April 30 – Fact of the Week: Michelle Kwan

Born in Torrance, California to Hong Kong immigrant parents, Michelle Kwan began figure skating at 5-years-old, following the footsteps of her older sister. After only a year of skating, she entered and won her first competition. At 13-years-old, she finished 8th in the 1994 World Championships, earning an alternate position in the Olympics that same year. However, that would only be the start. Throughout her career, Kwan won 9 U.S. championships, 5 world championships, and 2 Olympic medals, taking the figure skating world by storm with her dazzling performances. In the United States and overseas, she has inspired millions of people. Despite her retirement or “break” from competitive ice skating, she remains the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, and one of the most influential and popular Asian American athletes. In addition to her stellar talents on the ice, she also studied in international studies and political science, most recently serving as a U.S. ambassador and diplomat internationally.

April 23 – Fact of the Week: Amy Tan

A California native, Amy Tan is an Asian-American writer who focuses her work on mother-daughter relationships. Born on February 19, 1952 to Chinese immigrant parents, her family moved around Northern California before settling in Santa Clara. Tan holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in English and Linguistics from San Jose University. In addition, she studied for a Doctorate in linguistics, first at UC Santa Cruz and then at Berkeley. When she developed an interest for the developmentally disabled, she left the program to pursue a job as a language development consultant and later directed a training project for developmentally disabled children. Since then, much of her energy is spent raising awareness about Lyme disease, promoting early detection and treatment, and advocating for patients’ rights. Her best-selling novel, The Joy Luck Club, enjoyed eight months on The New York Times’ bestseller’s list. That novel and her subsequent novel, The Kitchen God’s Wife, also had excellent sales. There more novels ensued, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and Saving Fish from Drowning. She also authored two children’s books: The Moon Lady and The Sagwa.

April 20 – Fact of the Day: Bobby Jindal

Piyush “Bobby” Jindal is the first Indian-American governor in the United States. He is also the youngest to serve in this country as a governor. In 2004, Jindal was elected as the second Indian-American to serve in the Congress. After his parents immigrated to the United States from the northwestern Indian state of Punjab, he was raised in a Punjabi Hindu household, but later converted to Christianity. Jindal is a well-known opposition against race-based social entitlements and has voted against the distribution of race-based college grants. His belief that everyone should receive equal treatment, regardless of race, is a primary motivation behind his policies as well as a source of criticism within minority communities.

April 19 – Fact of the Day: Dalip Singh Saund

Dalip Singh Saund was born in Amritsar, a city in the present day Punjab state of India. In 1919, he received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Punjab and moved to California one year later, attending Berkeley and received a doctorate in mathematics. In the 1940s, he formed the Indian Association of America and worked with the Indian League of America to achieve Indian-American rights to citizenship. His work came to fruition when Truman signed the Luce-Cellar Act, permitting citizenship to Asian Indians, in 1946. Dalip Singh Saund finally gained citizenship in 1949. Active in the Democratic Party, he was selected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1952, 1956 and 1960. In 1950, Saund ran for judgeship and won, but could not serve because he had not been a citizen for a full year. Still, he did not give up and served as judge from 1952 until he became a congressman in 1957. He served three terms, but suffered a stroke while campaigning for a fourth and died, ending his career. Dalip Singh Saund not only helped win citizenship for Indians, but also inspired other Asian-Americans to pursue careers in politics, something that seemed impossible at the time.

April 18 – Fact of the Day: Mike Honda

As one of the few Asian American and Pacific Islander members in Congress, Mike Honda has represented the 15th Congressional District of California in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than a decade. Honda was born in California, but during World War II, he spent his early childhood with family at Camp Amache, a Japanese-American concentration camp in Colorado. Honda earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and Spanish, and a Master’s degree in Education from San Jose University. Previous to serving as a House member, he was a science teacher and served as a principal at two public schools. Currently, Honda is serving his 7th year as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, addressing the needs of the community and coordinating with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucuses to further the causes of under-represented minority communities by promoting racial tolerance, civil rights, and social rights. He continues to be a prominent voice from securing compensation for Filipino WWII veterans to supporting the passage of comprehensive immigration reform.

Source: http://honda.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=20

April 17 – Fact of the Day: Daniel Inoyue

Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye is the first Japanese-American to serve in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. As a Sansei Japanese-American, Inouye was born in Honolulu and raised by Japanese immigrant parents. During World War II, he enlisted in the decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team and lost his right arm in the air. As a result of his military service, Inouye was one of the first Japanese-Americans to receive the Medal of Honor. Currently, he serves as the highest ranking Asian-American government official in American history. He was ranked third in line to presidency after the Vice President and Speaker of the House as the president pro-tempore of the Senate. He continues to be a passionate advocate for Hawaiians as well as the AAPI community at large.

Source: http://inouye.senate.gov/Home/Home_1.cfm

April 16 – Fact of the Day: Bubble Tea

Bubble tea, the delicious and popular Taiwanese drink consumed by almost every Asian American today, is a sweetened drink that contains powders of a specific fruit combined with milk and black or green tea. However, the “main” ingredient in bubble tea that gives it its fundamentally innovative and unique name are the black tapioca pearls. Made from tapioca starch, the pearls are small, soft, and chewy balls that are absolutely delicious when consumed together with the drink. Jelly can also be added as well. In fact, there are a countless number of different varieties of bubble tea, attributing to the excitement to try out all the different types and flavor!

April 13 – Fact of the Day: Richard Aoki

Richard Aoki was one of the most prominent Asian Americans involved in the civil rights movement in the United States. He is remembered for the personal impact he has made on the Asian American community, as well as for the social impact he has made on promoting the civil rights movement of marginalized populations. Among his accomplishments, Aoki was a founding member of the Asian American Political Alliance, a leader in the Third World Liberation Front Strike at UC Berkeley and co-coordinator for the first Asian American Studies program at UC Berkeley. Born in San Leandro, California, in 1938, Aoki is a Sansei Japanese-American. During WWII, he and his family were interned at the Topaz concentration camp in Utah. After graduating from Berkeley High School, Aoki spent eight years serving in the US Army, first as a medic and later in the infantry. After becoming disillusioned with the US growing involvement in Vietnam, Aoki received a honorable discharge from the Army and decided to continue his education at Merritt Community College. During his time at Merrit Community College, Aoki maintained close relations with Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, the founders of the Black Panther Party. As a field marshal in the Black Panther Party, Aoki was one of the first members and the only Asian American to have a formal leadership position. Aoki is a legendary icon, and a inspiration for many Asian American students in the struggle for civil rights for the under-privileged minority populations.

Source: http://ramemorial.blogspot.com/

April 12 – Fact of the Day: The Filipino Pensionado Students

Early Filipino migration to the United States in the early 20th century came as American government-sponsored pensionado students. After the Philippine-American War, Filipino students migrated to the United States to travel to a country dreamed as free and prosperous, to acquire the American diploma which they believed would boost their status and lead to an aspiring future in the Philippines. As early as 1903, pensionado students started to migrate and lived in boarding houses, attended college full-time, and were expected by their American sponsors to learn about the United States and succeed academically. Part of a Filipinization policy, pensionado students were then required to return and enter government services in the Philippines after acquiring an American education. Later, Filipinos would also enter the United States, but as self-supporting students and agricultural and migrant laborers into settled immigrant communities.

April 11 – Fact of the Day: Cheryl Song on Soul Train

Soul. Train. Remember the show? Cheryl Song, now an ex-Soul Train dancer, shattered racial barriers on and outside the show. She was the standout Asian American dancer that stayed on the show for fourteen consecutive years (from 1976-1990) dancing her heart out even despite being criticized and harassed by some of the other dancers for being “non-black” or “yellow” in the beginning. From her popular appearances on Soul Train, she also appeared in Michael Jackson’s music video, “Beat It,” and Rick James’ music video, “Superfreak.” Many people from the 80s have embraced her as an unforgettable icon–the girl with long, black hair with extravagant outfits and elaborate dances that outdanced her peers–and reminisced about her presence on the show. Now, she works for the Federal Air Marshall Service at the Los Angeles International Airport, but still considers dancing on Soul Train to be the happiest time of her life.

Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2GN7ODPaAJY

Source: http://soultrain.com/2011/07/27/diary-of-an-ex-soul-train-dancer-qa-with-the-unforgettable-cheryl-song/