By Jennie L. Ilustre   The historic election of three Asian Americans as mayors of Boston, Cincinnati and Seattle is huge, community leaders say. It means the nation’s fastest-growing minority is becoming “a growing political force” as well. The former Boston councilor and council president is the first woman elected the city’s mayor in 200 years. She is also the …

  The Loudoun County Office of Housing is accepting proposals from November 12, 2021, through December 13, 2021, from the owners of rental property to contract with the County for Project-Based Vouchers (PBV). The Office of Housing is responsible for determining the amount of budget authority that is available for a project and ensuring that the amount of assistance that …

  By Jennie L. Ilustre   Three Americans of Asian descent are poised to make history in mayor’s races in the November elections. Community leaders, the media and surveys all foresee their victories in the nation’s three major cities. What’s also impressive? Two of the cities, Boston and Cincinnati, do not even have Asian majority population. The three candidates, Politico …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   In the future, historians will note that 2020 was the year when Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) –composed of diverse groups that have always identified themselves by their country of origin – began to achieve solidarity and political clout in the United States, which to them is home. Home, where they and their families …

The event features three days of compelling, virtual programming that connects industry leaders with Pan Asian American and other minority- and diverse-owned businesses. Admission is free for small, minority or diverse businesses.   NEW YORK— Time is running out to register for this year’s CelebrASIAN Business Development Conference, presented by The US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation …

Inspired by Pritika Swarup’s connection to Operation Smile, Prakti also gives back to Indian Craftswomen Virginia Beach, VA – International fashion model and global ambassador for Operation Smile, Pritika Swarup, has officially launched her international beauty and wellness line, Prakti. Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Swarup became involved at a young age with Operation Smile, the international nonprofit …

Michelle Wu’s Strong Bid for Boston Mayor   By Jennie L. Ilustre   Councilor Michelle Wu took a huge step in becoming the next mayor of Boston, Massachusetts with a strong showing in the recent primary. Wu was the top vote-getter in the Boston mayoral primary, winning 33%  of the vote. She beat four other candidates for the top spot. …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Judge Florence Pan recently made history as the first female Asian American appointed to the D.C. federal court. The 100-member U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination on September 23, in a remarkably bipartisan 63 to 30 vote, a testament to their high regard for her. Pan, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford Law …

In celebration of the highly anticipated upcoming theatrical release of Marvel Studios’, “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings,” Xbox created a special kit including a custom Xbox Series X console, custom Xbox Wireless Controller, a Shang-Chi action figure and a 12-month Xbox Game Pass card, all of which are encased in special themed packaging inspired by the history-making movie. Emblazoned with the logo and detailed artwork from “Shang-Chi …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Over a dozen Asian and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) athletes won gold, silver and bronze in the recent Tokyo Olympics. Their stunning achievements brought pride, joy and a ray of sunshine–a welcome break from the gloom of the pandemic. One of the most memorable Tokyo Olympics winners was Sunisa Lee. Lee is the …

THE LARGEST GLOBAL ASIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL SPANNING 10-DAYS, FEATURING 14 STAGES WORLDWIDE, 250 PERFORMERS, TWO FULLY LOADED K-POP SUPERFEST STAGES WITH PERFORMANCES BY: KARD, ALEXA, PH-1, EVERGLOW, A.C.E, ONF, YUBIN & MANY MORE, REACHING OVER 75 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS ———- CONCERT ADDS TO LIVEXLIVE’S GROWING LEADERSHIP POSITION IN DIGITAL MUSIC PAY-PER-VIEW EVENTS AND PREMIUM PROGRAMMING  ———- LiveXLive Has Produced …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Asian American and top mainstream organizations have expressed outrage over the recent ruling of a federal judge in Texas that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is unlawful. Current DACA recipients are not affected for now. Application renewals also can continue while the case goes to the courts. But the door has been closed …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Six Asian Americans won seats at the New York City Council in the recent Democratic primaries, a rare feat of several candidates making history together. The general election will be held on November 3. The primary winners are Shahana Hanif, Shekar Krishnan, Felicia Singh, Sandra Ung and Julie Won and Linda Lee. Soma Syed won …

GV80 introduces a variety of firsts for the Genesis brand, including a six-cylinder diesel (Not available in the US Market), electronically controlled suspension with road preview, and Road Active Noise Cancellation. The launch event and media test drive took place at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) west of Seoul. “GV80 represents the essence of the innovative spirit of Genesis,” …

  Aiming to redefine the segment, the fourth generation Toyota Sienna reimagines the minivan to support a wider array of life stages and activities.  With a standard hybrid powertrain now across all trims and an array of new tech and amenities, the 2021 Toyota Sienna raises the bar for style, safety, comfort, versatility and fuel efficiency in its segment. Designed, …

The RX 350 F SPORT is split into a base F SPORT package, with the visual features, and a Handling package, updated naming from the previous Performance package. Both F SPORT packages include unique steering wheel and shift knob, aluminum pedals, bumpers, grille, badges, front seats, meter, aluminum ornamentation and 20” wheels. Front and rear performance dampers, power folding power …

Highlights for the 2021 Elantra    An all-new seventh-generation Elantra compact sedan with new vehicle platform Longer wheelbase, wider stance, lower roofline Elantra is called the Avante in the Korean domestic market Second Hyundai vehicle with Sensuous Sportiness design identity An everyday exotic four-door-coupe look with innovative molding and engineering technology First-ever Elantra Hybrid More than 50 MPG (Hyundai estimated) …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   The saying “One person can make a difference” holds true with Naomi Osaka, the world’s No. 2 champion and, according to Forbes magazine, “the highest paid female athlete ever.” On the tennis court, biracial Osaka has been an advocate of Black Lives Matter, winning praise for wearing face masks with the names of black victims …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   For the first time, Asian American history will be taught in public schools across the country, starting with Illinois in the 2022-23 school year.   Illinois will become the first-ever state to require that Asian American history be taught in public schools, according to Politico, a leading newspaper in the nation’s capital. Illinois may be …

AAPI Victory Fund President Varun Nikore praised New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang “on his well-fought campaign,” although falling short in the recent Democratic Party primary.     Yang had conceded he would not be the city’s next mayor. Early results showed him in a distant fourth place. The primary will decide the party’s official candidate in the November …

The journey ahead in the 2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo has been expanded with the addition of the Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo engine. Mazda’s newest crossover blends sophisticated designs, ample amenities, nimble driving dynamics, and thoughtful proportions to help the vehicle standout in its segment. The new 2021 CX-30 2.5 Turbo’s performance and capabilities encourage a willingness to embrace adventures and …

Venue is packed with a host of premium driver safety and convenience technologies and is the perfect fit for those seeking a seamless combination of style and versatility. Venue will be the most affordable Hyundai SUV, and joins its larger siblings including the North American Utility of the Year Kona and Kona Electric, Tucson, Santa Fe, the 8-passenger Palisade and …

  GR Supra 3.0 Gets Power Boost and Revised Chassis Tuning New GR Supra 2.0 is First-Ever Four-Cylinder Version, with 255 Horsepower and Lower Weight New GR Supra A91 Edition with Exclusive Color and Design Features 8-in. Central Display Screen Now Standard on All Models Brimming with history and reverberating with the echoes of legends, Daytona International Speedway, where the …

Redesigning your home is the perfect opportunity to channel your artistic energy. Whether it’s revamping a small corner of your room or redoing the entire space, there’s something about renovating your home that can be so refreshing and help you get in the right space of mind to start something new. So, if you’re in the mood to bring in …