Nikki Haley easily approved as U.S. Ambassador to the UN

Nikki Haley was sworn in as U.N. Ambassador by Vice President Pence.

ASAM NEWS

THE U.S. SENATE easily confirmed former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley for Ambassador to the United Nations.

NBC reports just four people opposed her nomination, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

She is the first women confirmed to President Donald Trump's cabinet, although Elaine Chao’s nomination for Transportation Secretary passed out of committee.

Some criticized Haley for her lack of international experience, but others pointed to her dealings with Russia and Israel.

“Russia is trying to show their muscle right now. It’s what they do,” she said. “I don’t think we can trust them. We have to continue to be very strong back, and show them what this new administration is going to be.”

The overwhelming vote for her confirmation won over Democrats including U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, a ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He praised Haley before Tuesday's vote for her passion, her ability to represent the United States and her ability to challenge world leaders -- and even the current administration -- on human rights issues and other concerns.

Cardin said it was a “comfortable vote for him,” and that Haley represents the "American story," as the daughter of (Indian) immigrants and because of what she overcame to become a government leader. 

Haley was among the first selections by then President-elect Trump even though she opposed his candidacy during last year's campaign. She endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio while criticizing Trump's positions on immigration and refugees. 

Republican Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, 69, was sworn in Tuesday night as governor of South Carolina to finish off the two years remaining in Haley's term.

(Views From the Edge contributed to this report.)

Grace Meng seeks vice chair position for DNC

REP. GRACE MENG  (D-N.Y.) is running for the Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, a position she has held since the summer of 2016.

Meng, as a politician of color, hopes to position herself as a bridge between the factions of the Democratic Party, which has been searching for answers since their disastrous performance in the November election.

Rep. Grace Meng

“Democrats must continue to invest in communities of color and emerging communities, and we must engage our base — fourth-generation steel workers and first-generation Americans alike,” she stated.

Democrats have been debating among themselves the future of their party: continue to emphasize outreach to the growing minority blocs and women; or reach out to Trump's supporters, white, disaffected blue-collar vote.

She received the endorsement of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) recently.

“Grace’s representation on the DNC marks an important shift for representing AAPIs in the Democratic Party on the national stage,” stated Johanna Puno Hester, APALA National President and Assistant Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers, AFSCME Local 3930. “With an incoming administration that has polarized our nation already and with a need to strengthen the Democratic Party with more leaders of color, strong allies in government like Grace will be hard to come by.”

“Throughout my life, I have dedicated my work towards racial, social, and economic justice. Representative Grace Meng doesn’t just share my vision but, both as a member of Congress and as DNC Vice Chair, she’s proven that she knows how to make progress towards achieving our goal of a more equal and just society. I’m proud to support her campaign for re-election and look forward to continuing our work to better our party and our country,” commented APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana.

“APALA has a long history of elevating voices in the AAPI community and building coalitions to fight for immigrant and minority communities.,” said Meng. “I’m honored to receive APALA’s endorsement and support as I fight to expand and strengthen the coalitions already built by organizations like APALA, and to create new lasting, meaningful partnerships between existing communities and the Democratic Party.”

Rep. Meng is a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Committee on Small Business, and recently spearheaded legislation to eliminate the term “oriental” in federal law.

Just a couple of days before the Inauguration of the 45th President, she announced that she would not be attending the ceremony, joining four other AAPI members of Congress.

“I respect the office of the President and our nation’s peaceful transfer of power,” said Meng. “But the President-elect must get the message that his antagonistic and divisive comments are unacceptable. We cannot tolerate attacks on women, minorities or a civil rights icon.”

She represents the Sixth Congressional District of New York encompassing the New York City borough of Queens, where she was born. Meng is the first Asian/American Member of Congress from New York State, and the only Congressmember of Asian descent in the entire Northeast.

Buzzfeed: Asian/Americans mimic vanity Fair has nothing on Asian/Americans

Asian/American Buzzfeed video producers mimicked Vanity Fair's Hollywood cover.

YOU KNOW those iconic Vanity Fair covers this time of year? Academy Awards time? The Hollywood covers usually feature a bunch of movie stars in full makeup, hair perfectly coiffed and dressed to the nines. They look fabulous and other worldly.

The covers are folded over so that the beautiful people can be extended over two or three standard magazine pages.

The Vanity Fair covers also set standards of beauty that are impossible to attain for the average Joe and Jane. And if you're of Asian descent, the covers just remind you how Hollywood still doesn't consider Asians or Asian/Americans for leading roles.

Last year, in the second year of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, the cover featured the women who are considered at the top of their game in the acting world. In the sensitive times we live in, the magazine editors thought it important to show diversity.  The pull-out cover featured Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong’o and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. The inclusion of three black actresses is a welcome nod to diversity and a far better cover than in 2010 when the contentious cover featured all young, white ingenues. It should be noted that the last time Vanity Fair had a black woman on its cover it was 1999.

Perhaps we should thank Vanity Fair for realizing it is 2017 and acknowledging the demographic changes occurring in the country. But it took 18 years for black women to return to the Vanity Fair cover.

And where were the Latinas? And, where, oh, where were the Asians?

Our Buzzfeed friends recently did a John Cho (remember last year when #StarringJohnCho went viral featured the actor in various movie posters of hit movies demonstrating that an Asian could easily have played all those roles). 

Meet the 'glamorous' Buzzfeed employees

The irreverent band of 22 Asian/American video producers at Buzzfeed put aside their  usual street attire of hoodies and skinny jeans and dressed themselves up, got made up, and their hair styled to create their own version of the Vanity Fair photo shoot as a visual commentary of that mainstream magazine's lack understanding what constitutes  real diversity.

They looked absolutely fabulous!

Why does this matter? If beauty is in the mind of the beholder, the minds of readers are being subtly brainwashed when they see an influential magazine cover of mostly white good-looking people (with a token sprinkling of beautiful black people). In defining who is beautiful, Vanity Fair editors need to get out of their limos open up their eyes when they walk through New York City's streets.  In one of the world's most inclusive cities, they will see beauty in all hues and races.

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Dev Patel, 'Moana' song nominated for Oscars

Oscar nominee Dev Patel in a scene from 'Lion.'

By Louis Chan
ASAM NEWS

HOPEFULLY, #OscarsSoWhite, is no more.

The Oscar nominations came out today with six black actors garnering nominations, the most in Oscar history. After huge uproars two years in a row about the lack of diversity at the Academy Awards, this was a refreshing change.

Asian/American Pacific Islanders were also among the honored.

Dev Patel snagged a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Saroo Brierley in Lion, which stars Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara. Patel portrays an Indian-born Australian businessman who goes in search for his birth mother 25 years later.

Patel's breakout film was Slum Dog Millionaire, which won eight Academy Awards, but none for acting. Patel was not even nominated back then. He is just the third Indian actor and just the 13th Asian to ever receive a nomination.

Disney’s Moana received a nomination for best animated feature. The film garnered praise from some members of the Pacific Islander community for its cultural authenticity and for its extensive research into the Island culture. Others, however, condemned it for what they perceived as cultural appropriation.

Moana was also nominated for best song for "How Far I’ll Go," performed in the movie by Auli’i Cravalho, a 16-year Hawaiian actress making her Hollywood debut.

Kubo and the Two Strings won two nominations, for best visual effects and best animated feature. It starred George Takei, but was largely criticized for its lack of diversity for a film set in ancient Japan.

Director Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond was honored with a nomination for best make up and hair.

The nominated songs are typically performed during the telecast of the Oscars. There are several versions of the songs by a host of singers. In their push for the song, created by Hamilton's Lin Manuel Miranda, Disney had the song recorded by Asian singers popular in their respective countries. In the U.S., it was released with pop singer Alessia Cara because Disney thought it was more commercial than actress/singer Auli'l Carvalho, who is the voice of the title character.

I don't know about that. Which version do you prefer? It sure would be great to have a Hawaiian sing the song live during the Oscar's program, one of the most watched TV shows in the world.

This animated version features the voice of Auli'l Carvalho.

This version features Alessia Cara. (Voices From the Edge contributed to this report.)

The face that helped launch a movement

Munira Ahmed, left, was the model for the poster on the right.

YOU PROBABLY saw her face featured prominently in the Women's March on Washington last Saturday. She wore a hijab of the stars and stripes, a defiant gaze looking directly at you. 

The poster featuring 32-year old Munira Ahmed was held by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of marchers not only in the U.S parades but in sister marches throughout the world.

The poster was designed by Shepard Fairey, the same artist that created the iconic red, white and blue Hope portraitof Barack Obama that became popular during the 44th President's campaigns.

“It’s about saying, ‘I am American just as you are,’” Ahmed told the Guardian after returning to New York from Washington, where she took part in Saturday’s huge protest march. “I am American and I am Muslim, and I am very proud of both.” Ahmed, whose parents are from Bangladesh, was born in Jamaica, New York City and grew up in Queens.

RELATED: 

• Why they're marching
• 'We the People'
• More photos of family, friends and others in the march

Fairey’s contributions are in the same simple ink block style as his Obama portrait. He also designed posters of a black woman and a Latina accompanied by slogans: “Women are Perfect” and “Defend Dignity”. The portrait of Ahmed, however, has had the greatest impact.

Over the first weekend of the Trump era, several newspapers featured full-page reproductions of the artwork.

“It’s an honor because of what the picture represents,” Ahmed said. “It’s not anti-anything. It’s about inclusion. It’s about saying, ‘I am American just as you are.’”

The image on the poster is based on a photograph taken 10 years ago by Ridwan Adhami, a New York-based photographer who is also from Queens. The photo is well-known in its own right, generating controversy within the Muslim community as well in  mainstream culture.

LEFT: Shepard Fairy's most famous work is the iconic poster of Obama rendered in red, white and blue.

Last call for actors for 'Crazy Rich Asians' motion picture

Director Jon Chu is looking for new talent and fresh faces for parts in his latest movie, Crazy Rich Asians.

THE CASTING SEARCH for the upcoming movie adaptation of the novel Crazy Rich Asians doesn't bode so well for Asian/American actors.

Either director Jon M. Chu isn't satisfied what he's seen so far, or he's turned his search for the all-Asian cast into a great marketing ploy.

He's issued a video asking for anyone to send in a 2-minute video to him if they want a part in the movie based on the bestselling book by Kevin Kwan.

Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American economics professor who unknowingly enters the realm of the outrageously rich and famous when she meets her Chinese boyfriend’s family for the first time in Singapore. It's full of beautiful people.

In a video posted to YouTube on Thursday (January 19), Chu acknowledges the lack of Asian representation onscreen and how difficult it can be for actors with Asian roots to receive opportunities for big breaks so he's opening up the auditions to anyone who wants to break into the world of acting. He urges actors or would-be actors to apply from Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam or any other country in Asia.

“You may or may not know, but this is the first all-Asian cast from an American Hollywood studio in a long, long time,” he says. “So it’s a huge step in representation and a great opportunity to showcase all of the most talented Asian actors out there.”

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and may reside anywhere in the world. No professional acting training or experience is required.

The deadline to submit videos is February 10. Filming for Crazy Rich Asians begins in April. For more information about the casting call, including the full list of guidelines, click here.

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AAPI figure-skaters dominate U.S. championships

A star is born - Karen Chen upset Olympic veterans to win the women's individual figure-skating championship.

ASIAN/AMERICANS will most likely be playing major roles when the U.S. figure skating team takes to the ice in the Winter Olympics next year.

Nathan Chen and Karen Chen, who are not related, won the men's and women's individual championships at the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Kansas City Sunday (Jan. 22).

In addition, the brother-sister team of Maia and Alex Shibutani, will enter the Olympics as America's top team in the dance competition.

Nathan took all the mystery out of the men’s free skate at the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Kansas City Sunday (Jan. 22).

With a record-setting score of 106.39 in the short program, his lead over second-place Ross Miner was nearly 18 points. It would’ve taken an utter catastrophe for Chen to lose the top spot of the podium.

RELATED: Nathan Chen - the future of U.S. figure skating

His free skate was far from a catastrophe. Landing a staggering five quadruple jumps – one in the second half of his program, a last-minute decision that ultimately earned him a scoring bonus – Chen posted an overall score of 318.47 to claim his first national title.

The 17-year-old’s performance was historic, as his free skate earned him 212.08. Not only did it demolish the prior record-high U.S. championships overall score of 274.98 and free skate score of 187.77, he is the first skater ever to land five quads in a single program. Though he trained his program with the additional quad – in competition it normally contains four – it was an all but game-time decision to include it in competition.

Sixteen-year-old Vincent Zhou walked away with his first career senior national medal, winning silver with a score of 263.03. 2014 Olympian Jason Brown took bronze, moving up from fourth place with a clean free skate to score 254.23 overall.

For Zhou, his medal signals his breakout onto the senior stage. Though not his cleanest performance, his free skate earned 175.18, good enough to move up from the third-place spot he held after the short program.

Brown’s medal marks his return from a foot injury that left him in a walking boot and unable to train for much of December. Having only began training his jumps again last week, he did not include a quad in either of his programs but looks to be back at full jumping strength should he be added to the World Figure Skating Championships or Four Continents Championships teams.

Ross Miner, in second after the short program, struggled through his free skate to finish fifth with 240.34.

Saturday, 17-year old Karen, became the new women’s U.S. Figure Skating Champion.

She dethroned 2016 champ Gracie Gold who struggled, as she has all year, at the championships held in Kansas City, MO.Chen’s emergence has the U.S. already looking ahead to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang, South Korea.

She hails from Fremont, CA, the home of the last Asian/American Olympic gold medal women’s champion-Kristi Yamaguchi who won gold in 1992 in Albertville, France. Chen’s parents are from Taiwan.

“There was definitely a lot of pressure, knowing that I skated the short of my dreams,” Chen was quoted as saying by TeamUSA.org. “I wanted to follow it up with a close-to-perfect long, and I put some pressure on myself knowing that winning this thing or even just getting on the podium was definitely a huge possibility. And I just wanted to chase after that thought and just kept pushing through.”

Ashley Wagner, who won gold in 2012, 2013 and 2015 took silver.

Chen ended – or at least interrupted – the Gold-Wagner dynasty, marking the first time since 2011 that neither Gracie Gold nor Ashley Wagner won the U.S. title.

“I’m just in complete shock,” Chen said of her win. “All of this just came together for me. It was a rough season. I spent the first couple months working out my boot problems and working with a new boot company trying to work out all the kinks. I’m happy with the progress and hope to keep getting better.”“That’s awesome for figure skating,” Wagner said about Chen’s performance to the Mercury News. “I think we’re going to be seeing a very strong world team.”

Mariah Bell took the bronze.

Chen first got noticed on the national scene in 2015 when she took bronze in the U.S. championships, at the age of 15.

Earlier in the day, Maia and Alex Shibutani, won their second consecutive ice dance gold.

RELATED: Shibutani's win their first gold at U.S. Championships

“A year out from the Olympics, this is exactly where we want to be,” Maia Shibutani said to NBC. “I know we’ve improved so much.”

In the thick of what many call the golden age of U.S. ice dancing, Maia and Alex Shibutani made a clear statement at the 2017 U.S. championships: this is their moment.

Leading after the short dance, the Shibutanis scored 200.05 overall to earn their second consecutive national title.

“I’m so proud of how we skated this week,” Maia said. “We’ve built so much confidence since we won our first U.S. title, so really for us, with both of our programs, we feel that improvement, we feel that growth.”

Evan Bates and Madison La'akea Te-Lan Hall Chock, a Chinese/Hawaiian took silver, scoring 199.04, and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue took bronze with 191.42. 

However, before the trials for the Olympic teams begins next year, the Shibutai siblings, Chock and both Nathan Chen and Karen Chen will represent the U.S. in the March 29-April 2 world championships in Helsinki. (AsAm News contributed to this report.)

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Women's March, Part 2: More photos of The March with family, friends and more

ON JAN. 20, Donald Trump was installed as President of the United States. On Day 2 of his administration, the country held a do-over and Trump - without the help of the Electoral College system -  came out on this short end.

The turnout - estimated to be about 2 million worldwide - dwarfed the crowds for Trump's inauguration and that apparently was a major concern of the Trump administration as they felt compelled to criticize the media (again) for underestimating the inauguration turnout.

RELATED: 

• We the People ...
• Why they're marching
• AAPI groups join the March on Washington

Nephews, nieces, cousins and friends joined the celebrities and other AAPI in marching for equity, women's rights, immigration reform, justice and just to be seen as human beings instead of the demons as painted by the Tweeter-in-Chief. and his supporters.

You have to be up to speed on Asian stereotypes to understand this message. Great sign!

This might be my favorite sign on the back of a wheelchair-bound former victim of the WWII internment of Japanese Americans. She is referring to Trump's call for restrictions on Muslim immigration and the call for a Muslim Registry.

Comedian Jenny Yang had a funny sign ... but, it makes its point.

Celebrities, like Gina Rodriguez (above) - who also have the same rights of ordinary folks - voiced their opinions during the march. There were too many to count but some celebrities who made their presence known included Katy Perry, Ashley Judd, who delivered a blistering word poem performance of "Nasty Woman," Scarlett Johansson,  Madonna, America Ferrerra, Gloria Steinem, Whoopi Goldberg, Katy Perry, Lena Dunham, Alicia Keyes, Zendaya, Amy Poehler and so many more.

The march in Antartica expands the Women's March to all seven continents. Organizers said they had to limit their march because they wanted to limit their imprint on the fragile environment.

Supporters marched throughout the world, Africa, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia, including Tokyo (above).

'Fresh Off the Boat' actress Constance Wu, right, hooked up with an old friend at the Washington D.C. march.

I'm so proud of my friends and family who took part in this historic event.

The pink hat dubbed Pussyhats, were everywhere Saturday. including San Diego.

"The best thing you can do is not stay silent," Indian/American Padma Lakshmi, who hosts the Food Network's Top Chef, tells The Hollywood Reporter, adding that she thinks that's one of Martin Luther King Jr's most important lessons. "It's not just about saying what's wrong but it's about saying what should be and what's right."

"A lot of things that we took for granted and didn't really appreciate are going to go away," she said. "And they're going to go away unless enough people raise their voice and give their presence."

And the key question is: What next? Can the people who marched keep up their involvement after they come down from the high that came from the March? Will they write the letters, gather the signatures, make the calls, donate the money to groups fighting for our rights, join an action group, question their congressional reps, and organize? 

Organize, organize, organize.

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'WE, THE PEOPLE ..."

AMERICA SPEAKS - hell, the world speaks. Today was a great day. A powerful day!

Millions of people hit the streets today to express their opposition to Donald Trump's agenda of turning the clock back. Lots of Nasty Women and Bad Hombres.

It reminded me about the time when the civil rights movement merged with the anti-war movement. Multiple causes, diversity of thought and of people converged to create a powerful statement.

AAPI groups and individuals joined their fellow Americans to tell the President, who had been in office one day, that he had better not try to undo all the progress we've made the last 60 years and to remind him - as much as it irks the thin-skinned Trump - that he didn't win the popular vote.

The numerous marches in cities across the country and on all seven continents (including Antartica) is so overwhelming to cover as a journalist. I just want to luxuriate in the hope I'm feeling right now that 'Yes, we can" possibly have found a weapon to counter someone's Twitter feed and manipulation of the media.

What made me even more proud was that members of my far-flung family took the time to do something that many of them have never done before by joining a march in their respective cities. Way to go!

Hari Nef Sunday morning, President Trump tweeted:

Don't forget to scroll down to watch Aziz Ansari's opening monologue from last night on Saturday Night Live. Here's a small sampling of the social media:

Why they are marching the day after Donald Trump installed as POTUS

HERE are some of the people marching today to protest the Presidency of Donald Trump. In conjunction with the Women's March on Washington D.C., which is expected to attract over 200,000, there will be marches in scores of cities across the nation and the world.

To find the march near you, check your local news outlet or Google, "Women's March, IName of City)."

Young and old, men and women, straight and LGBTQ, celebrities and ordinary people are taking to the streets today (Jan. 21).

RELATED: 

• AAPI join the march
• Instagram reveals planeloads of marchers heading for D.C. 

What happened to the White House Initiative for AAPI? President Obama's legacy

President Barack Obama's White House Initiative for AAPI gave Asian/Americans and Pacific Islanders access
 to the highest levels of government.

IN President Barack Obama's first year in office, he reinstated the White House Initiative for AAPI that was first created by President Bill Clinton but had lain moribund  during George W. Bush's two terms.

As President Donald Trump took office, the White House website was redesigned within a hour of his swearing in. Gone are any mentions of civil rights, environmental protections and climate change. It their places are jobs and law and order. Unfortunately, the Initiative appears to be another casualty in the change of leadership. The link to the Initiative has been taken off the White House website, a pretty good indication that the Initiative is no longer in existence.

Obama did more than any other president to ensure AAPI had a voice and was represented in his government. The AAPI community has benefited from Obama's two terms in office as outlined in President Obama's Record With the Asian American Pacific Islander Community.

Staff of the White House Initiative for AAP

Some of the actions that impacted the AAPI community during Obama's eight years, many under the purview of the Initiative, include:

-President Obama has appointed more AAPI judges than all Presidents in history combined. He has appointed more than four times as many women of AAPI descent to the Federal judiciary as all Presidents in history combined, including the first woman of AAPI descent to ever serve as a federal appellate judge.

-The Department of Justice successfully recommended the addition of an “Anti-Sikh” category, an “Anti-Hindu” category, and an “Anti-Arab/Anti-Middle Eastern” category to the hate crime reporting in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Form. 

-The same executive order that created the Initiatives also created the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, which is also housed at the Department of Education and is comprised of community and business leaders representing the diverse AAPI community.

-In November 2014, the Department of Education, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services launched the AAPI Bullying Prevention Task Force. The purpose of the Task Force is to increase awareness of federal resources and remedies within the AAPI community, analyze data to better understand the prevalence of bullying among AAPI students, and explore and recommend effective policies to address the community’s concerns. 

-Data.gov/AAPI launchedthe most comprehensive hub of government data on AAPIs.

The data collected by all government agencies will help the AAPI community write grants, and develop programs and services for years to come.

-During his administration, great strides were made to recognize the contributions and heroism of the Filipino veterans of World War II culminating with his signing the bill awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal.

-His executive orders creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) programs allowing undocumented immigrants to stay and work in the U.S. affected the approximately 18,000 undocumented Asian/American immigrants who registered.

With the apparent demise of the White House Initiative for AAPI, which provided a presence of our community in the highest circles of government, the question arises: What happens next during the Trump presidency?

We might not see another U.S. President as sympathetic to AAPI causes and issues again in our lifetimes. Obama's eight years as POTUS coinciding with the increased rate of immigration from Asian countries has given the AAPI community the momentum step up to the plate of our republic. In the inclusive environment that he fostered, the AAPI community realized our potential.

With Obama no longer in office, it will be up to us - especially the young people who were brought up during the last eight years - students and parents, community activists and leaders and our elected officials and business community - to continue carrying that torch of progress. We must not and we cannot return to being the forgotten minority. We have come too far to go back.

Website created to report hate incidents against the AAPI community

Swastikas were etched into the glass of the Canaan Taiwanese Christian Church in San Jose

ASIAN AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE has launched a new website to track incidents of hate plaguing the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Amidst the racially-charged atmosphere of today’s political climate, many Asian/Americans and Pacific Islanders are fearful.

“While hate crimes and incidents have surged to the top of news coverage leading up to and following the November 8 election, attacks against AAPIs have received little attention,” said Stewart Kwoh, Executive Director of AAAJ-LA. “But anecdotally, Advancing Justice has heard of a number of incidents including physical threats and attacks as well as vandalism and hate messages, all targeting Asian Americans.”

A coalition of five legal groups advocating for civil and human rights, AAAJ saw the need to record and share these incidents. AAPI communities are struggling with racism much more so than many may think.

In the first 10 days after the November 8 election, there were around 900 reported incidents of hate in the United States, according to Mee Moua, president and executive director, Advancing Justice – AAJC.

Anti-Muslim and anti-Chinese hate crimes have especially been on the rise. In November, several mosques across the country were sent hate letters calling for genocide and calling Muslims “children of Satan”; this is only one of the plethora of hate incidents reported, not to mention the many more that likely go unreported. Calls by Trump for a Muslim registry are an eerie reminder of Japanese incarceration during World War II.

Many of the perpetrators have pointed to the election of Donald Trump and may believe his election gives them the green light to act out violently on their racist feelings not only against AAPIs, Muslims, and Hindus, but also Blacks, Latinos and Jews.

We cannot stay silent when our communities become victims of hate speech or harassment,” said Moua.

Advancing Justice–Asian Law Caucus Executive Director Aarti Kohli said this climate of hate makes the website dubbed www.standagainsthatred.org a necessity.

“While victims of hate crimes should contact their local law enforcement to report a crime or file a complaint, we recognize that many in our communities experience hate incidents where they may not want a police response. This website allows victims of hate in our communities to share their experiences with us, such as hate speech, harassment, bullying, and other incidents, including criminal conduct, and have their voices heard.”

To report an incident, or to read the stories of victims, visit www.standagainsthatred.org.

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AAPI Democrats Issue an open letter to Californians

Assemblymember Evan Low joined other Democratic legislators in an open letter to Californians.
Earlier versions of this post misidentified the above photo.

AFTER TODAY'S (Jan. 20) inauguration of President Donald Trump as the 45th President, President Barack Obama and his family took a flight on Air Force One to Palm Springs, California. Perhaps he wanted to get away from the hubbub in Washington and take comfort in the bluest of blue states, take in some golf and just depressurize after living under a microscope that last eight years.

Before Obama boarded Air Force One for that flight west, California's Democratic legislators issued an open letter today to the people of California marking the first day of the Trump administration. The seven AAPI legislators signed the letter.

The state, with its large immigration population and the diversity of its residents, voted overwhelmingly (2 to 1) for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton over Trump; Gov. Jerry Brown has vowed to resist any attempts by the Trump administration to weaken the state's laws on protecting the environment and restrict guns; and numerous cities and school districts have declared themselves sanctuaries in preparation for the expected clampdown by ICE under direction of the new president.

"We will continue to honor our commitments to the people of California," the letter stated. "The California contract is a promise to ourselves and to one another that we will build a sustainable economy, environment and society that doesn’t just protect the wealthy or the powerful, but instead will benefit every Californian and benefit from every Californian."

AAPI state lawmakers joined in signing the letter led by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (Oakland-Hayward), chair of the California Asian * Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. He was joined by David Chiu  (San Francisco); Phil Ting (San Francisco), Kansen Chu (San Jose), Evan Low (Silicon Valley), Ed Chau (Monterey Park) and Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance). 

The letter acknowledges the new administration in Washington, D.C., but emphasizes that change will not alter California’s progressive path. Assemblymembers also participated in reading the letter on video.

The letter outlines a commitment to protecting California’s progress – and making new gains where necessary – on an array of issues including transportation, housing, education, jobs and the economy, environmental protection and environmental justice, equal protections under the law, public safety, immigrant protections, health, retirement security and freedom of information.

RELATED: 

• Obama - the first 'Asian/American' President leaves office
• Women's March on Washington attracts AAPI support
• 7 things you can do to fight the Inauguration Day blues

“We join together on these issues today, knowing that we have much to achieve, but knowing that our chances of success are bolstered by the scope of what we are working for,” the letter says. “Each piece is essential to a complete California dream.”

At stake is $105 billion in funds that comes from the federal agencies for safety net services and infrastructure improvements. It is feared that the Republican-controlled Congress will divert that money as a form of punishment.

Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare even though no plan has been proposed to take its place. The state has perhaps the most successful program in implementing the Affordable Care Act in its Covered California health care plan that has made more progress in lowering the percentage of its uninsured population from 17 percent to 9 percent between the launch of Covered California in 2013 to 2015.

After their respite in Palm Springs, the Obama family will return to Washington D.C. where they will live until their daughter, Sasha, 16, finishes high school in two years.

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