Hello everyone!

Introduced by Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), the legislation will give Native Hawaiian survivors access to resources and programs from Congress via the Violence Against Women Act. The act provides funding to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, sex-trafficking, stalking and dating violence. 
 

Native women, including American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian women, often face disproportionately alarming levels of sexual violence. Data from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs reveals that more than two-thirds of sex-trafficking victims in Hawaii are Native Hawaiian women and girls.

• Dancer Susan Kikuchi, best known for her stagings of Martha Graham’s dances and for helping revive the musical “The King and I,” passed away on Nov. 14 at the age of 74 in Manhattan. Kikuchi choreographed and staged over 15 productions of the “King and I” across the country and abroad. She was a pillar of the Martha Graham dance company and was cardinal in teaching students how to make their performances come together with the messaging behind the moves.  

• Hawaii students’ Filipino project: Sen. Hirono appears again - she met with Hawaii public and private school students who are creating a Filipino curriculum project. The curriculum seeks to inform about the history, culture and contributions of Filipinos to Hawaii and the U.S. in general. It will then become an elective curriculum within the Hawaii Department of Education.   

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• Georgia makes AAPI history: Georgia will have the most AAPI lawmakers in the state’s history starting in 2023. With that milestone, Georgia's General Assembly is establishing its first ever AAPI caucus. The Georgia Legislative Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus will be composed of House and Senate members who will work to increase AAPI representation and address issues impacting the community.

• Iran acknowledges dead protestors: An Iranian general acknowledged the fact that more than 300 people have been killed during the nationwide protests. This is the first official acknowledgement and comment about the casualties. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh called some of the dead “martyrs,” referencing the security forces. He also noted that many who were killed were Iranians not engaged with the protests.     

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• Pandemic problems in the Philippines: A study from UNICEF and Save the Children estimate that around one in five Filipino children are at risk for sexual exploitation, which makes an estimated overall figure close to two million. Experts are concerned that the pandemic and long school closures have left vulnerable children at home in precarious situations, worsening the problem. 

• Antigravity Academy: Kelly Marie Tran and “Raya and the Last Dragon” director Carlos López Estrada have created their own production company, Antigravity Academy. The production company will focus on developing television, film, theater and short-form content from historically excluded communities and marginalized groups.     

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• The King of K-pop: Prime Video will create a documentary called “Lee Soo Man: The King of K-pop.” It will spotlight Lee Soo Man, the founder and CEO of SM Entertainment, one of the big four K-pop companies. The company was founded in 1989 and has become a powerhouse with K-pop acts like Girls’ Generation, EXO, SHINee, Red Velvet, aespa, Super Junior and more. It will be directed by Ting Poo. Teddy Zee is also credited as a producer.  

• Death row inmates in Japan are suing to abolish executions by hanging. 
   
• A woman in China who lost both her legs in an earthquake can dance once again thanks to prosthetic limbs made by her husband. 
   
• Golf pro Collin Morkiawa married his longtime girlfriend Katherine Zhu on Saturday. 
   
• An exploration of plant-based cuisine tucked away in the mountains of Japan. 
   
• “Pachinko” won the Breakthrough Series Long Form category at the Gotham Independent Film Awards.