OCTOBER 15, 2022

Hello, everyone!

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire found that cyberbullying victimization increased since the beginning of the pandemic, and Asian American students between the ages of 13 and 17 experienced significantly more cyberbullying than their counterparts, with 59% reporting more incidents since 2019.

The study, published in the Journal of School health, studied middle and high school students in public and private institutions across the country, with a specific focus on investigating heightened anti-Chinese sentiment in harassment and bullying.

Compared to statistics collected in 2019, when Asian American students were the least likely to have experienced cyberbullying with 10% being targeted overall and 7% targeted due to their race, in 2021, one in four youths (23.5%) reported being targeted online.

Spotlight 💡

Kym Estrada, who longed for vegan pastries that reflected her Filipino heritage, filled that void herself and now operates a full-time pastry project, San & Wolves – a name inspired by Studio Ghibli’s film, “Princess Mononoke.”

After building on her professional baking experience in New York City, Estrada moved her operations to Long Beach, California. Currently, she works at her weekly pop-up diligently, serving up creations like cheesy ensaymadas, fluffy pandesals and cakes with ube, pandan and black sesame flavors. Estrada plans to establish a storefront in the future, but is still content with her work right now experimenting with new pastry ideas like pandan-flavored pretzels and mango-infused bibingkas (fluffy rice cakes).

Estrada also hopes to be vocal about veganism from an Asian American perspective and step into the insular and white-dominated vegan community to “represent the Filipino community.”

Race in America 🌎

Off the heels of the recent “The Blame Game” report from Stop AAPI Hate, Asian American politicians are imploring for the use of precise language and non-harmful rhetoric when discussing China or other issues that may stir anti-Asian sentiment.

New York Democratic representative Grace Meng said about the report earlier this week, “This hate was largely fueled by the way that some of our nation’s top leaders chose to talk about the pandemic with terms like ‘China virus’ and ‘kung flu,’ and we knew what this would lead to. We begged leaders not to use these words.”

California Democratic representative Judy Chu adds, “When the Chinese government acts against our interests or values, we can and must speak out. But we need to be deliberate in what and who we criticize. It should be specific to those who are responsible, not broad statements that scapegoat all Chinese people.”
 

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An Asian night market featuring some of D.C.’s best Asian American chefs is happening on Oct. 15 in Arlington, Virginia with some proceeds going to the organization Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate.

From 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, the event will have 5 stalls for chefs Julie Cortes of the Michelin guide Bib Gourmand restaurant Kaliwa, Masako Morishita of Japanese restaurant Perry’s, Seng Luangrath of the Southeast Asian eateries Padaek and Thip Khao, James Beard Award nominee Jerome Grant with the American and Filipino concept Mahal BBQ and Chef Kevin Tien, who recently competed on Bobby Flay’s cooking competition show “Bobby’s Triple Threat.”

The festival is a free event including a DJ performer, carnival games and live mural paintings. Attendees can feast on dishes such as Japanese style fried chicken, bacon-wrapped pork belly and noodle soups.

In Other Asian News 🗞

According to sources within the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency is readying itself to block new telecommunication sales from Huawei and ZTE.

The FCC is expected to vote on rules forbidding the sale of new electronics produced by several companies that are listed as security threats to the U.S., although it is unlikely that the ban would block sales of equipment previously approved by the agency. Both Chinese companies have not commented on the impending decision.
 

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In efforts to boost the Philippines’ defense capabilities and military modernization, the U.S. authorized $100 million in foreign military financing to the Southeast Asian nation.

Ambassador MaryKay Carlson explained in a media briefing that the $100 million is “in part for the Philippine military to use as it wishes, including allocating a sum to “offset” the nation’s decision to scrap a $227.25 million deal with Russia.

The Philippines remains the largest recipient of U.S. military assistance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Entertainment 📺

Jake Choi, best known for his role as Miggy on the ABC comedy series “Single Parents,” is set to star in the upcoming Hulu flick “Honeymoon Friends,” a sequel to “Vacation Friends.”

The original film was about the friendship between an uptight couple and an off the walls couple. This sequel’s plot is being kept under wraps but Choi will play a hotel executive that forms a bond with the character Marcus.

Harry Shum Jr. will voice Brainiac 5 in the forthcoming animated movie “Legion of Super-Heroes,” a continuation of the “Tomorrowverse” series of animated superhero films from DC Comics.

Darren Criss will reprise his role voicing the iconic Superman.
 

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The 2022 American Music Awards has created a new category: Favorite K-pop Artist and the nominees include BLACKPINK, TWICE, BTS, TXT and SEVENTEEN.

Additionally, BTS gained a nomination for Favorite Pop Duo or Group for the fourth year in a row.

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

• BTS is the only K-pop act to make it on Rolling Stone’s list “The 50 Greatest Concept Albums of All Time.”  

• A crowdfunded project to create special sushi for pregnant women has taken off in Japan. 

• Nintendo has settled a labor dispute between the company and a former game tester who was fired earlier this year, agreeing to pay the worker over $25,000. 

• Retailer Shein has been fined $1.9 million for a failure to notify its 39 million users of a data breach. 

• A restaurant in Japan serving only frozen food items has become a hit.