"It's getting harder to keep my head down."

A comic on citizenship by Jin Fang.



Jin Fang is officially an American. The Austin-based artist and illustrator, who was born in Hong Kong, became a U.S. citizen on Thursday -- the first American in her family. Although she's grown up and lived in the United States for most of her life, she only recently went through the tedious, painstaking process of naturalization.

On Twitter, posted a comic sharing with her thoughts on becoming a citizen, the political factors that both worried and inspired her decision, and what pushed her to finally find her voice and take action.

"I'd be lying if I said worry or fear didn't factor into my (and my family's) decision to naturalize," Jin tweeted. "We notice xenophobic and anti-immigrant sentiment rising, we see the consequences of this administration's actions on the most vulnerable communities."

She also embraces her privilege and duty to vote -- and encourages others not to take this responsibility lightly.

"Even if your politics don't align with mine, please go vote. As someone who's had to jump through hoops to get this right, it's frustrating to see voter turnout rates (especially in Texas, wtf!)"

Check it out:

2018 Plate by Plate Presented by Project by Project

Saturday, August 4 at City Market Social House in Los Angeles.



Los Angeles! See you this Saturday for a whole lot of food, drink and community. Plate By Plate, presented by Project by Project, is an awesome annual tasting benefit featuring star chefs, top rated restaurants, and beverages from across the nation. Best of all, 100% of the net proceeds raised from Plate by Plate are remitted to a nonprofit partner organization serving the Asian American community.

This year, Plate by Plate has joined forces with OCA-GLA and to raise funds for their Mentored Path to Citizenship grant program, which provides legal assistance and helps alleviate the financial burden for those who cannot afford the naturalization application fee to apply for American citizenship.

Plate by Plate LA is happening Saturday, August 3 at City Market Social House in Downtown Los Angeles. Your evening's celebrity co-chairs are Leonardo Nam and Michelle Krusiec. Before I forget: be sure to use the discount code PBPAAM25 to get $25 off your ticket.

Here's some more information:

103-year-old woman becomes U.S. citizen

Hong Inh was the oldest among 10,000 new Americans at Tuesday's naturalization ceremony in Los Angeles.



This week, a 103-year-old woman from Cambodia joined thousands of flag-waving folks at the Los Angeles Convention Center to take the oath of allegiance and become our nation's newest Americans.

Hong Inh, who survived years of war and violence under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, came to the United States when she 97 years old to join a daughter and other relatives.

She was the oldest of more than 10,000 people at Tuesday's naturalization ceremony. She was joined by three generations of her family, from her 80-year-old daughter to her 13-year-old great-granddaughter.

More here: 103-Year-Old Woman from Cambodia Becomes U.S. Citizen

Heavier Asian Americans are seen as "More American"

A new study says heavier Asian Americans are more likely to be perceived as "American."



A new study has found that for Asian Americans, those who appear heavier not only are perceived to be more "American," but also may be subject to less prejudice directed at foreigners than Asian Americans who are thin.

Wait, what?

According to a new study at the University of Washington, published last week Psychological Science, heavier Asian Americans are more likely to be perceived as "American" than those of a thinner weight.

How the hell does that even compute? The perception apparently relates to common stereotypes that Asians are thin and Americans are heavy. Thus, heavy Asians appear to be more "American."

The researchers also found that overweight Asian American men were less likely than those of a normal weight to be viewed as being in the country illegally. Skinny Asians, your citizenship status is questionable.

"You have altered the American Story today by becoming part of it. And we are all the better for it."

New U.S. citizens welcomed in a naturalization ceremony at Manzanar National Historic Site.


Photo Credit: USCIS
Last week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalized fourteen new U.S. citizens during a ceremony held at the Manzanar National Historic Site, the former site of one of ten camps used by the government to detain over 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.

USCIS chose the location in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Manzanar National Historic Site, located six miles south of Independence, California, now stands to preserve and interpret the legacy of Japanese American incarceration in the Unted States. The ceremony, held on May 25, also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, which oversees the site.

Honorable Paul M. Igasaki, Chair and Chief Judge of the Administrative Review Board at the U.S. Department of Labor -- whose own family members were incarcerated during World War II -- served as the ceremony's keynote speaker. Here is a transcript of his remarks: