Chinatown garment workers win $1.2 million in damages for labor law violations

Ah yes, the old phantom boss trick. Nice try.



Justice! Passing along this news from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund... This week, a Manhattan federal judge awarded thirteen Chinatown garment workers over $1.2 million in damages for unpaid minimum wage and overtime pay owed between 2005 to 2010.

The plaintiffs -- thirteen Chinese immigrant garment workers represented by AALDEF -- were employed at the Walker Street Factory six or seven days a week, regularly toiling over 10 to 12 hours a day or even longer when the factory was rushing to complete some garments. The workers were paid by the piece and often did not earn the minimum wage or receive overtime pay.

San Jose man shot and killed in road rage incident

Fundraiser accepting donations for the family of Phuoc Hong Long Lam



This is a tragic story out of the Bay Area, where a father was shot and killed in an apparent road rage incident in San Jose last week. Police are asking for the public's help in the investigation, and have also set up an online fundraiser accepting donations on behalf of the victim's family.

San Jose police raise nearly $45,000 to help family of road-rage victim

37-year-old Phuoc Hong Long Lam was gunned down on the road a few blocks from his home. After almost getting into a collision with another vehicle, Lam got out of his car to confront the other driver. According to police, that's when a passenger in the suspect's vehicle pulled out a gun and opened fire on Lam.

Lam would have turned 38 next week. He was the family's sole breadwinner. To help out his widow and family in their time of need, a group of San Jose police officers have set up a webpage to collect donations, and already raised over $70,000:

Fund This: 'Crush the Skull: The Feature'

"Burglars vs. Serial Killer"



Have to show some crowdfund love to friends makin' a movie... Crush the Skull, from actor/co-writer Chris Dinh and co-writer/director Viet Nguyen, is described as a "scary, darkly funny, popcorn, horror movie." Or, in a nutshell, "burglars vs. serial killer." All they key personnel are in place, and they're aiming to shoot this summer. Now they're raising the cash to make it happen.

The film is actually a hybrid of Chris and Viet's two award-winning short films, Crush the Skull and Things You Don't Joke About. Watch this video for some more info about the project and to get a feel for the tone:

Fresh first look at 'Fresh Off the Boat'

Just an ordinary family pursuing the American Dream...



Awwww yeah. Fresh off the news that Fresh Off the Boat has been picked up by ABC for its 2014-15 primetime lineup, here is a video with your first look at the culture shock comedy series, just posted for the network's upfronts. And I think it looks pretty darn promising:

Could the Sriracha factory relocate to another state?

Politicians are trying to woo Huy Fong Foods to more supportive, spice-friendly locales



The Saga of Sriracha continues. As you know, the embattled Huy Fong Foods, makers of that sweet, fiery goodness, have been entangled in a heated struggle with the city of Irwindale over perceived odors emanating from the company's Sriracha factory, where they manufacture and bottle the green-tipped saucy magic.

Well, if it's that much trouble to stick around Irwindale, why not just pick up and go somewhere less hostile to the hotness? That's what some out-of state politicians are hoping Huy Fong CEO David Tran will considering, promising a more welcoming environment if his Sriracha plant is willing to relocate.

Sriracha Factory Irritates Some California Noses, but Entices Politicians

This week, a delegation of Texas lawmakers and state officials toured the hot sauce plant in an attempt to lure Huy Fong out of California to the more supportive, spice-friendly Lone Star State.

Suspect in custody in fatal beating of 68-year-old man

Police are questioning a suspect in connection with the deadly assault on Wen-hui Ruan



In New York, police say they have a suspect in custody in connection with the beating death of 68-year-old Wen Hui Ruan, who was fatally assaulted in Manhattan's East Village on Saturday night.

Man, 20, arrested in fatal beating of man, 68, in Alphabet City

Surveillance video of the incident shows the suspect approaching Ruan and yelling at him before throwing him against a wall. The suspect then punched and kicked Ruan in the head before walking away.

According to sources, the 20-year-old suspect was arrested early Tuesday at 14th Street near First Avenue, after police received a tip through the Crime Stoppers line. The motive for the attack is believed to be an attempted robbery, though charges are still pending.

Soldier memorialized with "Pvt. Danny Chen Way"

Unveiling Saturday, May 17 at Elizabeth & Canal Street in New York City's Chinatown



Pvt. Danny Chen, the Chinese American U.S. soldier who was found dead in October 2011 after enduring intolerable racial hazing and harassment from fellow soldiers while serving in Afghanistan, will be memorialized at an event this weekend in New York's Chinatown.

A section of Elizabeth Street, between Canal and Bayard, will be co-named "Pvt. Danny Chen Way." The city council approved the re-naming last December. The street unveiling, preceded by a breakfast reception and march sponsored by OCA-NY and other community organizations, will take place on Saturday, May 17.

Here are some more details about the unveiling:

2015 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Fashion

Vilcek Foundation seeks immigrant fashion professionals for $50,000 prize



Calling all immigrant fashion professionals! The Vilcek Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of immigrant contributions to American arts and science, is currently seeking eligible candidates for the 2015 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Fashion.

The Creative Promise Prizes aim to encourage and support young immigrants who have demonstrated exceptional achievements early in their careers. Three winners in the field of fashion -- including fashion designers, stylists, makeup/hair artists and image makers -- will receive a $50,000 unrestricted cash prize.

Eligible candidates include individuals who were born outside the United States, are currently permanent residents or naturalized residents, and are 38 years old or under. Categories include:

Support the release of Matt and Grace Huang

American couple says they have been falsely imprisoned in the death of their daughter



An update on the case of Grace and Matthew Huang, an American couple who have been held in Qatar since last year after being accused of abusing and starving their adopted daughter to death.

A Push to Aid American Couple Held in Child's Death in Qatar

The Huangs, who were convicted of child endangerment by the Qatari court in March, and sentenced to three years in prison, have posted a YouTube video with photos and footage depicting their multiracial family's story, offering new insights into the circumstances behind the death of their daughter Gloria.

Advocates for the couple say that the video was meant to raise awareness and help with fundraising for the defense and exoneration of the couple, who have been forbidden from leaving Qatar.

Firefighter sues department over blame in Asiana crash death

24-year-veteran claims she is a "scapegoat" in the death of teen crash survivor



In the fallout from last summer's Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco, there's a whole lot of finger-pointing, and not a whole lot of people willing to take responsibility for the three passengers who died.

A firefighter has filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco Fire Department, claiming that she was made a scapegoat and falsely identified as the driver of the rig that fatally struck a teenage survivor after the crash.

Firefighter sues over being blamed in SFO Asiana crash death

16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan survived the fiery crash at San Francisco International Airport on July 6, but was killed when she was run over by two rigs as she lay on the ground near the aircraft's left wing.

According to firefighter Elyse Duckett, a 24-year veteran of the fire department, she was made a "sacrifical lamb" in fire officials' investigation of the accident, which singled her out and blamed her for Ye's death. Duckett says that by the time she arrived on the scene, Ye had already been killed by another fire rig, and her body obscured by flame-retardant foam.

Suspect sought in fatal beating of 68-year-old man

Brutal, unprovoked assault on Wen Hui Ruan in Manhattan's East Village caught on video



In New York City, police are asking for the public's help searching for the suspect responsible for the vicious, unprovoked fatal assault of an elderly man on the street in Manhattan's East Village on Friday evening.

East Village unprovoked attack leaves man dead

68-year-old Wen Hui Ruan was walking home on East Sixth Street between avenues C and D, at around 8:43pm, when a suspect came up from behind, yelled at him and started attacking.

Surveillance video from the scene shows the man pushing Ruan against a wall, shoving him to the ground, then punching and stomping him on the head. He then casually walks away after the attack.

Ruan was taken to the hospital in critical condition, and died from his injuries the next day.

Here's surveillance video footage of the attack. The video is ten minutes long, but the assault occurs within the first 40 seconds (warning: it's extremely disturbing):

Watch this awesome fan-made live-action 'Akira' trailer

The big-budget Hollywood studio version can suck on this



At this point, millions upon millions of dollars have been sunk into Warner Brothers' proposed whitewashed Hollywood remake of Akira, much to the dismay of fans of the classic, groundbreaking manga and animated feature. I stand with everyone who hopes the project will die a fiery death, and stay dead.

Meanwhile, a group of dedicated fans have been hard at work on their own live-action version of Akira, in the form of a very cool-looking trailer. The Akira Project is a crowd-sourced effort to create a live-action fan trailer. And that's it. Just some die-hard fans dedicated to making an adaptation that is true to the source material.

I first wrote about this a couple of years ago, back when they were fundraising for the project. It looks they've finally completed the damn thing... and it looks pretty amazing. Check it out:

Recreating that railroad photo -- this time, with Chinese people!

Asian Americans gather to recreate iconic "golden spike" photograph at Promontory Summit



Friday, May 10 marked the 145th anniversary of the completion of America's first transcontinental railroad. In 1869, the landmark moment connecting the country's two coasts was commemorated with the symbolic hammering of a golden spike, and an iconic photograph taken at Promontory Summit, Utah.

But that famous photo, which shows a crowd of men swarmed around two locomotives, has always been marred by a glaring omission: not one Chinese person. Not one of the 12,000 laborers from China who toiled to build the Central Pacific Railroad. They apparently weren't allowed to take part in this historic photo.

So last Friday, a group of Asian Americans -- including descendants of the Chinese railroad workers -- celebrated the railroad's 145th anniversary by recreating the famous photo at Promontory Summit, with locomotives and everything. Only this time, Chinese people were definitely included in the photo.

A 'photographic act of justice' for Chinese laborers at Golden Spike

Some 200 Chinese Americans, Chinese citizens and other Asian American friends took part in Friday's commemorative event:

ABC orders 'Fresh Off the Boat' to series

Comedy series, based on Eddie Huang's memoir, stars Randall Park, Constance Wu and Hudson Yang



If you don't keep track of the network TV pilot scorecard, and haven't heard the news... Over the weekend, it was announced that ABC has picked up the comedy series Fresh Off The Boat for its 2014-15 lineup. The order makes it the first network television sitcom in twenty years to feature an Asian American family.

ABC Orders Comedies 'Cristela,' 'Fresh Off the Boat,' Renews 'Last Man Standing'

The half-hour, single-camera comedy, based on the memoir by chef/restaurateur/personality Eddie Huang, is set in 1990s Orlando and follows the misadventures of 12-year-old Eddie and his Taiwanese immigrant family, who experience culture shock when they move from Washington DC to Florida.

Fresh Off the Boat -- there's some confusion over whether the show is going to be called "Fresh Off The Boat" or "Far East Orlando" -- stars Randall Park, Constance Wu, Ian Chen, Forrest Wheeler and Hudson Yang -- our current Angry Reader of the Week -- as the hip-hop-loving young Eddie.

Read These Blogs

20 years ago I helped kill the Asian-American family comedy -- today my son may help bring the genre back to life: Two decades ago, cultural critic Jeff Yang had a hand in killing off network television's first Asian American family sitcom, Margaret Cho's All-American Girl. In this funny comic with Louie Chin, he talks about irony -- or is it karma? -- that his son is now playing the lead in ABC's Fresh Off The Boat.

I sold my body (and nearly my soul) to Abercrombie: Oliver Lee Bateman recounts the racism and body shaming he encountered and perpetuated as a manager for Abercrombie and Fitch.

Race integral part of Vincent Chin case: Unfortunately, fools still argue that Vincent Chin was murdered for reasons that didn't have to do with his race. Detroit native and law school chancellor Frank H. Wu asserts that race wasn't just a factor, but the factor in Chin's brutal death.

Our Complicity With Excess: To succeed in America means that at some level you've made peace with its rather ugly past. Producer and musician Vijay Iyer's speech to Yale's Asian American alumni.

Donald Sterling's Model Minority: Clippers owner Donald Sterling is a racist who loves Koreans. How his asshole tactics to exclude Latinos and African Americans from his Koreatown property speaks to a huge problem of racism in America.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed



1. Body of missing dental student found in Hudson River

2. Man shot to death after getting out on the wrong floor

3. B-Boy "Monks" get down in Union Square for MCA Day

4. Angry Reader of the Week: Hudson Yang

5. CAPE's #IAm Campaign celebrates AAPI role models

6. Chinese Railroad Workers to be inducted into Labor Hall of Honor

7. Law students seek posthumous admission of Chinese lawyer to California State Bar

8. Epilepsy Does Not Define Me

9. Sikh and Muslim families file discrimination complaint against go-kart track

10. Angry Asian America Episode 4: "Do Your Tweets Create Social Change?"

Stay Angry, my friends.

Noir, Neon, Karaoke, Crime with Henry Chang

Thursday, May 15 at Asia Roma in New York City



Basement bars, book readings, and karaoke. If you are in NYC's Chinatown on Thursday, May 15, you can have all three. Henry Chang's new novel Death Money follows Detective Jack Yu through New York's Chinatown, and Chang will be reading excerpts from his new book at Asia Roma. And yes, there will be karaoke after:

Apply to the Asian American Writers' Workshop Fellowships

Two different fellowships for emerging writers in New York City



Hey, writers! The Asian American Writers' Workshop is now accepting applications for two different year-long fellowships for emerging writers in New York City, associated with AAWW's online magazines, Open City and The Margins. Whether you're a hard-nosed reporter, a prose stylist, or a poet, they've got something for you. Read on for more information about the fellowships:

Angry Reader of the Week: Hudson Yang

"I’m all about the bling — cha-ching, cha-ching! That’s a joke, yo."



What's up, everybody? You know what's up. It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Hudson Yang.

Bay Area middle school may be renamed for Fred Korematsu

School board has plans to rename Portola Middle School for Japanese American civil rights hero



Some cool news out of the Bay Area... A new middle school campus in El Cerrito has plans to be renamed for the late civil rights hero Fred Korematsu, who hailed from the area and was arrested for his refusal to cooperate with the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

El Cerrito middle school may be renamed for Japanese American rights advocate

Korematsu, who was born in Oakland in 1919 and grew up in San Leandro, was arrested for defying the government's wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans. He appealed his case all the way to the Supreme Court, challenging the legality of the internment, but lost. Decades later, in 1983, Korematsu was vindicated when his case was overturned. It was a landmark moment in civil rights history.

The plan to rename Portola Middle School after Korematsu will be on the agenda for consideration by the West Contra Costa school board next week.

Smithsonian APA Center invites you to Wikipedia APA, May 10

An edit-a-thon for cultural presence



Yet another way to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month... edit a Wikipedia article?

For better or for worse, Wikipedia is often the first site many people go to for info online, but it's been well documented that Wikipedia editors are overwhelmingly young, white and male. The Asian Pacific American Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, happening May 10, is an interesting effort to get our diverse AAPI community to have a voice and presence on one of the most widely-used resources in the world for general information.

Wikipedia APA is a physical event going down this Saturday in several cities across the United States. You're invited to take part. Whether you're a seasoned Wikipedian, an APA studies scholar, or completely new to all of this, your voice is needed to add to the presence of cultural, historic, and artistic information on Wikipedia about Asian Pacific American (APA) experiences.

Here are some more details:

Indira Talwani confirmed as federal judge in Massachusetts

First person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in the First Circuit

More great judicial confirmation news... On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Indira Talwani to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts by a 94-0 vote.

Indira Talwani Confirmed As First Asian Pacific American Federal Judge in Massachusetts

Talwani is the first person of Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in Massachusetts and in the First Circuit, which includes Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico and Rhode Island. She is also only the second female Article III judge of South Asian descent nationwide.

Prior to her confirmation, Talwani was a partner with Segal Roitman in Boston and was previously a partner with Altshuler Berzon in San Francisco.

New webseries 'Maker's Lane' profiles on NYC entrepreneurs

First five episodes focus on Asian American creative hustlers



More cool content just in time for Heritage Month... Maker's Lane, created by Sahra Vang, is a newly launched web series about entrepreneurs in New York City. Each episode profiles a different creative hustler making it happen. In the DIY digital age, these stories capture the spirit of the American Dream, American Hustle.

The first five episodes, debuting weekly through the month of May, focus on Asian American entrepreneurs. Here's the 90-second trailer:

Chinese Railroad Workers to be inducted into Labor Hall of Honor

Formal induction ceremony at U.S. Department of Labor on Friday, May 9



This week, the U.S. Department of Labor will induct the thousands of Chinese railroad workers, who worked on the Central Pacific Railroad between 1865 and 1869, into the Labor Hall of Honor. It only took 145 years.

Sikh and Muslim families file discrimination complaint against go-kart track

Company policy bars attendees from wearing religious head coverings



In California, five families of Sikh and Muslim faith claim they were discriminated against at a popular amusement park when they were barred from riding go-karts because of their religious head attire.

Livermore: Sikh families claim discrimination at Boomers go-kart track

The families have filed multiple public accommodation complaints with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing against the Boomers! amusement park chain. The complaints, filed by United Sikhs and CAIR-CA, allege violations of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act based on Boomers! unwillingness to permit park attendees wearing religious head coverings from riding Go-Karts.

Both Muslim and Sikh park attendees have repeatedly been denied access to the rides.

Awesome Asian Bad Guys kick ass at LAAPFF

Encore festival screening on Friday, May 8 at the Tateuchi Democracy Forum in Little Tokyo



I am still reeling from Saturday night's amazing Los Angeles premiere of National Film Society's Awesome Asian Bad Guys at the 30th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. It was, yes, awesome.

Directors Stephen Dypiangco and Patrick Epino were joined by stars of the action/comedy webseries -- including Tamlyn Tomita, Yuji Okumoto, George Cheung, Randall Park, Aaron Takahashi and Dante Basco -- as well as a fantastic, energetic crowd. As executive producer, on behalf of the whole team, thank you to everyone who came out and supported the project. It was soooo much fun.

Here are some photos from the evening, courtesy of Joseph Dypiangco:

Angry Asian America Episode 4: "Do Your Tweets Create Social Change?"

With co-host Jenny Yang and special guests Taz Ahmed and Jason Lee & Eddie Lee of Jubilee Project



Heeeeeyyy! Proud to share the latest episode of Angry Asian America, my web talk show with the fine folks at ISAtv. In episode four, co-host Jenny Yang and I welcome good friends Taz Ahmed and Jason Lee and Eddie Lee of Jubilee Project (and a special guest appearance from a big green lizard).

We talk about online activism, Asian Americans, and getting people to give a sh*t. This episode was particularly fun because we get to shoot with some cool Godzilla set pieces at the YouTube Space in Los Angeles. Jenny has waaaay too much fun with a green foam hand. Take a look:

Man shot to death after getting out on the wrong floor

26-year-old Stephen Guillermo mistakenly went to the wrong apartment unit



Tragic news out of San Francisco, where a man was shot to death by a fellow tenant late Saturday night when he went to a unit on the wrong floor of his apartment building after returning home from a night out.

Man shot to death after he gets out on the wrong floor

26-year-old Stephen Guillermo, who lived on the fifth floor, mistakenly pressed the wrong button on the elevator, got out on the third floor, and went to the wrong unit. He was shot and killed by the unit's tenant, 68-year-old Amisi Sudi Kachepa, when he entered the apartment.

Music in Conversation feat. Yuna, Run River North & Baiyu

Friday, May 9 at Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium



If you're in the Stanford area, lucky you. On Friday, May 9, Stanford University's Asian American Students Association and the Muslim Students Awareness Network are kicking off API Heritage Month by holding a concert, Music in Conversation. The night features Yuna, Run River North, and Baiyu:

Apply to the AAPI Digital Leadership Weekend

Three-day intensive digital strategy training, August 8-10 in Washington DC



Are you interested in building critical online organizing skills to strengthen your digital advocacy and on-the-ground organizing? Then apply to participate in the first national AAPI Digital Leadership Weekend, an online organizing training program for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The Brain Trust, a digital strategy startup for AAPI change-makers, has partnered with the New Organizing Institute to bring you knowledge and expertise from top practitioners in digital, data, and technology. The intensive, three-day training is happening August 8-10 in downtown Washington DC.

Here are some more details about the training:

Watch 'Japanese American Lives' this month on PBS

Documentary series explores diverse history of Japanese Americans



We've got Heritage Month on the TV.... The Center for Asian American Media celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Japanese American Lives, a special three-part public television series that explores the diverse history of Japanese Americans, hosted by Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi.

The documentaries in the series, presented on PBS throughout the month of May, include Stories From Tohoku, Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, Honor & Sacrifice, and Don't Lose Your Soul -- four unexpected Asian American stories of inspiration, artistry, family and hope.

Here's a preview of episode one, Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, which tells the inspiring story of Keiko Fukuda, the first woman in the world to attain a 10th degree black belt:

'Elements' by Kina Grannis

Long-anticipated sophomore album from fan-favorite folk-pop singer/songwriter



At last! You know we're big fans of singer/songwriter Kina Grannis around here. So you know I'm super excited about the release of her highly-anticipated sophomore studio album Elements, finally out this week. It's been a long time coming, and the album represents a more mature, introspective Kina. I've had it playing nonstop all day, and it's pretty darn marvelous and lovely all around.

Here's the lyric video for one of my favorite songs, "The Fire":

AAPI Voices: Amplifying the Voices of Asian Pacific America

New data-driven storytelling project from 18 Million Rising and National Asian American Survey



Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. If you haven't checked it out already, I want to point your attention to the hot content coming out of the newly launched AAPI Voices, a collection of curated writing by AAPI journalists, activists, researchers, artists, bloggers, and culture creators.

A collaboration between our friends at 18 Million Rising and National Asian American Survey, each piece featured in the #AAPIVoices project will highlight data related to our communities and experiences. Their aim is to combine the power of compelling data with the brilliance of storytelling to paint a fuller, truer picture of what it means to be AAPI today.

Each week in May, in observance of Heritage Month, posts in AAPI Voices will focus on a different themed topic: Racial Identity and Categorization; Health; Immigration; Age and Generational Differences; and Education. Read it all here, and check back throughout the month for new, fresh content.

Watch Nice Girls Crew Season Two!

Starring Lynn Chen, Michelle Krusiec and Sheetal Sheth as the best book club ever



Apologies to my homegirls in the Nice Girls Crew.

The second season of the comedy webseries, created/written by Christine Kwon, directed/written by Tanuj Chopra and starring Lynn Chen, Michelle Krusiec and Sheetal Sheth as three best frenemies in the best book club ever, dropped last week. I was actually on vacation, and wasn't able to give it proper blog love. So here it is.

In season two, available for viewing in its entirety on YouTube, the book club moves their shenanigans to Sophie's house where we meet Geraldine's mom (the legendary Tsai Chin) and Leena's hot new love interest. There are motivational speeches, literary re-enactments and deadly games of survival.

Watch it now:

Epilepsy Does Not Define Me

Sponsored Post by Wendy Tang



Turning 30 is a milestone in anyone's life. And I was no different. By 30, I had purchased my first home and my career as a financial planner had taken off. Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan, however. That same year I was diagnosed with epilepsy.

My first seizure is a vivid memory. I was at work when I suddenly felt a bit dizzy. The next thing I knew, paramedics surrounded me. Only later did I learn that I had experienced a seizure. Next came a battery of medical tests, scary for someone like me who had always been in great health. Later, after a second seizure, doctors confirmed I had epilepsy.

Epilepsy was something I knew nothing about, let alone how to recognize or treat it.

South Bay First Thursdays presents (Re)Present 2014

Thursday, May 8 at the Theatre on San Pedro Square in San Jose



If you're in the Bay Area, and looking for something to do on a Thursday night, South Bay First Thursdays invites you to (Re)Present 2014, their annual celebration of API excellence in performance art, dance, music, and spoken word. The evening will include performances from members of Run River North, Soalnias, Peter Chung, Chara Bui and more. It's happening May 8 at the Theatre on San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose.

Here are some more details:

Apply to the APAPA Bay Area 2014 Summer Internship

Internship opportunity for college students interested in public service or community leadership

Hey, Bay Area college students! Are you interested in pursuing a career in public service or community leadership? The Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association is currently searching for API college students for the APAPA Bay Area 2014 College Summer Internship Program.

The program provides an opportunity for students to work as staff interns in the offices of elected officials and policy orgs across the Bay Area, and developing skills and experience in leadership, public policy and civic engagement. Previous offices have included San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Assemblymember Phil Ting, and Congressman Mike Honda.

Here are some more details about the internship:

Music Video: Mike B's "Crossover" remembers the LA riots

Video recalls media coverage of Koreatown during 1992 uprising



Just got a chance to watch this music video for "Crossover," which dropped a couple of weeks ago from Korean American rapper Mike B. Last week marked the anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles uprising, and the video is a provocative remembrance of the event, and a critique of the media's irresponsible coverage, from someone who lived through it. Take a look:

Law students seek posthumous admission of Chinese lawyer to California State Bar

Hong Yen Chang was denied a license to practice law in California in 1890



A group of law students at UC Davis are fighting for the rights of an Asian American attorney who was denied the opportunity to practice law in California due to discrimination more than a century ago.

Law students seek to right historic wrong with posthumous California Bar admission of Chinese lawyer

Students with the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) at UC Davis are pushing for the posthumous admission of Hong Yen Chang to the California State Bar. Chang was denied a license to practice law in California in 1890. Because, in case you didn't know, California laws were f*cking racist in 1890.

Chang, who earned his law degree from Columbia Law School in 1886, was admitted to the New York state bar in 1886 -- the first Chinese immigrant admitted to any bar in the United States. But when he moved to California to practice in San Francisco, exclusionary laws barred him from earning his law license in the state.

May 10: A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America

Smithsonian exhibition to document the transnational scope of the APA community



Just wanted to remind folks that the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center's A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America kicks off on Saturday, May 10. The epic photo/video project aims to document and celebrate the everyday lives of Asian Pacific Americans. Photos and short videos taken on the day will be featured in Flickr and possibly selected for an online Smithsonian exhibition.

At the very least, this is an awesome opportunity to see some striking images from our community by AAPI photographers doing kickass work. Here's some work from the portfolios of a few of the photographers the Smithsonian has tapped to take part in "A Day in the Life..."

CAPE's #IAm Campaign celebrates AAPI role models

AAPI artists and entertainers assemble for original webseries and mini-documentaries



In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) has launched the CAPE #IAm Campaign, an awesome webseries putting the spotlight on AAPI personalities and role models in media and entertainment.

The campaign features a scripted webseries and nineteen mini-documentaries featuring dozens of stars like Michelle Phan, Steven Yeun, Carrie Ann Inaba, Harry Shum Jr., Lisa Ling, Jeremy Lin and more. I have the honor of somehow getting included in the mix with these awesome people. Whaaaat.

First, here's the #IAm campaign trailer:

B-Boy "Monks" get down in Union Square for MCA Day

Robed crew of breakers bust a move in honor of late Beastie Boy Adam Yauch



New York City. Saturday afternoon. If you were hanging out in Union Square, you might have caught some highly nimble Tibetan monks getting down in homage to the late Adam Yauch, aka MCA of the Beastie Boys.

Video: "Monks" Breakdance In Union Square In Honor Of MCA Day

Or more likely, they were just dudes dressed in the garb of Tibetan monks -- but dudes with moves! This robed crew of breakers were kickin' it root down to celebrate the third annual MCA Day in New York, celebrating the life of the late great Beastie Boy, who lost a three-year battle with cancer on May 4, 2012 at the age of 47.

As you'll see, robes aren't the most conducive clothes for breaking. But they do all right:

Body of missing dental student found in Hudson River

29-year-old Jiwon Lee, last seen April 1, suffered from depression



Damn. Tragic news out of New York City, where police confirmed that a body found floating in the Hudson River has been identified as dental student Jiwon Lee, who had been missing for over a month.

Body found in Hudson River is identified as that of missing Columbia University student Jiwon Lee

Lee, a 29-year-old year student at Columbia Dental School, was last seen on April 1. She was wearing a sweater, underwear and boots when her body was found floating off of W. 86th St. on Saturday afternoon.

Lee was reportedly bi-polar, suffered from depression and had previously attempted suicide before she went missing. The investigation tracked her cell phone to the George Washington Bridge, which prompted speculation that she had jumped.

Read These Blogs

Are We One, or Many? To kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Jeff Yang tackles the question, "Does it even make sense to talk about Asian Americans as a single group?" (The Voltron image will make more sense after you read the post.)

Wanted: Disgruntled Asian-Americans to Attack Affirmative Action: Recently, anti-affirmative action crusaders unveiled three propaganda websites putting the call out for students who were rejected from big universities -- and each one featured an Asian face.

Culture Blaming and Stereotyping in the South Korean Ferry Tragedy: Speculation about what exactly resulted in the Sewol ferry's tragic capsizing have led to a lot of racist conclusions about Korean culture.

Minya Oh: 'I Was Never Gonna Not Want To Listen To This': Minya Oh -- popularly known as New York City radio personality Miss Info -- was a music reviewer for The Source back in 1994, and recognized Nas' debut album Illmatic as an instant classic.

Pulitzer-Winning Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas on "Documented: A Film by an Undocumented American": Journalist/activist/filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas was recently a guest on Democracy Now to talk about his film, Documented, which is opening in limited theatrical release.



The Case Against Vincent Chin: "I am less anxious about the threat from the Ku Klux Klan and skinheads than I am the possibility that an ordinary guy across the bar, with economic unease and too much booze, turn outs to be savage enough for violence."

Pretending racism doesn't exist won't make it go away: Neal Rubin's recent essay for Detroit News: underplays race in a dangerous way. Jeff Yang intervenes, and starts a dialogue with Rubin.

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Month...and BTW, the race aspects of the murder of Vincent Chin are no urban myth - AALDEF: Rubin's article came just in time for AAPI Heritage Month. AALDEF's Emil Guillermo responds.

Why Is There No Pill For 'Asian Glow'?: On enzymes, red face, and Esquire's terrible binge-drinking advice.

For California's sake, Irwindale needs to save its Sriracha plant: This editorial argues that there's no need to drive business away from the city of Irwindale -- and possibly the state -- when hot sauce maker Huy Fong Foods is working toward a compromise.

Angry Reader of the Week: Puneet V. Kakkar

Hey, everybody! It's that time again. I am pleased to introduce the latest Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Puneet V. Kakkar.

Those silly Asians in and their "Ping Pong" dreams

Hey, look! Asians in Armin van Buuren's latest music video



Nerdy Asian alert. There's a whole bunch of Asian people in this music video for electronic artist Armin van Buuren's "Ping Pong," including one dude with some very ambitious table tennis dreams. Because if call your song "Ping Pong," you gotta have some Asians up in there, right? It's all very silly, but fun.

AAPI Heritage Month Opening Ceremony

Tuesday, May 6 at the U.S. Department of Interior



On Tuesday, May 6, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders kicks off AAPI Heritage Month with an Opening Ceremony at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington DC. The event will include remarks from Vice President Joe Biden, a swearing-in ceremony of the new President's Advisory Commission on AAPIs, live performances from Mike Song, KRNFX and others, and a panel discussion with actor Maulik Pancholy and other high profile AAPIs. Here are some more details:

UPS calls customer "chink" in delivery documentation

Now shipping with racial slurs



For real? There's not a lot of information to go on, but I got this passed along to me, and the simple, bold casual racism of it -- by a representative from a major corporation -- just makes you shake your head.

A woman who recently received a package via UPS discovered that her delivery came with some colorful, racist language. In the delivery documentation, someone -- presumably, the UPS employee responsible for the delivery -- made note that the package was signed for by "CHINK."

Presidential Proclamation: AAPI Heritage Month, 2014

Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, my friends. Let's make it a good one.

It's May, and you know what that means. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! It's the officially recognized, government-designated month to celebrate and highlight the history of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and our many contributions to the United States of America.

Though on this blog, as I like to point out every year, that's kind of like every month.

Still, AAPI Heritage Month is always a great opportunity to tout the accomplishments of our pioneers and everyday heroes, and further examine the many significant struggles and challenges still facing our community.

So, for the record, here is the proclamation signed by President Barack Obama regarding Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2014. From the office of the White House Press Secretary: