AANHPI Heritage Month: The famous meal when Obama met Bourdain

Totally comfortable in a working -lass restaurant, then-President Barack Obama and cultural
commentator Anthony Bourdain enjoy a simple meal in Hanoi.

The image remains etched in the collective memory of both Vietnam and America: Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain, two global icons sitting on low plastic stools in a cramped, fluorescent-lit noodle shop in Hanoi. 

When President Obama joined food writer Bourdain for a bowl of bún chả in 2016, it wasn’t just a staged photo op for CNN’s Parts Unknown. It was a masterclass in culinary diplomacy and a homecoming of sorts for a president whose palate was shaped far from the White House.

There is nothing to make the restaurant stand out from its surroundings. Located at 24 Lê Văn Hưu in Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung District, Bún Chả Hương Liên is a no-frills, family-run establishment. Up the stairs with other members of my small tour group to the small dining room there is a picture of Obama and Bourdain hanging over the table where they shared a simple Vietnamese meal on May 23, 2016. 

I sat there, trying to find a comfortable position on the low plastic stool.  There I enjoyed a steaming bowl of pho, perspiring a bit because there was no air-conditioning but the windows remained open to the warm tropical air letting the busy street noise filter into the cramped room. I noted the photograph of the President and the food writer/philosopher extraordinaire.

That original table, along with their plates and beer bottles, is now famously preserved in a glass case — a "museum piece" that Bourdain dryly admitted he wasn't sure how to feel about.

While the world marveled at the sight of a sitting US President navigating a crowded street stall, Bourdain noted that Obama didn’t need a tutorial. There was no fumbling with the chopsticks and no hesitation at the sight of the heap of fresh herbs. 

Bourdain later remarked on the President's effortless technique, stating, "He’s the only guest I’ve ever had on the show who enjoyed the food, handled the chopsticks, and drank the beer from the bottle."

This comfort wasn’t an act; it was muscle memory. Growing up in Hawaii and spending formative years in Indonesia, Obama didn’t just "eat" Asian food—he lived it. From the savory comfort of Hawaiian plate lunches to the spicy street stalls of Jakarta, the President was raised in the "umami" belt. 

Bourdain, reflecting on the meal, said, "I believe he had been looking forward to this for a long time. It was a bowl of cold rice noodles and grilled pork in a broth with some fermented fish sauce—all the things he grew up with." He famously added that Obama "handled the sticky, hard-to-separate noodles like a professional."

For the locals in Hanoi, seeing the leader of the free world treat their national dish with the respect of a regular was transformative. Obama wasn't there to colonize the menu; he was there to enjoy a meal he fundamentally understood. 

This moment signaled a seismic shift in U.S.-Vietnam relations. On May 23, 2016—the same day the meal was filmed—Obama officially announced the full lifting of the 50-year-old arms embargo on Vietnam. While the policy change was strategic, the meal was the emotional anchor that humanized the "former enemy" through the simple act of breaking bread.

Today, tourists and locals alike flock to the shop to order the "Combo Obama." For approximately 120,000 VND ($5.00 USD), you get the exact set they shared: a bowl of special bún chả, a fried seafood roll, and a cold Hanoi beer. It remains a testament to the idea that the best way to understand the world is to sit down, grab a blue plastic stool, and eat like a local.

Through the years, I've forgotten what kind of pho I ordered at Bún Chả Hương Liên except that it was hot and delicious. To the staff there, I was just another foreigner trying the local fare. It was about as close as I could get to Obama and Bourdain, two men I admired from afar. A simple meal with so much meaning.

Afterwards, I exited into the busy street -- scooters zooming by, car horns honking, dodging the traffic, both motorized and pedestrian, and the buzz of conversations of Vietnamese passers-by.  I boarded the small tour bus still trying to memorize the experience of my  tiny taste of history. 

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

AAANHPI Heritage Month: Let's just say it, 'Barack Obama is our first AANHPI President'

In 2015, standing amidst the high-stakes theater of the Paris Climate Conference, then-President Barack Obama leaned into a piece of his identity that is rarely mentioned: "I am an island boy."

It wasn’t just a catchy soundbite; it was a tactical play for empathy in a room full of leaders whose nations were literally being erased from the map. By referencing his years in Hawaii and Indonesia, Obama signaled to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) that he didn’t just see sea-level rise as a data point—he saw it as the loss of a home.

We often talk about the "global stage," but Obama’s remark was a reminder that policy is personal. He wasn't just a president negotiating a treaty; he was a kid from Honolulu reminding the world that when the tide rises, it doesn't care about your borders.

Obama often says that what is best in him comes from Hawaii. He calls the islands a "melting pot" that shaped his worldview.

In a 1999 essay for the Punahou Bulletin, a quarterly magazine for Punahou School, he wrote: "The opportunity that Hawaii offered — to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect — became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear."

Growing up in Honolulu, he saw people of all backgrounds living together. This experience gave him a unique perspective on the world. He learned the value of diversity and the importance of finding common ground.

Obama often says that what is best in him comes from Hawaii. He calls the islands a "melting pot" that shaped his worldview.

Obama’s Pacific upbringing deeply influenced his foreign policy. As president, he launched the "Pivot to Asia" (and away from the traditional Eurocentric view dominating US policies). This strategy aimed to strengthen ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. He believed the future of the United States was tied to the Pacific. He worked to increase trade, boost security cooperation, and promote human rights in the region.

        RELATED: Adobo and lumpia at the White House

One of the centerpieces of the "Pivot to Asia" was the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This massive trade agreement involved 12 countries, including the United States, Japan, and Vietnam. Obama argued that the TPP would create jobs and level the playing field for American workers. However, the agreement faced strong opposition from both political parties and was one of the first things scrapped by the Trump in the opening days  of his presidncy.

Despite the setback of the TPP, Obama’s Pacific legacy remains. He strengthened alliances with Japan, South Korea, and Australia. He also engaged with China on issues like climate change and maritime security. His focus on the Asia-Pacific region reflected his belief that the United States must be a leader in the 21st century.

Obama’s connection to the Pacific is more than just political. It is personal. He spent his formative years in Hawaii and Indonesia. He grew up among Asian and Pacific people. Through his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, who was born in Indonesia, his immediate family These experiences gave him a deep appreciation for the cultures and traditions of the region. He often spoke about the "spirit of aloha" and its importance in building a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Former President Barack Obama body surfs in Hawaiian waters.

In his memoir, A Promised Land, Obama reflects on his time in Hawaii. He writes about the beauty of the islands and the warmth of the people. He also discusses the challenges he faced as a young man of mixed race. These experiences shaped his identity and his commitment to social justice.

In Janny Scott’s biography of Obama’s mother, A Singular Woman, one of her interviewees maintains that Obama's time in Indonesia taught him a valuable lesson: ‘This is where Barack learnt to be cool … if you get mad and react, you lose. If you learn to laugh and take it without any reaction, you win.’…" Eerily similar to, "When they go low; we go high."

The Javanese have a word for this kind of bearing. They call it halus - defined by some scholars as: “Formality of bearing, restraint of expression, and bodily self-discipline."

Obama’s Asian-Pacific upbringing was a defining factor in his life and presidency. It gave him a global perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the world today. His legacy in the Asia-Pacific region will continue to be felt for years to come.

“I try to explain to them about the aloha spirit,”  Obama said to a gathering of fellow Hawaiians. “And it’s that spirit that I am absolutely convinced is what America is looking for right now.”

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

AAPI delegates, voters ethnusiasm spurred by Democratic convention & Kamala Harris

For Democrats of all ilk, the Democratic National Convention is their Superbowl. AAPI politicians, activists and those concerned about the future of the United States have enthusiastically jumped into the political mosh pit. 

Having an Asian American on the ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is helping build excitement and involvement of the AAPI communities.

Milwaukee probably hasn't felt the presence of so many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders since ... well, since 2018 when the Hmong community won a record number of local and state political positions.

Milwaukee County has about 41,000 AAPI, according to AAPI Data with a strong political influence of the Hmong community. Other stats on Wisconsin's AAPI communities.

Unlike previous conventions where all the delegates came to one citiy, in this era of COVID-19, the Democrats opted for safety and health over glitz and crowds. There are four main electronic hubs. Besides Milwaukee, there will be setups in New York, Los Angeles and Wilmington, Delaware, where Joe Bide resides.

While the highlights of the Democratic National Convention are being done virtually, there's still a lot to keep those AAPI delegates in attendance busy. And fortunately for the rest of the country, some of those events are open to the public online.

It began Sunday with an event to welcome AAPI delegates and political junkies featuring a host of AAPI celebrities and political figures. Those who paid to join in contributed to a fund that went to two Milwaukee-based AAPI charities, the Hmong American Women's Association, and the Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Assistance Association, which advocates and supports the state’s Hmong and Southeast Asian Communities.

The event was presented by Lou actors Diamond Phillips and Keiko Agena. and hosted by Bel Leong-Hong, Chair, DNC AAPI Caucus, in conjunction with CAPA21, AAPI Victory Fund, ASPIRE, and the Asian American Action Fund.

More about Wisconsin's AAPI communities. Source: AAPI Data.

And if you just can't wait for the main speakers tonight, join Daniel Dae Kim, DNC Chairman Tom Perez, Congresswoman Grace Meng and Asian American and Pacific Islander supporters across the country to watch the Democratic National Convention! We'll come together, virtually, to watch the convention and take action each day.

Please RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/joebiden/event/298794/

Monday, Aug. 17:

Today, the first working day of the convention, the AAPI Caucus held its first meeting at 1 p.m. ET, that discussed the AAPI agenda and what it hoped to accomplish at the DNC. Non-delegates could attend this insiders' meeting by registering beforehand.

If you missed that meeting, the caucus will convene again Wednesday, at 1 p.m., ET. in which the online public is invited. RSVP here.

3:30 p.m. —APIAVote/APAICS/NCAPA: Asian American and Pacific Islander Mixer

4:30 p.m. —APIAVote/APAICS/NCAPA: Learning How to Mobilize and Motivate Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters

9 p.m. -- Tonight's speakers will include Sen. Amy Klobuchar, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former First Lady Michelle Obama, one of the most admired public figures in the U.S.

Tuesday, Aug. 18:

4:30 p.m. — AAPI Progressive Action: AAPI Activation 2020

8 p.m. — ASPIRE PAC: Asian American & Pacific Islander Trailblazers

9 p.m. -- Tuesday night's speakers are: Former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., former Secretary of State John Kerry, N.Y. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester,former second lady Jill Biden and  former President Bill Clinton.

 

Wednesday, Aug. 19:

1 p.m. -- AAPI Caucus will reconvene and the meeting is open to the online public. RSVP here.

7 p.m. — Asian American Action Fund: Young AAPIs Mobilize

8:30 p.m. — All* Above All Action Fund: Women of Color Mark the Historic Vice Presidential Nomination

9 p.m.-- Wednesday night's speakers will be topped by Vice President nominee Kamala Harris and ormer President Barack Obama. Preceding them will be a covey of rising stars of the Democratic Party, including Georgia State House Representative Sam Park, the first Korean American and openly gay state Representative in Georgia. Other speakers include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, N.M. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, and former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Thursday, Aug. 20: 

 9 p.m. -- Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, presidential candidate Andrew Yang will precede the acceptance speech by Joe Biden, which he will deliver from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware. After his speech, he'll invite his Vice President nominee Kamala Harris onto the stage with him. Other speakers include N.J. Sen. Cory Booker, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.

SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS

Joe Biden will accept the Democrats' nomination for President on Thursday.

President Obama personally offended by Trump's use of racist terms instead of Covid-19

President Obama's sister, brother-in-law andone of his nieces.

Former President Barack Obama lost his legendary cool when talking about Donald Trump's racially insensitive reference to the coronavirus.
In an invitation-only fundraiser held last week for former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign for president, Obama, who usually chooses his words carefully, issued his strong response Trump calling Covid-19 as the "kung flu."

“I don’t want a country in which the president of the United States is actively trying to promote anti-Asian sentiment and thinks it’s funny. I don’t want that. That still shocks and pisses me off,” Obama said, according to the New York Times.

Obama's unusually blunt response may be personally offended by the offensive term because he is related to Asian Americans, who may be affected by the impacts the offensive remarks could cause.

His sister, Maya Kasandra Soetoro-Ng, is half Indonesian, the daughter of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham and Indonesian businessman Lolo Soetoro. Obama's sister is married to Konrad Ng, a Chinese Canadian.

Growing up mostly in Hawaii, where he spent the Christmas holidays when he was president, Obama's social circle there includes many Asian Americans.

President Barack Obama responded strongly against Donald Trump's use of "kung flu." 

When it became clear that the coronavirus wasn't to be taken lightly back in February, Trump began referring to the virus as the "Chinese virus" and the "Wuhan virus."

After someone explained to him that those terms were racist in nature, offensive to Asian Americans and may have led to attacks against Asian Americans, Trump stopped using the terms.

Trump revived the use of "kung flu" two weekends ago in a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“I can name 'kung flu,' I can name 19 different versions of names,” Trump said. “Many call it a virus, which it is. Many call it a flu, what difference?”

A week ago at an event in Phoenix, Trump again used the term when prompted by the crowd, eliciting loud cheers from the partisan crowd.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Asian Americans have been the targets of racists who blame them for the spread of the virus. Experts and AAPI community advocates believe that use of those offensive terms by Trump and senior members of his administration is encouraging the attacks against Asian Americans.

Trump's insistence in shifting the blame of the coronavirus disastrous impact is almost certainly tied to his reelection campaign. He has been lagging badly in the most recent polls because of his poor handling of the pandemic.  In order to energize his base of supporters, Trump is going back to an old playbook of racism that proved to be so effective in his 2016 upset victory over Hillary Clinton.

On top of the medical pandemic and the economic suffering, the nation is also undergoing a period of soul-searching in regards to the racism embedded in our country's institutions and in the hearts of too many Americans. Anything that could light a match to that tinderbox of emotions, such as the use of highly charged language from public officials, is irresponsible.

As long as his supporters react with loud cheers, the way they did in Tulsa and Phoenix, Trump will probably continue to use the racially insensitive "kung flu," "Chinese virus" and "Wuhan virus" when referring to Covid-19, much against the advice of the World Health Organization and his own Centers for Disease Control ... and much to the distress of AAPI community.

Question of Identity: Who has the right to call oneself Asian?

Mixed cast of 'Crazy Rich Asian' left to right: Chinese/Brit Gemma Chan, Malaysian/Brit Henry Golding, and Chinese/American Constance Wu.

Originally published Dec. 6, 2017

WHO IS ASIAN? What makes someone Asian? How much of you have to be Asian to be able to call yourself Asian? Three-fourths? One-half? One-eighth?

Do you have to look a certain way in order to call yourself Asian?

In any of the dozens of countries that make up Asia that is not a question they have to grapple with because they are mostly homogeneous. However, polyglot America is built  on the back of immigrants from every country in the world. With the United States' myriad number of racial interactions, it is a question that comes up frequently and how you answer defines your sense of "just-who-the-hell you are."

Of course, it would be wonderful if the question never was asked, but the U.S. is not at the stage where it can ignore questions of race.

Most recently, the question arose in a little Twitter spat between actress Jaime Chung and Henry Golding, who was cast in the lead male role in the upcoming movie Crazy Rich Asians, based on on the best-selling novel of the same name.

When Golding, who is half-white (Malaysian British) but born and raised in Malaysia, was awarded with the pivotal role of Nick Young in the movie, Asian American actress Cheung threw some shade in his direction because of his mixed heritage and he wasn't Chinese enough as described in the novel.

Jaime Chung

Golding was reportedly hurt by the comments. “There are many arguments, for and against. Am I Asian enough? he told Variety from Singapore. "I was born here, I have lived 17 years of my life here, so for me, I feel more Asian than anything," . 

The two have apparently made up. Chung, who's plays Blink in the TV series The Gifted, apologized  last week for her earlier comments against Golding's casting.

The question, who can claim to be Asian, is not going away, especially in the U.S. as members of the AAPI community, especially among the youth, struggle with identity.

 In response, Golding accepted Cheung's apology.

Asian Americans are not the first to face this dilemma. It is a question that  African Americans have struggled with for centuries and continues even today.

The universal answer has long been that an African American, or black, is any person with any known African black ancestry. 

From slavery and into the Jim Crow era, it became the "one-drop rule:" if a person has a single drop of "black blood," it makes a person black.

The question, "Who is Asian?" can have many answers, but Asians and Asian Americans are not the first to have to face this question of identity. One way it can be answered is to see how the African American community handled the question 'Who is black?" 

This definition reflects the long experience with slavery and later with Jim Crow segregation. In the South it became known as the "one-drop rule,'' meaning that a single drop of "black blood" makes a person a black. It is also known as the "one black ancestor rule," some courts have called it the "traceable amount rule," and anthropologists call it the "hypo-descent rule," meaning that racially mixed persons are assigned the status of the subordinate group. This definition emerged from the American South to become the nation's definition, generally accepted by whites and blacks.

Still it is a question raised whenever an African/American reached a level of prominence.

There was never any doubt that Beyoncé is black, but the question arises, is she black enough?

She shouldn't have to answer but in her private life of activism in her support of Black Lives Matter and other issues and, most notably, in her music, there is no doubt where she stands. 

It is not the first time she has declared her blackness, but when something like her song  "Formation" comes along — unapologetically black, proud, Southern, political — everyone, even those ignoring her identity as a black woman and not just some post-racial music star, has to take note. There's nothing shy or subtle about it. She proclaims:

My daddy Alabama, momma Louisiana 

You mix that negro with that Creole 

make a Texas bamma 

I like my baby hair, 

with baby hair and afro,

I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils

Beyoncé uses "Formation" to remind listeners and viewers that although she's a wealthy entertainer, and she has mixed roots, she's still very much aware of and involved in the struggles faced by people who resemble her. 

Our last president, Barack Obama -- raised in a predominantly Asian American culture of Hawaii and spending a few years in Malaysia, the stepson of a Malaysian man, whose sister is half Malaysian, whose nephews, nieces and in-laws are unquestionably Asian American -- faced the question when he began his campaign for presidency.

He wasn't raised in the "African/American experience," said some members of the black community. His early critics said: He doesn't speak like us. He's doesn't know what it feels like to  be raised as a black man in America.

Beyoncé

In his eight years as president, he answered the question again and again. Now he is revered within the African American community as the first black man to be elected POTUS.

As Asian Americans -- a term new Asian immigrants must learn to understand -- if not embrace, we have distinctions between East Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and even more if you break down into the  subgroups.  What we can conclude is that nobody can claim to be the "true" Asian.

To add to the debate, there is the question of Asians of mixed heritage, like Golding. Is he Asian enough?

In the early days of the Asian American civil rights movement, the question arose among some Chinese and Japanese activists, whether or not Filipinos are Asian. A new version of that debate continues today as new immigrants from South Asia try to figure out if they fit in with the more established East Asian community and as new immigrants from China question the motives of those who consider themselves Asian/Americans.

Is it enough that Hailee Steinfeld doesn't run away from the question, "Are you Filipino?" In an interview with a Manila newspaper, she said: “Very early on, I was made aware of how much passion and pride Filipinos put into anything. I feel so connected to the people and the culture."

Even though they proudly state they are Filipino, can the general Asian American community accept public figures like Steinfeld, Vanessa Hudgens, Bruno Mars, apl.de.ap, Enrique Iglesias,  Darren Criss or Lou Diamond Phillips as fellow Asian/Americans? Are they Asian enough?

Should we have a racial litmus test for other Asian Americans of mixed race such as California Sen. Kamala Harris, Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott, actors Keanu Reeves and Sharon Leal, Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, Cubs shortstop Addison Russell or Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin? Are they Asian enough?

Asian Americans don't have a Beyoncé or Obama to represent them. They can settle questions such as that being posed here. The aforementioned Asian American celebrities who have made their individual marks on U.S. society don't have the powerful media platforms of celebrities like Beyoncé or Obama, whose actions and prominence resoundingly answer the "who is black" question.

The "one-drop rule," adopted by African Americans, seems like a worthy example for Asians and Asian Americans. Likewise, if someone says he or she is Asian and there is a tiny iota of DNA evidence to confirm that, why should we question how that person perceives himself or herself no matter how they might appear? Why should that person be denied his or her self identity, especially when there are some "full-blooded" Asians called "bananas" or "coconuts" who try to not own up to their Asian roots? 

Asian Americans don't have the luxury to argue among themselves whether one is Asian enough to call themselves Asian. Mainstream America still sees Asians as one amorphous "inscrutable" mass made up of "others," foreigners or outsiders.

If an Asian American is fortunate enough to rise up and make a name for oneself -- mixed heritage or not -- to be noticed, praised or admired by the rest of America, we should see that as a door opening.

(And, to be clear, nor should those passing through that door, slam it shut behind them.)

"I was proud to be able to represent Asia," said Golding of his role in Crazy Rich Asians. "There are some sour people out there, but we should be getting together and fighting for something bigger, rather than Asians against Asians.”

The Twitter feud between Golding and Chung may be over, but the debate will certainly continue as we seek to find ourselves in this multi-racial country and as we inevitably interact with other races in a pluralistic America.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Edited throughout for clarity on Dec. 6, 11 a.m.)

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DACA: Obama breaks his silence; calls reversal 'wrong,' 'cruel,'

WHITE HOUSE FILE

When he was in office, President Barack Obama met with some Dreamers in the Oval office.

THIS MORNING (Sept. 5), former President Obama ended his self-imposed silence to issue a powerful response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement of the Trump administration's intention to end the DACA program.

The Obama-era program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was created by Presidential Executive Order in 2012 Congress was unable to come up with a solution with what to do with the hundreds of thousands of young people brought to this country by their parents and who grew up in the United States, attended our schools and our churches and spoke English better than some native-born Americans.

Trump decided to put the onus on Congress rather than to act like a leader and take action against the Dreamers, who he professes to love. In six months Congress must come up with a plan, something they have been unable to do, for this same group of young people, something they were unable to do in the eight year's of Obama's presidency.

This morning's action, compelled President Barack Obama to end the silence that he has maintained since he left office almost eight months ago. Here is his complete statement:

Immigration can be a controversial topic. We all want safe, secure borders and a dynamic economy, and people of goodwill can have legitimate disagreements about how to fix our immigration system so that everybody plays by the rules.

But that's not what the action that the White House took today is about. This is about young people who grew up in America -- kids who study in our schools, young adults who are starting careers, patriots who pledge allegiance to our flag. These Dreamers are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. They were brought to this country by their parents, sometimes even as infants. They may not know a country besides ours. They may not even know a language besides English. They often have no idea they're undocumented until they apply for a job, or college, or a driver's license.

Over the years, politicians of both parties have worked together to write legislation that would have told these young people -- our young people -- that if your parents brought you here as a child, if you've been here a certain number of years, and if you're willing to go to college or serve in our military, then you'll get a chance to stay and earn your citizenship. And for years while I was President, I asked Congress to send me such a bill.

That bill never came. And because it made no sense to expel talented, driven, patriotic young people from the only country they know solely because of the actions of their parents, my administration acted to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people, so that they could continue to contribute to our communities and our country. We did so based on the well-established legal principle of prosecutorial discretion, deployed by Democratic and Republican presidents alike, because our immigration enforcement agencies have limited resources, and it makes sense to focus those resources on those who come illegally to this country to do us harm. Deportations of criminals went up. Some 800,000 young people stepped forward, met rigorous requirements, and went through background checks. And America grew stronger as a result.

But today, that shadow has been cast over some of our best and brightest young people once again. To target these young people is wrong -- because they have done nothing wrong. It is self-defeating -- because they want to start new businesses, staff our labs, serve in our military, and otherwise contribute to the country we love. And it is cruel. What if our kid's science teacher, or our friendly neighbor turns out to be a Dreamer? Where are we supposed to send her? To a country she doesn't know or remember, with a language she may not even speak?

Let's be clear: the action taken today isn't required legally. It's a political decision, and a moral question. Whatever concerns or complaints Americans may have about immigration in general, we shouldn't threaten the future of this group of young people who are here through no fault of their own, who pose no threat, who are not taking away anything from the rest of us. They are that pitcher on our kid's softball team, that first responder who helps out his community after a disaster, that cadet in ROTC who wants nothing more than to wear the uniform of the country that gave him a chance. Kicking them out won't lower the unemployment rate, or lighten anyone's taxes, or raise anybody's wages.

It is precisely because this action is contrary to our spirit, and to common sense, that business leaders, faith leaders, economists, and Americans of all political stripes called on the administration not to do what it did today. And now that the White House has shifted its responsibility for these young people to Congress, it's up to Members of Congress to protect these young people and our future. I'm heartened by those who've suggested that they should. And I join my voice with the majority of Americans who hope they step up and do it with a sense of moral urgency that matches the urgency these young people feel.

Ultimately, this is about basic decency. This is about whether we are a people who kick hopeful young strivers out of America, or whether we treat them the way we'd want our own kids to be treated. It's about who we are as a people -- and who we want to be.

What makes us American is not a question of what we look like, or where our names come from, or the way we pray. What makes us American is our fidelity to a set of ideals -- that all of us are created equal; that all of us deserve the chance to make of our lives what we will; that all of us share an obligation to stand up, speak out, and secure our most cherished values for the next generation. That's how America has traveled this far. That's how, if we keep at it, we will ultimately reach that more perfect union

Obama's response is thoughtful, inspirational, more than 240 characters and a sad reminder of what a President is supposed to sound like.
____________________________________________________________________________ 

AAPI VOTE 2018: Trump's nightmare: South Asian American declares her intention to run for Maryland's governor

Krishanti Vignarajah is running for Maryland's governorship.

ONE GOOD THING having Donald Trump as 45, he's inspired more women to run for public office.

Having a sleazy, misogynistic, accused sexual predator as our country's leader has inspired a record number of women to take matters into their own hands and seek elected office.

2018 is shaping up to be a big year for women in politics.

EMILY's List, a group dedicated to helping elect pro-choice Democratic women, saw a hugejump in the number of women showing interest in running for office around the country. According to Vogue, 920 women expressed interest to EMILY's List from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2016; more than 16,000 have done so in 2017 alone. That's massive.

Meet Krishanti Vignarajah: Trump's worst nightmare and a candidate for governor for the State of Maryland.

"I hope Marylanders will agree the best man for the job is a woman," Vignarajah said when she declared candidacy.

“We live in a day where the president of our country thinks everything I am is what’s wrong with America,” she told the Baltimore Sun last Aug. 9. “I’m a woman. I’m a minority. I’m an immigrant and I’m a new mom. I think each of those aspects of my identity provides a valuable perspective that will color and shape what I talk about on the campaign trail.

She faces an uphill battle because she is relatively new, said Todd Eberly, an assistant professor of political science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

“She basically represents everything Trump is not,” said Deckman, who researches women in politics. “She is young, she is the daughter of immigrants. She worked for the Obama administration and the Obamas are extremely popular in Maryland.”

"I am running for Governor because I am worried my daughter will not have the same opportunities my parents gave me when they brought our family here when I was a baby girl."

Vignarajah's story is yet another retelling of the American Dream.

Krish with her husband Collin O'Mara and daughter Alana.

The 37-year-old Baltimore resident told Cosmopolitan about her family's journey (they fled Sri Lanka on the brink of civil war when she was nine months old for the U.S. with $200 in their pockets) and reflected on whether they would even be allowed to enter the country had their trip happened in 2017 instead of 1980.

"President Trump, he can demonize immigrants to our country, but the truth for me is there's a family just like mine out there who applied, and they waited their turn, and they want to work hard and pay their taxes and raise a family and live a decent and safe life here," Vignarajah told Cosmo. 

"Just as immigrants before them have for generations. I know that that story is not only personal to my family, but it’s fundamental to the American experience."

Vignarajah has never held elected office before but she has a history of involvement serving the public. She has long promoted gender equality. She worked in the State Department as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, and most recently served as Michelle Obama’s policy director in the White House. There, she spearheaded the former first lady’s signature initiative Let Girls Learn, which helps give girls in developing countries opportunities for education.

She lists education, the economy, drug addiction, infrastructure, and the environment among her priorities. Just as important, she says, "We need a new generation of leadership that will make progress at home, while standing up to a White House that threatens the very values that unite and define us."

She will be challenging Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. a Repubican in his first term. He is married to Yumi Hogan, the first Korean/American First Lady in the U.S. Hogan hasn't declared his intention if he'll run for a second term. 

Education was important to her family, both as a value and as an employer. Both of her parents were teachers in Baltimore's public schools. Her father recently retired after 37 years as a high school teacher. 

It was no surprised that Vignarajah excelled in school, graduating with a bachelor's and masters from Yale as magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University, where she received an M.Phil. in International Relations, before returning to Yale Law School, where she served on the Yale Law Journal.

Five other Democrats are already vying for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. They include Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker; Alec Ross, a tech entrepreneur and Obama State Department alum; Maryland state Sen. Richard Madaleno; attorney James Shea; and Ben Jealous, a former NAACP president. The primary is in June 2018.

Being a politician and the path to getting elected is a rough, often dirty, road but Vignarajah tells other women considering office not to be paralyzed by indecision. If you can't commit to that first decision, then maybe it is not for you.

But for Vignarajah, she listened to her heart. "I know that I should run because I’m worried that my baby girl and all of our children would not have the same opportunities that I had growing up in Maryland."

Below: Vignarajah's commencement address at Hood College was voted as one of the country's most inspirational commencement addresses in 2017.

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