A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
Like others of Asian heritage, I spent May reflecting on how far I and other Asians have come, where we are now, and where we still need to be. I am proud to call LA County, home. For me and other Asian immigrants like me, there is no other home. As a refugee born after the Vietnam War, my family and I fled from communism by fishing boat to Hong Kong and ultimately, to LA County. We rode the rising tide of freedom out of Vietnam and followed our dreams to the U.S., where we settled in LA County in the 1980’s largely due to the diversity of the region and the Asian populations that lived here.
Op-Ed: Breaking Down Racism and Sexism
The recent targeted shootings in Atlanta brought to light the objectification of Asian women, which is a seldomly discussed topic that cuts at the heart of AAPI women both personally and professionally. While public coverage of the #MeToo movement focused on high-profile celebrities, the objectification and the abuse that AAPI women face is all too familiar an experience for many. Like many stereotypes that aren’t true, it’s difficult to trace their origins. In this op-ed, we attempt to trace the history behind why AAPI women have become hypersexualized and objectified.
AAPI Historical Timeline
America is the land of opportunity for a mixed salad of individuals with unique races and cultures. While there are many great things that make up America, there are untold history of brutal racism, exclusion, and violence against AAPI immigrants. To understand how we got here, we must first educate ourselves to understand the origins of where we came from.
Career Workshop
Back by popular demand, on April 17, 2021, LACAAEA invited experts from the Department of Human Resources (DHR), Damian Cousin, Elia Cervantes, Gionne Bozzi presented on preparing for the County’s civil service exams, building strong resumes and developing career through Career PathFinder.
AAPI Contributions: Meet Yuri Kochiyama
“Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama are both American civil rights icons,” according to writer Sushmita Arora. “But while you probably learned about Malcolm X’s lasting legacy in school, Kochiyama remains one of American history’s unsung heroes.”
“The daughter of immigrants, Kochiyama experienced the hardships of a World War II internment camp after public hysteria surrounding Japanese Americans erupted in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack,” according to journalist Elaine Woo. Before the war, she “was a model of assimilation,” according to the Washington Post.
“She wrote a sports column for the San Pedro News-Pilot and was a Sunday school teacher at the local Presbyterian church.” However, after she and her family were sent to an internment camp and her father died shortly after being taken into custody, she began to have a different view of the world after the war.
LA vs Hate to Unveil Anti-Hate Artwork by Asian American Artist
On May 27th, LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis (First District Supervisor) joined the LA County Human Relations Commission, anti-hate activists, and community organizations to unveil a large public art piece. This 10x20 foot graphic novel, designed by renowned local artist Mari Naomi, depicts the history and many contributions of the AAPI community to LA County, the contemporary targeting of AAPI residents due to COVID-related backlash, the journey from hate to healing, and the need for advocacy to ensure solidarity and inclusion for all.
Supporting Local: Wolfies Hot Chicken
Owned by Chef Richard Chang, his wife Janelle Hu, and their friend Jason Eisner, Wolfies is a vegan fried chicken shop in Highland Park. Richard grew up with three sisters, though he was the only kid in the kitchen helping his mother, who was proud of her eager rice maker and seaweed toaster. After stints in teaching and business, Richard’s true fulfillment comes from becoming a father and enjoying how his sons devour the delicious meals he prepares for them. Their happiness encourages his journey to share his culinary passion with others, which has veered toward the vegan end of the spectrum after experiencing a life-threatening heart attack in 2017.
By day, Janelle serves as a Development Director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice, LA, one of the nation's largest civil rights and legal services community-based nonprofits. By night, she brings her 20 years of campaign, project management, policy-making, and fundraising skills to oversee the administration and operations of Wolfies, which is committed to partnerships with organizations like Support + Feed to positively impact the climate crisis and combat food insecurity by providing plant-based meals to underserved communities throughout Southern California.
Meet Robin Toma
In a safe, socially-distanced Q&A fashion, we will introduce you to a County leader whose work and words of wisdom may inspire you in your career development in the County. In this issue, we introduce you to Robin Toma, Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission.
Distinguished Speaker Series with Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza and Hyepin Im
On April 27 2021, LACAAEA invited Dr. D’Artagnan Scorza, of Executive LA County’s Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) and Hyepin Im, President./CEO and Founder of Faith and Community Empowerment (FACE) to discuss issues of discrimination and racism around minority communities.
Board Motions to Stop Asian Hate
As anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise, It is now more important than ever for us to unite in solidarity and fight back against the issues endangering our communities. Actions from our leaders will bring awareness to the discriminations that AAPIs are suffering and educate the public on preventing hate crimes from happening. LACAAEA has written letters supporting all of the board motions put forth by the LA County Board of Supervisors.