JUNE 14, 2022

Hello, everyone!

President Biden sent a special commendation celebrating the 100th Infantry Battalion, also known as the Purple Heart Battalion, a segregated group of Japanese Americans who fought in WWII.

Comprised of 1,400 second-generation Japanese Americans, the infantry battalion was later combined with the 442nd Infantry Regiment, the most decorated regiment in U.S. history. Out of the entire unit, only 12 are known survivors: Edward Ikuma, Takashi “Taka” Manago, Don Matsuda, Albert M. Matsumoto, Don Miyada, Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura, Jack Seitoku Nakamura, Masaharu “Bull” Saito, Kazuto Shimizu, Joe Sugawara, Riki Tsuda and Tokuji “Toke” Yoshihashi.

These men faced discrimination and distrust during the war, and their families emphasized the importance of honoring those who have died and the remaining survivors. 

Race in America 🌎

Republicans, including Rep. Young Kim, the first Korean American woman in Congress, are seeking to restore their right-leaning constituency following redistricting in Orange County, California.

During Trump’s time in office, the community shifted to the left, which has inspired campaign efforts to be more rigorous this year. As Rep. Kim competed against Republican and Democrat opponents, one of her major supporters, the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican-aligned super political action committee (PAC), spent $1.2 million on TV ads against Greg Raths, the other Republican candidate.

While she survived her House primary, she will now face her Democrat counterpart, Asif Mahmood, a physician focusing on abortion access in California’s 40th Congressional District.



In Other Asian News 🗞

In South Korea, the trucker strike has ended.

The truckers union was able to reach an agreement with the transport ministry after the nation lost more than $1.2 billion in potential output in several industries. The deal will extend the truckers’ minimum wage systems and even guarantee minimum wage pay to cover additional cargo.

While the truckers targeted large companies, small business owners were also impacted by delayed or unfulfilled shipments.



According to the newest report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), microscopic air pollution is reducing life expectancy by eight years in India’s capital.

Global pollution is reducing life expectancy by two years worldwide, but lung and heart disease caused by PM2.5 pollution through fossil fuels, is significantly impacting health in India. PM2.5 pollution particles are only the width of a human hair and classified as cancer-causing agents that penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

The World Health Organization has stressed the importance of air quality standards. The Air Quality Index published by EPIC explains that if those standards are followed, the average person in South Asia will live five years longer.



Food and Film 📺

Summer means outings with friends and various restaurants for brunch, lunch and dinner needs. Thankfully, the James Beard awardees this year not only highlight new exciting eats, but they also show unique ASIAN talent.

A few of our favorites from this year’s list include: 

• Outstanding Restaurant — awarded to the Indian street food restaurant Chai Pani, ran by Meherwan Irani in Asheville, North Carolina

• Best Chef: California — awarded to Brandon Jew at Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco

• Best Chef: New York — awarded to Chintan Pandya at Dhamaka, an “unapologetically Indian” restaurant in NYC

• Distinguished Restaurant Review — awarded to Soleil Ho for her work a food critic at the San Fransico Chronicle

As a new superhero hit our screens, so did the bad reviews on IMDb under Disney Plus’ “Ms. Marvel,” which were mostly written by men over the age of 30 with nothing better to do.

The show, which was released last Wednesday, received generally good reviews and a handwritten note of excitement from Nobel laureate, Malala Yousafzai. As the first Pakistani Muslim superhero, the show was made with a specific intent, which many of the bitter reviewers completely missed. Many reviewers and Marvel fans genuinely enjoyed the show, noting that their own reviews were also downvoted or disliked at breakneck speeds by neckbeards on the internet. Those men instead opted to use the lazy method of assuming every show is made for them and them only. 

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

• Due to a same-sex kiss scene in Pixar’s new animated film, “Lightyear,” 14 Asian countries will block its release.

• (G)I-DLE is heading out to shoot a travel-themed reality TV program titled, “Handle With Care,” show the group relaxing, playing games, eating, cooking and more! The program will only be available in South Korea on June 23.

• After their 9th anniversary album release, BTS has announced that they will be taking an extended break and “not a hiatus” to work on their own projects and spend time being young adults. Don’t worry ARMY, they’ll be active from time to time. 

• Chinese archaeologists have thousands of artifacts in the Sanxingdui Ruins, believed to be from the Shu kingdom. While details are currently under investigation, these 3000 year-old relics have never been in historical records, making their jade sculptural works all the more mysterious and alluring. 

• Zhang Daqian, a Chinese artist, is outselling Van Gogh with his East meets West art. While firmly cemented in Chinese styles, Zhang explores Western art movements, iconography and themes as the Chinese art world continues to expand. 

Which of the award-winning restaurants would you like to go to?

Daniel would like to visit Mister Jiu, and I routinely forget to eat so this question does not apply to me.

Sincerely, Mya Sato and Daniel Anderson