Race in America 🌎

In San Francisco, 27 Asian American families were victims of a large burglary spree.

The crime happened back in December 2021, prompting the SFPD to launch a full-scale investigation which ended with the arrests of two men. Out of the 28 total families affected, only one was not Asian American, leading many to wonder whether race was a motivating factor. 

The victims continue to struggle with feeling safe in their neighborhoods. 

In Other Asian News 🗞

The hybrid tribunal for the war crimes of the Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot is finally coming to a close.

The joint effort between the UN and the Cambodian government’s last case involves Khieu Samphan’s appeal, who was convicted back in 2018. After 19 years of legal proceedings and millions of dollars, only two convictions have stuck.

The government and the youth are anxious to move on from this violent legacy while the case continues to bring up questions about international law and its efficacy. 

Oceanographers have been documenting the global sea-level rise, and Asian coastal cities are projected to sink at an alarming rate due to climate change. 

In addition to the rising sea levels, other factors including excessive groundwater extraction are contributing heavily to the rapid sinking of Asian cities. In a study published in the Geophysical Research Letters back in April, researchers Pei-Chin Wu, Matt Wei and Steven D'Hondt from the Graduate School of Oceanography emphasize:

"If subsidence continues at present rates, these cities will be challenged by flooding much sooner than projected by sea-level rise models. The most rapid subsidence is occurring in South, South-East, and East Asia. However, rapid subsidence is also happening in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia."

Entertainment 📺

For the upcoming AAPI Heritage Month, HBO is launching a new collection dedicated to AAPI stories. 

Starting on May 1, HBO Max will spotlight hours of curated content by Asian creatives from the U.S. and the international community. HBO Max will also launch its ‘Ani-May’ initiative to celebrate iconic moments and fashion in the animation genre.

Additionally, their annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries Short Film Competition also returns for its sixth year, this time with Poppy Liu as its 2022 ambassador. 

What else is on our minds? 🧠

South Asia’s most intense heatwave?
For Pakistan, March 2022 was the hottest March since 1961. Their neighbor, India, shut down certain schools and neighborhoods due to the intense heatwave. As the heatwave reached 116.6 Fahrenheit (47 degrees celsius) in parts of Pakistan, its Federal Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, urged national and local governments to take urgent, precautionary measures. 

Busan’s floating city?
By 2025, a pilot for a self-sustaining floating city would be complete in South Korea. Located in its second-largest port, the project, Oceanix Busan, attempts to create sustainability from scratch and “support the full range of urban infrastructure—from apartment buildings, markets, offices, parks, green energy grids, to hydroponic farms. The smart city that will generate 100% of its energy and water needs.”  

The first Korean-American NFL players?
This year’s draft picked three Korean American players to join their ranks. Kyle Hamilton, Kyle Murray and YoungHoe Koo are the first three Korean American players, touting impressive careers and even more impressive potential for representation and growth.