White Chef Can't Handle Getting Corrected About a Typo

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



White Chef Who Cooks Vietnamese Food Accused of Harassing Asian Americans
Imagine whiteness so fragile, you lose your shit over being corrected about a typo. Peja Krstic, the (white) chef-owner of Dallas Vietnamese restaurant Mot Hai Ba, wrote an Instagram post in which he misspelled "bánh mì." But then three Vietnamese American women replied to correct the typo and Krstic lashed out, sending the women a series of angry messages in public and private, accusing them of "racial profiling," threatening legal action and calling one woman's boyfriend. And then it all came tumbling out..

* * *


California voters will be asked to restore affirmative action in November
In November, California voters will decide whether governments and public colleges and universities can consider race in their hiring, contracting and admissions decisions. The state has banned affirmative action policies since 1996, when 55% of voters approved a constitutional amendment that banned "preferential treatment”=: based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. The state Senate voted 30-10 on Wednesday to repeal that amendment. But voters must approve it in November before it can become law.

* * *


COVID-19 Multilingual Resource Hub
The UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health have teamed up for the COVID-19 Multilingual Resource Hub, available at translatecovid.org. The site is a growing collection of resources, including videos, about COVID-19 and health and safety practices in different languages. The site aims to equip our diverse communities with helpful information as we continue to navigate living in a world with COVID-19, and as we examine its current and long-term impact. Visitors can use the site to share information with everyone, from their elders to their neighbors, or even with social service clients, who could use resources in languages other than English.

* * *

Sharon Choi Interviews Sandra Oh
This is delightful. Sharon Choi, who became one of the unexpected emergent stars of this past awards season as Bong Joon Ho's interpreter -- remember when Parasite won all those Oscars? -- chats with Sandra Oh about season three of Killing Eve, Korean culture, and Asian representation in Hollywood.

* * *

Joy Luck Club Reunion
Joy Luck Club reunion! For the first time in decades, author Amy Tan and the "daughters" of film adaptation -- Lauren Tom, Ming-Na Wen, Rosalind Chao, and Tamlyn Tomita -- reunited for a conversation with executive producer Janet Yang and super-investor Aileen Lee on the iconic novel, groundbreaking movie, personal passage reading, personal stories, and the progress of Asian women over the last three decades.

Interpreter Sharon Choi's Wild 'Parasite' Journey

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Interpreter Sharon Choi Relives Historic 'Parasite' Awards Season
From her first appearance at Bong Joon Ho's side in Cannes, where he accepted the Palme d'Or for his sensational Parasite, interpreter Sharon Choi has been an unwitting award season MVP. Clad in minimal black and permanently clutching a notebook, the retreating student filmmaker has imparted Bong's messages of gratitude on the most coveted stages of Hollywood. After declining hundreds of interview requests, Choi shares exclusively with Variety the 10-month ride that began with a phone call last April, and ended two weeks ago at the Dolby Theater with a Best Picture trophy.

* * *


'Are You Sick?' For Asian-Americans, a Sneeze Brings Suspicion
The coronavirus outbreak has so far largely spared the United States, with only 15 confirmed cases across this country, even as the virus has rapidly spread around the globe and killed more than 1,100 people, most of them in China. But many Asian Americans have felt an unnerving public scrutiny, noticing that a simple cough or sneeze can send people around them scattering.

* * *


Tzi Ma & Kheng Hua Tan To Co-Star In the CW's 'Kung Fu' Reboot Pilot
Tzi Ma (The Farewell) and Kheng Hua Tan (Crazy Rich Asians) have been cast as series regulars in the CW pilot Kung Fu, a reimagining with a female lead of the 1970s David Carradine TV series. Ma and Kheng will play the parents of the protagonist in the project.

* * *


Comedian Jo Koy to Star in 'Easter Sunday'
Comedian Jo Koy will star in the feature film Easter Sunday, inspired by his life experiences. The film, written by Ken Cheng, will be a Filipino narrative set around a family gathering to on the high holy holiday of Easter.

* * *


The Paper Kingdom
The Paper Kingdom, written by Helena Ku Rhee with art by Pascal Campion, is a dazzling new picture book for young readers about a loving family who turn a routine and ordinary experience into something much grander. "When the babysitter is unable to come, Daniel is woken out of bed and joins his parents as they head downtown for their jobs as nighttime office cleaners. But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion–and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom."

Have You Experienced Racism Because of the Coronvirus?

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Have You Seen or Experienced Racism, Xenophobia or Other Forms of Discrimination Connected to the Coronavirus Epidemic?
As the coronavirus continues to spread, so do fears over rising prejudice. If you’ve seen or experienced discrimination, racism or xenophobia connected to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, The Washington Post wants to hear your story. Fill out the form and a reporter may follow up with you.

* * *


Translating for Bong Joon Ho at the Oscars: Aspiring Director Sharon Choi
Sharon Choi, who interpreted for Parasite director Bong Joon Ho and others involved with the film, has become a familiar face throughout their successful awards season. And of course, she was quite busy on Sunday night, as the film racked up four Oscars at the Academy Awards.

* * *

Parasite [A Mike Relm Remix]
In honor of Parasite's big night at the Oscars, here is Bong Joon Ho's acclaimed film getting chopped up and spun around with the Mike Relm remix treatment. Warning: if you haven't seen the film, there are mad spoilers.

* * *

Asian Americans
Asian Americans is a five-hour documentary series that will chronicle the contributions, and challenges of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in America. Personal histories and new academic research will cast a fresh lens on U.S. history and the role Asian Americans have played in it. Premieres May 11 on PBS.

* * *


Mulan: Before the Sword by Grace Lin
Mulan: Before the Sword is a new middle grade adventure tale by award-winning author Grace Lin, set before the events of Disney's upcoming live-action Mulan. When Hua Mulan's beloved little sister is bitten by a poisonous spider, Mulan embarks on a quest with the Jade Rabbit of legend visiting extraordinary places, meeting Immortals, and faces incredible obstacles while searching for an antidote.