Category Archives: History

Chinese American WWII Veterans to be Honored with the Congressional Gold Medal

Chinese American WWII Veterans have been honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in a series of ceremonies across the country.  The Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition project pushed for recognition of Chinese American Veterans like Hazel Ying Lee, who died in … Continue reading

Posted in Discrimination, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Filipino American Nurses: Then and Now

This photo essay on Filipino American nurses dealing with the pandemic, coupled with it being Filipino American History Month, made me reflect on the long history of Filipino American nurses.  We have talked before about why so many nurses in … Continue reading

Posted in History | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

150th Anniversary of 1871 Los Angeles Chinese Massacre

Bodies of 17 dead Chinese men and boys lie in the Los Angeles jail yard on October 24, 1871 (photo credit:  Security Pacific Bank) This past Sunday, October 24th, marked the 150th anniversary of one of the worst hate crimes … Continue reading

Posted in Discrimination, History, Local, Southern California | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Celebrating the Contributions of Filipino American Sailors

Before the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, a major path to the US for Filipino Immigrants was through the US Navy.  My father came to the US that way, as well as tens of thousands of other Filipinos.  As … Continue reading

Posted in Discrimination, History | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

San Jose Approves Resolution & Apologizes for 1887 Chinatown Destruction and Decades of Discrimination

Although I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1999, I did not know much about the history of Chinese Americans in the area beyond the Chinese Exclusion Act. I was surprised to hear that back in May, that … Continue reading

Posted in Current Events, Discrimination, History, Local, Politics, San Francisco Bay Area | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Last Week Tonight host John Oliver talks about Asian Americans

This Last Week Tonight segment on Asian Americans hosted by John Olliver gives an overview of Asian American history and the current issues facing Asian Americans, done in his usually satirical style.  I was pleasantly surprised by how thorough it … Continue reading

Posted in Current Events, Discrimination, History, TV | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Lola’s Work: An Animated StoryCorps Feature

I was moved by this story about a devoted grandmother, which was featured on NPR and StoryCorps, and now StoryCorps has turned it into a featured animated story!   It also features some pictures painted by her and her grandson of … Continue reading

Posted in Family, History | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

San Jose to Add Delano Manongs Park, named for Filipino American Farm Workers

The City of San Jose is adding a new park called Delano Manongs Park, honoring the Delano Manong farm workers, key players in the founding of the United Farm workers and the Delano Grape strike.  According to this City of … Continue reading

Posted in Current Events, History, San Francisco Bay Area | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Stories of our Elders: Lola’s Sacrifices and Life Lessons

With our Asian American elders under attack, we should remember that one way to honor them is to preserve their stories. One really convenient and great way to do that is through StoryCorps, which provides apps to record their stories … Continue reading

Posted in Family, History | Tagged , | Leave a comment

In Praise of Spam: Prose, a Play, and a Poem

Spam, Eggs, and Rice. That was a familiar and comforting meal when I was a kid, and I still feel that way today. While Spam has been condemned as the epitomy of unhealthy processed food, I recently learned about an … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Food & Drink, History, Lifestyles | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The First US Television series featuring an Asian American Actor is Lost and Probably Gone Forever

The blog title above might make you wonder if something happened to Fresh off the Boat.  Perhaps if you were older or well versed in pop culture, you might wonder if something happened to copies of All American Girl (1994), … Continue reading

Posted in History, TV | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Asian American Cultural Landmarks: The San Gabriel Valley and Beyond

While conflicts have increased about American historical monuments and landmarks, especially regarding statues of slave owners or institutions named after racists, this article from Hyperallergic asks, what kind of cultural landmarks do Asian Americans establish?   In “In American’s “First Suburban … Continue reading

Posted in History, Local, San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment