Race in America 🌎

In Other Asian News 🗞

Preliminary results from a Tokyo Bar Association survey show significant bias in officers against foreign residents. 

A total of 62.9% of individuals reported being questioned, drawing results from 2094 people with foreign origins. Over the past five years, survey respondents were “approached by the police over the past five years, 50.4% were stopped “two to five times,” while 10.8% were questioned “six to nine times” and 11.5% “10 times or more.” (The Japan Times)
 

In Indonesia, a landmark bill against sexual violence was passed. 

On Tuesday, the Indonesian parliament passed a bill “aimed at building stronger cases and helping victims to secure justice,” which is a significant move in a nation where sexual violence is often overlooked and ignored as a private matter. 

A majority of lawmakers supported the bill, despite strong opposition from conservative groups. While the scope of the bill is still limited, with the mentions of rape omitted, the bill is welcomed as a positive step to help restitution and case building.

Entertainment 📺

Last weekend, Japanese freestyle snowboarders Hiroto Ogiwara and Reira Iwabuchi landed the world’s ever backside 2160 and frontside triple 1260, respectively.

A clip of 16 year-old Ogiawara landing the jump on his sixth attempt shows the excitement on his face after his success. Meanwhile, for the women’s competition, Iwabuchi also created history by being the first woman to land the frontside jump.



Former Japanese Princess Mako secured a new position at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC as an unpaid volunteer working in curation.
 

Currently, the former Princess is concentrating on the “museum's Asian art collection and has specifically been involved in preparing an exhibition of paintings inspired by the life of a 13th-century monk who traveled throughout Japan as he introduced Buddhism.” (People)

Her degrees and studies in art and cultural heritage, art history, and art museum and gallery studies qualified her for the position.
 

What else is on our minds? 🧠

“America’s Next Top Model” is a nightmare? 
According to former contestants, the competition aimed at redefining the fashion and modeling industry not only created opportunities for a select few to succeed, but also created serious mental and physical after-effects for many participants.
 

Ali Wong is divorcing her husband?
A favorite subject in her stand-up shows, Ali Wong’s husband, Justin Hakuta, and the comedian herself announced their divorce. After 8 years of marriage, the two will be co-parenting their two daughters lovingly.