Meet the Restaurant Owner Who Gave Shelter to Protestors

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Minneapolis Restaurant Owner Opened Her Doors for Protesters Seeking Refuge: 'Come In, Come In'

When hell broke loose on the streets of south Minneapolis, where protestors clashed with federal officers -- less than a block from where Alex Pretti had been killed about an hour earlier -- Tracy Wong opened the doors of her restaurant, My Huong Kitchen, for people to take safe refuge from the tear gas and flash bangs, offering water, comfort and a place to recover. Video of Wong in this extraordinary moment has since been shared thousands of times, and the community has come back to her restaurant with thanks and support

Being Hmong in Minnesota's ICE Age

"For over five years, my family and I have been living, working, and commuting across the Twin Cities suburbs. We are Hmong -- the biggest Asian ethnic group in Minnesota. We are scared. We are cautious. We feel like our identity will make us a target. We still go about our everyday lives, but with uncertainty. And we are paying attention, checking for daily updates—observing who is speaking out against what's happening, and those who aren't."

Couple Was Found Dead in Gruesome Scene. Then Cops Allegedly Found Chilling Wishlist

Disturbing, gruesome news out of New Jersey... A 37-year-old man accused of killing his parents in their home has now been charged in connection with their deaths. Patrick Lin was arrested and charged on several accounts, including first-degree murder. When authorities searched his bedroom, they found a notebook with a wishlist that included "to kill someone and get away with it."

It's Now Ronny Chieng's Turn to Be the Voice of NYC Subway PSAs

Comedian Ronny Chieng is the latest entertainer to lend his voice to public service announcements for the MTA's subway service in New York City. If you ride the subway, you might hear him utter some helpful encouragements like, “Can you please move into the train so other people can get on?" Or "Unless it’s old school hip-hop, nobody wants to hear your music or your phone call. Put your headphones on."

LEGO Lucky Cat

This LEGO® Lucky Cat building set creates an eye-catching display piece and is said to bring good luck and prosperity to the owner. Best of all, the paw has a pendulum action to replicate the beckoning or waving of traditional Lucky Cat figurines.

"My Parents Thought We Hade Made It. Now We Carry Papers."

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

My parents thought we had made it. Now we carry papers.

"Asian Americans, in particular, have always struggled with being perceived as perpetual outsiders, no matter how long we've lived in the country. When immigrants of my parents\' generation started families here in the 1970s, many of them figured their children would fit in and thrive here, so long as they gave their children Western names and made sure they could speak perfect American English. I always felt they went overboard, that we didn't have to whitewash ourselves to gain acceptance. A half-century later, I'm thinking maybe my parents were onto something."

ICE target was already in prison when agents detained St. Paul man in his underwear

Sorry, Wrong Asian. The images of ChongLy Thao's arrest by ICE in St. Paul sparked outrage in Minnesota and across the internet. Thao was led out of his home in freezing weather, wearing nothing but his boxers and a blanket draped around him. Agents did not present a warrant, nor did they ask Thao for identification. He was released shortly afterward. Turns out, one of the guys they were looking for was already in prison.

Alabama uses Japanese American Internment era law to charge immigrants who don’t self-register

Alabama is finding new ways -- using old laws -- to criminally charge undocumented immigrants. Federal courts in the state are using a law last applied during the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II to charge immigrants who don't register themselves.

5 arrested in local burglary ring targeting Asian American business owners

In Ohio, five people were arrested for their involvement in a highly organized burglary ring targeting Asian Americans. Authorities in the Cincinnati suburbs gathered intelligence indicating that the suspects were planning to burglarize a home and caught them in the act. The group is accused of target Asian American small business owners in the area for years.

SILK STREAM: Digital Shorts Series

Attention filmmakers! The Center for Asian American Media is launching SILK STREAM, a new digital short film series. This initiative is a contemporary, digital-first reimagining of CAAM's groundbreaking SILK SCREEN anthology, specifically designed to engage a cross-generational audience, with a strong focus on digital-native viewers. They're looking for narrative and documentary shorts that not only explore the depth of the Asian American experience but also possess a distinct visual flair and the undeniable energy of contemporary pop culture. Learn more and submit here.

Why Minnesotans Fear ICE

And other items of note from Angry Asian America.

1. Why Minnesotans Fear ICE

"All of this calculation of distance and I can’t reconcile the most important space of all: the distance between myself and some of my fellow American citizens, who believe that the actions of ICE—from the racial profiling, imprisonment, and detainment of people on American soil, to the killing of Good and Porter—are acceptable. I have felt sick all week. This vast gulf between us, not just as Americans but as human beings, has drained me of hope." Poet, author, and lifelong Minnesotan Bao Phi on the outrage in his community.

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2. ICE agents are knocking on doors and asking "Do you know any of your Hmong neighbors?"

In Instagram video posted on Monday, St. Paul Councilmember Hwa Jeong Kim said that she has received first-hand accounts from constituents about ICE agents knocking on doors and asking whether the residents know their Hmong or Asian neighbors.



3. Philadelphia police probe string of violent purse snatchings targeting Asian women

In Philadelphia, police are searching for suspects in a string of violent thefts targeting Asian women in during the holiday season. Investigators say the attacks occurred between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, all within the same area in Northeast Philadelphia and under similar circumstances. All of the victims were Asian women who got their purse snatched in broad daylight by men in ski masks. Police believe the crimes are connected, with three men involved in most, if not all, of the thefts, including two attackers and a getaway driver.

4. 'Squid Game' Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Sets New Netflix Series 'The Dealer'

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Squid Game, is following up the biggest Netflix show of all time with his next series, The Dealer, a crime Korean drama set in a casino that follows a card dealer who is roped into a seedy underworld of gambling. Produced by Hwang for Netflix, the series stars Jung So-min leads the cast as the titular dealer. Here's the official synopsis:

"The Dealer" centers on Geonhwa, a gifted casino dealer whose life is upended when her wedding plans collapse after she becomes entangled in a housing scam. Forced back into a world she had deliberately left behind, Geonhwa plunges into the shadowy underworld of illegal gambling — and is compelled to tap long-suppressed supernatural abilities that give her an unnatural edge at the tables as she fights to reclaim control of her future.

5. The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller

The Moon Without Stars, the new book from New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor–winning author Chanel Miller, hits shelves this week. In this household, we are big fans of her 2024 children's book Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Her new middle school novel explores the way growing up, finding friends, and discovering who you are can be both awkward and empowering. From the back of the book:

At the beginning of seventh grade, Luna knows who she is: an observant, quiet girl who loves writing and making zines with her best friend, Scott. But when one of their zines takes off, Luna is somehow swept up into the popular group and learns just how much of herself she’s going to have to compromise to stay there. Will she give up her writing? Her best friend? What about her own beliefs about who she is and what she stands for?

Featuring author-illustrator Chanel Miller’s signature line drawings, The Moon Without Stars is a deeply personal and often funny novel about what it means to lose and then find yourself again during the vulnerable, life-changing years of middle school.

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ICE is Clearly the Villain of This Story

And other items of note from Angry Asian America.

1. It's clear who the villains of this story are

"In Minnesota, immigration enforcement is often framed as something that happens somewhere else. At the border. In distant detention centers. In communities separate from our own. It is discussed in abstract policy language and political sound bites, safely removed from daily life. But over the past few weeks, that distance narrowed with ICE activity increasing in the Twin Cities. And on Jan. 7, it collapsed entirely." Minnesota Star Tribune columnist Ka Vang on federal violence and the murder of Renee Nicole Good.



2. The Wrecking Crew

Here's the official trailer for the upcoming action acomedy The Wrecking Crew starring Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista. They play two estranged half-brothers who are forced to reunite after their father’s mysterious death. Together, they are ready to WRECK anything that gets in their way! Looks like fun, and it's written by Jonathan Tropper, the showrunner behind Warrior. I'm down for it. The Wrecking Crew hits Prime Video on January 28.

3. Lucy Liu Breaks from Perfection

After a career playing glamorous, intimidating women, Lucy Liu finds her realest role yet in Rosemead. Liu talks bad tans, the rivalry of Daryl Hall and John Oates, and her early days as an omelet chef.




4. ARKAI - Sun Drifter

I recently got a heads up to the music of ARKAI, a genre-defying, electro-acoustic string duo that "bridges the classical and the contemporary, weaving cinematic soundscapes with electrifying virtuosity into epic performances around the world." Their sophomore album Brightside is nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for the 2026 Grammy Awards. Check out the video for the title track here.

5. Cafe Maddy 2026 Korean Cooking Calendar

The 2026 Korean Cooking Calendar by Cafe Maddy features hand-drawn illustrations of Korean dishes, highlighted year-round with Korean holidays, American holidays, and other historically significant Korean dates. Each month includes a QR code that points to a step-by-step recipe for the dish, a story about each holiday and tradition, and a blurb about the seasonal Korean flower. You can even customize the month that features the illustration of miyeokguk (Korean Birthday Soup), making it a great gift for the Korean cuisine enthusiast in your life. Order it from cafemaddyclub.com.

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



I'm Just Saying, Think About It
To all the Robert E. Lee High Schools of America: if you're reconsidering the racist history behind your school's name, may I suggest a much worthier alternative namesake for Lee High School? I'm just saying, think about it.

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An Interview With the Man Who Told the LAPD, 'Suck My Dick and Choke On it'
In half a minute, he became a folk hero. An interview with Jeremy Frisch, the guy who used his allotted 30 seconds during the Los Angeles Police Commission's virtual community call to tell Chief Michel Moore, among other things, "You are a disgrace. Suck my dick and choke on it." And the punctuation that elevated his moment to legendary status: "I yield my time! Fuck you!"

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Minneapolis Officer Shot by Colleague Commits Suicide
A Minneapolis police officer who received a $4.5 million settlement after being shot by a fellow officer has committed suicide, police reported Monday. Duy Dinh Ngo, 38, was found dead at his home on Monday. Ngo received $4.5 million from the city of Minneapolis in 2007 -- four years after he was shot multiple times by a fellow police officer while working undercover in south Minneapolis.

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How Bruce Lee Became a Global Protest Icon
Be Water director Bao Nguyen talks to GQ about uncovering Bruce Lee's untold past, his unlikely legacy as a protest figure, and the next step for the Asian American filmmaking movement.

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2020 Virtual Youth Leadership Summit
Are you a student leader who wants to elevate Asian American and Pacific Islander issues at the national level? Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC is now accepting applications for the 2020 Youth Leadership Summit, a multi-day leadership development program for high achieving college students dedicated to addressing issues impacting AAPI communities. The 7th annual Youth Leadership Summit will take place virtually from September 14-18.

"Let my buildling burn. Justice needs to be served."

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Their Minneapolis Restaurant Burned, but They Back the Protest
A restaurant caught in the crossfire of unrest in Minneapolis has sent a powerful message to its followers on social media. Gandhi Mahal, a family-owned Bangladeshi-Indian restaurant, was severely damaged by fire on Thursday night amidst protests over the arrest and killing of George Floyd. Hafsa Islam, whose father owns the restaurant, wrote a Facebook post sharing about the destruction, but then shared something she heard her father say over the phone: "...let my building burn. Justice needs to be served. Put those officers in jail."

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Can You Identify the Suspect Who Assaulted This Elderly Woman?
In Metro Vancouver, police are searching for a suspect who assaulted an elderly Asian woman last month. The RCMP released video of the incident, in which a woman walks toward an elderly woman using a walker, comes up from behind and trips her leg. The woman then quickly walks away as the 84-year-old victim falls to the ground. Fortunately, the victim wasn't seriously injured. It's unclear from the video, but police say it's "possible" the suspect, who has dark brown hair, could also be Asian. Whoever the hell it is... what kind of shitty person does this?

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Trump Courts Asian American Vote Amid Coronavirus
Hilarious. Donald Trump's re-election campaign is debuting its "Asian Americans for Trump" initiative in a virtual event tonight... as if his destructive, racist rhetoric hasn't had a major role in the rise of anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Americans for Trump? That's a no from me. That's a hell no.

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Couple Who Met in Japanese Incarceration Camp Die Within Days of Each Other at 90
Joseph Yamada and Elizabeth Kikuchi were born two days apart, but they didn’t meet until they were 11, when both were sent with their families to a World War II incarceration camp in Poston, Arizona. Then they became mostly inseparable. After the war, they went to San Diego High School together, then to UC Berkeley. They married, raised a family, and left their marks on San Diego in landscape architecture and community service. They both died this month just days apart. They had each recently turned 90.

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A Salute to Asian Pacific American Filmmakers
In celebration of Heritage Month, IMDb created this cool video montage taking a look back at cinematic history and celebrating Asian Pacific American filmmakers and their visionary work. Lots of great films in there.

Stand Back, Move Along, Nothing to See Here, Just Murder

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



What We Know About the Death of George Floyd in Minneapolis
"I can't breathe." George Floyd died after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer's knee. By now, you've seen or heard about the video of the incident. Let's not pretend that an Asian American officer wasn't one of the cops who stood watch while Floyd was murdered.

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Kumail Nanjiani, Lulu Wang, Hasan Minhaj, More Get Candid About Success, Failure - and Abs - in Hollywood
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Variety gathered prominent AAPI creatives Kumail Nanjiani, Hasan Minhaj, Jon M. Chu, Ally Maki and Lulu Wang for a lively discussion about what it means to be successful in the entertainment industry, how their parents and family regard their careers, who their industry role models were as they came up and what what being successful means for AAPIs in the industry going forward.

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Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You is Being Adapted for TV
Annapurna Television has won the rights to adapt Everything I Never Told You, the bestselling debut novel from Celeste Ng, as a television limited series. The book explores the divisions between cultures and the rifts within a family, and uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle to understand each other over a lifetime. Set in a small town in 1970s Ohio, protagonist Lydia is the adored but put-upon child of Marilyn and James Lee. When her body is found in a local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, sending them into chaos.

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I Will Make You Mine
The movie I Will Make You Mine, written/directed/produced by and starring Lynn Chen, is now available on DVD and VOD. The semi-sequel to Surrogate Valentine and Daylight Savings, the indie feature centers on three women (Lynn Chen, Ayako Fujitani, Yea-Ming Chen) who wrestle with life's difficulties while confronting their past relationships with the same man (Goh Nakamura). It's a bittersweet story of growing up while continuing to reach for the familiar, all set to the real-life soundtrack of Goh Nakamura and Yea-Ming Chen.

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Fresh Off the Boat & Kim's Convenience Live Table Reads
This is going to be fun. Fresh Off the Boat and Kim's Convenience were breakthroughs for Asians on prime time television. Now, the casts of both shows are uniting for one night only -- to read their historic pilot episodes live, to raise support for Asian American / Asian Canadian arts during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The live stream is happening Saturday, May 30, 8pm PT / 11pm PT, on Seed and Spark.

Daniel Dae Kim offers Jesse Watters a plane ticket to see 'Hold These Truths'

"Maybe you will learn something about the role Asian Americans have played in the shaping of our country."



So you got mad about that racist Fox News segment by walking talking assbag Jesse Watters, in which he went to Chinatown with no other point but to make fun of Asians. Some responded to the piece with wickedly clever clapback videos, while some took the opportunity to simply call Watters a "racist piece of shit" in person. Actor Daniel Dae Kim is offering Watters a round trip plane ticket to Minnesota.

The Hawaii Five-0 star is offering Watters a plane ticket to see his friend Joel de la Fuente in the play Hold These Truths, now playing at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, to "learn something about the role Asian Americans have played in the shaping of our country." This is a serious offer -- "not a trick or joke" -- made in the spirit of understanding. He'll pay for Watters' round trip airfare.

Kim made the offer to Watters' via Twitter:

Airport worker accused of stealing from luggage

Asians behaving badly... airport thievery edition! In Minneapolis, a behind-the-scenes airport worker is accused of stealing guns(!), computers, cell phones, cameras and other valuable items from checked luggage: Minneapolis airport worker accused of stealing guns, other valuables from luggage.

23-year-old David Vang, who worked maintaining baggage conveyance systems in a secure area of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, was charged with eleven counts of felony theft after he was caught on camera taking items from checked baggage. His wife, Vue Xiong, was charged with one count of felony theft for helping him take the items.

Police uncovered more than 700 stolen items from Vang's living room closet -- including 10 firearms, as well as iPads, laptop computers, projectors, cellphones, cameras, purses, watches, knives, jewelry and hunting and fishing gear -- all together valued at over $84,000:

Minneapolis police officers get medals for botched raid

It seems that the Minneapolis Police Department is in the habit of giving out medals to officers for stupidity.

Remember the story about the Hmong family whose house got raided and shot up by a SWAT team last December? Police apparently acted on some bad information from an informant and ended up raiding the wrong house, expecting to find a violent gang member.

Only this house was occupied by a family. With six children. And a concerned father wielding a shotgun.