Three Killed After Car Crashes into 99 Ranch Market

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

3 dead, several injured after car crashes into 99 Ranch Market in Westwood

Three people were killed and several others injured when a car crashed into the 99 Ranch Market in Westwood on Thursday. The driver first hit a bicyclist, then continued for about a block before crashing into the grocery store, trapping multiple people beneath her car. The victims killed in the crash were identified as a 42-year-old woman, a 55-year-old man and a 30-year-old man. They were all inside the store's bakery at the time of the crash. Authorities say they do not believe the crash was intentional.

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Hundreds of Chinese-language Film Reels Saved

Los Angeles! The UCLA Film and TV Archive uncovered and rescued hundreds of films from the now-closed Sing Lee Theatre on the edge of Chinatown -- once the heart of Chinese-language cinema in L.A. -- and you can now see them for free as part of a special film series, Echoes From Spring Street: The World of Sing Lee and Chinese-Language Cinema in L.A.

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Ski The Wong Way

Ski The Wong Way is a feature documentary that tells the untold story of ski legend Wayne Wong. Before freestyle skiing had a name, Wayne and a small group of rebellious skiers were redefining the sport through creativity, risk, and expression. The film explores the birth of freestyle skiing, how a countercultural movement on the margins grew into an Olympic sport, and the people who made it possible. Learn more and pledge to the Kickstarter here.

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Chinese Republicans

Chinese Republicans is a satirical new play, written by Alex Lin and directed by Chay Yew, presented by Roundabout Theatre Company. Three high-powered businesswomen meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they're certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.

Shifting between sharp-tongued humor and the harsh realities of modern capitalism, this world premiere production explores themes of assimilation, intergenerational conflict, and gender politics in the workplace -- all with unflinching wit and empathy. Chinese Republicans is now in previews at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre in New York City. For tickets and more information, go here.

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LEGO® KPop Demon Hunters Coming Soon

For the fans! KPop Demon Hunters is officially coming in LEGO brick form.

Prosecutors Pursue "Restorative Justice" in Assault Case

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Charges Withdrawn Against Defendant in Attack on Asian Man
The San Francisco district attorney's office said Monday it is withdrawing charges and pursuing a "restorative justice" model against a 20-year-old man arrested in the robbery of an elderly Asian man in his 70s that was captured on a video that went viral. The DA reportedly pulled back the charges after having a conversation with the victim, who expressed "who expressed interest in a restorative justice outcome in this case."

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'Free Solo' Filmmakers Are Directing a Cave Rescue Movie
Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi, the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, are reportedly attached to direct Universal and Cavalry Media's feature film about the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand. (This is one of at least seven movies adapting the real-life inspirational story of the international rescue mission to save a soccer team trapped in a flooded cave for two weeks.)

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Image Movers: UCLA Asian American Studies Center 50th Anniversary Film Festival, March 6-21
Asian American film fans in Los Angeles, mark your calendars. This year marks the UCLA Asian American Studies Center's 50th anniversary. As part of the celebration, check out Image Movers, a three-weekend film festival featuring powerful imagery and poignant commentary about some of the most meaningful issues facing our AAPI communities. Each program features films organized around central themes. After each screening, audiences will hear from filmmakers and actors speaking to their creative journeys, as well as from scholars, artists, and community leaders on the meaning of these themes in today's world. For more information, go here.

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Chinatown Fire Relief Fundraiser, March 7
This Saturday in New York City's Chinatown, community organizers, artists, performers, and more, come together for an evening to benefit the five community organizations affected by the recent fire at 70 Mulberry St. The program represents melding of younger, Millennial voices, such as Juicy Liu, who will be doing a special drag performance, and organizations like Asian Womxn in the Arts with older, established pillars of the community that were housed at 70 Mulberry, such as the Chinatown Manpower Project and the Chinese-American Planning Council. Assemblywomen Yuh Line Niou will deliver remarks.

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Go Back to China
The feature film Go Back to China, written and directed by Emily Ting, will be available in select theaters and on VOD on March 6. Anna Akana stars as Sasha Li, a spoiled rich girl who blows through half of her trust fund. Cut off by her father, she is forced to go back to China and work for the family toy business. What begins simply as a way to regain financial support soon develops into a life-altering journey of self discovery, as Sasha not only learns the business from the ground up, but also reconnects with her estranged family in the process. Also starring Lynn Chen, Richard Ng, Kelly Hu and Kendy Cheung.

Ali Wong's tribute to gymnast Katelyn Ohashi is a perfect 10

'Baby Cobra' comedian's living room floor routine is significantly less gravity-defying.



You may have seen the video of UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi's spectacular floor routine, which basically broke the internet. The gravity-defying performance earned her a perfect 10 and a legion of new fans.

Among Katelyn's new supporters: Ali Wong. The Baby Cobra comedian (and fellow UCLA Bruin) posted a video of herself performing a "tribute" to Ohashi's routine in what looks like her own living room, complete with a bored-looking spouse on the couch and baby gates in the background.

Let's just say that Ali's routine is significantly less gravity-defying.

This gymnast's floor routine just kicked the internet's ass

Indeed, sometimes a "10" isn't enough.



Over the weekend, UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi basically broke the internet with her spectacular, joyous gravity-defying floor routine at the Collegiate Challenge, where she helped her squad win first place.

"A 10 isn't enough for this floor routine by @katelyn_ohashi," the UCLA Gymnastics Twitter account tweeted on Sunday, sharing the video, which has been viewed over 22 million times and counting.

Representation Matters: A Discussion with Simu Liu

Thursday, September 20 at UCLA Geffen Hall



Kim's Convenience fans! Heads up. If you're in Los Angeles, come join us for a conversation with actor, writer and producer Simu Liu, who plays Jung on the hit Canadian sitcom (now available internationally on Netflix). He'll be talking about his breakthrough role, the insights he's learned on his unique journey to Hollywood, and the future of Asian Americans in film and television. I'll be serving as moderator for the evening.

It's happening Thursday, September 20 at UCLA Geffen Hall. Here are some more details:

Suspect in UCLA murder-suicide identified

Former doctoral student Mainak Sarkar had a "kill list"; linked to second victim in Minnesota.



The gunman who shot and killed a UCLA professor Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide has been identified as Mainak Sarkar, a former doctoral student who had a "personal conflict" with the professor. Sarkar is also linked to the shooting death of another victim in Minnesota.

Police Identify UCLA Shooter in Murder-Suicide as Mainak Sarkar

Sarkar, a resident of Minnesota, used a 9mm semi-automatic pistol to kill 39-year-old engineering professor William Scott Klug in a small office in UCLA Engineering Building 4, before turning the gun on himself.

Based on a note found at the crime scene, authorities performed a follow-up investigation at Sarkar's residence in Minnesota, where they found an alleged "kill list" with multiple names on it, including Professor Klug's and another UCLA professor, whose name was not disclosed.

There also appears to be another victim in Minnesota. A woman's name was also on Sarkar's list, prompting investigators to go to her home. The unidentified victim was found shot dead at the residence.

According to authorities, Sarkar drove from Minnesota to the Los Angeles area with two handguns, multiple rounds of ammunition and several magazines in a backpack. Investigators are still looking for the vehicle.

As for a possible motive for the UCLA shooting, police say it was tied to a "dispute over intellectual property where Sarkar felt that he had information released by the professor that harmed him."

UCLA graduate student missing for 10 days

Alison Wu was last seen by her roommate on April 10.



In Los Angeles, a search is underway for a UCLA student who has been missing for the past ten days. Alison Wu, a graduate student in the Fielding School of Public Health, was last seen by her roommate on April 10.

Information on student sought

Wu is believed to be with a known male friend, identified Scott Helton. While family members say it appears as though she left on her own, they are concerned because they have not heard from her.

A UC San Diego student who identified herself as Wu's friend posted on Facebook that the couple was spotted at a coffee shop on April 13. The sighting was not confirmed by UCLA officials.

Pioneering Asian American scholar Don T. Nakanishi dies

Former UCLA professor was widely recognized as one of the forefathers of Asian American Studies.



A legendary scholar and leader has passed. Professor Don T. Nakanishi, Director Emeritus of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and a pioneer in the field of Asian American Studies, has died. He was 66.

Professor Nakanishi was the Director Emeritus of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, the largest and most renowned research and teaching institute in Asian American Studies in the nation, and Professor Emeritus of UCLA's departments of Asian American Studies and education.

A trailblazing educator, beloved community leader and mentor to generations of scholars and activists, he was considered one of the forefathers of Asian American Studies as an academic discipline.

Professor Nakanishi passed away Monday afternoon in Los Angeles. His family shared the news via Facebook:

UCLA student is earning his PhD while homeless

26-year-old Louis Tse is a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering. He's also living in his car.



According to a census conducted last year, there are an estimated 44,000 homeless individuals in Los Angeles County. In an ongoing video series for the Los Angeles Times, Lisa Biagiotti sets out to put the faces to the statistics, meeting people on the streets and learning about their experiences and the issues they face.

In her most recent video, she meets 26-year-old Louis Tse, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering at UCLA. He also happens to be homeless. (According to 2013-14 Federal Student Aid Form data, more than 56,000 college students identified themselves as homeless.) Tse reveals that he's been earning his PhD while secretly living out of his car for over a year. This is the first time he's going public with his situation.

In the video, Tse walks Lisa through his morning routine, talks about "rational homelessness" and his post-doctorate goals. He also shares that he's working to create a shelter for homeless youth.

Watch it here: He is getting his PhD - and is homeless

UCLA graduate student arrested after series of gropings

A doctoral student is charged with sexual battery after grabbing multiple women on campus.

Over the weekend at UCLA, university police arrested a graduate student for sexual battery in connection with a series of gropings reported on campus last week, as well as other incidents earlier in the year.

Arrest made in connection with recent gropings

A 24-year-old doctoral candidate in chemistry and biochemistry was arrested Saturday after someone in his apartment building recognized him from police photos and tipped off authorities. The student, who is from Qinhuangdao, China, was booked on seven counts of battery and one count of sexual battery.

Last week, the suspect allegedly grabbed three different women's upper thighs as they passed him on or near the UCLA campus. Several of the victims reported having prior incidents with the man in the past several weeks, and one woman reported an issue with him in early March.

APALJ 2015 Symposium: Under the Radar

Saturday, April 18 at UCLA School of Law



Hey, Los Angeles. The UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal's annual symposium is on Saturday, April 18, 2015. This year's theme, "Under the Radar," will discuss Asian Americans and the criminal justice system, affirmative action, and the Affordable Care Act. Here's more information, including the day's schedule:

Are you Asian American? Drink alcohol? Science needs you.

UCLA Addictions Lab seeks Asian American participants for a research study on alcohol use.


Remember that alcohol research study I posted a few months back? They were looking for Asians Americans who drink alcohol to participate in a study -- all in the name of scientific research! I'm told it was a big hit and they got a huge response. So good for you, Asians, for getting your alcohol on. Oh, they're recruiting again.

The Addictions Research Laboratory in the Department of Psychology at UCLA is looking for Asian Americans who drink alcohol to take part in a study investigating a medication for alcohol use. You'll be compensated up to $446 for your participation, which will involve, among other things, providing a DNA sample, completing questionnaires... and consumption of alcohol. Sort of.

Read on for details:

Med student charged with stealing dying woman's iPad

Device went missing after cancer patient went into cardiac arrest



Asians behaving badly... iPad-stealing medical student edition! Damn. This one's cold-blooded. A UCLA medical school student faces felony charges of theft for stealing an iPad that belonged to a dying cancer patient.

UCLA Med Student Arrested For Allegedly Stealing From Dying Woman

Natalie Packer, a patient at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, kept her iPad at her bedside while being treated for an aggressive form of breast cancer. But according to her family, Packer's iPad went missing during the Code Blue response to revive her when she went into cardiac arrest.

Research Study seeks Asian Americans who drink alcohol

Where do I sign up? In the name of science, of course.


Do you drink alcohol? Are you Asian American? Are you in the Southern California area? Then I've got the opportunity for you... all in the name of scientific research! Saw this posted on Craigslist...

The Addictions Research Laboratory in the Department of Psychology at UCLA is looking for Asian Americans who drink alcohol to participate in a study investigating a medication for alcohol use. You'll be compensated up to $478 for your participation, which will involve, among other things, providing a DNA sample, completing questionnaires... and consumption of alcohol.

Here are some more details about the study:

Jubilee Project Conference 2014: Live for Something Greater

Saturday, June 21 at UCLA Grand Ballroom



Are you a dreamer? Our friends at the Jubilee Project are hosting their very first Jubilee Project Conference designed to inspire and empower young people to use their talents for positive change. They've invited a great slate of speakers to help start a conversation on what really matters when pursuing your dreams. It's happening Saturday, June 21 at UCLA. Here's a video with more information about the gathering:

Anonymous racist flyer sent to UCLA Asian American Studies

Student groups call on UCLA leaders for support of Asian Pacific Islander community



For a school with a significant Asian student population, UCLA has dealt with its share of recent anti-Asian incidents, from the now-infamous "Asians in the Library" video to last year's vandalism of the Vietnamese Student Union office. This week, the school received another reminder that these incidents weren't isolated, pointing to an ugly, underlying and ongoing trend of discrimination and hate on campus.

UCLA groups call for support in response to offensive flier

On Wednesday, the UCLA Asian American Center received an anonymous document containing a multitude of racist and sexist slurs directed at various groups, echoing the sign that was left at the VSU office in fall of 2012. This one literally "agrees" with that flyer. I hate to say it, but from the looks of it, this near-nonsensical screed appears to be the work of some bitter asshole Asian guy, maybe.

Here's the full flyer (warning: it contains offensive language and imagery, as well as poor design):

They said WHAT!? A Media Consumer Panel, May 17

If you're in Los Angeles, come out to Westwood on Friday evening for They Said WHAT?! - a media consumer panel featuring me, Jen Wang of Disgrasian, Marissa Lee of Racebending, Professor L.S. Kim and Professor Renee Tajima-Pena. It's a free event presented by the Asian Pacific Coalition, the Office of Residential Life, and the On Campus Housing Council as part of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. It's happening May 17 at Rieber Fireside Lounge. Here are some more details:

Yellowface & YOMYOMF at UCLA, May 15

If you're in the Los Angeles area, YOMYOMF, the YouTube network started by filmmaker Justin Lin and friends, invites you to check out a free panel as part of UCLA's Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month events. The panel will feature David Henry Hwang, Lana McKissack, Chester See, Jeff Liu and Phil Chung. It's happening Wednesday, May 15 at De Neve Auditorium. Here are some more details:

UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal Symposium: Only We Can Free Ourselves, April 6

Hey, Los Angeles. This Saturday, April 6, the UCLA Law Asian Pacific American Law Journal presents the 2013 Asian Pacific American Law Journal Symposium. This year's symposium is titled "Only We Can Free Ourselves" and is themed around the works of Professor Mari Matsuda, the first tenured Asian American female law professor in the United States. Professor Matsuda is also the keynote speaker. The event is free and open to the public. Here's more info:

UCLA student fights off attempted sexual assault on campus

At the University of California-Los Angeles, police are looking for a man who tried to sexually assault a student while she walking on campus: UCLA police search for man who tried to sexually assault student.

And yes, the suspect might be an Asian guy.

The attack occurred early Monday morning when the female UCLA student was walking between a parking structure and an engineering building. The attacker approached her from behind: