She Called the Cops on a Guy Stenciling "Black Lives Matter" on His Own Home

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



She 'Rode That Bias Off a Cliff'
A San Francisco couple got their asses dragggggged for calling the cops on a man who was stenciling "Black Lives Matter" with chalk on the retaining wall outside his own home. Jaime Juanillo, who is Filipino American, pulled out his phone to record Lisa Alexander and all her fake politeness, as she questioned his presence there and falsely claimed she knew the property's owner. Lies. The video has since inevitably gone viral, and Lisa Alexander's ignorance has been costly to her personal and professional reputation. Shrug.

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Man Faces Hate Crime Charges for Pepper Spraying Two Men
In Sonoma County, California, a man faces hate crime charges after pepper spraying two men. 43-year-old Anthony Pelfrey reportedly sprayed two men -- one Asian and one Latino -- with a "bear deterrant" after attending an outdoor yoga class. Witnesses took photos of him and his white Honda Civic, and identified him as having been part of their yoga class. Pelfrey, who was investigated in connection with two similar incidents earlier in the week, was arrested and charged on suspicion of a hate crime, a felon in possession of pepper spray, and illegal use of pepper spray. I blame the yoga.

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East of La Brea
Taking place in Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, and South LA in the dead heat of summer, East of La Brea chronicles the lives of two Muslim woman and highlights the vibrant stories of different communities where folks are broke, rent is high, and it’s less of a melting pot than people just melting. Created by Sameer Gardezi, the mini-series started as an out-of-the-box idea: to create a writers room that was POC-centered, broke the hierarchy of creative development, and used a community-based methodology to ideate true, authentic characters and stories. East of La Brea is the result, premiering this week from Powderkeg, with new episodes dropping every day.

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NASA Explains How They'll Return to the Moon
In this animated short, narrated by Kelly Marie Tran, NASA explains all of the things that they need to do to make it possible to return to the moon -- and this next time they go up, they are planning to stay.

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2020 APAICS Virtual-National Leadership Academy
The APAICS National Leadership Academy is a leadership training event for current AAPI elected officials, individuals seeking to run for public office, and community stakeholders. The program consists of interactive political training with topics ranging from developing your campaign plan, communications, digital organizing, power mapping, and fundraising. This year, the training will be conducted virtually Apply by June 19 to reserve your slot. Visit the APAICS website for full dates, details, and how to apply.

Watch the Oscar-nominated short doc 'In the Absence'

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



In the Absence
The documentary short In the Absence, directed by Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam, documents the sinking of the South Korean passenger ferry MV Sewol in 2014. As a result of the ineptitude of the first response to the emerging situation, over three hundred people lost their lives -- most of them schoolchildren. Years later, the victims' families and survivors are still demanding justice from national authorities. The 29-minute film has nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject. Watch it here.

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Brooklyn school board member suspended for referring to Asian students as "yellow children"
In Brooklyn, a school board member is set to face suspension over racially insensitive remarks directed at Asians in a group email exchange. Community Education Council 22 Jackie Cody has been under fire for referring to Asian parents and students as "yellow folks" and "yellow children" in an online forum for school leaders in September. Last week, the school board approved a resolution to ask the schools chancellor to suspend Cody for two months.

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Fried For The Night
Los Angeles producer/DJ TOKiMONSTA, just dropped her latest song "Fried For The Night," featuring Atlanta duo EarthGang, from her upcoming album Oasis Nocturno. "Everyone has a moment where they feel fried and burnt, but what about those moments you feel fried and turnt?" TOKiMONSTA says. "EarthGang brought their special magic to the studio and we made something other worldly. This song is dedicated to those psychedelic moments where our reality opens up a new point of view."

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Jessica Henwick on 'Underwater' and Her 6-Month 'Star Wars' Audition
Perhaps everybody's a little tired of Star Wars takes by now, but am I the only one a little blown away by the revelation that Jessica Henwick had been in the running to play Rey in The Force Awakens? In this interview with Variety, she reveals that the Star Wars audition lasted "fucking six months." She obviously didn't get the role, but was ultimately cast as X-Wing pilot Jess Pava in Episode VII. But damn, it makes you wonder.

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APAICS Congressional Fellowship and Internship
The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies is seeking young AAPI professionals and students who are looking to increase their experience in public policy and service. Apply to the APAICS Congressional Fellowship (deadline: January 24) for young professionals and the APAICS Congressional Internship (deadline: February 27) for undergraduate aged students -- paid programs providing opportunities to build leadership skills, encourages political engagement, and fosters interest in public service careers.

Asian American electorate to double in the next 25 years

New report projects 12.2 million Asian American registered voters by 2040.



A new study, The Future of Asian America in 2040, released today by the UCLA Study for the Center for Inequality and the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), projects that the number of Asian American registered voters will double over the next quarter century.

The study, the first of a series of reports on the future of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, focuses on the growing Asian American electorate, and shows that while the Asian American population will grow by 74% between 2015 and 2040, the Asian American electorate will more than double, and grow by 107%.