Asians in America : Magazine

Listen to an Interview with the First Chinese-American Woman to Enter Congress

By NPR | July 23 2009

Making history after coming a long way, Judy Chu sits down with National Public Radio to discuss the long road now behind and in front of her.

California Democrat Judy Chu last week became the first Chinese-American woman to enter Congress. Chu, 56, was sworn in Thursday and represents the 32nd Congressional District of California. In a special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Labor Secretary Labor Hilda Solis, Chu won with nearly 62 percent of the vote.

The newly-minted Congresswoman talks about her journey from school board member to Capitol Hill and winning a district of majority Hispanic voters.

To listen to the full interview, visit NPR's site.

The White House Welcomes Actor Kal Penn

By Natasha T. Metzler for the Associated Press | July 7 2009

A familiar face to television and the big screen, the Indian-American actor steps into his new political role in the Office of Public Liaison, with the hopes of bridging the gaps between the administration and A/P/A populations of the U.S..

Actor Kal Penn started a new job Monday as a liaison between the White House and Asian communities.

The Indian-American actor is taking a break from Hollywood to work as an associate director in the Office of Public Liaison, with a focus on connecting President Barack Obama with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as arts groups.

Penn had a recurring role on Fox's TV show "House" and starred in several films including "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and its sequel, "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay"

Penn, who backed Obama during the campaign, said the new job has nothing to do with his life as an actor.

"I expect to be treated just like any other staff member," he told reporters on a conference call.

To read the full article, visit this website.

An Interview With: Kong Hyo-Jin, Korean Actress

By Michelle Geslani for Asians in America magazine | July 1 2009

Kong Hyo-Jin is a force to be reckoned with. Although having been in the film industry for more than 10 years now, the Korean actress is never at a loss for reinventing those characters she portrays. Last week at the New York Asian Film Festival, audiences embraced both screenings of the movie Crush and Blush, in which Hyo-Jin played the leading role.

As a crazed, awkward, and often ostracized teacher named Me-Sook, Hyo-Jin accomplished the difficult task of not only mastering the character’s maniacal tendencies, but also enabling her to be felt sorry for and pitied (especially when she blushed beet-red) because of her vulnerability. Hyo-Jin made the story of a woman’s obsessive mission to woo her crush feel just as poignant as it was insane.

Her work in the film has been widely recognized and praised. She was the first female recipient of the Rising Star Asia Awards presented by Subway Cinema and The Hollywood Reporter. I had the privilege of speaking with her about her performance in Crush and Blush.

AIA: What initially drew you to this film?
Kong Hyo-Jin: The character she played has a very strong and sometimes frightening personality, but at the same time she’s a very likeable dimension so I had to figure out a way to make audiences like her and even root for her. So that was sort of my task in this film, that’s what weighed on my mind a lot. But I knew I wanted to help the character achieve this. After a lot of thought, I decided I wanted to take on the challenge.

Do you value family honor? Respect for elders? Education? How about really good dim sum?

News Release | February 2009

Take part in a study on Asian Values and Decision Making. You may win a prize!

A graduate student at the Iowa State University Department of Human Development and Family Studies is working on a master's thesis looking at the influence of culture on attitudes and everyday decision making. The online survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete the questionnaire. Among those who complete the survey, there will be one drawing for every 25 participants for a $20 gift certificate.

This study is intended for Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, 18-30 years old, and who are proficient in English. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There are no foreseeable risks associated with this project. However, if you feel uncomfortable about answering any questions, you can withdraw from the survey at any point.Your survey responses will be coded and will remain confidential.

If you have any questions, you may contact Wendy Liu at everydaylife@iastate.edu

To participate in this survey, please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2bPW6ZS4BMLqJZvX6gfPWww_3d_3d

GCCA's Dream Makeover: Non-Profit Edition

By Vivian Huang for Asians in America | February 2009

Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA) recently received a new year's makeover thanks to the initiative and organizational efforts of Mabel Cheah, a member of their Young Adult Leadership Team, Jacqueline (Jack) Rios, their friends and community members. Executive Director Kendra Lee believes that the non-profit organization located in an old convent building had not been cared for in this fashion in its 37 years of service.
 
Over the course of one weekend, Mabel, Jack, and their group of  volunteers scrubbed the community center anew by chipping off layers of old paint, applying new primer and paint onto the walls, clearing out storage space, decorating with thoughtful embellishments, and purchasing new office supplies. I had the privilege to meet with Kendra, Jack and Mabel last Thursday when they gave me a tour of the renovated space. Hoping that this article will spread the word about GCCA and its invaluable resources for the Chinatown community, I write now also to share yet another example of how a small group of people can make a difference in our community.

Indian-American scientist gets Astronomy Honor

News Release | February 04, 2009

In a rare honour, Indian-American physicist Mani Bhaumik has been chosen as the sole patron for the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are observing 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's astronomical telescope.

Announcing his appointment on Wednesday, the IAU said ``it is proud to have Dr. Mani Bhaumik as dedicated supporter of IYA2009's global activities.''

It said, ``Dr. Mani Bhuamik (is a) physicist, internationally bestselling author, celebrated lecturer, entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. He is a laser physicist who announced the successful demonstration of the world's first efficient excimer laser at the Denver, Colorado meeting of the Optical Society of America in May 1973.

"This is the class of laser that would eventually eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses in many cases requiring vision correction. The procedure popularly known as Lasik takes less than a minute and has helped over fifteen million people worldwide."

Read the complete article at The Times of India.

Hayashi, state Assembly honor Korean American Day

By Mary Hayashi for Pleasanton Weekly News | January 27, 2009

More than 1.5 million with some Korean ancestry now live in U.S., says Pleasanton legislator

The State Assembly Monday approved a resolution by Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi (D – 18th) that recognizes Korean American Day in California.

The resolution recognized the day in 1903 that marked the beginning of Korean American history when 102 Korean men, women and children landed in Hawaii after venturing across the Pacific Ocean aboard the S.S. Gaelic. Through the resolution, Hayashi, who represents just under half of Pleasanton, said she hoped to highlight and honor the contributions of the Korean American community to the U.S. The resolution was approved by a unanimous vote.

"Korean American Day grants us the opportunity to reflect on more than one century of the Korean American community, unity and progress," Hayashi said. "Korean Americans have helped to enrich every aspect of American culture: from judges to entrepreneurs, athletes to performers."

To read the complete article, visit the Pleasanton Weekly News.

Two Dead, One Seriously Injured When Van Strikes Kids In Chinatown

News Release | January 22, 2009

Two children have been killed and one other critically injured when a van jumped the sidewalk in Chinatown earlier today.

The incident occurred just before 11:30 a.m. in front of 38 East Broadway near Market Street.

According to police, one four-year-old girl was pronounced dead on the scene.

Two other children, a four-year-old girl and three-year-old boy, were taken in critical condition to New York Downtown Hospital, where the boy died.

Doctors at Bellevue Hospital said they received nine children and two teachers with minor injuries. They were all treated and released.

Police sources say all of the children were under the age of four.

One account, according to the Associated Press, says the driver told police that he had left the van running to make a delivery. The vehicle kept moving, pinning three children against a storefront.

Read the complete article at NY1 News.

Another techie from Andhra Pradesh dies in US

South Asian Insider | January 22nd, 2009

Muthyala Purushottam, a 27-year-old software engineer from Andhra Pradesh, was found dead in his flat in Indianapolis in the US, family sources said on Thursday. This is the second incident of the death of a techie from the Indian state in the US this month.

Purushottam's family in Anantapur town received a phone call from the US on Wednesday informing them that he was found dead in the bathroom of his flat on Tuesday night.

He was working for Triton Infotech and was married to 25-year-old Praveena Reddy, who is also from Anantapur.

Read the complete article at South Asian Insider.

Asian-American political profile rising in US

By Juliana Barbassa for Yahoo News | January 18, 2009

When three newly elected Chinese-American city supervisors climbed on stage in Chinatown, flanked by dragon dancers and lit up by camera flashes, they were hailed for making history in a city their forebears have shaped since the Gold Rush Days.

Now their November sweep has been topped with the election of one of them, David Chiu, as president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors — the second most powerful position in local government.

It is fitting that San Francisco, which is 34 percent Asian and home of the nation's oldest Chinatown, is leading the way on Asian-American political representation. But the country's fastest growing minority group also is reaching new heights on the state and national stage.

Read the complete article on Yahoo News.