Congressional Gold Medal presented to Filipino WWII veterans

SCREEN CAPUTRE / ABC

100-year old Celestino Almeda spoke on behalf of the Filipino veterans during the Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies today (Oct. 25) in Washington D.C.

CELESTINO ALMEDA, 100-years old, spoke haltingly but with a strong voice, thanking those who helped garner the Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino WWII veterans. "I am an American soldier," he said to applause.

At ceremonies today (Oct. 25) in Washington D.C., the medal, the highest honor given during peacetime, was presented to six veterans and their descendants, to honor the service of the thousands of Filipino men and women who served with the U.S. military during WWII.

Almeda said he and his fellow Filipino veterans have long "felt unrecognized for fighting for our country," adding, "I wondered why" since he and his fellow soldiers had brought "victory during a long war in the Philippines."

Congressional leaders of the House and Senate recognized the long overdue recognition. From Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his Democratic counterpart Sen. Chuck Schumer to House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, took their turn at the podium acknowledging the service of the 250,000 Filipino men and women who rallied to the cause of democracy, freedom and America after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines by Imperial Japan.

"It is a mark of a confident and exceptional nation to look back on its history and say we made a grievous error, but we recognize it and pledge never to let it happen again," said Sen. Schumer. "I’m especially proud to be an American today as Congress rights a decades-old wrong and bestows the highest civilian honor on the Filipino veterans of the Second World War, enshrining in the history books their courage and sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation.”

"All told, 250,000 Filipinos answered President Roosevelt’s call to duty. Most had no formal training. Many had never even picked up a weapon," said Speaker Ryan. "But they risked—and in the case of many—gave their lives fighting under our stars and stripes. They battled not only the enemy, but starvation and malnutrition. But they never lost sight of the cause. And they never accepted defeat."

The ceremony may be the final battle for the elderly veterans who have been seeking the fulfillment of a promise made by President Franklin Roosevelt at the beginning of WWII but taken away by a recalcitrant Congress and regretful President Harry Truman immediately after the war.

Ryan recalled what Roosevelt said, "He said, 'The great day of your liberation will come, as surely as there is a God in heaven.' And sure enough, that day came. But only due to the incredible valor and sacrifice of the Filipino resistance movement. And only at a heavy cost. More than 10,000 Americans and nearly one million Filipinos, mostly civilians, died in the Philippines."

Since then, Filipino veterans have been fighting for the benefits and recognition. Only 18,000 Filipino veterans of WWII are still alive.

Somewhere, my late father, Maj. Melchor Diokno and Philippine News publisher Alex Esclamado, must be smiling. They and other members of the Northern California Filipino American community started the quest in behalf of their fellow Filipino compatriots, in the 1960s, bringing the injustice to the attention of then-Sen Alan Cranston and the late Hawaiian Sen. Daniel Inouye and Sen. Daniel Akaka.

The gold medal will be displayed in a yet-to-be-determined museum. Veterans eligible for replicas, can register here.

The medal ceremony begins around the 22:45 mark.


In this session of Congress, Sen. Mazie K. Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, both representing Hawaii, were the lead sponsors of the bill giving the Congressional Gold Medal to honor these veterans for their service.

“Presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to our Filipino World War II veterans is a long overdue honor for hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families," said Hirono. "Last Veterans Day, Filipino World War II veteran Domingo Los Banos urged me to make sure our Congressional Gold Medal bill was passed that year. I hope that today’s ceremony conveyed to Domingo and every other veteran our gratitude for their service during the war and recognition of the hardship they face in receiving the benefits they earned.”

"Today, these brave soldiers are finally receiving the recognition they earned and deserve, and join the ranks of heroic units like the Tuskegee Airmen and Hawaii’s own 442nd/100th Infantry Battalion as we honor them with the Congressional Gold Medal—our nation’s highest civilian honor,” added Gabbard.

Other members of Congress cited their appreciation and noted the significance of today's ceremonies.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus:
“Today, our nation honored Filipino veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal for their heroic and valiant service during World War II. This recognition is long overdue, and I want to thank my CAPAC colleagues, Senator Mazie Hirono and Congressmember Tulsi Gabbard, for their tireless work to get the Congressional Gold Medal legislation across the finish line.

“I also want to thank all of the veterans, families, and community leaders who have fought for decades to ensure that Filipino veterans receive the compensation and recognition they have both earned and deserve. This historic ceremony would not be possible without their efforts, and it is with tremendous pride that we honor these veterans and their families today.”

Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Virginia: 
“As a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and the only member of Congress of Filipino ancestry, I am proud to honor the invaluable service of our Filipino veterans who nobly served in World War II. The contributions of our Filipino veterans have left a remarkable legacy on the history of the United States and the Philippines. We must continue to recognize and honor the sacrifice and dedication of these veterans.”

Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (Guam), CAPAC Vice Chair:
“Filipino World War II veterans fought bravely alongside U.S. servicemembers and were instrumental to combating enemy forces in the Pacific. The Congressional Gold Medal they receive today honors their sacrifices and extends our country’s long overdue gratitude for their commitment to liberty and freedom. I am proud to join all Americans in recognizing Filipino World War II veterans for their courage and valor, and I hope our country never forgets the heroism they exhibited.”

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., CAPAC Whip:
“Today, at long last, we finally honor the immense contributions of Filipino veterans in World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal. This award recognizes the countless number of Filipinos who answered the call of duty and served the United States valiantly to uphold freedom and oppose fascism.

“In the summer of 1941, President Roosevelt called into service the Philippines military. Filipinos were instrumental in supporting American military might by providing invaluable intelligence and fighting courageously against the Imperial Japanese Army. Americans and Filipinos fought side-by-side and we should honor their bravery and sacrifice.

“Bestowing the Congressional Gold Medal to the Filipino Veterans of World War II is an important step that Congress can make to express our gratitude for their service. I ask that my colleagues and the American people rise in honor of Filipino Veterans who served in World War II.”

Senator Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii:
“This award is long overdue, but well-deserved. Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos answered the call of duty with valor during World War II. They fought under our flag, and so today, we honor and recognize their service with our nation’s highest honor—and our utmost gratitude.”

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif:
“Today, our nation honors Filipino-American veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal for their bravery during World War II. These loyal and dedicated men who fought and risked their lives are finally being given the recognition they deserve. As the Congressmember for Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles, I am proud to join our country in honoring these men for their courage and patriotism.”

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-HI:
“Today, Filipino World War II veterans were honored with well-deserved Congressional Gold Medals. My sincere thanks and gratitude to the veterans and their families for their personal bravery and strength of spirit and service on behalf of the people of the United States. May your heroism and sacrifices never be forgotten.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-CA:
“America owes a debt of immense gratitude to the quarter million Filipino and Filipino-Americans who fought for our nation in World War II. These brave individuals put their lives on the line despite facing discrimination from their allies. The Congressional Gold Medal honors their courageous contributions to America’s safety and freedom that have been overlooked for far too long.”

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif:
“As the daughter of a veteran, I am deeply grateful to the thousands of Filipino American veterans who answered the call of duty and loyally served our country during World War II. The wrongful retraction of their military benefits following the war remains a disgraceful stain on our country, and this commemoration of their brave service and sacrifice is long overdue. Congratulations to all those receiving Congressional Gold Medals today, and thank you for your service.”

Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif:
“The Congressional Gold Medal rightfully recognizes the selfless service of these soldiers and their families during World War II. We will be forever grateful for the Filipino veterans who sacrificed on our country’s behalf at a time of great peril, and must continue to honor their service for generations to come.”

Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY):
“I am thrilled that Filipino veterans who served in World War II have finally been awarded with the Congressional Gold Medal. For too long, these brave and courageous veterans who served and sacrificed with U.S. troops were denied the recognition they deserved. Today’s ceremony finally rights that wrong and provides them with the honor they earned but never received. I am proud to have cosponsored the bill that made this happen, and I thank Senator Hirono and Congresswoman Gabbard for introducing the legislation. As we applaud and celebrate this historic occasion, we must continue our efforts to ensure that Filipino World War II veterans receive all the benefits they earned for their heroic service to our nation.”

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif:
“When President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a call to arms to the Philippines just before the United States entered into World War II, more than 200,000 Filipino soldiers valiantly responded and fought under the American flag. These Filipino soldiers were initially promised full military benefits for their service, but the United States backpedaled on this promise and did not correct its mistake until 2009. Today, more than 70 years since their service, we are taking another important and long overdue step towards honoring the valor and sacrifices of the World War II Filipino veterans by awarding them the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal.”

Rep. Adam Smith, D-WA.:
“Today, our country is honoring Filipino World War II veterans for their heroism and sacrifice. By awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to these American heroes, we are commemorating the brave patriotism of Filipino veterans and providing them with the long-overdue recognition they rightly earned. The leadership of both Senator Hirono and Representative Gabbard was crucial in enacting the Filipino WWII Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act. I join all my colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in celebrating the service of Filipino WWII veterans, and I thank these veterans for their incredible contributions to our nation.”

SCREEN CAPTURE

The six individuals invited to represent the Filipino WWII veterans received a standing ovation.

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Asian American NFL owners on Trump, the flag and the knee

Kim and Terry Pegula, owners of the Buffalo Bills.

THE TWO Asian/American owners of NFL franchises voiced their opposition to Donald Trump's comments about football players, team owners and the professional football league.

NFL owners Kim Pegula and Shahid Khan chose to allow their players the freedom to continue expressing their views when the national anthem is played prior to the games.

Kim Pegula, a businesswoman who with her husband Terry Pegula, own the Buffalo Bills issued a statement that focused on the comments Trump made at an Alabama political rally:

"Several of us met tonight - players, coaches, staff, and ownership. Our goal was to provide open dialogue and communication. We listened to one another. We believe it's the best way to work through any issue we are facing - on and off the field.

"President Trump's remarks were divisive and disrespectful to the entire NFL community, but we tried to use them as an opportunity to further unify our team and our organization.

"Our players have the freedom to express themselves in a respectful and thoughtful manner and we all agreed that our sole message is to provide and to promote an environment that is focused on love and equality."

Kim Pegula was a Korean orphan when she was adopted by Ralph and Marilyn Kerr in 1974. She grew up in a suburb of Rochester, N.Y. and is President and CEO of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which also owns the Buffalo Sabres.

The Pegulas outbid Trump in his attempt to become the Bills' owner paying $1.4 billion in cash for the NFL franchise.

Trump's Alabama remarks suggested owners should fire players who kneel or raise a fist during the anthem.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired," Trump said. "He's FIRED!' You know, some owner is gonna do that. He's gonna say, 'That guy disrespects our flag; he's fired.' And that owner, they don't know it. They don't know it. They're friends of mine, many of them. They don't know it. They'll be the most popular person, for a week. They'll be the most popular person in this country."

Shahid Khan, center, joined his team the weekend after Donald Trump's comments.

“This is a very personal issue with him,” said Jacksonville Jaguars owner Pakistani-born American billionaire Shahid Khan. He called Trump “a divider, not a uniter” and noting Trump's failed 2014 bid to purchase the Pegula's Buffalo Bills. 

Khan says Trump is “jealous” of the NFL and trying to soil its image in “personal” attacks in an interview with USA Today.

“He has been elected President, where maybe a great goal he had in life ─ to own an NFL team ─ is not very likely,” Khan said. “So to make it tougher, or to hurt the league, it's very calculated.”

Khan, who purchased the Jaguars in 2011 for $760 million, linked arms with players during the US anthem in September in the days after Trump first spoke out against NFL players kneeling in protest during the anthem, calling for them to be fired.

Trump has accused players of insulting the flag, the nation and its soldiers by kneeling for the anthem while players have steadfastly denied any such motives. 

The football players who have knelt or locked arms, say their protest -- which was started by then 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick --  were not against the flag, the anthem or the military but wanted to express their displeasure at the racial injustices and unequal treatment of minorities by some police departments.

Three weeks after Trump's comments that sparked the protests be every NFL team, the kneeling has died off but many teams still have players who kneel during the playing of the national anthem.

Khan, who contributed $1 million to pay for Trump's inauguration, said the NFL issue is not so bad when compared to the ethnic, racist and religious insults and remarks Trump has uttered since starting his presidential campaign through Charlottseville and Muslim travel ban.

“Let's get real,” Khan told USA Today. “The attacks on Muslims, the attacks on minorities, the attacks on Jews ─ I think the NFL doesn't even come close to that on the level of being offensive.”

“Here, it's about money, or messing with ─ trying to soil a league or a brand that he's jealous of.” 

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Groups object to forced removal of Muslim American professor from jetliner

A video captures the forced removal of Anila Daulatzai from the Southwest Airlines plane.

ASAM NEWS

SOUTH ASIAN AMERICANS LEADING TOGETHER (SAALT), joined 30 other national and local civil rights organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in condemning Southwest Airlines’ treatment of pregnant Muslim/American professor Anila Daulatzai in September.

In a letter to Southwest Airlines and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MDTA) last week, the coalition of civil rights organizations wrote the following:

“Our organizations are appalled at the mistreatment of Anila Daulatzai by Southwest Airlines and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MDTA). We support Ms. Daulatzai’s demands and call for changes in policy and practice on the part of Southwest Airlines and the MDTA. 

“Communities of color unfortunately endure profiling at airports and on airlines on a regular basis. In fact, Muslim, Arab, South Asian and Sikh passengers have experienced a disproportionately high level of discrimination in the 16 years since September 11, 2001. ‘Flying while brown’ means that passengers are often subjected to secondary screenings, interrogations, bodily searches, and removal from airplanes for no legitimate reason at all. 

“Anila Daulatzai, a pregnant woman who is a Pakistani American and a Muslim, is the latest person to face this type of airline discrimination. In her case, Southwest Airlines staff insisted that Daulatzai deplane her flight because of a dog allergy even though she had made it clear that her allergies were not life-threatening. Instead of believing Daulatzai’s own statements about her physical conditions, Southwest Airlines personnel chose to escalate the situation by alerting the Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MDTA). According to Daulatzai, MDTA law enforcement agents pulled her from her seat via her belt loop, tore her pants, and dragged her through the aisle. They then allegedly made racist remarks about immigrants and charged her with disorderly conduct and other criminal charges. 

“Ms. Daulatzai’s mistreatment by Southwest Airlines is part of a pattern and practice of profiling. Between 2015 and 2016, over a period of just six months, several Muslim, Arab, and South Asian passengers reported incidents of being rebooked for their appearance, removed from a flight for speaking in Arabic in a private phone conversation or simply for asking to switch seats. 

“We call upon the MDTA to drop the criminal charges against Ms. Daulatzai. We also call upon both the MDTA and Southwest Airlines to provide adequate and appropriate restitution to Ms. Daulatzai. In addition, we demand that both the MDTA and Southwest Airlines make systemic changes to their policies and protocols. We call upon both entities to disclose their protocols for responding to passenger-related situations aboard flights, including their training and practices around de-escalation and mediation tactics. 

We continue to demand that Southwest Airlines training policies be disclosed publicly, and that personnel at all levels be provided with mandatory and regular training on conflict resolution, de-escalation tactics, anti-Blackness, Islamophobia, and anti-racism. We call upon the MDTA to engage in regular training on Islamophobia, systemic racism, xenophobia, anti-Blackness, and implicit bias.”

Other organizations that signed in agreement include ethnic and gender-oriented groups voicing their displeasure with Southwest Airlines.

In a statement to The Washington Post, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police said “despite her clear attempt to resist a law enforcement officer, (Daulatzai) was professionally removed from the aircraft within the guidelines of the MDTA Police. This remains an open case that will be handled in the appropriate venue, not through various media channels.”

Southwest has stated the company is “disheartened by the way this situation unfolded and the customer’s removal by local law enforcement officers.”

In a press release, SAALT stated the organization reached out to Southwest multiple times in the past year expressing concerns about racial profiling. SAALT stated the responses were all “unsatisfactory,” leading the organization to terminate its seven year relationship with the airline company and give back $10,000 in grant funding.

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Desert mystery: Authorities try to fill in the blanks in lost hikers' deaths

The volunteer Joshua Tree Search & Rescue Team searched the rough terrain of the Joshua Tree National Park.

THE AUTHORITIES on Oct. 23 described the deaths of the two lost hikers a "compassionate murder-suicide."

It may never be known the actual circumstances that surround the deaths of Joseph Orbeso, 22, and Rachel Nguyen, 20, but based on positioning of the bodies, and evidence at the scene where their bodies were found, authorities have speculated what might have happened.

The Orange County couple's bodies were found in the shade of a tree, said the Sheriff’s Office  spokeswoman Cynthia Bachman.

“It appeared they were rationing food,” she said, but there was no water nearby.

“There is no indication that he wanted to harm her; that there was any plan for something like this,” Bachman said.

Investigators believe he shot her, and then shot himself.

A gun registered to Orbeso, who worked as a security guard, was found nearby. When they were found Oct. 15, it appeared that the bodies were in an embrace.

“It was explained to us by the investigators on scene, with the circumstances and positioning of the bodies, that they believe this was a sympathetic murder-suicide.," said Nguyen's uncle. "We hold no grudges against Joseph or the Orbeso family.”

“Rachel possibly injured herself sliding down a cliff and Joseph went after her and took care of her,” Nguyen said.

Her T-shirt was wrapped around her head like a bandage. Her injury, the heat (the temperatures were in the triple digits the days after they were reported missing), the lack of water led them to a point where they wanted to ease their pain, the uncle speculated.

"This is an accident," said Nguyen's aunt, Mong Ha Le. "She had a head injury and he tried to save her the only way he could."

The couple had been missing since July 28 sparking a massive search in Joshua Tree National Park for several weeks. In the following weeks, the search continued on the weekends. 

Their bodies were found Oct. 15. Orbeso's father, who never stopped searching, was part of the team that found the couple.

The Joshua Tree Search and Rescue team said on its Facebook page that it's easy to get lost in the vast park covering more than 1,200 square miles of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, 130 miles (209 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.

"You can take a short hike and lose sight of the road, and, if you didn't pay attention to what the landmarks look like, in the opposite direction, you could start wandering," the team said.

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Jayapal introduces bill for better conditions for immigrant detainees

Pramila Jayapal

A BILL TO REFORM the country's immigration detention system was introduced Oct. 16 in the House of Representatives. 

The measure, the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, was introduced by Reps. Pramila Jayapal. D-Wash., and Adam Smith, D-Wash., and is co-sponsored by more than three dozen other members of Congress. 

“This bill is incredibly important for (Asian Pacific Islander) immigrants,” Jayapal told NBC News. “Detention and deportation is sometimes classified as a Latino problem and it’s just a misconception because increasingly we see APIs being detained across the country from just about every community.”

RELATED: SCOTUS hears about prolonged detention for immigrants

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would attempt to address standards and accountability for detention centers across the country, phase out private detention centers over a three-year period, have detention facilities be managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and reduce the number of people in detention centers, Jayapal said. 

More than three dozen civil society organizations have thrown their support behind the bill, including the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) and Colectiva Legal del Pueblo. Staff from both organizations said they serve clients who have experienced “inhumane” treatment at immigration detention facilities, such as a lack of a means to express grievances and poor health care. 

“We think that this legislation is a good step in trying to address a number of these conditions within detention centers … and also in making sure that the U.S. government isn’t detaining people primarily because of past crimes that they already served their time for,” Katrina Dizon Mariategue, immigration policy manager at SEARAC, told NBC News. “We basically don’t think detention resources should be used on detaining people that are not a threat to their community, even if they do have a former criminal conviction.”

More than 16,000 Southeast Asian/Americans have been issued final orders of removal since 1998, but because of the relationship the United States has with Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, many are detained for long periods of time. Cambodia accepts a limited number of individuals per year; Vietnam only accepts deportees who came to the United States after 1995; Laos doesn't have a formal policy for accepting deportees. 

Victoria Mena, policy director at Colectiva Legal del Pueblo, a Washington state-based organization dedicated to migrant justice, said the group supports the measure because it would increase transparency, oversight, and accountability in the immigration detention system, which would benefit Latinos, who make up the majority of detainees.
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Supreme court hears argument for relief for prolonged detention of immigrants

Demonstrators in front of the Supreme Court.

WHILE most of the attention of the news media centered on the Muslim ban being proposed by the Trump administration, another court case was heard earlier this month by the Supreme Court that affects the rights of detained immigrants.

The case, Jennings v. Rodriguez, challenges the government’s practice of detaining immigrants facing deportation proceedings for months or years without due process, including many long-term green-card holders and asylum seekers.

Ahilan Arulanantham, the son of  immigrants from Sri Lanka, will argued the case on behalf of the ACLU this Oct. 3, the traditional first day of the SCOTUS session.

This case challenges the government’s practice of detaining immigrants facing deportation proceedings for months or years without due process, including many long-term green-card holders and asylum seekers.

The Ninth Circuit ruled that the government must provide individualized bond hearings to assess danger and flight risk when detention exceeds six months, and every six months thereafter. The decision agreed with the ACLU, which represents plaintiffs.

Prolonged detention of such immigrants is a massive waste of taxpayer dollars, at a daily cost of $164 per detainee per day, and more than $2 billion a year. In America, no one should be locked up for months or years without a hearing to determine if their detention is even justified.

Ahilan Anulanantham

"The Rodriguez rule was actually an incredibly modest rule," Arulanantham explained. "It just says that if after six months your immigration case is still ongoing, you should get to ask a judge for the opportunity to be released."

The example of Ahilan Nadarajah is telling.

Repeatedly tortured as a member of an ethnic minority in his homeland Sri Lanka, he sought asylum in the United States in 2001.

The authorities detained him, and he remained behind bars for four years and five months as one release request after another was rejected. He eventually received American citizenship.

"What matters about this case is that you ve got people who are fighting their deportation, who are being locked up without bond hearings," Judy Rabinovitz, a member of the ACLU legal team, told AFP.

"Many of them have strong challenges to removal and if they had a bond hearing they wouldn t be found to be a danger of flight risk."

Then there's the story of Mark Hwang, a lawful permanent resident who was detained and separated from his twin daughters just after their birth:

Hwang has been a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. for nearly 30 years, having immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea at the age of nine. 

In 2013, upon returning home from the hospital with his prematurely born newborn twin daughters, Hwang was arrested by immigration officials in a home raid. He now faced both deportation and mandatory detention for a marijuana conviction he received 15 years prior to the immigration detention. Shackled and transported to Adelanto Detention Facility, Hwang was forced to leave his wife Sarah, a U.S. citizen, alone to care for their newborns and two-year-old son and to run their small business.

Detention was emotionally devastating for Hwang. He was unable to see his family for long periods. Even when they visited, he was not permitted to hold his children. He tried to have his marijuana conviction vacated, but was unable to appear at any criminal court hearings due to his detention.

Finally, after six months of detention, in July 2013 Hwang was given a Rodriguez hearing and ordered released on a $9,000 bond. Hwang later had his marijuana conviction vacated, and his removal proceedings were subsequently terminated in August 2014, restoring his lawful permanent resident status.

With cases averaging a reported 13 months, and conditions in detention centers facing criticism, the authorities have been under pressure to find a solution.

"Someone has to look at the detention and decide, is this a detention which remains reasonable?" said Arulanantham.

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Authorities say missing hikers deaths was a murder-suicide

The bodies of Joseph Orbeso and Rachel Nguyen were found after three months.

ASAM NEWS

A TRAGIC TURN in the recovery of two bodies in Joshua Tree National Park in California.
Authorities who had first said the couple died after getting lost during a hike now say they died in a murder suicide.

The San Bernardino County Coroner says gunshot wounds were found during the autopsy in the bodies of Joseph Orbeso, 21, and Rachel Nguyen, 20, reports KTLA.

Investigators say Orbeso shot Nguyen and then himself.

RELATED: Found bodies believed to be of missing hikers

“There is no indication that he wanted to harm her; that there was any plan for something like this,” said Cynthia Bachman of the Sheriff’s Department. “We’ll probably never know why it happened.” His motive for doing this, there’s nothing left behind to tell us why.”

The bodies were found after a three month search.

Orbeso’s father said when the bodies were found that the recovery gave him closure.

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Silicon Valley: Race trumps gender; Asians bump into bamboo ceiling

Asians find it difficult to move into leadership positions in Silicon Valley.

A NEW REPORT concludes that Silicon Valley high tech companies have a long way to go to reflect the workforce of the San Francisco Bay area, one of the most diverse regions in the country and Asians consistently bump up against the proverbial bamboo ceiling.

Although a large percentage of Silicon Valley workers are Asian, they are the least likely to be promoted to managerial or executive positions, in spite of being the largest minority group of professionals and the most likely to be hired.

The Illusion of Asian Success, a new report from the Ascend Foundation, a nonprofit Pan-Asian career lifecycle organization, spotlights the evolving challenges for Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, and minority women in climbing the professional ladder to success.

While the Bay Area is home to one of the most diverse populations in the U.S., researchers found that diversity in technology leadership roles has generally stagnated over the last decade. 

RELATED: The Old Boys Club still rules Silicon Valley

The Ascend study finds that "it was clear that that efforts to promote more Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics have made no meaningful impact to the minority glass ceiling," said Buck Gee, a former vice president and general manager at Cisco Systems who is an Ascend executive advisor and a study co-author. "That said, we saw progress made by white women, so we know tech companies can change. Now it's time to do the same for minority men and women."

Other key findings in The Illusion of Asian Success:

• Race is an increasingly more significant impediment than gender to climbing the management ladder, with Asian women and Hispanic women most affected.
• Asians are the least likely to be promoted to managerial or executive positions, in spite of being the largest minority group of professionals and the most likely to be hired. In particular, Asian women are the least represented group as executives, at 66% underrepresentation.
• White men and women are twice as likely as Asians to become executives and hold almost three times the number of executive jobs.
• Even though white women are now substantially more successful in reaching the executive level than ALL minority men or women, white men are still 47% more likely than white women to be executives.
• Both Blacks and Hispanics have declined in their percentage share of the professional workforce despite efforts to hire more underrepresented minorities.

Co-author and Ascend executive advisor Denise Peck, a former vice president at Cisco, stated, "Minority women continue to bump against a double-paned glass ceiling. The data show that a general focus on developing women leaders has not addressed the distinct challenges for Asian, Black, or Hispanic women. This has been an unspoken truth in the minority community, and we hope that our report opens a long overdue dialogue. We encourage all companies to take a hard look at their minority pipeline and ask how they can do better."

READ: The Illusion of Asian Success

It’s part of a larger problem with diversity programs, said Y-Vonne Hutchinson, founder of ReadySet, a diversity solutions firm in Oakland.

“Because they are not thinking of women of color, they are not addressing the problems they face,” she said. “Disproportionately, the beneficiaries of these initiatives tend to be white women.”

Among the authors' recommended solutions are:

• Company programs to attract and retain talent should focus on black, Hispanic, and white women. Special emphasis should be given to retaining black women.
• Company programs to develop and promote leaders should focus on both men and women in the black, Hispanic, and Asian workforce. Special emphasis should focus on Hispanic and Asian women.
• Having previously analyzed national EEO-1 reports from 2014, 2015, and 2016 made public by individual Bay Area technology companies, we determined that our analysis of pipeline diversity at the Bay Area aggregated technology sector level in this report is entirely consistent with what we saw at individual company levels. The consistency, along with the scant progress for women and minorities in the Bay Area sector, suggests that the diversity challenge is a region-wide sector problem that should be addressed by the leading companies working collectively rather than each technology company working individually.
• The need for a collective effort has recently been recognized at the national level with the recent announcement of Fortune 500 CEO-led alliance “CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion” as a forum for sharing best practices. Many in the Bay Area have already joined the alliance, including CEOs from Adobe, AMD, HPE, Cisco, Netapp, and Salesforce. But as the next step, our clarion call is for the leading technology companies to join together in a cooperative effort to aggregate and analyze their internal data by race and gender; proactively enlist their minority leadership and employee community involvement; and develop joint and individual metrics to bend the curve in the Bay Area’s ability to attract, retain, and promote talented women and minorities. 

"In spite of companies investing in their recruiting and hiring of Asians, Blacks and Hispanics, advancement to senior corporate ranks and corporate boards is still highly limited," said Anna Mok, executive vice president and national board member of Ascend. "To make the systemic changes that positively impact and advance results, CEOs, their executive teams, and corporate boards need to actively lead change and drive solutions."

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Spoken Word: "Hate" by Ruby Ibarra, hip-hop artist

Ruby Ibarra

ALTHOUGH RUBY IBARRA wrote this spoken word poem four years ago, the message is perhaps even more relevant - and more powerful - today as this country struggles with the rising tide of hate.

Born in the Philippines, Ruby spent the first 4 years of her life in Tacloban City before her family eventually settled in San Lorenzo, Calif. Submerged in the melting pot of the Bay Area, Ruby's adolescent years introduced her to a wide array of cultures, experiences, and most importantly: hip hop, which resonated at every corner of her neighborhood.

Her first album was dropped earlier this month, coincidentally, Filipino American History Month. Her album, “Circa91,” is out now via Beatrock Music. Listen to the album below, and visit her website to learn more.

Written & Performed by R. Ibarra Filmed by Tabakk http://www.youtube.com/TabakkTV https://www.facebook.com/angtabakk BLKD @imblkd Sinag De Jesus @sinagman HATE There is a word that my 5 year old niece doesn't know exists It's something she doesn't battle with and it's never escaped her lips It's a four letter, one syllable, simple word: HATE Yet it carries so much historical, political, emotional weight That 's shaped our beliefs, changed what we see, and made us envy It's made us blind to truths, to find excuse, caused lies and abuse So our minds can't choose, designed so we lose Lose control of reality, lose trust, and lose ourselves Like poisonous gas, it wraps around our lungs so we can't breathe or yell for help So she asks me, what is hate? It's made men turn on each other, cock the gun, and hold at gun point It's made scapegoats so we blame folks for our faults while our fingers point It's made innocent lives grow closed eyes while enclosed in a mask of lies By making teenage girls cry because their body size will never suit your eyes It's made us wish we were someone else Forced us into plastic surgeries, erasing cultural history An urge of ideal imagery, a burglary of our own identity It's tricked us into believing that we're too fat, too ugly, and not white enough It racially profiles and forced people to sit in the back of the bus It's made men call women bitches who in turn call other women bitches It's burned bridges to the point where we don't know which is wrong or right It's made us colorblind, only seeing black and white Planting racism and bigotry, promoting racial tensions and fights Again, she asks me, what is hate? Its taught 18 year old boys how to use a gun While on the same fields stands 5 year old children who are taught to shoot someone It's made victims of abusive fathers do the same to their own daughters It's made men boost their masculinity by exploiting another's femininity It's built glass ceilings, internment camps, nooses, and "not allowed" signs It's raised narrow minded babies so maybe they'll never see past their own kind It controls the media and schools through propaganda Teaching us the enemy while we don't question or raise our hand up Still, she asks me, what is hate? It's caused school shootings, injustice, rape, and genocide It's made innocent lives die and innocent mothers and wives cry It screams of words: "FUCK YOU," "BITCH," "STUPID," and "HOMO" It's what makes us laugh when we say "that's gay" when we know its wrong though Its written Jim Crow Laws, Indian Removal, and Asian Exclusion Acts It's enslaved our past while it engraves a cage in our path It's made categories of inferior and superior Making us wish for another exterior Making us unable to look into the mirror It's planted anger, depression, and fear It's 500 years of slavery and oppression Parents failing to give their children direction It's confessions behind closed doors of elections, that politicians never mention It's literacy prevention, no Filipino Veterano pension It's stereotypes and 1-dimension, character inventions All being fucked by White Supremacy's erection So what is HATE? It's something my 5 year old niece can't feel For her it's a man-made social construct, so it isn't real It's an empty word, insignificant, powerless, and nameless Now I'm just waiting for the rest of the world to follow so we don't know what hate is Let's no longer know what hate is!
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Fil-Am History Month: DJ Qbert - Putting in the work to be the best

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

DJ QBert at work.

AS PART of Filipino American History Month, AARP and Next Day Better are partnering to tell the stories of Filipino Americans who have had an impact on U.S. culture.

Filipino American Disruptors is a month-long storytelling initiative powered by NextDayBetter and AARP AAPI Community celebrating the stories of Filipino Americans in a range of disciplines from community activism to tech entrepreneurship. These forward-thinking individuals are trendsetters, trailblazers, and problem-solvers in their respective fields, helping to push America and the Filipino American community forward through their leadership, creativity, and innovation.

Here is Richard Quitevis aka DJ QBert. He's definitely not boring.

A #FilipinoAmerican Story as told by World Champion DJ & Turntablist, DJ QBert. Read his full story below:

“My parents taught me to trust in the universe but to also put the work in. From my dad, I learned discipline. He was very strict who did not tolerate any mistakes. He taught me about consequences; if I do this, then this is what’s gonna happen. From my mom, I learned that whatever you can see, you can achieve. She was the queen of recruiting for Mary Kay Cosmetics—a Filipino woman holding the top rank in the whole United States for four years! That had a profound effect on me.

"So I thought, I had to follow my dreams or die. I didn’t like to do anything but scratch, make music, and DJ. I began entering DJ battles and losing, but I was positive. I chose to practice to hone my skills and be ready when it’s time for the next battle. 

"When the DMC Competition came to San Francisco for the first time, all my practice paid off, and I won! I won the West Coast battles and then the US title! I represented the United States in the DMC world finals. When I made it to the Top 12, I thought I didn’t need to practice; I was sure I was going to win this world battle. I didn’t. I took second place.

"Just like what my father had tried to teach me, when you stop working hard, everything falls apart. That was my biggest mistake right there. So I went back to practicing every day. And I won the year after that, and the year after that. 

"Life is nature; there are ups and downs. When there’s an "up time," you’re flowing, you’re having a good time with your art. When it’s a "down time," it’s like having a mind block, and it’s time to work on technique. Being a musician means you never stop being in a creative process. You’re here as a servant to make everyone happy, and that is a proud and honorable thing. 

"You can’t be doing it for yourself saying, I’m the f-ing man! It’s not like that! It’s about giving. It’s not about money. I believe in karma. All you got to do is give, and it comes back to you. People should know that they also have the power to use their talents to make others happy. Anything is possible.”

NextDayBetter Storyteller: Candice Quimpo

For more videos of the Filipino American Disruptors, click here.
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CAL LECTURE: The economic impact of ex-pats investing in the Philippines

AAPI Athletes: Jeremy Lin suffers what may be season-ending injury

IT LOOKS like the season is over for Jeremy Lin after crumbling to the basketball court and leaving the Brooklyn Nets' season-opening loss with a knee injury.

The team announced Thursday (Oct. 19) that Lin has been diagnosed with a ruptured patellar tendon of the right knee and is expected to miss the rest of 2017-18.

"Jeremy worked tremendously hard during the offseason and in training camp and was excited for the prospects of the team this season," Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. "We feel awful that the injury will cost him the season, however our entire organization will be there to support Jeremy in every way possible throughout his recovery. Jeremy remains an important part of this team and will continue to contribute in a leadership role."

Lin landed awkwardly on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter of the Nets' 140-131 loss to the Pacers on Wednesday night, and he immediately grabbed his knee, turned to the bench and said, "I'm done, I'm done," before wincing in pain.

This is the second straight year where Lin's season was cut shsort by an injury. Last year, his first with the Nets, he only played 36 games.

Lin was brought to the Nets two years ago to be the starting point guard and was a leader in the clubhouse. 

“The thing where he really sets the standard is his competitiveness," said coach Kenny Atkinson. "I think we’ll miss him from a competitive standpoint; I think we’ll miss him from a defensive standpoint and just his leadership example and understanding what the coaching staff wants. You’ve got to call it what it is. It’s a big blow.”

“We feel awful the injury will cost him the season, however, our entire organization will be there to support Jeremy in every way possible throughout his recovery,” Marks said in a statement announcing the diagnosis on Thursday.

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