SF Supervisor Connie Chan Moves Forward to the General Election with the Help of Retiring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi Endorsement

Posted on June 4, 2026 by John

San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan primary election results, where she beat Saikat Chakrabarti to finish in the top two.Source: https://dp.electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/us-rep/district/11

SF Supervisor Connie Chan Primary Results

I was going to blog about retiring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi endorsing San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan when this happened back in mid-May for California Congressional District 11, but never got around to it. Now, we see the results of Peosi’s endorsement for Chan. It was decisive in the California primary, which occurred this past week. Chan came in the top two in California’s “jungle” open primary, with California State Senator (and former San Francisco Supervisor) Scott Wiener:

“Wiener secured a runoff spot with about 41% of the vote, with Chan securing about 29%, per the AP. Chan celebrated her second place lead at an election party Tuesday evening after returns showed her doubling the votes of former congressional aide Saikat Chakrabarti — despite his self-funded $10 million campaign.
…
Pelosi’s late endorsement of Chan appears to have achieved its immediate goal: helping secure her place in the top two and preventing Chakrabarti from turning the race into a national proxy battle between Democratic establishment figures and the party’s progressive flank.

Pelosi endorsed Chan just weeks before the election, praising her record and elevating her candidacy after largely staying out of the succession contest.

“Nancy Pelosi’s endorsement absolutely turned the tide for us,” Chan told Axios Tuesday night. “We knew it … but we have also been building momentum.””

Ironically, for someone who has been blogging about Asian Americans involved in politics, I don’t know Connie Chan. I’ve seen her at one or two events in San Francisco, but have never really spoken to her in person. I live about 35 miles south of San Francisco.

Saikat Chakrabarti in Third Place

I had met Saikat Chakrabarti last year at a “meet & greet” via a friend who lived in San Francisco who knew one of the organizers of the event. Chakrabarti seemed to be well intentioned. But Chakrabarti, after striking gold as being the first or second employee at Stripe, left the Bay Area to get involved in politics and eventually becoming Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (“AOC”) original campaign manager back in 2018 and her Chief-of-Staff. AOC refused to officially endorse him which I think caused great harm for his campaign. Chakrabarti often referenced his time with AOC to back his progressive credentials.

He was painted as a carpetbagger for moving back in the Bay Area only a few years ago I believe. Chakrabarti, who has an estimated net worth of approximately $150 million, self-financed his campaign up to $10 million for the primary. Crazy! Money can only go so far. In politics, especially local politics, name recognition and previous public service can go a long way in overcoming any financial advantage. I have known other examples where money can “buy” elections, though.

Friends and acquaintances have often asked me when I am going to run for public office. My usual response is when I win the lottery or when I’m retired! Personally, I’d hate to dial for cash to fundraise to run for public office and would rather self finance. I don’t think I would initially run for a seat like Congress but would start at the local level. I think fundamentally, people want to vote for people who have paid their dues and shown commitment to public service. Of course, Trump is the greatest counter example of all time, but he did have massive name recognition.

Scott Wiener:  Connie Chan’s Opponent in the General Election

I’ve also met California State Senator Scott Wiener (and fellow Duke alum) on a few occasions. Personally, if I lived in San Francisco and could vote for either Wiener or Chan, I’m not sure who I would choose. I would probably choose Wiener given his lengthier time in pubic service and his experience as a state legislator. That he is a fellow Duke alum doesn’t hurt either! I don’t believe in voting on pure “identity politics.” I’d rather commit suicide than vote for Trump even if Trump were Taiwanese American.

Identity politics might come into play for the general election, as Wiener is openly gay Approximately up to 7% of San Francisco adults identify as LGBT with the active electorate between 15% to 23%. Chan is an Asian American. She is originally from Hong Kong with a stint in Taiwan (between the ages of 5 to 13) before arriving as a child in San Francisco. Around 22% of San Francisco is of Chinese decent, and overall, 37.2% Asian.

I suspect that Wiener will prevail in the general election. Still, if Chan wins, I will certainly be happy that Chan would be the first Asian American to represent San Francisco in Congress!

 

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Asian American Medical Hazard: Gestational Diabetes

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Jeff

gestational diabetes kitI thought I knew most of the major Asian American Medical Hazards, but this one surprised me. Asian American women have the highest risk of Gestational Diabetes. Some label this the largest undocumented disparity in maternal health.

For those of you who don’t know, Gestational Diabetes Mellitis (GDM) is diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy, usually between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. The cause is unknown. Women who develop GDM have a 50% chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Unmanaged GDM increases the odds of preeclampsia, premature birth, and other problems. Children of women with GDM have a higher risk of issues.

As the Atlantic article points out, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have been tracking a GDM increase in Chinese American populations faster than that of the general population. No one seems to know why. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends glucose screen for Asian American women with BMI greater than 23.

(photo credit:  Jessica Merz  licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

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Tram Nguyen Running for Congress – 6th Congressional District of Massachusetts

Posted on May 28, 2026 by John

Massuchusetts State Representative Tram Nguyen, who is running for US Congress, with 8Asians writer John Lin.

Recently, I had an opportunity to attend a meet-and-greet for 39-year-old Massachusetts State Representative Tram Nguyen, who is running for Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District. Having been born-and-raised in Western Massachusetts (where there were very few Asians in the 70s and 80s), I was excited to learn that if Tram Nguyen wins her Congressional race, she would make history as the first Massachusetts Asian American Representative.

Nguyen is the daughter of a Vietnamese political refugee. Her father had spent something like eight years in prison having worked for the United States during the Vietnam War. She came over to the U.S. when she was 5 years old. Nguyen is the first in her family to attend college (Tufts University (BA), Northeastern University (JD), and Harvard University (MPA)). She worked as a staff attorney for legal aide non-profits before deciding to run for public office.

Nguyen impressed me when I learned that in her first run for Massachusetts Representative back in 2018, she beat a MAGA Republican 8 year incumbent – by 10 points! Nguyen is the first Vietnamese American woman to be elected to office in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts primary is in September, and she’s running against a few self-funded candidates. Nguyen is the only candidate currently holding public office. According to the Cook Partisan Voter Index, the 6th Congressional District of Massachusetts is currently D+11, so as a Democrat. If Nguyen makes it through the primary, she’s likely to be elected into office in November.

If you want to learn more about Tram Nguyen and/or donate, you can check out her official website at https://www.tramforcongress.com/

 

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US Memorial Day: Remembering Florence Choe

Posted on May 25, 2026 by Jeff

Remembering Florence Choe on US Memorial DayDuring an era when Asian Americans continue to be questioned for their loyalty and are still considered perpetual foreigners,  on US Memorial Day (and AAPI Heritage Month) we note Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who fought and died for their country.  This Memorial Day, we are remembering Florence Choe. US Navy Lieutenant Choe was a medical healthcare system expert helping to build a medical care system for Afghan soldiers. She was killed in Afghanistan in 2009.

Florence Choe grew up in San Diego. Like so many of my family friends there, her father was a Filipino sailor who served in the US Navy. She married a Navy doctor, Lieutenant Commander Jay Choe. Together, they had a daughter, Kristin. Choe would record videos of herself reading a book and send them to her daughter as part of the United Through Reading program. Watching videos of her reading reminds us veteran’s families also make sacrifices.

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Artist Miljohn Ruperto featured at Stanford’s Cantor Art Museum

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Jeff

Artist Miljohn Ruperto show "Animal, Vegetable, nor Mineral" at Stanford's Cantor museum.When I heard that Filipino American Artist Miljohn Ruperto would be featured at Stanford’s Cantor Art Museum, I had to go see his work.  I rarely see Filipino artists featured at art museums. His show is titled Animal, Vegetable, nor Mineral.

The variety of Ruperto’s work surprised me. He works in a variety of forms from graphics (shown here to the right) to film to Virtual Reality. He also has worked on a short movie on Valley Fever, a fungal disease that is particularly fatal to Filipino Americans and African Americans.  Not surprisingly, Ruperto has also worked on movie visual effects.

This exhibit is part of Stanford’s Asian American Art Initiative. Artist Miljohn Ruperto’s exhibit runs until September 14, 2026 at the Cantor Museum.

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CAAMFest 2026 Film Review: The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook

Posted on May 19, 2026 by John

Overview of The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook

John Lin and Kristina Wong at Wong's performance of Sweatshop Overload, which informs and predates of the Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook documentaryI’ve known professor and filmmaker Valerie Soe ever since she started producing her documentary film, Love Boat: Taiwan, where I eventually became a minor producer, interview subject, and archival footage provider. So when I saw that Valerie was going to have her documentary on The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook screened at CAAMFest 2026, I knew I was going to attend in person. A summary of the film:

“What would you do to protect your neighbors?

In March 2020, as COVID-19 exposed deep fractures in the U.S. public health system, performance artist Kristina Wong launched the Auntie Sewing Squad. A grassroots collective of primarily BIPOC women volunteers, the Aunties mobilized virtually with an urgent mission: to protect those most at risk. What began as a few dozen crafty activists quickly grew into a nationwide network of more than 800 volunteers, sewing and donating masks to historically disenfranchised communities of color.

In this feature-length documentary, director Valerie Soe (Love Boat: Taiwan, The Oak Park Story) follows Kristina Wong (Radical Cram School) as she activates a group of self-proclaimed Aunties to transform domestic spaces as sites of resistance. From their sewing machines, they confront systemic inequities head-on, openly discussing feminism, anti-racism, mutual aid, and collective care.

Through acts both intimate and expansive, the Squad – Aunties, Uncles, and non-binary volunteers alike – reimagines what solidarity looks like in a time of crisis. Their living room “sweatshops” not only become engines of radical care to offer protection, but also a powerful blueprint for community-driven action and change.”

Relationship to Kristina Wong’s Sweatshop Overlord

I have seen ‘Kristina Wong – Sweatshop Overlord’ performance in San Francisco back in May of 2024 at American Conservatory Theater (ACT), which was hilarious and amazing,

so I was familiar with the story. The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook provides a lot more background and context with a lot of interviews with those actively involved in the mask making effort.

Film Q&A

What was amazing to see was that not only those involved with the documentary, but also the many people involved with Auntie Sewing Squad were in attendance. During the post-screening Q&A, I sat next to one of the aunties. She was a local (relatively) from San Jose, which is about 50 miles south of San Francisco.

The footage of the shutdown from COVID-19 from 2020 to 2021 brought back some memories. Amazing to think we went through that, with all those who died (approximately 1.1 million) and how we were all waiting for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like masks and for a vaccine.

Kristina and others felt they needed to step up because our government failed. I agree, our government did fail. Aa bigger failure was the long-term outsourcing strategy which exposed how dependent the world is on global supply chains, and that maybe it makes sense to manufacture things locally – what a concept!

It was heartwarming to see how the community was built – mostly online, through Facebook and frequent Zoom meetings. The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook shows how volunteers wanted to help, where they got supplies and how they learned to sew. What was even more interesting to hear where groups were reaching out asking the Auntie Sewing Squad (ASS for short as Kristina had hilariously realized afterwards after naming her effort). ASS made over 350,000 masks with all non-paid volunteers and donated money and contributions of elastic, cloth, and other supplies.

What I’ve always known and what this documentary demonstrated, was that one person can make a difference. In this case, that person was Kristina Wong, Asian American comedian and activist. We all can make a difference in our own way – either as a leader or individual contributor.

How to See the Movie and other Related Information

Unfortunately, the only way to see the film will probably at a screening at a film festival. There are no currently theatrical or online streaming distribution planned yet. You can keep up-to-date with the documentary and any screenings on its official website – https://www.theauntiesewingsquadresistanceplaybook.com/ or via the Facebook Page or Instagram Page.

At the AMC Kabuki 8 theater, Kristina was also selling her book Auntie Kristina’s Guide to Asian American Activism. Kristina didn’t mention about it (or if she did, I didn’t hear about it) and I didn’t get to learn much about it – but I hope to. One reviewer wrote (as posted on the Amazon.com page):

“The colorful layout and distinct chapter projects make this book one that can be used not only to learn about Asian Americans, but to get readers to see the larger structural issues behind racism and other issues in Asian American communities.”

I will have to take a look and maybe write a review in the future.
Kristina Wong's book "Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism" selling at the Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook showing at CAAMFest 2026

 

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CAAMFest 2026 Film Review: Breaking the Code (some spoilers)

Posted on May 18, 2026 by John

Breaking the Code movie poster showing Indian AmericansWhile looking through the CAAMFest 2026 online guide, the documentary Breaking the Code, caught my eye. After seeing the film, I regret not being able to see the film in-person, especially since the subject of the film, Kanwal Rekhi and the filmmaker BenRekhi (his son), were in attendance for the post-screening Q&A.

Overview and Recommendation

Breaking the Code overview:

“Kanwal Rekhi was the first Indian American founder and CEO to take a venture-backed company public on NASDAQ in 1987. He has mentored hundreds of aspiring businessmen through the IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE), a global network for Indian entrepreneurs he co-founded. People call him the “Godfather of Silicon Valley’s Indian Mafia.”

Every Indian American should watch this documentary. Every Asian American and all Americans working in tech should watch this film. I work in tech in Silicon Valley and love learning about the history of tech. I consider PBS’s ‘Triumph of the Nerds’ the best three hours of television ever produced. Often I attend talks locally in Mountain View at the Computer History Museum. Steven Levy’s ‘Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution’ is a great account of the early days of computing.

Discussion (some spoilers)

Continue reading →

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Is Pandan becoming the New Trendy Asian Flavor?

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Jeff

pandan gelatin dessertIs pandan becoming the new trendy Asian flavor?  Will it join matcha and ube in that category?  While the article that mentioned this focused on the Bay Area’s extended Silicon Valley region (which is heavily Asian), I am think this is a trend that could go nationwide.

First, for those who don’t know, what is Pandan?  It is a flavor that comes from the leaves of the Pandanus amaryllifolius plant. I am most familiar with it in the Filipino dessert of Buko Pandan. Living around a lot of Vietnamese Americans in Silicon Valley, I also developed a taste for pandan waffles.  It is used widely through southeast Asia.  The dessert shown above is from Thailand.

As with the article, I have seen pandan appear in more places and included in things like a buko pandan latte. Like with many Asian things that go trendy, I have mixed feelings.  It is great to have representation, but being “trendy” can lead many to completely ignore cultures that created that trendy thing. Also, like with ube, I would be concerned with huge demand increases causing problems with suppliers.

So will it become popular beyond Asian communities?  The Food Network already has a page on Pandan. Healthline’s page on Pandan touts possible (yet unproven) health benefits. I guess we’ll see.

(photo credit: Peachyeung316 licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license..)

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CAAMFest 2026 Film Review: Forge

Posted on May 14, 2026 by John

Forge movie poster

I was not able to view Forge in person at its CAAMFest 2026 screening, but so I watched the screener provided to me. I found the plot intriguing, plus Kelly Marie Tran stars in this independent film:

“Siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang run a forgery ring. Coerced by a disgraced millionaire, they create counterfeit masterpieces for his family’s collection. FBI agent Emily Lee investigates a new string of art forgeries.”

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest Film & TV Festival this past March and received positive reviews. The film company Utopia acquired distribution rights and set a release date for the film of May 15, 2026.

Film Review  (and some spoilers)

Continue reading →

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CAAMFest 2026: Opening Night featuring ‘The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas’ & Gala

Posted on May 12, 2026 by John

CAAMFest 2026 opening night audience

One of my favorite events in the San Francisco Bay Area since moving here in 1999 is attending CAAMFest. CAAM stands for the Center for Asian American Media. CAAMFest 2026 celebrated its 44th year as the nation’s leading showcase for films from Asian America and beyond, haven taken place May 7-10, 2026 in San Francisco Japantown again, like last year.

The film festival kicked off with welcoming remarks by CAAM Executive Director Don Young at the AMC Kabuki 8.  Young took over in his role a year ago,  and this is his first CAAMFest as Executive Director. He gave a shout out to former 8Asians blogger Dino-Ray Ramos, who was this year’s CAAMFest narrative features programmer curating films under the theme “Bad Asians, Good Trouble. It’s been a rough year for CAAM (and many other non-profits), where 40% of CAAM’s funding had been cut. I imagine a lot of federal funding sources dried up due to the current administration.

San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, whose District 5 covers Japantown, then gave some opening remarks. He honored some people attending the festival, including Genny Lim, 9th Poet Laureate of San Francisco, and then introducing some representatives from the opening feature.

 

 

 

 

Opening Feature

This year, the opening feature to kickoff the film festival was ‘The A List: 15 Stories From Asia and Pacific Diasporas’ by HBO:

which highlights 15 stories of AAPIs, from the famous (Connie Chung, Tammy Duckworth,  Kumail Nanjiani, Sandra Oh,  Bowen Yang) to the not-so-famous. The documentary comes out on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

The documentary was terrific and the audience clapped after almost every profile that was completed. Those profiled came from different walks of life, different ethnicities and different points of view. Given the nature of AAPIs in the United States, a very common thread was the immigrant nature of the AAPI community and trying to “fit in” and be accepted.

After the screening, there was a Q&A with some of the documentary’s interview subjects as well as those involved with the film:

You should definitely catch the 1:25 minute documentary ‘The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas’ when it becomes widely released – it’ll make you appreciate not only AAPI’s history within America, but also the history of the United States – which at its heart, is a story of immigrants.

Continue reading →

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Taiwan Documentary ‘Invisible Nation’ Airing in May AND Streaming NOW on PBS

Posted on May 5, 2026 by John

I’ve been a big fan of the documentary Invisible Nation ever since I first saw the film back in October 2023 at the Mill Valley Film Festival. I have even become friends with the director/producer Vanessa Hope.  I am excited now that the documentary will be broadcasted on PBS this month:


“Beginning May 1, 2026, the acclaimed documentary Invisible Nation will air on PBS stations across the United States, bringing Taiwan’s democratic journey, its geopolitical tightrope walk, and its pivotal role in the global technology order into American living rooms during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and Taiwanese American Heritage Week. The film will also be available for streaming on the PBS App and PBS.org, expanding access to audiences nationwide.

Directed and produced by Vanessa Hope, Invisible Nation invites viewers on an unprecedented journey with Taiwan’s first female president, Tsai Ing-wen, as she works to secure her nation’s future. Through intimate observational filmmaking, the documentary offers an in-depth look at Taiwan’s past, and present as a young democracy with robust civil liberties and fair elections, navigating pressure from China, relations with the United States, and its place on the world stage.

Premiering on public television at a time when Taiwan is central to geopolitics yet still underrepresented in American media, Invisible Nation reframes the country not as a distant flashpoint, but as a frontline democracy whose future is deeply intertwined with the United States.”

Former Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen in Invisible Nation, a film about Taiwan.

This documentary does a great job of profiling Taiwan’s long journey towards democratization and highlighting the first female president of Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen (a fellow Cornell alum – Cornell Law LLM ’80).

If you want to watch the film immediately, it can be streamed here. Check your local listings here for when it will appear on PBS. As the press release above stated, you can also watch now via the PBS App.

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Jamie Ding’s Jeopardy Winning Streak Ended: More Love and Hate

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Jeff

Jamie Ding’s Jeopardy Winning Streak ended this week. On the same day that I posted about his success too! As with when he was winning, his exit has generated both love and hate.

What did he do that has drawn controversy? In an interview with People Magzine, he said:

“As an immigrant and a person of color, I was able to become part of the history of an American institution. Jeopardy! really is an institution and America’s turning 250 years old and the federal government is going after immigrants in a way unlike anything that we’ve seen in the recent past.  So I hope that immigrants can be seen in a positive light too.”

That last comment generated a mixed reception.

Ding was beaten by Greg Shahade in a runaway. For those of you not familiar with Jeopardy terms, that means that Shahade had a large enough lead to make sure that Jamie could not beat him in any circumstance. Shahade a good run this week, wining three games including the win over Ding.  I am glad that Shahade did well – it would seem sad to lose to someone who was only a one game winner.

While Ding’s time on Jeopardy has ended, he goes home with $882,605. He has a number of solid positions on the Jeopardy Leaderboard of Legends.  Ding signed off on his final response with TTFN (Ta Ta For Now).  He will be definitely be back for the Jeopardy’s Tournament of Champions next year, and I am looking forward to seeing him compete again.

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