Sharkbites Newsletter

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JUNE 13, 2022


June 12 commemorated Araw ng Kasarinlán, the day the Philippines gained independence from Spain.

Yesterday was Philippine Independence Day, and after many COVID restrictions were lifted,
communities gathered around the world to celebrate.
In the U.S., concerts and parades in Washington, D.C., New York and New Jersey lit up the streets with color and culture.

Both supporters of President-elect Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and anti-Marcos protestors attended the events as well. Similar celebrations took place in Japan and Norway, but for Filipino diasporas in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China, their gatherings were either delayed or prohibited due to other activities and policies.

A woman smiles as her dance group performs at the parade for Philippine Independence Day.

Image: New York Street

Race in America 🌎

To honor the late Rep. Patsy Mink, the first woman of color in Congress, House leaders will unveil
a portrait of her in the Capitol on June 23.

Mink was a third-generation Japanese American and Democrat from Hawai’i who fought for women’s rights among other social justice issues like childcare and early childhood education. She championed Title IX which banned discrimination in education, including sports, on the basis of sex. Representative Judy Chu, the chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus explained that they pushed for this portrait “so that everybody who walks down the halls of the Capitol can see that an Asian American woman was a prominent leader who influenced this country to be better.”



In San Lorenzo, California, drag queen Panda Dulce was reading a story to children at a local library for Pride Month when a group of men, believed to be associated with the extremist and far-right group, the Proud Boys, 
stormed in to verbally harass her.


Not only did they disrupt a safe environment, but they also used white power hand gestures along with homophobic and transphobic insults and slurs against Dulce. They called her a pedophile, a tr*nny and a groomer.

However, Dulce, who is Ivy-league educated and has over 10 years of experience in social work, is determined to use education, inner resilience and community strength to fight against organized hate and violence. The incident is currently being investigated as a hate crime. 




In Other Asian News 🗞


In India, ecologists, permaculturists, food growers and everyday citizens are engaging in safe, healthy and well-informed foraging.

Like many cultures and communities, India has a long history of using commonplace resources like regional wild plants as part of their healthy diets. Food knowledge, although often hidden in family histories and oral tradition, is not completely lost. Experts ecologists like Nina Sengupta share their own recipes using foraged greens and stress that people need to prepare their plants correctly before eating, however.




There is no shortage of Chinese investment in African countries, even if there are economic imbalances and concerns. With rising tensions in the global race to create a zero carbon car industry, Chinese industries have been looking at Zimbabwe’s lithium mines.

While the reserves were largely untouched due to a lack of demand, Chinese companies have started to tap into those deposits for their electric vehicles. China’s mine grabs contrasts heavily with Western companies’ slow production. 



Gaming and Film 📺

Nexon, Japan’s gaming giant, plans to return to high-budget virtual world building, aiming to be bigger and better than before.

The company responsible for gaming staples such as “MapleStory” and “Dungeon and Fighter,” is currently valued at $22 billion. Its recent acquisition of Stockholm-based Embark Studios and its $400 million investment into AGBO, an independent studio by the Russo brothers, are all part of the plan to compete with larger entities that have stalks around “the metaverse.”



“Crazy Rich Asians” heartthrob Henry Golding announced that he will be joining the Netflix sequel, “The Old Guard 2,” along with actress Uma Thurman.

The story, adapted from the graphic novel series created by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, will follow a group of immortal mercenaries fighting to keep their secret identities. Details about the projects are still heavily under wraps, but rest assured, the project is gaining momentum and attention. 

Henry Golding laughs and looks to his side as he talks about his watches and their sentimental memories. He wears a yellow button up with a black leather jacket during this interview with GQ.

Image: GQ

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

What Hogwarts House are you in?

Daniel is a Ravenclaw and I’m a Slytherin.

Sincerely, Mya Sato and Daniel Anderson 

 
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