AUGUST 6, 2022

Hello, everyone!

Asian American residents in California are suing Siskiyou County and its sheriff, Jeremiah LaRue, for racial profiling, harassment and discrimination.

Through the American Civil Liberties Union in Northern California and the Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus, Asian residents are filing a 52-page class-action suit accusing the sheriff and the department for its “sweeping campaign to harass and intimidate Hmong and other Asian Americans.” Among these campaign efforts, “the defendants have used widespread racial profiling in traffic stops, restricted access to water making it difficult for Asian American residents to live, and placed unlawful liens to dispossess Asian Americans of their land,” which the suit details to date back to anti-Asian sentiments and rhetoric from the 1800s.

Multiple examples of discriminatory behaviors were cited including flagging Hmong voters as fraudulent registrations and subsequently sending barricades and armed deputies to investigate before the 2016 election, as well as singling out Hmong attendees at a public board meeting in 2015 and separating their votes from the county residents.

This is the second lawsuit against the sheriff’s office as another lawsuit detailing undue discrimination against Hmong marijuana farmers was filed last year.  

Spotlight 💡

In a previous newsletter, we talked about Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye’s retirement. Today, her interview with the New York Times sheds light on specific aspects of her legacy and the experience of serving 12 years on California’s supreme court.

Cantil-Sakauye looks fondly on her colleagues, all of whom started out as strangers to each other. Today, she explains that they’re great supports for each other in legal theory, professional inquiries and that she continues to learn from them, as they do from her. During her career, she successfully ended cash bails in California, which proved problematic as a classist procedure.

Moreover, Cantil-Sakauye still identifies as a centrist after all these years. She reflects on her decision to remain as neutral as possible and stick to the law, which she says her fellow justices also appreciate. While her future remains a little uncertain, she is also concerned about sustainable funding for California courts. 

Race in America 🌎

Many wonder what mainland Chinese and Taiwanese residents think of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan – but what are Chinese and Taiwanese Americans thinking?

In San Francisco, California, West Coast discourse on Chinese-American and Chinese-Taiwanese relations proved to be a mixture of excitement, worry, anger and apprehension.

Generations within the neighborhood are worried about how this event could add to a rise in anti-Chinese sentiment, in addition to the attacks their communities already face. Initially, the Chinese community was more friendly towards supporting Taiwanese independence, but recent trends in immigration have shifted the community opinion the other way.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese Americans are excited. Many are looking forward to what this could mean for Taiwanese relations, were happy and pleasantly surprised by the decision made by Pelosi despite discouragement from President Biden. Simultaneously, those with family in Taiwan are worried about increasing military pressures and threats, which they have been experiencing more frequently as of late. For the Taiwanese community, the visit is an extension of the Chinese Civil War promise of freedom and democracy.

(If you’d like to hear from mainland Chinese residents, here is an Asian Boss interview published this week.)

In Other Asian News 🗞

Yesterday we talked about the citizenship problem for women in Malaysia. Today, the appeals court rejected their case, choosing to maintain the status quo.

In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court overturned the initial high court ruling that stated Malaysian women had the same right as men to confer their citizenship to their children. The lawyers and plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit are going to take the case to the highest court in the nation, adamant on revising the constitution to include verbiage that ensures rights for mothers and future mothers in the country.

Officials, activists and more are calling on the Prime Minister to conduct a parliamentary meeting to amend the federal constitution.

On Thursday, South Korea launched its first moon orbiter, throwing their hat into the space race ring. 

As part of South Korea’s space program and their wish to join the nine-nation collaboration on the Artemis project, the country hopes to become the seventh in history to successfully land an unmanned orbiter on the moon.

Their first lunar orbiter delivered by SpaceX, Danrui, which means “enjoy the moon,” was carried by a Falcon 9 rocket and launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The orbiter aims to land in December, and will use six different instruments to do research on the moon’s surface for future landings and projects.

The orbiter will also stream BTS’ “Dynamite” as it travels to test its network throughout its journey. 

Music and Film 📺

Legendary K-pop girl group Girls Generation (SNSD) have returned with a 15th anniversary comeback album after a five year hiatus. The album, titled “Forever 1,” shares its name with their title track music video and includes ten tracks in total. Longtime SM Entertainment producer Kenzie, who worked on SNSD’s debut number “Into The New World,” penned and composed the “Forever 1” song. Members Sooyoung and Tiffany co-wrote one of the album’s side tracks, “Villain.”

The eight members’ last full group comeback was five years ago with their sixth full-length album, “Holiday Night.” Most of the members, including Taeyeon, Hoyeon and Tiffany, have pursued solo careers since they were last together. Others, like YoonA, Seohyun and Sooyoung, have all appeared in or are currently leading K-dramas.
 

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Producer Benny Blanco has teamed up with Snoop Dogg and BTS members Jungkook, Jin, Jimin and V for a fun single and music video, “Bad Decisions.” Blanco plays an ARMY in the video and is one in real life too. This is the second time he has worked with the boy group after contributing some remixes of their hit songs.
 

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Thai actor Pattrakorn Tungsupakul stars in Ron Howard’s Amazon Prime film, “Thirteen Lives,” based off of the 2018 rea- life event and rescue operation of a Thai soccer team trapped in a cave for 18 days. Tungsupakul is an emotional anchor to the film and plays a mother to one of the boys stuck in the harrowing situation.

Moreover, it isn’t just her performance or jump from television to film that is most notable, but her contributions to the film’s production, ranging from the script to plot points or cultural aspects for authenticity. Tungsupakul was from the general area where the rescue operation took place and was able to bring her language and experiences to the project.  

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

• Dazed spoke with a collection of talented South Asian creatives from a photographer, jewelry designer, CEO, content creator, musician and more that are pioneering the next generation. 

• While eyeballs may have been something seen on “Fear Factor,” many cultures have the foresight to see that it can make for a delicious dish - here is a breakdown of how tuna eyeballs can be prepared in Japan.

• A follow up about the Japanese journalist arrested by the Myanmar military for documenting a protest: he may now face a maximum of three years in jail, plus up to five more for breaching immigration laws.

• “Bullet Train” star Hiroyuki Sanada shares some things he loves in his life to help keep peace and happiness amidst the brutal and action-packed days from his film roles. 

• Queer Britain in London is Britain’s first L.G.B.T.Q. museum and joins a growing number of museums focused on highlighting the history of the community, but the question is, how?