'60 Minutes' and CBS News losing credibility with departure of veteran journalists: Part 1 of 3

GEMINI

Veteran journalists Elaine Quijano, left, and Lisa Ling no longer work at CBS.

While mainstream media is currently hyper-focused on Scott Pelley’s dramatic, "for cause" termination from 60 Minutes, his exit was quietly preceded by the firings of veteran Latino journalist Cecilia Vega and two prominent Asian American journalists, Elaine Quijano and Lisa Ling.

Last month, as a harbinger of CBS News' future, the network also released Cecilia Vega, the first Latina correspondent in the 55-year history of 60 Minutes was fired. She has publicly spoken out against the network, citing "censorship" and expressing concern about the editorial direction the storied newsmagazine is taking under the new leadership of Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss.

For those of us tracking representation in network news, this pattern reveals how easily diverse talent is treated as disposable when corporate corporate ax-men take over CBS News. The network’s ongoing corporate bloodbath—orchestrated under parent company Paramount Skydance and Weiss—has systematically cleared out the very anchors who brought vital, diverse perspectives to the airwaves.

Here is how the corporate restructuring pushed out top-tier AANHPI broadcast journalists before the Pelley newsroom explosion even happened:

• Lisa Ling (October 2025): The veteran journalist was swept up in a massive wave of network-wide layoffs. As a contributor who frequently brought deeply human storytelling to CBS News Sunday Morning, Ling noted after her dismissal that contributors are often the "easy to cut" targets when corporate suits look to slash budgets.

• Elaine Quijano (March 2026): Quijano, a trailblazing Filipina American anchor who paved the way on both streaming and traditional broadcasts, was abruptly axed from her roles as a prominent CBS morning show anchor and weekend anchor. Her termination was part of a sweeping 6% workforce reduction that eliminated 60 to 70 newsroom jobs.

Last month, 60 Minutes also lost the openly gay journalist Anderson Cooper. 

According to deep-cover media watchdogs like Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter, Cooper didn’t just leave — he fled. Sources close to the anchor reveal he was increasingly alarmed by the "MAGA-fied" editorial direction of CBS News under its controversial Weiss, and Paramount-Skydance billionaire David Ellison.

 

Scott Pelley (June 2026): Pelley's firing only came after he publicly confronted management. During an explosive newsroom meeting with new executive producer Nick Bilton, Pelley forcefully called out "Black Thursday"—the recent round of cuts that saw fellow correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Vega fired—accusing leadership of destroying the show's DNA.

These exits were part of a broader culling of journalists and executives across the network, including the cancellation of *CBS Mornings Plus$* and *CBS Evening News Plus.* Many industry insiders and critics have expressed concern over the loss of prominent minority voices and experienced field reporters across the network's rosters.

Mainstream headlines will continue to center on Pelley's dramatic newsroom crashout. However, the reality remains that the erosion of veteran, diverse journalists like Vega, Cooper, Quijano and Ling is what set the stage for the collapse of values at the top of the network.

During a heated editorial meeting, Pelley loudly condemned management, stating that Weiss was brought in specifically to "kill" the program. He also questioned Bilton's fitness to run the show since Bilton is a former tech journalist with no traditional broadcast news background.

Several “60 Minutes” staffers and media watchers believe Weiss and hand-picked management s are trying to pacify Donald Trump. “The new owner of our network” is casting the legacy of 60 Minutes aside, “apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration.”

The next day Pelley was fired.

Following his dismissal, Pelley released a public statement hitting back at leadership. He claimed that under the new management, "60 Minutes" had lost its DNA and alleged that executives had "instructed me to inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story."

60 Minutes long served as the undisputed "gold standard" of TV journalism, commanding unmatched viewer trust and dominating the Sunday night ratings for decades.

In his final statement on 60 Minutes, and apparently without Weiss approval, Cooper said: “I think the independence of 60 Minutes has been critical. The trust it has with viewers is critical to the success of 60 Minutes,” Cooper noted pointedly. He added that whoever runs the program requires a deep "appreciation of the history and the sacrifices" of its staff.

As a journalist and news junkie, I used to schedule my Sunday evenings around watching 60 Minutes. I always learned something new. Now, my Sundays are more open.

It looks as though 60 Minutes' time as TV journalism's gold standard has rexpired. Tick, tick,tick ....

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.

Now on Hulu: 'Heritage Heroes' - a special telling the stories of unsung AANHPI heroes

 

Hulu, the streaming network, is airing Heritage Heroes, a special film that spotlights the stories of six unsung AANHPI heroes from across the country.

These heroes were nominated by family, friends, and fellow community members for their outstanding stories of resilience, service, and courage. Together, the individual heroes and their stories represent the diversity of AANHPI experiences today. 

The special was produced by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), Enfranchisement Productions, and FutureFriends and it premiered on Hulu Thursday, May 26, during Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month

“TAAF created this special by and for our communities — with a nearly all-AANHPI crew — to celebrate the stories of those who are often underrepresented on screen and behind the scenes in the arts and entertainment industry,” said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. 

Heritage Heroes was previewed at TAAF's Partner Summit in Washington D.C. last week where the six heroes were publicly announced. They are: Nurse-turned-chef Justin Foronda, Hawaii Police Major Mike Lambert, Paralympian Justin Phongsavanh, the high school students of Livingston Asian Youth Alliance (LAYA), Fisherman Thiện Nguyễn, and AAPI Activist Suki Terada Ports.

To help spotlight and pay tribute to each of the “Heroes,” the special will feature a celebrity cast including Daniel Dae Kim, Lisa Ling, Michelle Zauner, Simu Liu, Liza Koshy, Karrueche Tran, Jeannie Mai Jenkins, Gloria Steinem, Auli’i Cravalho, Ming-Na Wen, Jay Shetty, Chella Man, Chelsea Handler, Ella Jay Basco, Ian Alexander, Leo Sheng, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Manish Dayal, Miya Cech, Nathan Chen, Rain Valdez, Sherry Cola, and Sunita Mani.

Heritage Heroes was directed, edited, and produced almost entirely by AAPI creatives — including the film crew and production and editing staff. The special was produced by Executive Producers: Kristen Wong, Brad Jenkins, and Saj Patel and co-executive producers Melvin Mar, Neha Patel and Dan Mansour.

The special features six films spotlighting the “Heroes”, each directed by an AAPI director, including: Peter S. Lee, Julian Kim, Shruti Ganguli, Grace Evangelista, Jason Park, Alex Bocchieri, and Marion Hill.

As well as musical performances and guest appearances directed by Dyan Jong and Dan Mansour. And talent booking was led by Cultivated Entertainment’s Jen Proctor, Sophia Tayui-Lepore, and Abigail Parsons.

Additional information about the special is available on Hulu, and Heritage Heroes will be included in Hulu’s AAPI collection alongside other content focused on highlighting AAPI stories and experiences.

The Asian American Foundation is a convener, incubator, and funder committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for AANHPI communities. For additional information about TAAF, visit www.taaf.org.

“We are grateful for Hulu’s partnership in sharing this inaugural special with the world as we seek to create a greater sense of belonging for the millions of AAPIs living across America,” said Chen.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

New Lisa Ling HBO docuseries redefines American cuisine beyond hamburgers, pizza and apple pie

Lisa Ling, right, will host a docuseries featuring Asian American cuisine and the people and
the people and restaurants creating  and redefining the newAmerican food.

In the numerous rallies against hate incidents directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, every once in a while a sign will pop up saying: "Love Us Like You Love Our Food" pointing out the irony that while sushi, boba, chow mien, and pho may be part of America's cuisine but the people who created those dishes are still viewed as "outsiders."

Award-winning filmmaker Lisa Ling has produced a new HBO docuseries, Take Out With Lisa Ling, which uses food as an entry point to the Asian cultures and people who have become part of the American mosaic.

When it comes to choosing where to eat out, Chinese, Indian, or Japanese food is as ubiquitous as pizza and burgers. These days, there are Asian restaurants in practically every mall food court and Main Street across the United States. Yet, little is known about the diverse communities behind them. Asian Americans have long been lumped together, misunderstood, exoticized, and even purposefully cut out of our history books.

In Take Out With Lisa Ling, hosted by Ling — who’s own family story began in a Chinese restaurant — travels from the bayous of Louisiana to Orange County’s Little Saigon, exploring the foods Americans love while shining a long overdue spotlight on the contributions Asian Americans have been making to the United States since before the United States was even the United States.

SCREEN CAPTURE

A Filipino American version of a meal known as a "Boodle Fight" is shown in the trailer for HBO's "Take Out With Lisa Ling."

The press release from HBO didn't specifically name which restaurants are being featured, but the trailer did reveal a shot of a "Boodle Fight," a Filipino custom of piling a whole lot of food in the middle of the table and letting everybody help themselves.
 
 The Max Original docuseries, Take Out With Lisa Ling, debuts with all six episodes Thursday, Jan. 27 on the streaming network, HBO Max. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Celebrities, activists added to MTV's 'See Us Unite For Change' celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month

Olivia Munn, left, and Henry Golding, center join host Ken Jeong in the MTV celebration.

With Ken Jeong set to host, MTV's AANHPI Heritage Month celebration announced more celebrities joining the star-studded  television event.

MTV's "See Us Unite for Change" event just announced a massive expansion to their roster. With additions of Olivia Munn, Henry Golding, the Black Eyed Peas, Steven Yeun, Mike Shinoda and Sesame Street's Elmo and Alan. Additional presenters also include Chloe Bennet, Cheryl Burke, Tim Chantarangsu, James Hong, Alan Kim, Michelle Kwan, Lisa Ling and Jeremy Lin. the celebration is set to kick off on May 21st at 8 p.m. ET/PT and will include performances from Jhene Aiko, Saweetie, and Sting.

"To truly shift perceptions on a larger scale, we must come together to take a stand against discrimination, slander and violence in all of its forms, utilizing every platform and tool that we have access to," said See Us Unite campaign Executive Producer Sheila Lirio Marcelo.

"But anti-Asian hate has had a long history in this country, and to truly shift perceptions on a larger scale, we must come together to take a stand against discrimination, slander and violence in all of its forms, utilizing every platform and tool that we have access to."

"Ultimately, our culture is our greatest asset in our effort to change hearts and minds," she added.

Featuring music, comedy performances, short films, and inspirational speakers, the event will spotlight notable Asian American Pacific Islander contributions to art and media and education.

Asian American public figures and those working to combat violence against the AAPI community will also speak. Other speakers include Amanda Ngoc Nguyen, Ai-Jen Poo, Prof. Karthick Ramakrishnan and John C. Yang.

The Asian American Foundation partnered with the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, The Henry Luce Foundation and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation to fund the event.

The goal of the event, which is a partnership between MTV Entertainment Studios and the Ford and MacArthur foundations, is to help educate its viewers about the powerful impact the AAPI community has had on American culture and help garner support against the hate and discrimination that continues to afflict the AAPI community in the wake of the pandemic, and beyond.

News of the celebration emerged amidst these ongoing acts of violence against the AAPI community. "We are outraged and deeply saddened by the escalation of hate crimes against AAPI communities and stand with them in the fight against xenophobia and bigotry," said MTV President Chris McCarthy. "Hate against one of us is hate against all of us and by working together on a global scale, we can help end this senseless violence."

"Despite these difficult times for our community, the formation of TAAF and their bold work on the See Us Unite campaign represent the best of what can emerge when we share a collective resolve for change," said actor Daniel Dae Kim, who is also on the TAAF board of directors. "They're both great signs for our future."

See Us Unite for Change will air Friday, May 21 at 8 PM EDT on MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, BET, and Nickelodeon. Click here for more information.

Celebrities, activists team up for campaign fighting anti-Asian hate hosted by Ken Jeong

Ilene Aiko, left, and Filipino American rapper Saweetie will perform for "See Us Unite."

A multi-platform cultural campaign designed to accelerate impact and expand support for the AAPI community. See Us Unite, is the being launched by the newly formed The Asian American Foundation. 

This campaign will launch May 21 nationwide on social and outdoor media featuring leading Asian American public figures, such as Daniel Dae Kim, Naomi Osaka, Lisa Ling, Jeremy Lin, Fareed Zakaria, Michelle Kwan and many others.

Through music and comedy performances, short film packages and speakers, “See Us Unite for Change” aims to inspire and educate viewers about the AAPI community’s impact on the United States and how to support on-the-ground efforts building solidarity against hate," said Sheila Lirio Marcelo, executive producer of the See Us Unite campaign, TAFF board member and founder of Care.com. 

"Over the past year, we've witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of discrimination, violence and hate towards the AAPI community,"  said Marcelo

"But anti-Asian hate has had a long history in this country, and to truly shift perceptions on a larger scale, we must come together to take a stand against discrimination, slander and violence in all of its forms, utilizing every platform and tool that we have access to. Ultimately, our culture is our greatest asset in our effort to change hearts and minds."

Hosted by Ken Jeong, the event will feature performances by artists including Jhene Aiko, Saweetie, Sting and more as well as appearances by Daniel Dae Kim and Lisa Ling, among many others. 

The event will also explore the history and contributions of Asian Americans and will feature testimonials from leading Asian American public figures, as well as individuals working to enact change on the ground, including Amanda Ngoc Nguyen, Ai-Jen Poo, Prof. Karthick Ramakrishnan and John C. Yang. 

Funds raised from the campaign will be directed towards education and awareness-raising efforts, as well as initiatives that build understanding and solidarity among diverse communities. 

Powerful grassroots-led efforts have emerged in response to the rise in anti-Asian violence and discrimination. To accelerate impact on the ground, the See Us Unite campaign is partnering with the Asian Pacific Fund to drive funding towards organizations including Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Stop AAPI Hate, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), The Asian American Education Project (AAEdu), Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), and other AAPI organizations. 

The Asian American Foundation and a coalition of partners including the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, The Henry Luce Foundation and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, are behind the effort.

As part of the campaign MTV Entertainment will broadcast "See Us Unite for Change - The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) in service of the AAPI Community" at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT across its portfolio of brands (MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, Pop TV, VH1, CMT, TV Land and Logo) as well as BET and Nickelodeon, and stream exclusively on Facebook Watch.

"The rise in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is the latest in America's long legacy of racial injustice. Racism is pervasive and it thrives on ignorance. To end it, we have to first acknowledge it," said Ford Foundation President Darren Walker. "See Us Unite confronts that history and puts a spotlight on experiences that need to be seen and heard, because visibility matters."

#StopAsianHate Together video features Hollywood AAPI actors

Hollywood personalities of Asian descent are fighting against the surge of hate-inspired anti-AAPI violence in the best way they can by using the tools of their trade.

A year of mounting attacks has spurred AAPI actors and producers to use their media platforms to speak out against the racism against their community.

“The racist, verbal and physical assaults have left my community fearful to step outside,” Vietnamese American actress Olivia Munn wrote on Instagram. “These hate crimes have spiked since Covid and continue to increase even though we ask for help.”

Because millions of people follow the celebrities, some AAPI actors have become more outspoken in giving voice to those AAPI who don't have the outreach that the artists have built.

This recent effort hopes to raise funds for community organization in the frontlines fighting against the racist hatred.

The video features, (in order of appearance): Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong, Simu Liu, Akemi Look, Lisa Ling, Khalif Boyd, Lacy Lew Nguyen, Winston Duke, Diana Barbadillo, and Vivian Bang.

A GoFUndMe account #StopAsianHate, has been set up with donations going to a number of anti-hate organizations. 

"Together, it is our responsibility to condemn anti-Asian acts and create lasting social change," says the website. "We must amplify AAPI voices and find ways to uplift, empower, and protect the AAPI community. The AAPI Community Fund aims to do just that, addressing the urgent issues that face the AAPI community as well as broader, systemic problems."

#StopAsianHate Voices from Asian America: Journalists talk about effects of hate on their hob

Minnesota Public Radio / Twitter

AAPI journalists find themselves between a rock and a hard place when covering the recent wave of hate crimes against Asians. 

Journalists are taught to remain objective when covering a story. However, Asian American journalists are finding it hard to do when the attacks against Asians increase and grow more violent, occurring almost daily and the victims look like our parents or grandparents.

A major part of Bay Area's KGO reporter/anchor Dion Lim's beat is talking to victims and their families after the crimes have been committed. “As a journalist, you want people to trust you and share and believe in you enough to tell their story that it’s a privilege,” she told The Wrap. “But then, on the other hand, it’s almost like a burden to bear.”

"I feel fortunate to be in a role where I can help continue to bring these stories to a wider audience, and I feel inspired by this new generation of young activists who are using their voices to lead important discussions while organizing in their cities," said NBC's Vicky Nguyen in an interview with People. "I also feel energized by longtime activists like Amanda Nguyen, who has helped sphere head this movement to combat COVID racism, which is still being wildly underreported."

"AAJA commends journalists who have championed coverage of our communities by pitching and advocating for the stories of our community to be told," said a statement from the Asian American Journalists Association. ... "We are thankful that their journalism brings context and nuance to a topic that can be difficult to discuss."

Below, AAPI journalists from CBS  talk about how the anti-Asian sentiment has affected them personally and how they do their job.

Despite the number of AAPI journalists, mainstream media has generally not recognized the rise of Asian hate violence. "We have been miserably late," journalist Connie Chung told CNN. "We are insignificant, and it's so apparent to all of us who are Asian."

The veteran journalist told CNN that "anti-Asian hate started the moment it came out of President Trump's mouth," adding that it started picking up the moment Trump called Covid-19 The China Virus or the Kung Flu.

Below, CNN's Amara Walker describes three back-to-back racist encounters she experienced at New Orleans International Airport.

"I'm shaking right now," she said.

Lisa Ling (below), host of "This Is Live," is interviewed by CNN's Erin Burnett.

The Asian American Journalists Association has put out guidelines for media encouraging them to let their AAPI staff cover these stories because oftentimes, they can get the witnesses or victims open up to them because they are also Asian.

"Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd apparently get the AAJA memo. Last Sunday, the MSNBC host's topic was the anti-Asian attacks afflicting the AAPI community with the Georgia mass shooting where six of the eight victims were Asian women as its centerpiece. For some unexplainable reason, not one of his guests was an AAPI.

For the information of readers for this blog, "Views From the Edge," is not compelled to remain objective. We allow our feelings and opinions seep into our coverage. After three decades of community and mainstream journalism, the compunction to show both sides of a story sometimes dilutes the true meaning and impact of the issue at hand, especially when the "other side" has no merit.

Towards the end of my career, as a columnist and editorial writer, I was allowed and paid to express these "opinions," which I continue to do with this personal blog.

That's why at the end of most of our opinions on the news, we often leave this message and warning:

Word of Caution: This posting is news laced with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news outlets to form their own opinion.

AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate Livestream tackles a legacy of hate and what needs to change

From top right, clockwise, taking part in United We Stand's online gathering: Lisa Ling, Michelle Lee and Bing Chen with Malik Pancholy

By Amy-Xiaoshi DePaola

ASAM NEWS

Jeannie Mai remembers this: her aunt’s beat-up car, spray-painted with the racial slur “g*ok.” “I was looking at it like…’huh? What’s that mean?'” she said.
She recalled that her aunt then pushed her aside, proceeded to rub the paint off with a bucket of water and sponge, saying, “Move, I got to get to work.”

Mai was less calmer with injustices in her own life, “getting into fistfights” and expelled from high school.

“I just pushed on through it like my aunt, and it wasn’t healthy for me,” she said. “It made me completely bypass the pain that it caused me… all of this hate built up to a place where I was a side of Jeannie where I’m not proud of today.”

Mai was one of the Asian Americans sharing their personal stories about bullying and hate at Act to Change’s webinar, held on Monday, what would have been Vincent Chin’s 65th birthday.

The 1982 deadly baseball bat beating of Chin “echoes” the rash of xenophobic hate crimes amid COVID-19 today, said Maulik Pancholy, co-founder of the nonprofit hoping to end bullying for all youth.

Act to Change’s event, United We Stand, commemorated the second annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate, with a star-studded guest list of Asian American public figures. The non-profit, an offshoot of the White House Initiative on AAPIs during the Obama administration, produced the event with the support of 200 AAPI organizations and groups including AsAmNews.

Celebrities such as Fresh off the Boat‘s Hudson Yang, Queer Eye‘s Tan France, Never Have I Ever‘s Poorna Jagannathan, and other media influencers shared their experiences and offered advice to an audience that reached nearly over 600 at its peak.

“It’s important to speak out” about racism, said Mai, now the co-host of The Real. “Just the thought can turn to hate — and as we’re seeing today — death.”

The topic of COVID-19 related hate crimes hung over the webcast, with the first guest, actor Daniel Dae Kim, describing his reaction as “heartbroken, angry, frustrated.”

Kim was hospitalized in March for coronavirus, declaring himself “100%” better during the livestream. But the anti-Asian — particularly Chinese-centered — vitriol from social media and news reports has been far from cured.

“It was a stark moment to me, that we as Asian Americans have been asked to prove our Americanness,” he said. “We are taken to task about events happening a continent away.”

Event host Pancholy agreed. “We are American enough just by being American.”

But as Asian American celebrities shared their stories, not much has seemed to change. Many — from all generations — spoke about their peers and even adults verbally and physically harassing them, while mocking their language, physical features, and the food they ate — something commonly invoked in false statements that accuse Chinese of spreading the coronavirus by eating bats.

Michelle Lee, Allure Magazine‘s editor-in-chief, expressed particular shock that “the crazy old stereotypes” were back.

The backlash was also a surprise for CNN’s Lisa Ling of This is Life and media entrepreneur Bing Chen, who discussed how Asian American-led productions seemed to be soaring recently, with the climate being “good to Asians.”

“Now, it’s a totally different world,” Ling said. “In an instant, things can change.”

“My hope is that it doesn’t get worse for people like us,” she continued, alluding to this year’s Presidential election.

But racial profiling occurred long before the 2016 election, with actor John Cho retelling a story where his co-star Kal Penn kept getting frisked by airport security during their press tour in 2004 for Harold & Kumar, a movie series starring two Asian American leads, a “socio-political breakthrough.”

“We try to rationalize things over time, and maybe tell ourselves that it wasn’t what it was — but it definitely was,” Penn recalled.

A Harvard study confirmed that memory loss and PTSD are symptoms of trauma — and may be reflective of how Asian Americans are raised.

“I think for Asian communities, for immigrants, there’s a sense that everything’s okay,” said Padma Lakshmi, author and host of Top Chef. “Don’t complain, don’t make waves… just pretend that it didn’t happen. But it did.”

She herself endured the societal pressure to be silent about injustices, not only in the greater community, but hers as well, speaking candidly about her experiences with colorism and sexual assault.

Never Have I Ever star Poorna Jagannathan and actress Punam Patel agreed, speaking of a major gang rape and murder case in India, relating it to why diversity in media needs to include all stories, no matter how upsetting.

“We’re usually the punchline and never the plot line,” Jagannathan said. “Our struggles and pain are not represented.”

But when they are, she added, it “creates empathy and acceptance,” especially for those whose stories remain untold, such as immigrants.

Open dialogue and communication are also essential to breaking barriers and upending stereotypes — and not just against Asian Americans, Mai said.

“Chinese versus Filipino, Japanese versus Korean, which race was better?” the Vietnamese-Chinese American said, describing the hierarchical tensions that exist within the community. “Which skin color makes you more richer, the more affluent type?”

“That’s how racism starts,” she added. “You hear it somewhere and it’s taught… You need to address that or stop it if you hear it in your household today.”

Paulik agreed, saying that it is a “big responsibility” to stand in solidarity with all communities — especially in the “recent, horrific murder of Ahmed Arbery,” who was shot and killed while jogging, allegedly, by two White men.

“We all stand united to decry all hate, violence, and racism,” he declared.

Other methods to make Asian American community fully represented were discussed, such as financially supporting Asian American small businesses and creators.

Sometimes, stepping into the spotlight is “intimidating,” but that opens the door for others, said Tan France, fashion designer and one of the stars of Netflix’s Queer Eye.

“Nobody wants to be the first,” he said. “But now, I refuse to not be myself. I’m not going to hide that I’m Pakistani… raised Muslim… that I’m gay — I’m finally a person that’s allowed to be in this industry.

“It’s getting better. It really is.”