JULY 7, 2022

Hello, everyone!

Miguel de Leon, a Filipino American New York City-based sommelier, won the James Beard Foundation Journalism award this year for his essay, “It’s Time to Decolonize Wine.” 

De Leon’s essay recalls many occasions where he felt undermined, devalued and less than his white counterparts. How could he not? In an industry dominated by years of strict, exclusive learning and is oriented towards one demographic, becoming a sommelier carries an air of dismissive isolation among its many challenges.

Throughout the essay, de Leon advocates for decolonization in the wine industry. Carrying his own culture’s imperialist histories, he also highlights the need for solidarity with Black sommeliers to create actionable change. His essay ends on a familiar note: one of taking up space and allowing yourself to be angry and setting sights on looming goals of accessibility and equity.

While at first glance these writings may seem repetitive, all these op-eds and essays only indicate that change isn’t happening fast enough. It is not enough that Asian Americans or BIPOC communities are aware and take action in their areas. We need to work with other communities of color and white communities to create a reality that reflects the diversity and justice we want, hope for and need. 

Race in America 🌎

In Toronto, Canada, the local government is telling contractors to rehire Sikh security guards who were fired due to their beards.

Similar to many religions, the Sikh faith asks its followers to adhere to certain grooming standards, symbolic of their dedication and devotion. One of those standards is keeping a neat, trimmed beard. During the pandemic, many Sikh security guards were laid off because they could not present a clean-shaven face for their N95 masks.

The World Sikh Organization (WSO) filed a complaint against the city and this week, local officials apologized, directing all contractors to reinstate Sikh guards who requested religious exemptions. The city also plans to look into legal options as part of its investigation into these security organizations for any violation of city policy or human rights legislation.



Princeton faculty continues to impress the math world, as Korean American professor June Huh received what is called the “Nobel Prize of mathematics,” the Fields Medal.

The award was bestowed to two other Princeton University professors and three researchers in Helsinki, Finland.

Huh primarily works in the fields of geometry, topology and the combinatorics of algebraic varieties. For this particular award, Huh was celebrated and honored for using Hodge theory, tropical geometry and singularity theory, which transformed the field of geometric combinatorics.

Professor Huh is the ninth faculty member at Princeton University to receive the award, joining the ranks of other prestigious researchers and pioneers.

In Other Asian News 🗞

In Indonesia, as many families are gearing up for Eid al-Adha, an outbreak of food and mouth disease (FMD) among various livestock is putting extra pressure on festive preparations.

Eid al-Adha, also known as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” will take place on July 9 this year and contains a ritual slaughter as part of its proceedings. Families slaughter animals like cows and goats in a humane way and then share the meat with the poor and needy.

The outbreak began this May and the national government launched a nationwide vaccination program. While FMD is not harmful to humans, suppliers are seeing an even lower purchase rate than before. People wish to participate but are generally worried about the animals’ health, not wanting to put further strain on the struggling livestock.



In China, single women and minority families are missing out on the childbirth incentives afforded to married Chinese women.

Although abortion is not socially encouraged in the nation, people who are able to get pregnant still have the option to receive one. But, the aftermath for child support is a different picture. In Beijing, the government is encouraging women to have more than one child, preferably three, as the nation struggles with a low birthrate.

While the government offers tax and housing credits, and educational benefits and cash incentives for married women, single women don’t qualify and often have to jump through hoops to get their children medical insurance and education. Additionally, single pregnant women face hurdles at work. Because they are not legally protected, often times these women face possible termination and are denied access to public healthcare and insurance. Under Chinese law, the pregnant individual must register their marriage with their partner, usually a wife and a husband, before they can receive prenatal care at a public hospital. 



Music and Art 🎶

K-pop megagroup BLACKPINK is back with an official comeback and tour announcement, 22 months after the release of their first full album, titled “The Album,” in October 2020.

According to a press release from YG Entertainment, the superstar quartet are in the “final stages of recording a new album,” and is slated for an August release. The global girl group composed of Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie and Lisa are also aiming for an international tour before the end of the year, which YG promises to be the “largest world tour in the history of a K-pop girl group” and means BLACKPINK may be in your area.

During the almost two-year gap, the individual members have been busy primarily promoting various fashion deals, such as Jisoo with Dior and Cartier or Lisa with Celine. Rosé also released her solo album, “R,” in March 2021. Lisa dropped her solo album, “Lalisa” in September 2021. Jisoo is the only member so far without a solo project.

The Freer Gallery of Art, part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington is currently displaying an exhibit of all things Zen.

It is called “Mind Over Matter: Zen in Medieval Japan” and is a breath of fresh air for anyone in 2022 hoping for a reprieve from our fast-paced world. The exhibit features pieces like paintings from 17th century Japan and China, bowls and vases, but the focal point are the black ink paintings from medieval monks working in Zen monasteries.

Zen Buddhism originates from China sometime in the late fifth century A.D., flourishing under the Tang and Song dynasties. Traveling Japanese monks encountered Zen teachings in China and it would go on to become more established in Japan around 1200. 

 

What else is on our minds? 🧠
 

• The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case called Moore v. Harper that could dramatically impact election laws, altering the authority state legislatures have over congressional and presidential elections. It could be an “invitation to set new election rules that take power away from voters when picking electors for the Electoral College or to make state lawmakers, not courts, the judges in disputes after the election.” 

• Meanwhile, Japan is encouraging people to go out and vote by rewarding them with free ramen noodles from restaurant chain Ippudo. 

• An app is hoping to deter groping incidents in Japan, especially as the world opens back up and mass transport becomes regularized again. 

• Kaleem Ullah Khan, also known as the "Mango Man," has grafted over 300 mango varieties onto a tree that is over 120 years old in India. 

• Researching for Ivy League applications? Well, Columbia University is refusing to participate in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, despite being listed as No.2, after criticizing them about their data and actual ranking procedure in a 21-page essay.