Breaking Stereotypes When It Matters Most

Heroes from Houston's restaurant industry step up during Hurricane Harvey. Guest Post by Thomas Nguyen.



Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on August 25, 2017, and is likely to be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Harvey dumped more than 50 inches of rainfall in Houston, Texas, causing catastrophic flooding and damage to over 200,000 homes and businesses.

With over 12,000 restaurants that include everything from Ethiopian, Pakistani, barbeque, Viet-Cajun, Tex-Mex, to South African, Houston has unofficially become the most diverse city in America. But what makes Houston unique isn't just the diversity of cultures and people, it is seeing everyone come together in times of tragedy, catastrophe and chaos. Among the overwhelming number of inspirational and heroic stories during Harvey these past few weeks were chefs, owners and volunteers from Houston's burgeoning restaurant industry.

A handful of these stories involving Asian Americans stood out to me. Not because they were more significant than any others, but because they demonstrated traits that went against typical Asian American stereotypes. These individuals were not weak, silent or passive. They were leaders, they were compassionate, and they wholeheartedly contributed to those who needed help.

Inmate found hanging in Houston city jail cell

38-year-old Hung Do apparently used his own clothing to hang himself.



I've lost count of all disturbing recent headlines about people who have died in police custody. Last week in Texas, an inmate was found dead hanging inside his cell at the Houston city jail. [UPDATE: Four people have died while in custody of the Houston Police Department within the span of one week.]

PD: inmate hanged himself in Houston city jail

38-year-old Hung Do was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, underwent and passed physical and mental health evaluations, and was booked into the city jail on Wednesday. According to police, he was found dead in his cell on Thursday afternoon. He apparently used his own clothing to hang himself.

Disoriented Comedy Goes South: Texas Tour 2015

May 7-10 in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio



Get ready for some laughs, Texas. Disoriented Comedy is coming to get you! This week, the first-ever nationally-touring stand-up comedy showcase featuring the fresh and diverse voices of Asian American female-identified comedians is embarking on the "Disoriented Comedy Goes South" Texas Tour. Four cities, five shows, all Texas. It's happening May 7-10, with stops in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio.

Here are some more details. Follow the links:

Home invasion victim offers to pay for robbers' education

To the men who robbed Dr. Victor Ho: if you turn yourselves in and do the time, he'll pay for your tuition.



Here's something you don't see every day... A Houston doctor has a message for the group of young men who robbed him at gunpoint in his home last month: he wants to pay for your college education.

Local doctor offers his robbers free college education

Dr. Victor Ho, an emergency health physician, returned home last month to find his house being robbed by several young men. With his kids outside in the car, the masked robbers held a gun to Ho's head, made him open his combination safe, tied him up, and made off with cash, jewelry and weapons.

Ho wants the robbers caught, but he's also making them a unique offer. If they turn themselves in, he and his wife will pay for their education after they do their time.

Houston psychiatrist charged in human trafficking scheme

Four men are accused of luring dancers from India and forcing them into prostitution

A Houston psychiatrist and three men in New York are accused of human trafficking after luring several dancers from India with the promise of legal jobs, then forcing them into the sex trade once they arrived.

Houston doctor accused of luring Indian dancers to US in sex trafficking scheme

Riyaz Mazcuri, Rashmikant "Sam" Patel, Sabja Khimani and Mehmood Hassanali Dhanani were charged with forfeiture (forced labor conspiracy), visa fraud conspiracy and fraud in procuring foreign labor.

According to a federal indictment, the men hired female dancers in India and brought them to the United States under the false pretense that they would perform Indian cultural programs. Instead, when they arrived, the women were forced to dance in night clubs in Houston and New York for 12 to 14 hours per night, seven nights a week, and some were pressured into prostitution.

File Under Badass: Gas station clerk thwarts robbery with mixed martial arts

These thieves picked the wrong gas station. The one with a MMA fighter working behind the counter.



Crime doesn't pay. In fact, sometimes it hurts like a kick in the face. Some would-be thieves in Houston learned that the hard way when they tried to rob a gas station employee... and got their asses kicked by a convenience store clerk who also happens to be a muthaeffin' mixed martial arts fighter.

Gas station clerk with MMA training surprises thieves

Mayura Dissanyake was working behind the counter at Fuel Depot when he saw two men outside jump out of an SUV and attack his co-worker, who was returning to the store after a run to the bank. Dissanyake, who is trained in mixed martial arts and apparently was a champion in Sri Lanka, sprung into action.

"The first guy I saw, I just kicked him in the face. Then I punched the other guy."

An effective strategy. Let's go to the tape:

Jeremy Lin Foundation Launch Party, February 14

If you're in the Houston area, and don't have any Valentine's Day plans, how about hanging out with Jeremy Lin? Your favorite Houston Rockets point guard is throwing a star-studded Launch Party for the Jeremy Lin Foundation and The Making a Difference Project, benefiting Houston community organizations making an impact with youth. Here are some more details about the event:

read these blogs: hello houston edition

Lin on return to Rockets: 'It's been an unbelievable ride': Unceremoniously waived by the Rockets on Christmas Eve 2011, Jeremy Lin didn't need much of a reintroduction when he returned to Houston this week.

RocketShop.com: You can already pre-order your Jeremy Lin Rockets jersey.

Houston braces for Linsanity: "The Rockets not only filled a position of need, but also snagged a player who might re-establish the franchise in Asia, where the team enjoyed massive popularity during Yao Ming's career."

The Truth About Jeremy Lin: Jeremy Lin became a Houston Rocket this week, and Knicks fans are outraged. The reaction has been ridiculous on all sides, really. But don't let it ruin Jeremy Lin for you.

read these blogs: goodbye knicks edition

This awesome illustration is by artist Bernard Chang, who predicts "this will happen at least twice this upcoming season..."

Lin opens up about leaving Knicks: 'Honestly, I preferred New York': After experiencing the greatest year of his life, Jeremy Lin talks to Sports Illustrated about what led to him signing the dotted line with the Houston Rockets.

Dumb Move, Dolan: Jay Caspian Kang asks the questions to understand why the Knicks let Jeremy Lin walk away from Madison Square Garden.

Knicks Drew the Line at Lin? Really. After a history of overpaying everybody they could manage to throw money at, the Knicks decide to make their principal financial stand on Jeremy Lin?

The Knicks didn’t match Jeremy Lin's offer sheet because owner James Dolan felt 'betrayed,’ ‘deceived,' according to report: "Since the start of the "will they match/won't they match" drama, the talk around the Knicks was that the team's disinclination to bring him back had less to do with money than it did with Lord Jim's hurt feelings."

jeremy lin is going to the houston rockets

It's official: Jeremy Lin is headed to Houston. After the crazy amazing rise of an Asian American cultural icon and staging one of the most memorable sports seasons in memory, the New York Knicks opted not to match the Rockets' three-year, $25.1 million offer sheet. And like that, Linsanity is leaving the city where it all began: Knicks Make It Official: Lin Is Gone.