WEATHER ALERT
Asian American evangelicals' theology is conservative. But that doesn't mean they vote that way
Read full article: Asian American evangelicals' theology is conservative. But that doesn't mean they vote that wayAsian American evangelical Christians are an evolving group of voters who are increasingly seeking to distinguish themselves from their white counterparts.
Most AAPI adults think legal immigrants give the US a major economic boost: AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll
Read full article: Most AAPI adults think legal immigrants give the US a major economic boost: AP-NORC/AAPI Data pollAccording to a new poll, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults are more likely than the overall U.S. population to view legal immigration as an asset to the country’s economy and workforce.
Biden cancels meeting with Latino civil rights organization after testing positive for coronavirus
Read full article: Biden cancels meeting with Latino civil rights organization after testing positive for coronavirusPresident Joe Biden has tested positive for the coronavirus while trying to shore up support among disenchanted voters key to his reelection chances.
Vice President Kamala Harris leads new campaign effort to reach out to Asian American voters
Read full article: Vice President Kamala Harris leads new campaign effort to reach out to Asian American votersPresident Joe Biden’s reelection campaign is launching its formal outreach campaign to Asian American voters and putting Vice President Kamala Harris at the forefront of the effort with events in Nevada and Pennsylvania this week.
As 'Bachelor' race issues linger, Jenn Tran, its 1st Asian American lead, is ready for her moment
Read full article: As 'Bachelor' race issues linger, Jenn Tran, its 1st Asian American lead, is ready for her momentJenn Tran cannot escape thinking about being the first Asian lead in the history of “The Bachelor” franchise — not that she wants to.
The brutal killing of a Detroit man in 1982 inspires decades of Asian American activism nationwide
Read full article: The brutal killing of a Detroit man in 1982 inspires decades of Asian American activism nationwideIn 1982, Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death with a baseball bat by two white Detroiters, who received no jail time.
Get an inside look at the local film festival amplifying Asian voices through the cinematic lens
Read full article: Get an inside look at the local film festival amplifying Asian voices through the cinematic lensCelebrate a film festival showcasing Asian American Pacific Islander diversity on the big screen.
Most AAPI adults think the history of racism should be taught in schools, an AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Most AAPI adults think the history of racism should be taught in schools, an AP-NORC poll findsAbout 7 in 10 AAPI adults approve of K-12 public schools teaching about the history of slavery, racism and segregation.
Harris utters a profanity in advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
Read full article: Harris utters a profanity in advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific IslandersVice President Kamala Harris has used a profanity while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break down barriers.
Nearly 50 years later, Asian American and Pacific Islander month features revelry and racial justice
Read full article: Nearly 50 years later, Asian American and Pacific Islander month features revelry and racial justiceIt has been almost 50 years since the U.S. government established that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and their accomplishments should be recognized annually across the nation.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in US more likely to believe in climate change: AP-NORC poll
Read full article: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in US more likely to believe in climate change: AP-NORC pollAsian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States are slightly more likely than the overall adult population to believe in human-caused climate change.
Nearly 8 in 10 AAPI adults in US think abortion should be legal, AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Nearly 8 in 10 AAPI adults in US think abortion should be legal, AP-NORC poll findsA new poll shows that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States are highly supportive of legal abortion, even in situations where the pregnant person wants an abortion for any reason.
Buddhists use karmic healing against one US city's anti-Asian legacy and nationwide prejudice today
Read full article: Buddhists use karmic healing against one US city's anti-Asian legacy and nationwide prejudice todayA group of Buddhist faith leaders and community members gathered in the city of Antioch, California, for the “first national Buddhist memorial service and pilgrimage in response to anti-Asian hate.”.
The Supreme Court leaves in place the admissions plan at an elite Virginia public high school
Read full article: The Supreme Court leaves in place the admissions plan at an elite Virginia public high schoolThe Supreme Court has left in place the admissions policy at an elite public high school in Virginia, despite claims that it discriminates against highly qualified Asian Americans.
How Asian American and Pacific Islander athletes in the NFL express their cultural pride
Read full article: How Asian American and Pacific Islander athletes in the NFL express their cultural prideHistorically, Asian Americans have been stereotyped as more brains than brawn or “foreigners” when it comes to sports like football.
US Asians and Pacific Islanders worry over economy, health care costs, AP-NORC/AAPI data poll shows
Read full article: US Asians and Pacific Islanders worry over economy, health care costs, AP-NORC/AAPI data poll showsA majority of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States call their personal financial situation good.
Emmy Moments: 'Succession' succeeds, 'The Bear' eats it up, and a show wraps on time, thanks to Mom
Read full article: Emmy Moments: 'Succession' succeeds, 'The Bear' eats it up, and a show wraps on time, thanks to MomThe 75th Emmy Awards piled honors on three main shows Monday, while delivering a nostalgia-filled night with popular presenters and cast reunions.
A Texas high school is piloting the state’s first-ever Asian American studies course. Could politics stand in its way?
Read full article: A Texas high school is piloting the state’s first-ever Asian American studies course. Could politics stand in its way?The course highlights Asian Americans’ contributions in U.S. history. It also seeks to offer an honest look at the mistreatment, like the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
US Asians and Pacific Islanders view democracy with concern, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll shows
Read full article: US Asians and Pacific Islanders view democracy with concern, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll showsAbout 7 in 10 Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States believe the country is headed in the wrong direction and only about 1 in 10 believe democracy is working extremely or very well.
1 in 3 US Asians and Pacific Islanders faced racial abuse this year, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll shows
Read full article: 1 in 3 US Asians and Pacific Islanders faced racial abuse this year, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll showsDespite ongoing efforts to combat anti-Asian racism that arose after the pandemic, a third of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders say they have experienced an act of abuse based on their race or ethnicity in the last year.
Virginia high school admissions case could be legal follow-up to affirmative action ruling
Read full article: Virginia high school admissions case could be legal follow-up to affirmative action rulingA federal appeals court’s ruling last month about the admissions policy at an elite public high school in northern Virginia may provide a vehicle for the U.S. Supreme Court to flesh out the intended scope of its ruling banning affirmative action in college admissions.
Appeals court upholds admissions policy at elite Virginia high school
Read full article: Appeals court upholds admissions policy at elite Virginia high schoolA divided federal appeals court has upheld the constitutionality of a new admissions policy at an elite Virginia high school that critics say discriminates against Asian Americans.
Chinese Americans fight for their place in Texas as lawmakers push restrictions on foreign land ownership, social media platforms
Read full article: Chinese Americans fight for their place in Texas as lawmakers push restrictions on foreign land ownership, social media platformsAmong the fastest-growing segments of the Texas population, Chinese Americans fear their rights are becoming collateral damage as Texas officials seek to limit investment from China and ban a popular app that many rely on to keep in touch with family.
Chief defends delay telling public of mass shooter at-large
Read full article: Chief defends delay telling public of mass shooter at-largeThe police chief in the California city where 20 people were shot at a ballroom dance hall, 11 fatally, has defended his decision not to warn the public for hours that a killer was on the loose.
Paxton, Cornyn and Cruz prod U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissions
Read full article: Paxton, Cornyn and Cruz prod U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissionsThe high court heard oral arguments Monday in two cases brought by a group led by the same man who previously lost an affirmative action case against the University of Texas at Austin.
'Momentous': Asian Americans laud Anna May Wong's US quarter
Read full article: 'Momentous': Asian Americans laud Anna May Wong's US quarterMore than 60 years after Anna May Wong became the first Asian American woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the pioneering actor has coined another first, quite literally.
When Texas students campaigned for a more diverse history course, they got a lesson in politics
Read full article: When Texas students campaigned for a more diverse history course, they got a lesson in politicsStudents had been pushing for the State Board of Education to adopt a new, more inclusive social studies curriculum this year. Instead, the board delayed their scheduled update until at least 2025.
US hate crime investigation opened in Dallas salon shooting
Read full article: US hate crime investigation opened in Dallas salon shootingThe girlfriend of a man arrested in a shooting in Dallas’ Koreatown that wounded three women of Asian descent in a hair salon told police that he has delusions that Asian Americans are trying to harm him.
Girlfriend: Dallas shooting suspect feared Asian Americans
Read full article: Girlfriend: Dallas shooting suspect feared Asian AmericansThe girlfriend of a man arrested in a shooting in Dallas’ Koreatown that wounded three women of Asian descent in a hair salon told police that he has delusions that Asian Americans are trying to harm him.
San Francisco votes on city's scandal-plagued school board
Read full article: San Francisco votes on city's scandal-plagued school boardAnother chapter has opened in the saga of San Francisco’s scandal-plagued school board as voters appear to be backing the recall of three members after a year of controversy that captured national attention.
For Asian American women, Olympics reveal a harsh duality
Read full article: For Asian American women, Olympics reveal a harsh dualityAcross two pandemic Olympics set in Asian countries, Asian American woman fronting the Games have encountered a whiplashing duality — prized on the global stage for their medal-winning talent, buffeted by the escalating crisis of racist abuse at home.
San Francisco reports big increase in anti-Asian hate crimes
Read full article: San Francisco reports big increase in anti-Asian hate crimesSan Francisco's police department has released preliminary figures showing a 567% increase in reported hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from the previous year.
Congressional gerrymandering by Texas Republicans cut out the heart of Houston’s Asian community
Read full article: Congressional gerrymandering by Texas Republicans cut out the heart of Houston’s Asian communityAsian and Pacific Islander populations surged in Texas over the past decade, but their political power is weakened under new congressional maps. A northwest Houston neighborhood offers a case study in how that was done.
AP-NORC poll: More Americans believe anti-Asian hate rising
Read full article: AP-NORC poll: More Americans believe anti-Asian hate risingA majority of Americans across racial and ethnic groups believe discrimination has worsened in the last year against Asian Americans, who became the target of attacks after being unfairly blamed for the coronavirus pandemic.
Asian American health workers fight virus and racist attacks
Read full article: Asian American health workers fight virus and racist attacksHealth care workers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent say they have been subjected to racial slurs and sometimes physical attacks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Houston Comedian Sheng Wang helps kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Read full article: Houston Comedian Sheng Wang helps kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage MonthKnown for his smartly crafted routines and his hilarious stand-up comedy on HBO’s “2 Dope Queens”, Houston comedian Sheng Wang has been showing off his talent for more than a decade.
Ted Cruz changes course and votes to support bill to address hate crimes against Asian Americans
Read full article: Ted Cruz changes course and votes to support bill to address hate crimes against Asian AmericansAsian Americans wary about school amid virus, violence
Read full article: Asian Americans wary about school amid virus, violenceAsian American families are wrestling with whether to send their children back to classrooms as high schools, middle schools and elementary schools across the country widely reopen amid rising anti-Asian harassment.
Brutal NYC attack renews Asian American volunteers' efforts
Read full article: Brutal NYC attack renews Asian American volunteers' effortsThe vicious assault of a 65-year-old woman while walking to church this week near New York City’s Times Square has heightened already palpable levels of outrage over anti-Asian attacks that escalated with the pandemic.
AP-NORC poll: Biden bolstered by strong marks on pandemic
Read full article: AP-NORC poll: Biden bolstered by strong marks on pandemicVaccine distribution has soared since Biden took office, with more than 96 million Americans having received at least one dose. Americans have responded favorably to the president's approach, with 73% approving of his handling of the pandemic. Sixty percent of Americans now say they approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, compared with 55% a month ago. Americans are split over Biden's handling of the deficit, with 48% saying they approve and 50% saying they disapprove. So far, just 42% say they approve of how Biden is handling immigration, and a similar share, 44%, say they approve of how he’s handling border security.
Suspect in attack on Asian American woman in NYC is arrested
Read full article: Suspect in attack on Asian American woman in NYC is arrestedPolice said Brandon Elliot, 38, is the man seen on surveillance video kicking and stomping the woman near Times Square on Monday. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the attack “absolutely disgusting and outrageous” and said it was “absolutely unacceptable” that witnesses didn’t help the woman. Two lobby workers, described by their union as doormen, were seen on video witnessing the attack but failing to help Kari. This year in New York City, there have been 33 hate crimes with an Asian victim as of Sunday, police said. Joo Han, the deputy director of the Asian American Federation, called the plainclothes patrols a “knee-jerk response” that ignored misgivings she said many people in Asian communities have about law enforcement.
Justice Department to review how best to fight hate crimes
Read full article: Justice Department to review how best to fight hate crimes(Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday ordered a review of how the Justice Department can best deploy its resources to combat hate crimes during a surge in incidents targeting Asian Americans. They should also focus on improving the FBI’s collection of data on hate crimes, which is “critical to understanding the evolving nature and extent of hate crimes and hate incidents in all their forms,” he wrote in the memo. A main criticism from lawmakers and civil rights groups has been that the U.S. government vastly undercounts hate crimes because the FBI’s reporting system is voluntary. In some states, just 5% of police departments reported any hate crimes last year. The review is aimed at determining how the Justice Department can better prioritize investigations and prosecutions, increase and track reporting of hate crimes and other incidents that could violate federal law and use civil remedies to address bias incidents that don’t amount to federal hate crimes.
Donations for Asian American groups surge after killings
Read full article: Donations for Asian American groups surge after killingsDonations and contribution pledges to Asian American and Pacific Islander groups have spiked since the March 16 shooting in Atlanta that killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent. For all of 2020, the group's latest data shows that about $54 million was directed to Asian American groups or causes. Instead, it reflects sizable pledges and donations by philanthropists and other donors to organizations representing Asian Americans. The pledges coincide with numerous calls on social media and other channels to donate to groups representing Asian American communities. A bulk of the commitments to Asian American groups are for a GoFundMe page that is raising money for 14 organizations, including the Georgia chapter of the nonprofit National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum.
Video shows vicious attack of Asian American woman in NYC
Read full article: Video shows vicious attack of Asian American woman in NYCOn Friday, in the same neighborhood as Monday's attack, a 65-year-old Asian American woman was accosted by a man waving an unknown object and shouting anti-Asian insults. He is not suspected in Monday's attack. Andrew Cuomo called Monday's attack “horrifying and repugnant" and he ordered a state police hate crimes task force to offer its assistance to the NYPD. The neighborhood where Monday's attack occurred, Hell's Kitchen, is predominantly white, with an Asian population of less than 20%, according to city demographic data. Shea called Monday's attack “disgusting," telling TV station NY1: “I don’t know who attacks a 65-year-old woman and leaves her on the street like that."
Democrats plan Senate action on hate crimes, voting rights
Read full article: Democrats plan Senate action on hate crimes, voting rightsWASHINGTON – Senate Democrats are vowing action on several of their top priorities in April, including strengthening hate crime laws to include Asian Americans and restoring voting rights protections to combat minority voter suppression. He said the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on a voting rights bill named after the late Georgia Rep. John Lewis — a companion to broad legislation Democrats are considering that would be the largest overhaul of U.S. election policy in a generation. The narrower bill would seek to restore elements of the Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013, a decision that Democrats say left minority voters vulnerable to disenfranchisement. Lacking the 60 votes needed on most legislation, Schumer is planning to put legislation on the floor anyway and let Republicans go on record opposing it. AdThe massive voting rights bill is a top priority for President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress, who see it as a forceful response to voting rights restrictions advancing in Republican-controlled statehouses across the country.
San Francisco school board's latest crisis: Racist tweets
Read full article: San Francisco school board's latest crisis: Racist tweetsFILE - In this June 1, 2020, file photo, San Francisco Mayor London Breed speaks outside City Hall in San Francisco. Breed joined a chorus of officials who have denounced the tweets by the vice president of San Francisco's school board, Alison Collins, as racist and anti-Asian. The posts resurfaced last week amid a surge of violence and harassment against Asian Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the country. They are the latest embarrassment for San Francisco’s school board, which has prided itself on putting racial equity at the top of its agenda. Under a plan recently negotiated with its labor unions, San Francisco plans to phase-in the reopening of elementary school classrooms in mid-April.
Senators back off vow to withhold support of Biden nominees
Read full article: Senators back off vow to withhold support of Biden nomineesThe only senators of Asian American heritage, they said they would withhold their support for his nominees until the diversity issue was addressed. AdDuckworth had said earlier that she raised the issue with top Biden advisers on Tuesday and afterward called the situation “not acceptable." “I’ve been talking to them for months and they’re still not aggressive, so I’m not going to be voting for any nominee from the White House other than diversity nominees,” Duckworth told reporters. But Hirono later said in a statement of her own that she too welcomed the appointment of an AAPI White House liaison and was dropping her objections. Tai, who was confirmed last week, is the first Asian American and first woman of color to serve as U.S. trade representative.
Asian Americans seek greater political power after shootings
Read full article: Asian Americans seek greater political power after shootingsIt's also spurring her and other Asian Americans to push for greater political influence in Washington and other power centers. President Joe Biden and his aides have been repeatedly pressed to include Asian Americans in his Cabinet. Ad“I think symbolism and representation matters, but only up to a point,” said Aarti Kohli, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice. “Those things all contribute to lower rates of political participation among Asian Americans, but people — mistakenly, I think — assume that Asian Americans are somehow less interested in U.S. civic life.”AdThat's evolving. “Asian Americans didn't necessarily grow up with that vocabulary of advocacy and how to fight for ourselves," Meng said.
Asian women say shootings point to relentless, racist tropes
Read full article: Asian women say shootings point to relentless, racist tropesPai and others have been busy working with community members as Asian Americans reel from Tuesdays Atlanta-area shootings by a gunman who killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women. They say they’ve often had to tolerate racist and misogynistic men who cling to a narrative that Asian women are exotic and submissive. She said this scenario echoes a long-running stereotype that Asian women are immoral and hypersexual. That helps us understand violence toward Asian women like we saw this week.”U.S. military deployments in Asia also played a role, according to Kim. The bodies and perceived submissiveness of Asian women were eroticized and hypersexualized, Kim said, and eventually these racist stereotypes were brought back to the United States.
Language barriers, technology hurdles and limited transportation hurt Asian American Texans' access to vaccines
Read full article: Language barriers, technology hurdles and limited transportation hurt Asian American Texans' access to vaccinesAdThe Swindales, who are Korean and only speak limited English, couldn’t otherwise navigate the system to get registered for a vaccine. Ad“A lot of Asian folks in Austin are highly educated and wealthy, but there's a huge, huge income gap between groups in the Asian community, they're not really all a monolith,” said Hailey Easley, executive director for the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative. So far, she has vaccinated around 100 of Houston’s Korean community and hopes to start weekly vaccination drives for those remaining. “I feel frustrated because we do not speak English, but we are always overlooked,” Norman said. Easley said the city of Austin recommends people who don’t speak English call 3-1-1, but the number has long waiting times.
Fort Bend officials discuss anti-hate initiatives in support of Asian American community after deadly Atlanta spa shootings
Read full article: Fort Bend officials discuss anti-hate initiatives in support of Asian American community after deadly Atlanta spa shootingsThe briefing was held just days after a white gunman killed eight people, most of them Asian American women, in Atlanta-area massage parlors. “People simply went to work,” said Fort Bend County Judge K.P. “For over a year now, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have told elected officials, we have asked elected officials, we have begged elected officials, be careful how you talk because words matter,” said Wu. Fagan said has instructed patrol deputies to “step up patrolling” in the county’s Asian American communities following the events in Atlanta. “The Asian community is our community, is our families, is our loved ones,” said Fagan.
Biden, Harris offer solace, denounce racism in Atlanta visit
Read full article: Biden, Harris offer solace, denounce racism in Atlanta visitPresident Joe Biden speaks after meeting with leaders from Georgia's Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, Friday, March 19, 2021, at Emory University in Atlanta, as Vice President Kamala Harris listens. We cannot be complicit.”“They’ve been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed; they’ve been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed," Biden said of Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. But Biden and Harris instead spent much of their visit consoling a community whose growing voting power helped secure their victory in Georgia and beyond. As the fastest-growing racial demographic in the U.S. electorate, Asian Americans are gaining political influence across the country. The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, typically dominated by Democrats, has its largest roster ever, including Asian American and Pacific Islander members and others who represent significant numbers of Asian Americans.
U.S. Rep Chip Roy rebuked after using hearing on violence against Asian Americans to attack China over coronavirus
Read full article: U.S. Rep Chip Roy rebuked after using hearing on violence against Asian Americans to attack China over coronavirusThe hearing, scheduled before the attack, was intended to address the acceleration of attacks against Asian Americans in the year since the COVID-19 pandemic overtook American life. "And as a former federal prosecutor, I'm kind of predisposed and wired to want to go take out bad guys. AdMeng, first elected in 2012, has spearheaded efforts to stop discrimination against Asian Americans amid the pandemic. Asian Americans have been victim to a rise in racist attacks since the onset of the virus, which was first detected in China. You know we take justice very seriously and we ought to do that, round up the bad guys,” he added.
California adopts first statewide ethnic studies curriculum
Read full article: California adopts first statewide ethnic studies curriculumEducators and civil rights leaders in California called on the State Board of Education Thursday, March 18, 2021, to approve the nation's first statewide model ethnic studies curriculum for high school students. California Department of Education officials say this would be the first statewide ethnic studies model curriculum in the nation. Other states have taken different approaches to teaching ethnic studies. Oregon is developing ethnic studies standards for its social studies curriculum, while Connecticut high schools will be required to offer courses in Black and Latino studies by the fall of 2022. I can guarantee you that,” said California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a former lawmaker and academic who created an ethnic studies program at San Diego State University in the 1970s.
Atlanta police on shooting probe: ‘Nothing is off the table’
Read full article: Atlanta police on shooting probe: ‘Nothing is off the table’(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)ATLANTA – Police said Thursday that “nothing is off the table” in the investigation of the deadly shootings at two Atlanta massage businesses, including whether the slayings were a hate crime. The pair postponed a political event in favor of meeting Friday with Asian American community leaders. “Our investigation is looking at everything, so nothing is off the table,” Deputy Atlanta Police Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said at a news conference. Investigators believe Long had previously visited two of the Atlanta massage parlors where four of the women were killed, Hampton said. Long’s statements spurred outrage and widespread skepticism in the Asian American community, which has increasingly been targeted for violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
Asian Americans grieve, organize in wake of Atlanta attacks
Read full article: Asian Americans grieve, organize in wake of Atlanta attacksAsian Americans were already worn down by a year of pandemic-fueled racist attacks when a white gunman was charged with killing eight people, most of them Asian women, at three Atlanta-area massage businesses. Hundreds of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders turned to social media to air their anger, sadness, fear and hopelessness. “I think the reason why people are feeling so hopeless is because Asian Americans have been ringing the bell on this issue for so long. Mahmood said Asian American business owners in the Atlanta area were already fearful because of incidents like graffiti and break-ins. Meanwhile, Asian Americans are thankfully getting support from many non-Asian allies, Mahmood said.
HPD patrolling Asiatown amid the rise of anti-Asian American attacks
Read full article: HPD patrolling Asiatown amid the rise of anti-Asian American attacksHOUSTON – Houston police stepped up patrols in Asiatown Wednesday in the wake of the Atlanta massage parlor murders. HPD said they have not seen an increase in hate crimes against Asians in Houston, but continue to monitor for threats. “We were dreading the day when there would be a mass shooting of Asian Americans and unfortunately that day has come,” he said. You don’t know when it’s going to happen or where it’s going to happen,” said Ellas Seto. According to the nonprofit group, Stop Asian American Pacific Islander Hate, there have been at least 503 reports of racist incidents against Asian Americans so far in 2021.
Public reaction to killings at Atlanta-area massage parlors
Read full article: Public reaction to killings at Atlanta-area massage parlorsShootings at two massage parlors in Atlanta and one in the suburbs have left multiple people dead, many of them women of Asian descent, authorities said Tuesday. The shootings happened under the trauma of increasing violence against Asian Americans nationwide, fueled by white supremacy and systemic racism.” — Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta. Ad___“The surge in violence against Asian Americans over the last year is a growing crisis. We need action from our leaders and within our communities to stop the hate.” — Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ... Our entire nation must come together to speak out to Stop Asian Hate."
EXPLAINER: Why Georgia attack spurs fears in Asian Americans
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Why Georgia attack spurs fears in Asian AmericansAsian American lawmakers have expressed heartbreak on social media and emphasized the need to support Asian American communities during this moment. AdMany lawmakers acknowledged a heightened sense of fear among Asian Americans as a result of the increasing number of hate incidents. “Please stand up, condemn this violence, and help us #StopAsianHate.”HOW PREVALENT HAVE ASSAULTS AGAINST ASIAN AMERICANS BEEN? Recent attacks, including the killing of an 84-year-old San Francisco man in February, have raised concerns about worsening hostilities toward Asian Americans. This racist association between Asian Americans and illness and uncleanliness has also affected views of Asian food and contributes to the “perpetual foreigner” trope that suggests Asian people are fundamentally outsiders.
Man charged with killing 8 people at Georgia massage parlors
Read full article: Man charged with killing 8 people at Georgia massage parlorsATLANTA – A white gunman was charged Wednesday with killing eight people at three Atlanta-area massage parlors in an attack that sent terror through the Asian American community, which has increasingly been targeted during the coronavirus pandemic. But those statements spurred outrage and widespread skepticism given the locations and that six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent. Baker drew criticism for saying Long had “a really bad day" and “this is what he did." The virus was first identified in China, and then-President Donald Trump and others have used racially charged terms to describe it. AdThe attacks began when five people were shot at Youngs Asian Massage Parlor near Woodstock, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Atlanta, authorities said.
As racist attacks on Asian Americans rise in the U.S., one Houston man continues to support his community
Read full article: As racist attacks on Asian Americans rise in the U.S., one Houston man continues to support his communityPeople protested last month in New York City against an increase in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans. Driven by discriminatory rhetoric related to the origin of COVID-19, Asian communities across Texas and the country have faced verbal and physical attacks since the pandemic started a year ago. But in Houston, with its diverse population, people of Asian descent, like Deqing Yang, say they continue to be embraced and encouraged to help their fellow Texans weather the health crisis. Start your day with a quick take on the latest Texas politics and policy news. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Amazon Echo or RSS.
Biden sets May 1 target to have all adults vaccine-eligible
Read full article: Biden sets May 1 target to have all adults vaccine-eligiblePresident Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 pandemic during a prime-time address from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Washington. “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” Biden said as he signed the bill in the Oval Office. AdIn his Thursday night address, Biden said that as vaccine supplies continue to increase, he will direct states and territories to make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1. Biden originally planned to sign the bill on Friday, but it arrived at the White House more quickly than anticipated. He announced travel restrictions and called for Americans to practice good hygiene but displayed little alarm about the forthcoming catastrophe.
Lawsuit challenges new admissions policy at elite Va. school
Read full article: Lawsuit challenges new admissions policy at elite Va. schoolPacific Legal Foundation attorney Erin Wilcox speaks at a news conference outside the federal courthouse, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Alexandria, Va., where her organization filed a lawsuit against Fairfax County's school board, alleging discrimination against Asian Americans over its revised admissions process for the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The Pacific Legal Foundation's lawsuit against the Fairfax County school board was prompted by the school system's decision to overhaul the admissions process at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The Fairfax County school board voted last year to revise the admissions process and eliminate a standardized test that had been a key part of the evaluation process. The lawsuit comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether to hear a long-running legal case against Harvard University over whether its admissions polices discriminate against Asian Americans. AdWilcox said that the rules governing K-12 schools are different than those governing colleges, but she acknowledged that a Supreme Court ruling on the Harvard case could affect the TJ lawsuit.
As virus-era attacks on Asians rise, past victims look back
Read full article: As virus-era attacks on Asians rise, past victims look backAsian Americans have been facing a dangerous climate since the coronavirus entered the U.S. a year ago. A rash of crimes victimizing elderly Asian Americans in the last two months has renewed outcry for more attention from politicians and the media. A recent wave of attacks on elderly Asian Americans — including the death of an 84-year-old San Francisco man — has fueled worries that hostilities have only worsened. AdA rash of crimes victimizing elderly Asian Americans in the past two months has renewed outcry for more attention from politicians and the media. Ad“Our work to address anti-Asian racism is inextricably tied to fighting anti-Black racism,” Choi said.
5 things for Houstonians to know for Monday, Dec. 21
Read full article: 5 things for Houstonians to know for Monday, Dec. 21Travellers wait for trains on the concourse at King's Cross station in central London, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. Millions of people in England have learned they must cancel their Christmas get-togethers and holiday shopping trips. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)Here are things to know for Monday, Dec. 21:1. The 53-year-old resident of the Montreal area is in federal custody in Washington, D.C. on similar charges, prosecutors said Tuesday. The virus was raging across the nation even before Thanksgiving but was showing some signs of flattening out.
Racism targets Asian food, business during COVID-19 pandemic
Read full article: Racism targets Asian food, business during COVID-19 pandemicBigotry toward Asian Americans and Asian food has spread steadily alongside the coronavirus in the United States. In addition, Asian American small businesses have been among the hardest hit by the economic downturn during the pandemic. “The way I mean food to be ‘dirty’ is indulgent street food; food that comforts you as in, ‘going out for a dirty burger,’” she wrote. “It was a very flippant, ignorant, tone-deaf way of talking about Asian food,” he said. Racist rhetoric referring to Asian food as dirty or disease-laden dates back to the 1850s, said Ellen Wu, a history professor at Indiana University.
Location, education propel Asian income growth in US
Read full article: Location, education propel Asian income growth in US“As the labor market tightened more in certain areas and in certain fields we would see more robust income growth for those groups," Ohio State economist Trevon Logan said in an email. “Also, higher concentration in urban areas with larger job growth and increases in minimum wage can also play a role in income gains." While income growth has been comparatively flat in a vast majority of U.S. counties, it has been concentrated in a handful of communities, said William Spriggs, an economist at Howard University. Blacks are over-represented in public employment, which experienced anemic income growth,” Logan said. Asian Americans make up almost 6% of the U.S. population.
Why Asian American voters in Texas may hold outsized importance in key races this year
Read full article: Why Asian American voters in Texas may hold outsized importance in key races this yearChen works on Asian American and Pacific Islander voter turnout every year, but this year she feels even more motivated. In Texas, there are sizable Asian American communities in districts that hold outsize importance this year. Asian Americans make up about 5% of the population and most statewide polls don’t contact enough Asian voters to provide a reliable sample. And it’s not just an existential type of attack, but the Asian American community, especially the Chinese American community, feels their lives are being threatened because they’re being singled out. “Most Asian American voters are naturalized citizens.
Trump debate comment pushing Black Americans, others to vote
Read full article: Trump debate comment pushing Black Americans, others to voteBlack Americans and other people of color say President Donald Trumps refusal to outright condemn white nationalists during this weeks debate has strengthened their resolve to vote in November. Roberson, a 51-year-old Black woman who lives in Detroit, found the comments chilling — but also felt a renewed resolve to vote. Eric Sheffield, a Black real estate developer in Atlanta whose parents hail from the Deep South, said Trump’s comments reminded him of the Jim Crow era. It’s just warmed over now.”It's not just Black Americans who took notice — and umbrage — at the president's debate comments. While Trump's comments — and his record on race — may have unsettled many Americans, for some Black people they evoke a particularly dark history.
House condemns racism against Asian Americans amid pandemic
Read full article: House condemns racism against Asian Americans amid pandemicWASHINGTON – The House voted Thursday to condemn racism against Asian Americans tied to the coronavirus outbreak, approving a Democratic resolution on a mostly party-line vote. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., called Republican opposition to the resolution “disgraceful.”“The president is fueling racism and inspiring violent attacks on Asian Americans and Asian immigrants,” Takano said. Republicans said Trump was turning his ire toward China's government and not Asian Americans. Trump in March insisted that Asian Americans were “amazing people” and not at fault for spreading the virus. Anti-discrimination groups have reported hundreds of actions against Asian Americans, especially in the early days of the outbreak.
Judges scrutinize suit's claims in Harvard racial bias case
Read full article: Judges scrutinize suit's claims in Harvard racial bias caseBOSTON – A panel of appeals court judges on Wednesday repeatedly challenged the legal claims of a group that accuses Harvard University of intentional discrimination against Asian American students who apply to the Ivy League school. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston appeared skeptical of arguments made by Students for Fair Admissions, which says Harvard imposes a “racial penalty” on Asian Americans. When a lawyer for the group accused the school of racial stereotyping against Asian American applicants, a judge interrupted and questioned the basis of the claim. The group's lawsuit alleges that Harvard admissions officers use a subjective “personal rating” assigned to each student to discriminate against Asian Americans. But Judge Sandra L. Lynch challenged that allegation, saying that, presented with competing statistical models from both sides, the trial court judge sided with Harvard's.
Less than half of Americans say theyll get a vaccine for coronavirus
Read full article: Less than half of Americans say theyll get a vaccine for coronavirusHOUSTON Less than half of Americans say they will get the coronavirus vaccine if one is approved by the government. A third say theyre not sure. I think you can be pretty confident that those vaccines, no vaccine is going to be out there unless it works or its safe, Dr. Hotez said. Since scientists across the globe have turned their focus on coronavirus, and thousands of volunteers are rolling up their sleeves to take part in these trials, Hotez has confidence one will be safe when it becomes available. Even though he thinks it may take a few generations of a vaccine before we get the best one.
Feds accuse Yale of discriminating against some applicants
Read full article: Feds accuse Yale of discriminating against some applicantsWASHINGTON A Justice Department investigation has found Yale University is illegally discriminating against Asian American and white applicants, in violation of federal civil rights law, officials said Thursday. The two-year investigation concluded that Yale rejects scores of Asian American and white applicants each year based on their race, whom it otherwise would admit, the Justice Department said. Yales race discrimination imposes undue and unlawful penalties on racially-disfavored applicants, including in particular Asian American and White applicants, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, who heads the departments civil rights division, wrote in a letter to the colleges attorneys. Yale has previously denied that its admissions process discriminates against Asian Americans or any other ethnic group. In the Harvard case, the Justice Department had argued that the university went too far in its use of race, but the judge disagreed.
Trump faced issues with Asian Americans even before virus
Read full article: Trump faced issues with Asian Americans even before virusTrumps words have angered many Asian Americans and drawn condemnation from Trumps Democratic rival Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. Trump in March also insisted that Asian Americans were amazing people and not at fault for spreading the virus. Biden at a June 27 town hall for Asian American voters slammed Trumps dangerous theories as xenophobic. The number of Asian Americans aligning themselves with the Democratic party has increased over the past 20 years while support for the GOP has trended down. For Trump, AAPI Data found nearly all major Asian American ethnic groups held an unfavorable view of the president.