographer Kat Burns created for the the </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Crazy Ex-Girlfriend</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> series at Uforia Studios in Nob Hill, reports the </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">San Francisco Standard.</i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"It’s really about giving back and reconnecting with my roots,” Rodriguez told the </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Standard</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. “I want to help the artists get to do what they love and discover what there is to discover about themselves.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"I don’t care if you mess up the choreography,” Rodriguez told the reporter who took part in the class. “This is not a place for critique. This is a place for fun, creativity and play.”</span><br /><i></i></span></p><blockquote style="font-family: helvetica;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLQCqweJSIFNsEGGnz754z6vZnosYGCytVjIJUpMI2sIxg07VPNRLJhaaPtObyk-6i-x7wxJXxTyCDpWdXFjkrSo9CKVF16ijp_jXTy8gTCsj6Cn_M_DSAgpuruWHrUg63r47V3mjdOB4mR_YJ4bdfh4264ZPtFzqMRDr1FvK3f9WBk025SBrmMgv7wSs/s1116/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-23%20at%201.43.59%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="1116" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLQCqweJSIFNsEGGnz754z6vZnosYGCytVjIJUpMI2sIxg07VPNRLJhaaPtObyk-6i-x7wxJXxTyCDpWdXFjkrSo9CKVF16ijp_jXTy8gTCsj6Cn_M_DSAgpuruWHrUg63r47V3mjdOB4mR_YJ4bdfh4264ZPtFzqMRDr1FvK3f9WBk025SBrmMgv7wSs/w640-h236/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-23%20at%201.43.59%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SCREEN CAPTURE / SAN FRANCISCO STANDARD</span></span></blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Vincent Rodriguez (in checkered shirt) teaches fans dance moves from<br />'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.'</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><blockquote style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>FYI: </b><i>Vincent Rodriguez III teaches a Groov3 dance fitness workshop on March 23 from 12:00-3:30 p.m. at Uforia Studios in Nob Hill and the next ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ dance workshop at Uforia on March 24, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/uforiastudios/?hl=en">@uforiastudios</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vrodrigueziii/?hl=en">@vrodrigueziii</a> on Instagram for updates.</i></i></span></blockquote></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white; font-size: medium;" /></div></span><p></p><p></p>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-88943372717847271282024-02-22T01:55:00.000-08:002024-02-22T01:57:41.551-08:00'Good Morning America' feature Cool to Be Kind spotlights New York's own Robin Hood<div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp49f6ts61zE5sBHMk0_jLGG1iwmQofpyHitQZjgoUOy9lkRN-U-CrieA46Wuc7re9l7SpHRW0QrMdZPDEdam_UvDMoD-_WEBCTWFwNd7vqKb8ZSO3BLzcD5mLCFFYdHCnBCDtHME-AvYaQOcC4tKM1QtlFsKGZV_d4oTS9AYH3QCDeXq_cERbeypxQwG/s397/peter-bond-selfie.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="397" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp49f6ts61zE5sBHMk0_jLGG1iwmQofpyHitQZjgoUOy9lkRN-U-CrieA46Wuc7re9l7SpHRW0QrMdZPDEdam_UvDMoD-_WEBCTWFwNd7vqKb8ZSO3BLzcD5mLCFFYdHCnBCDtHME-AvYaQOcC4tKM1QtlFsKGZV_d4oTS9AYH3QCDeXq_cERbeypxQwG/w640-h618/peter-bond-selfie.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">FACEBOOK / PETER BOND</span></i></div><b>Peter Bond, right, with one of his new friends.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">A Filipino American good Samaritan has earned the monicker of “The Robin Hood of NYC” for his one-man homeless assistance effort.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In a world filled with hate and negativity, Peter Bond's kindness and compassion stands out and led to his feature in Good Morning America 3 Cool to Be Kind segment Monday, Feb. 19.<br /><br />Peter credits his Filipino heritage as one of the inspiring forces behind his work as he strives to be a role model for others by sharing his efforts on social media. Born in the Philippines, he was instilled with gratitude and the importance of giving back</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/A2-6FP6EerY?si=VnmTzuitvbZoGyKl" width="480"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Bond, 29, has made it his life’s mission to help the homeless in his area while inspiring others to do the same by showcasing his work on social media, <br /><br />Besides offreing financial help, he also takes the time to make a human connection with each individual he helps.</span></div><div><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: Raleway, arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i></i></p><blockquote><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>FYI: </b><i>Watch more of Peter Bond's acts of kindness by clicking<a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Peter-Bond/100093158147690/"> here</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@bondpeter">here</a>.</i></span></i></blockquote><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Watching other social media influencers perform good deeds, Bond wanted o make sure that a Filipino was included in those discussions.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Unlike the mythical Robin Hood, Bond doesn't rob from the rich to give to the poor. The financial assistance he gives to the indigent comes out of his own pocket. When he began his journey of helping others, he used his saving from his job at Chipotle and began working extra shifts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />According to <a href="https://nyweekly.com/lifestyle/the-inspiring-journey-of-peter-bond-from-nyc-streets-to-the-robin-hood-of-nyc/">New York Weekly</a>, Bond’s first step toward becoming the “Robin Hood of NYC” took place in in 2021 when a homeless stranger asked him for change. Instead, the young man gave him a $20. When Peter saw how grateful the man was, he knew he wanted to keep doing this. </span></div><div><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><b>FYI:</b><i>To follow or assist Peter Bond, he can be contacted via:</i></i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://Instagram.com/bondgives">Instagram</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Facebook: bondgives</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://Twitter.com/bondgives">Twitte</a>r</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://YouTube.com/@bondpeter">Youtube</a></span></li></ul></span></blockquote></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">After that first time incident, a friend suggested that Bond document his work on social media. His videos went viral. Online crowdfunding not pays for his genrous passion. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />"I currently work at a smoothie shop. I’m trying to make my videos my full-time career. I’m not known for anything special, but hopefully known as someone who cares in the future," <a href="https://sdvoyager.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-peter-bond/">he told <i>SDVoyager. </i></a><br /><br />"I’m just proud that I’m helping change lives, and the more resources, money, and connects I garner, the more people I can help and help change their lives permanently." </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>DITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white;" /></div></div><div><br /></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-42909780643033154052024-02-18T15:04:00.000-08:002024-02-22T01:37:23.647-08:00More than ever, the US needs to remember February 19, another day that lives in infamy<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcGkAaOJ4OF0293hplyDbf5IpA_cu-B6Usdm4uXv1QpsSRSx-UePTLmeMx1Y97VOK9M9pUE73CTgTjZRb7YUKjq4HfgjWLe3RdDbthcyx9YaEd-779PMm5uEbsS2NP5rs5PM-wG-e31l27KlQBpaKwRHvtHNia2xnCl0zuW8ZhKpZq-yJLQKSzoP5lb4R/s1526/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-18%20at%202.48.59%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1526" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcGkAaOJ4OF0293hplyDbf5IpA_cu-B6Usdm4uXv1QpsSRSx-UePTLmeMx1Y97VOK9M9pUE73CTgTjZRb7YUKjq4HfgjWLe3RdDbthcyx9YaEd-779PMm5uEbsS2NP5rs5PM-wG-e31l27KlQBpaKwRHvtHNia2xnCl0zuW8ZhKpZq-yJLQKSzoP5lb4R/w640-h438/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-18%20at%202.48.59%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SMITHSONIAN</span></i></div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Thousands of American citizens of Japanese descent were rounded up an incarcerated because <br />of Executive Order 9066.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">With the rise of anti-Asian sentiment, new attempts to deprive land ownership by people of Asian descent and the increasing heat generated by the tensions with China, it seems that most Americans have forgotten what happened o February 19, 1942, another day that lives in infamy.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">On Feb. 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which gave the US Army the authority to remove civilians from the military zones established in Washington, Oregon, and California during WWII. This led to the forced removal and incarceration of some 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast, who had to abandon their jobs, their homes, and their lives to be sent to one of ten concentration camps scattered in desolate, remote regions of the country.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">No Japanese Americans were ever charged, much less convicted, of espionage or sabotage against the United States. Yet they were targeted, rounded up, and imprisoned for years, simply for having the “face of the enemy.”</span></span><div><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><b>FYI: </b>For a list of events and observances around the nation fo the 82nd Day of Remembrance, <a href="https://jacl.org/day-of-remembrance">click here.</a></i></span></blockquote></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Executive Order 9066 (is) an unconstitutional and discriminatory policy born out of prejudice led to the unjust internment of Japanese Americans in incarceration camps," says Senator Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. <br /><br />"Now, diversity is under attack with over a dozen states enacting laws targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion—from limiting curriculum of diverse histories to restricting LGBTQ+ youth from accessing health care or playing sports aligned with their gender." <br /><br />Every February, the Japanese American community commemorates Executive Order 9066 as a reminder of the impact the incarceration experience has had on our families, our community, and our country. It is an opportunity to educate others on the fragility of civil liberties in times of crisis, and the importance of remaining vigilant in protecting the rights and freedoms of all. <br /><br />“A day of remembrance is a day to atone for our country's wrongs. Japanese internment is an episode in American history that highlighted a failure in leadership to uphold the Constitution," says Rep. Mark Takano, D-CA. "My family lost land, upward mobility, and their dignity to race-based fear -- we cannot allow that to happen again. Join me in remembering this injustice while recommitting ourselves to uphold our country's founding principle of justice for all.”</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The family of Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, was among the thousands rounded up and incarcerated because of Executive ORder 1066.<br /><br />“Although it has been 82 years since President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, families continue to bear scars from the xenophobia and hate that stripped 120,000 people of Japanese descent of everything from the most basic human rights to homes and life savings," says the fresman lawmaker. "As one of millions of descendants of internees, on this Day of Remembrance, I ask that we act with urgency to learn from the mistakes of our past and recommit ourselves to being a nation free of intolerance and prejudice.”<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />The day may be forgotten by most mainstream media and barely mentioned in history textbooks, but the lessons that can be learned from that Executive Order 9066 has gained new significance in the context of today's racial tensions.<br /><br />"Disturbingly,... the same hysteria that led to the racial targeting and stripping of property ownership rights from Japanese Americans has reemerged today in federal and state-level measures that aim to limit the civil rights of our communities," says Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Contressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. <br /><br />"This uptick in shameful, anti-Asian fear-mongering and discrimination is why now, more than ever, we must speak up in the face of injustice and ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of our past. As we observe this Day of Remembrance, we must stand together and recommit to safeguard the civil rights of all Americans.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white;" /></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-54548117456612909292024-02-15T02:07:00.000-08:002024-02-18T14:54:42.040-08:00Immigrant family of four found dead in their California home<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyF3T5QSM4h3oewp7buUKIrfPkYjkvWwi6utmS2rriJ-EBiuYU6tjxR5TPD5XekpqZmKE1cQGsHy-McgzjDnygyl_XobDTugHIGw3OqCK6bG2EBXCPl-ajYZqyli1gC16xISk_0oD1eEPJit5hvpcbzC4xzF53d-CJwQOkJ9U19kuL7-dNp8PKUSfLkSC/s872/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-14%20at%204.43.58%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyF3T5QSM4h3oewp7buUKIrfPkYjkvWwi6utmS2rriJ-EBiuYU6tjxR5TPD5XekpqZmKE1cQGsHy-McgzjDnygyl_XobDTugHIGw3OqCK6bG2EBXCPl-ajYZqyli1gC16xISk_0oD1eEPJit5hvpcbzC4xzF53d-CJwQOkJ9U19kuL7-dNp8PKUSfLkSC/w640-h428/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-14%20at%204.43.58%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">An Indian immigrant couple immersed in Silicon Valley's high-tech world and their two young children were found dead in their San Mateo, California home.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The family of four has been identified by family and friends as </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Anand Sujith Henry, 37, Alize Benziger, 38, and their 4-year-old sons, Noah and Neithan, according to the <i>Daily Mail.</i></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />"Based on the information we have at this time, this appears to be an isolated incident with no danger to the public as we are confident the person responsible was located within the home," states a police report. "This investigation continues as detectives work to gather evidence, speak to witnesses and family members, and determine a possible motive."<br /><br />San Mateo Police officers were dispatched to the 4100 block of Alameda de las Pulgas on the report of a welfare check. After arriving officers were met with no response, they searched the perimeter of the home and did not see any signs of forced entry into the house. Finding an unlocked window, officers entered the home and located four people dead; an adult male, an adult female, and two children.<br /><br />"The male and female were located deceased from gunshot wounds inside a bathroom. A 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine were also found in the bathroom, according to police reports.<br /><br />The children were found in an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #383d44;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">other bedroom but the cause of death is still unknown because there were no signs of trauma to their bodies, say police. The investigation is continuing.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #383d44;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #383d44;"><span>The couple were </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">originally from Kerala. Anand. They lived in San Francisco before purchasing their $2.1 million home in San Mateo, a modest home in the high-priced Bay Area market.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">Henry had worked as a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">Software Engineering Manager</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;"> at Google for eight years and Meta/Facebook for 17 months before co-founding an artificial intelligence firm called Logits in 2023. He had earlier worked at Salesforce and had interned at Adobe Systems, according to his social media profile.</span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The reports also said Henry had filed for divorce in December 2016 but had reconciled before the birth of twins, Benzinger's mother was reportedly living with them before recently returning to India.<br /><br />Police also acknowldged they had been dispatched to the residence several timse but did not go into dtail on the nature of those visits.<br /><br />What makes this incident particularly disturbing is that it is the second such murder-suicide involving highly educated and financially accomplishedl Indian immigrants. In January, a similar incident in Massachusetts in occurred where Rakesh Kamal, 57, fatally shot his wife Teena Kamal, 54, and their college-going daughter Arianna Kamal, 18 before turning the gun on himself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Kamals had co-founded an education systems company called EduNova in 2016, but had dissolved it in 2021 after financial setbacks that undercut their affluent lifestyle in a $ 5 million suburban home.</span><span><span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; content: ""; display: flex; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; margin: 8px 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; content: ""; display: flex; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; margin: 8px 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">The tragic stories appear to underscore the pressure on Asian and Asian American professionals trying to live up the model minority stereotype as a model minority, to present themselves as successful and wealthy.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; content: ""; display: flex; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; margin: 8px 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">Indian-Americans have the highest average household income among all ethnicities in the US ($126,891, almost twice the US average of $65,316), but that topline would barely qualify as modest in the Bay Area and other affluent pockets in America.</span></span></span></p></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #383d44;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;" /></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-50353775712220397302024-02-11T12:47:00.000-08:002024-02-11T12:48:29.192-08:00Expat's episode 5 is a movie unto itslf focusing on Filipino diaspora<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMMDOzGnj6Xq8oe16Nq6MHf8pc2khfMLDVxh-U_6V0ne6TqE7Jr8DqFYFgg6DVoWD9kcInmPSHLUkRPqMPDR59Gdq3eDYk2Cw1e_hxk13yny4M_WQy_7FRfCcHiUrP7vyq4q86taY3Hx4fjVdr4yvRi8GH5yU8Jardv_nHdHGqAai6L19P7UM48IVfln8/s640/61527491d2f0dec0910a9675ebaa3908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMMDOzGnj6Xq8oe16Nq6MHf8pc2khfMLDVxh-U_6V0ne6TqE7Jr8DqFYFgg6DVoWD9kcInmPSHLUkRPqMPDR59Gdq3eDYk2Cw1e_hxk13yny4M_WQy_7FRfCcHiUrP7vyq4q86taY3Hx4fjVdr4yvRi8GH5yU8Jardv_nHdHGqAai6L19P7UM48IVfln8/w640-h360/61527491d2f0dec0910a9675ebaa3908.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On their day off, Hong Kong's domestic workers gather among themselves.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Episode 5 of the series <i>Expats</i> is the one we've been waiting for and probably the one people will remember.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The Nicole Kidman starer for Amazon is what convinced director Lulu Wang to take on the project with the permission to focus on the other expatriots, the domestic workers who work for Hong Kong's upper class.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The episode, titled “Central,” is 96 minutes long, more like a short film than a TV episode, and centers on the often hidden world of domestic workers, most of whom are from the Philippines. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">“I was so nervous about how I was going to be able to portray Hong Kong and making sure that the bubble of the expat world was intentional, that I was examining it as opposed to just indulging in it,” Wang tells Vanity Fair. “How do you both be in that world without celebrating it, but also not judging it either?”</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><blockquote><b>FYI: </b><i>Expats is available for streaming on Amazon.</i></blockquote></i></span><span style="font-size: medium;">When it came time to debut the series at the Toronto Film Festival last year, Wang chose this episode to show because it places the story in the context of a Hong Kong in transition, just like the expatriots who people the upper stories of the high-rise apartments dominating the former British colony.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">In this special episode, the series goes outside the main storyline of the three American women -- Kidman who plays Margaret, Indian American Sarayu Blue portraying Hillary and Korean American Ji-young Yoo as Mercy -- and looks into the lives of the domestic workers who live in the periphery of the central story.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">“Central,” Wang ventures beyond the world where the three women live, allowing the viewer to follow Margaret’s Filipino nanny Essie beyond the walls of Margaret’s home. Played by Ruby Ruiz, Essie is the “heart and soul” of the story, a warm caretaker who is also devastated by the disappearance of Margaret’s son. Puri, Hilary’s “helper” as the wealthy expats call them, is played by Amelyn Pardenilla, helps her employer through her marital woes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">This focus makes sense: the workers are expatriates, too. Hong Kong's domestic workers, mostly from Malaysia and the Philippines number in the hundreds of thousands. The domestic workers we see in the margins finally get to shine, as they spend their day off gossiping and pursuing their own interests.<br /><br />On their day off, the workers gather to gossip, talk about family bck in their home countries, share their homeland cuisines and to provide emotional support for each other.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">“Don’t be stupid. She’s not your friend,” a friend tells Puri, Hillary’s helper, about her relationship to Hillary. Another adds, “You can’t get too close. We know everything about these people, things their closest friends don’t even know.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">“The first time I saw them, I was blown away,” Wnag says in an interview. “Hundreds and thousands of women, and there’s such a sense of community—but they’re also there because they have nowhere else to go.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">“In order to show that the expat world is a bubble, I had to break out of that bubble and give it context,” wang says.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">When Wang pitched her version of the series to Amazon, she started with the concept for the fifth episode. “It has to be a feature-length and it’s going to be shot differently, and I need the time and scope of an indie feature film for that episode,” she said, adding that Kidman’s character would be more or less in the background of that episode. To her surprise Kidman supported her and Amazon agreed in order to appease their international star.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The first four episodes of <i>Expats </i>show the American expatriots flitter about their high-rise apartments with their catered parties and international high-finance world. This episode contrasts the world of the elite to the world at street level there political revolution is bubbling and the working class diaspora created by the elite's business decisions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />RogerEbert.com writes: “'<i>Expats</i>' could have just been this, a feature-length film about these working-class women and the thin line between family member and employee they must walk."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-79685744574134509842024-02-08T01:35:00.000-08:002024-02-08T01:36:12.605-08:00Super Bowl: Filipino American rappers Saweetie and P-Lo release 49er video <iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/G93n5PhriDs?si=0zIzfUAo01yntnDj" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just in time for the Super Bowl, Filipino American rappers Saweetie and P-Lo combined to show their support for their favorite football team, the San Francisco 49ers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">This Sunday, the Forty-niners will be meeting the Kansas City Chiefs in the ultimate sporting event in the US. the National Football League's Super Bowl.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">, "I'm excited to share our new 49ers single designed to hype up the team and The Faithful for this playoffs run! I want to thank the 49ers organization for this opportunity," said the Grammy-nominated artist. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">"Shout out to P-Lo for doing what he does. I love that we were able to collaborate and make something that's so Bay-triotic, as P-Lo would say."</span></span><div><i style="font-family: helvetica;"><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>FYI: </b>"Do It For The Bay" is available on streaming platforms like </span><i><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/7LhiiKXxWkyRs3PDtIsl60?si=kD52h52XQWafMZosrHCKqQ" style="font-size: large;">Spotify</a><span style="font-size: medium;">, including the </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/irmm0bybhs66vsugoni381hpo?si=9da6f08479ea4be1" style="font-size: large;">49ers Official Spotify</a><span style="font-size: medium;"> profile. The music video can be viewed </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsLWFX8SfnI" style="font-size: large;">here</a><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></i></blockquote></i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Saweetie has a personal tie to the 'Niners. Her grandfather is the forme 49err linebacker Willie Harper, who wonthe Super Bowl in 1981.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Born as Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, the Filipino/Black rapper grew up in Hayward, a San Francisco suburb.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Bay Area rapper, producer, and patron to local sports teams P-Lo said, "Big thanks to the 49ers for their commitment to bridging sports and Bay Area culture. I've been wanting to release music with Saweetie and with both of us being die-hard 49ers fans, this a great opportunity to come together and show our pride for The Bay."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The song includes homages to the 49ers and their fanbased known as the Faithful, and serves as a new rallying song for the region at an important moment for the organization.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJKQQo2koLYImyOM4OU-rdk_oyW9r8rnt0YPlSCoFmrRjL6ZqjsfGfBaX8r6Qyq2J6WbGJRvG4VabyUPQqeMuce7HeBGrJvH-IcN5bjBbrqzjSh7ITN0lmK4sZ1qe-l0h1H8KQ4Kjwmkpdws8dO-qgoMmIefFOM5eA6H5S3SNwJPGfsKjrpOh8xtXtjlN/s275/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJKQQo2koLYImyOM4OU-rdk_oyW9r8rnt0YPlSCoFmrRjL6ZqjsfGfBaX8r6Qyq2J6WbGJRvG4VabyUPQqeMuce7HeBGrJvH-IcN5bjBbrqzjSh7ITN0lmK4sZ1qe-l0h1H8KQ4Kjwmkpdws8dO-qgoMmIefFOM5eA6H5S3SNwJPGfsKjrpOh8xtXtjlN/w640-h426/download.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>P-Lo, left, and Saweetie collaborated withe the NFL's 49ers for their latest rap video.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Released ahead of the San Francisco 49ers playoff run, "Do It For The Bay," was developed in partnership with the San Francisco 49ers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"We're grateful to iconic Bay Area artists and 49ers Faithful, Saweetie and P-Lo, for creating a song that celebrates our team and gives The Faithful a new song for their gameday soundtracks," said Allie Dicken, Senior Director of Brand Marketing for the San Francisco 49ers. "We're lucky to be based in a region that is thriving with talent, diversity, and innovation, and excited that Saweetie and P-Lo were able to capture those values in this new anthem for The Bay."</span><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-86995905580045910262024-02-06T13:15:00.000-08:002024-02-08T01:43:21.536-08:00Olivia Rodrigo winds up emptyhanded at the Grammys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopBUM5Hg7DEMDcnDrumFvu_RYTrF8NMk9FbzVHYPSmAxhOj_aTEyiu3CBiZt8vQxd30XoRF42Jg2SkxDnrNrp_4romKVcYVu_0YPEkU5N-mHC6NAdw0Meh00NGNKeO8BXHAzfJCJr8ue1s105Fe_pC-bAYLTLJr_mBu8rRjSEvK2d7Kdgd_v_2eV6nOgR/s768/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-06%20at%201.08.25%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="768" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopBUM5Hg7DEMDcnDrumFvu_RYTrF8NMk9FbzVHYPSmAxhOj_aTEyiu3CBiZt8vQxd30XoRF42Jg2SkxDnrNrp_4romKVcYVu_0YPEkU5N-mHC6NAdw0Meh00NGNKeO8BXHAzfJCJr8ue1s105Fe_pC-bAYLTLJr_mBu8rRjSEvK2d7Kdgd_v_2eV6nOgR/w640-h366/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-06%20at%201.08.25%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="paragraph-text" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Even though she was nominated in six different categories, Olivia Rodrigo did not win a covented trophy at the 2024 Grammys last Sunday.</span></p><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Filipino American singer/songwriter's "Vampire" was nominated for three Grammys — Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance — while <i>Guts</i> is up for both Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album and album cut "ballad of a homeschooled girl" earned Rodrigo her first-ever nod in the Rock Category (for Best Rock song).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This year, Olivia was up against some strong competition, losing out to Miley Cyrus and the current unstoppable force, Taylor Swift, in the pop categories.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />In 2022, she won three Grammys for her debut Sour album back in 2022. Those Grammy wins were Best Pop Solo Performance with "Drivers License," Best New Artist with <i>Sour</i> and Best Pop Vocal Album for <i>Sour</i>."</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">At the awards show, Rodrigo did a dramatic performance of "Vampire" From her second albumd dressed in a red gothic gown with Taylor Swift seen singingand dancing along in the audience.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />“I love singing about rage,” Rodrigo told the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/olivia-rodrigo-guts-2024-grammy-awards-49b892a97d7a2f1c069954c9be2d6f25"><i>Associated Pres</i>s</a> before the awards show. “I think I’m a very happy kind of, you know, generally excited person. And I think that in my music and my songwriting, I can kind of express parts of myself that are not so easy to talk about in everyday life… I love just having a song where I can kind of scream and get all of my emotions out. I think it’s so therapeutic.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-26695712764877193192024-02-03T13:16:00.000-08:002024-02-03T13:20:46.073-08:00US Postal Service issues dragon stamp for Lunar NewYear<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfiK-wjbDt_zJ51ocehn-CCrl-VaT_oMKwiECVrBETJA96tclhkMGH4IpaknJsfLoTy703lJHY8Jf66UCdaPzQBXrCUwCUIoNg3y3hDlDBBoahaHnsY-QzD-0AtWR3AWX9fOHNyfhoQN22iZXsq7xTEXluT-6c9_20YsdL2eWRODic1uodfVP8CC7oBTz/s1200/c16ea137-2266-40af-8495-e29cb36fb014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfiK-wjbDt_zJ51ocehn-CCrl-VaT_oMKwiECVrBETJA96tclhkMGH4IpaknJsfLoTy703lJHY8Jf66UCdaPzQBXrCUwCUIoNg3y3hDlDBBoahaHnsY-QzD-0AtWR3AWX9fOHNyfhoQN22iZXsq7xTEXluT-6c9_20YsdL2eWRODic1uodfVP8CC7oBTz/w640-h384/c16ea137-2266-40af-8495-e29cb36fb014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">As it has done for the last three years, the US Postal Service rissued a new stamp honoring Lunar New Year.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The stamp features an image of a yellow dragon mask symbolizing strength, health, and luck.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Postal Service unveiled the Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon Forever stamp in Seattle's historic Chinatown - International District last Jan. 25. </span><div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />“For more than three decades, the Postal Service has issued stamps highlighting the Lunar New Year and this subject has been some of the most successful stamp releases in the long history of the Postal Service,” said <a href="https://about.usps.com/who/leadership/officers/westpac-ao-vp.htm">Eduardo H. Ruiz, Jr.,</a> USPS vice president of retail and delivery operations for the Postal Service’s WESTPAC Area, who served as the dedicating official. <br /><br />“The Postal Service has one of the most diverse workplaces in the United States, and its customer base is as diverse as the country itself. This stamp is a great example that reflects our nation’s rich, multicultural heritage and traditions.”</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><blockquote><i><b>FYI: </b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Postal Service printed 22 million stamps that are now on sale at Post Offices and </span><a href="https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/lunar-new-year-year-of-the-dragon-stamps-S_484304">usps.com</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;">.</span> </i></blockquote></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Beginning in 2020, in observance of the Lunar New Year holiday, the US Postal Service introduced its third Lunar New Year series. This is the fifth Forever stamp in that series, which will continue through 2031 with stamps for the Year of the Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />On February 10, millions of people around the world will celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. Beginning on the night of the second new moon following the winter solstice, the Lunar New Year festival celebrates the coming of spring and a time of renewal. It also marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, the fifth of the 12 animals associated with the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Dragon ends on January 28, 2025.</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE STAMP DESIGN</b><br /><br />The dragon stamp was created by artist Camille Chew, who constructed the dragon mask out of hand-printed paper, then cut, scored, and folded it into shape. She embellished the mask with acrylic paint and other paper elements, like flowers and tassels, and covered the back of the mask in a layer of papier-mâché. The completed mask was photographed on a white background.<br /><br />Utilizing gold and red as the predominant colors, the dragon mask incorporates elements with symbolic meaning. Gold signifies prosperity in the coming year, while red is considered lucky—colors befitting the dragon sign, which is said to be the most auspicious among all the animals in the Chinese zodiac.<br /><br />With guidance from art director Antonio Alcalá, Chew worked on this series of stamps to create contemporary Lunar New Year imagery. Referencing the colorful and beautifully adorned masks used in Lunar New Year parades, Chew’s three-dimensional art evokes feelings of celebration and festivity. Illustrations of the 12 zodiac animals, done in the artist’s unique style, form vertical lines on the left and right sides of the pane of 20 stamps.<br /><br />The Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon panel of 20 stamps are issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1‑ounce price.<br /><br />“The Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon stamp is much more than US postage,” said Joël Barraquiel Tan, director of Seattle's <a href="https://www.wingluke.org/">Wing Luke Museum</a>. “It reflects a much larger narrative about inclusion and equity, as the Wing Luke Museum is dedicated to advancing racial and social equity, we applaud the Postal Service for promoting greater awareness of Asian culture and heritage through its stamp program as the dragon represents power, nobility and honor.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #101820;">"For many Asian Americans, the Lunar New Year celebrates a chance to leave behind the troubles of the past year and invite prosperity and good luck moving forward,” said </span>Connie So<span style="color: #101820;">, professor of University of Washington and </span>president<span style="color: #101820;"> of the OCA Greater Seattle-Asian Pacific American Advocates.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />“This Year of the Dragon stamp ceremony recognizes the importance of the diversity and cultural significance Asian Americans bring to the United States and provides ... an opportunity to promote the significance of the Lunar New Year.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-53327925580594551442024-02-02T12:26:00.000-08:002024-02-02T12:37:43.849-08:00TikTok CEO faces xenophobic questiong from US Congressman <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHs3y7f3Vmw7m3mQ8C8JEqTQV2aDoTNFuPAMgY7lqzNaIgsjsavve_Jz6XIvttQfyg-sk6nebqbreL6lKT9bYn4JstZS48x3dsPaB6OC90hWIQUvEEgNZ1bsBnMVeuaoIeuILnf3sAnuSIpYciBeje4dx2a9AXx7BQ3WPYOGixdPKUJJIDmkIq-tzmsIvq/s1200/ef5f108e-a357-4407-8906-35039d03b99d_73a12ec1.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHs3y7f3Vmw7m3mQ8C8JEqTQV2aDoTNFuPAMgY7lqzNaIgsjsavve_Jz6XIvttQfyg-sk6nebqbreL6lKT9bYn4JstZS48x3dsPaB6OC90hWIQUvEEgNZ1bsBnMVeuaoIeuILnf3sAnuSIpYciBeje4dx2a9AXx7BQ3WPYOGixdPKUJJIDmkIq-tzmsIvq/w640-h426/ef5f108e-a357-4407-8906-35039d03b99d_73a12ec1.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">CAPTURED / C-SPAN</span></i></div><b>It got tense when a US Senator questioned TikTok CEP Chew Shou Zi abouthis ties to China.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">The racist ilne of questioning by Congress members warned by Asian Americans was in full display Wednesday when <a href="https://mustsharenews.com/chew-shou-zi-singaporean/" rel="noopener" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi</a><span style="background-color: white;"> was grilled by Senator Tom Cotton.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">During a Senate meeting Jan. 31, Chew, along with other social media heads Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Discord CEO Jason Citron were questioned by the Senate Judiciary Committee.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Even though the hearing was supposed to be about children’s online safety, when Chew was questioned by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton,the inquiry veered widely off the subject as Cotton grilled the CEO about his ties to China.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Cotton asked Chew, “You…often say you live in Singapore. Of what nation are you a citizen?”<br /><br />“Singaporean, sir,” answered Chew.<br /><br />Cotton followed with, “Have you ever applied for Chinese citizenship?” To this, Chew said he served his National Service (NS) in Singapore for two and a half years.<br /><br />Chew reiterated that he does not hold other citizenships. Singapore does not allow dual nationality.<br /><br />In response to another Cotton inquiry, Chew said his wife and two young children are American citizens. When he was asked if he had applied for American citizenship, he said: “Not yet.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Cotton asked: “You…often say you live in Singapore. Of what nation are you a citizen?”</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">“Singaporean, sir,” Chew replied.</p>Then came a question of whether Chew has ever been a member of the CCP. This time, the TikTok CEO was clearly agitated.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />"Senator," Chew responded forcibly, "I’m Singaporean — no!"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Cotton rephrased his question for further clarification. Chew was asked if he has any links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), to which he replied: “Again, I’m Singaporean”.</p></span></div><div><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Cotton then asked: “Have you ever applied for Chinese citizenship?” To this, Chew said he served his National Service (NS) in Singapore for two and a half years</p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To be clear, the Singapore-based TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company. The Chinese government does own a portion of that company.<br /><br />“TikTok is not available in mainland China,” Chew said in response to Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>BACKLASH</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />“This line of questioning from Senator Tom Cotton is disgraceful, blatantly racist, and deeply dangerous,” AAPI Victory Fund, a political action committee posted on X (formerly Twitter).</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Cotton's line of questioning drew a sarcastic reaction fro Rep. Ted Lieu, D-CA. on his X account, directed at Cotton::<br /><br />"FYI, in Asia there are different countries. Citizens of different countries may look similar to you, but in fact they are from different countries.<br /><br />"Happy to provide additional basic facts to you or your staff that I learned in elementary school. Ask anytime."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />The <i>Washington Post’</i>s Drew Harwell <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/01/31/kids-online-safety-hearing-big-tech/">described Cotton’s line of questioning</a> as “McCarthy-esque,” referring to former US Senator Josph McCarthy, who in the 1950s charged that communists had infiltrated the government and the motion picture industry.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />"Not everyone who looks Asian is Chinese, and we're definitely not all members of the Chinese Communist Party. This is racism, plain and simple," Rep. Grace Meng posted on her X account.</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Chew’s relationship to China was already discussed exhaustively when he <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/23/23653950/congress-tiktok-ban-hearing-aftermath-china-influence-privacy">appeared before Congress</a> last March, and Cotton didn’t make clear what his line of questioning had to do with online child safet.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Afterwards, Cotton told NBC: “It’s entirely reasonable to pursue a line of questioning about whether he himself, like his company, is subject to the influence of the Chinese Communist Party.” </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />The qeustioning by the Republican senators was clearly targeting Chew because of his race. <br /><br />Apple CEO Tim Cook was never asked by his company's ties to China or the CCP Apple, despite many years of suspicion from members of Congress about the tech giant's ties to the Chinese government influences the content.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">AAPI members of Congress have warned that increasing tension between China and the US has ramped up anti-China rhetoric which in turn could increaase anti-Asian American racism and attacks, which has seen a rise because of the previous administration's rhetoric tying the pandemic to China.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />“Already, Asian Americans have been suffering three years of anti-Asian hate due to Trump calling Covid-19 ‘China virus’ and ‘kung flu,’” Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, told NBC.<br /><br />“But now, the rhetoric and tension about the U.S.-China relationship comes on top of that, potentially escalating that violence. Today, the focus has shifted to extremists engaging in racial profiling of Chinese Americans.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-52031676118396622842024-01-31T13:20:00.000-08:002024-01-31T13:28:02.233-08:00Rise in AsAm firearm purchases linked to racism on mental distress, alcohol use, during the pandemic<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4AkgwHaEFBK9xGyeLljVsSVuKZjHAqvZcCcNoV7Euyp74XNDF4rr6s2afJ13bXQIXLOUCKAef_k-_rdmHPGvD3tBtV_mnlw7nY6l4hM3NeFNTdqg5jJvlzS16-eummYyMiwlTjXcRvAmNaEa5NVRXPr-PZYN_qvzUG9IqONcrdwVCrgcQSLoVmMe-SaA/s1488/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-31%20at%201.03.09%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1488" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4AkgwHaEFBK9xGyeLljVsSVuKZjHAqvZcCcNoV7Euyp74XNDF4rr6s2afJ13bXQIXLOUCKAef_k-_rdmHPGvD3tBtV_mnlw7nY6l4hM3NeFNTdqg5jJvlzS16-eummYyMiwlTjXcRvAmNaEa5NVRXPr-PZYN_qvzUG9IqONcrdwVCrgcQSLoVmMe-SaA/w640-h366/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-31%20at%201.03.09%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #5e6970; font-size: 16.875px; text-align: left; text-wrap: nowrap;"><i>Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>By Kate Barnes,</b> <i>University of Michigan</i><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Racism provoked during the COVID-19 pandemic is directly tied to increased firearm purchases among Asian Americans, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The study, </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40615-023-01874-1" style="font-size: large;">published</a><span style="font-size: medium;"> in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, is believed to be the first to examine the relationship between racism, mental distress, </span><a href="https://medicalxpress.com/tags/alcohol+use/" style="font-size: large;">alcohol use</a><span style="font-size: medium;"> and firearm purchasing behavior among Asian Americans during the </span><a href="https://medicalxpress.com/tags/pandemic/" style="font-size: large;">pandemic</a><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Evaluation of the data showed that experiencing racism was both directly and indirectly related to firearm purchases.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><b><span> </span><span> </span>READ:</b> <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-compounded-effects-racism-mental-distress.html">The original article in University of Michigan's 'Medical Press.'<br /></a></i><br />"Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Americans have experienced multiple threats, including hostile rhetoric, violence, exposure to invectives, negative stories in the media, and anti-Asian hate and incidents," said lead author Tsu-Yin Wu, professor and director of the Center for Health Disparities Innovation and Studies at Eastern Michigan University.<br /><br />"The study results showed that Asian Americans' racism experience is associated with increased mental distress, alcohol use and firearm purchases. The mechanism further illustrated that <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/tags/mental+distress/">mental distress</a> and alcohol use were also linked to firearm purchases, which means racism affects firearm purchase in a heightened way both directly and indirectly."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><b><span> </span><span> </span>RELATED: </b><a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2021/11/anti-asian-hate-covid-19-white.html">Anti-Asian hate gives rise in gun purchases among Asian Americans</a></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><br /></div></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-48312661901786729252024-01-26T11:14:00.000-08:002024-01-26T11:14:43.391-08:00Representation Matters: Looking forward to watching 'Expats' and 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsRKSfCVP93a6pF40uGKPNEWz5-261WUXAnw_rs2-SYqMdnJ-wqjmqx4CEc15BKW_vvbMWSVRvaeSkgqN2M78bO061pF5QcUUbAIp1auvGZvjXvggSR-mJFAJhEsF_F_JrEjuyhXWfN8ejXbs215FLSAWF2t7oMYqZHY0RM_eg0qw54gbyUeHIWjWsUJL/s902/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-26%20at%2010.50.59%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="902" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsRKSfCVP93a6pF40uGKPNEWz5-261WUXAnw_rs2-SYqMdnJ-wqjmqx4CEc15BKW_vvbMWSVRvaeSkgqN2M78bO061pF5QcUUbAIp1auvGZvjXvggSR-mJFAJhEsF_F_JrEjuyhXWfN8ejXbs215FLSAWF2t7oMYqZHY0RM_eg0qw54gbyUeHIWjWsUJL/w640-h286/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-26%20at%2010.50.59%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>'ExPats' will center on three women living in turbulent Hong Kong.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Two new television offerings with Asian American themes and characters may make viewers forget the loss of two favorite series,<i> Warrior</i> and <i>American Born Chinese</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Max's <i>Warrior</i> and Disney's <i>American Born Chinese</i> were canceled for poor ratings. Although popular with Asian American audiences for depicting AsAm stories rarely seen on American TV, they apparently failed to gain a enough of an audience to satisfy the studios.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">However, coming up early this year are two new productions that will hopefully fill the void and present Asian Americans in all their complexity beyond the ordinary simple stereotypes portrayed in the simplistic mindset of American media.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Amazon's <i>Expats</i> and Netflix's <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> will introduce Asian American storylines from opposite ends of the entertainment spectrum.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The more "serious" of the two,<i> Expats</i> is a heavyweight drama starring A-lister Nicole Kidman, will debut today. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Set against the complex tapestry of Hong Kong residents, <i>Expats </i>depicts a multifaceted group of women after a single encounter sets off a chain of life-altering events that leaves everyone navigating the intricate balance between blame and accountability.</span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It is based on <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;">Yasmin Y.K. Lee’s 2016 novel “Expatriates,” the six-episode </span><i style="color: #333333;">Expats</i><span style="color: #333333;"> is being produced by Kidman and directed by Lulu Wang, whose debut film, </span><i style="color: #333333;">The Farewell,</i><span style="color: #333333;"> won a Golden Globe for best "Foreign Language" film, a controversial distinction since it was an Asian American motion picture.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">While the main storyline is about how three women handle grief after a family tragedy. Besides Kidman, who plays Margaret, she shares the story with Sarayu Blu portraying Hilary, an Indian American expat, and Ji-young Yoo, who plays Mercy, a 20-something Korean American.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">The personal tragedy affecting the women is set in Hong Kong as it experiences the social and political unrest 2016's "Umbrella Revolution."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">What really intrigues me, though, the <i>Downstairs, Upstairs</i> setting of Episode 5 as the series explores Hong Kong's underbelly, made up mostly by Filipino immigrant workers hired to cater to the upper echelons of Hong Kong society as maids, nanny's and cooks.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Wang contrasts the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">fancy parties and cold modernity of the rich, "all navigating their Western guilt over the maids, cooks, and babysitters, euphemistically called 'helpers') hired to support their lifestyle.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Episode 5's dtour makes sense because the Filipinos are expatriates, too. "Margaret’s nanny Essie (Ruby Ruiz) is a woman torn between her loyalty to her grieving employers and her family back in the Philippines urging her to retire and come back home. Hilary’s “helper” Puri (a radiant Amelyn Pardenilla) finds herself performing emotional labor for her employer in the wake of her crumbling marriage," writes RogerEbert.com.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwn2y77ak2BVSraXUJJ31ZrIJlWmc8HXzKc_-H9qYpjDxRUDbLBYgY4bXA5MNrofcWBjTAjNeTfE2j1CEx3idTzUs29W45qTfNAJ4p9qtSNHBeUFxm5i-DiMmwgNhBu8zsLPuxkP3NdnvR2H_8Vvy5AHxwffvVUOXqVyK1vA0TLqBgtEWEdIOAzVe2QzQ/s960/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-26%20at%2010.55.05%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="960" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwn2y77ak2BVSraXUJJ31ZrIJlWmc8HXzKc_-H9qYpjDxRUDbLBYgY4bXA5MNrofcWBjTAjNeTfE2j1CEx3idTzUs29W45qTfNAJ4p9qtSNHBeUFxm5i-DiMmwgNhBu8zsLPuxkP3NdnvR2H_8Vvy5AHxwffvVUOXqVyK1vA0TLqBgtEWEdIOAzVe2QzQ/w640-h302/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-26%20at%2010.55.05%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The latest incarnation of Avatar: The Last Airbender will feature an all Asian American cast.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;">It will be interesting to see if <i>Avatar: </i></span></span><i>The Last Airbender </i>will succeed where <i>American Born Chinese </i>failed. Like <i>ABC, Airbender </i>will take the audience into a fantasy world peopled by Asians where the elements of fire, water and air can be controlled by Avatars.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is not the first time the original anime story based on the comic book was transformed into live-action. Anime fans will remember (or willfully forget) </span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f3; color: #212121; font-family: SangBleuRepublic, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">the disastrous </span><a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/yellowface-whitewashing-history" style="--color__token-name: colors.interactive.base.light; background-color: #f7f7f3; box-sizing: border-box; color: #e41224; cursor: pointer; font-family: SangBleuRepublic, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; transition: color 200ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">whitewashed 2010 M. Night Shyamalan flop?</a><span style="background-color: #f7f7f3; color: #212121; font-family: SangBleuRepublic, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"> This 8-episode series will debut Feb. 22.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f7f7f3; color: #212121; font-family: SangBleuRepublic, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The synopsis offered by Netflix follows:</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang, a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka and Katara, siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai. But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task.They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.”</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To the relief of its legion of fans, this current version of Airbender will stay truer to its roots by using Asian American actors in the main roles. Tthe production is led by 14-year-old Gordon Comier as Aang, the Avatar who can control all four elements. <br /><br />Aang’s two best friends, Sokka and Katara, will be played by Ian Ousley and Kiawentiio, respectively. The beloved anti-hero Fire Nation Crown Prince Zuko, who was voiced by Filipino American actor Dante Basco in the animated version, will be played by 22-year-old Dallas Liu.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The three seasons of <i>Warrior</i> , which featured some of the best action choreography, was picked up by Netflix and there is hope that the increased viewership of the series will prompt more stories of the historical drama inspired by the late martial arts icon Bruce Lee.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>American Born Chinese</i>, from the perspective of a contemporary Chinese American, was so relatable to Asian Americans, it's too bad Disney didn't have the patience to let the series find its audience much like <i>Never Have I Ever</i> was able to do and by growing its viewership an Indian American teenager navigate between two cultures. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Expats</i> and <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> will hopefully carry on covering a wide spectrum of emotions and stories as Hollywood and North American audiences discover the diverse worlds beyond the usual black and white paradime and beyond a one-and-done series. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></p></div></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-59922544838423347902024-01-24T00:25:00.000-08:002024-01-24T00:26:18.656-08:00''Past Lives' earns two Academy Awards nominations<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EQ0ZJgXIJJpvK72q1Ok_JDhKVpEAt-tlp0SZfZ2PBP7eYx69acuz7VyLPA_h1smiMmME5RupnUBfXP_eCftP07vHfxEFplVoQCauOQH2XFbU1gTwnU5nizhPerTB89L0Tl1F-miN-FAHyfvY-mr8Hny0U-ZOFsC3S_ACw7XmFEgkVMxtRat-kiKXH7Qn/s400/107103618.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EQ0ZJgXIJJpvK72q1Ok_JDhKVpEAt-tlp0SZfZ2PBP7eYx69acuz7VyLPA_h1smiMmME5RupnUBfXP_eCftP07vHfxEFplVoQCauOQH2XFbU1gTwnU5nizhPerTB89L0Tl1F-miN-FAHyfvY-mr8Hny0U-ZOFsC3S_ACw7XmFEgkVMxtRat-kiKXH7Qn/w640-h360/107103618.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Teo Yoo and Greta Lee star in 'Past Lives.'</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Past Lives,</i> a story of childhood friends in Korea reconnect as adults in the United States received two Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">“It’s just so amazing. It’s such a great honor, and on the first movie, I think that’s really the coolest thing,” filmmaker Celine Song told <i>Deadline</i>. “It feels so ... cool and amazing, and I just genuinely am so ... grateful for every single person…who’s ever come across being a part of this movie, anybody who’s even talked to me about this movie.”</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><b><span> </span><span> </span>FYI:</b> <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/oscars-nominations-2024-academy-awards-list/">The complete list of nominees for 2024 Academy Awards</a><br /></i><br /> The lyrical film served as ametaphor for the pull of countries of origi was also the directorial debut of by Korean Canadian Song.<br /><br />It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Jan. 2023, <i>Past Lives</i> was named one of the top ten films of 2023 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, then received five nominations at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama.<br /><br />Some critics believe the quiet romantic film should have received nominations for Best Director and its female lead Greta Lee should have been nominated for Best Actress.<br /><br /></span><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 26px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">An Oscar nomination also went to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwsnQyOID0&t=13s">Nai Nai and Wai Po</a>, (Mom's mom and Dad's Mom) in the Short Documentary category about two grandparents who become best friends and live together. The "love letter" to the two grandparents is written and directed by their grandson Sean Wang.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 26px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The 96th Academy Awards will air on ABC on March 10 and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 26px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></p></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4072325138105496545.post-90225372886329248152024-01-23T00:40:00.000-08:002024-01-23T00:41:02.145-08:00Nikki Haley's astounding views on race may impact New Hampshire primary<div><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKOz5SXpqT4z-71rkJhq40eTyuigHjcnvIOcgA413mq8fHcjGsmNu9YAzB0ATJAzrk3Rf6AmtoLyX1GblRT8SxBSouYadtjG4b8qLW9YSc04_jPMyyLIl7g3A7emzQycjCewb5NOYMp4QJ7ww8GmU7facJF8XjfsgwVx3bffA93el2Z_G4P1zLH03z5uM/s320/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJGaWxlc1wvNTU5XC8wMDFcLzE3MDU0NjIyNzNfMDAxLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciIsImhlaWdodCI6MTgyLCJ3aWR0aCI6MzIwfX19.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="320" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKOz5SXpqT4z-71rkJhq40eTyuigHjcnvIOcgA413mq8fHcjGsmNu9YAzB0ATJAzrk3Rf6AmtoLyX1GblRT8SxBSouYadtjG4b8qLW9YSc04_jPMyyLIl7g3A7emzQycjCewb5NOYMp4QJ7ww8GmU7facJF8XjfsgwVx3bffA93el2Z_G4P1zLH03z5uM/w640-h364/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJwaWN0dXJlcy5jLXNwYW52aWRlby5vcmciLCJrZXkiOiJGaWxlc1wvNTU5XC8wMDFcLzE3MDU0NjIyNzNfMDAxLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciIsImhlaWdodCI6MTgyLCJ3aWR0aCI6MzIwfX19.webp" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;">SCREEN CAPTURE / C-SPAN</span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Nikki Haley hopes to do well in the New Hapshire primary today.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">As New Hampshire counts its primary votes today, Presidential candidate Nikki Haley continues to dig a deeper hole for herself on the question of racism in the United States.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Haley is the last remaining rival to Donald Trump winning the GOP nomiination for President. The former UN Ambassador and ex-South Carolina governor is drawing the wrong kind of attention to herself that could hurt her in the upcoming primary. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />During the CNN town hall last week, the former South Carolina governor was asked if she stood by that answer, given the country’s history of legal racism, including slavery. Haley doubled down, saying that America was founded on the idea that all men are created equal.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Even though many of the framers of the Constitution were slave owners and they signed the country's guiding principles that included counting Black slaves as three-fifths of a White person, Haley continued</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />"The intent was to do the right thing,” she said of the writers of the US Constitution.. “Now, did they have to go fix it along the way? Yes, but I don’t think the intent was ever that we were going to be a racist country.”<br /><br />On a personal level, she said that while she experienced racism growing up in rural South Carolina, her parents told her that those experiences wouldn’t define what she could achieve.<br /><br />“We had plenty of racism that we had to deal with, but my parents never said we lived in a racist country, and I’m so thankful they didn’t,” Haley said. “Because for every brown and Black child out there, if you tell them they live or were born in a racist country, you’re immediately telling them they don’t have a chance.”<br /><br />Haley pointed to her own achievements of becoming one of the first female minority governors in the country and later Trump’s US ambassador to the United Nations. She echoed comments she’s made on the campaign trail that too many Americans have a “national self loathing,” even though the US is not “racist” but “blessed.”<br /><br />“I think it’s important that we tell all kids that, ‘Look, America is not perfect. We have our stains, we know that,’” she said. “But our goal should always be to make today better than yesterday.”<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Haley's latest comments comes days after a town hall questioner asked her about the cause of the Civil War without mentioning once, the word slavery. A day later she had to clarify her answer, "Of course it was about slavery," she said.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">MSNBC News host Mehdi Hasan, an Indian American, also criticized Haley's racial blindness. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Reminding Haley of her Indian American heritage, Hasan posted on X: </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />"What about that time you said you got excluded from a kids' beauty contest for being brown? Or that time you said your dad was profiled at a market because of his turban?" </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">After Haley finished a distant third in the Iowa Caucuses behind Donald Trump and FLorida Governor Ron DeSantis, she is hoping for a stronger showing in New Hampshire where she has been closing the gap between her and Trump. When DeSantis dropped out of the race Sunday, she's halfway there.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Indian American businessman Vivek Ramaswamy finished in the fourth in the Iowa caucuses. His poor showing convinced him to end his campaign and throw his support to Trump.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Haley's apparent gaffs on race might, however, might raise her appeal to White voters. New Hampshire is one of the whitest states in the nation with 87% of its population counted as White in the US Census. Asians account for only 2.6% of the New England state.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">No matter how she fnishes in New Hampsire, nationally her position on racism may hurt her nationally. Her assertion runs counter to the experience of the majority of Asian Americans. A recnt poll from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found 15% of Asian American and Pacific Islanders specifically say they believe they have been the victim of a hate crime. About half — 51% — believe racism is an “extremely” or “very serious” problem in the US.</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But as Haley fights for relevancy by courting moderate Republicans, she is losing the fight for a portion of the Indian American vote. Of all the Asian ethnic groups and nationalities, Indian Americans have remained <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2023/06/asian-american-voters-still-mostly-in.html">overwhelmingly Democratic</a> with 68% of Indian American voters leaning towards the Dems. A candidates'<a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/2023/09/pew-analysis-asian-americans-base-their.html"> racial origins were less of a deciding factor</a> with Asian American voters than a candidates' positions on issues.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As if a backlash to her comments on racism wasn't bad enough, Trump pulled out the race card against Haley by deliberately referring to her as Nimrada, a supposed play on Haley's full name Nimarata Nikki Randhawa and sounds a lot like "nimrod," On his social media he inaccurately claimed she is ineligible for the presidency because her parents were not US citizens when she was born in 1972.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at <a href="http://threads.net/eduardodiok">Threads.net/eduardodiok</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd">@DioknoEd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DioknoEd"> on Twitter</a> or at the blog <a href="https://dioknoed.blogspot.com/">Views From the Edg</a>e.</i></b></div>Edward Dioknohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10790370739207926453noreply@blogger.com0