News + Opinion

By Jennie L. Ilustre In 2020, concerns for public safety and reproductive rights led to a huge voter turnout by Americans of Asian descent. What would it be next year? The economy, jobs, healthcare, anti-Asian racism, and education–these are the top responses of both Asian American Democrats and Republicans interviewed for this article. They are also the same top concerns …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Julie Su’s confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Labor is in jeopardy, with Sen. Joe Manchin (D, West VA) declaring his opposition recently. Manchin cited Su’s “more progressive background” as a hindrance to compromise, according to NBC News. He wanted a secretary who will be a voice “for both labor and industry.”           With Senate Republicans united …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Top Asian American organizations have lauded the Senate confirmation of Dale Ho as federal judge to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and Nusrat Choudhury to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Judge Choudhury           Judge Choudhury is the first Bangladeshi American and the first Muslim …

By Jennie L. Ilustre May is Asian American Heritage Month, and the community is in the mood to celebrate. Reason: The new president of the World Bank and the new head of the White House Domestic Policy Council are Americans of Asian heritage. Remarked Madalene Xuan-Trang Mielke, President & CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS): …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Asian American leaders continue to express optimism for the “swift confirmation” of Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su as head of the agency–especially after a Senate committee voted along party lines on April 26 to advance her confirmation. Washington, DC – United States Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su Among the first to welcome the news …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Watching an Asian film win seven major Oscar awards, and India taking home two Oscars recently, arts advocate Wuiping Yap knew she was witnessing a truly historic moment. The awards will have long-lasting changes in society, she thought. They will inspire generations as well. She said the historic, stunning success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” …

By Jennie L. Ilustre The push is on for the swift Senate confirmation of Labor Deputy Secretary Julie Su, after President Biden nominated her to be the next Secretary of Labor. Her confirmation would make her the first Asian Pacific American (APA) in a cabinet position after two decades. Julie Su          ”Julie is a champion for workers, and she …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Mung Chiang’s appointment as the first Asian American president of Purdue University in its 153-year history is “an inspirational thing,” according to the chairman of the board of trustees, which made the unanimous decision. Chiang, 45, dean of engineering since 2017, started in his new post in January. He was named the next president of Purdue …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Congressman Ted Lieu credited his historic election as vice chair of the Democratic Caucus in Congress to an acknowledgment by his colleagues of the Asian Pacific Americans’ growing “political power.” Lieu will assume the No. 2 post when the new Congress starts on January 3 next year. In a vote among his colleagues in the House …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Years from, now, historians would point to 2022 as a major turning point in the nation’s history. Imagine the country as someone nearly falling over a cliff, or a car rushing towards one. Thankfully, disaster was averted. Once again, Americans proved that the nation is the beacon of democracy. And they did it in a …

By Jennie L. Ilustre The community, exuding both pride and elation, is celebrating the historic victories of several Asian American men and women in the recent midterm elections. “There’s been so many exciting historic firsts from this cycle, including Aruna Miller being elected as the first South Asian Lieutenant Governor in the nation, and Nabilah Islam as the first Bangladeshi …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Finally, politicians from both parties are starting to realize the Voter Power of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs), according to top community leaders of national organizations, as well as the Mainstream Media. Jerry Vattamala, director of Democracy Program, of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), commenting on the recent midterm elections, said in an …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Asian and Pacific Americans (APAs) represent over 6% of the U.S. total population. But they make up less than 1% of the nation’s elected officials. Every election cycle, this figure has been increasing, particularly in recent years. One major reason: The anti-Asian racism which has spiked since the pandemic. Overnight, many APAs were motivated to run …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Community leaders are lauding the choice of the late actress Anna May Wong as the first Asian American to be featured in U.S. currency. The 25-cent coin is part of the American Women Quarters Program honoring outstanding women in their fields. Wong was the nation’s first Chinese American actress. A trailblazer, she started as an …

82 Top U.S. Firms, Civil Rights Groups Show United Support  By Jennie L. Ilustre Why are the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings this October of great concern to all Americans, including Americans of Asian ancestry? Reason: The Supreme Court will once again decide on issues that will affect the daily lives not just of the present generation of all Americans, but of future …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Lee Jung-jae’s historic Emmy win for Best Actor in drama for “Squid Game” spotlights one man’s exceptional achievement, and more.   His win adds to the world-wide, meteoric rise of South Korean talents in multi-media platforms. South Koreans have come to expect such news that they greeted his historic win with a yawn. Indeed, the …

The Chinese Culture Institute’s (CCI) is dedicated to promoting understanding of the traditional Chinese culture through programs in education, culture, language, business, and art.  This year, CCI is hosting the Mid-Autumn Festival on Saturday, September 17, 2022 to allow residents of the Greater Washington, D.C. metro region to take part in this honored tradition based on the legend of Chang’e, …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   When Asian Americans cast their vote In November, what top issues will motivate them in their candidate choice? Hate crime and education? The latest Asian American Voter Survey showed the political parties’ focus on these two issues is off-base. “Our survey shows that Asian Americans are far from single-issue voters,” Christine Chen, Executive Director of …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   More Americans of Asian ancestry are headed for election victories in November at the national and state levels. A top advocate, who has always stressed that political underrepresentation remains a concern, has hailed this welcome development.   Congress State Rep. Shri Thanedar, a businessman and author, has won Michigan’s recent Democratic primary in the 13th …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Community leaders are celebrating recent good news for a change, calling it a welcome recognition for Asian American contributions to the nation. The good news: California has renamed a major highway after the late Filipino American civil rights advocate Alice Peña Bulos. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, just south of San Francisco, the …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   State Representative Bee Nguyen is on the verge of making history as the first Asian American elected to a statewide political office in Georgia. Nguyen handily won the Democratic primary runoff for Secretary of State in Georgia recently. She is a leading advocate for voting rights, public education, and criminal justice reform. She supports “voter …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   A bipartisan gun safety bill that will save lives will soon become part of the nation’s laws. This is good news for the country, including the Asian American community, which has seen racism alarmingly escalate during the pandemic. The 100-member Senate recently passed the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” by a 65 to 33 vote. A …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Picture this: Norman Y. Mineta, the first Asian American Cabinet member in the nation’s history, standing by the door, watching a community program, smiling. That image sums him up. He was a man who was at his happiest in opening doors of opportunities for all Americans, not just Asian Americans. He also opened doors to the …

By Jennie L. Ilustre   Amid the pandemic and the rise of anti-racism, Congresswoman Judy Chu has introduced a resolution that will help promote national awareness of mental health issues unique to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The resolution urges state and local health agencies across the nation to improve the quality and availability of …