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MARCH 26 - APRIL 1, 2021 Volume 14 - No. 21 • 16 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

FEMA to reimburse funeral expenses for some COVID-19 victims THE U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced its plan to offer funeral assistance to families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus,” the agency said on its website.

Under the Coronavirus Response and Re-

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA’S FIRST FILIPINO AMERICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL

Rob Bonta nominated to serve as the state’s top prosecutor

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

CALIFORNIA is set to have its first Filipino American attorney general.

Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda), who became the first Fil-Am in the state Legislature, is making history again after Governor Gavin Newsom nominated him to be the next chief law enforcement officer on Wednesday,

March 24.

“Thank you, Governor Newsom, for the privilege and honor of a lifetime,” Bonta said on Wednesday, speaking from International Ho-

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‘IT FELT LIKE WE FAILED OUR COMMUNITIES TO KEEP THEM SAFE’: Filipino Americans mobilize to combat anti-Asian hatred across United States

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by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

Governor Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver and local elected officials visited the St. Matthew AME Church in Orange to observe congregants and community members getting vaccinated.

Photo by Edwin J. Torres/ NJ Governor’s Office

SINOVAC VAX ARRIVAL. Senator Christopher Lawrence Go (2nd from right) witnesses the arrival of 400,000 doses of Chinadonated Sinovac vaccine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on Wednesday, March 24.

Also in photo are Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (right), Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian (2nd from left), and Secretary Vince Dizon (left).

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

FOR Asian Americans across the country, the events that unfolded on Tuesday, March 16 at three Asian-owned spas in Atlanta punctuated a mounting fear: the community isn’t safe.

A 21-year-old man entered three different massage parlors in the greater Atlanta area and

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House passes two immigration Report: 83 Filipino registered nurses NJ pauses reopening bills, sets pathway to citizenship in the US have died of COVID-19 as COVID-19 cases spike for undocumented youth

by CHRISTINA M. ORIEL & RITCHEL MENDIOLA

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

NEW confirmed cases continue to rise in New Jersey in the past few weeks, prompting Gov. Phil Murphy to pause the reopening of the state.

Speaking on CNN, Gov. Murphy said Monday that the state battles a surge in COVID-19 variants .

The governor, speaking on CNN, said

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THE U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, March 18 overwhelmingly passed a pair of immigration bills designed to overhaul the American immigration system, including creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children.

Commonly known as

DREAMers, these undocumented immigrants would earn permanent resident status that would lead to naturalization, according to the American Dream and Promise Act, one of the bills passed on Thursday that was previously approved by the House in 2019.

The American Dream and

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AJPress

OVER 80 registered nurses of Filipino descent have died from the coronavirus, making up 26.4% of total RN fatalities in the United States since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a new report.

The National Nurses United on Thursday, March 18 released an update to its September 2020 “Sins of Omissions” report, finding that at least 329 RNs have died of COVID-19 and

related complications since the beginning of the pandemic.

The data collection tracked deaths up until February 11, 2021, and also found that at least 3,233 health care workers, including RNs, have died from the virus.

Of the 329 deaths, 83 individuals were of Filipino descent, the report found.

“Eighty-three (26.4%) of the 314 registered nurses, for whom race/ethnicity data is available, who have died

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March 26 to mark #StopAsianHate Virtual Day of Action and Healing

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

File photo from October 2019 shows Gov. Gavin Newsom after signing AB32, authored by Assemblymember Rob Bonta, which moved for California to be the first in the nation to ban for-profit, private prisons and civil detention facilities. On Wednesday, March 24, Newsom nominated Bonta to serve as the state’s next attorney general.

Rob Bonta nominated to serve as...

PAGE 1 tel Manilatown Center in San Francisco, surrounded by his family. “I’m so humbled in the trust, faith and the confidence that you placed in me.”

His nomination is subject to confirmation by the California State Assembly and Senate within 90 days, according to the governor’s office.

“Rob represents what makes California great — our desire to take on righteous fights and reverse systematic injustices,” Newsom said in a statement. “Growing up with parents steeped

in social justice movements, Rob has become a national leader in the fight to repair our justice system and defend the rights of every Californian. And most importantly, at this moment when so many communities are under attack for who they are and who they love, Rob has fought to strengthen hate crime laws and protect our communities from the forces of hate.

He will be a phenomenal Attorney General, and I can’t wait to see him get to work.”

The 48-year-old Fil-Am’s ascension to the

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ASIAN American lawmakers and community leaders are observing #StopAsianHate Virtual Day of Action and Healing on Friday, March 26 in the wake of the Georgia shootings that killed eight individuals, including six Asian women, and as nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents have been recorded across the country.

The initiative, first started by Rep. Grace Meng of New York and California Assemblymember Evan Low, encourages community members, corporations and organizations to speak up and condemn the rise of anti-Asian attacks and discrimination on social media by using the hashtag #StopAsianHate.

“We are asking everyone throughout the country to stand up for Asian Americans during this difficult and challenging time for our community. Everyone must do their part to end these acts of hate — call it out, prevent it, report it. We need every person to step up and stand against it,” Meng said in a virtual press conference on Monday, March 22.

March 26 was chosen as it marks when the U.S. passed its first naturalization law, the Naturalization Act of 1790, prohibiting non-white individuals from becoming citizens.

“Over 200 years later, Asians in the U.S. are still suffering from the effects of the racism our country was founded upon. Asian elders are being physically assaulted in the streets.

Asian American children are afraid to go back to school. We are still grieving the murders of 6 Asian women in a racially-motivated killing spree in Atlanta last week,” organizers wrote in an online toolkit available at www.asianamericandayofaction.com.

Organizers are also emphasizing that the hate against Asian Americans fueled by the pandemic is “not new.”

“While COVID-19 has brought a wave of violence towards our communities, anti-Asian racism is deeply rooted in American history,” they said.

Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition that tracks anti-Asian American discrimination, reported on Tuesday, March 16 that from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021, it has received 3,795 firsthand incidents of racism and discrimination from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Of that number, 503 incidents took place in the first two months of 2021 alone.

Chinese are the largest ethnic group (42.2%) that say they’ve experienced hate, followed by Koreans (14.8%), Vietnamese (8.5%) and Filipinos (7.9%), Stop AAPI Hate found.

Women are 2.3 times more likely to report the incidents than men. Youths (those up to 17 years old) accounted for 12.6% of incidents, while 6.2% were experienced by individuals 60 years and older.

Verbal harassment (68.1%) and shunning (20.5%), which entails the “deliberate avoidance of Asian Americans,” are the top two types of discrimination reported.

There is also a list of actions individuals can take by supporting community-based social justice organizations and initiatives, such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, Stop AAPI Hate, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, AAPI Force and AAPI

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NJ pauses reopening as COVID-19 cases...

PAGE 1 any further reopenings or capacity increases are on pause in the Garden State because of the increase in virus variants.

“My guess is we won’t be opening up further capacities for some time now … because of the caseload,” Murphy said. “We’ve got these variants: whether they be Brazil, South Africa, UK, New York City, whatever it might be – they’re in New Jersey.”

According to state data, the state’s sevenday average of new cases was 3,391 cases as of Tuesday, up 11% from a week ago. Hospitalizations have also risen in recent weeks and have hovered between 1,900 and 2,000 patients, but on Monday, the number of people hospitalized across the state surpassed 2,000 patients for the first time in nearly a month.

Vaccination efforts have expanded and as of this week, 3.45 million vaccine doses have been administered in the state, and more than 3.6 million residents have received at least one vaccine dose and more than 1.2 million people have been fully vaccinated.

The state’s goal is to vaccinate 70% of its adult population by the end of May.

Despite all the vaccination efforts and constant reminders, New Jersey doubled the national average of new cases within the past week.

“We are back to leading the nation in the spread of this virus. Only you all, by the millions, can stop the spread of this virus,” Murphy said in his press briefing earlier this week.

“As I have said and we have said repeatedly, the presence of vaccines -- which is great, and we’re among the nation’s leaders in getting the shots into arms -- it does not mean the pandemic is over. We still have work to do together.”

Murphy also responded to questions about the state appointment system for vaccine not running smoothly for residents looking for a spot on the line, saying that there is a big “supply-demand imbalance”.

“The biggest challenge we have is we don’t have enough doses,” he said. “If you have not been able to get an appointment and you’re anxious about that, we have nothing but sympathy and I promise you you’re going to get it. And it may not be as soon as you’d like, but that’s because we don’t have the supplies that we’d like.” n

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From the Front Page

Filipino Americans mobilize to combat anti-Asian...

PAGE 1 gunned down workers and patrons, killing eight people in total, including six Asian women.

The event was shocking and reverberated beyond the Asian American community. #StopAsianHate began trending on Twitter. Celebrities and public figures of all races began echoing party lines of unity and stopping racism.

But a week after the Atlanta shooting, the outrage over anti-Asian racism is beginning to fizzle out in the mainstream.

A grocery store shooting in Boulder, Colorado — which claimed the lives of 10 people — on Monday, March 22 reignited the broader issue of gun violence in America.

But the Asian American community doesn’t have the luxury of treating the Atlanta shooting and the disturbing rise in anti-Asian violence as last week’s news.

Just as Black Americans haven’t halted their goal in mitigating police brutality because “Black Lives Matter” isn’t trending or Central Americans who continue to advocate for humane practices at the southern border, the fight for racial justice and undoing dangerous misconceptions for the Asian American community doesn’t stop because it’s not the headline of the day.

Since February 2020, members of the Asian American community — and the greater Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community — have been acutely aware of the rise in anti-Asian harassment, violence and bullying with the onset of the coronavirus crisis.

According to the Stop AAPI Hate tracker, between March 19, 2020 and Feb. 28, 2021, there have been 3,795 reports of discrimination and assaults toward the AAPI community.

Physical assaults comprised the third-largest category of all incidents and women are 2.3 more times likely to be harassed and/or assaulted, as the Asian Journal previously reported.

The virus was reported to have stemmed from China, so an erroneous relationship between the virus (which has taken millions of American lives and continues to disrupt millions more) and anybody who appears remotely Chinese was forged.

As such, Chinese were the largest ethnic group (42.2%) to report to the Stop AAPI

BIKE LANE VIOLATOR. A Quezon City bike patroller issues a ticket violation to a taxi driver for obstructing the bicycle lane along Matalino Street, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday, March 22. Bicycle lanes are designed to prioritize the safety of cyclists.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

House passes two...

STOP ASIAN HATE. From Fullerton, California (top) to New York City (bottom), communities came together on Saturday, March 20 to denounce the recent shootings in the greater Atlanta area that left eight individuals, including six Asian women, dead and the nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents that have been reported since the start of the pandemic.

Photos courtesy of Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva and Augee Francisco

Hate tracker, followed by Koreans (14.8%), Vietnamese (8.5%) and Filipinos (7.9%).

The statistics and number of reports are jarring and present a warped and dissonant view of the country that many Asian immigrants who relocate to the U.S. saw as a beacon of opportunity and upward mobility.

Political leaders, particularly Democrats like President Joe Biden, have argued that events like Atlanta are unAmerican. Biden made a point that his administration would combat hate and violence toward Asians, signing a measure proclaiming such on his first week in office.

“But for all the good that laws can do, we have to change our hearts. Hate can have no safe harbor in America. It must stop. And it’s on all of us — all of us, together — to make it stop,” Biden said in remarks on Friday, March 19.

Early reports from Big Media outlets — e.g. CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post — framed the mass shooting as merely a mass shooting; the race and gender of a majority of the fatalities were a mere footnote, and it wasn’t until Asian Americans called out the incident as part of the longer string of attacks toward the community.

Taking a deeper look at the finer distinctions of anti-Asian racism, especially the details of each hate incident reported over the last year, represents a startling reality: historically and presently, racism and the experience of being a minority in America are seemingly inextricable.

Derogatory rhetoric promulgated by the previous administration and misnomers, such as the “China virus” and the “Kung-Flu,” has led many within the Asian American community to directly connect such expressions to the violence.

But while the hateful language may have spurred the thousands of reported incidents, they merely punctuate a dark and grimy history of anti-Asian attitudes that have made their mark in policy and society — a phenomenon that led to the persecution of Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese and South Asians that began in the 19th century.

For Tiffany Joy Garnace — an Atlanta-based Filipino American organizer who was born and raised in the American South — and the robust AAPI activist community in the region, the effort to combat anti-Asian racism didn’t begin with the Atlanta shooting, but it punctuated the scope of the problem.

“The Atlanta incident finally woke up the AAPI community that it can occur here and it’s frustrating for me as a community organizer. Prior to the shootings, we were trying to find community solutions,” Garnace told the Asian Journal.

She and Atlanta AAPIs have been trying to brainstorm preventative measures that could have helped recent victims like Thai American Vicha Ratanapakdee of San Francisco, Filipino and Chinese American Danilo Yuchang of San Francisco, Chinese American Pak Ho in Oakland and the numerous elderly AAPIs who’ve been targeted at alarming rates for the last two months.

“It felt like a responsibility and indeed it felt like we failed our communities to keep them safe,” Garnace said.

“The sad thing is that there is this preconceived notion [that] in the South, especially in Georgia, these incidences happen only in areas with high Asian American populations like ‘California or New York’ or ‘cannot empathize because it has not [happened] to me or my family’ just to quote some people that I have heard in my spaces,” she added, noting that the AAPI community in Atlanta is “a beautiful con-

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PAGE 1 Promise Act passed 228-197 with all Democrats and nine Republicans voting in favor of the bill.

The second bill that the House passed — called the Farm Workforce Modernization Act — would allow farmworkers and their immediate families to earn legal status through their employment; it would also revamp the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and set a pathway for eventual naturalization.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act cleared the chamber with a significantly bipartisan 247-174 vote.

“This is a very special day for us,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said ahead of the vote. “We are making a very big difference in how we respect the beautiful diversity of America, how we respect the fact that immigration is the constant reinvigoration of America.”

Like the American Dream and Promise Act, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act had been approved by the House in previous years but was voted upon again now that Democrats hold majorities in both chambers of Congress.

“Millions in this country live in fear, holding their breaths every day, that they could be deported to faraway lands that are not their homes,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (DMd.) said Thursday after the vote. “Because America is their home. For Dreamers, it has been their home since their earliest days. And today, this House is going to take action – as we did last Congress – to help them breathe easier.”

Both these bills are tangential to the larger immigration vision set forth by President Joe Biden on his first day in office when he and his administration promised to review and revamp the stringent immigration policies and practices of the previous administration.

It is important to note that both these bills are separate pieces of legislation from the Biden White House’s more ambitious legislation, the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, a far more broad proposal designed to modernize the American immigration system top to bottom, as previously reported in the Asian Journal. (But the Biden administration expressed support for both these bills this week.)

But the chances of the Senate approving both pieces of legislation are less likely. Democrats need at least 60 Republican senators to support the bills, but it gives an incentive to Democrats about ending the filibuster, which would allow legislation to pass with a lower vote threshold.

But Republicans have recently criticized the Biden administration for the influx of migrants crossing the southern border, including a spike in unaccompanied minors. According to interviews with these migrants, many believe that the Biden administration will be more welcoming than the previous administration.

“It’s more than a crisis. This is a human heartbreak,” House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said at a news briefing this week. “The sad part about all this, it didn’t have to happen. This crisis is created by the presidential policies of this new administration. There’s no other way to claim it than a Biden border crisis.” (by Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26 - APRIL 1, 2021

OPINION

5

FEATURES

Agency for disease control and prevention

Philstar.com photo

IF the coronavirus pandemic has seared anything into the public mind, it is the fact that our public health system and health infrastructure are sorely lacking: 1) an agency to formulate, design and coordinate public policy to address a national health emergency or pandemic and 2) a central agency for disease control and prevention; similar to what most modern states have.

As things stand today, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is too ad hoc, provisional and unprofessional to serve as our principal policy-making tool for managing a health crisis such as a pandemic.

There is more policing than policy design and evaluation in its operations.

The Department of Health, as the regular department for health services in the executive branch, has a huge health bureaucracy to run and control. We should not expect it to double up as an agency to handle disease control and prevention.

It is imperative, we think, for the Congress to turn its attention now to passing a modern public health law that will address these concerns and create an institutional answer in time for the next health emergency.

We have today a score of health laws in the statute book, but none of these laws fill the need for both an effective agency for serious public health policy making and an agency to handle

disease control and prevention comprehensively.

Congress spent time, resources and personnel to establish Malasakit Centers across the archipelago, yet the centers seem to have no role to play in fighting the pandemic.

The real headaches we are encountering now are chiefly bureaucratic and lack of professionalism and expertise.

It’s long been recognized that there is a huge difference between medicine and public health.

Each has its own concern and area of specialization.

In very general terms, the field of public health focuses on health care as it deals with whole populations, more applied research and disease prevention.

The field of medicine, in turn, is more localized and concerned with individual treatment, diagnosis and care.

Public health professionals work to improve the quality of life for communities and populations. Rather than treating individuals and

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS INSANITY, an old age says, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting

groups with direct medical care, they conduct research and disseminate information to the public in order to extend life expectancy, combat infant mortality and reduce the incidence of communicable diseases. Medical health professionals are also often administrators and advocates for policies that will further those points.

Some of the common job titles for people in this field include epidemiologist, health or medical center director, biostatistician and health communications specialist.

Medical professionals also want to improve life quality and combat disease, but they focus on the individual and treatment. Seeing patients in order to treat a specific ailment or repair a breach of the human body because of an acci-

dent are the hallmarks of this profession.

A big difference between the two is that a medical public health professional cannot treat patients — in essence, he cannot “practice medicine.” Only doctors can prescribe medicine and provide that level of care.

We need a good public health law that can point the nation to a public health system and infrastructure that can provide good public health policy making and effective and timely services to combat and eradicate disease A dedicated agency for disease control and prevention will be a good start and an excellent investment. It will make plenty of difference and make our country a better place to live in. (ManilaTimes.net)

Gun violence in the US: An epidemic politicians beholden to the NRA and gun-addicted Americans might not want to ever go away

a different result.

“Pag gusto, may paraan.

Pag ayaw, may dahilan” (If you want something done, you will always find a way.

But if you refuse to do what

needs to be done, you will always find an excuse), is a Tagalog saying that sums up where we are in this national crisis.

These sayings come to

mind as again I write about gun violence in the United States for the nth time, following another mass shooting in the United States that killed 10 people in Boulder,

Colorado on March 22, just six days after the senseless killing of eight, six of who were Asians, in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16.

Have we become desensi-

tized to gun violence in the United States? Guns continue to kill 38,000 people in the United States every year, or about 100 every single day, PAGE 10

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

China warns US against Good Shepherd nun behind ‘provoking confrontation’ after famous ube jam dies at 102 comment on Chinese ships

by Ritchel

MANILA — The Chinese Embassy in Manila accused the United States on Tuesday, March 23 of “provoking confrontation” after the latter backed the Philippines in its protest of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. “The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue. Fanning flames and provoking confrontation in the region will only serve the selfish interests of [an] individual country and undermine the regional peace and stability,” the Chinese embassy said over Twitter, tagging the official account of the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

China and the Philippines “are sovereign and independent countries,” the Chinese embassy added in a separate tweet.

The Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest on Sunday, March 21, against more than 200 boats, believed to be operated by Chinese maritime militia personnel, at the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea. Following the protest, the Chinese embassy denied on Monday the alleged presence of Beijing’s maritime militia at the said reef, which China claimed to be part of its territory.

It, however, said that “some Chinese fishing vessels” have recently taken shelter at the reef

“due to rough sea conditions.”

Earlier Tuesday, the US embassy said Chinese boats have been mooring in the area for “many months in ever-increasing numbers, regardless of the weather.”

Further, it accused China of using its maritime militia “to intimidate, provoke, and threaten other nations, which undermines peace and security in the region.”

The Philippines has already demanded that China immediately withdraw its fishing vessels and maritime assets from the West Philippine Sea. Manila also called on China to “direct its fishing vessels to desist from environmentally destructive activities” in the area.

The Philippines, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping claims over the South China Sea. In July 2016, the Philippines won a landmark victory over China before the United Nationsbacked Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, which invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim, a ruling that Beijing refuses to recognize. (by Christia Marie Ramos/ Inquirer.net) n

Mendiola AJPress

SISTER Fidelis Atienza, the Filipina nun behind Baguio City’s famous Good Shepherd ube jam, has passed away at the age of 102.

In a Facebook post, the Religious of the Good Shepherd (RGS) confirmed that Atienza died on Saturday, March 20, at the Good Shepherd Community in Quezon City “after 66 years in religious life.”

“She never considered herself ill or infirmed. Her hands were never weary, as she was still helping turn plastics into eco-bricks until her shoulders ached from too much pushing of plastic into the plastic bottles,” the RGS noted.

In 1951, Atienza entered the Novitiate of the Good Shepherd in Los Angeles, California. She made her first profession in 1954, and her

Sr. Fidelis Atienza

Photo courtesy of the Religous of the Good Shepherd

final profession in 1957.

Atienza established the Marian Bakery in the 1960s and made use of host cuttings for the delicious “crispies,” the forerunner of the angel cookies of today.

According to the RGS,

Atienza started making the beloved Good Shepherd ube jam during her assignment in Baguio City.

“She was the original mastermind behind the ube jam, enabling the congregation to PAGE 13

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26 - ApRIL 1, 2021

FEMA to reimburse funeral expenses...

Rob Bonta nominated to serve as...

PAGE 2 top post comes after outgoing Attorney General Xavier Becerra was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 18 to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I stand here because of so many people who come before me, including people like the Asian Americans and Filipino Americans who assembled right here at the International Hotel on August 4, 1977,” Bonta said, crediting his activist parents Warren and Cynthia, who organized against evictions at the San Francisco residential hotel.

This is Newsom’s third historic appointment to a key post since January, following Alex Padilla being tapped appointed take over Vice President Kamala Harris’ Senate seat, and Dr. Shirley Weber, a former assemblymember, for secretary of state. Padilla became the state’s first Latino U.S. Senator, while Weber is the first African American in her role.

A grassroots campaign within the Filipino American community — and the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community — started in December in a bid to get Bonta appointed following President Joe Biden’s nomination of Becerra as health secretary.

Groups, including Fil-Am advocacy organizations and lawyers associations, sent endorsement letters to Newsom’s office and organized virtual press conferences amplifying Bonta’s work in the legislature.

“Mr. Bonta has demonstrated himself to be one of the most effective and capable leaders in the legislature during his tenure. He has an excellent track record of authoring bold, ground-breaking legislation and building strong coalitions,” a group of over two dozen past and former Fil-Am elected officials wrote in a letter to the governor.

They argued that his experience would be a fit to address the state’s challenges, which include recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, civil rights movement against systemic racism and the rise in hate crimes, including against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

The endorsements also came from notable unions and caucuses, such as the California Faculty Association and the Latino Caucus of California Counties.

High-profile activists and

personalities, from CNN’s Van Jones to “Orange is the New Black” actor Diane Guerrero, similarly were vocal in support of the Fil-Am lawmaker on social media.

On a representation level, advocates argued Bonta’s appointment would be a win as California is home to the largest AAPI population in the U.S. with over 5 million. FilAms are among the top two largest Asian ethnic groups in the state with a population of over 1.6 million.

“It’s rare for me [to] make any political endorsements, but I’ve admired @RobBontaCA for years: his support for criminal justice reform and immigrant rights, the multiracial coalition he builds and attracts,” wrote Jose Antonio Vargas, author and immigration activist, in a Feb. 18 tweet. “Representation matters, especially since Filipinos are often underrepresented in America’s civic life. Filipinos are the largest Asian group in CA––the first Filipinos landed in what is now CA in 1587.”

“Rob makes me proud to be Filipino American in California,” Vargas added.

In recent weeks, following a slew of attacks on Asian Americans, particularly elders, in the state, AAPI lawmakers and activists doubled down on the need for Newsom to appoint a representative from the community.

Of the nearly 3,800 incidents of hate and discrimination since last March, 1,691 (44.5%) were reported in California, according to Stop AAPI Hate. “[Bonta] understands as the son of immigrant parents what it’s like to come to this country when English is not your first language, for example, when there is mistrust of law enforcement,” state Treasurer Fiona Ma said during a press conference on Wednesday, March 17, a day after the Atlanta shooting that claimed the lives of eight individuals, six of whom were Asian women.

Ma, along with other elected officials, said an AAPI attorney general could help mend fears and tensions between immigrant communities and law enforcement.

The state’s API Legislative Caucus, which is comprised of lawmakers in the state Assembly and Senate, came out in support of Bonta after initially recommending four AAPI candidates.

Assemblymember Evan Low, who serves as vice chair of the caucus, said that

7

through the appointment, Newsom “has once again shown his commitment” to the AAPI community.

“Hate crimes targeting the API community have skyrocketed over the last year, and we need a champion who will make the pursuit of justice for these victims a top priority. I have full faith AG Bonta is the right person to meet this moment,” Low said.

Bonta was reportedly among the contenders for attorney general in 2017 when Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. Becerra, then a congressman representing the 34th congressional district in Southern California, was ultimately selected by former Gov. Jerry Brown.

The Fil-Am lawmaker in November 2020 was reelected for a fifth term to represent the state’s 18th Assembly district, which covers the East Bay areas of Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro. He currently serves as the assistant majority leader, and sits on several committees, including appropriations and health.

Amid the protests over the summer, Bonta introduced a bill to classify racially motivated 911 calls as hate crimes.

His legislation record includes a 2019 bill, which was signed into law by Newsom, to phase out the use of all private, forprofit prisons, including both prisons and immigration detention facilities in the state.

In response to the recent hate attacks, Bonta introduced AB 886, which seeks to fund community-based organizations that provide culturally competent mental health services for victims of hate violence and restorative justice programs, and to expand eligibility for victims of hate violence to access compensation funds even if they do not file a police report.

The measure also seeks “to proactively increase the likelihood that an individual who caused the harm would not do additional harm,” Bonta said, as previously reported by the Asian Journal.

On Wednesday, he said one of his top priorities as attorney general would be to build bridges with communities that have “been othered, that have been persecuted, that have been targeted.”

“That will be one of my top priorities — to make sure that we protect those who are facing the forces of hate and that we hold accountable those who perpetrate hate violence against others in our commuPAGE 9

PAGE 1 lief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA has earmarked $2 billion to reimburse individuals and households for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020.

“We are working with stakeholder groups to get their input on ways we can best provide this assistance, and to enlist their help with outreach to families and communities. FEMA will begin to implement COVID-19 funeral assistance in April,” said FEMA. To be eligible for funeral assistance, the following conditions must be met: • The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

• The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.

• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, noncitizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.

• There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

To apply for funeral cost assistance, the following documents must be submitted:

• An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

• Funeral expenses documents such as receipts and funeral home contract that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.

• Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs as FEMA will not “duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.”

FEMA will start accepting applications in April.

Those eligible for funeral assistance will receive a check by mail, or funds by direct deposit, depending on which option was chosen during the application process.

“Additional guidance is being finalized and will be released to potential applicants and community partners as soon as possible. In the meantime, people who have COVID-19 funeral expenses are encouraged to keep and gather documentation,” FEMA said. (AJPress) n

Report: 83 Filipino registered nurses...

PAGE 1 of COVID-19 and related complications are Filipino. They make up 4% of registered nurses in the United States,” it said.

Among the 170 RNs of color who have died, nearly half (48.8%) have been Filipino. The data comes from 314 registered nurses for which race and ethnicity data is available.

Other highlights of the report include six states — New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, and Florida — account for 176 (53.5%) of the 329 total registered nurse fatalities.

The NNU documented the deaths using news articles, social media, obituaries, union memorials, federal and state reports, and its own internal reporting.

“NNU believes many of these deaths would have been prevented if greater effort had been made to plan for and overcome the pitfalls of just-in-time supply chain management,” it said.

“Scaling up the capabilities for the stockpiling and rapid distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) must be among the highest priorities of the hospital and nursing home industries and federal and state agencies going forward,” it added.

Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, a Filipina American RN and a president of the NNU, called the amount of nurse and health care worker deaths “unconscionable.”

“We call on the CDC to fully recognize aerosol transmission and to update and strengthen its COVID-19 guidance to provide protection from inhalation of virus in the air,” Triunfo-Cortez said in a statement. “It is unconscionable that so many nurses and health care workers lost their lives. We look forward to the impending issuance of an emergency temporary standard on infectious diseases by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide comprehensive occupational health protections to nurses, other health care workers and all essential workers.”

The union estimated that there have been 791,158 cases of COVID-19 infection among health care workers as of Feb. 11, 2021, but be-

lieves that number is an undercount “because only 18 states are providing infection figures for all health care workers on a daily, semiweekly, or weekly basis.”

Kanlungan.net, a digital project started in May 2020 by transnational feminist organization AF3IRM, has been independently tracking all health care worker deaths of Filipino descent in and out of the Philippines.

“How are we supposed to demand justice and talk about egregious working conditions when they’re not even naming our dead? Without data, your campaign will only go so far,” Jollene Levid, a union organizer and member of AF3IRM’s transnational committee which spearheaded the project, told the Asian Journal in a May 2020 interview.

According to its site, which is frequently updated using at least two sources, 189 health care workers of Filipino descent have died in the United States, compared to 44 health care workers in the Philippines, it found.

Among the Filipino/Filipina American nurses who have died from complications related to COVID-19 in the past year, as reported by the Asian Journal include: • Rosary Castro-Olega, 63, a nurse who came out of retirement to join the frontlines, becoming the first health care worker in Los Angeles taken by the virus on March 29, 2020; • Celia Lardizabal Marcos, 61, who was only equipped with a surgical mask when she responded to a patient suspected to have COVID19 at CHA-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. She died on April 17, 2020; • Maria Guia Cabillon, 63, the head nurse at Kings County Department of Emergency Health in Brooklyn, died on April 26, 2020 after a month of battling the disease; • Joshua Obra, 29, a Disneyland aficionado and nursing supervisor at a Long Beach skilled nursing facility who died on July 6, 2020.

In January 2021, Pinay nurses who have passed away include Amelia Agbigay Baclig, 63, who worked for almost three decades at West Covina’s Queen of the Valley Hospital, and Rowena “Wendy” Miguel, 53, a licensed vocational nurse from Whittier, California. n

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MARCH 26 - ApRil 1, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASiAN JOURNAl

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26 - ApRIL 1, 2021

Rob Bonta nominated...

Filipino Americans mobilize to combat anti-Asian...

PAGE 7 nity,” he said.

Bonta, who was born in Quezon City, Philippines, immigrated with his family to California’s Central Valley, where his parents worked for the United Farm Workers of America, organizing Filipino and Mexican American workers.

“Those lessons stuck with me, and it became clear to me that an injustice against one is an injustice against all. It made me want to become an attorney to fight for people who’ve been wronged, who’ve been hurt, who’ve been harmed, who’ve been mistreated, and be their champion,” Bonta said on Wednesday.

He obtained a law degree from Yale Law School and clerked for Judge Alvin W. Thompson of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut before moving to San Francisco law firm Keker & Van Nest.

Prior to his election to the state Assembly in 2012, Bonta was San Francisco’s deputy city attorney for nearly a decade, and served as director of the Alameda Health Care District and then part of Alameda’s City Council as vice mayor.

Other candidates who were reportedly considered for attorney general included Rep. Adam Schiff, California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, and state Sen. Anna Caballero.

If confirmed as attorney general, Bonta will serve through 2022 and will have to run for election. He said he knows “what it takes to win” and has the infrastructure in place” to launch a campaign.

With his momentous appointment, he joins another Fil-Am in a top state post — Tani Cantil-Sakauye, chief justice of the California Supreme Court.

“In California, we have created the most diverse state in the nation, and the most robust democracy in the world. And while that sign may have said, ‘Positively No Filipinos Allowed’ in the the 1920s, in today’s California, everyone is not just allowed, we belong,” Bonta said. “I will do everything in my power to make sure everyone continues to belong and that I fight for them.” n

PAGE 4 glomeration of all of these groups that people tend to forget [are] here and have been here.”

In the wake of the Atlanta shooting, vigils and demonstrations honoring the eight victims took place across the country. The rally in Atlanta on Saturday, March 20 brought together hundreds to the Georgia state Capitol to demand action and social and political change, particularly in Georiga.

Garnace was one of the many residents of all races who attended the vigil and rally which gave her “absolute chills.” But she was most astounded by the volume of Asian women who attended and what that represented.

“It is like we have been validated, seen and heard, for the first time,” Garnace remarked. “A lot of Asian women came out to the rally because they did not want to be seen as weak and fearful; having so many women come out to fight the intersection of race and misogyny was empowering. Also seeing the different groups of people that were not Asian there with us in support — I honestly teared up.”

The shooting also put a spotlight on how anti-Asian attitudes foment in ways that may not be as clear as discrimination toward other minority groups. Individuals from all Asian backgrounds shared how seemingly innocent things — like name-calling — fuel the fire of broader anti-Asian sentiments.

Garnace noted that seeing so many Asian American women in particular ignited the nuances of racist misogyny and “the fetishization of Asian women by non-Asian men.”

Filipino American Augelyn “Augee” Francisco — the indigenous Filipino owner of Kabisera Kape in New York City — shared with the Asian Journal how complex anti-Asian racism is and how a lack of education and cultural empathy can induce trauma that doesn’t really ever go away.

“Growing up, I had the same struggle, being Igorot,” Francisco shared. “My mother and the rest of us were targeted and bullied. That was my struggle when I was young and up to this day, I experience being called Chink, Ni-Hao, Virus, and looked down upon because of my slanted eyes and skin color.”

9

Francisco shared that recent events have reignited those memories, saying that, “I should not feel like that is ok. Because that is not ok. But I’ve lived with it for years in my life. This fight is for me and all my Asian sisters and brothers [a]nd for the future generation, there will be no more fight for equality and no more pain.”

Francisco was inspired to attend a vigil in New York City last weekend honoring the victims and rallying for the end of antiAsian violence. Though many members of the Asian American community are pushing back against the stereotype of the docile Asian, Francisco sees gentleness as a strength and resistance tool for the AAPI community.

“We, Asians, are trained to be polite and obedient. We don’t believe in using violence, but we know how to use our forces: our strength is our unity, our respect, and our loving care,” Francisco said. “Those are the tools I’m planning to share and show as my participation. To awaken our sisters and brothers to halt the silence, to care and show love to our elders who get targeted, to our sisters who get murdered. Our respect to them doesn’t end at just paying respects at their wakes, but to pay respect to make sure that no more similar incidents will happen on our watch.”

Families of seven of the victims have organized GoFundMe pages, sharing the stories of their loved ones and raising funds for funeral and memorial expenses. A fundraiser was also started for Marcus Lyon, a survivor to help with counseling and other resources.

Georgia’s AAPI community is also urging supporters to donate to organizations on the ground, namely Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Asian American Advocacy Fund, and Asian Mental Health Collective, to name a few.

Members of the AAPI community who have experienced hate during the pandemic are encouraged to report the incident at: https://stopaapihate.org/reportincident/. In addition to English, individuals can report in one of 11 languages, including Tagalog. n

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MARCH 26 - ApRil 1, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASiAN JOURNAl

March 26 to mark #StopAsianHate...

PAGE 2 Women lead or attending a bystander intervention training session.

Organizers caution participants to listen to local groups and the hardest-hit communities first.

“Continue to amplify the harms that Asian Americans are facing, but don’t override or silence their voices by pushing an agenda that doesn’t align with what the community needs. Let’s build a chorus of solidarity and ensure the Asian American community receives the support it needs to fight anti-Asian racism,” according to the toolkit.

Supporters can also sign onto a letter calling on the Biden administration to provide emergency relief to AAPI communities.

During a meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday, March 19, Atlantabased AAPI elected officials and community leaders presented a letter, signed by over 180 national AAPI organizations, calling for emergency safety and relief by committing $300 million — $100 million toward community-based

solutions to address the most vulnerable members of hate and bias, including women and the elderly, and $200 million for long-term safety and recovery.

Biden urged Congress to “swiftly” pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, legislation introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) that addresses the rise of hate crimes and violence targeted against the AAPI community by assigning a point person at the Department of Justice to expedite the review of COVID19-related hate crimes.

The bill would also provide support for state and local law enforcement agencies to respond to these hate crimes, and coordinating with local and federal partners to miti-

gate racially discriminatory language used to describe the pandemic.

In his first week in office, the president signed an executive order on Jan. 26, which included directives to remove language in federal actions or documents that would contribute to xenophobia and racism against the Asian American and Pacific Islander population and for the Department of Justice to expand its collection of data and public reporting regarding hate incidents against community members.

“Now, it’s time for Congress to codify and expand upon these actions — because every person in our nation deserves to live their lives with safety, dignity, and respect,” Biden said in a statement. n

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Gun violence in the US: An epidemic...

PAGE 5 the Giffords Law Center reported.

The Giffords Law Center further stated these painful facts that reveal how insane our country’s approach has been to gun violence: • America has the weakest gun laws and the most guns — 393 million — of any comparable nation.

• The U.S. accounts for just 4% of the world’s population but 35% of global firearm suicides. Americans are 25 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than people in other high-income countries.

• Nearly every American will know at least one victim of gun violence in their lifetime.

• Over 1 million Americans have been shot in the past decade, and gun violence rates are rising across the country • In 2017, gun deaths reached their highest level in at least 40 years, with 39,773 deaths that year alone.

• Suicides, homicides, police shootings—gun violence takes many forms, often dictated by who and where you are.

• Gun access triples suicide risk. The majority of suicides - 51 percent - involve a gun.

• Gun homicide has a disproportionate impact on underserved communities of color in American cities.

• Roughly half of all gun homicides take place in just 127 cities comprising less than a quarter of the total U.S. population.

• Black men make up 52% of all gun homicide victims in the U.S., despite comprising less than 7% of the population.

• Unarmed Black civilians are five times more likely to be shot and killed by police than unarmed white civilians.

• Domestic violence victims are five times more likely to be killed when their abuser has access to a gun. Nearly 1 million women alive today report being shot or shot at by an intimate partner.

• Women in the United States are 21 times more likely to be killed with a gun than women in other high-income countries.

• 3 million children are directly exposed to gun violence each year, resulting in death, injury, and lasting trauma.

And yet, tragedy after tragedy, the lawmakers of this nation do NOTHING to re-

ally address this crisis, other than offering “thoughts and prayers” to the victims and their bereaved family.

This inaction comes even as facts and data show just how active mass shootings have escalated in recent years involving the use of assault rifles and high-powered magazines by civilians, weapons intended to be used in war zones only.

The powerful and moneyed gun lobbyist, the National Rifle Association (NRA), would always have the last laugh after each tragedy and litany of “thoughts and prayers” because nothing would happen to change gun laws significantly to make a difference.

The NRA has infused a lot of campaign contributions to former President Donald Trump, and mostly to Republicans in the past years. The NRA used to be much more bipartisan, but now it’s mostly just a wing of the Republican Party, as most of its supporters identify with it, according to a report by CNN. The New York Times reported that just the last five years, there have been at least 29 shootings with four or more fatalities, based on the data compiled by the Violence Project. Among them: March 16, 2020: A gas station in Springfield, Missouri Aug. 31, 2019: Drive-by shootings in Midland and Odessa, Texas Aug. 4, 2019: An entertainment district in Dayton, Ohio Aug. 3, 2019: A Walmart in El Paso, Texas July 28, 2019: A festival in Gilroy, California May 31, 2019: An office in Virginia Beach, Virginia Nov. 7, 2018: A bar in Thousand Oaks, California Oct. 27, 2018: A synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June 28, 2018: A newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland May 18, 2018: A high school in Santa Fe, Texas Feb. 14, 2018: A high school in Parkland, Florida Nov. 5, 2017: A church in Sutherland Springs, Texas Oct. 1, 2017: A concert in Las Vegas Jan. 6, 2017: An airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida July 7, 2016: Downtown Dallas, Texas June 12, 2016: The Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida Many more were allowed to happen before that.

The Times chronicled: “the San Bernardino, Calif., and Charleston, S.C., in 2015; Newtown, Conn., and Aurora, Colo., in 2012; Virginia Tech

in 2007, among them.”

“Each new attack is a reminder of all of the others that came before it, as the nation has been unable to curb an epidemic of gun violence that far outpaces other countries. These are just some of the horrors that have traumatized the nation,” the Times reported.

Following a shooting that left 10 people dead in Boulder, Colorado, Robyn Thomas, Giffords Law Center’s executive director, testified on Tuesday, March 23 in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee to demand action on a gun safety agenda.

As the Giffords Law Center reported, “Some of the proposals she highlighted include universal background checks, prohibiting gun possession by those convicted of domestic violence crimes, waiting periods, and enacting extreme risk protection orders.”

“Our gun violence crisis is a uniquely American problem,” said Robyn Thomas said in her opening statement. “It’s a problem that plagues our country in countless different ways and exacts a devastating toll on our communities.

But it’s a problem with solutions. While one single law will never stop all gun violence, we know strong gun laws save lives.”

The Giffords Law Center pointed out that earlier this March, “the House passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, with bipartisan support. Neither H.R. 8 nor its Senate companion legislation, S. 529, the Background Checks Expansion Act, has yet been considered in the Senate.

The Senate hearing was an important step in moving forward with meaningful gun safety reforms.”

WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR? *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26 - ApRIL 1, 2021

COMMUNITY Journal

11

The dream and promise act of 2021: Who qualifies?

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

MORE QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA AROUND THE U.S. WILL BE ANSWERED ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (top left) answers questions from Kapamilya in Texas, California, and Washington. Rey of Abilene, Texas (bottom left) wants to know what the fastest way is to bring an adopted child to the U.S. Christian of Antioch, California (bottom right) has a friend who is a green card holder. He returned to the Philippines in 2013, but his re-entry permit expired in 2015. Can he still return to the U.S. before his green card expires in 2022? Arlene from Vancouver, Washington (top right) has a daughter who got her green card in 2004. However, the daughter has been in the Philippines for many years and her green card expired. Can the daughter still renew her expired green card? Find out the answers to these questions on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, March 28 at 5:30 pm PT (8:30 pm ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

IN a previous article, I discussed how Pres. Biden and the Democrats introduced the “U.S. CITIZENSHIP ACT” of 2021. It was a massive bill, covering a variety of immigration issues and reforms, including a pathway to U.S. citizenship for approximately 11 million undocumented noncitizens now in the U.S. Unfortunately, that bill has stalled in Congress, and many commentators believe it will be an uphill battle to have such a massive bill passed

in Congress. Meanwhile, the Democrats are introducing additional immigration bills in piecemeal fashion, so that rather than having one comprehensive bill covering comprehensive immigration reform, they are breaking it down into several separate bills, one of which is granting legalization to DACA recipients and other “Dreamers,” (who are called that based on a bill introduced many years ago called the “Dream Act,” which stood for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, known as the DREAM Act. Basically, the Dream and Promise Act would provide a 10-year pathway to legalization and citizenship. Initially, Dreamers would be granted “conditional permanent resi-

dent status” for 10 years. To be eligible, the person: • Must have been physically present in the U.S. on or before January 1, 2021. Even though this bill has not yet passed, I would strongly recommend that people already gather documents to show they were in the U.S. before New Year’s.

• Were 18 years old or younger when they originally entered the U.S. This expands the eligibility requirement for DACA, where the person had to have entered the U.S. before their 16th birthday.

• Is not inadmissible or ineligible to enter the U.S. on the following grounds: criminal, security and terrorism, smuggling, student visa abuse, unlawful voting, and PAGE 12

April 2021 priority dates

THE April 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being petitioned by an employer, and their Form I-140 employment-based petition has been approved or is pending, they could possibly be eligible to file for adjustment of status and work authorization, assuming they are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status (i.e. no issues re maintaining status, no fraud/crimes, etc.) People with approved or pending I140 petitions should see an attorney about their eligibility to file for adjustment, now that the priority dates for these employment-based categories are current.

PAGE 12

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY: First Preference

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

September 01, 2013

January 22, 2012

(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below March 01, 2021 21 years old) of green card holders

Current

(2B) Unmarried sons November 08, and daughters (21 years old or older) 2012 of green card holders

September 01, 2011

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

May 01, 2003

April 01, 2002

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of US Citizens

May 01, 2003

April 08, 2002

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Second Preference

Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Current

Current

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

Current

Current

NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY

EVERYDAY

9:00am - 11:00am

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MARCH 26 - ApRil 1, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASiAN JOURNAl

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS SINCE the first case of COVID-19 was officially reported by the local authority in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019, followed by the WHO declaration of this pandemic, medical centers around the world struggled to search for effective treatments, including vitamin-mineral supplements. No herbals have been found effective against this SARS-CoV2 virus.

The following March 17, 2021 report by Ryan Basen and Amanda D’Ambrosio of MedPage shows which treatments are in and which ones are out: Treatments currently in use Remdesivir Remdesivir, an antiviral, is currently the only FDA-approved therapy for COVID19. It prevents SARS-CoV-2 from replicating by binding to RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, a key enzyme the virus needs to propagate.

Authorization (EUA) has been revised to also allow for treatment of hospitalized pediatric patients under 12 who weigh at least 7.7 lbs.

NIH guidelines recommend the use of remdesivir in hospitalized patients who require supplemental oxygen, either on its own, or in combination with dexamethasone. For those requiring high-flow or noninvasive ventilation, NIH recommends remdesivir only in combination with dexamethasone. Its scope was limited in December due to “lack of data showing benefit at this advanced stage of the disease.”

Dexamethasone Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid with potent antiinflammatory effects, is ecommended for use in many categories of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but not for those with mild-to-moderate disease who aren’t in the hospital.

While it recommends against dexamethasone for those hospitalized but not on supplemental oxygen, NIH recommends it for those who need supplemental oxygen, high-flow or noninvasive ventilation, and mechanical ventilation or ECMO. The use of dexamethasone in those who required mechanical ventilation cut the risk of death by about 35% compared with usual care.

Overall mortality also was

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COVID-19 Rx: In or out April 2021 priority dates... lower in all hospitalized patients who received the drug.

Tocilizumab On March 5, the NIH updated its guidance regarding the anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) monoclonal antibody tocilizumab for COVID-19. It now recommends using tocilizumab in combination with dexamethasone in certain hospitalized COVID patients exhibiting rapid respiratory decompensation. That includes those who have been admitted to the ICU within the previous 24 hours who require invasive mechanical ventilation, noninvasive mechanical ventilation or high-flow nasal cannula oxygen, or – outside the ICU – patients with rapidly increasing oxygen needs who require noninvasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen and have significantly increased markers of inflammation.

The agency says tocilizumab should be avoided for “significantly” immunocompromised patients. There’s no evidence for using other IL-6 inhibitors in COVID-19.

Anticoagulation The US-NIH recommends that all adults (including pregnant patients) hospitalized for COVID-19 who aren’t pregnant should receive prophylactic anticoagulation to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Convalescent Plasma Convalescent plasma has an FDA emergency use authorization to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Only high-titer plasma is now authorized. However, NIH guidelines state there are insufficient data to recommend for or against the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of COVID-19.

Monoclonal Antibodies (one of the treatments President Trump had): Eli Lilly’s bamlanivimab, bamlanivimab/etesevimab combo and Regeneron’s casirivimab/ imdevimab Despite the FDA authorizations, NIH doesn’t recommend the therapies in its COVID-19 treatment guidelines. “There are currently insufficient data to recommend either for or against the use of bamlanivimab or the casirivimab plus imdevimab combination for the treatment of outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19,” according to an NIH statement.

One barrier to practical application is that they require intravenous infusion – most easily delivered in hospitals yet hospitalized patients aren’t eligible for them.

Failed or debated therapies Hydroxychloroquine Both the WHO and the NIH recommend against the use of hydroxychloroquine – with or without azithromycin – for the treatment of COVID-19 in both hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients. This was a spectacular failure in efficacy of this hyped-up antimalarial drug.

Findings from the RECOVERY trial showed that use of hydroxychloroquine did not reduce mortality among COVID-19 patients after 28 days, and in fact trended towards risk of death. Additionally, patients who received the antimalarial drug had a longer median hospital stay than those who received standard of care.

Another clinical trial based in Brazil found that hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin did not improve outcomes for hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 after 15 days.

Ivermectin In January, the NIH changed its recommendation from “against” use of ivermectin in COVID-19 to noting that there are “insufficient data” to recommend for or against the therapy.

The antiparasitic drug has shown some potential to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell cultures. However, according to the NIH, achieving the plasma concentrations necessary to achieve the antiviral efficacy detected in vitro would require doses up to 100-fold higher than those approved for use in humans.

Vitamin C NIH states that there are insufficient data to recommend for or against the use of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in COVID-19. A randomized controlled trial of vitamin C and zinc showed no impact of either supplement on the course of symptoms in patients with mild illness.

Vitamin D NIH states that there are insufficient data to recommend for or against the use of vitamin D in COVID-19.

In February, a large randomized Brazilian trial published in JAMA found no difference in length of hospital stay for those with moderate to severe COVID-19 given high-dose vitamin D or placebo.

Zinc NIH states there are insufficient data to recommend for or against the use of zinc in COVID-19. It also recom-

PAGE 11 Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment-based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below.

If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted

status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. * * * Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not

constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook. com/GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration TV and Instagram.com/ gurfinkellaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES

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PAGE 11 other reasons.

• Have not been convicted of any offense punishable by a term of imprisonment for more than one year, committed three or more offenses the total amount of imprisonment was 90 days or more, crimes of domestic violence.

If a person has such criminal issues, they should definitely see an attorney before applying, so they don’t find themselves in removal proceedings.

• Graduated from high school, obtained a General Educational Development (GED), or are in a program assisting students in obtaining a high school diploma or GED. • Pass security and law enforcement background checks and register for selective service if required. This is generally for males between the age of 18 and 25.

In order to obtain full lawful permanent resident status, the Dreamer must: • Obtain a degree from a U.S. institution of higher education or complete at least

two years in a Bachelor’s degree program or a technical program. Or, has two years of military service with an honorable discharge. Therefore, Congress wants young people to become educated and graduate. And that’s a good thing because so many people come to the U.S. because of the educational opportunities. Now, it would seem it’s a requirement to get a green card.

• Be employed for at least three years, and at least 75% of that time should have been working with employment authorization.

This bill would also grant in-state tuition to undocumented students, give them access to federal financial aid, and if the Dreamer had been deported during the Trump administration, they could apply from abroad.

I think this bill will have a good chance of passing. Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed sympathy and compassion for these Dreamers. I also think this bill addresses most of the concerns, criticisms, and argu-

ments Republicans may have.

The requirements are the person must be law-abiding, educated, and hard-working. Therefore, Republicans cannot argue that somehow this is offering legalization to criminals or undesirables. We are offering a pathway to citizenship to young people who would be able to work for many years and pay taxes.

Even though comprehensive immigration reform may not pass right now, let us at least get whatever bills can be passed, and then move further, rather than having an all-or-nothing attitude.

Maybe once the Dreamers are legalized and things are going well, legalization can be expanded to the parents of U.S. citizens as was tried under DAPA. But I believe this is a positive sign and is a developing story. We will continue to keep you informed on this and other developments in immigration reform, because I know so many of you out there are looking for a way to legalize.

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mends against zinc supplementation above the recommended dietary allowance for the prevention of COVID-19, except in a clinical trial.

Protease Inhibitors The NIH recommends against using lopinavir/ritonavir and other HIV protease inhibitors to treat COVID-19 in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients because clinical trials have not shown clinical benefit in COVID patients.

Colchicine Neither the NIH nor WHO have any guidelines concerning this oral anti-inflammatory drug often used to treat gout.

The colchicine arm of the RECOVERY trial was recently halted because an independent data monitoring committee found the drug wasn’t helping hospitalized patients with COVID. However, top-line results from the COLCORONA trial announced in January showed improved outcomes for patients with mild illness from COVID-19. * * * The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life.

Any diagnosis, recommendation or

treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. * * * Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States.

Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

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Claudia Conway gets eliminated on ‘American Idol’

By Ritchel

Mendiola

AJPress

PAGE 6 send thousands of youths to school,” it added.

Aside from Baguio, Atienza’s various ministries included dozens of community apostolates in Cebu, Quezon City, Manila, Hong Kong, France, Rome, and Tagaytay.

In 2019, she was transferred to the Good Shepherd Community in Quezon City where she dedicated “each moment of her day praying for the needs of the Church and the Congregation.”

“She would ask her caregivers to bring her to the oratory every day, spending most of her hours in quiet communion with the Good Shepherd whom she adored all her life,” the RGS said.

“The children in the compound were very fond of their oldest playmate; she was a delight and a source of joy to everyone whom she met,” it added.

Atienza’s remains are at the chapel of Good Shepherd Convent on Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City, but the wake and services will be private. Inurnment will be at Good Shepherd Columbary in Quezon City, to be announced on a later date. n

CLAUDIA Conway’s ‘American Idol’ journey has come to an end.

The 16-year old daughter of former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and Filipino American conservative lawyer George Conway was voted off the show on Monday night, March 22.

During the episode, the contestants who made it through the first solo round of Hollywood Week were paired off by AI judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.

Conway was paired with 17-year-old Hannah Everhart, who was “scared” when she learned who her partner was.

“That is not what I was expecting. Who did this? Everybody was laughing, but it wasn’t funny. It was not funny. I was scared,” admitted Everhart.

“She’s apparently TikTok famous,” she added, referring to Conway who made headlines last year for her viral TikToks criticizing her mother’s job and former President

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Claudia Conway, 16, was voted off of “American Idol” on Monday night, March 22.

Photo courtesy of American Idol/ABC

Donald Trump. “But I didn’t know that because I don’t stay on TikTok.” The pair initially struggled to work together, with Everhart leaving the practice area rather than facing Conway.

“You know, watching all the other pairs working together, collaborating — it’s kind of frustrating me,” Conway told the cameras while trying to find her duet partner.

“I’m here to win. I’m here to do the best that I can, and I’m here to collaborate with my partner, but there’s no partner to collaborate with,”

she added.

Eventually, Conway and Everhart managed to set aside their differences and work together. On stage, they performed a rendition of “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles.

However, the judges were not impressed, criticizing the pair for harmonizing too much and not showing off their individual talents.

“I appreciate you both made a conscious choice to work together. You guys were flowing together and harmonizing and that was

PSYCHIC

great, but you didn’t carve out enough individual time,” noted Perry.

In the end, Everhart managed to make it to the next round, unlike Conway, who was eliminated.

“Claudia, you’re just coming to life. I can see it in you.

You’re taking control of your life. I applaud you for that,” Perry said. “Claudia, this is going to be the end of the American Idol journey for right now. I hope you learned a lot and come and see us again.”

Conway congratulated her partner for getting through, saying Everhart “deserves it more than anything.”

“I’m gonna be cheering for you. You could win this thing,” she added.

Meanwhile, Everhart got emotional while bidding Conway goodbye.

“It has been wonderful working with you,” she said.

“I really appreciate your support. You’re a really wonderful person. I wish you the best of luck with whatever route you take.”

“American Idol” airs Sunday and Monday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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people events arts culture entertainment

Hear me roar: A brief history of the groundbreaking Filipina Looking back at revolutionary Filipinas who broke — and continue to break — barriers in national independence, social work, medicine and arts and entertainment

T

Illustration of Gabriela Silang by Bayani Art

Dr. Fe del Mundo

Nilda Rimonte

by KlaRiZe

Medenilla / AJPress

O understand the world, one must understand women; it is simply impossible to know world history without the history of women — in a biological sense and in a cultural sense.

The Philippines is a country built on the strength of resilient women. On a macro level, women in the Philippines — before, during and after colonial occupations —have always held positions in power. On a micro level, women are the central figure of the household, as mothers, wives, lolas (grandmas) and titas (aunts) are respected members of any extended family.

That being said, to honor Women’s History Month is to honor the Filipinas — of the motherland and of the diaspora — who helped cultivate the strong and resilient identity of the Groundbreaking Filipina, the woman who pushes boundaries and subverts patriarchal systems of power in the name of equality and fairness.

Early national heroines For nearly four centuries, the Philippines was a colonial instrument during the golden ages of world imperialism.

The influence of European — and then, American — occupation remains in the country today, but with the help of early Filipina revolutionaries, the fight for a truly unique Filipina identity continues today.

Gabriela Silang (1731-1763) was a military leader who spearheaded the Ilocano campaign for independence from Spain. Born in Ilocos Sur to a Spanish Ilocano father and a Tinguian mother, Gabriela Silang was separated from her parents as a young girl and was raised by a priest.

Known as the “Joan of Arc of Ilocandia,” Gabriela Silang became integral to her second husband’s, Diego Silang, effort to overthrow Spanish control in Ilocos and appoint native Filipino leaders.

After his assassination by the Spanish in 1763, Gabriela assumed her husband’s

position as commander of rebel troops and mobilized local fighting forces to lodge successful guerrilla attacks against Spanish soldiers.

During the fight to liberate Vigan, the fearless Filipina leader led more than 2,000 soldiers against a formidable Spanish force of more than 6,000 men, but outnumbered natives were captured and eventually, the Spanish military executed her in September 1763.

Despite her demise, Gabriela Silang is regarded as a national symbol in the fight for independence and is known as “the first Filipina to lead an uprising against a foreign power.”

More than a century after the exploits of Gabriela Silang, a school teacher from Manila named Teresa Magbanua (18681947) parlayed her skills in horseback riding and marksmanship (which she learned while married to a wealthy businessman) to join the Katipunan’s women’s chapter in Panay.

She was influenced after her brothers joined an uprising against the Spanish military and convinced her uncle, General Perfecto Poblador, to led her lead trips in the Visayas during the revolution, the first and only woman to do so. During this time, she led a group of bolo soldiers during the Battle of Barrio Yoting and the Battle of Sapong Hills, two victories that led to the liberation of Iloilo City.

After that first success, Magbanua collaborated with guerrilla forces in fighting against Americans at the turn of the century and later, against Japanese forces during WWII, making her one of the few who fought for Philippine independence against all three of the country’s main instigators: Spain, the U.S. and Japan.

Pioneers in the modern era As the Philippines was slowly moving

towards becoming a totally sovereign nation, innovation and cultural expansion grew among the Filipino people. A standard for what it means to be a pioneer had been set, and Filipinas of the Modern Era helped catapult the global Filipino community onto the world stage.

Encarnacion Alzona (1895-2001) was a pioneering Filipino historian, educator and suffragist who was the first Filipina to earn a Ph.D. As white American women won the right to vote in 1920, Alzona was among the few who spoke out in favor of the right to vote for Filipino women.

Born in Laguna, Philippines, Alzona’s father was a trial court judge and a distant relative of the renowned national hero Jose Rizal. Both Alzona’s parents encouraged the young girl to pursue academic excellence, an influence that helped Alzona earn undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of the Philippines in Manila (UPM).

She pursued further studies in the U.S., earning a master’s degree from Harvard University in 1920 and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1923.

When she moved back to the Philippines at the end of the 1920s, Alzona dedicated herself to the suffragist movement and penned several books on the topic; many credit her 1934 tome “The Filipino Woman: Her Social, Economic and Political Status (1565-1933)” as an integral piece in granting Filipino women the right to vote in the Philippines in 1937.

In 1985, she was granted the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines and her extensive bibliography continues to be a staple in the Philippine history genre.

Another Harvard graduate, Dr. Fe Del PAGE 15

Teresa Magbanua

Encarnacion Alzona

Vicki Manalo Draves

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Hear me roar: A brief history of the groundbreaking...

PAGE 14 Mundo (1911-2011), another boundary-breaker in higher education, was an extremely influential pediatrician who founded the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines.

As reported in the Asian Journal, Del Mundo was inspired to become a doctor after one of her sisters died of appendicitis in her youth.

After a stellar undergraduate stint at the UPM, then President Manuel Quezon recognized her achievements and offered her a full scholarship to any U.S. college of her choice for further studies. She chose Harvard University, and became the first woman ever to study at Harvard Medical School.

After years of frustration of working for a government hospital, Del Mundo sold her home and possessions to establish the Philippines’ first pediatric hospital, The Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City, in 1957 — the first medical facility of its kind in the entirety of Asia.

Del Mundo continued working through her 90s, making hospital rounds and seeing patients even when her own health began to deteriorate.

“I’m glad that I have been very much involved in the care of children, and that I have been relevant to them.

They are the most outstanding feature in my life,” Del Mundo said in 2007.

Another pioneer of the crucial mid-century was Victoria “Vicki” Manalo Draves, a Filipina American competitive diver who became the first Asian American to ever win Olympic gold medals.

Draves was born in San Francisco to a Filipino father and an English mother and became interested in diving at the age of 16. As she became more competitive, she changed her name to Vickie Taylor to avoid racial discrimination for her Filipino background.

In 1948, at the age of 23,

Draves won five U.S. diving championships, which allowed her to join the U.S. team at the London Olympics, where she won a gold medal in the 10-meter platform and springboard, becoming the first woman to win both titles.

She was also the first Asian American to ever win a gold medal. Staying true to her roots, she dedicated her postdiving life to advocate for Filipino American issues, supporting the Filipino Education Center in San Francisco in the 1960s when the second wave of Filipino immigrants came and settled in the Bay Area.

As Filipinos were adjusting to their newfound sovereignty after centuries of colonialism and occupation, the community and the diaspora boomed, clearing the way for Filipinas to make their mark in society and pop culture.

As more and more Asians began migrating to the U.S., the need for social services that specifically cater to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community became acutely apparent.

In the late 1970s, Filipina American domestic violence survivor Nilda Rimonte saw the need for a resource that supports AAPI victims of domestic abuse and understood that AAPIs (especially immigrants) are among the least likely groups to seek help.

Knowing that community trust is crucial for AAPIs to seek help from violent home life, Rimonte established the Center for the Pacific Asian Family in Los Angeles, the first anti-domestic abuse organization dedicated to serving AAPI survivors and victims.

“We got high statistics but people didn’t want to talk about it. The issue of concealment and detail is huge.

People told me not use the word ‘rape’ [for the center’s rape hotline] because women wouldn’t use it. I refused because I thought this was colluding with the community in hiding the issue. I thought it

Geena Rocero

Diane Paragas

Fanny band members included Fil-Am sisters June and Jean Millington

was time to bring it out, and it paid off,” Rimonte told the Los Angeles Times in 1981.

The multi-lingual and multicultural center — which still operates today — provides emergency and transitional shelter as well as counseling and case management.

Though Filipino American musicians today are mainly associated with hip-hop culture and Broadway, a littleknown band from the early to mid-1970s called Fanny set an important standard for women in music.

Filipina American sisters June and Jean Millington — who were born to a Filipina socialite and a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander — moved from the Philippines to Sacramento, California, where they formed two all-female bands in high school with June on the guitar and Jean on the bass.

The sisters — and their former bandmates Alice de Buhr, Nickey Barclay and Brie Brandt — moved to Los Angeles and rebranded as Fanny after being discovered by producer Richard Perry during a gig at The Troubadour Club in West Hollywood in 1969.

Altogether, the band released three albums, but because of the male-dominated nature of rock music at the time, the band largely went under the radar, despite being the first all-female group to achieve a Billboard Top 40 single (they released two during their short duration).

But those within the music industry lauded Fanny for its fresh sound, even garnering high profile fans like the legend David Bowie, who told Rolling Stone in 1999 that “[they] were extraordinary: they wrote everything, they played like m*therfuckers.

They were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them.”

Though the group ended up splitting by 1975, Fanny’s impact was monumental for

women in rock. Throughout their career, the Millington sisters were adamant in rejecting record executive’s suggestions to emphasize sex appeal like other female acts of the time, preferring to acquire a reputation based on their talent and sound.

The now and beyond As the Filipino diaspora continues to grow, so do the possibilities for the Groundbreaking Filipina. The arts and entertainment are the lifeblood of the Filipino community with acute attention placed on Filipino representation in Western media.

But there are many groundbreaking Filipinas in the arts today who are redefining the boundaries of what it means to be a storyteller.

As the conversation on gender continues to evolve, Filipino figures within the LGBTQ+ community are part of the force leading the way to cultural inclusion.

Model Geena Rocero, born in Manila, started her career as a beauty pageant contestant at the age of 15. After moving to the U.S. in the aughts, Rocero was discovered by a fashion photographer in New York City, a chance encounter that led to a fruitful career in fashion editorials.

As a transgender woman, Rocero rose up as an advocate for trans rights; she and fellow trans model Tracey Norman became the first two openly transgender models to appear on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 2016. But Rocero’s big breakout came in 2019 when she was chosen as the Playboy Playmate of the Month for August 2019, becoming the first openly transgender AAPI model to pose for the lauded publication.

“As the first trans Asian Pacific Islander Playmate, I feel that I’m making it possible for someone to reach for their biggest dreams just like the people who came before me,” Rocero said in 2019. “I also

Eva Noblezada

hope that for anyone who’s been deemed ‘other’ to know that what makes you different, is your power, especially the unapologetic expression of your sexuality, gender and the value of your unique perspective.”

In the era of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood, the primary concern among cinema aficionados — who fear for the disintegration of the art form — is the preservation of authentic and sophisticated story-telling. Streaming services and content pushers like Netflix and Marvel are regularly criticized for massproducing narratively sub-par content that may be diverse, racially and culturally, but lack creativity and imagination: which, to many, will eventually render the art of cinema nearly obsolete.

But filmmakers like Diane Paragas (writer, director and producer of “Yellow Rose”) and Isabel Sandoval (director, writer, producer and star of “Lingua Franca”) are bridging the gap between mainstream representation trends and auteur filmmaking.

As written about in the Asian Journal, “Yellow Rose” (available on Amazon Prime) tells the coming of age tale of a young undocumented Filipina in Texas named Rose who longs to be a country music star and struggles to find herself after immigration officers detain her mother. The film’s style is reminiscent of the raw, elegantly dusty pictures of John Ford and the ethereal and devastatingly poetic films of Terrence Malick.

“I kind of wanted to do a country song as a film, something that is something authentic, simple and straight with a lot of emotion,” Paragas told the Asian Journal in a 2019 interview. “That’s what I was going for in terms of the tone of the film: a simple, true authentic story that feels real and grounded in something poetic.”

Isabel Sandoval

The film stars Tony-nominated Filipina American actress and singer Eva Noblezada (“Miss Saigon,” “Hadestown”) in her feature film debut, but the resolute spirit with which she brought to the role powered the film.

Carrying a narrative isn’t new to Noblezada, another Groundbreaking Filipina, who brought an effortlessly youthful energy as the leading character of Eurydice in the popular Broadway musical “Hadestown.”

In 2020, Sandoval made waves in the prestige independent film circuit with her third film “Lingua Franca,” a dramatic love story about a Filipina living in New York City who struggles to make money for her mother in the Philippines and to pay for an American man to marry her for a green card.

The intimate lens with which Sandoval — who is trans — tells her story rejects popular filmmaking styles that opt for grandiosity and exclamations, preferring “complexity” in her “quiet, patient [and] subtle” narrative approach.

“We have to establish what is distinct and unique about our voice and our worth because it’s so easy to get pigeonholed or to be put in a box especially for someone like me,” Sandoval told the Asian Journal last year.

“There will always be several expectations about you and the community you belong to and it’s easy for Hollywood to just be like, ‘You’re an immigrant so you should be telling immigrant stories or you’re trans so you should be making films about the trans experience,’ and kind of impose on me the kinds of stories that I should be telling and [am] only capable of telling.”

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