Race in America 🌎

The first Asian American-led march for racial justice in Washington is expected to bring 15,000 people to the Capitol.

As a showcase of political involvement and power, The Unity March on June 25 will bring together over 50 Asian American nonprofit organizations and other BIPOC advocacy groups, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC, Gold House, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), Sikh American Legal Defense Fund (SALDEF), Voto Latino and the NAACP. The march will highlight critical issues like citizenship for undocumented people, bolstering voting rights and their protections and multicultural education for K-12 and university students. 

Organizers hope this will show the collective strength of Asian Americans and their allies to make change.



As Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CDI) changes due to gentrification, it becomes a surreal experience watching childhood staples turn into shops and streets you’ve never seen before.

While rotating shops and businesses are common and demonstrate a demographic shift, old flavors from Southeast Asia like dim sum, congee, wonton noodles, egg tarts and barbeque are getting replaced by one boba shop after another. Census data shows a significant increase in young East Asian residents but a decline for South and Southeast Asian residents. With high-rise housing projects and transportation crossing into the neighborhood, community members are stressing over housing shortages, cultural preservation, gentrification, affordability and safety.





In Other Asian News 🗞

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new Agnipath, or “path of fire,” military recruitment system is gaining nationwide disapproval.

Citizens and government officials from PM Modi’s party expressed opposition to the system, which aims to lower the registration age to 17 and shorten the duration of service to only four years. Young citizens are worried that the new system will leave them jobless and unsupported after the contract expires.

Protests across the subcontinent broke out, causing police to also react with violence, shooting into the crowd. Details about possible injuries and casualties have not been released.



North Korean military shot and burned a South Korean fishing official, adding to existing cross-border tensions.

Lee Dae-jun, originally suspected of defecting to North Korea, went missing in September of 2022 while working as a fishing inspector. At first, South Korean intelligence assumed he had defected due to his debts.

After Lee’s family demanded a reinvestigation, authorities found that there was no evidence supporting the previous claim and apologized for causing confusion. North Korea defended its actions, claiming that shooting Lee and burning his body was a “self-defensive measure.” Investigations will continue as authorities press on to learn the truth surrounding his disappearance. 





Music 🎶

BTS has been everywhere in the news lately. Many are interested in hearing what the members have planned. In recent interviews, they’ve elaborated on their solo projects. 

While J-Hope is the first member set to release new music, Suga also explained that he’s hard at work with a new album. He’s exploring new themes and genres in his follow-up album to “D-2,” but admittedly, there isn’t one direction he’s tied to.

Suga shared that he has “no feel for what kind of music” he will make as he gets older but wants to keep making music until the day he dies. Now that is passion.



But, BTS isn’t the only K-pop group in demand. LOONA had to add four more shows due to “overwhelming demand” after their North American tour sold out.

The “LOONATHEWORLD” tour will also visit Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City on Aug. 23, 25, 26 and 28, respectively, to wrap up. As the group’s first tour outside of South Korea, the success means a lot to the fanbase and its members. More details about their world tour plans are yet to be released.

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

• Local government in Washington, D.C., renamed the street in front of the Saudi Arabian embassy Jamal Khashoggi Way. The brown street sign will be a reminder and a memorial to the memory of the assassinated journalist.

• For President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., communists and Muslim insurgent groups are significant national security concerns, and Philippine officials recently identified and froze the assets of suspected communist “terrorists.”

• This shrine in Kumamoto, Japan, sold “puppy charms” (Ingo-hyotan charms for good health) made of rice flour to ward off bad luck during the Gion Festival. They are so adorable and come in pastel colors. You don’t understand my jealousy.

• Citizens are gathering in Zhengzhou to protest the government freezing their assets. But, they’re noticing a suspicious trend: Their COVID-tracking app suddenly turns from green to red, limiting their movements.

• As part of their militarization effort, the Taiwanese military showed off its first domestically manufactured armored vehicle, showcasing its ability to produce its weaponry without relying on the U.S. 

Do you see signs of gentrification in your ethnic neighborhood?

Daniel dislikes the new salad spots in CID. I try to support local restaurants and keep up to date on community activism in NYC’s Chinatown.

Sincerely, Mya Sato and Daniel Anderson