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☆ Why Hasan Minhaj’s fabrications could invalidate real accounts of racism and Islamophobia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Many are saying they are worried Minhaj's fabrications could invalidate people's accounts of actual racism and Islamophobia. People can stereotype and say, 'Oh, look, that South Asian comedian lied. Vishal Kalyanasundaram, a South Asian comedian, said he can understand the backlash but believes it shouldn't be such a big deal. "Just because he's South Asian doesn't mean he's the golden child and the voice for our people. Nylah Burton, a freelance journalist, also defended Minhaj, recognizing that the comedy industry is difficult to break into, especially for a South Asian Muslim comedian.

Persons: Hasan Minhaj, Lakshmi Srinivas, Minhaj, Brother Eric, Srinivas, He's, Sarah Suzuki Harvard, Harvard, Vishal Kalyanasundaram, it's, Kalyanasundaram, Nylah Burton Organizations: University of Massachusetts, Yorker, Netflix, NBC Asian, NBC News, FBI, Hollywood, NBC, Harvard, Twitter Locations: Boston, NBC Asian America, Asian

☆ Daniel Dae Kim says success of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ has inadvertently hampered Asian-led films
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The blockbuster hit “Crazy Rich Asians” has raised unrealistic expectations for other Asian-led film projects, the actor Daniel Dae Kim said this week at a panel discussion at the Sundance Film Festival. “One of the collateral damage effects of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ was that everyone wanted to do more Asian projects as long as they were just ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’” Kim said at the Variety-sponsored panel. “If you had a project that spoke to something other than people being super rich and super wealthy and super happy, then they weren’t interested," he said. Inclusive storytelling shouldn't just be "a category or a checkbox and say, ‘We have our Asian project, we have our Black project, and so we’re good. In 2022, it was announced that a sequel to “Crazy Rich Asians” was officially underway.

☆ Asian actors and filmmakers dominate Oscar nominations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Asian American-led projects have been the standouts at this year’s award shows, and the Academy Awards nominations, which were announced Tuesday, were no different. Golden Globe-winning stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan were also nominated for best actress and best supporting actor, respectively. Stephanie Hsu, who played Yeoh’s daughter, Joy, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who played Deirdre, an IRS inspector, were also nominated for best supporting actress. The film was also nominated for best picture, best costume design, best original screenplay, best original score, best film editing and best original song. “Then along came the best gift: ‘Everything, Everywhere All at Once.’”Hong Chau, who plays Liz in A24’s “The Whale” with Brendan Fraser, was also nominated for best supporting actress.

☆ Amid 'Velma' pushback, Mindy Kaling is a 'lightning rod' held to impossible standard, some critics say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

In 2021, South Asian women made up 0.3% of onscreen representation in television and film, according to a study by the Nielsen company. Srinivas sees why the South Asian community feels incorrectly represented by Mindy, Devi, Bela or Velma. “When her characters have become so popular with the mainstream audience, I think it’s understandable that the South Asian community feels somewhat outraged by this portrayal of a South Asian individual,” she said. “It’s not inauthentic to the experience of South Asian kids growing up in this society. “They are very much the same as the characters Mindy portrays.”

☆ Netflix announces 'biggest-ever lineup' of Korean films and series
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix announced 34 new Korean titles to hit the streaming platform in 2023, including a diverse array of series and movies. The upcoming titles, which Netflix calls their “biggest-ever lineup of Korean films and series,” includes 21 scripted shows, five reality shows, six movies and two documentaries. Korean content on the platform has continued to grow, with over 60 percent of all Netflix users watching Korean titles last year, according to a release from the company on Monday. The global popularity of Korean media and culture, known as the “Korean Wave,” is still proving successful in the U.S., with shows like “Squid Game” being Netflix’s most successful series launch of all time. For its part, Netflix has been steadily investing in Korean content — reportedly over $500 million in 2021 and even more in 2022.

☆ First-look photos of 'American Born Chinese' feature Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Disney offered a peek Friday of its upcoming “American Born Chinese,” based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel of the same name. Daniel Wu in, "American Born Chinese." Carlos Lopez-Calleja / DisneyGolden Globe winners and stars of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan star in the new series. Michelle Yeoh in, "American Born Chinese." Ke Huy Quan in, "American Born Chinese."

☆ Kumail Nanjiani defends Tarantino and Scorsese’s right to criticize Marvel
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Kumail Nanjiani, star of Marvel’s “Eternals,” recently defended directors Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino’s right to criticize Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor, who played Kingo in the 2021 Marvel film, told Esquire in an interview this week he believes Tarantino and Scorsese’s long-standing contribution to the film industry is enough to justify their right. “I obviously love the movies Tarantino makes or Scorsese makes, and I may disagree with Scorsese’s opinion on superhero movies, but I mean, who else has earned the right to have an opinion? If Scorsese hasn’t earned the right to have an opinion on movies, then none of us should have an opinion on movies,” Nanjiani said in the interview. “If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie,” Liu tweeted.

☆ What to know about 'Naatu Naatu,' the song that beat out Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga at Golden Globes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

“Naatu Naatu,” a song from the hit Telugu-language film “RRR,” was the unexpected and historic winner for best original song at the Golden Globes Tuesday, beating out Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Majumdar said she was surprised but thrilled “Naatu Naatu” took home the award. “Earlier, that was seen as a feature that was strange about Indian cinema. Keeravani accepts the Best Original Song award for "Naatu Naatu" from "RRR" during the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Tuesday. “When I envisioned the ‘Naatu Naatu’ song,” Rajamouli told Variety.

☆ American Girl makes history with its first South Asian Girl of the Year doll
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

American Girl unveiled its 2023 Girl of the Year on Thursday, and in a brand first, the title goes to a South Asian doll. Kavi Sharma, an Indian American from New Jersey, loves to sing, dance and hang out with her friends. Kavi, who takes weekly classical Indian dance classes, and her tight-knit family also celebrate their culture through holidays, food and clothing. American Girl, a subsidiary of toy company Mattel, debuted its first Girl of the Year in 2001. Although Kavi is the company’s first South Asian Girl of the Year, she is not the first South Asian doll.

☆ A TikTok creator’s homemade pickled products have sparked online conversation surrounding food safety
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

A TikTok creator’s recent apology after people accused her of improperly packaging her homemade pickled products before selling them online has sparked discourse surrounding influencers and whether they should be allowed to promote and sell homemade food items on the app. Britanny Saunier, executive director of the nonprofit organization Partnership for Food Safety EducationSocial media creates "enthusiasm" around homemade products, said Britanny Saunier, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Partnership for Food Safety Education. The backlash toward PickleMeEverything’s products comes several months after another viral product raised eyebrows over similar food safety fears. He said he’s concerned about the growing number of TikTokers who don’t know or use food safety while promoting food products. Food Science Babe pointed out in her video that several popular creators had promoted PickleMeEverything’s products.

☆ The iconic Wednesday Addams dance gets a cultural twist from Asian TikTok creators
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

"Wednesday," a comedy horror show and the latest “Addams Family” spinoff, was released on the streaming service last week. It follows daughter Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega, as she navigates Nevermore Academy, her psychic abilities and a murder mystery. The dance scene, which shows Wednesday ghoulishly grooving at Nevermore Academy’s annual Rave’N dance, has mesmerized thousands on the app. She was also dressed in all black with a Polynesian dancing belt called a hip hei and her hair in a braided crown. The Addams Family consists of mother and father Gomez and Morticia; children Pugsley and Wednesday; butler Lurch; and extended family members Uncle Fester and Grandmama.

☆ Director Ang Lee will direct his son, playing Bruce Lee in biopic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Ang Lee, the Academy Award-winning director of “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi,” is set to direct an upcoming film about the Chinese American martial arts icon Bruce Lee. Mason Lee, the son of Ang Lee, will play Bruce Lee in Sony’s 3000 Pictures film. At 13, he went on to study wing chun kung fu under the renowned master Yip Man, according to the Bruce Lee Estate. He also developed his own martial art during this time called Jeet Kune Do, the Bruce Lee Foundation's website said. After “The Green Hornet” was canceled, Bruce Lee struggled to find work in Hollywood and returned to Hong Kong to pursue a film career.

☆ Simu Liu stars in 'The Simpsons' episode as Lisa's tech billionaire husband
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Actor Simu Liu made an appearance Sunday on the latest episode of “The Simpsons” as Lisa Simpson’s future “visionary tech giant” husband. The episode includes multiple time jumps, beginning with with Nelson and Lisa reuniting before her college graduation. The time jumps that follow include Hubert and Lisa’s separation, their reconciliation and Nelson and Lisa’s reunification once again. Liu went to Instagram to share his excitement for the recent episode. “The Simpsons” also welcomed Simu and his character to the show’s universe on Twitter after the episode aired.

☆ Miss America reflects on her reign, talks about how brother with special needs inspires her activism
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Emma Broyles, the 2022 Miss America, has actually spent a lot of her life on the sidelines — cheering on her older brother at sporting events. Brendan Broyles, 22, who has Down syndrome, is an athlete in the Special Olympics and a major source of inspiration for his sister's activism as Miss America. Emma Broyles is the first Korean American and first Miss Alaska to win the title. “It’s a tremendous privilege to be the first Korean American Miss America. There she worked with a partner group to help provide glasses for students in the community for Alaskan Native Heritage Month.

☆ UNC Charlotte updates policy to allow Sikh students to wear kirpan on campus
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte announced this week that it would allow Sikh students to wear a kirpan on campus, a religious article. The change comes about two months after a video was posted online showing a student who was handcuffed for carrying the ceremonial dagger. The university thanked Sikh leaders, including nonprofit organizations The Sikh Coalition and the Global Sikh Council, who provided expertise and perspective to help with the policy change. A video of the student being handcuffed was posted on the Twitter account @thatsamaan in September, and its user identified himself as the student in question. “I wasn’t going to post this, but I don’t think I will receive any support from @unccharlotte,” he tweeted along with the video.

☆ Foreign workers laid off from Big Tech face a deadline: Find a job ASAP, or leave the country
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | Sakshi Venkatraman | Sakshi Venkatraman Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Under the umbrella of a tech giant, not only would he have job security, he thought, but visa security as well. Originally from China, he needed the sponsorship of an H-1B work visa to stay in the U.S.A year went by in his new role and everything seemed to be going well. immigration policy has amplified the uncertainty for immigrant workers in times like this. “It’s definitely harder trying to find a job or trying to find a company that’s willing to sponsor you. “This really helped drive the tech boom in the U.S. and made the U.S. the big tech hub,” Khanna said.

☆ Aruna Miller makes history as first South Asian woman elected lieutenant governor in U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Aruna Miller, a former Democratic state legislator, made history in Maryland on Tuesday as the nation’s first South Asian woman to be elected state lieutenant governor. I will never stop fighting to make sure that promise is available to everyone,” she tweeted after the victory. She also thanked Wes Moore, who selected Miller as his running mate and was elected Maryland’s first Black governor on Tuesday. Miller graduated from the Missouri University of Science and Technology with a degree in civil engineering, the Moore-Miller campaign website said. “There is no higher calling than public service, and no greater honor than to serve the people of this great state,” he tweeted.

☆ Asian American groups criticize Seattle's anti-Asian hate budget reduction in new proposal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Asian American organizations are calling out the 2023 budget put forth by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, who proposed reducing the city’s fund to combat anti-Asian hate by nearly half. The budget proposal, announced last month, would reduce the city’s hate crime funding from $400,000 in the 2022 adopted budget to $167,000 in the 2023 budget. Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, said cities cutting funding for Asian American communities is concerning. Anti-Asian hate crimes rose exponentially since the beginning of the pandemic, increasing 339% in 2021, according to data from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. “Anti-Asian hate crimes, which surged in the past two years due to the COVID pandemic, still continue and appear in national news.

☆ 'The Daily Show' faces backlash after segments about Rishi Sunak
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Daily Show is being criticized after a segment about Britain’s first Asian and nonwhite prime minister, Rishi Sunak. Monday’s episode included a 6 1/2 minute segment in which senior correspondent Ronny Chieng said Sunak wasn’t Asian because he was Indian. “I know everyone is excited that this is the first Asian prime minister but let’s be clear, Indians are not Asians, OK? I bet if I show up in a Bollywood film, I’m just going to blend right in, right? Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis make up the largest demographic of Asians and Asian British in the country, according to the Office of National Statistics.

☆ This creator's rice board is a delicious response to the viral butter board trend
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Those viral butter boards are spreading everywhere, but one woman is serving up her own version of the food trend: rice boards. The butter board recipe says to “make a charcuterie board but for butter,” so Kim does the same and adds fried Spam. After her initial rice board went viral, Kim made and posted another — this time inspired by a dish her late mother made her as a child. “Those comments warmed my heart, especially since the second rice board was what my mom used to make for me.”Kim said she loves the support her videos have had but doesn’t know if she’ll be making any more rice board videos. While those might be Kim’s last rice board videos, she said she’s excited to continue making different food content and other viral trends.

☆ Anna May Wong will be 1st Asian American featured on U.S. currency
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The trailblazing Chinese American actress Anna May Wong will be the first Asian American featured on U.S. currency as part of a program that includes notable women on American quarters. Wong, who is considered the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood, is the fifth and final woman to be individually featured on a quarter this year. U.S. MintVentris C. Gibson, director of the U.S. Mint, called Wong "a courageous advocate who championed for increased representation and more multi-dimensional roles for Asian American actors." “She is remembered as an international film star, fashion icon, television trailblazer, and a champion for greater representation of Asian Americans in film. The American Women Quarters Program began this year and features five women each year through 2025, including the Native Hawaiian hula teacher Edith Kanaka’ole in 2023.

☆ Ahead of midterms, politicians warn against using China rhetoric that scapegoats Asians
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Asian American politicians are warning against using inflammatory rhetoric about China and anti-Asian terms ahead of the midterms after a new report detailed the impact it can have on Asian and Asian American communities. The report, titled “The Blame Game” and released Wednesday by the nonprofit group Stop AAPI Hate, focused on how language used in hate incidents often mirrors that of anti-Asian political rhetoric. “The Blame Game” cited language from politicians used to blame China for Covid-19, including President Donald Trump who nicknamed the virus “the China virus” in March 2020. The report said hashtags expressing anti-Asian rhetoric increased by 174 times one week after his first tweet. The report said politicians also accused the Chinese government of espionage, which mirrors language used in scapegoating Asians and Asian Americans.

☆ Constance Wu shares details about her attempted suicide
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Actor Constance Wu opened up about her suicide attempt in a tearful conversation on Jada Pinkett Smith’s show “Red Table Talk,” divulging what led to the incident. Wu said she felt like she couldn’t speak up about the harassment. Nadia Kim, a professor of sociology and of Asian and Asian American studies at Loyola Marymount University, said on the panel that the lack of Asian American representation makes it harder. “Because there are so few Asian American stars, there is incredible pressure put on these actors, like Constance Wu, to be perfect,” she said. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

☆ UNC apologizes for handcuffing student whose Sikh article of faith was mistaken for a weapon
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has apologized after a video was posted online showing a Sikh student who was handcuffed for carrying a kirpan, a religious article that resembles a knife. “Further investigation showed the item was a kirpan, an article of faith in Sikhism.”Video of the incident was posted on the Twitter account @thatsamaan, and its user identified himself as the student in question. You want me to take the whole thing off?” the student asked. The police officer told the student to stand up and the student asked, “What are you doing to me, bro?” before the officer told him he was being detained. The Twitter user tweeted on Saturday that he did receive his kirpan back.

☆ The North Face is renaming its fleece jackets and spotlighting the Sherpa people
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The North Face is dropping the word “sherpa” from the name of its fleece jackets this fall, using the opportunity to highlight the heritage of the Sherpa people. The collection, which was called sherpa fleece jackets and vests, will now be called “pile” fleece, as will all of the company's fleece products moving forward. A Women's High Pile Nuptse Jacket by The North Face. The North Face has credited the Sherpa people for helping guide the company’s athletes for decades during expeditions in the Himalayan mountains. The North Face isn’t the only company to use the word "sherpa" to describe products.

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