"The Violence is Always There"

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Life as a Sikh in Trump's America
"Many Sikh civil rights groups believe that the Trump presidency is to blame for a 17% spike in anti-Sikh violence since the 2016 election, as well as a deluge of other discriminatory incidents in the workplace, in housing, in schools, at airport security checkpoints. The president’s inflammatory language about immigrants and foreigners, they say, has made official profiling more prevalent and emboldened racists to speak and act more openly."

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New York Politician Apologizes for Calling BLM 'Business Lives Matter'
New York City Council member Peter Koo apologized on Thursday for saying BLM stood for "business lives matter" during a speech. Speaking at a forum with the city's Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Koo was speaking in opposition to a proposal for a bus lane for stretch of street in Flushing, saying that the plan posed a problem for local small-business owners. "BLM, it means what? Business lives matter," Koo said to the crowd. Stop. That is the sound of my eyes rolling. You can make your point without saying shit like this. The councilman has since apologized for his remarks.

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Scientist Killed During Her Regular Morning Run
A 43-year-old scientist and mother of two was found dead near a creek in Plano, Texas, on Saturday morning after going out for her regular morning run. Sarmistha Sen had gotten up early for a run and at some point in time came across her attacker. Less than two hours later, a witness discovered Sen's body near the creek. Her death is being classified as a homicide and a person of interest is currently being held for a burglary that happened nearby, according to police. Local residents paid tribute to Sen by dropping off pairs of running shoes near the site where she was killed.

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Classroom Convos 1: Difficult Conversations About Race
The recent racial uprising has made us all aware of the extent of racism around us. More of us, especially the younger generation, are now willing to talk about race and find collective ways to combat systemic racism. But these conversations are not easy, and we may not even be comfortable talking about race, because we were never taught how to. However, these conversations are crucial to bring about a systemic change. Act to Change invites you to their first Classroom Convos, a youth workshop that will guide you on talking about race, especially with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Participants will be able to reflect on their challenges and discomforts with talking about race and racism, and will leave with concrete strategies to increase their influence and sustainability. It's happening Friday, August 7 at 1pm ET. Speakers will include Maulik Pancholy, actor, author & co-founder of Act To Change; and Richard Leong, leadership development coach & board member of Act To Change. Register for the webinar here.

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Lucky Grandma
Lucky Grandma is now available on digital platforms. Written and directed by Sasie Sealy, this darkly hilarious indie feature stars the legendary Tsai Chin at the center of a Chinatown gangster caper. An ornery, chain-smoking, newly widowed 80-year-old Grandma is eager to live life as an independent woman, despite the worry of her family. When a local fortune teller predicts a most auspicious day in her future, Grandma decides to head to the casino and goes all in, only to land herself on the wrong side of luck... suddenly attracting the attention of some local gangsters. Desperate to protect herself, Grandma employs the services of a bodyguard from a rival gang and soon finds herself right in the middle of a Chinatown gang war.

Sorry, She's Not Going to "Anglicize" a Damn Thing

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Professor Put on Leave After Demanding Student 'Anglicize' Her Name
Matthew Hubbard, a mathematics professor at Laney College in Oakland, has been placed on administrative leave after emailing a Vietnamese student and instructing her to "anglicize" her name against her wishes. A series of emails between the professor and student shared on social media reveals that Hubbard reached out to a student named Phuc Bui Diem Nguyen, and wrote, "Could you Anglicize your name. Phuc Bui sounds like an insult in English." In a response, Nguyen stated Hubbard's request "feels discriminatory" and warned the professor she would file a complaint if he refuses to refer to her by her given birth name. Hubbard doubled down and repeated the request. The email chain went viral, and Laney College announced Thursday that Hubbard has been placed on administrative leave while the school investigates the incident.

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Racist "Kill Chinese Virus" Flyers Found at University of Delaware
Last weekend at the University of Delaware, residents at several apartment complexes found flyers stating "Kill Chinese Virus" distributed on their doorsteps and vehicles. In a letter to the university community, officials said the apartment complexes targeted by the flyers are all home to Asian and Asian American students. While the incident is being investigated by Newark Police, a spokesman says it "doesn't appear they constitute terroristic threatening or a similar offense." So... what is the crie? Littering? Because this stinks and feels like a hate crime.

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Read an Exclusive Excerpt From Kevin Kwan's New Novel, Sex and Vanity
This deliciously modern update of A Room With a View features drama, diamonds, and satire galore.

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Pride Convos: The Movement Continues
Act to Change presents #PrideConvos, a chat about solidarity and the connection between Pride and #BlackLivesMatter, with panelists Angelica Ross, Esera Tuaolo, and Margaret Cho, and moderator Maulik Pancholy. Pride started with a revolution led by trans people of color. Today communities of color, transgender people and the #LGBTQ+ community are still under attack, and this conversation will address how all of us can support the movement for equality. It's happening Tuesday, June 23 at 10am / 1pm PT.

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I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee
The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. The new young adult novel I'll Be the One is being touted as a "deliciously fun, thoughtful rom-com celebrating confidence and body positivity" from debut author Lyla Lee.

Here's the synopsis: "Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn't dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn't call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she's about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her. She'll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she'll do it better than anyone else.

When Skye nails her audition, she's immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn't count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho. But Skye has her sights on becoming the world's first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition—without losing herself."

Available from:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Apple Books | Google Play

COVID-19 CONVOS #2: Rising Above Bullying and Hate

Presented by Act To Change, Streaming Friday, April 17 at 1:00pm ET



With more than 100 cases of Coronavirus-related discrimination being reported on a daily basis, the need for the Asian American community to fight back against anti-Asian racism is now stronger than ever. The lack of Asian American inclusion in mainstream media and school curriculum, in addition to the misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 virus, perpetuates xenophobia and racism against our community.

Act To Change brings you COVID-19 CONVOS, a series of virtual conversations to share ways in which parents, educators, students, and community members can come together to protect the Asian American and Pacific Islander community from discrimination.

COVID-19 CONVOS #2: Rising Above Bullying and Hate, streaming live on Friday, April 17 at 1:00pm ET, will feature panelists Maulik Pancholy (Actor, Author & Co-Founder of Act To Change), Sarah Ha (Vice President, National Community Alliances at Teach For America) and Randall Park (Writer, Producer and Actor, Always Be My Maybe and Fresh Off The Boat).

Register here.

AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, May 18

On Vincent Chin's birthday, and everyday, stand up against bullying and hate.



Act To Change, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending bullying in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, is mobilizing the nation around the first-ever AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, this Saturday, May 18 -- the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was beaten to death in a hate crime in 1982.

To declare this day, cities and other municipalities across the country have issued proclamations, resolutions, and commendations. Act To Change is also partnering with influencers, elected officials, and other nonprofit organizations to help spread the word on social media.

For further information, and to join the campaign, view the resources here.

Stand up against bullying at the #ActToChange Live Event

Saturday, November 21 at the Japanese American National Museum



This Saturday, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in partnership with the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and the Sikh Coalition, will host a live event as part of the "Act To Change" campaign on bullying prevention. The event will feature distinguished AAPI personalities, performers, and community leaders in an effort to raise awareness about how to take action against bullying.

It's happening Saturday, November 21 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. Here are some more details about the event:

Join the #ActToChange movement against bullying

White House Initiative on AAPIs launches public awareness campaign to address bullying.



Did you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month? Today, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in partnership with the Sikh Coalition and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, is launching "Act To Change," a public awareness campaign to address bullying.

Backed by a diverse coalition of supporters, including media platforms (like this website) and national nonprofit organizations, the "Act To Change" campaign aims to empower AAPI youth, educators, and communities with information and tools to address and prevent bullying. It's time to talk about it and take stand. Act to Change.

Here's a video featuring actor Maulik Pancholy, who is a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, sharing his own experiences being bullied as a kid, and encouraging folks to join him in the #ActToChange movement against bullying: