Biden-Harris administration announces an unprecedented national strategy for AANHPI

WHITE HOUSE

Some of the AANHPI staff and managers that have been appointed by the Biden-Harris administration gathered for a photo with Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Perhaps more than any previous administration, President Biden and his administration has put the spotlight on the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Tuesday (Jan. 17) convened federal government officials and community leaders to mark the release of the Biden-Harris Administration’s first-ever National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Communities.

FYI: Watch the full event here .

“From day one, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made clear their commitment to address the needs of underserved communities, including Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities,” said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra. “With the release of today’s national strategy, the public can see the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to advancing equity and addressing the challenges that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities face.”

In the special virtual event, senior Biden-Harris Administration officials outlined the details of 32 federal agency plans, which build on the Administration’s previous actions to promote safety and equity for AA and NHPIs. The wide-ranging policies ranged from increased multi-lingual  communication to making it a priority to address hate crimes against AANHPI to providing more disaggregated data across federal agencies.

Community leaders also discussed additional steps the federal government can take to address critical priorities for AA and NHPI communities, including data disaggregation, language access, and combating anti-Asian hate. 

FYI: WHIAANHPI is also soliciting public feedback on the agency plans here.

The unprecedented national strategy based on the work by WHAANHPI is the first national plan of its kind with elected officials, federal leaders, community members and prominent Asian Americans working together to combat racism.

“These commitments are bold, ambitious, and deeply aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader equity agenda. This national strategy also builds upon our shared progress to ensure the safety and prosperity of our families, neighborhoods, and communities.”

The event was moderated by WHIAANHPI Executive Director Krystal Ka‘ai, and included panel discussions moderated by Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and AA and NHPI Senior Liaison, along with Sonal Shah, Chief Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on AA and NHPIs.

The need to address issues affecting the AANHPI communities occurs in an environment of increasing racist attacks against AANHPI. In the period of March 2020 to March 2022, there have been over 11,500 hate incidents recorded by Stop AAPI Hate.

The surge in hate attacks mobilized the AANHPI communities lobbying local and federal law enforcement, health agencies, media organizations and the religious community to address the racist incidents directed against all Asian American groups.

Parallel to becoming more vocal and demanding action, there was an increase in political activity by registering new voters and emboldening more AANHPI to run for political offices. The increase in AANHPI voters was able to affect elections in jurisdictions across the nation.

Since January 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken steps to address the needs of AA and NHPI communities by advancing policies that promote equity, expanding entry points to federal services and programs, and centering the experiences and resiliency of AA and NHPI communities. To support these efforts, WHIAANHPI engaged federal agencies to improve interagency policymaking, program development, and outreach efforts to AA and NHPI communities across the country.

In Summer 2022, 32 agencies – including all 15 executive departments in the President’s Cabinet – submitted agency plans that outline specific actions to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities. These plans are deeply aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader equity agenda and represent an historic first for the federal government.

READ the national strategy details for each federal agency.

Among the areas the federal actions:

Promoting Belonging and Inclusion and Addressing Anti-Asian Hate/Discrimination
Across the federal government, agencies have stepped up their efforts to respond to the increasing number of bias incidents and discrimination against AA and NHPIs, promote belonging, equity, and inclusion, and improve access to federal resources.

Addressing the Systemic Lack of Data Disaggregation on AA and NHPI Communities
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to advancing racial equity through improved data collection, research, access, and disaggregation efforts. Better data leads to better and more informed policies that reflect the needs and priorities of the AA and NHPI communities.

Expanding Language Access Across Federal Programs
Federal agencies are taking critical action to expand access for limited English proficient communities and deliver greater equity for the diverse AA and NHPI community.

Building Capacity in AA and NHPI Communities
By increasing access to federal contracts, grants, and opportunities, the federal government is helping to break down persistent barriers to federal resources, center equity in grant-making, and build the capacity of AA and NHPI communities and organizations across the country.

Creating a Diverse Federal Workforce
The Biden-Harris Administration strives to make the federal government a model for diversity, equity, and inclusion and reflects the lived experiences and rich cultural backgrounds of all Americans, including the diverse members of the AA and NHPI community.

Increasing Outreach and Engagement Efforts and Cultivating Community Partnerships
To ensure that government policies are informed by and reflect the needs of the AA and NHPI community, agencies are engaging in meaningful outreach efforts to hear from community stakeholders, deepen partnerships, and expand access to government programs.

“These 32 agency action plans are the result of more than a year of work by dedicated public servants in collaboration with community advocates, and detail specific commitments to advance justice and opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,” said US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai.“

A statement from the WHAANHPI said: "Advancing equity is not a one-year project – it is a generational commitment that will require sustained leadership and partnership with all communities."

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

Philippine court clears Maria Ressa of tax charges

AFP

Philippine court clears Filipino American Maria Ressa of tax evasion charges

Nobel laureate Maria Ressa was cleared of tax evasion charges by a Philippine Tax Court. 

"Today, facts win. Truth wins. Justice wins," said journalist Ressa, a former CNN correspondent who co-founded Rappler, a Philippine online news outlet that was targeted by former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte because it criticized his policies.

In an 80-page ruling, the court ordered the acquittal of Ressa and Rappler for “failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

"These charges were a brazen abuse of power, political harassment against journalists trying to hold power to account," she said in a statement. "This is where business, capital markets, and press freedom meet. So this victory is not just for Rappler, it’s for every Filipino who has ever been unjustly accused.

"It’s a ray of sunshine, hope – for those like journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who begins her fourth year in prison in February and Leila de Lima, who begins her seventh year in prison in February as well," Ressa continued.

"I had a good feeling about today – not only because not one shred of evidence supporting these charges was presented in court – but also because of the way Justice Catherine Manahan ran the trial. She was tough. When I testified, she was joined by Justice Bacorro-Villena."

The court's decision was a major victory for the Filipino American journalist, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, but it is not the end of her legal troubles in three other cases.

Ressa and former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. are appealing their conviction for cyber libel pending at the Supreme Court, the lone tax case at the Pasig City RTC, and the appeal on the closure of Rappler pending at the CA.

In the US, the National Press Club issued a statement: "We are overjoyed tonight to learn that Maria Ressa and her news site Rappler were acquitted in a case of tax evasion by a Philippine court. The case was an example of harassment by government prosecutors who were trying to stop Ressa and the journalism of Rappler. This is huge victory for journalism and for one of its most determined and inspiring leaders. We are overjoyed for Maria Ressa and we know she will press forward."

"You know, Martin Luther King says, yes - it will take time," Ressa told the BBC. "But as I was reading through the decision, and there was no reason to take us to court... we're not tax evaders - we never were… This was an incredibly important day because it would have set a direction for which way the Philippines was going."

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a developing story. Check back later for updates. For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Critics Choice Awards: Everything, Everywhere All At Once wins best picture

INSTAGRAM

The cast and some behind-the-scenes crew of Everything Everywhere All At Once accepted the Critics Choice award for Best Picture.

The awards season is heating up and it looks like Everything Everywhere All At Once is in a good position to contend for an Oscar on March 12.

The top prize for the LA Critics Choice award, Best Picture, went to Everything Everywhere All At Once, the adventures of a Chinese American immigrant through the multiverses. The film won the most awards and nominated for 14 categories  including Best Supporting Actor, which went to Ke Huy Quan, still beaming from his Golden Globe win. 

EEAAO's Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert also won Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.

So far the science fiction movie about a Chinese American immigrant woman's adventures in the multiverse. has won 215 awards and received 317 nominations as of January 17, according to IMDB.com.

The film's star, Michelle Yeoh, who played Evelyn Wang, a hard working laundromat owner was nominated for for Best Actress but lost out to Cate Blanchett for her role in Tor. These two actresses appear to be the frontrunners for an Oscar.

“This award is dedicated to my dad, a Taiwanese immigrant who worked himself into an early grave,” producer Jonathan Wang said as part of the cast’s Best Picture acceptance speech. “And this is really dedicated to the Evelyns, the Waymonds, the immigrant parents who would kill themselves for us immigrant children to give us a better life.”

In accepting the award for Best Picture, co-director Kwan thanked his mother for inspiring Yeoh's character of laundromat owner Evelyn Wang.

“This is dedicated to my mother, who not only inspired the movie, but was the first person to plant the seed in my head that I could be a director. She told me, maybe the first Asian American immigrant mother to tell her son to go to film school,” he said.

Kwan went on to thank all immigrant parents who worked hard so that his generation could pursue their dreams.

The adventure movie from India, RRR, won Best Foreign Language film. The song from the movie, "Natu Natu," won Best Song, the same award it won at the Golden Globes.

Pachinko, Apple-plus' dramatic multi-generational epic filmed mainly in Korean and Japanese, won Best Foreign Language Series.

Nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced on Jan. 24. For a complete list Critics Choice winners, click here.

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

'Here Lies Love' brings Imelda Marcos to Broadway but not without controversy

In the beginning of 'Here Lies Love,' Imelda  (Jaygee Macupugay),  dancing in the
disco sequence, captures the adoration of the audience.

One of the most innovative and exciting musicals featuring the conjugal dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos is making its long awaited Broadway debut after it was first produced off-Broadway a decade ago. 

Here Lies Love, a musical featuring a score by Oscar and Grammy winner David Byrne with music by Byrne and Grammy winner Fatboy Slim, will come to Broadway this summer and with it, a simmering debate about appropriation and a concern that it would trivialize a dark era of the Philippines.

The musical centers on the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines, who was known for her lavish lifestyle amid civil unrest in the country.

To tell the story, the iconic Broadway Theatre will be reconfigured from a traditional proscenium stage into a “dance club environment,” which will allow audience members to become part of the production, interacting with the actors: disco dancers at times, fawning fans and protestors at other points of the story.

The show has had rave reviews everywhere it was presented starting with its world premiere Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in 2013, followed by a return engagement there from 2014 to 2015, a run at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2014 and a run at Seattle Repertory Theatre in 2017.

Preview performances will begin June 17, with the show’s official opening night set for July 20.

Clint Ramos, a Filipino American Tony winner will serve as designer and a creative director. He'll be joined by immigration activist and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jose Antonio Vargas as the first-ever Filipino lead producers on Broadway.

Although a cast hasn't been announced yet, all the principle roles are Filipino and will be cast accordingly, assure the producers.

“Filipinos are among the largest immigrant groups in America –– and also among the most invisible culturally, despite the two nations’ shared colonial histories," said Vargas, himself an outspoken undocumented immigrant who founded Define American, an agency promoting immigration reform 

"While the Asian diaspora can no longer be denied in American popular culture, Filipinas and Filipinos remain woefully outside the spotlight. I’m thrilled to help break barriers on what has historically been an exclusive stage: Broadway.”

Some of the actors who took part in the early productions of Here Lies Love, have moved on in their careers on Broadway and in television, including Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I), Jaygee Macapugay (School of Rock), Jose Llana (King and I) and Conrad  Ricamora (How to Get Away With Murder).

Much of the team that has been involved with the show in prior productions will return, including Tony-winning director Alex Timbers and choreographer Annie-B Parson.

The announcement notes that the show has four Filipino co-producers — Miranda Gohh, Celia Kaleialoha Kenney, Rob Laqui and Giselle “G” Töngi — while Filipino creative team members include music director J. Oconer Navarro, costume designer Clint Ramos, casting director Gail Quintos, assistant director Billy Bustamante, assistant stage manager Sheryl Polancos and aforementioned producer Töngi also serving as cultural and community liaison.

Since this article was first published in January 2023, more producers have joined the production, including: Jo Koy, Lea Salonga, Jose Antonio Vargas, Apl de Ap and H.E.R, also known as Gabrielle Sarmiento Wilson. 

One of the reasons it took so long for the musical to move from off-Broadway to Broadway is the production logistics. 

The announcement for this production says that “will transform the venue’s traditional proscenium floor space into a dance club environment, where audiences will stand and move with the actors. A wide variety of standing and seating options will be available throughout the theater’s reconstructed space, with more details to be announced soon.”

It was the difficulty in finding and funding a venue with those production requirements  is why the musical didn't find its way to California, where a majority of Filipino Americans live and was the center for the anti-Marcos movement in the US and would have almost guaranteed a sold-out audience.

In 201i6, American Conservatory Theater artistic director Carey Perloff said they've been working for two years to bring the piece to San Francisco but "Ultimately the logistics and cost proved insurmountable," he said in a press release.

The actors interact with the audience, who become part of the performance and by the end come
to realization  how easy to fall prey to manipulation.

Since the announcement of the Broadway premiere, some Filipinos have voiced concern than the production would glamorize Imelda, also known as the Iron Butterfly." Critics worry that the regime of the brutal Marcos dictatorship, one that   stole billlions of dollars from the Filipino people, imprisoned, tortured and killed over 30,000 who would question the legitimacy of the dictatorship.

One thing the musical is not: It is not a celebration of the Marcos dictatorship. As the audience becomes part of the performance. Like the people of the Philippines, they are seduced by the glamor of Imelda and her husband, only to become the victims of oppression and greed. The audience  transforms from celebrating disco-dancers to Marcos worshippers to angry People Power protestors. 

Since Here Lies Love was first presented in 2013, the Marcos son, Bong Bong has become the Philippines President. The reviewer of the Seattle production makes the musical relevant to our present times in the Philippines and the US: "It also reminds us, right up to the meaningful folk ballad near the end, how dangerous political celebrity, fake populism and ostentatious greed can be for a nation, and how captivating."

It is true that Filipinos need to tell their own stories, but  without David Byrne and Fatboy Slim attracting the financial support, it is doubtful that the production would ever be staged. I seriously doubt that someone with the reputation of Vargas would allow the show to trivialize a dark chapter of Philippine history. 

What Here Lies Love does opens the door for producers and audiences to seek out more information about a period in Philippine history that has been sanitized or recast as a time of benevolence and peace.The rewriting of Philippine history was so effective that Marcos' son, Bongbong, was elected President last year.  

For non-Filipinos, the show raises awareness of the US foreign policty that that propped up authoritarian governments, not only in the Philippines but around the world. The might even make them see the consequences of an unquestioning cult-like worship of so-called populist leaders, a worldwide trend best exemplified by Donald Trump's anti-democracy administration.

Art in its various mediums can be contemplative, cause one to question the status quo, spark the imagination, release the restraints of society, transcend boundaries or record historical events. It can also do all of that and more, no matter who creates it.

Nothing is stopping a Filipino composer from creating a more "authentic" musical about the Marcoses. I hope it gets rave reviews.

Yes, a Filipino song writer could have composed the songs or written the production, but the fact is, Here Lies Love is largely a creation of Byrne and Slim. As an artistic expression, it should be judged, experienced and enjoyed -- or not enjoyed -- on its own terms.

“Exciting lessons are often learned through uniquely surprising works of art," said Filipino American producer Ramos, who first became involved in working on the project in 2006. "And nothing is more surprising than the way Here Lies Love vibrantly and creatively sheds light on a crucial part of Philippine history.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the  blog Views From the Edge.

Online news outlets stumble on the question: Are Filipino Americans Asian enough?

R'Bonney Gabriel, a proud Filipino American, was crowned Miss Universe.

OPINION

I found it deeply troubling that major online news outlets don't consider Filipino Americans to be part of the Asian American community.

The question arises: Is R'Bonney Gabriel, a Filipino American who just won the Miss Universe title, Asian enough?

Apple News didn't think that the Filipino American Miss Universe was not worthy
to include under the Asian American banner (top). However, the story was the top story on
the search for Filipino American news (bottom).

I don't mean to be a nitpicker, but today (Jan. 19, 2022), I did online searches on Google News, Apple News and NBC under "Asian Americans" and there was no mention of R'Bonney Gabriel, the current Miss USA  also winning the title of Miss Universe Saturday night. It is odd because Gabriel made sure to mention her Filipino heritage in the interviews after winning the crown.

I checked the online news sources under "Filipino Americans" and Gabriel's historic feat of being the first Filipino American to be named Miss Universe was the top story for Google and Apple. I scrolled down to the bottom and  the Gabriel's accomplishment was not included at all.

Apparently NBC doesn't separate the different AANHPI communities. and include all of them under the title of "Asian America." However, NBC did include Gabriel's victory among its main news stories but, curiously, did not include the story in its "Asian America" page.

The Google News page for Filipino Americans had the Miss Universe winner as its top story (top photo) but the Asian American page (bottom) omitted the accomplishment entirely.

I'm not sure why, but Filipino Americans have always been difficult for East Asians to accept as Asian American because they often don't fit the East Asian stereotype: Filipinos are the second or third largest Asian subgroup in the United States, depending on your source; Filipino are predominantly Roman Catholic; English is practically a second national language; their government is modeled after the United States since it was US's only Asian colony.

And there has always been that annoying question: "Are Filipinos Asian or are they Pacific Islanders?"

I'm being generous because I'm the forgiving-sort-of-guy, but maybe its the weekend crews working during the Martin Luther King Holiday. The holiday shift has always been given to those with the least seniority. They might not be as sensitive or knowledgeable as the regular crew about the AANHPI communities and the groups that fall under that umbrella. 

Or, it could be the news editors over the weekend didn't think a pageant title is worthy of news coverage. Sure the Miss Universe contest is not life-changing or violent as some of the other news stories. I can understand that rationale, but it might not be worthy of being the top story, but it surely should be second or third. When an Asian American breaks a racial barrier, even if it's just a pageant title, the historic event deserves some attention.

When a Filipino nurse goes on strike, or a Filipino singer wins a Grammy, or a Filipino wins a Nobel Prize, or a Filipino American is elected California's Attorney General, or a Filipino wins the Miss Universe title; all of those stories should not be limited to Filipino Americans, and other Asian Americans should recognize the barrier-shattering significance of that accomplishment.

For those who make those news judgements, their definition of who are Asian Americans need to be expanded beyond East Asians. While Filipino Americans generally don't like being confused with other Asians, there is the political and social aspect of living as minorities in this country that should unite us with other Asian American ethnicities and nationalities. Filipino Americans are Americans, but they are Asian Americans, too. To think otherwise, is an insult.

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

Filipino American representing USA wins Miss Universe contest

MISS UNIVERSE

Miss USA, R'Bonney Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe 2022.

In her first meeting with the media, the newly crowned Miss Universe said in Tagalog, "Mabuhay, Philippines. Mabuhay Filipino fans. Maraming, maraming salamat sa lahat ng tulong ninyo."

Miss USA, R'Bonnet Gabriel, gave thanks in Tagalog: Greetings, Philippines. Greetings Filipino fans. Many thanks for your support.

"The support is everything. I feel it my heart. I heard it in the room. It was an amazing energy. The Filipino blood is so strong. We are hardworking, we're fun and we're determined, and I'm so proud to be half-Filipina," she added.

The beauty queen, a 28-year-old fashion designer, secured the title Saturday at the annual international competition, which was held this year in New Orleans. Last year’s winner, Harnaaz Sandhu of India, placed the tiara on Gabriel, who began the competition by being crowned as Miss Texas, the first Filipino American to represent that state in this pageant.

As the 80 competitors was winnowed down to the final five, Gabriel knocked it out of the park with her response when asked how she would work to demonstrate Miss Universe is “an empowering and progressive organization” if she were to win.

“I would use it to be a transformational leader,” the Texas resident responded, citing her work as a fashion designer using recycled materials in her creations and teaching sewing to survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence.

“It is so important to invest in others, invest in our community and use your unique talent to make a difference,” Gabriel continued. “We all have something special, and when we plant those seeds to other people in our life, we transform them and we use that as a vehicle for change.”

According to her Miss Universe profile, R'Bonney is the lead sewing instructor at Magpies & Peacocks, a Houston based nonprofit design house that is dedicated to using "Fashion As A Force For Good" through sustainability and community impact.

TV personality Jeannie Mai and model Olivia Culpo—Miss Universe 2012—co-hosted the 2022 pageant, which aired on the Roku Channel. Before the winner was announced, the contestants showcased colorful, chic looks in the evening gown and swimwear contests, while also modeling radiant styles in a national costume show.

In an Instagram posting, Gabriel wrote that she designed and dyed her swimsuit cape using plastic bottles. " gathered and transformed this cape to showcase how art can be made out of what we perceive as trash. It also embodies my favorite message of "If Not Now, Then When?"

R'Bonney Gabriel unfurls her swimsuit cape with a message.

Her mission is "for women and young girls to see themselves in her, and feel inspired to conquer their goals by owning who they are."

"I get so many messages from young girls telling me that they are inspired by me, but it's just so important to embrace who you are, whatever culture that is. And I've, I've done that very proudly, very vocally and it's amazing to have people come to me and tell me that they are so proud of their culture, too. That is really how I want to inspire people," she added.

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

Asian American Iowan charged with voter fraud

Kim Phuong Taylor and her husband, Jeremy Taylor.

An Iowa woman was arrested in Sioux City, Iowa, for her role in an alleged voter fraud scheme during the Iowa 2020 primary and general elections.

Kim Phuong Taylor, 49, of Sioux City, made her initial court appearance Thursday, Jan. 12.

According to court documents, Taylor allegedly perpetrated a scheme to generate votes in the primary election in June 2020, when her husband, Jeremy Taylor, was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for Iowa’s 4th US Congressional District. 

After Jeremy Taylor was defeated in the 2020 general election, she is also charged with voter fraud when her husband ran for Woodbury County Supervisor. In that case, Taylor allegedly submitted or caused others to submit dozens of voter registrations, absentee ballot request forms, and absentee ballots containing false information. 

For example, although these documents required the signer to affirm that he or she was the person named in them, Taylor signed them for voters without their permission and told others that they could sign on behalf of relatives who were not present.

The Department of Justice attorneys say Taylor is charged with 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration, and 23 counts of fraudulent voting. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count.

US Attorney General appoints Asian American as Special Counsel investigating Biden

Special Counsel Robert Kyoung Hur

An Asian American attorney was named special counsel to investigate how classified documents ended up in President Biden's home and at his private office.

Robert Kyoung Hur, was named by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to look into the possible unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or other records discovered at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and the Wilmington, Delaware, private residence of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

“I will conduct the assigned investigation with fair, impartial, and dispassionate judgment. I intend to follow the facts swiftly and thoroughly, without fear or favor, and will honor the trust placed in me to perform this service,” Hur said in a statement,

His parents are Haesook Hur and Dr. Young Hur of Monroe Township New Jersey, The New York Times reported. Her father is an anesthesiologist, according to a NYTimes article.

According to the biography, Hur, 50,  was born in New York and “received his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as Executive Editor of the Stanford Law Review. He is also a board member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of D.C.

At the Justice Department, Hur worked with former Trump deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, the former deputy attorney general told CNN.

“Rob has been around long enough – he knows what he is getting into,” said Rosenstein.

Appointed by Donald Trump and unanimously confirmed by the US Senate, he served from 2018 to 2021 as US Attorney in Maryland, setting strategic priorities for and supervising one of the largest and busiest US Attorney’s Offices in the nation, according to his bio.

As a US Attorney, one of the high-profile cases he “led criminal cases against former Mayor Catherine Pugh, a Democrat, and two state delegates,” reported The Baltimore Sun. Pugh was convicted of wire fraud and tax evasion, according to a press release from the  DOJ.

Hur was also appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to chair a the Asian American Hate Crime Workgroup in 202, according to CBS News, which added that the group was also charged with addressing “the rise in anti-Asian discrimination and violence.

Shortly after Biden was sworn into office as President, Hur, described as a "conservative" Republican, resigned from the Department of Justice and went into private practice with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Crisis Management Practice Group and a “member of the firm’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group and the National Security Practice Group.”

The White House confirmed that “a small number” of materials with “classified markings” were found and turned over to the federal government, NPR reported.

The DOJ order made public on Thursday lays out the task ahead of Hur.

“The document authorizes him to investigate whether any person or entity violated the law in this matter,” Garland said during his brief press conference, in which he touted Hur’s “long and distinguished” record as a prosecutor.

Biden's attorneys reportedly found the Obama-Biden administration records during a search completed Wednesday night of Biden’s residences in both Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Del. All but one of the classified documents were found in a storage space in Biden’s Wilmington garage, with one other record found in an adjacent room, read a statement from Special Counsel to the President Richard Sauber.

Republicans were quick to to compare Biden's case with the way Trump hoarded nearly 100 classified documents at Mar-a-Lago for more than a year—even when the National Archives notified his office that the records were wrongly stored there illegally. It wasn’t until FBI agents raided the mansion in August 2022 that the Trump-held documents were recovered.

“People know that I take classified documents and classified material seriously," said Biden. "I also said we’re cooperating fully with the Justice Department’s review.”

In contrast to Trump's attempts to stop the probe of his documents, Biden’s personal lawyers say they “immediately” notified the federal government about their discoveries at both the think tank and Biden’s home garage. 

“As we stated previously, we are fully cooperating with the National Archives and the Department of Justice in a process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in possession of the Archives,” Sauber said in the statement.

Correction: Jan. 13, 10:30 a.m. to correct age of Robert Hur.

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

Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan make history as they win Golden Globes

SCREEN CAPTURE / ABC

Michelle Yeoh wins a Golden Globe in the best actress in a comedy category.

Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan basked in their historic moments as they won best actress and best supporting actor awards, respectively, for their roles in the Everything Everywhere All At Once motion picture.

Quan is the first Asian artist to win a Golden Globe in his supporting role category. Yeoh is only the second Asian artist to win a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy. The first winner in the same category was Awkwafina for The Farewell.

As she accepted her award, Malaysian-born Yeoh said "I'm just going to stand here and take this all in." Looking over the audience and clucthing her trophy  tightly in both hands. "Forty years, not letting go of this," referring to her 40-year career which began in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

"I remember when I first came to Hollywood, it was a dream come true until I got here," she continued. "I came here and was told, 'You're a minority.' And I'm like, 'No, that's not possible.' And then someone said to me, 'You speak English.' And then I said, 'Yeah, the flight here was about 13 hours long, so I learned on the way.'"

When she was given a musical cue to end her speech, Yeoh, known for her martial arts movies, told the pianist, "Shut up. I can beat you up." She continued to thank her castmates and Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, who jointly wrote the script and directed the movie.

"I turned 60 last year, and I think all of you women understand this: As the days, the years and the numbers get bigger, it seems like opportunities start to get smaller as well," she said, noting that she had even told herself she'd "had a really, really good run" and so "it's all good" -- until Everything Everywhere All at Once, which she called "the best gift," came along. In the film, Yeoh plays an immigrant mother involved in an epic adventure through a multitude of universes.

SCREEN CAPTURE

Ke Huy Quan kissed his Golden Globe trophy as he was named Best Supporting Actor
in a musical or comedy.

Quan, who played Yeoh's beleaguered husband in the movie, gave an acceptance speech that was perhaps the most sincerest speech of the night.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he accepted his award. “I was raised to never forget where I came from and to always remember who gave me my first opportunity. I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight. Steven, thank you,” Quan said, acknowledging the role that gave him his start as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, directed by Spielberg.

“As I grew older, I started to wonder if that was it, if that was just luck,” he added. “For so many years, I was afraid I had nothing more to offer. No matter what I did, I would never surpass what I achieved as a kid.” Clearly, that didn’t turn out to be true, and Quan went onto thank Kwan and Daniel, the directors of the science fiction hit, for casting him as Waymond. 

“More than 30 years later, two guys thought of me. They remembered that kid and they gave me an opportunity to try again,” he said, choking with emotion. “Everything that has happened since has been unbelievable.”

Finally, Quan thanked “the most important person in (his) life,” his wife, "who never lost faith in me."

RRR, the 3-hour film from India, won a Globe for Best Song but failed to win Best Foreign Film, which was given to 1985 Argentina.

Dolly de Leon, the actress from the Philippines, did not win in Best Supporting Actress in a Drama, was considered a dark horse for her role in Triangle of Sadness and drew the attention of Hollywood studios as her role as a cleaning lady on a luxury yacht. 

Maybe one day we can write about a Hollywood awards show and not use the word "historic." Maybe, one day. But not today.

CORRECTION: 10 a.m., Jan. 11. Earlier versions incorrectly identified Michelle Yeoh as the first Asian actress to win best actress in a musical or comedy.

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

NBA's plans for a new arena threatens Philadelphia's Chinatown

Philadelphia's Friendship Gate marks the entrance to Chinatown.

In the 1800s and the early 20th Century, it was easy to get rid of Chinatown. Just set it ablaze. 

Nowadays, the sophisticated way of destroying the ethnic enclave is to call it redevelopment.

The latest battle for Chinatown is heating up in Philadelphia where the National Basketball League's Philadelphia 76ers want to build a new arena.

“It’s important for people to stand up and voice out,” said Steven Zhu, head of the Philadelphia Chinese Restaurant Association, during a press conference Monday, Jan. 9. “There are people understanding how the issue is so serious, that this is something that will destroy Chinatown.”

Over 40 Chinatown groups have joined a coalition opposing the Sixers' proposed basketball arena.

“What most people don’t know when they’re going for dim sum in Chinatown is that Chinatowns started as a direct result of the violence against the Asian American community. They were forced to create Chinatowns in order to survive,” said Bethany Li, legal director of Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).

The Philadelphia 76ers announced plans last summer to build a $1.3 billion arena just a block from the community’s gateway arch with a planned opening in 2031. The development company behind the arena, 76 Devcorp, said it planned to work with the community to help shape the project.

Since the NBA franchise announced its intentions, Chinatown residents, business owners, and community advocates have been fighting the prospects of having the arena built in their own neighborhood, completely changing the physical aspects of the community and almost certainly altering the demographics of the businesses and people who live there.

ARTIST'S RENDERING

The proposed 76er arena would be a stone's throw away from the Chinatown Friendship Gate.

The arena will most likely raise property values which in turn raise rents for the mostly small businesses and drive away low-income residents who will not be able to afford the cost of living there.

Business owners have also raised concerns about the traffic congestion that could ensue during home games that as a result will cause locals and others to avoid Chinatown altogether, effects on local businesses, attendees opting to go for concessions instead of what the community offers, parking, and public safety.

A 76 Devcorp spokesperson reiterated that statement Monday, saying the company would “continue to meet with community stakeholders to discuss the facts surrounding the proposed arena and how it will positively impact the area.”

Opponents to the Philadelphia project point to what happened to the Chinatown of Washington D.C. Where once a community of 3,000 lived, worked and played, only a few hundred Chinese residents remain the neighborhood that still has a Chinese gateway marking beginning of what was once Chinatown. Critics and planners blame the construction of the Capitol One Arena, home of the NBA's Washington Wizards that drove up rents and drove away local businesses.

New York City's Chinatown is undergoing another battle against plans to build what would become the world's tallest jail in the middle of the neighborhood. The proposed jail would impact one the city's densest areas home to with senior housing, green space, and small businesses.

Philadelphia's Chinatown survived earlier attempts to build in their community. In 2000, the community protested the Phillies’ plan to build a $685 million baseball stadium. In 2008, the community mobilized again to stop the development of a 3,000-slot-machine casino.

Government policies have changed these traditionally working class, Asian, family household neighborhoods into communities that are now composed of more affluent, White, and non-family households. From the expansion of institutions like universities and medical centers in Boston, to New York City's former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s massive rezonings promoting development in New York, and the government’s encouragement of luxury condominiums and casinos in Philadelphia, "local governments have dramatically transformed what these immigrant neighborhoods look like."

RELATED:

• Chicago's Chinatown bucks national trend and is flourishing 
• America's Chinatowns being squeezed out by gentrification 

In the 1800s and early 20th Century, a number of fires burned down Chinatowns around the nation. In Honolulu and Santa Ana in California, authorities declared Chinatown a source for the plague and burned it down. A number of "suspicious" fires took out Chinatowns in Denver and San Jose, Calif. In some instances, such as in Pacific Grove or Antioch in California, fires were started for the real reason - racism.

Today's Chinatowns often characterized by low rents and single-occupancy residences are also being threatened by gentrification.

“We’re slowly being gentrified out of existence,” said University of Massachusetts professor Andrew Leong, who coauthored a 2013 report on Chinatowns commissioned by AALDEF. “You’re talking about displacement of those kinds of people that have rented from these unattractive units for decades.”

“Chinatowns have provided the city’s immigrants with support networks and affordable housing for over a century,” said Bethany Li, staff attorney at AALDEF. “Gentrification and ongoing redevelopment projects, however, threaten to destroy the sustainability of these once-thriving immigrant communities.”

“The gentrification that threatens to transform these areas is not just the natural result of market forces or the general evolution of these cities,” said Li. “They are a very direct result of local policies of neglect, demolition, and redevelopment that local governments have perpetuated for decades."

“Our community has been here for 150 years, and we’re not stupid,” Steven Zhu, head of the Philadelphia Chinese Restaurant Association, said in a prepared statement. “We know this is a land grab. We know the billionaire developers’ interest is in taking our land and erasing our community.”

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