Sharkbites Newsletter

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022


Hello, everyone!

Former Los Angeles Times Assistant Managing Editor Henry Fuhrmann died on Wednesday after struggling with esophageal cancer for one month.

Fuhrmann is known for his 2018 essay advocating against hyphenated identity markers like “Asian-American.” His work explained that “hyphens serve to divide even as they are meant to connect. Their use in racial and ethnic identifiers can connote an otherness, a sense that people of color are somehow not full citizens or fully American: part American, sure, but also something not American. “Hyphenated Americans” is one derogatory result of such usage.”

His writings were so influential that a year later, the Associated Press changed its stylebook to take out the hyphen and credited Fuhrmann for the alteration. New York Times would follow suit just a few years later. Just days after his death, the
Asian American Journalists Association sent communication awarding him the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Known in the community as a beloved and gentle mentor, Fuhrmann’s legacy is cemented in his journalistic accomplishments, and in the many lives that he impacted in various mentorship and teaching positions.

Henry Furhmann speaks about his career and life with the Asian American Journalists Association.

Spotlight đź’ˇ

Dara Yu, 20, is the youngest winner of “Masterchef,” making history in Wednesday’s finale episode.


Yu has competed previously in “Masterchef Junior,” but
her dedication this season “really lit that fire” to victory this time around. While the challenges were tough and “mentally and physically exhausting,” Yu got a new wave of energy after placing in the top six.

After the winner was announced, Yu finally let out a sigh of relief. Keeping a 10-month secret wasn’t easy, but she’s excited to embark on new journeys. She remains passionate about teaching at the Gourmandise School, a recreational cooking school, and
she will continue to work in the industry: “I’m working on some projects, too, collaborating with some chefs in L.A. to do some pop-ups as well as working on some fun media and business projects. You know, the real work starts now and I’m just excited to see where the journey takes me.”

Dara Yu speaks to Derrick Fox on his podcast show about her journey and experience in "Masterchef Junior."

Race in America 🌎

In Dallas, Texas, local authorities are working to preserve Black, Asian and Latino landmarks.
Currently, the city has 80 designated historic landmarks, but new efforts toward preservation will bring a new and enriched perspective to the history and character of the region.

The proposed
budget plans to invest $1 million over the next two years into conducting historical surveys to determine which places should be protected, which has not been done for more than 30 years. Should the budget be approved by the city council, efforts would focus on underrepresented communities of color and fall under the newly approved Racial Equity Plan.

Murray Miller, the director of the Office of Historic Preservation, explains that, “it’s essential to understand which places may have significance in order to develop appropriate strategies for their protection,” especially as preservation focuses not only on aesthetics, but also on narrative records that document stories that are otherwise neglected.


...


Ballet classics have always carried racialized caricatures that stereotype ethnic groups within their productions. Now, Final Bow for Yellowface, an organization founded by arts educator Phil Chan and Filipina American ballerina Georgina Pazcoguin, aims to dismantle that legacy and advocate for culturally aware ballet.

Yellowface emerged from ballet narratives through their exploration and subsequent projection of orientalist ideas and traditions onto the bodies of dancers. Ballerina student Cory Stieg notes that even in well-known performances of “The Nutcracker,” her teacher would instruct her to open her mouth and bob her head during the Chinese Tea Dance, asking Stieg if she had “seen Chinese people before? Like at the nail salon, they’re always so happy."

Partnering with director Jennifer Lin and producer Jon Funabiki, Steig plans to work on a new documentary titled “Beyond Yellowface,” which follows Chan and Pazcoguin as they advocate for an end to racial stereotypes within ballet.

In Other Asian News đź—ž

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Bejing-led group that spans Eurasia, accounts for around half the world’s population. On Friday, in a joint statement with other Indian, Chinese, and Russian leaders, the group called for a “balance” between reducing carbon emissions and allowing states with fewer resources to catch up, arguing for more leeway in poorer nations’ economic development.


Essentially, the statement follows a unanimous recognition of the negative effects and impacts of climate change and the need for urgent action, as well as the increased development in oil and gas production and exploration. Wanting a “balanced approach between emissions reduction and development,” the group also rejects “coercive measures” that limit nations in reducing their emissions at a set pace, reasserting the right to “independently set national goals in the field of climate change prevention.”

 

...


In India, two sisters from the marginalized dalit caste were found hanging from a tree in the state of Uttar Pradesh. 

Local police suspect that the two girls, 15 and 17,
were gang-raped and murdered in the Lakhimpur Kheri district. Six men have been accused of the crime and arrested so far. The police chief in the district, Sanjeev Suman, told reporters that the girls were lured to a nearby field where they were raped and then “strangled” with the accused’s scarf.

Dalit identities hold the lowest rung of the hierarchal Indian caste system. Called “untouchables,” the community often faces disproportionate amounts of violence and discrimination. On Wednesday, people blocked roads in protest of the injustice and violence committed against the sisters.

A recent protest for other dalit women, 19 and 22, who were murdered.
Another recent protest for other dalit women, 19 and 22, who were murdered.
Image:
Al Jazeera English

Music and TV đź“ş
 

BLACKPINK’s sophomore album “Born Pink” is finally out.

The album contains prereleases “Pink Venom” and “Ready For Love,” but also comes with the title track “Shut Down” as well as a few side tracks. The “Shut Down” music video is packed with references to their past music videos.
BLACK PINK members dance in their new music video after their album release.
Image: BLACKPINK

Actor Manny Jacinto, best known for his role on the sitcom “The Good Place,” has joined the cast of the Disney+ “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte.”

There are no details about his character at this time, but he does join Emmy award-winning “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-Jae for the series.

Manny Jacinto answers questions.
Image: ELLE

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

  • Emmy-winning director Hwang Dong-hyuk has considered asking actor Leonardo DiCaprio to possibly join a future season of “Squid Game.”

  • A Japanese professor has won the coveted Ig Nobel prize for his scientific study on door knob turning. 

  • China has banned schools from requiring students to use electronic devices for learning. 

  • Here’s the story of Seattle from the perspective of the indigenous and Asian communities that helped build it. 

  • A coalition of Asian American organizations are investing $10 million in efforts to increase voter turnout and activate Asian American progressives.

Who would you want to see in Squid Game?

Daniel would like to see Han So Hee and Hyoyeong Jung in season 2. I would like to see Jeon Bae Su in the series.

Sincerely, Mya Sato and Daniel Anderson 

Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Website

Mind sharing our newsletter with friends who might enjoy it? Sign them up below, view our past newsletters and check out our new referral program! We really appreciate your support! 🙏🙏🙏

Click Here!
 
Want to read more like this?
Sign up for Sharkbites to get your free daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.
NextShark.com
© 2024 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.