And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu Announces Run For Mayor
It's official: Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu will run for mayor in 2021. Wu announced her candidacy Tuesday morning with a video in three languages that zeroed in on issues including public health, housing and transportation. "Now is the time for change," Wu said at the end of the video.
* * *
Suspected Arsonist Caught on Video in San Francisco Printing Shop
In San Francisco, a suspected arsonist was caught on video robbing and setting fire to an Asian immigrant-owned printing shop. The suspect reportedly broke in to Dragon Printing in the Sunset District, burglarized the store, and then deliberately started a fire -- burning the majority of the inventory, machines, and everything else in sight. The store, which was started by the Wong family nearly 35 years ago, is now in danger of closing. Friends have started a GoFundMe campaign in support of Dragon Printing.
* * *
House Passes Bill to Name Houston Post Office After Slain Sikh Deputy
On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H. Res. 5317, which would rename a post office in Houston, Texas the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office, in honor of Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, a Sikh sheriff's deputy who was killed during a traffic stop last year. Dhaliwal was the first Sikh deputy to work for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, and the first deputy to be allowed to wear his turban while on-duty.
* * *
Family Style: Season Two
Season two of Stage13's Family Style is now out and available for viewing. The award-winning food and pop culture streaming series features a group of friends and celebrity guests exploring popular Asian food restaurants and cultural locales. Each episode of season two centers on the stories surrounding the sharing of food both across a table and virtually over a video chat. Partically filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, this season showcases a diverse array of Asian chefs, celebrities, and foodies across multiple generations, sharing favorite recipes, traditions, and locations, representing an array of Asian ethnicities.
* * *
Lovecraft Country: The Craft - Storyboard Artist Eric Yamamoto
Have you been watching the HBO horror drama Lovecraft Country? In this behind-the-scenes clip, Lovecraft Country storyboard artist Eric Yamamoto talks about how he helps bring directors' visions for the show to life.
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
"Corona Time"
Spotted on social media. These students at Sin-Paulus Campus College Waregem decided to celebrate the school's annual tradition of oh who the hell cares, like any context can justify this shit. More than the blatant racist mockery of their outfits, what really gets me is the incredible amount of planning and coordination that clearly went into this multi-participant bullshit. This is what Elaine Low calls "high-effort racism." Do note the girl, center-left, pulling her eyes back, squeezing some of that extra racism juice out of the moment.
* * *
Asian Woman Attacked in Possible Coronavirus Hate Crime
An Asian woman was punched in the face in New York City on Tuesday in what is being investigated as a possible bias incident, apparently motivated by bigotry surrounding the coronavirus. A 23-year-old woman told police she was punched in the face by a woman who also made anti-Asian slurs before fleeing the scene. According to the New York Post, the assailant yelled "Where is your corona mask, you Asian bitch," before punching the other woman.
* * *
Coronavirus Concerns Shut Down Three SGV Restaurants
Asian restaurants, especially Chinese restaurants, across the San Gabriel Valley in the Los Angeles area are reporting significant declines in business as novel coronavirus concerns continue to keep diners away. Many popular restaurants in the area have closed temporarily or even permanently in Southern California's most populated Asian American community. The latest affected are Hong Kong-style restaurant Henry's Cuisine and Cantonese restaurant Top Island Seafood in Alhambra. Both establishments are closed for the next two months due to coronavirus concerns.
* * *
Woman Seen On Video Burning Flag Outside Hindu Temple In Queens
Police are searching for a woman seen on video setting a flag on fire outside a Hindu temple in Queens. The incident, which is being investigated by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, happened last Thursday at the Shri Tulshi Mandir temple around 7:30 pm.
Gloria Lee pleaded guilty to deliberately setting fire to her business with 27 dogs inside.
Asians behaving badly... pet store arson edition! In Las Vegas, a pet store owner who deliberately set fire to her business -- with 27 dogs inside -- to collect insurance money has been sentenced to 5 to 14 years in prison.
Gloria Lee and her accomplice Kirk Blls were charged with 27 counts of animal cruelty, along with burglary and arson, for attempting to set fire to the Prince and Princess Pet Boutique last year. The flames were extinguished by the sprinkler system and the 25 puppies and 2 older dogs survived.
Lee apparently planned to frame the fire on her husband and collect a $100,000 insurance claim. However, she neglected to disable the store's video surveillance system.
Judge rules that the 1990 case against Han Tak Lee was based on now-discredited arson science.
Whoa. After spending the last 24 years in prison, convicted for setting the fire that killed his daughter, a man walks free. Last week in Pennsylvania, a federal judge overturned his 1990 murder-arson conviction, ruling that the case against him was based on now-discredited arson science.
79-year-old Han Tak Lee was released on bail Friday from the federal courthouse in Harrisburg. Lee was found guilty of purposely setting the 1989 cabin fire that killed his 20-year-old daughter Ji Yun Lee at a religious retreat in the Pocono Mountains. Prosecutor argued that the motive for murder was Ji Yun's severe depression, which had become too difficult for her family to handle.
Lee has consistently maintained his innocence over the last 25 years. Meanwhile, over the past two decades, there has been a revolution in fire science. Mr. Lee's case is one of dozens around the United States to come under scrutiny because of now-debunked beliefs about how arson can be detected.
Fire is the latest in a string of attacks targeting San Jose household
Who set this family's car on fire? This week in San Jose, a home security camera caught vandals lighting a family's car on fire. The arson is apparently only the latest incident in a string of attacks on this household.
Early Tuesday morning, video surveillance captured two suspects pouring a flammable liquid on a car hood and lighting a fire that destroyed two automobiles, a 2008 Acura MDX and a 2013 Honda Civic, in the driveway of a home in East San Jose. Homeowner Vince Tran was able to put out the fire with a garden hose before it spread. Thankfully, nobody was hurt.
