Asian America: October 2013

by: Mary Tablante

1. Shooting at Navy Yard

Washington, D.C.—12 people died and many others were wounded after a shooting at the Washington Navy Yard on Sept. 16. The victims are Michael Arnold, 59; Martin Bodrog, 54; Arthur Daniels, 51; Sylvia Frasier, 53; Kathleen Gaarde, 62; John Johnson, 73; Mary DeLorenzo Knight, 51; Frank Kohler, 50; Vishnu Pandit, 61; Kenneth Proctor, 46; Gerald R. Read, 58 and Richard Michael Ridgell, 52. One of the victims, Vishnu Pandit, came to the U.S. from India when he was in his 20s for a better life. The Washington Post reported his family said he took great pride in being employed by the Navy.

2. Report on Asian American students and bullying in New York City

NEW YORK—A Sept. 5 report revealed that half of Asian American middle and high school students in New York City have reported being bullied. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and The Sikh Coalition co-released the report, “One Step Forward, Half a Step Back,” to make recommendations to New York City Schools on how schools should respond to biased-based harassment and bullying. Bullying incidents among Asian American students in New York City increased by more than 20% in 2012, compared to the last report in 2009.

3. Google Hangout Provides Information on Health Insurance in Korean

The White House House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAPPI) hosted an hour-long Google Hangout in Korean on Aug 27. The hangout’s aim was to answer questions about the Affordable Care Act and the new Health Insurance Marketplace to reach those in the community who have limited English proficiency. WHIAPPI plans to host the next Google Hangouts in Vietnamese and Chinese.

4. Indian American Crowned Miss America

Atlantic City, N.J.—Nina Davuluri, Miss New York, was crowned Miss America 2014 on Sept. 15. Davuluri is also the first Indian American to win the pageant and performed a Bollywood dance for the talent portion. Although some on social media chose to post racist remarks about Davuluri’s win, she dismissed the comments, saying, “I have to rise above that. I always viewed myself as first and foremost American.” The newly-crowned Miss America plans on becoming a doctor and will use her scholarship reward to go toward paying for medical school. Besides making history as the first Miss America of Indian descent, two other finalists who made the top five are also Asian American: Crystal Lee and Rebecca Yeh.

5.  Immigration Rally Leads to Arrests

Washington, D.C.—More than 100 women were arrested on Capitol Hill on Sept. 12 during a protest for comprehensive immigration reform that is fair for women, children and families. In the immigration system, women face gender bias when trying to obtain a U.S. visa because internationally, men have more opportunities to work and get an education, according to Think Progress. The We Belong Together campaign, an initiative of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and the National Domestic Workers Alliance, organized the act of peaceful civil disobedience.

6. Julie Chen Reveals Surgery Secret

Julie Chen revealed that she had double-eyelid surgery to make her eyes look bigger, and because an agent told her to get the surgery. The Big Brother host explained on The Talk that when she asked her boss at a TV station in Dayton Ohio, where Chen worked when she was 25, her boss told her she would never be on the anchor desk because she is Chinese and her eyes were too small. Although Chen said she sometimes struggles with her controversial decision, she said, “I don’t like to live with regrets. I did it. I moved on. No one’s more proud of being Chinese than I am.” The Asian American Journalists Association released a statement shortly after her reveal on Sept. 11 that they applaud Chen for sharing her personal story.

7. Former Muslim employee wins case against Abercrombie

SAN FRANCISCO—On Sept. 9, a federal judge ruled that Abercrombie & Fitch violated anti-discrimination employment policies when the company fired a Muslim employee in 2010 for wearing a hijab to work. While the San Mateo, Calif., store’s supervisors allowed former employee Umme-Hani Khan to wear a hijab, a district manager noticed the headscarf. A human resources manager then told Khan, who worked mainly in the stockroom, to stop wearing the hjiab to work.

8. An Asian American Web Channel

Asian American Film Lab (AAFL-TV) launched Sept. 30 to provide a creative avenue for diverse Americans. Along with the launch of the web channel, a web series entitled MY NOT SO sub-CONSCIOUS premiered. The series is about how one woman’s inner thoughts take on a life of their own, according to AsAm News. AAFL-TV can be viewed on asianamericanfilmlab.org and asianamericanfilmlab.com.

9. Hawaiian Woman’s Name Too Long for ID

HONOLULU—For 20 years, Janice “Lokelani” Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele had been carrying around an identification card that doesn’t include her first and middle name because her last name is too long to print. When she requested for her full name to appear on her ID, the Department of Transportation told her to shorten her 36-letter last name or to use her maiden name. Janice told a Hawaiian television station that changing her name would be disrespectful to the Hawaiian people. Her surname represents generations of her husband’s family. After the segment aired, a Department of Transportation spokesperson said they are working on extending the number of characters that can be printed on a license.

10. Faith-based Forum

NEW YORK—The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) held a forum on Sept. 21 that brought together community and faith-based leaders to have an open discussion with federal agencies. The goal was for representatives from the Small Business Administration and the Department of Justice and participants to learn about issues facing the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. WHIAAPI previously hosted similar forums in Chicago and San Francisco.

11. Wong Fu Productions Produces Financial Literacy Video

Atlanta, GA—Wong Fu Productions, an Asian American filmmaking group known for their YouTube videos, premiered a video introducing college students to financial literacy at Georgia State University on Sept. 14. The Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) asked the filmmakers to make the video for the Jump Start College Tour. The goal of the video is to teach students about money management and financial responsibility.  Viewers can watch the video, entitled “Save the Date,” on Wong Fu Production’s YouTube channel. Wells Fargo sponsored the event.

12. Phillip Lim for Target

Fashion designer Phillip collaborated with Target to release the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target collection, which debuted in Target stores and online on Sept 15. The items in the collection, which included bags, sweaters and pants for both men and women, ranged in price from $14.99 to $299.99.

13. Bruno Mars booked for Super Bowl Halftime Show

The National Football League announced on Sept. 8 that pop singer Bruno Mars is set to perform for the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVIII. The Super Bowl will be on Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Hawaiian-born Bruno Mars is a 14-time Grammy nominee and has sold 115 million records.

14. First Asian-Interest Fraternity at UD

Newark, Del.—Pi Alpha Phi, a new fraternity at the University of Delaware this year, is the first Asian American-interest fraternity on that campus, reported The Review, the university’s student newspaper. While one of the main goals of the fraternity will be to promote Asian American awareness, the fraternity is not exclusively for Asian American students. Six men at the University of California—Berkeley founded Pi Alpha Phi in 1929. One of the philanthropic missions of the fraternity is to help people with Hepatitis B in the Asian community.