SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Hello, everyone!

Indian American seventh grader Om Guin from Alpharetta, Georgia won the Lemelson Early Inventor Award for his work in helping family members who suffer from asthma.

His work used a laser-based sensor to measure and record the atmospheric particulate matter (PM) content of the air within the home periodically. Guin’s research and coding led to the development of Lungsaver, an indoor device that alerts inhabitants of different actions they can take to improve indoor air quality. The outdoor device is splash-proof and powered by a solar panel.

The Lemelson Foundation rewards young inventors that exemplify the ideals of inventive and innovative thinking by identifying solutions. This is Guin’s second Lemelson award after winning in 2021 for a voice-enabled smart pill box.

Spotlight 

Alice Wong, a disabled activist and writer, is choosing to rest during her literary debut.

Her debut memoir, “Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life,” sparks excitement around the country for those familiar with her political work with #CriptheVote and her collection of essays from various disabled scholars and individuals, “Disability Visibility.”

Wong will not be reading from her book, nor will she be giving interviews and signings. Her decision to rest is a radical act, and she’s taking this space and time to do right by her needs. “Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life” is full of essays detailing the emotional caliber and turmoil that her work entails, all while her life narrates the biological concerns of others who care for Wong feel when she goes silent.

Many disabled individuals who need care in their homes or in other environments face a large bill that exacerbates the oppressive inequity they face – Wong’s experience now, in conjunction with the launch of her book, continues to highlight the fight that she carries. As Wong’s motto goes, “f*ck the f*ckers,” and forge onwards.

Race in America 🌎

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, joined by other local politicians and community leaders, signed a new education bill (2022-S 2910A, 2022-H 7272A) that requires every public elementary and secondary school (beginning in 2023-24) to include AAPI history in its curriculum.

The bill was signed into law during the Chinese Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival on Saturday morning. Governor McKee and Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos explained the importance of the state’s need for this curriculum: “Rhode Island’s strength is in its diversity, and this important legislation will do so much to highlight the rich history and heritage of the Asian American community and the positive impact they’ve had on our state and country.”
 

...

In the heart of Manhattan, Manila-based gallerists Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo will be presenting Southeast Asian art in the Silverlens Gallery, opening up on September 8.

Silverlens’ history dates back 18 years, and while the initial dream of opening up an exhibit in Chelsea, NYC felt like a faraway dream for the duo, it became a reality. Through Lorenzo and Rillo’s work in various art galleries and as art consultants, their Silverlens project gained more attention as the pair’s work became more prominent. Today, their gallery holds a rank as one of the most famous spaces in Southeast Asia, representing artists like Mit Jai Inn, Maria Taniguchi, James Clar and Pacita Abad.

In Other Asian News 🗞

Hong Kong reported its first case of monkeypox on Tuesday, marking its first instance importing the virus into the region.

Health authorities identified the viral disease in a 30-year-old man who returned from his travels to the U.S. and Canada, as well as a brief stop in the Philippines. As a result, the Hong Kong government will raise its response level to “alert” while it expects to procure a vaccine against monkeypox later this month.

...

On Monday, southwest China’s mountainous Luding County experienced a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that left 65 people dead, 250 people injured and 12 missing.

While the full extent of the damage still remains unclear, communication systems were impacted in the isolated region. The earthquake also caused a landslide that blocked a tributary of the Dadu river. Currently, state media reports that they evacuated 50,000 people after the earthquake and sent 6,500 relief workers to the affected area.

Film 📺

Joel Kim Booster weighed in on Twitter in response to Billy Eichner’s recent comments about his film “Bros.”

Eichner received backlash after saying “Bros” is a historic milestone as the first LGBTQ rom-com to receive a theatrical release, rather than “some streaming thing which feels disposable, or which is like one of a million Netflix shows.”

Booster, who is the star of Hulu’s LGBTQ rom-com film “Fire Island,” said, “I’m so proud of my movie and all the people who helped make it happen and am so grateful it was accessible to so many people on streaming, and don’t see it as any less valuable because of that. That being said, I’m also excited to see Bros on the big screen and wish Billy nothing but the best. I truly hope you can enjoy both or neither of our movies without pitting them against each other (even though that is obviously a very fun thing to do and basically what gay Twitter was created for).”

The three-day New Yorker Festival which starts on October 7 will have a discussion about Asian American culture and representation.

On the panel for that discussion will be chef David Chang, “Minari” filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, “Pachinko” writer Min Jin Lee, and “Killing Eve” actor Sandra Oh.
 

...

Actor Simu Liu posted to Instagram celebrating the one-year anniversary of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”

In his post, the actor opened up about how grateful he was for the experience, but also how exhausting it has been after having worked on several movies and having his memoir published. He concludes by saying he’s been going to therapy and is trying to prioritize his mental health.

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

• Japan is celebrating 150 years since baseball was introduced to the country. 

• Electric mopeds and rickshaws instead of cars may be an environmental boon for India.   

• A new study has found that the environmental damage to the Amazon rainforest may be irreversible.

• September 5, 2022 marks the 100-year anniversary of a Chinese student strike over segregation in Victoria, British Columbia.  

• Investigators seized 27 antiquities alleged to have been looted that are valued at more than $13 million from the Met.