Read These Blogs

75 ways Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are speaking out for Black lives
"They helped us, and it is our time to help them," a group of student activists wrote.

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Meet the Asian Americans helping uproot racism in their communities
Young Asian Americans are increasingly engaging in difficult conversations with their parents and community about uprooting their anti-black sentiments and supporting Black people.

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The BTS Army and the Transformative Power of Fandom As Activism
After shutting down a Dallas Police Department app and donating more than $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, it's clear that K-pop fans are a legitimate force to be reckoned with. But this shouldn't exactly be a surprise—fervent fan bases have always been particularly equipped to force change.

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The Real, Tragic Story Behind That 'Roof Korean' Meme You May Have Seen
Those who share "rooftop Korean" memes owe it to store owners in the photos to dig into the history of the 1992 Los Angeles uprising -- and what led them to take up arms.

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The history behind 'Yellow Peril Supports Black Power' and why some find it problematic
While the slogan originated in the 1960s as a show of solidarity between Asian Americans and African Americans, today some say it falsely equates the struggles of the two communities.

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Yellow Peril and Asian/Black/Multinational Unity
Eddie Wong observes how the Asian American movement has evolved and shifted since he began his own activism in the late 1960s.

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Let's Talk About Racism
Lisa Lim illustrated a comic about racism, COVID-19, and living in Queens.

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She's on the front lines of the pandemic. And running for office.
Dr. Michelle Au could become the first Asian American woman to serve as a state senator in Georgia.

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The Scientist, the Air and the Virus
Most of us had never heard of aerosol science before the pandemic. Then Virginia Tech's Linsey Marr showed up and became our tour guide to the invisible world of airborne particles.

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How a Black Filipino Chef Is Feeding the Masses at Williamsburg Protests
Channing Centeno has been whipping up batches of pork and shrimp lumpia, chicken adobo tacos, and more for protesters at McCarren Park.

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Opinion: Harry Potter's Magic Fades When His Creator Tweets
Earlier this month, J.K. Rowling tweeted a series of transphobic thoughts, leaving many of her fans rethinking their relationship to Harry Potter.

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Korean Comfort Foods of Our Pandemic Dreams
Noah Cho on pandemic food cravings, home cooking adventures, and much-missed restaurants.

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Jo Koy's New Netflix Special Is a Celebration of His Filipino Roots
For Jo Koy, filming his latest comedy special in the Philippines was what he calls an item on his bucket list. In Jo Koy: In His Elements -- his third special on Netflix -- he shares the stage with fellow Filipino American performers and comedians including Joey Guila, Andrew Orolfo and Andrew Lopez, breakdancer Ronnie and Philippines-born singer/songwriter Inigo Pascual, among others.

Racist Torrance Park Lady Indentified!

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Torrance Police Identify Woman Who Went on Anti-Asian Racist Tirades
Torrance police officially identified the woman at the center of a social media storm over racist, anti-Asian tirades caught on video as Long Beach resident Lena Hernandez, 56. By now, you've seen the videos. There was already a great deal of speculation about her identity, including another person getting erroneously named and disseminated widely. Officials held a press conference on Friday afternoon to clear things up, mostly likely due to the intense public reaction to these incidents. They've connected her to the two incidents, as well as another incident in October at a local mall. They're asking the community to call Torrance police at (310) 328-3456 with information on Hernandez's location or any other people who may have been attacked.

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Racist Torrance Park Lady Strikes Back

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



"This is our country."
She's baaaack. The racist Torrance park lady continues her rampage of terror in a second video, in which she is seen berating an Asian man, mocking his accent, threatening him, and telling him, among other things, "This is our country." (Somebody forgot to tell her that this is Torrance.) This actually happened in the same park, presumably during the same visit as the other video with the woman in black. Looks like Lady Racist was on a roll that morning. Meanwhile, social media is circulating an account that this same woman was involved in the assault of another woman at a local mall last year. It's only a matter of time before this lady has a run-in with someone with far less patience and poise. And that video's going to be something.

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Hello World, Meet the Racist Torrance Park Lady

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



"Go back to whatever fucking Asian country you belong in."
Wednesday morning in Torrance, California. An Asian American woman exercising at the park has a run-in with a surly woman who tells her, among other things, "Go back to whatever fucking Asian country you belong in." The altercation was apparently set off over the use of a public staircase, when the woman in the hat got a little too close -- purposely, it seems -- to the exercising woman's personal space. The woman proceeds to vomit an entitled racist rant that will surely launch her into internet infamy. Do your thing.

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ASIAN EXCELLENCE!!!!!

don't let white racists in flip flops get away with their bullshit! WE BASICALLY INVENTED FLIP FLOPS!

i do not love a physical fist fight but i gotta say that KO was...satisfying. pic.twitter.com/piibxISdAY

— Jenny Yang (@jennyyangtv) June 10, 2020

Proof That Asians Are Not Inherently Good at Martial Arts
Here's proof that Asians are not inherently good at martial arts. In this video, a racist dude picks a fight with an Asian man on the street. It's worth noting that the Asian guy is not up for the confrontation and valiantly tries to get the fuck away from this guy, the aggressor. But at some point he has no choice and puts up his dukes. What ensues is the least impressive street fight ever captured on video... except for the stunning, deeply satisfying conclusion, where Asian man lands his swing and knocks out the dude. Cold. In the middle of the crosswalk. Even then, the fight decisively over, Asian guy is polite as hell, and attempts to move his vanquished adversary's limp body to safety. It ain't gung fu, but we will still knock a racist the fuck out. And be decent about it.

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Opera In The Rock Presents Madama Butterfly -- in Yellowface!
For real? How is this still okay? The Arkansas-based opera company will be streaming a recorded version of its production of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly -- featuring white actors in what appears to be full-ass yellowface makeup and regalia. And get this: Opera in the Rock originally presented Madama Butterfly in May 2019 in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month "to showcase the struggle and contribution of Asian Americans in our society." It seems this celebration, however, did not extend to anyone going out of their way to find actual Asian actors for this production. This is some bullshit. No, thank you.

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Black lives matter. Thoughts and wishes from one small business.
I found this statement on Black Lives Matter from New York City's Pearl River Mart to be particularly eloquent and thoughtful. It's nice to hear these introspective sentiments from an Asian American small business.

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Karma
HBO Max's Karma takes sixteen contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, completely off the grid, away from parents and the normal comforts of home, to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. Hosted by Michelle Khare, this adventure competition series will test the mental and physical stamina of its young contestants as they unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game. Focus, giving, humility, growth, connection, change, and patience are the path to becoming the "Karma Champion." Karma premieres June 18 on HBO Max.

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.

Surprise, Racists! Your Slurs Are Streaming on Facebook Live

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Retired Navy captain apologizes after racial slurs streamed on Facebook
A former member of the U.S. Naval Academy alumni trustees issued an apology Sunday for using racial slurs on social media. Retired Capt. Scott Bethmann was asked to resign as a trustee on Saturday after a live conversation with his wife that was posted on Facebook disparaged admission by the academy of African Americans, Asian Americans and women. The comments were made by Bethmann and his wife, Nancy, while they were watching TV news and discussing the Black Lives Matter movement. They were overheard using the N-word and making other racial comments while accidentally streaming live on Facebook. Gotcha, suckers. Private racism that becomes public is my favorite genre.

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Katie Leung Speaks Out For Trans Women Amid J.K. Rowling Backlash
If you were only Twitter over the weekend, you may have seen that "Cho Chang" was trending. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling stepped in it again, making remarks about transgender women that were widely criticized as transphobic. Twitter was there for the backlash, airing out old grievances about her work -- including the fact that she lazily named Harry Potter's only East Asian character "Cho Chang." I guess we've been holding on to that one for a while. It got so crazy that even Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in the movies, weighed in on the matter, sort of. "So, you want my thoughts on Cho Chang? Okay, here goes..." she tweeted, before dropping a flurry of links in support of transgender rights. So yeah, I think we know where she stands on what matters.

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BTS Fan Army Matches $1 Million Donation to Black Lives Matter
As I've said before, don't mess with K-pop fans -- particularly the massive fan army behind BTS. When news came out Saturday that BTS and their record label Big Hit Entertainment had donated $1 million to support the Black Lives Matter campaign amid worldwide protests against racism and police brutality, their fans decided to match it. And match it they did -- in just over a day.

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How to Feed Crowds in a Protest or Pandemic? The Sikhs Know
"Since the coronavirus pandemic has halted religious gatherings in most of the country, including langar, gurdwaras like the Sikh Center of New York, in Queens Village, are mobilizing their large-scale cooking resources to meet the skyrocketing need for food aid outside their places of worship."

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Well Played by Beau Sia
"These poems began as an answer. In the face of the undeniable, they became a reckoning. Of the lies that are lived to feel belonging. Of the lies that are told to hide shame. Of the lies that are believed to maintain within illusions. Well Played is a warning to the present, a welcoming of the truth, and a poet working to earn his way."

They Call Us Bruce 100b: They Call Us Daniel Wu and W. Kamau Bell

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

100! In part two of this special double-sized 100th episode, timed with the premiere of the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Be Water, we welcome actor Daniel Wu and comedian W. Kamau Bell to help celebrate our podcast milestone and nerd out over our shared love of -- who else? -- our podcast's namesake, Bruce Lee.

Read These Blogs

It's time for Asian Americans to unite in solidarity with black Americans
Jeff Yang on the need for Asian Americans to unite in solidarity with Black Americans.

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Damaged Asian businesses show solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters
"EVERYTHING IN MY STORE WILL BE REPLACEABLE," one shop owner wrote, "while lives are being senselessly lost, on a way too regular basis, is the way bigger issue."

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The Asian American Reply to Pandemic-Era Racism Must Be Cross-Racial Solidarity "Asians can and should take time to grieve and process the trauma of what we're experiencing. But it's also time to push our collective racial consciousness forward, past insular self-awareness and toward cross-racial solidarity."

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Asian Americans need to talk about anti-blackness in our communities
Hmong American police officer Tou Thao, who stood by as George Floyd died at the hands of his colleague, has sparked a conversation among Asian Americans.

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Untitled: A Reflection from a Vietnamese American in Minneapolis
Bao Phi, a Minneapolis-based poet, writes about George Floyd's murder, the unrest that followed, and what it's like being a Vietnamese American in the Twin Cities at this pivotal moment in history.

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For One Immigrant Community, George Floyd's Death Isn't Just About Black And White
Former police officer Tou Thao, a Hmong American, is seen on video of the killing running interference with the crowd and standing watch. His involvement has stirred a racial debate among Asian Americans.

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How Asian Americans Are Reckoning With Anti-Blackness In Their Families
George Floyd's death at the hands of police has galvanized some Asian Americans to try to start conversations with their families about anti-Black racism.

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Talking to my non-Black Asian Mom About Property Destruction
"While I've written a lot both publicly and academically about how to challenge anti-Blackness in non-Black Asian American communities, I haven't unpacked property destruction in relationship to Black Lives Matter protests. So here are some strategies I've used."

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30+ Ways Asians Perpetuate Anti-Black Racism Everyday "We all perpetuate anti-Black racism in our daily lives. We can't fight anti-Black racism unless we can notice its manifestation in ourselves and others on a daily basis in our workplace, social interactions, and online engagement.

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Myka Stauffer and the Aggressively Inspirational World of "Adoption Influencers"
When YouTube influencer Myka Stauffer tearfully announced that she "rehomed" a baby she and her husband adopted, people began talking about the pitfalls of the adoption industry and "adoption influencers."

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Shannon Lee on Bruce Lee's legacy and how their family dealt with racism
Bruce Lee's daughter discusses the ESPN documentary Be Water.

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Bruce Lee Was a Civil Rights Leader. What Would He Say Now?
Shannon Lee and Be Water director Bao Nguyen discuss the martial arts legend's legacy of activism.

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I had a million reasons to love Bruce Lee, but I hated him
The Undefeated's Cary Chow had a complicated relationship with Bruce Lee. He reached out to others to hear their thoughts on the martial arts icoin, and whether they suffered from the same cultural paradox.

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Dear Bruce Lee, I wish you were here...
Actor Daniel Wu pens a letter to his hero.

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Bowen Yang on Pride, Making 'SNL' History and the Transformative Power of Michelle Branch
A profile of Bowen Yang, whose "bone dry and histrionic" delivery got him on the cast of Saturday Night Live.

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Maxine Hong Kingston's Genre-Defying Life and Work
Asian American literary pioneer Maxine Hong Kingston, whose writing has paved the way for many immigrants' stories, has one last big idea.

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Zeshan B On 'Melismatic' And Creating Music That Champions Brown Power
Bridging Indo-Pakistani music and soul, Zeshan B tackles the issues of the day through his music.

A Cartoonist Looks Inward Regarding Anti-Black Racism

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



'Black Lives Matter' to Me Because...
In the wake of protests over the murder of George Floyd, cartoonist Connie Sun has been looking inward and reckoning with her personal role in the context of anti-black racism as an Asian American. Recalling a painful memory from childhood, she drew this comic to start a dialogue. Read the rest of the comic here.

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EVERYONE I HAD BLACK LIVES MATTER WRITTEN ON MY BACK WINDSHIELD. THIS MAN CAME TO THE HOUSE AND PROCEEDED SO SCREAM ALL OF THIS RACIST SHIT. IM FUCKING TERRIFIED. WAY TO GO SCV. #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/eWOKgKhgpq

— johnnie (@janaisevilla) June 4, 2020

"EVERYONE I HAD BLACK LIVES MATTER WRITTEN ON MY BACK WINDSHIELD."
Imagine being someone so offended by the sentiment that Black lives matter. This person caught an interaction with a neighbor who came knocking, incensed, because she had "Black Lives Matter" written on the back windshield of her car. Props to the friend who holds her ground. And no props to the asshole neighbor.

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BAY RIDGE DOES NOT WELCOME RACISTS
You know those racist flyers that recently popped up in Brooklyn? The neighborhood has clapped back. After flyers declaring "CHINESE ARE DESTROYING BAY RIDGE" showed up on lamp posts in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, someone started posting flyers declaring equally emphatic capitalization, "BAY BRIDGE DOES NOT WELCOME RACISTS. BAY RIDGE LOVES ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS."

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Investigation Launched Into Welfare of YouTuber's Adopted Son
Authorities launched an investigation into the welfare of Myka Stauffer's adopted son, Huxley, after the YouTuber announced that she and her husband, James Stauffer, had placed him with another family. "The Delaware County Sheriff's Office has received several inquiries regarding the welfare of a local 5-year-old child, who was recently given up for adoption. This child is not missing," the Ohio-based sheriff's office said in a press release. "Our primary concern is for the well-being of this child, as well as the other children in the household." Thankfully, the kid is not missing -- and hopefully, with a better family than with these crooks.

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Wu-Tang’s RZA on the Influence of Bruce Lee
In celebration of the new 30 for 30 documentary Be Water premiering on ESPN, Wu-Tang Clan's RZA dropped a new track, "Be Like Water" -- his tribute to martial arts icon Bruce Lee.

They Call Us Bruce 100a: They Call Us Bao Nguyen

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

100! On this episode, the first half of our two-part "cent-episode," we welcome filmmaker Bao Nguyen, director of the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Be Water, which explores -- from a decidedly Asian American perspective -- the groundbreaking journey of martial arts icon (and this podcast's namesake) Bruce Lee.

An Open Letter Project on Anti-Blackness

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Letters for Black Lives
Letters for Black Lives is a set of crowdsourced, multilingual, and culturally-aware resources aimed at creating a space for open and honest conversations about racial justice, police violence, and anti-Blackness in our families and communities. It started as a group of Asian Americans and Canadians writing an intergenerational letter to voice their concerns and support for the Black community. They've since grown to include other immigrant groups and communities of color. The goal is to listen, support, and amplify the message of Black Lives Matter within our communities.

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CHINESE ARE DESTROYING BAY RIDGE
This racist flyer, proclaiming "CHINESE ARE DESTROYING BAY RIDGE," was spotted in Brooklyn's Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights neighborhoods this week. The flyers claim, among other things, that Chinese locals are driving away white homeowners, blame Chinese residents for spreading COVID-19, and describe Chinese-owned restaurants as "dirty." By the way, this is a hate crime. Imagine being the hateful, bored asshole designing this bullshit, printing it out on your little inkjet, and taping it up around your neighborhood -- thinking someone's actually going to listen to you. You are sad.

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Omaha Mayor Calls Korean Woman a 'Troll Who Hides Behind symbols'
The mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, has apologized for calling a Korean American woman "a Facebook troll" and "a coward" because she displayed her name in Korean on social media. The woman, Soyeon Sohn, commented on Facebook this week after the city imposed a curfew in response to protests over the death of George Floyd. She used the symbols of the Korean alphabet for her name, prompting the racially insensitive response from Mayor Jean Stothert, who said, "A Facebook troll who hides behind symbols and doesn’t list their name, is a coward." She later apologized, saying she did not recognize the Korean alphabet.

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The Dragon Kids · "Masked Kids" NPR Student Podcast Challenge

The Winners Of The NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Meet the grand prize winners of the 2020 NPR Student Podcast Challenge! In the Grades 5-8 category: "Masked Kids" by sixth-graders Leo Yu, Angelo Chen, Becky Liu, Si Chen Xu, Joyce Jiang, Zoe Jiang, Nicole Zheng and Amanda Chen of PS 126/Manhattan Academy of Technology in New York City. In their podcast, the students interviewed high schoolers about the harassment they felt as the coronavirus hit New York City. Along the way, the students taught listeners relevant words such as mask, sneeze and face in Mandarin.

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Wish Dragon
Check out the trailer for Wish Dragon, the upcoming animated feature from Sony Pictures Animation. Described as "a genie-in-a-bottle retelling set in contemporary China," the film is a modern-day fairy tale about "the moral challenges that emerge from the encounter between a boy and a dragon who is able to make wishes come true." Directed by Chris Appelhans, Wish Dragon features the voices of Jackie Chan, Constance Wu, John Cho, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Will Yun Lee, Jimmy Wong, and Bobby Lee.

All Four Cops Now Charged in George Floyd's Killing

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America



All Four Cops Involved in George Floyd's Killing Now Face Charges
Minnesota officials charged three more former police officers on Wednesday in the death of George Floyd, and added an upgraded charge against the former officer who pressed his knee to Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Derek Chauvin, who was previously charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, now faces a more serious count of second-degree murder. Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, who helped restrain Floyd, and Tou Thao, who stood near the others, were not initially charged, but now face counts of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

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We Cannot Stay Silent About George Floyd
"I'm not saying we were the ones who killed George Floyd. But we have to be the ones who pull that cop off his neck!" In this Patriot Act digital exclusive, Hasan Minhaj responds to the wave of protests over police brutality.

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Sikh Liquor Store Owner Attacked in Hate Crime
Last month in Colorado, a Sikh liquor store owner was brutally attacked by a man who told him to "go back to your country." Lakhwant Singh and his wife were working in their store when the attacker, Eric Breemen, entered and began harassing the couple, damaging numerous items and shouting profanity. When Breemen finally left the store, Singh went outside take a photo of Breemen's license plate in order to report the harassment. Breemen then used his vehicle to ram Singh, who suffered serious injuries. Breemen, who was out on bond for another case, was apprehended and charged with six felonies, including attempted murder, first-degree assault for extreme indifference, first-degree assault for causing serious bodily injury, leaving a scene involving serious bodily injury, vehicular assault and violating bail bond conditions. But what about hate crime charges"?

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K-Pop Fans Take Over #WhiteLivesMatter to Drown Out Racist Posts
On Wednesday, sad little racists apparently tried to get #whitelivesmatter trending, only to be resoundingly thwarted by K-pop fans. Yes, K-pop fans. In an anti-racist move that demonstrates their formidable, highly organized social-media power, K-Pop fans hijacked the hashtag, drowning out white-supremacist messages with nonsensical or anti-racist posts. Moral of the story: don't fuck with K-pop fans.

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Bruce Lee: Art of the Warrior
Ahead of Be Water, the new 30 for 30 documentary on the life of Bruce Lee, ESPN asked eight Asian and Asian American illustrators to reimagine the icon who redefined what an Asian man could be in America.

Meet the Guy Who Sheltered Protestors From Police

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Meet Rahul Dubey, the Hero Sheltering D.C. BLM Protesters
On Monday night, when protesters were driven into a D.C. neighborhood after curfew, one local hero opened his home to 75 strangers for a night-long standoff with DC police. Meet Rahul Dubey, the "legend" who provided a home -- and pizza -- to those who needed it.

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Hmong Family Whose Son Was Shot by Police Speaking Out in Solidarity
"Youa Vang doesn't know George Floyd's family, but she does know their pain. Both lost loved ones at the hands of Minneapolis police: Vang in 2006 when an officer fatally shot her 19-year-old son, Fong Lee; the Floyds, just last week when a white officer used his knee to pin George Floyd down for almost nine minutes after taking him into custody. That shared grief has pushed Vang, a refugee from Laos who immigrated to America in 1988, to stand in solidarity with the black community to fight for justice for Floyd -- and to encourage Asian Americans, who have been divided in support of movements like Black Lives Matter, to do the same."

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Armed Man Arrested for Posing as National Guard in Downtown LA
Asians behaving badly... fake National Guard edition. Police say a 31-year-old man dressed in a uniform, carried an assault rifle and tried to fall in line with National Guard troops on Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles. Gregory Wong, who apparently took an Uber downtown while carrying a rifle, was arrested when actual National Guard troops noticed him getting into formation. Wong -- reportedly a former member of the National Guard -- was arrested for manufacturing or distribution of an assault weapon. Yeah, don't be this guy.

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​'Tell Me Who My Mother Is': A Korean Adoptee Seeks Her Roots
Armed with DNA test results, Korean American adoptee Kara Bos is asking a South Korean court to rule that an 85-year-old man in Seoul is her biological father as part of her quest to meet him and ask why she was abandoned and who her mother was. Her paternity lawsuit could set a precedent for overseas adoptees.

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Warner Bros. Offers Free Rentals of 'Just Mercy'
In response to current events, Just Mercy, the 2019 film about the work of civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, has been made available for free rental on digital platforms during the month of June from Warner Bros. Pictures. Directed by Destin Daniel Crettin, the film stars Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson, who defends Walter McMillian in order to fight a wrongful murder conviction. Check out the film, and to learn more about Bryan Stevenson and his work at the Equal Justice Initiative please visit EJI.org.

Do Not F*ck With K-pop Fans

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Police Asked People To Call Out Protesters. They Got Flooded With K-Pop Instead.
On Sunday, the Dallas Police Department asked people to send in "video of illegal activity" from the Black Lives Matter protests in the city through the iWatch Dallas app, where people can submit photo, video, or text tips about possible crimes. Instead, it received a flood of pictures and videos of K-pop artists. In response to the tweeted request from Dallas Police, hundreds of K-pop fans replied with photos and videos of their favorite artists. Many people also claimed to have submitted videos of the police harming protesters, as well as fan edits of K-pop artists, to the iWatch Dallas app. Lesson: do not fuck with K-pop fans.

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Officer Who Stood by as George Floyd Died Highlights Complex Asian American, Black Relations
The image of then-Minneapolis police Officer Tou Thao, a Hmong American, standing with his back turned as a white officer knelt on George Floyd's neck has ignited a discussion about how to approach the topic of anti-blackness in the Asian American community. Thao, who has a history of being involved in use-of-force incidents, is being described by activists as a symbol of Asian American complicity in anti-blackness following the death of Floyd, a black man who begged for his life while then-Officer Derek Chauvin dug his knee into his neck for more than eight minutes.

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San Jose Officer Benched After Viral Protest Comments
The San Jose Police Department was doing damage control after one of its officers trended nationally on social media for aggressive comments toward demonstrators protesting the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis, shouting "Let's get this motherf—er" and "Shut up, bitch as he manned downtown skirmish lines. The officer, confirmed to be six-year SJPD veteran Jared Yuen, was recorded in multiple instances late Friday afternoon and drew immediate and wide rebukes from thousands of people who watched the video and called for Yuen's firing. As of Monday, authorities confirmed that Yuen has been temporarily taken off street duty and will not be staffing any more demonstrations.

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Fresh Off the Boat & Kim's Convenience Live Table Read
If you missed it, here's video of the casts of Fresh Off the Boat and Kim's Convenience doing a live table read of their respective shows' pilot episodes. Presented by Seed & Spark, the event was a fundraiser benefiting East West Players, Visual Communications, the Reel Asian International Film Festival.

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Casting Call: Growing Up Asian
An Emmy Award winning production company is looking for Asian American families to cast in a new reality series for a premium streaming network. Based on the casting call, it looks like they're looking for super driven Asian American parents who push their kids hard to achieve. Sounds like Tiger Mom: The Series! I don't know... could be a trap. I'll let you decide. Apply here.