TGIF Friday: Another superhero with Asian American roots

SUPERNATURAL

Canadian Osric Chau will join the DC superheroes as Atom.

Some big news for superhero fans. Uh, small news?

Osric Chau has been cast as DC's Atom and his alter ego Ryan Choi. The DC superhero will help populate the Arrowverse on the CW network.

"This is not my victory, this is another step in a larger movement," tweeted Chau, acknowledging the growing opportunities for Asian actors because of the artistic and financiaal success of  the hit movie Crazy Rich Asians in 2018.

Ryan Choi is described as a physics professor at Ivy Town Universitiy. Atom, besides having the ability to miniaturize himself, or grow larger, he also has some control of atoms so that he can direct them into some sort of power beam.

Unfortunately, Chau won't have his own show. Atom/Ryan Choi will play a pivotal role in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” Arrowverse crossover begins with Supergirl on Sunday, Dec. 8, followed by Batwoman on Monday, Dec. 9, and The Flash on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The crossover then resumes with part two after the holiday break with Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow on Tuesday, Jan. 14. 

The Vancouver-born Chau is best known for his recurring role on six seasons of the long-running CW fantasy series Supernatural as Kevin Tran, a brilliant, overachieving high school student whose life suddenly changes when he becomes a Prophet of God, according to Entertainment.

Chau is the fifth Asian American/Canadian actor to garner a superhero role. Most recently, fellow Canadian Simu Liu was cast as Marvel martial arts superhero Shang-Chi. 

Earlier, teenager Ella Jay Basco portrays a young Batgirl, a DC character, in the upcoming movie Birds of Prey. Chloe Bennett plays Daisy Johnson and Ming-na Wen plays bad-ass agent Melinda May in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

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CENSUS: Asian American household income continues to grow

Median household income for Asian Americans grew more than any other ethnic group, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday (Sept. 26).

Asian American households also continued to have the highest median income of $87,243.

Before anyone trumpets "model minority," the Census data masks the wide disparity that exists between the ethnic groups that fall under the overly broad Asian American category. While Indian Americans have a household income over $100,000, several Southeast Asian groups fall way below the US median income.

Overall, the median household income for the United States and 14 states increased significantly in 2018 from the previous year.

Median household income for the nation has been increasing every year since 2013, but the year-to-year increase from 2017 to 2018 is smaller than the prior three years when President Obama's economic reforms had rescued the country from a recession. Previously, increases ranged between 1.8% and 3.3% annually.

In 2018, household incomes are just now getting back to 2001 real income levels, which means the middle class is falling behind the “investor class” given the real estate market in most major cities and the stock market are near record highs.

The 2018 American Community Survey (ACS) shows that median household income rose between 2017 and 2018 for 10 of the 25 most populous metropolitan areas. However, the Gini index of income inequality was significantly higher during the same period for the nation and nine states.

Median household income between 2017 and 2018 increased for all households across all major race and Hispanic origin groups.

Median household income ranged from $87,243 for Asian households (up 2.1%) to $41,511 for black households (up 1.5%).

Median household income for households with non-Hispanic white householders increased by 1.0% to $67,937 in 2018. Households with Hispanic householders increased by 1.5% to $51,404 in 2018.

The year-to-year percent changes between the groups were not significantly different from one another.

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Most AAPI lawmakers endorse call for impeachment inquiry against Trump

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called for an impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.

Asian American lawmakers had varying reactions to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's announcement that the House would be moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.

"The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi Tuesday (Sept. 24).

The California lawmaker said the House will move forward with an official impeachment inquiry against Trump over a whistleblower complaint and the his alleged push to get Ukraine to investigate a political opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden's son. The allegations against Hunter Biden were found false and without merit.

Trump maintains he's done nothing wrong, tweeting that the inquiry was the latest episode in what he's called "a total witch hunt." AAPI legislators endorsed Pelosi's action.

"I commend Speaker Pelosi for launching an official impeachment inquiry across six committees," said Congressman Ted Lieu, a member of the judiciary committee that investigates Trump. "This whistleblower complaint is a big deal."

The impeachment inquiry stems from a whistleblower complaint alleging Trump sought help in digging up dirt on his political rival, Vice President Joe Biden, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call between the two last summer.

Lieu said Congress needs to see the full complaint as soon as possible.

Trump maintains he's done nothing wrong, tweeting that the inquiry was the latest episode in what he's called "a total witch hunt," said Lieu.

“From Day 1 of his presidency, Donald Trump has been motivated by two things: protecting himself and making money. Speaker Pelosi is right to hold this dangerous chief executive accountable,” stated Hawaii's Sen. Mazie Hirono, who first called for Trump's impeachment the day after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller earlier this year.

Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, tweeted: 

Virginia's Rep. Bobby Scott, who is of Filipino descent, issued a lengthy statement, that reads in part:

“Unfortunately, after the Mueller report found multiple instances of obstruction of justice committed by the President, after the President has continued to profit from foreign business transactions in violation of the Emoluments Clause, and after failing to sanction violations of the Hatch Act, recent events cannot be ignored. The President has now admitted to sacrificing national security for his own political gain and then violating the law by refusing to provide to Congress the whistleblower complaint submitted to the Intelligence Community Inspector General. That is just the latest example of this president violating the law and constitutional norms, and this violation undermines our national security. 

“Every Member of Congress swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I therefore support Speaker Pelosi’s call for a formal impeachment inquiry. It is the only appropriate course of action given the severity of recent events. Additionally, the Trump Administration must make the entire whistleblower complaint available to Congress immediately so we can consider its contents along with the evidence of other impeachable offenses that the president has committed.”

Filipino American Congressman TJ Cox of California's Central Valley endorsed the Pelosi action in a series of tweets.

"More and more people are coming onboard," Ro Khanna, who represents California's 17th congressional district, said during an interview with CNN's S.E. Cupp on Saturday evening. "And I think this incident with Ukraine may be the straw that breaks the camel's back," he suggested.

"I am ready to vote on impeachment," Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, said, adding that there are a few committees still putting some "remaining pieces" together. "But what we're seeing now is incredibly serious, incredibly grave." 

Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, and vice chair of the DNC tweeted:

Sen. Kamala Harris, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for President, has long called for impeachment proceedings against Trump.

"I strongly believe that it is long past due that we begin impeachment proceedings against this President," Harris said. "He's pressured a foreign leader, the Ukraine President, to dig up dirt on a political opponent, in the 2020 presidential election. He urged a foreign country to attack our democracy in the 2016 presidential election. He gave classified information to Russian officials in May of 2017."

Andrew Yang, who was not in favor of impeaching Trump until the Ukraine matter came to light, changed his mind Tuesday.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), the third Asian American running for POTUS, was one of the few Democrats who didn't support Pelosi's decision to proceed with the impeachment process. said Wednesday (Sept. 25) that the partial transcript of President Trump's call with Ukraine’s president released by the Trump administration doesn’t show a “compelling” case for impeachment.

“Most people reading through that transcript are not going to find that extremely compelling cause to throw out a president that won an election in 2016,” the Democratic presidential candidate told Hill.TV.

The Hawaii representative maintained that impeachment will only deepen the “hyperpartisan divides,” and argued that most people will only see it as another politically-motivated move by Democrats to oust Trump.

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Alibaba founder is the new owner of the Brooklyn Nets

NEW YORK NETS

Billionaire Joe Tsai and his wife, Clara Wu, watch a New York Nets game last season.

Over the summer, the NBA's New York Nets signed superstar Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, instantly transforming the team to a potential championship contender. But that wasn't the biggest news about the team. Last week, billionaire Joe Tsai bought the team.

The reported sale price of $2.35 billion is a record for a sports franchise, and according to several reports Tsai’s investment is worth at least $3 billion, including his purchase of ownership of Barclays Center.

In buying the team from its Russian owner Mikahail Prokhorov, Tsai becomes the second Asian American owner of an NBA team. The Sacramento Kings is owned by Vivek Ranadivé.

In a statement, Tsai emphasized his commitment “to bring our exciting brand of basketball to our fans.”

“We have an incredible group of players who want to win, and because of their talent and hard work, we are now in a great position to compete. I am thrilled to be partners with winners!”

NBA owners unanimously approved the sale of the Nets to Tsai.

"In addition to being a passionate basketball fan, Joe is one of China's pre-eminent internet, media and e-commerce pioneers and his expertise will be invaluable in the league's efforts to grow the game in China and other global markets," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

Tsai is best known for being the co-founder of Alibaba– the largest retailer and e-commerce company in the world. Tsai is reportedly worth $9.2 billion according to Forbes. The Taiwanese-Canadian entrepreneur understands how to grow a company, especially with regards to the Chinese market.

While attending Yale, Tsai, who already has homes in New York, California and China, played lacrosse for the Ivy League school.

After landing its three superstars, the Nets gave Caris LeVert a three-year, $52.5 million rookie extension Sunday. It pushed their summer spree past $400 million.

“We already know we have an ownership group that’s ready to fork out the big money when that timing is right,” said general manager Sean Marks said last year, when Prokhorov and Tsai were co-owners.

“We know with our ownership group … you’ve got owners that are committed to building this with a foundation that has some longevity and they’re committed to this, which is great.”

Next month, the Nets will travel to China to play a series of games against the L.A. Lakers, part of the NBA's strategy to increase its market to Asia. Tsai also noted the NBA has a fanatical base of followers in the Philippines and Malaysia.

Indeed, this past March, the NBA and Alibaba announced a partnership to launch an “NBA Section” across all of their platforms. Tsai taking ownership of the Nets will only further solidify the investment both sides have in seeing the league grow its presence in Asia.

Tsai is a Canadian citizen and is frequently seen at Nets games with his wife, philanthropist Clara Wu, a U.S. citizen who grew up in Kansas.

The global entrepreneur's interest in sports goes beyond an investment. He already owns an indoor lacrosse team in the newly formed National Lacrosse League, the Seals, in San Diego and three weeks ago, bought the New York Liberty, the WNBA team in New York.

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Stanford sexual assault victim releases short film

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

Chanel Miller illustrated the animated short film 'I Am With You.'

On the same day that her memoir was released, sexual assault victim Chanel Miller and her publisher released a short animated film on Youtube summarizing the ordeal she underwent.

“When you are assaulted, an identity is given to you. It threatens to swallow up everything you plan to do and be. I became Emily Doe,” Miller says in a voice-over as animations drawn by her appear on screen. “Assault teaches you to shrink, makes you afraid to exist. Shame, really, can kill you.”

The Chinese American woman was raped by a white man on the Stanford campus in 2015. At the time, she was assigned a pseudonym Emily Doe to avoid identifying her as a victim. It wasn't until earlier this month that her true identity was revealed.

Miller wrote, illustrated and narrates the short titled “I Am With You” which was released in conjunction with the release of her memoir “Know My Name,” published by Viking Press.

At the end of the short film, she offers an affirmation: “Nobody wants to be defined by the worst thing that’s happened to them. No one gets to define you. You do. You do. My name is Chanel, and I am with you.”

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Popular 'House Hunters' host dies

'House Hunters' host Suzanne Whang

ASAM NEWS

Friends, family and fans are mourning the death of TV host and actress Suzanne Whang.

She hosted HGTV’s popular House Hunters from 1999 to 2007. She’s also won numerous comedy awards and appeared in a recurring role as a spa manager in NBC’s Las Vegas which ran from 2003 to 2008.

Whang, 56, died last Tuesday (Sept. 19) after a long battle with breast cancer which was diagnosed in 2006, reported CNN.

“Suzanne was warm, funny and kind with a distinctive voice that made everyone feel at home. Our HGTV family mourns her loss and wishes to express deepest condolences to her friends, fans and family who knew and loved her,” the network said in a statement.

Her partner Jeff Vezain announced her death on Facebook.

“For thirteen years she confronted cancer with courage, humor, determination and optimism,” he wrote. “She was immensely encouraged by the love of her family, friends and those she had yet to meet. Your kind, loving messages always lifted her spirits. I know she would prefer that her life be celebrated, as opposed to her passing mourned, but I also know how vehemently she disagreed with anyone being told, “Don’t cry.” So…cry if you will. I’ve been crying a LOT! And laughing…and everything in between.”

E put together this look at her life:

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Protesters counter 50,000 Indian Americans and Trump rallying for Indian prime minister

 Twitter @HenaZuberi

Thousands of protestors greeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston.

ASAM NEWS

Donald Trump joined 50,000 people to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Howdy Modi rally in Houston Sunday. Outside, thousands of protestors expressed their opposition to the Modi’s reign and called out what they see as his human rights abuses.

“We are proud to have you as Americans,” said Trump to the Indian American community, according to Voice of America. “My administration is fighting for you each and every day.” The president said India has never “had a better friend as president as President Donald Trump.”

Modi, in turn, praised Trump for making “the American economy strong again.” He added India-US relations have reached “new heights.”

Trump's presence is part of the Republicans attempt to make inroads in the Indian American community, one of the fastest growing demographics, mainly due to of immigration, in the US.

However, more than 80 percent of Indian Americans voted for Hillary Clinton, instead of Trump in 2016, according to polling by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

That message of unity contrasted with the tens of thousands of mostly Indian Americans outside demonstrating against the Prime Minister, reported Al Jazeera.

“As Hindus, we feel like the atrocities happening in India … is all being done by a Hindu extremist government in the name of our beloved faith, Hinduism. It is our absolute religious, moral and human obligation to stand up and be counted on the side of history that said: ‘No, not in our name,'” said Sunita Viswanath, the co-founder for Hindus for Human Rights.

“The pluralist and secular constitution of India has repeatedly come under a grave threat by the actions of Prime Minister Modi’s government for over five years,” added Syed Afzal Ali, national vice president of the Indian American Muslim Council.

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Young girl forced to take off her hijab before boarding her flight

TWITTER

Fatima Abdelrahman says she feld "degraded" after being ordered to remove her hijab at a San Fraincisco airport.

Even though the 12-year old had already gone through airport security screening, Air Canada employees insisted that the Muslim American youngster to take off her hijab before boarding her flight.

Fatima Abdelrahman, a member of the US national junior squash team, had already gone through airport security  at San Francisco International Airport and was waiting at the Air Canada gate to board her flight early last month.

Air Canada employees ordered the youngster to take off her hijab in full view of San Francisco International Airport employees and passengers  on her way to Toronto to represent the US airport. She requested a he young girl requested a private screening room.

“The Air Canada agent said you need to take that off — he pointed at my scarf — and I said I can’t and he said you have to,” Abdelrahman told CBS television affiliate KPIX in a video call.

“Taking it off isn’t just like taking off a sock or taking off whatever, it’s almost like taking off a limb. It’s a big deal to me. It’s part of my Muslim identity and who I am as a person. So when someone tells me to casually take it off and hurry up, it’s degrading,” she said.

Fatima explained that she wears the head covering for religious reasons and repeatedly requested for a private screening area. However, Air Canada employees denied the request and forced her to publicly remove her hijab. According to Homeland Security policy, an individual can request a private screening when asked to remove a piece of clothing.

The Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights agency, is launching a formal civil rights complaint against the airline, according to the Toronto Star.

“CAIR-SFBA (San Francisco Bay Area), along with our client, are committed to ensuring that in the future individuals hoping to travel with Air Canada or other airlines are not subject to differential treatment based on their religious beliefs and how they choose to observe their faith,” said CAIR-SFBA’s Civil Rights & Legal Services Coordinator Ammad Rafiqi, in a statement.

“We hope Air Canada will show responsibility by coming to the table in good-faith to ensure that Fatima is made whole for having her right to privacy violated and the ensuing distress she felt during the trip."

Air Canada apologized to Fatima's family and said it is investigating the incident.

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Naomi Osaka regains her championship form in Osaka tourney

INSTAGRAM

Naomi Osaka with the "trophy" given to the champion of the Toray Pan tournament held in Osaka, Japan.

After losing her No. 1 ranking and being ousted from the U.S. Open, tennis star Naomi Osaka appears to have rebounded by winning the Toray Pan event in Osaka, Japan, the city where the Japanese American was born.

The final score against Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova, 7-5, 6-3, but the match was not as close as the score might indicate.

In fact, she showed the same self-confidence and control in all her matches in the tournament.

It seems firing her coach, Jermaine Jenkins, lifted a weight off her shoulders.  Under Jenkins, Osaka has had difficulty getting past the early rounds in the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

"I'm super grateful for the time we spent ... and the things i learned on and off the court ... now is an appropriate time for change," she wrote on Twitter about their split.

There was no sign of any problems with the knee that slowed her down in the U.S. Open as she took control and executed the shots she needed to win. 

She never dropped a set the entire tournament and the only struggle might have been coming up with some Japanese to converse to her Asian fans.

"it's really special for me to win here. This is the City I was born in and it gave me a lot of power to play here."

Osaka earned her No. 1 ranking, the first Asian American to win that distinction in tennis, when she won the U.S. Open last year. Since since then, she lost, regained, then lost that ranking because of her erratic play.

Although, she officially plays for Japan, Osaka was raised in New York City, lives and trains in the US.

Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father is Haitian-American, has citizenship in both Japan and the United States. Under Japanese law, dual citizens must choose between the two nationalities by the time they turn 22. Osaka turns 22 in October. 

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Rape victim on '60 Minutes:' Now -- everybody knows her name

SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS

Chanel Miller is interviewed by Bill Whitaker on '60 Minutes.'

ASAM NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE EDGE

For years, she was only known as Emily Doe, a pseudonym  for the victim raped on the Stanford University campus. Last night on national television, the victim spoke out as Chanel Miller.

In the half-hour interview with Bill Whitaker on 60 Minutes that was aired Sunday (Sept. 22), Miller, whose mother is Chinese, recounted her ordeal from the night she was assaulted in 2015, the trial and her ongoing recovery.

Miller woke up in a hospital after blacking out at a fraternity party at Stanford not knowing what had happened to her. She admits she had drank a mixture of vodka, whiskey and champagne. She was unconscious during the attack.

Doctors examined the Asian American victim and told her she had been sexually assaulted. After her release from the hospital, Miller decided not to tell anybody, including her parents, until more details were unveiled. It took days before the story popped up on her social media news feed.

“In order to survive, you just shut everything down. You have to function. You have to go to work in the morning. So it’s much easier to just repress everything,” she told Whitaker.

“Yes. It was surreal having the news broken to me by the Internet. I was alone, sitting at my desk, surrounded by coworkers, reading about how I was stripped and then penetrated and discarded in a bed of pine needles behind a dumpster. And that’s how I figured out all of those elements. And they all added up. And I finally understood,” said the 26-year old author.

She acknowledges she had too much to drink, but doesn’t back down to those who may feel she had it coming.

“Rape is not a punishment for getting drunk," the Asian American writer told  Whitaker. "And we have this really sick mindset in our culture, as if you deserve rape if you drink to excess. You deserve a hangover, a really bad hangover, but you don’t deserve to have somebody insert their body parts inside of you.”

During the trial, Turner's lawyers portrayed their client as a star athlete, a potential Olympic swimmer whose life would be ruined if convicted. Upon conviction, Turner's father said his son should not have to go to prison for “20 minutes of action.”

During the sentencing portion of the trail, Miller was able to confront Brock in her statement in court. Her powerful hour-long testimony was published by Buzzfeed and it went viral as a statement in behalf of sexual assault victims around the world.

During the 60 Minutes interview, Miller read part of that testimony: "I had to force myself to relearn my real name, my identity. To relearn that this is not all that I am. That I am not just a drunk victim at a frat party found behind a dumpster, while you are the All­ American swimmer at a top university, innocent until proven guilty, with so much at stake. I am a human being who has been irreversibly hurt, my life was put on hold for over a year, waiting to figure out if I was worth something."

Brock Turner received six months in jail for sexual assault. He was released  after serving  only three months. The nation reacted with outrage to the high-profile case's light sentencing. Two years later, Judge Aaron Persky would be recalled by 60 percent of the vote.

Miller, who graduated from UC-Santa Barbara, wrote about her experience in a book due out Tuesday, (Sept. 24) by Viking Books, entitled "Know My Name."

Below is a portion of the 60 Minutes report. For the entire segment, click here.

Finally, Miller, concluded her victim's statement with a message to assault victims everywhere:

"And finally, to girls everywhere, I am with you. On nights when you feel alone, I am with you. When people doubt you or dismiss you, I am with you. I fought everyday for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you. As the author Anne Lamott once wrote, 'Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.' Although I can’t save every boat, I hope that by speaking today, you absorbed a small amount of light, a small knowing that you can’t be silenced, a small satisfaction that justice was served, a small assurance that we are getting somewhere, and a big, big knowing that you are important, unquestionably, you are untouchable, you are beautiful, you are to be valued, respected, undeniably, every minute of every day, you are powerful and nobody can take that away from you. To girls everywhere, I am with you."

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org/onlineand receive confidential support.
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In an upset, Sandra Oh's costar wins acting award

Actor Jodie Comer seeks out her 'Killing Eve' costar Sandra Oh during the Emmy awards.

The coveted Emmy continues to elude Sandra Oh.

Oh's Killing Eve costar Jodie Comer won the Best Lead Actress in a Drama Sseries at Sunday's Emmy Awards show.

Oh has been nominated nine times for an Emmy but has never won. She was nominated twice for Killing Eve and five straight years for her portrayal of Dr. Christina Yang on Grey's Anatomy. This year, she was also nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her stint as a Saturday Night Live host. Her nine nominations has won her the dubious title of being the most nominated Asian American for the television's prestigious trophy.

Besides Oh, Comer also beat a bevy of heavyweight actresses, including: Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”), Laura Linney (“Ozark”), Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”), Robin Wright (“House of Cards”), and Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder”).

"I just didn't expect it," she admitted after the show. "The women in that category are so phenomenal, and I felt very lucky to be there and be here."

Oh was widely expected to win the category after winning the Golden Globes and SAG awards in the same category. When Comer's name was announced, it caught her completely by surprise. The first thing she did was to go to Oh and embrace her. 

"I think I said I loved her and I appreciated her," Comer told ET's Kevin Frazier backstage, revealing what she whispered to Oh on her way to the stage. "Because honestly, this whole experience we've gone through together."

In accepting the award, Comer paid tribute to her costar. “It’s safe to say, Sandra, that this ‘Killing Eve’ journey has been an absolute whirlwind and I feel so lucky to have shared the whole experience with you,”

Oh was also nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her stint as a Saturday Night Live host. Jane Lynch won for her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

If Oh had won she would have been the first Asian American woman to win Best Lead Actress. 

Archie Panjabi became the first actor of Asian descent to win an acting Emmy (The Good Wife) -- for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2010. In 2017, Riz Ahmed  became the only Asian actor, male or female, to win a lead Emmy category.n acting prize for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for The Night Of.

The only other Asian American nominee was Maya Erskine . who with cowriter Anna Konkle,for Best Writer for a Comedy Series for their work in Hulu's PEN15. That category was won by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, for her writing for  took Fleabag..

While Asian Americans were shut out of the awards, Lilly Singh, Ken Jeong and Randall Park appeared on stage to introduce the nominees and winners in several categories.

Compared to past years, AAPI actors appear more plentiful in ead and supporting roles on television but none of them have translated to acting recognition. 

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Job offers pour in to woman who received "Me love you long time" racist email

CONNIE CHEUNG

ASAM NEWS

Connie Cheung dared to speak out and now she’s the better for it.
Cheung is the young job applicant who went public with a potential employer’s “me love you long time” email. In the two months that followed, she’s received nearly a dozen job interviews and has since started a new job.

Cheung received the email from James McMahon of the Chicago Search Group where she applied. McMahon had meant his message to go to his boss because they had seen the movie Full Metal Jacket together. The movie features a scene in which an Asian prostitute utters the now infamous phrase.

After numerous media outlets covered Cheung’s story, she received immediate offers for interviews.

“I was so mind-blown,” Cheung said to Block Club Chicago.

“Hopefully for these two gentleman in the email thread, they will wake up and realize not to diminish any applicant based on the person’s gender or background,” said Cheung’s new boss, Dennis Mondero, the director of the Chinese Mutual Aid Association.

Mondero, an immigrant from the Philippines, says his group is the beneficiary of Cheung’s unfortunate experience.

Cheung said she went public with her story against the advice of her mother who feared it could ruin her career.

“I’m happy I had the courage to say something,” she said. “It is OK to speak out. It is OK to speak truths, to say this type of behavior is not OK.”

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Reading this weekend: the power of yellow,Hawaiian businessman gives back to community, words matter

Should East Asians refer to themselves as 'yellow?'

I'm a little late in reading this interesting article about the debate on what East Asians can call themselves is still ongoing today so Kat Chow's article in NPR is still relevant and should spur more discussion. 

The term "Asian American" seems to be useful when addressing the broader non-Asian American audience but it is proving inadequate when talking about the needs -- education, health, representation -- of specific groups from the multiplicity of cultures that fall under that category.

" People with roots from South Asia or Southeast Asia sometimes refer to themselves as brown, which seems like a useful shorthand. But for a bunch of reasons, brown doesn't work for East Asians. I'm wondering if there's a parallel word for us," she writes. "What about Yellow?"

Eddie Flores giving back to the community.

Rags to riches: Millionaire helping improve Filipinos' status in Hawaii

Hawaiian barbecue is no-frills and mixed, just like the Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur who made it mainstream: Eddie Flores, Jr. whose rags-to-riches story is featured in Fortune Magazine.

Flores’ family moved to Hawaii from China when he was a youth, the eldest boy of seven children. His Filipino father, a musician, and Chinese mother, have sixth-grade educations and were part of the middle class in Hong Kong. In Hawaii, his father worked as a janitor and his mother a restaurant cashier and dishwasher to make ends meet.

That’s what sparked Flores’ entrepreneurial spirit. “I told myself I’m not going to be poor,” he said. That determination gave birth to  L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, which was recently rated by Entrepreneur magazine as the top Asian American fast-food franchise in the U.S.

Now the multi-millionaire is turning his attention to political and socio-economic empowerment of the Filipinos in Hawaii. Watch out!

Journalists: Watch your language when writing about immigration

Ninety percent of news articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today that cited the Center for Immigration Studies from 2014 to 2017 did not mention “the extremist nature of the group or its ties with the Trump administration,” according to “The Language of Immigration Reporting: Normalizing vs. Watchdogging in a Nativist Age.”

The report by Define American, the immigration advocacy nonprofit founded by Filipino American Jose Antonio Vargas, one of the nation's most outspoken undocumented immigrants,  found that the Center for Immigration Studies — which was founded by the late John Tanton, a white nationalist considered to be the father of the modern anti-immigrant movement — was often cited as a neutral authority in providing expert opinion or data, according to an article in The Intercept.

The article notes that the news outlets under review increasingly used dehumanizing language, such as “illegal immigrants” or “illegal aliens,” the emotionallly loaded terminology used by the White House.

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