"It is beyond outrageous that this unremorseful killer is suing for attorney's fees that would allow him to continue evading payment for beating Vincent Chin to death 23 years ago," Zia said.Man Charged With Vincent Chin's Death Seeks Lien Removed, Still Owes Millions - NBC News
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Man Charged With Vincent Chin's Death Seeks Lien Removed, Still Owes Millions - NBC News
Latest developments on Vincent Chin case. Written by Emil Guillermo and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang for NBC News Asian America.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Last postcard from NAKASEC--Thanks!
Last postcard from NAKASEC--Thanks for being a part!
Thanks so much NAKASEC students for sharing your stories and for being a part of the Remembering Vincent Chin project. Please check back periodically to see what new resources and projects we are working on, especially every June. Most importantly, carry this story with you out into the world as you stand up for others and speak up for what's right. Remember the quiet determination of Vincent Chin's mother, Mrs. Lily Chin, like so many ajjuma and halmoni that we all know, and use the talents and the advantages that you happen to have--of education, of English, of citizenship, of computer skills, of art skills, etc.--to help those who do not happen to have those advantages. Thanks so much for your thoughts, and I look forward to hearing about all your great works in the future,
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Monday, July 27, 2015
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Friday, July 24, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
New Postcards from NAKASEC
Just got these great postcards from NAKASEC, a Korean American service NGO based in Los Angeles, CA. They are running a 7-week Youth Program for seventeen teenagers to raise awareness about Asian American rights and issues. and they sent me these postcards! Cool!
Friday, June 26, 2015
Activist, Author, Icon Grace Lee Boggs Turns 100 Years Old - NBC News
Happy 100th Birthday to Grace Lee Boggs
"We try to heed Grace's challenge to us," said Putnam. "She said that we must 'think beyond what we even believe is possible.' This call for critical thinking and deep imagination is her legacy to us."Activist, Author, Icon Grace Lee Boggs Turns 100 Years Old - NBC News
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Criminal Defense Attorney Mia Yamamoto Talks Race, Identity, Community - NBC News
such an honor to be able to interview the amazing Mia Yamamoto for NBC Asian America
Born in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II, criminal defense attorney Mia Frances Yamamoto has always known the effect that race can have on justice, and she often jokes to both audiences and clients, "I was born doing time."Criminal Defense Mia Yamamoto Attorney Talks Race, Identity, Community - NBC News
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Vincent Chin's Estate Still Seeking Millions in Settlement Funds - NBC News
From Emil Guillermo on NBC Asian America
"People forget. It's been a long time ago. A whole generation has passed. It's ancient history to them," she said. "The main thing is we are a thorn in his side, and that he is not free."Vincent Chin's Estate Still Seeking Millions in Settlement Funds - NBC News
Video Why Vincent Chin Matters
VIDEO from 30th anniversary panel: Why #VincentChin matters: http://ow.ly/yuJKY
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
To view Vincent Who?
From Curtis Chin: Today is the 33th anniversary of Vincent Chin's death. To view Vincent Who? for free, please go to: http://t.co/Ior5uSzGwe
Monday, June 22, 2015
Asian Americans in the Heartland Celebrated in New Book - NBC News
my article for NBC News Asian America on new book, "Asian Americans in Michigan"
"Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the state of Michigan. Yet, it's also an often forgotten group in the discourse of black-white dichotomy,"Asian Americans in the Heartland Celebrated in New Book - NBC News
Blog: Emil Guillermo: Vincent Chin died 33 years ago, an injustice still; Ronald Ebens, Chin's killer, still owes millions to the Chin estate. - AALDEF
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Allied Media Conference: Vincent Chin: Lessons of Being the 'Othe...
The amazing DAY Project presents a workshop on the Vincent Chin case at the Allied Media Conference in Detroit today.
Allied Media Conference: Vincent Chin: Lessons of Being the 'Other'
Allied Media Conference: Vincent Chin: Lessons of Being the 'Other'
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
One of APALC's First Cases, Vincent Chin Tragedy Catalyzes Asian American Activism | Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA
From our friends at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA (formerly known as APALC)
“In the specific case of Vincent Chin, the final outcome repeated the tragedy of his murder,” Kwoh reflects. “But the case and the intense mobilizing it precipitated set in motion forces that have been gathering in strength every year since then.” As an example of that strong Asian American legal defense capability, APALC would rise in concert with the emergence of Asian American political consciousness -- the final and most lasting legacy of Vincent and Lily Chin.One of APALC's First Cases, Vincent Chin Tragedy Catalyzes Asian American Activism | Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA
Frances Kai-Hwa Wang on Role of the Media in Vincent Chin Case State Bar of Michigan Legal Milestone
from back when I was Executive Director of American Citizens for Justice, "Role of the Media in the Vincent Chin Case and the Birth of the Asian American Civil Rights Movement" at The State Bar of Michigan's 34th Michigan Legal Milestone commemorates the Vincent Chin Case "From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry," Friday, June 19, 2009. #iamvincentchin #vincentchin #vchin
Frances Kai-Hwa Wang on Role of the Media in Vincent Chin Case State Bar of Michigan Legal Milestone: Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Executive Director American Citizens for Justice, "Role of the Media in the Vincent Chin Case and the Birth of the Asian American Civil...
Frances Kai-Hwa Wang on Role of the Media in Vincent Chin Case State Bar of Michigan Legal Milestone: Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Executive Director American Citizens for Justice, "Role of the Media in the Vincent Chin Case and the Birth of the Asian American Civil...
33 years ago
Vincent Chin was a 27-year-old Chinese American raised in Metro Detroit. A week before his wedding, June 19, 1982, he went to the Fancy Pants strip club in Highland Park with a few buddies for his bachelor’s party. There, they encountered two autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, who, like many at the time, blamed the Japanese for the U.S. auto industry’s troubles. At the time, the American auto industry was in a crushing recession and much of the hostility was directed at Japan. Mistaking Chin for a Japanese American, two white autoworkers began to harass Vincent with racial epithets and a fight broke out. Even though Chin was not Japanese and worked in the auto industry himself as a draftsman, Ebens was heard saying, “It’s because of you little m—f—s that we’re out of work,” as well as other anti-Asian racial epithets.
The men were thrown out of the bar, and the fight continued in the parking lot and into the night. Ebens and Nitz searched for Chin and his friends, and upon finding them after a half hour pursuit, Nitz held Chin in a bear hug while Ebens struck Chin’s head four times with a baseball bat, cracking his skull.
Vincent Chin died four days later on June 23, 1982. His wedding guests attended his funeral instead.
On March 18, 1983, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz pleaded guilty to killing Vincent Chin. Judge Charles Kaufman sentenced them to 3 years probation and fined them $3,780. Explaining the light sentence, Judge Kaufman stated, "These aren't the kind of men you send to jail . You fit the punishment to the criminal, not the crime."
Neither man spent a single day in jail for beating Vincent Chin to death.
The brutal murder and light sentence outraged the Asian American community. In Detroit on March 31, 1983, Asian Americans founded the American Citizens for Justice to lobby for a federal trial for Chin's murderers. The campaign was spearheaded by journalist Helen Zia, lawyer Liza Chan, and Lily Chin - Vincent Chin's mother. Rallies in Detroit, San Francisco, and Los Angeles awakened sleeping Asian American communities and attracted national media attention.
The national API mobilization succeeded in winning a federal trial. On June 5, 1984, federal prosecutors charged Ebens and Nitz with violating Vincent Chin's civil rights. After 23 days of deliberation, a Detroit federal jury acquitted Nitz but found Ebens guilty of violating Chin's civil rights. At last, after 2 years of struggle, justice came for Vincent Chin.
Defense lawyers won a federal retrial for Ebens and Nitz in Cincinnati. On May 1, 1987, the jury acquitted Ebens and Nitz of violating Vincent Chin's civil rights. Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz never spent a full day in jail for the murder of Vincent Chin. Crushed by the failure of the justice system, Lily Chin left America and returned to China.
Although the movement for a federal trial did not gain justice for Vincent Chin, it was far from a failure. The movement gave a resonant political voice to previously silent Asian American communities across the nation. The murder of Vincent Chin was the seminal event that sparked the Asian American civil rights movement. In his death, Vincent Chin was immortalized as a symbol of the Asian American struggle for acceptance.
Significance of Vincent Chin case today:
Asian Pacific American coalitions critical
Multiracial coalitions critical
APA Victims and Civil Rights movements started
Families can now testify during sentencing
Mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines
Danger of changing venues understood
Hate crimes prosecuted at federal level
Education and awareness beforehand key
American Citizens for Justice formed 1983
Thursday, June 18, 2015
V Chin (Vincent Chin) T Shirt
Check out the original by our friends over at Blacklava.net. Make a statement.
V Chin (Vincent Chin) T Shirt
V Chin (Vincent Chin) T Shirt
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Asian Americans in Michigan | Wayne State University Press
A new book from Wayne State University Press launching now:
While the number of Asians in Michigan was small for a good portion of the state’s history, many Asian-derived communities have settled in the area and grown significantly over time. In Asian Americans in Michigan: Voices from the Midwest, editors Sook Wilkinson and Victor Jew have assembled forty-one contributors to give an intimate glimpse into Michigan’s Asian-American communities, creating a fuller picture of these often overlooked groups. Accounts in the collection come from a range of perspectives, including first-generation immigrants, those born in the United States, and third- and fourth-generation Americans of Asian heritage.Asian Americans in Michigan | Wayne State University Press
In five sections, contributors consider the historical and demographic origins of Michigan’s Asian American communities, explore their experiences in memory and legacy keeping, highlight particular aspects of community culture and heritage, and comment on prospects and hopes for the future. This volume’s vibrant mix of contributors trace their ancestries back to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan), South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan), and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Hmong). Though each contributor writes from his or her unique set of experiences, Asian Americans in Michigan also reveals universal values and memories held by larger communities.
Asian Americans in Michigan makes clear the significant contributions by individuals in many fields—including art, business, education, religion, sports, medicine, and politics—and demonstrates the central role of community organizations in bringing ethnic groups together and preserving memories. Readers interested in Michigan history, sociology, and Asian American studies will enjoy this volume.
Published by: Wayne State University Press
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Ruling Allows Sikh ROTC Members to Wear Turbans - NBC News
My article for NBC Asian America on Iknoor Singh case
"The ruling in this case is a step in the right direction towards improving religious freedom and equal opportunity in this country," Simran Jeet Singh, Sikh CoalitionSenior Religion Fellow, told NBC News. "At the same time, I am concerned because the U.S. Military's discriminatory ban remains in place. I am hopeful that the Pentagon sees this ruling -- which aligns with recent Supreme Court rulings -- as a signal that it is no longer free to discriminate against religious minorities."Ruling Allows Sikh ROTC Members to Wear Turbans - NBC News
Monday, June 15, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
'We Are Not Alone': Festival Celebrates Multiracial America - NBC News
My article for NBC News Asian America re Mixed Remixed festival and Loving Day celebration
"To me, festivals like this are all about community," multiracial Asian American writer and Mixed Remixed panel moderator Jason Sperber told NBC News. "Multiraciality is so often discussed as an individualized and individuated experience, but it is much more than that."'We Are Not Alone': Festival Celebrates Multiracial America - NBC News
Michigan's First Publicly 'Out' Citizen Still Fighting for LGBTQ Rights - NBC News
My article for NBC News re the amazing Jim Toy
"I was taught never to talk about sex, politics, or religion at the dinner table. And I think I have learned that if you bring up one, the other two inevitably have to follow,"Michigan's First Publicly 'Out' Citizen Still Fighting for LGBTQ Rights - NBC News
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
National Day of Action Planned for Nan-Hui Jo - NBC News
My article for NBC News Asian America re Nan-Hui Jo case #standwithnanhui #dontdeportrosa
"Ms. Jo's detention shows ICE's complete lack of understanding of domestic violence and is a total waste of government resources." Jo's attorney, Amalia Wille, told NBC News. "Ms. Jo has several applications for lawful immigration status pending based on the domestic abuse she has experienced, and ICE should immediately release her, as it does with the vast majority of foreign nationals awaiting decisions on their cases."National Day of Action Planned for Nan-Hui Jo - NBC News
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Race, Justice, Outreach at the Heart of this New Orleans Camp - NBC News
My article for NBC News Asian America re VAYLA New Orlean's summer leadership institute
Race, Justice, Outreach at the Heart of this New Orleans Camp - NBC News
"VAYLA New Orleans is known as a racial and social justice organization. We believe in youth leadership and youth power with a family component," Executive Director Minh Nguyen told NBC News, "because we believe young people can't succeed and thrive unless their caregiver is supported."
Race, Justice, Outreach at the Heart of this New Orleans Camp - NBC News
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Despite Protests, Construction to Continue on Hawaii's Mauna Kea Telescope - NBC News
my article for NBC News Asian America on TMT in HI
"[The Governor's] statement demonstrates a kind of contempt for the law and the people of Hawai`i," activist Kealoha Pisciotta, President of Mauna Kea Anaina Houpreservationist group told NBC News. "The people have spoken in very large numbers from Hawai`i and from around the world--No TMT!--We are maintaining our stand for the the Mauna and so there are likely to be many more arrests."Despite Protests, Construction to Continue on Hawaii's Mauna Kea Telescope - NBC News
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Was Race A Factor in Sherry Chen's Espionage Case? - NBC News
My article for NBC News Asian America re Sherry Chen case
"We strongly urge the Department of Justice to do all that is possible to establish appropriate controls, procedures and rules that require reasonable oversight of government investigators and prosecutors," OCA Chief Executive Officer Ken Lee said in a statement. "We fear that absent these controls, in the rush to curtail suspected espionage or information leaks, a failure to exercise proper restraint of racially based suspicions will lead to many more Sherry Chens in the future."Was Race A Factor in Sherry Chen's Espionage Case? - NBC News
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
A Recognition of Fred T. Korematsu - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University
Look at us at GVSU last January!
American Citizens for Justice and Japanese American Citizens League for Korematsu Day
A Recognition of Fred T. Korematsu - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University
A Recognition of Fred T. Korematsu - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Summer Leadership Camp Focuses on Low-Income, Immigrant Youth - NBC News.com
My article for NBC News Asian America re Enlightened Initiative
Summer Leadership Camp Focuses on Low-Income, Immigrant Youth - NBC News.com
With the Enlightened Initiative (EI), I want to empower and invest in the immigrant youth, especially those who come from low-income households, to reach their full potential and dreams in the U.S. society," Cuong Quy Huynh, President of Enlightened Initiative and WK Kellogg Foundation fellow, told NBC News. "By participating in EI, the immigrant youth learn practical and useful leadership, academic, and cultural competency skills as they prepare to enter colleges/universities. Ultimately, EI wants the immigrant youth to be servant leaders in their communities and families."
Summer Leadership Camp Focuses on Low-Income, Immigrant Youth - NBC News.com
Friday, May 15, 2015
Jason Chu on Asian Privilege and Freddie Gray - NBC News.com
"As artists who have been mentored/inspired by MANY Black men and women, my director Ben and I were moved to loudly and definitively voice our solidarity with the Black community - while acknowledging that our communities are viewed/treated differently," Chu told NBC News. "We also wanted to oppose expectations of Asian Americans as silent, complicit, voiceless bodies who tend to 'go with the flow' of dominant culture. Words and video are our craft, and our hope was that this piece would spark conversation, challenge people, and stir action."
Jason Chu on Asian Privilege and Freddie Gray - NBC News.com
Jason Chu on Asian Privilege and Freddie Gray - NBC News.com
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Leaders Urge Solidarity After Baltimore Unrest - NBC News.com
"All officers who kill must be held accountable, or there will continue to be more Rekia Boyds, more Akai Gurleys, more Freddie Grays, and yes, more Yong Xin Huangs," Cathy Dang, Executive Director of CAAAV, told NBC News as theindictment of the six officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray was announced. "It's a sign of progress that much like NYPD Officer Peter Liang, who shot killed Akai Gurley at the end of last November, these officers will now go through our court system."
Leaders Urge Solidarity After Baltimore Unrest - NBC News.com
Leaders Urge Solidarity After Baltimore Unrest - NBC News.com
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
'Police Violence Will Repeat Itself': Asian Groups Call For Accountability - NBC News.com
from Emil Guillermo:
"Asian Americans are united for Akai Gurley and his family because we believe that we collectively need to hold the NYPD and judicial system accountable for Akai's life that was stolen by systemic and institutional racism," Dang said in an e-mail to NBC News. "This is the same system and institution that pits communities of color against each other to maintain the status quo. Our organizations have a long history working in solidarity across multi-racial communities to build a world that is just for everyone, not just for Asian Americans."'
Police Violence Will Repeat Itself': Asian Groups Call For Accountability - NBC News.com
Police Violence Will Repeat Itself': Asian Groups Call For Accountability - NBC News.com
Friday, March 27, 2015
The Life and Legacy of Minoru Yasui - NBC News.com
"Mr. Yasui was an American civil rights pioneer who bravely stood up against our government's incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII," US Congressman Mike Honda who was also incarcerated in an internment camp told NBC News. "He demonstrated a lifetime commitment to civil rights, from his intentional defiance of the military curfew and his Supreme Court case, through his fight for redress for Japanese Americans, to his civil rights advocacy in Denver, where he brought together different communities of color."
The Life and Legacy of Minoru Yasui - NBC News.com
The Life and Legacy of Minoru Yasui - NBC News.com
Hate Crimes Against Arabs, Sikhs, Hindus Will Now Be Tracked - NBC News.com
"Today we all stand together to show that hate has no place in America," Jasit Singh, Executive Director of The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) said at the press conference, "An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and only together will we address the root of this hate."
Hate Crimes Against Arabs, Sikhs, Hindus Will Now Be Tracked - NBC News.com
Hate Crimes Against Arabs, Sikhs, Hindus Will Now Be Tracked - NBC News.com
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Aasif Mandvi Keeps it 'Halal in the Family' With New Comedy - NBC News.com
"By using satire," wrote Mandvi in his Indiegogo appeal, "We will encourage people to reconsider their assumptions about Muslims while providing a balm to those experiencing anti-Muslim bias. I also hope those Uncles and Aunties out there will crack a smile!"
Aasif Mandvi Keeps it 'Halal in the Family' With New Comedy - NBC News.com
Aasif Mandvi Keeps it 'Halal in the Family' With New Comedy - NBC News.com
Monday, February 16, 2015
The Secret History of South Asian & African American Solidarity - NBC News.com
"Since the tragedy in Ferguson, I've been seeing a lot of Asian Americans working to engage anti-Black racism through conversations in their families and communities, protests, and direct action," said Chatterjee, "but they're not the first."
The Secret History of South Asian and African American Solidarity - NBC News.com
The Secret History of South Asian and African American Solidarity - NBC News.com
Friday, February 13, 2015
Alabama Cop Arrested for Takedown That Left Indian Man Partially Paralyzed - NBC News.com
"I found that Officer Eric Parker's actions did not meet the high standards and expectations of the Madison City Police Department," Muncey said.
Alabama Cop Arrested for Takedown That Left Indian Man Partially Paralyzed - NBC News.com
Alabama Cop Arrested for Takedown That Left Indian Man Partially Paralyzed - NBC News.com
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Indian Grandfather Paralyzed After Encounter With Alabama Police - NBC News.com
"We are preparing to file a lawsuit against the City of Madison, Alabama, and the officer who injured Mr. Patel," Hank Sherrod, Patel's civil rights attorney, told NBC News, "The lawsuit will include claims for violations of Mr. Patel's constitutional rights. Presently, however, the City of Madison is refusing to release the officer's name and refusing to provide the media or the family with audio and video of the incident."
Indian Grandfather Paralyzed After Encounter With Alabama Police - NBC News.com
Indian Grandfather Paralyzed After Encounter With Alabama Police - NBC News.com
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Are You A 'Good' or 'Bad' Muslim? These Two Will Help Figure Out - NBC News.com
"I hope #GoodMuslimBadMuslim inspires peeps like me who live in the margins to take up space. Ever since Taz and I met on a "Love Inshallah" book tour road trip, I felt like I'd found a special buddy that I could be a "good/bad Muslim" with. Now, with the podcast, we are finding ways that - even with all our similarities - we are so different. I'm less interested in where our podcast is headed and am totally down for the ride. And I am also hoping Taz will find a boyfriend."
Are You A 'Good' or 'Bad' Muslim? These Two Will Help Figure Out - NBC News.com
Are You A 'Good' or 'Bad' Muslim? These Two Will Help Figure Out - NBC News.com
Saturday, January 31, 2015
A Recognition of Fred T. Korematsu - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University
Look at us! American Citizens for Justice and JACL and friends at GVSU for Korematsu Day
A Recognition of Fred T. Korematsu - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University
A Recognition of Fred T. Korematsu - Multicultural Affairs - Grand Valley State University
Friday, January 30, 2015
Push Continues to Make Fred Korematsu Day A National Holiday - NBC News.com
"Fred Korematsu Day not only honors a great man, but also reminds us about our fragile democracy, which is only as strong as our the adherence to our constitutional principles," said Asian American actor and civil rights activist George Takei who will be speaking at California's Korematsu Day event. "I lived through the internment of Japanese Americans. I know firsthand that we cannot ever repeat that injustice."
Continues to Make Fred Korematsu Day A National Holiday - NBC News.com
Continues to Make Fred Korematsu Day A National Holiday - NBC News.com
Monday, January 26, 2015
New Study Reveals Most Americans Don't Understand Sikhism - NBC News.com
"[These] findings must compel the Sikh community to act, to educate the majority that are unaware and build an image of Sikhism that is understandable to our American neighbors," said Shawn Singh Ghuman, NSC Communications Director. "The goal of the National Sikh Campaign is to use this research as a building block for a greater PR effort to generate awareness about Sikh Americans and the positive contributions we make."New Study Reveals Most Americans Don't Understand Sikhism - NBC News.com
Friday, January 23, 2015
Increase in Anti-Muslim Incidents in France Post-Shooting - NBC News.com
"The attacks in Paris occurred in a very Islamophobic and racist context in France," said Elsa Ray, spokesperson for theCollective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), an advocacy group which has recorded reports of over 66 anti-Muslim attacks (not necessarily reported to the police) in the past two weeks. "The number [of anti-Muslim attacks] has been increasing over the past few years because hate speech and stigmatizing discourse on Muslims have been a global trend and the French government has done nothing to counter this problem, to counter discrimination and violence toward Muslims."
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Sikh Superhero: Captain America, Like You've Never Seen Him - NBC News.com
It started with a poster of a bearded Captain America wearing a bright blue turban created by Sikh-American cartoonist,Vishavjit "Vish" Singh. "Just relax! It's called a turban," the cartoon read. "Inside is my long unshorn waist length hair. Now let's kick some intolerant ass."
Sikh Superhero: Captain America, Like You've Never Seen Him - NBC News.com
Sikh Superhero: Captain America, Like You've Never Seen Him - NBC News.com
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