AsianAmerica: Dateline News for the Asian American Community

By Mary Tablante

Japanese American Veterans Honored

New Orleans, LA—To spread the story of Japanese-American veterans, the Congressional Gold Medal that was collectively given to Japanese Americans who served in World War II is on a yearlong tour, starting Jan. 11 at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. Irene Hirano Inouye, widow of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, attended the opening ceremony. The Smithsonian Institution organized the tour in partnership with the National Veterans Network, a coalition of Japanese American civic organizations. The medal will travel to seven cities until it comes back to Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Volunteers Care for Aging Chinese Cemetery

Fresno, CA—About 60 volunteers cleaned up the Fresno Chinese Cemetery, which was overgrown with weeds and covered in debris. The volunteers came together to preserve the historic cemetery and honor the Chinese community’s history and culture. The cemetery was established in 1913 when laws forced Chinese immigrants to have segregated graveyards, according to the Fresno Bee. The last burial there occurred in 1978.

Transgender Woman Competes in Pageant

Pasadena, CA—The first transgender woman competed in the 2013 Miss California pageant. Kylan Arianna Wenzel, South Korean on her mother’s side and German American on her father’s, is allowed to enter the competition because of a rule change allowing transgendered people entry. Wenzel, 26, was born in South Korea into a military family. Wenzel did not make it past preliminary rounds for the Miss California crown in mid-January.

Hate Mail

American Canyon, CA—Filipino-Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area have been meeting to discuss and unite against racism after anonymous hate mail calling Filipinos “unwanted” and “filthy” circulated around the American Canyon community. Mayor Leon Garcia is not certain the issue can be referred to state law enforcement officials as a hate crime because there were no threats, just repugnant comments.

Rep. Hanabusa Challenges O’Reilly

TV talker Bill O’Reilly challenged by Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

Honolulu, HI—Hawaii Rep. Colleen Hanabusa appeared on Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor to take bombastic host Bill O’Reilly to task for stereotyping Asian Americans. In January show, O’Reilly criticized Hawaii as a “give me” liberal state rife with drug abuse, unemployment and prostitution He said that’s because it’s “the most liberal state,” adding, “Asian people are not liberal, you know, by nature. They’re usually more industrious and hard-working.” Hanabusa told O’Reilly that his comments were offensive to both liberals and Asian Americans and fostered stereotypes regarding Asian Americans.

“Make Me Asian” App

Google has removed the controversial “Make Me Asian” app from its Play Store. The app was designed so user could take stereotypical images of Asians and combine them with their pictures. A campaign by the online AAPI campaign group 18 Million Rising featured Asian American celebrities calling for the app to be removed. Other apps made by the same creator, including “Make Me Russian” and “Make Me Fat” were also removed from the app store.

Asian Pacific Filmmakers

Park City, UT—AAPI independent filmmakers came together Jan. 22 for the 10th Annual Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience in Park City, an event recognizing AAPI filmmakers with screenings of their work at this year’s Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals. Filmmakers receiving attention included the producers of Linsanity, Christopher Chen and Brian Yang, and director Barmak Akram for Wajma (An Afghan Love Story).

Golden Globes

Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee, won Best Original Score —Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards Jan. 13. Lee was also nominated for Best Director, and the movie was nominated for Best Motion Picture —Drama. It is also an Oscar nominee for Best Picture.

First AAPI named to Georgia Court

Tyrone, GA—The first Asian American to serve on a Georgia appellate court was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal on Jan. 16. Carla Wong McMillian, 39, is now a Fayette County State Court judge. McMillian’s grandparents emigrated from China to the U.S. in the 1920s and her mother is from Hong Kong. McMillian received the Most Powerful and Influential Women in Georgia award in 2010 from the National Diversity Council.

Fred Korematsu Day 2013

San Francisco, CA—The Korematsu Institute celebrated Fred Korematsu Day 2013 on Jan. 27 by honoring 16 American civil rights heroes like Fred Korematsu who aren’t well-known and have been overlooked. These heroes include the 1938 Chinatown Dollar Store Strikers who protested sweatshop conditions. Other leaders include Yuri Kochiyama, Philip Vera Cruz, Wong Kim Ark and Grace Lee Boggs. Many of the civil rights leaders’ children and family members represented the leaders at the event. Fred Korematsu is noted for refusing to go to Japanese American internment camps and taking his case to the Supreme Court.

Saving an Historic Japanese Church

Huntington Beach, CA—After learning about plans to demolish an early 20th century Japanese American Church in Orange County, California, blogger Mary Urashima started writing about it and its history. City Council members reacted by forming a committee to save the church. The Japanese Presbyterian Church, the oldest in Southern California, is on land which was sold to a developer in 2004. One possibility under consideration is to move the buildings and restore them.