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Volume 31 - No. 38 • 16 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am Democrats kick off grassroots organizing in final weeks before election FILIPINO American Democrats across California and Nevada came together for a “weekend of action” to get their communities registered to vote and to make a plan to cast their ballots leading up to the 2020 presidential election this November.

Speakers at the virtual event, spearheaded by the Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD) on Saturday, September 19, boasted the Filipino American electorate’s potential to help elect the Biden-Harris ticket, as well as other Democratic candidates down the ballot. But it starts with mobilizing the community and doubling down on efforts in the less than 50 days left, they said.

“It’s more clear than ever that we have to be relentless in our pursuit for justice, for equality, for democracy, and quite honestly, for what’s right,” said PALAD President Jessica Caloza in her opening remarks as a tribute to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died the night before. “Every single person has a role to play in that so every day counts.”

Proposed US bill seeks to halt security aid to PH over Anti-Terrorism Law

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

A BILL seeking to suspend the United States’ aid to Philippine security forces due to the alleged human rights violations under the Duterte administration has been formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat who represents Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district, introduced House Resolution 8313, also known as the Philippine Human Rights Act, on Thursday, Sept.

17.

“Today, across the Philippines, (President) Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal regime is using the pretext of a so-called anti-terrorism law to ramp up efforts

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

House passes resolution denouncing all forms of anti-Asian sentiment

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Airlines call for COVID-19 tests before all international flights

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THE U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, September 17, passed a resolution to denounce anti-Asian rhetoric and discrimination fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), the measure calls on all public officials to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment and “all manifestations of expression of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance.”

It also asks federal law enforcement officials to work with state and local officials in investigating and documenting credible reports of hate crimes and incidents against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, and in holding perpetrators accountable.

The votes were 243 to 163, with the majority “yes” votes coming from 229 Democratic lawmakers and 14 Republican lawmakers.

Meng said the resulting votes showed that “the House said, ‘enough.’”

targeting labor organizers, workers, and political opponents,” Wild said in her speech on the House floor.

The bill calls for ceasing security assistance to the Philippines until it reforms its military and police forces.

HR 8131 was backed by 23 other lawmakers in-

GORDIAN KNOT. Telecommunications workers look for the wires to install on a post along Quirino Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City on Thursday, September 24. The government has ordered telco players to improve their services during this time of the coronavirus pandemic.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday, September 22, said global airlines are pushing for airport COVID-19 tests for all departing international passengers to replace the quarantines that are allegedly exacerbating the travel slump.

According to the head of IATA, rapid and affordable antigen tests that can be administered by non-medical staff are expected to become available in the “coming weeks” and should be rolled out under globally agreed standards.

“We don’t see any alternative solution that would be less challenging or more effective,” IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac said during an online media briefing.

He noted that airlines will push for the rapid antigen tests to be endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations agency that oversees global aviation rules, as they become available for as

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AFP not involved with accounts, pages taken down by Facebook

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

MALACAÑANG on Thursday, September 24, said it believes that the fake accounts and pages taken down by Facebook did not belong to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“We have to believe the Armed Forces of the Philippines when they said that they have no official pages taken down by Facebook,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“So all these pages, obviously, are not

pages of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the government of the Philippines,” he added.

Roque pointed out that government officials also have the freedom to voice their opinions, but insisted that the code of conduct extends to government officials’ social media accounts.

“You know, even government officials do have freedom of expression. What is prohibited is if this is done in official mediums maintained by the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.

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Photo by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash

Palace praises Duterte’s debut address at UNGA New AAPI study: Majority of Fil-Am, Tagalog-speaking voters to vote by mail

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte speaks before the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Malacañang photo

MALACAÑANG on Thursday, September 24, commended President Rodrigo Duterte’s first-ever speech before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), calling it “excellent.”

“The president’s speech in the UN General Assembly, I thought, was excellent. And I think halos lahat ng Pilipino ay kinilala po na talagang napakagaling at napaka-komprehensibo at malinaw ang naging talumpati ng ating Presidente (Almost all Filipinos recognized that the president’s speech was very good, comprehensive, and

clear),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“Wala pong pagkakaiba ng polisiya, iyan po talaga ang, kumbaga, very brief summary ng mga polisiya ng ating presidente sa iba’t-ibang isyu (There was no change in policies. It was a very brief summary of the president’s policies on various issues),” he added.

Roque also said that a team of writers composed Duterte’s UN speech, but stressed that the Chief Executive chose the topics that were discussed in it.

“Ang gumawa po ng speech na iyan ay marami, iyan po, tawagin na lamang natin silang Team Philippines. Pero iyong mga

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Preference for in-person voting drops amid COVID-19

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

As the presidential election looms just over a month away, the likelihood that the coronavirus pandemic will be gone in time for voters to hit the polls becomes more of a stark impossibility.

Voting by mail is poised to be

the more primary option for voters across the country to avoid interacting with others in the age of face masks and social distancing.

But in California, where there are several underserved communities with low voter outreach, policy experts are encouraging greater community outreach to

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From The FronT Page

Proposed US bill seeks to...

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COLORFUL LANTERNS. Dazzling Christmas lanterns and decors for sale are displayed in Panapaan along Aguinaldo Highway in Bacoor Cavite on Tuesday, September 22. As early as September, Filipinos prepare for Christmas season, buying decors to light up their homes despite the amid the coronavirus pandemic.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Palace praises Duterte’s debut address...

PAGE A1 subject matter po na nabanggit ng presidente pagdating sa mga international issues, si presidente po mismo ang namili kung ano ang gusto niyang i-discuss (Many people made the speech.

Let’s just call them Team Philippines. But the president himself selected the subject matters on international issues which he wanted to discuss),” he said.

Duterte on Wednesday, September 23, addressed the UNGA for the first time since assuming office in 2016.

“I am honored to address you today on behalf of the Filipino people on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. The invisible enemy that is COVID-19 has brought about an unfamiliar

global landscape and unleashed a crisis without precedent. It is the biggest test the world and the United Nations faced since World War II,” Duterte said.

Duterte said that how the world will address COVID-19 will define our future.

“For the Philippines, this means putting up all of the peoples of our united nations at the core of this response,” the president said.

He encouraged each nation to put up a united front against the pandemic, saying the world needs are coordinated international plans and efforts to pursue a common purpose.

“COVID-19 knows no border.

It knows no nationality. It knows no race. It knows no gender.

It knows no age. It knows no creed,” Duterte stressed.

He also encouraged all countries to ease geopolitical tensions that continue to rise, as well as invoked the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea. Duterte likewise promised that his government will continue to protect the human rights of its people, calling for an open dialogue and constructive engagement with the United Nations.

“But these must be done in full respect of the principles of objectivity, noninterference, non-selectivity and genuine dialogue. These are the fundamental bases for productive international cooperation on human rights,” he said. n

Airlines call for COVID-19 tests before...

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little as $7 each.

De Juniac added that the IATA believes the production could be quickly increased to millions per day, and the tests phased in between late October and December would help “save a part of the winter season.”

However, a global agreement is needed to ensure test results on departure are accepted on arrival.

“It will also boost passenger confidence that everybody on the aircraft has been tested,” said de Juniac.

The IATA last month pushed for laboratory-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to be conducted 48 hours before departure.

De Juniac pointed out that last-minute airport screening is more effective because it “seals off the system” against forged

certificates or infections contracted just before travel.

Antigen tests are faster but more likely to miss positive cases of COVID-19 than PCR tests.

Earlier this month, German diagnostics specialist Qiagen said a COVID-19 antigen test that provided results in 15 minutes was going to be launched.

The test could be deployed in airports or stadiums. n

cluding New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Judy Chu of California.

“In response to these abuses, I introduced the Philippine Human Rights Act, which would block U.S. funding for police or military assistance to the Philippines, outlining a serious basic criteria which would have to be met in order to resume such funding,” Wild added.

If passed into law, the Philippine Human Rights Act requires the Philippines to meet the following criteria: • Investigate and prosecute members of the military and police forces who are found to have violated human rights; • Withdraw the military from domestic policy; • Establish protection for the rights of trade unionists, journalists, human right defenders, indigenous persons, small-farmers, LGBTI activists, and critics of the government; • Take steps to guarantee a judicial system that is capable of investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to justice members of the police and military who have committed human rights abuses; • Fully comply with any and all audits or investigations regarding the improper use of security aid “Let us make clear that the United States will not participate in the repression. Let us stand with the people of the Philippines,” Wild said.

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of the U.S. House.

A loss to the U.S. Philippine senators who authored the AntiTerrorism Law, in response, pointed out that the passage of HR 8131 would be a loss to the U.S. as well.

“The said bill will not only be our loss but theirs as well, considering that a major part of the security assistance being extended to the Philippines is used to combat terrorism, which knows no borders,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.

Likewise, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said: “We should reconsider the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) if they pass that. It’s actually a big IF. If they pass a bill suspending security aid to us, then what will the VFA stand for?”

Malacañang, meanwhile, maintained it won’t interfere with the affairs of sovereign countries.

“Hindi natin pinanghihimasukan iyong mga desisyon ng mga soberenyang bansa — kung gusto nilang gawin, gawin nila iyan (We won’t meddle with the decisions made by sovereign countries — if they want to do it, then do it),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“Kampante nga tayo na sa tingin ko, kinikilala naman ng Estados Unidos ang halaga ng Pilipinas sa pagiging partner niya pagdating din sa mga usaping national security ng Estados Unidos mismo (I am confident, I think, that the U.S. recognizes the importance of being a partner of the Philippines when it comes to matters concerning national Security of the U.S.),” he added.

Roque also called Wild’s allegations over the human rights situation in the country as a “very

U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)

wild suggestion.”

This is not the first time that foreign lawmakers have filed bills in the U.S. Congress against the Duterte administration.

On January 8, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution officially condemning the Duterte administration for its detention of outspoken Philippine Senator Leila De Lima.

U.S. Senate Resolution 142 argued that De Lima’s detainment was an infringement on the “legitimate exercise of her freedom of speech” and urged the Philippines to release her.

The resolution acknowledges the widely-criticized extrajudicial killings, which were “part of a government-directed anti-drug campaign” that resulted in “the foremost human rights challenge in the Philippines,” as a valid concern of the disgraced senator who has been detained since February 2017.

Led by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), the bipartisan effort to stand up against the Duterte administration’s treatment of De Lima also urged President Donald Trump to impose sanctions against the Philippine government.

The bipartisan group of senators who backed the bill includes Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee also passed an amendment that seeks to ban the entry into the U.S. of Philippine government officials involved in the “politically-motivated” detention of De Lima. n

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Dateline USa

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Stockton elementary school named after California’s first Fil-Am teacher opens Flora Arca Mata Elementary School honors the first Fil-Am and the first teacher of color in California history

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

RELIGIOUS ITEMS FOR SALE. Wearing a face mask, Frank Castaneda,74, sells religious items in front of the Antipolo Cathedral in Antipolo City on Wednesday, September 23. Castaneda goes out of his home to sell rosaries and beads notwithstanding the government’s advisory for the elderly to stay home due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

PNA photo by Rico H, Borja

New AAPI study: Majority of Fil-Am...

PAGE A1 raise awareness of alternative voting options.

“The big challenge is that, because voting will be changing for everyone in California regardless of where they live we should be thinking about our reasons to adapt,” Karthick Ramakrishnan, public policy and political science professor at UC Riverside, said during a webinar hosted by the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Ramakrishnan shared findings from a study that was designed to gauge the attitudes and voting behaviors of “low-propensity voters,” or registered voters that are the least likely to participate in elections.

The study included 88 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) participants throughout California, and it concluded there is a “strong preference” to vote by mail this election due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the study culled information from a small sample size, the researchers disaggregated the data among the most prominent AAPI groups and found that among Filipino American voters, 4 out of 9 Filipinos and native Tagalog speakers usually vote inperson.

According to the study, Filipinos who are ESL speakers (like other ESL speakers of different origins) prefer using the language assistance available at the polls.

But for the upcoming election, only about 2 out of 9 Filipinos plan to vote in person, meaning

that a majority of Filipino voters will likely vote by mail or utilize one of the many ballot drop-off locations throughout the state.

At a time when President Donald Trump is routinely denigrating the vote-by-mail option and encouraging voters to cast their ballots at the polls, one of the biggest challenges lies in ensuring communities and low-propensity voters that mail-in ballots are still a viable option to participate in the election. (Trump himself has voted-by-mail throughout his presidency.)

In terms of bridging that information gap between government agencies and various ethnic communities, the most trusted sources include traditional and ethnic media, social media, community organizations and family and friends. Understanding the trusted channels, Ramakrishnan noted the importance of these sources to provide accurate and safe information.

Social media, particularly Facebook, has been found to allow the dissemination of misinformation regarding the elections, following the Russian tampering of the 2016 election through social media. Minority communities that primarily receive information through social media are particularly vulnerable to being misinformed.

“It really shows the importance of having good information readily available from these trusted sources,” Arturo Vargas of the Latino-based NALEO Educational Fund said on Thursday.

“The partnership between the county and these community

organizations is so important because we have to make sure that voters and families of voters feel like they can trust the information they’re getting from the county because it’s being validated by these trusted organizations.”

Mail-in voting still holds the highest interest among voters, Ramakrishnan said, but the concerns over delivery and whether or not their votes will be counted in time remain. There’s also great interest in the availability of drop-off boxes, which are locations where voters may drop their mail-in ballot off before Election Day. But Ramakrishnan pointed to the community efforts on issues like the 2020 Census, wherein immigrant advocacy organizations have extensively provided census survey support and assistance to households across LA County.

“I think there is a lot of trust that has been built up and this is where I think a lot of engagement on the census has shown that these kinds of partnerships between county government agencies and community partners to make sure everyone gets counted,” Ramakrishnan said.

He added, “Even if someone does not fully trust government, the strong partnership of community partners — including organizations like CHIRLA [Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights – Los Angeles], many of these AAPI rights and immigrant rights organizations — has gone far to bridge local governments with these communities.” n

THE closure of school campuses due to the pandemic has complicated the lives of students across California, but that doesn’t mean learning and inspiration have to stop.

As such, on Tuesday, Sept.

22, a new elementary school in Stockton, California named after Flora Arca Mata, a pioneering Filipina American teacher of the 20th century, was opened in a move to honor California’s diverse history in education.

Mata was the first Filipino American and first person of color to serve as a public school teacher in the state of California, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

On Tuesday, Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) officials and the family of Mata — who passed away in 2013 at the age of 95 — held a social distancingfriendly ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new K-8 school located along Alexandria Place. The event was also live-streamed by the school district.

“This is going to be a great learning institution,” Flora Arca Mata Elementary School principal Henry Phillips said at the ceremony inside the school’s multipurpose room. “Our board of trustees has given us an excellent start by naming this site after an exemplary educator.”

The school currently has 420 enrolled students who are dis-

tance learning. The $38.2 million school is a state-of-the-art facility that can accommodate 540 students.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the campaign to name the new school after one of the state’s most prolific teachers began in 2019 when the FilAm organization Little Manila Rising asserted Mata’s indelible influence on public education in Stockton and California as a whole.

The campaign garnered massive support from the district which announced in December 2019 that it would officially name the new school after Mata.

“I feel she was a very humble person and she would probably stand back a bit, [but] I think she would be very happy about pushing on education and making sure that students and teachers and everybody stayed dedicated to the future of our community,” Aaron Mata, the late educator’s grandson who is also an educator and principal at Health Careers Academy in the SUSD, said in his remarks on Tuesday.

The grandson shared that even after her retirement, Mata was still passionate about public education, requesting family members to drive her to school so she can assist teachers and students.

“She had a very clear vision of what education can do and she was deeply passionate about the teaching profession for many years. When I reflect back on it, I

Flora Arca Mata’s family attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the elementary school named in her honor on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Flora Arca Mata was the first Filipina American school teacher in California.

can see how dedicated she was,” he said.

Stockton was previously home to the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines, which highlights the significance of the district’s choice to name the school after Mata. Mata was born in Hawaii in 1917 and as a child, her family relocated to Stockton where she attended local schools.

After earning a teaching degree at UCLA — of which she was also the first Filipino American to graduate — she began her long career of teaching in post-WWII California. Her service spanned more than three decades until she retired at 80 years old.

Mata was known to have advocated for the right to education for communities of color and equal opportunity for ethnic minorities to pursue prestigious careers. She reportedly challenged a school dean who told her that being a woman of color would hinder her ability to teach.

She told the school dean, “Why is it that America would educate the minority and not give them an opportunity to use this education? Why is it that they need a college education to be dishwashers?” n

AFP not involved with accounts, pages taken...

PAGE A1 A total 57 accounts, 31 pages, and 20 Instagram accounts with ties to the police and military units in the Philippines were taken down by Facebook due to policy violations.

According to Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s cybersecurity policy chief, the accounts engaged in “coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB)” and deceptive methods.

“They posted primarily in Filipino and English about local news and events, including domestic politics, the military’s activity against terrorism, the draft of the pending anti-terrorism bill, criticism of communism, youth activists and the opposition, criticism

of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its military wing the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,” Gleicher said on Tuesday, September 22.

“We are attributing this network to the Philippine military and the Philippine police. In particular, we found links between, behind this network connected to both of these organizations and individuals associated with those organizations,” he added.

Gleicher said that the investigation of the network, which was tracked down in the Philippines, was due to the concerns raised by civil society groups in the country and online news site Rappler.

The National Privacy Commission (NPC), for its part, said it started a “deeper probe” into Facebook’s removal of the fake accounts.

“Facebook’s proposed preventive actions regarding the proliferation of suspicious accounts as such activities on the platform continue to threaten the personal data privacy and other securityrelated rights of its Filipino users,” NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro said.

“Social media platforms shall elevate their community standards to a level that adequately protects the data privacy rights of Filipino data subjects and rights to free speech and expression,” he added.

Fil-Am Democrats kick off grassroots organizing...

PAGE A1 The Nevada Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Democratic Caucus, Kaya DC and Filipino Americans for Biden-Harris also participated in Saturday’s kick-off.

Rep. TJ Cox, the first Fil-Am elected to Congress from California who is seeking reelection this November, shared how he and his colleagues passed a resolution condemning anti-Asian sentiment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We know that this is a large, diverse land that welcomes people of every creed, color, ethnicity, background. Now, that’s what makes America truly great. But we’ve got a lot of work to do and there [are] no shortcuts about what we have to do — we have to make so many calls, we have to shoot so many tags, we have to knock on so many doors…” he said.

Cox, whose race is one of the most contentious congressional races in the country. knows how every vote counts as he won by only 862 votes in 2018.

“It’s so critical to come back to stand up for the people, but also to continue to represent Filipino Americans in Congress,” he said.

Assemblymember Rob Bonta called November 3 “the most consequential election of our life-

times” and is an opportunity for the Fil-Am population in California to flex its voting power.

“We’ve often talked about how we are the sleeping giant, where we haven’t risen to our full height yet. We don’t have all of our people who are eligible to vote in our community registered, and of those who are registered, we don’t come out as often and as forcefully as we should,” Bonta said, adding that the electorate can also make a difference in states like Nevada and Arizona.

He added, “On the day after the election, we don’t want to wish that we reached out to more people, that we called more people, that we texted more people, that we fought harder. We want to know we did that before the election… It’s an election season, not an election day.”

Daly City Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo, who is California codirector for Fil-Ams for BidenHarris, said that in addition to participating in phone and text banks, it starts with reaching out to family and friends.

“Who is elected will form what type of issues will be at the forefront locally, statewide and national. Let’s reach out to our inner circles, our families and remind them how important our vote is because our vote is our power,” Manalo said. “Vote like your life depends on it because

it does.”

In addition to Fil-Am leaders, community allies such as Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and state Assemblymember Christy Smith, who is running for California’s 25th Congressional District, addressed attendees.

The 25th district, which covers Santa Clarita and Palmdale and the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, has an 8% AAPI population. Of that, about 12,000 are Filipinos.

“But we all know the future of this country is more diverse than it is in this moment. So why would we want to leave to our own children a broken system where communities of color and richness and diversity can’t all be at the same table to make good decisions together about what the future of this country looks like?” Smith said.

Caloza said in the next seven weeks, PALAD will be leading get-out-the-vote efforts through mobilizing neighborhood teams, weekly phone banks, and other digital programs tapping into FilAm influencers to amplify certain messages and deadlines.

“Today’s focus is to get the community energized, motivated and to really understand what’s at stake. We definitely don’t want to wake up November 4 wishing we had done more,” Caloza said.

(Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

Rendering of the Flora Arca Mata Elementary School in Stockton, California

Photos courtesy of Stockton School district

House passes resolution denouncing all forms...

PAGE A1 “For months, Asian Americans in my home state of New York and in communities throughout the nation have been verbally and physically attacked, spat on and shunned,” said Meng, who is also the first vice chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).

The resolution was introduced

by Meng in March in response to the increase of reported hate crimes targeting AAPIs since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic.

Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition aimed at addressing antiAAPI discrimination amid the pandemic, said in its latest August report that it received a total of 2,583 incidents of discrimination against AAPIs from 47 states in the past five months.

Critics have said that President Donald Trump’s insistent use of the phrase “China virus” in describing COVID-19 has enabled the rise of anti-AAPI discrimination and hate crimes.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in 2015, called on scientists, leaders, and media to avoid using names of people, places, and animals when naming diseases to avoid stigmatizing nations, economies, and people.

“Enough of the demeaning usages of ‘Chinese virus,’ ‘Wuhan virus’ and ‘Kung-flu’, especially from our nation’s leaders, such as President Trump,” said Meng.

“Enough of the scapegoating.”

All votes against the measure were by Republican lawmakers, with Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California calling the resolution “ridiculous” and a “waste of time.”

McCarthy suggested that the House focus instead on a coronavirus stimulus plan.

“At the heart of this resolution is the absurd notion that referring to the virus as a Wuhan virus or the China virus is the same as contributing to violence against

Asian Americans, which I will tell you no one of this side of the aisle supports,” said McCarthy.

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio accused supporters of the resolution of being a part of “the mob of cancel culture” and pointed out that the media and some Democrats used terms condemned in the resolution early on in the pandemic.

“That’s how the mob operates today,” said Jordan. “They’ll attack you if you don’t say it the way they want you to say it and this is dangerous. You can’t say China virus today. Tomorrow who knows what it will be?”

In a statement following the resolution’s passing, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), who also serves as CAPAC chair, doubled down on the reports of AAPI hate crimes connected to the coronavirus.

“An 89-year-old woman in New York was slapped and set on fire.

A 16-year old boy in Los Angeles was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalized. And in Texas, a gunman shot a family at a Sam’s Club saying he wanted to exterminate Asians,” said Chu. “Each of these attackers, and thousands of others like them, have been inspired by the false perception that Asians are responsible for the virus – a perception that has been advanced by Donald Trump and Republicans who have insisted on using slurs like ‘Wuhan virus,’ ‘China plague,’ and ‘Kung flu’ even though they know they are dangerous,” added Chu. AAPI community applauds resolution Following the resolution’s passing, AAPI groups were quick to voice their support.

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) acknowledged that there would still be those who wouldn’t see the racism behind blaming China for the coronavirus, but said there would be a “time and place to hold all world leaders account-

able for their responses to the pandemic.”

“However, so long as elected officials insist on racializing the virus to deflect blame or dodge accountability, we’ll be here to remind them that Asian Americans will not be collateral or scapegoats for their failed leadership,” NCAPA wrote in a statement.

Fil-Am Katrina Dizon Mariategue, acting executive director at Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) said Trump’s insistence on calling COVID-19 the “China Virus” has “opened the door to xenophobic and racist harassment of the Asian American and Southeast Asian American communities.”

“While we grapple with lockdowns in our communities, lack of clear information and leadership, and language barriers to accessing necessary healthcare and culturally competent mental health support, we have also been put at undue risk of physical and mental abuse because of this hateful framing of COVID-19,” added Mariategue.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC commended Meng and CAPAC for “doing their part to reduce the discrimination and aggression” AAPI communities have been experiencing on top of the global pandemic.

John C. Yang, president and executive director of the group, said the recorded increase in hate crimes towards AAPI was telling of a “dangerous path where this behavior is becoming normalized.”

“Bigotry and hate cannot continue,” said Yang. “Overcoming this global pandemic is challenging enough without the constant threat of unprovoked attacks on our community. We must all work together through this public health crisis and support the Asian American and other hardhit communities by the Coronavirus.” (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

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FEATURES

OPINION

Abuse of power

FORTY eight years is a long time to remember. In a country where lessons are not easily learned and mistakes of the past keep being repeated, however, people need continuing reminders about the consequences of greed and the abuse of power. Especially because those who benefited from the abuse are actively trying to rewrite history.

Barred from seeking a third term as president, Ferdinand Marcos found another way of perpetuating himself in power. Claiming to quell a communist rebellion, the Marcos regime faked an ambush on his defense secretary and used it as a pretext to place the country under martial law.

This was not the martial law imposed in Mindanao by the current administration to deal with the possible spillover of the Maute terrorist threat from Marawi City, but the real deal. Among the first moves of the Marcos dictatorship was to silence its critics, shutting down all independent media organizations and tossing key journalists into jail together with opposition leaders. Nothing was too small for the regime to exert its authoritarian rule: rock music was banned from the airwaves; long hair and the short shorts called hot pants were prohibited; hemlines were pulled down even in private schools.

State forces arrived in private homes, literally

in the dead of night, armed with Arrest, Search and Seizure Orders to take whoever or whatever they wanted from the premises. Many of those who were picked up on the strength of ASSOs were severely beaten, electrocuted, burned with cigarettes, deprived of sleep and subjected to the water cure. Women were raped and subjected to the same forms of physical and psychological torture. Many of those arrested were never seen or heard from again; to this day, the country still has a long list of the martial law desaparecidos.

The abuse of power was extended to the economy as the conjugal dictatorship treated public coffers as their own. A word had to be coined for the world-class corruption of the regime: kleptocracy.

Crony capitalism pushed the economy to the brink of ruin.

The country’s failure to put the plunderers of the dictatorship behind bars has to be one of the biggest reasons for the continuing prevalence of

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS “FOR the first time since I became a citizen in 1983, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for President. But as proud as I am to label myself as a Republican, there is one label that I hold above all else — AMERICAN. So I want to take a moment today to remind my fellow Republicans that it is not only acceptable to choose your country over party — it is your DUTY.” - Former Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2016).

And just lately, this statement: “President Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic showed a ‘flat-out disregard for human life’ because his main concern was the economy and his reelection.”

This strong rebuke of President Donald Trump isn’t from a Democrat, pundit, or news analyst.

This statement came from a long-time Republican who, like many other Republican officials like former Gov. Swchwarzenegger and others listed below, have already rejected Trump, debunking his narrative that those who oppose him are just Democrats and the “Fake News Media.”

Many of them have already endorsed Joe Biden for president.

The latest Republican in the White House inner circle who

Philstar.com photo Philstar.com photo

Philstar.com photo

corruption in Philippine society, and for the historical revisionism under a Marcos-friendly administration, which allowed the dictator’s burial in the heroes’ cemetery. George Santayana fa-

mously warned about the consequences of forgetting the past. It would be a national tragedy if the Philippines forgot the horrors and abuses of martial law. (Philstar.com)

‘Vote out Trump’ is not just a partisan fight as more Republicans rebuke Trump, endorse Biden to save the democracy and soul of America came out to voice her opposition to Trump’s re-election is Olivia Troye, who had been in all of the Coronavirus Task Force meetings and was a homeland security, counterterrorism and coronavirus adviser to Vice President Pence for two years.

The White House responded by calling Troye “a disgruntled former employee, minimized her role on the task force and disputed her characterization that the pandemic response has not gone well,” the Washington Post reported.

But former senior Trump administration official Miles Taylor, another “disgruntled employee,” recounted to CNN’s Chris Cuomo that he had personally witnessed Vice President Mike Pence praise his former homeland security adviser Olivia Troye, who left his staff in August. Taylor also left the White House because of Trump.

Taylor was a lifetime Republican who worked at the Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019, including as chief of staff. He was the first White House senior official to endorse Biden.

“After serving for more than two years in the Department of Homeland Security’s leadership during the Trump administration, I can attest that the country

is less secure as a direct result of the president’s actions,” Taylor wrote in an OP-ED for the Washington Post.

“Like many Americans, I had hoped that Donald Trump, once in office, would soberly accept the burdens of the presidency — foremost among them the duty to keep America safe. But he did not rise to the challenge. Instead, the president has governed by whim, political calculation and self-interest,” he added.

Taylor also accused Trump of withholding disaster aid from blue states and claiming “magical authorities” above the law.

Like Taylor, Olivia Troye also indicated that she will vote for Joe Biden.

“The president’s rhetoric and his own attacks against people in his administration trying to do the work, as well as the promulgation of false narratives and incorrect information of the virus have made this ongoing response a failure,” she said in an interview.

Troye might have played a behind-the-scenes role during her time in the White House, but the Post reported that “she was a major participant in the task force’s work. “I attended and helped to organize ‘every single meeting’ it held from February until July,” Troye was quoted by the Post.

“She worked closely with Pence on the administration’s response, including establishing an agenda for each meeting, preparing the vice president and arranging briefings for him, writing and editing his comments, and dealing with the vice president’s political aides.”

Troye revealed, “Towards the middle of February, we knew it wasn’t a matter of if Covid would become a big pandemic here, it was a matter of when.”

“But the President didn’t want to hear that, because his biggest concern was that we were in an election year, and how was this going to affect what he considered to be his record of success?”

“Maybe this Covid thing is a good thing, “Troye claimed Trump suggested at one coronavirus task force meeting. “I don’t like shaking hands with people.

I don’t have to shake hands with these disgusting people.” These “disgusting people” were the ones who have been blindly risking their lives amid the pandemic because they thought Trump cared for them.

Olivia Troye and Miles Taylor have now joined many other high-ranking Republicans who rebuked Trump and would not support his reelection bid. Many of them have endorsed Joe

Biden.

Forbes reported on prominent former GOP officials, and even some of his ex-staffers, have come out to rebuke Trump, many of them in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden, and more could have come out since Forbes published this list on September 4, 2020: George W. Bush - The last living former Republican president has said he won’t back Trump.

Jeb Bush - the former governor of Florida who was mercilessly ridiculed by Trump when they fought for the GOP nomination in 2016.

Cindy McCain, the widow of Sen. John McCain - and mother of The View host Meghan McCain (who also endorsed Biden) narrated a video for the Democratic convention detailing her late husband’s “unlikely friendship” with Biden.

Jim Mattis - Trump’s former Defense Secretary, called Trump “the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try.”

John Kelly - Trump’s former Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Secretary said he wished “we had some additional choices.”

John Bolton - Trump’s former national security adviser and

self-described “lifelong conservative” said Trump is “stunningly uninformed,” a “danger for the republic” and easily manipulated by foreign leaders—including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who he claims Trump asked for reelection help—Bolton warned of grave danger if Trump wins reelection, stating clearly: “I’m not going to vote for him.”

Rex Tillerson - Trump’s former state secretary said what was challenging for him was: “to go to work for a man who is pretty undisciplined, doesn’t like to read, doesn’t read briefing reports, doesn’t like to get into the details of a lot of things, but rather just kind of says, ‘This is what I believe.’ ” Thomas P. Bossert - Trump’s first homeland security adviser, said he told the president there was no basis to the theory that Ukraine, not Russia, intervened in the 2016 election and did so on behalf of the Democrats. Bossert said he was “deeply disturbed” that Mr. Trump nonetheless tried to get Ukraine’s president to produce damaging information about Democrats.

Sitting Republican Senators - weighing voting against Trump, according to Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.). Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has said he will

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RBG’s lasting impact on communities like ours For Filipinos, our small businesses are on the ballot Commentary

ENRIQUE

DE LA CRUZ

A PALPABLE sense of loss overcame me upon hearing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s (RBG) passing last Friday, September 18.

Like many others, I turned to the internet to get confirmation, and was struck by the outpouring of posts about her. This made my sense of loss even more palpable. It’s like what one feels, upon entering a church for a memorial service.

Only this time, it is not confined in a church; it is community-wide, even nationwide.

RBG was a beacon of hope to the many that she fought for or liberated from inequitable laws and policies. She was a guardian, vigilant against efforts by the government to “abridge” civil liberties.

Many say that RBG’s death is a devastating loss for feminists.

She did champion women’s

rights, but it would be more accurate to say that she was against all forms of discrimination based on gender, sexual preferences, or race. It is largely through RBG’s meticulous, conscientious, and persistent efforts, especially during her time with ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project (which she co-founded) that the Supreme Court came to seriously see the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection as an assurance of even-handedness in the application of laws, and that gender-based distinctions in laws and policies should be subject to “intermediate scrutiny.”

This rule requiring intermediate scrutiny for policies and laws turning on gender distinctions is just a cut below “strict scrutiny” which is reserved for laws that infringe upon our most basic fundamental rights involving a suspect class of people (race, national origin, religion or alienage).

This radically changed the Court’s attitude when reviewing policies and laws involving gender distinctions. It opened the space where women could stand, co-equal with men in professions hitherto dominated by men.

RBG felt that the way to achieve

real gender equity (as told in the biopic “On the Basis of Sex”) is to target specific discriminatory laws in order to demonstrate that gender discrimination, sometimes benignly adopted to favor or protect women, was harmful to both men and women.

In many cases, RBG’s plaintiffs were men. She challenged the military regulation that denied husbands of women in the military some benefits to which wives of male soldiers were entitled, on the assumption that a man was not likely to be the dependent spouse (Frontiero v.

Richardson, 411 U.S. 677, 1973).

She challenged a Social Security provision that assumed wives were secondary breadwinners whose incomes were unimportant to the family and therefore deprived widowers of survivor benefits (Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld, 420 U.S. 636, 1975). Stephen Wiesenfeld’s wife, Paula, had died in childbirth, and he sought the benefits so he could stay home and raise their child, Jason.

In her quest for equity and inclusion for women and minorities, RBG worked tirelessly for the strictest interpretation of

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Community Perspective NORA FORMENTO FOR our family, our restaurant, Manila BBQ, is everything.

It is a place where we work, gather, celebrate each other, and where we go to support our community. As immigrants who came over from the Philippines in 1990, owning and operating our own restaurant was our American Dream. We are proud to showcase our family’s authentic Filipino BBQ recipes to the local Las Vegas community, as we have done for the past two-and-a-half years.

As Asian Americans, we know that Filipino cuisine is vastly underrepresented in the Las Vegas community, and becoming a goto stop for locals and tourists alike has created a sense of pride and purpose we can pass down for generations to come. Our customers and the community we serve are an extension of our immediate family. In fact, many of

our customers, especially those of Filipino descent, actually call me Tita Nora or Auntie Nora, and travel great distances for our family-style Papaitan and Pancit Malabon dishes.

For our family, our community, and our restaurant, times have been hard. The COVID-19 lockdown closed us down for two months. Hearing the news was hard, yet our landlord still required full rent, and we still owed utilities and insurance for a restaurant no one could dine in.

To date, we’ve lost over 50% of our revenue, and were forced to let go of more than half our staff — people who feel like family. We miss our customers dearly, and have been thankful for the support of our community. The most frustrating part of this whole ordeal is that it did not have to be this bad.

Simply put, our American Dream is under attack. We know that Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic is worsening the conditions that make it hard for so many immigrant families to get by, because our family feels it each day. Which is why, we all need to rally together to ensure we elect a president who stands up for Filipino Americans and

working families like ours.

Since the onset of the pandemic, President Trump and his administration have missed chance after chance to help businesses and communities like ours. They dragged their feet in setting guidelines to keep us safe, misinformed the public, and let the virus spread. That ineffectiveness meant thousands of people died, small businesses like ours were forced to shut down, and millions got sick.

Meanwhile, big businesses and Trump donors were able to receive massive bailouts and to keep their businesses going.

These policies unilaterally hurt small businesses like ours and took money and jobs away from our communities. If we had real leadership from the beginning, they would have protected the American people and many of our businesses would likely still be open. In Nevada, our state tried its best, but, when Trump calls the virus a hoax, millions feel justified acting in an unsafe manner threatening others, and keeping businesses closed or working under limited capacities.

In our family, we often joke how it’s easy to complain, but much

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september 24-30, 2020 • LAs VeGAs AsIAN JOUrNAL

Karagdagang impormasyon sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Lalawigan ng Clark Kagawaran ng Halalan sa: www.clarkcountynv.gov/vote STATE OF NEVADA - COUNTY OF CLARK

I, JOSEPH P. GLORIA, the duly appointed Registrar of Voters for the County of Clark, State of Nevada, do hereby certify that the General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on said date. A list of Election Day vote centers is also included in this notice.

LIST OF CANDIDATES TO BE VOTED UPON AT THE NOVEMBER 3, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION

Party Abbreviations as they will appear RQ WKH EDOORWV DUH GHĂ€QHG 'HPRFUDWLF 3DUW\

,QGHSHQGHQW $PHULFDQ 3DUW\ 1R 3ROLWLFDO 3DUW\

/LEHUWDULDQ

5HSXEOLFDQ

'(0 ,$3 133 /31 5(3

35(6,'(17 9,&( 35(6,'(17 )285 <($5 7(50 Biden, Joseph R. / Harris, Kamala D. DEM Blankenship, Don / Mohr, William IAP Jorgensen, Jo /Cohen, Jeremy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spikeâ&#x20AC;? LPN Trump, Donald J. / Pence, Michael R. REP None of these Candidates

',675,&7 DaCosta, Victoria K. Jauregui, Sandra Smith, Erika ',675,&7 Assefa, Alexander Delsignore, Liz Zaidi, Sayed â&#x20AC;&#x153;SMâ&#x20AC;? &2817< &200,66,21(5 )285 <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 $ Naft, Michael Thomas, Michael

IAP DEM REP DEM LPN NPP

DEM REP

',675,&7 % Kirkpatrick, Marilyn Markowitz, Warren R. Williams, Kevin M.

DEM IAP REP

',675,&7 & Anthony, Stavros Miller, Ross

REP DEM

5(35(6(17$7,9( ,1 &21*5(66 7:2 <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 Bakari, Kamau Bentley, Joyce Strawder, Jr., Robert Van Titus, Dina

IAP REP LPN DEM

',675,&7 Bridges, II, Ed S. Brown, Steve Lee, Susie Rodimer, Dan â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Danâ&#x20AC;?

IAP LPN DEM REP

',675,&7 Esteban, Jonathan Royce Horsford, Steven Marchant, Jim Rubinson, Barry

LPN DEM REP IAP

-867,&( 2) 7+( 6835(0( &2857 6,; <($5 7(50 6($7 % Pickering, Kristina None of these Candidates

67$7( 6(1$7( )285 <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 Spearman, Patricia â&#x20AC;&#x153;Patâ&#x20AC;?

DEM

6($7 ' Fumo, Ozzie Herndon, Douglas None of these Candidates

',675,&7 Brooks, Chris

DEM

',675,&7 Hickman, Esper M. Neal, Dina

REP DEM

',675,&7 ' McCurdy, II, William Washington, David L.

DEM NPP

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'(3$570(17 * Childs, Sr., Benjamin Boone Forsberg, Rhonda K. '(3$570(17 + Ritchie, Art

',675,&7 Kasama, Heidi Kunnel, Radhika â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPKâ&#x20AC;?

LeDuff, Garrett

REP DEM NPP

',675,&7 Torres, Selena

DEM

',675,&7 McArthur, Richard Munk, Connie

REP DEM

',675,&7 Miller, Brittney Miller, Mack

DEM REP

',675,&7 Duncan, Katie Summers-Armstrong, Shondra

REP DEM

',675,&7 Miller, Cameron â&#x20AC;&#x153;C.H.â&#x20AC;?

Palmer, Anthony â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tonyâ&#x20AC;?

DEM REP

'(3$570(17 Atkin, Trevor Peterson, Jessica K. '(3$570(17 Silva, Cristina D. '(3$570(17 Jones, Tierra D. '(3$570(17 Gonzalez, Elizabeth â&#x20AC;&#x153;Betsyâ&#x20AC;? '(3$570(17 Leavitt, Michelle '(3$570(17 Denton, Mark '(3$570(17 Escobar, Adriana '(3$570(17 Hardy, Jr., Joe

',675,&7 Facey, Edward â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eddieâ&#x20AC;?

Frierson, Jason

REP DEM

'(3$570(17 Williams, Tim

',675,&7 Altman, Barbara Yeager, Steve

REP DEM

'(3$570(17 Albertson, Anna Villani, Michael

',675,&7 Friedrich, Jonathan Hisgen, Chris Nguyen, Rochelle

IAP REP DEM

',675,&7 Duran, Beatrice A. Krattiger, Eric

DEM REP

',675,&7 Gerhardt, John Cardiff Graves, Jeremy A. Martinez, Susan

NPP REP DEM

',675,&7 Roberts, Tom

REP

',675,&7 Carlton, Maggie Wayerski, Robert

DEM LPN

',675,&7 Vaughan, Stan Watts, Howard

REP DEM

',675,&7 GonzĂĄlez, Cecelia Sajdak, Reyna â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alexâ&#x20AC;?

DEM REP

155 E. Paradise Hills Dr., HEN 89002

Martin, Roy Mid. Sch.

200 N. 28th St., LV 89101

McCarran Marketplace

6005 S. Eastern Ave., LV 89119

Mcdoniel, Estes Elem.

1831 Fox Ridge Dr., HEN 89014

Meadows Mall

4300 Meadows Ln., LV 89107

Mendoza, John Elementary

2000 S. Sloan Ln., LV 89142

Mesquite Deuce 2 Building

150 N. Yucca St., Mesquite 89027

Miller, Bob Mid. Sch.

2400 Cozy Hill Cir., HEN 89052

Moapa Community Ctr.

1340 E. State Hwy. 168, Moapa 89025

Moapa Tribal Administration Building

1 Lincoln St., Moapa NV 89025

Moapa Valley Community Ctr.

320 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., Overton 89040

Molasky, Irwin & Susan Mid School

7801 W. Gilmore Ave., LV 89129

Monaco, Mario C. & Joann Mid. Sch.

1870 N. Lamont St., LV 89115

Moore, William Elem.

491 N. Lamb Blvd., LV 89110

Mountain Shadows Community Ctr.

9107 Del Webb Blvd., LV 89134

Mountain's Edge Regional Park

7929 W. Mountains Edge Pkwy., LV 89178

Nellis Crossing Shopping Ctr.

1250 S. Nellis Blvd., LV 89104

O'Callaghan, Mike Mid. Sch.

1450 Radwick Dr., LV 89110

O'Roarke, Thomas J. Elem.

8455 O'Hare Rd., LV 89143

Paradise Community Ctr.

4775 Mcleod Dr., LV 89121

Parkdale Recreation & Senior Ctr.

3200 Ferndale St., LV 89121

Pearson, Dr. William U. Community Ctr.

1625 W. Carey Ave., North LV 89032

Rainbow Library

3150 N. Buffalo Dr., LV 89128

Rancho High School

1900 Searles Ave., LV 89101

Reed, Doris Elem.

2501 Winwood St., LV 89108

Regional Transportation Commission

600 S. Grand Central Pkwy., LV 89106

Bass, John Elem.

10377 Rancho Destino Rd., LV 89183

'(3$570(17 1 Harter, Mathew

Blue Diamond Crossing

4100 Blue Diamond Rd., LV 89139

'(3$570(17 2 Sullivan, Frank P.

Boulder City Recreation Ctr.

900 Arizona St., Boulder City 89005

Boulevard Mall

3528 S. Maryland Pkwy., LV 89169

Bozarth, Henry & Evelyn Elem.

7431 Egan Crest Dr., LV 89166

Bridger, Jim Mid. Sch.

2505 N. Bruce St., North LV 89030

Brown, B. Mahlon J.H.S.

307 Cannes St., HEN 89015

Bunkerville Community Ctr.

200 W. Virgin St., Bunkerville 89007

Burkholder, Lyal Mid. Sch.

355 W. Van Wagenen St., HEN 89015

Cadwallader, Ralph L. Mid. Sch.

7775 Elkhorn Rd., LV 89131

'(3$570(17 9 Pickard, Margaret E.

Cambridge Recreation Ctr.

3930 Cambridge St., LV 89119

Canarelli, Lawr. & Heidi Mid. Sch.

7808 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89139

Cashman, James Mid. Sch.

4622 W. Desert Inn Rd., LV 89102

Centennial Ctr.

7881 W. Tropical Pkwy., LV 89149

Clark County Building Department

4701 W. Russell Rd., LV, Nevada 89118

Clark County Fairgrounds - Fine Arts

1301 Whipple Ave., Logandale 89021

Coleman, Cora Senior Ctr.

2100 Bonnie Ln., LV 89156

Conners, Eileen Elem.

3810 Shadow Peak Dr., LV 89129

Coronado High School

1001 Coronado Center Dr., HEN 89052

Cox, David Elementary

280 Clark Dr., HEN 89074

Cram, Brian & Teri Mid. Sch.

1900 W. Deer Springs Way, North LV 89084

Deer Springs Town Ctr.

640 E. Deer Springs Way, North LV 89084

Sahara West Library

9600 W. Sahara Ave., LV 89117

Derfelt, Herbert Elem.

1900 S. Lisa Ln., LV 89117

Sandy Valley School

Desert Breeze Community Ctr.

8275 Spring Mountain Rd., LV 89117

1420 E. Pearl Ave., Sandy Valley 89019

Desert Oasis High School

Saville, Anthony Mid. Sch.

8101 N. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89131

6600 W. Erie Ave., LV 89141

Desert Vista Community Ctr.

10360 Sun City Blvd., LV 89134

Sawyer, Grant Mid. Sch.

5450 Redwood St., LV 89118 8625 Spencer St., LV 89123

Detwiler, Ollie Elem.

1960 Ferrell St., LV 89106

6FKRÂżHOG -DFN -U High School

1940 Chickasaw Dr., HEN 89002

Schorr, Steve Elem.

11420 Placid St., LV 89183

Dooley, John Elem.

Doolittle Senior Ctr.

1930 J St., LV 89106

Searchlight Community Ctr.

200 Michael Wendell Way, Searchlight 89046

Downtown Summerlin LV Ballpark

1650 S. Pavilion Center Dr., LV 89135

Sedway, Marvin Mid. Sch.

3465 Englestad St., North LV 89032

Elizondo, Raul Elem.

*ROGÂżHOG 6W 1RUWK /9 89031

Shadow Ridge High School

5050 Brent Ln., LV 89131

Silverado Ranch Plaza

9711 S. Eastern Ave., #H4, LV 89183

Stevens, Josh Elem.

550 Dave Wood Cir., HEN 89011

'(3$570(17 0 Hughes, Lynn Mastin, Amy M.

'(3$570(17 3 Dayani, Sara Perry, Mary '(3$570(17 4 Duckworth, Bryce C. '(3$570(17 5 Henderson, Bill '(3$570(17 6 Ochoa, Vincent '(3$570(17 7 Cutter, Nadin Stoffel, Jason '(3$570(17 8 Gonzalez, Bill Throne, Dawn

'(3$570(17 = Mercer, Michele â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shellâ&#x20AC;?

Perez, Romeo 5(*(17 67$7( 81,9(56,7< 6,; <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 Tarkanian, Lois Whipple, Bret ',675,&7 Brooks, Byron Nigam, Swadeep ',675,&7 Boylan, Patrick Spirtos, Nick â&#x20AC;&#x153;Docâ&#x20AC;?

0(0%(5 67$7( %2$5' 2) ('8&$7,21 )285 <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 Casino, Angelo Hughes, Tim ',675,&7 Cantu, Rene Newburn, Mark 75867(( &/$5. &2817< 6&+22/ ',675,&7 )285 <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 $ Guzman, Lisa Leavitt, Liberty ',675,&7 % 3URIÂżWW -HII Williams, Katie ',675,&7 & Garcia Morales, Evelyn Henry, Tameka

9905 W. Mesa Vista Ave., LV 89148

Fine, Mark L. Elem.

6635 Cougar Ave., LV 89139

Stupak Community Ctr.

251 W. Boston Ave., LV 89102

0(0%(5 02$3$ 9$//(< :$7(5 ',675,&7 29(5721 )285 <($5 7(50 927( )25 12 025( 7+$1 7:2 Campbell, Derek W. Farnsworth, Scott Robison, Kelby Ray Tobler, Mitchell

Forbuss, Robert L. Elem.

8601 S. Grand Canyon Dr., LV 89178

Sun City Anthem Community Ctr.

2450 Hampton Rd., HEN 89052

French, Doris Elem.

3235 E. Hacienda Ave., LV 89120

2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., HEN 89012

Galleria at Sunset

1300 W. Sunset Rd., HEN 89014

Sun City Macdonald Ranch Community Ctr.

0(0%(5 9,5*,1 9$//(< :$7(5 ',675,&7 0(648,7( )285 <($5 7(50 927( )25 12 025( 7+$1 7:2 Laub, Randy McGreer, Mike

Galloway, Fay Elem.

701 Skyline Rd., HEN 89002

Sun City Mesquite

1350 Flat Top Mesa Dr., Mesquite, NV 89034

Goolsby, Judy & John Elem.

11175 W. Desert Inn Rd., LV 89135

Swainston, Theron Mid. Sch.

3500 W. Gilmore Ave., North LV 89032

Gray, R. Guild Elem.

Tarkanian, Lois & Jerry Mid. Sch.

5800 W. Pyle Ave., LV 89141

75867(( 29(5721 32:(5 ',675,&7 0(648,7( )285 <($5 7(50 Noll, Jr., Jake Young, Mike

2825 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89146

Guinn, Kenny C. Mid. Sch.

4150 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89103

Tarr, Sheila Elem.

9400 W. Gilmore Ave., LV 89129

Harmon, Harley Elem.

Tobler, R. E. Elem.

6510 Buckskin Ave., LV 89108

/$8*+/,1 72:1 $'9,625< %2$5' 7:2 <($5 7(50 Bethards, Stephanie S. Doten, Fred Henry, Vincent Hoss, Kathleen Mackey, Gina Maniaci, James â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jimâ&#x20AC;?

Ochs, Kathy Taravella, Lynette Walker, Hermon Walker, Pamela

5351 Hillsboro Ln., LV 89120

Hayes, Keith & Karen Elem.

9620 W. Twain Ave., LV 89147

Vassiliadis, Billy & Rosemary Elem.

215 Antelope Ridge Dr., LV 89138

Heritage Park Senior Facility

300 S. Racetrack Rd., HEN 89015

Vegas Verdes Elem.

4000 El Parque Ave., LV 89102

Historic Fifth Street School

401 S. 4th St., LV 89101

Veterans Memorial Leisure Ctr.

101 N. Pavilion Center Dr., LV 89144

Hollywood Recreation Ctr.

1650 S. Hollywood Blvd., LV 89142

Walnut Community Ctr.

3075 N. Walnut Rd., LV 89115

0$<25 &,7< 2) 0(648,7( )285 <($5 7(50 Litman, Allan S. Sweetin, Bob

Indian Springs Community Ctr.

715 W. Gretta Ln., Indian Springs 89018

Webb, Del Mid. Sch.

2200 Reunion Dr., HEN 89052

Johnson, Walter Mid. Sch.

7701 Ducharme Ave., LV 89145

Whitney Community Ctr.

5712 Missouri Ave., LV 89122

Keller, Duane Mid. Sch.

301 N. Fogg St., LV 89110

Wiener, Louis Jr. Elem.

450 E. Eldorado Ln., LV 89123

Kesterson, Lorna Elem.

231 Bailey Island Dr., HEN 89074

Williams, Wendell Elem.

1030 J St, LV 89106

King, Martha Elem.

888 Adams Blvd., Boulder City 89005

Winchester Dondero Cultural Ctr.

3130 Mcleod Dr., LV 89121

Knudson, K. O. Mid. Sch.

2400 Atlantic St., LV 89104

Wolfe, Eva Elem.

4027 W. Washburn Rd., North LV 89031

Lake, Robert Elem.

2904 Meteoro St., LV 89169

Woodbury, C.W. Mid. Sch.

3875 E. Harmon Ave., LV 89121

Las Vegas Athletic Club - North

6050 N. Decatur Blvd., North LV 89031

Las Vegas Athletic Club - Northwest

1725 N. Rainbow, LV 89108

Las Vegas Strip Site at Pebble

8755 S. LV Blvd., LV 89123

'(3$570(17 Hooker, Dawn Allysa Johnson, Eric '(3$570(17 Clark Newberry, Tara Reynolds, Jacob '(3$570(17 Johnson, Susan Holland Nadig, Ben '(3$570(17 Armstrong, Karl W. Lilly-Spells, Jasmin '(3$570(17 Ballou, Erika D. Gilliam, Dan '(3$570(17 Delaney, Kathleen E.

'(3$570(17 Israel, Ron

',675,&7 Orentlicher, David

DEM

',675,&7 Arrington, Cherlyn Marzola, Elaine

'(3$570(17 Jones, David M. LĂłpez-Negrete, David

REP DEM

'(3$570(17 Wiese, Jerry A.

',675,&7 Hardy, Melissa

REP

',675,&7 Foutz, Brent Hoge, Bill Leavitt, Glen

'(3$570(17 Call, Gary W. Kishner, Joanna S.

DEM IAP REP

'(3$570(17 Bare, Rob Craig, Christy

',675,&7 Bousley, Natasha Flores, Edgar

LPN DEM

',675,&7 Cohen, Lesley Elizabeth Delisle, Steven E.

DEM REP

DEM REP

Mannion, Jack & Terry Mid. Sch.

Fertitta, Frank & Victoria Mid. Sch.

REP

REP

4351 N. Lamont St., LV 89115

9525 W. Maule Ave., LV 89148

',675,&7 Black, Ann â&#x20AC;&#x153;Annieâ&#x20AC;?

',675,&7 Backus, Shea Matthews, Andy

Manch, J. E. Elem.

Faiss, Wilbur & Theresa Mid. Sch.

'(3$570(17 Allf, Nancy L.

',675,&7 Hafen, II, Gregory T.

3170 Laurel Ave., HEN 89014

0(0%(5 02$3$ 9$//(< :$7(5 ',675,&7 /2*$1'$/( )285 <($5 7(50 927( )25 12 025( 7+$1 7:2 Dalley, Lindsey Dorsey, Bryan Hardy, Stanley Glen

DEM REP

REP DEM

Mack, Nate Elem.

'(3$570(17 Eller, Crystal Kephart, William â&#x20AC;&#x153;Billâ&#x20AC;?

',675,&7 Considine, Venicia Florian, Heather Ann

',675,&7 Calhoun, Jay Gorelow, Michelle

4250 Karen Ave., LV 89121

',675,&7 ( Brooks, Lola Salt, Alexis

REP DEM

DEM REP

Mack, Jerome D. Mid. Sch.

'(3$570(17 Holthus, Mary Kay Hunt, John A.

',675,&7 Polcyn, Jack Thomas, Clara â&#x20AC;&#x153;Claireâ&#x20AC;?

',675,&7 Bilbray-Axelrod, Shannon Carlson, Jay Thomas

2570 E. Craig Rd., North LV 89030

2500 N. Hollywood Blvd., LV 89156

'(3$570(17 < Charter, Stephanie

'(3$570(17 Bell, Linda Marie

Lowes - Craig / Losee

Bailey, William H. Mid. Sch.

'(3$570(17 / Gibson, Jr., David

'(3$570(17 Aurbach, Phil Krall, Nadia

DEM

6230 Garwood Ave., LV 89107

4525 Jimmy Durante Blvd., LV 89122

'(3$570(17 ; Almase, Heidi Davis, Jim

67$7( $66(0%/< 7:2 <($5 7(50 ',675,&7 Monroe-Moreno, Daniele

Lieburn, Howard Senior Ctr.

Bailey, Sister Robert Joseph Elem.

'(3$570(17 .

Giuliani, Cynthia N.

'(3$570(17 Ganz, Adam Trujillo, Monica

'(3$570(17 Bluth, Jacqueline Leventhal, Todd M.

4701 Quadrel St., LV 89129

Arroyo Market Square

DEM

REP IAP

Leavitt, Justice Myron Mid. Sch.

6930 Arroyo Crossing Pkwy., LV 89113

',675,&7 Lange, Roberta

',675,&7 Goicoechea, Pete Seeback, Tiffany â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gholsonâ&#x20AC;?

4410 S. Juliano Rd., LV 89147

8680 W. Hammer Ln., LV 89149

'(3$570(17 : Rincon White, Adriana Rocheleau, Stacy Michelle

'(3$570(17 Barisich, Veronica &RIÂżQJ 7HUU\

Lawrence, Clifford J.H.S.

Allen, Dean Elem.

'(3$570(17 Butler, Dedree â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deeâ&#x20AC;?

MacDonald, J. Scott

'(3$570(17 Kierny, Carli Lynn Scotti, Richard

DEM REP

2840 S. Needles Hwy., Laughlin 89028

2400 W. Deer Springs Way, North LV 89084

REP DEM

',675,&7 Becker, Liz Hammond, Scott T.

Laughlin Library

Aliante Library

'(3$570(17 , Bailey, Soonhee â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sunnyâ&#x20AC;?

Tobler, Michelle O.

',675,&7 Becker, April Cannizzaro, Nicole Jeanette

REP DEM

ADDRESS

ADDRESS

REP LPN DEM

',675,&7 Dowden, Joshua Harris, Dallas

ABBREVIATIONS: LV = Las Vegas HEN = Henderson ELEM. = Elementary School NLV = North Las Vegas J.H.S. = Junior High School MID. SCH. = Middle School CTR. = Center

NAME

NAME

',675,&7 Buck, Carrie Ann Hagan, Tim Watson, Kristee

',675,&7 &2857 -8'*( 6,; <($5 7(50 '(3$570(17 Villani, Jacob Yeager, Bita â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marieâ&#x20AC;?

You may now vote on Election Day at any of the 125 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vote Centersâ&#x20AC;? that will be open throughout Clark County. You may choose the most convenient Vote Center for you.

ELECTION DAY VOTE CENTERS FOR THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 3, 2020

WITNESS MY HAND and SEAL this 21st day of September 2020.

JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters

2020 VOTE CENTERS

'(3$570(17 Sturman, Gloria J.

',675,&7 &2857 -8'*( )$0,/< ',9 6,; <($5 7(50 '(3$570(17 $ Voy, William '(3$570(17 % Marquis, Linda '(3$570(17 & Burton, Rebecca L. '(3$570(17 ' Teuton, Bob '(3$570(17 ( Hoskin, Charles J. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chuckâ&#x20AC;?

Kurtz, Thomas G. '(3$570(17 ) Gentile, Denise

&,7< 2) 0(648,7( &281&,/0(0%(5 6($7 )285 <($5 7(50 Boger, Wes Fielding, Karen -867,&( 2) 7+( 3($&( /$6 9(*$6 72:16+,3 6,; <($5 7(50 '(3$570(17 Clowers-Sanborn, Shanon Sullivan, Diana L. -867,&( 2) 7+( 3($&( 1257+ /$6 9(*$6 72:16+,3 6,; <($5 7(50 '(3$570(17 Harris, Belinda T. â&#x20AC;&#x153;BTHâ&#x20AC;?

Lee, Chris

DATED: September 21, 2020 JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters PUB: September 24, October 1, and 8, 2020 Asian Journal

QUESTION NO. 1 Amendment to the Nevada Constitution Assembly Joint Resolution No. 5 of the 79th Session CONDENSATION (Ballot Question) Shall the Nevada Constitution be amended to: (1) remove provisions governing the election and duties of the Board of Regents and its control and management of the State University and require the Legislature to provide by law for the State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governance, control, and management and the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom at Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public higher education institutions; and (2) revise the administration of certain federal land grant proceeds dedicated for the EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ GHSDUWPHQWV RI WKH 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\" Yes

No

EXPLANATION & DIGEST EXPLANATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Nevada Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for the establishment of a State University that is controlled by an elected Board of Regents whose duties are prescribed by law. Additionally, the Nevada Constitution provides for the Board of Regents to control and manage the affairs and funds of the State University under regulations established by law. This ballot measure, also known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Nevada Higher Education Reform, Accountability and Oversight Amendment,â&#x20AC;? would remove the constitutional provisions governing the election and duties of the Board of Regents and its control and management of the affairs and funds of the State University and would require the Legislature to provide by law for the governance, control, and management of the State University. This ballot measure would not repeal any existing statutory provisions governing the Board of Regents, including those that provide for the election of Board members, but it would make the Board a statutory body whose structure, membership, powers, and duties are governed by those existing statutory provisions, subject to any statutory changes made through the legislative process.

The Nevada Constitution directs the Legislature to encourage by all suitable means the promotion RI LQWHOOHFWXDO OLWHUDU\ VFLHQWLÂżF PLQLQJ PHFKDQLFDO DJULFXOWXUDO HWKLFDO DQG RWKHU HGXFDWLRQDO improvements. This ballot measure would require the Legislature to provide by law for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for students, employees, and contractors of Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public higher education institutions in order to facilitate the policies of the Nevada Constitution to encourage the promotion of such educational improvements.

The Nevada Constitution provides that certain funding derived by the State of Nevada under a federal ODZ HQDFWHG E\ &RQJUHVV LQ PXVW EH LQYHVWHG LQ D VHSDUDWH IXQG DQG GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW of certain departments of the State University, and that if any amount of the separate fund is lost or misappropriated through neglect or any other reason, the State of Nevada must replace the lost or misappropriated amount so that the principal of the fund remains undiminished. This ballot measure would revise these provisions by: (1) clarifying the legal citations to the federal law, including all amendments by Congress; and (2) specifying that the funding derived under the federal law must be invested by the State of Nevada in the manner required by law.

A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesâ&#x20AC;? vote would amend the Nevada Constitution by: (1) removing provisions governing the election and duties of the Board of Regents and its control and management of the affairs and funds of the State University and requiring the Legislature to provide by law for the governance, control, and management of the State University; (2) requiring the Legislature to provide by law for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom at public institutions of higher education in this State; and (3) revising provisions governing the DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI FHUWDLQ IXQGLQJ GHULYHG XQGHU IHGHUDO ODZ DQG GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI certain departments of the State University.

A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noâ&#x20AC;? vote would retain existing provisions of the Nevada Constitution governing the election and duties of the Board of Regents and its control and management of the affairs and funds of the State University, would not require the Legislature to provide by law for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom at public institutions of higher education in this State, and would not revise existing provisions governing the administration of certain IXQGLQJ GHULYHG XQGHU IHGHUDO ODZ DQG GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ GHSDUWPHQWV RI the State University.

DIGESTâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Nevada Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for the establishment of a State University that is controlled by a Board of Regents whose duties are prescribed by law. (Nev. Const. Art. 11, § 4) The Nevada Constitution also requires the Legislature to provide for the election of members of the Board and provides for the Board to control and manage the affairs and funds of the State University under regulations established by law. (Nev. Const. Art. 11, §§ 7, 8) As required by these constitutional provisions, the Legislature has enacted laws to establish the State University and to provide for the election of the members of the Board of Regents. (NRS 396.020, 396.040) In addition, the Legislature has enacted laws to: (1) establish the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), which consists of the State University and certain other educational institutions, programs, and operations; and (2) provide for the Board of Regents to administer NSHE and to prescribe rules for its governance and management. (NRS 396.020, 396.110, 396.230, 396.280, 396.300, 396.420, 396.440, 396.550) This ballot measure would remove the constitutional provisions governing the Board of Regents and would require the Legislature to provide by statute for the governance, control, and management of the State University. This ballot measure would not repeal any existing statutory provisions governing the Board of Regents, including those that provide for the election of Board members. Rather, by removing the constitutional provisions governing the Board of Regents, this ballot measure would make the Board a statutory body whose structure, membership, powers, and duties are governed by those existing statutory provisions, subject to any statutory changes made through the legislative process.

The Nevada Constitution directs the Legislature to encourage by all suitable means the promotion RI LQWHOOHFWXDO OLWHUDU\ VFLHQWL¿F PLQLQJ PHFKDQLFDO DJULFXOWXUDO HWKLFDO DQG RWKHU HGXFDWLRQDO improvements. (Nev. Const. Art. 11, § 1) As a general principle in public institutions of higher education, rules that provide for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom are intended to encourage the pursuit of knowledge and the search for academic truth and enlightenment.

(Urofsky v. Gilmore, 216 F.3d 401 (4th Cir. 2000); Demers v. Austin, 746 F.3d 402 (9th Cir. 2014)) The United States Supreme Court has suggestedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but has not determinedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that individual academic freedom â&#x20AC;&#x153;related to academic scholarship or classroom instructionâ&#x20AC;? may be entitled to a heightened level of federal constitutional protection beyond existing free speech protections currently afforded to public employees under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. (Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410, 425 (2006)) However, because the U.S. Supreme Court has not conclusively decided this constitutional issue, neither lower courts nor legal commentators have agreed on the precise level of federal constitutional protection that should be extended to individual academic freedom.

(Neal H. Hutchens et al., Essay: Faculty, the Courts, and the First Amendment, 120 Penn St. L. Rev. 1027 (2016); Mark Strasser, Pickering, Garcetti, & Academic Freedom, 83 Brook. L. Rev. 579 (2018)) This ballot measure would provide for the protection of individual academic freedom under Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state statutes by requiring the Legislature to provide by law for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for students, employees, and contractors of Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public higher education institutions in order to facilitate the policies of the Nevada Constitution to encourage by all suitable PHDQV WKH SURPRWLRQ RI LQWHOOHFWXDO OLWHUDU\ VFLHQWLÂżF PLQLQJ PHFKDQLFDO DJULFXOWXUDO HWKLFDO DQG other educational improvements. Under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, federal constitutional law is â&#x20AC;&#x153;the supreme Law of the Land.â&#x20AC;? (U.S. Const. Art. VI, cl. 2) Therefore, to carry out this ballot measure in a manner that is consistent with federal constitutional law, the Legislature would not be authorized to enact state statutes that provide less protection to individual academic freedom than is already afforded by federal constitutional law. However, the Legislature would be authorized to enact state statutes that provide greater protection to individual academic freedom. (Univ. & Cmty. Coll. Sys. of Nev. v. Nevadans for Sound Govâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, 120 Nev. 712, 730-31 (2004)) Finally, under a federal law enacted by Congress in 1862, generally known as the federal Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862, each state was provided with certain federal land grants to be sold to support and maintain at least one college in the state that teaches both agriculture and mechanic arts, including military tactics, so long as the state agrees to certain terms and conditions regarding the preservation and use of the proceeds derived from the sale of the federal land grants. (Act of July 2, 1862, ch. 130, Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020; 6WDW DV DPHQGHG DQG FRGLÂżHG DW 8 6 & Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020; HW VHT 7R VHFXUH WKH EHQHÂżWV offered by the federal law, the Nevada Constitution provides that the funding derived by the State of 1HYDGD XQGHU WKH IHGHUDO ODZ PXVW EH LQYHVWHG LQ D VHSDUDWH IXQG DQG GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI WKH appropriate departments of the State University, and that if any amount of the separate fund is lost or misappropriated through neglect or any other reason, the State of Nevada must replace the lost or misappropriated amount so that the principal of the fund remains undiminished. (Nev. Const. Art. 11, § 8) This ballot measure would revise these provisions by: (1) clarifying the legal citations to the federal law, including all amendments by Congress; and (2) specifying that the funding derived under the federal law must be invested by the State of Nevada in the manner required by law. However, because the State of Nevada must administer the funding in the manner required by the federal law, this ballot measure would not change the purpose or use of the funding under the federal law. (State of Wyoming v. Irvine, 206 U.S. 278, 282-84 (1907)) ARGUMENTS FOR PASSAGE Although some other states have elected boards with constitutional status that control and manage particular institutions and programs of public higher education, Nevada is the only state in which a single elected board with constitutional status controls and manages the affairs and funds of the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entire system of public higher education. In past cases before the Nevada Supreme Court, the Board of Regents has asserted that its â&#x20AC;&#x153;unique constitutional statusâ&#x20AC;? gives it â&#x20AC;&#x153;virtual autonomy and thus immunityâ&#x20AC;? from certain laws and policies enacted by the Legislature. (Board of Regents v.

Oakley, 97 Nev. 605, 607 (1981)) Based on legislative testimony, such assertions have given some people the impression that the Board conducts itself as a fourth branch of government, and that the Board too often invokes its constitutional status as a shield against additional legislative oversight and accountability. For example, in 1999 the Legislature exercised its constitutional powers of investigation and appropriation by passing legislation that created and funded an advisory committee to study the issue of locating a four-year state college in Henderson, Nevada. The Board responded by claiming through its counsel that the legislation was unconstitutional as an â&#x20AC;&#x153;extreme usurpation of the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authorityâ&#x20AC;? because the advisory committee was â&#x20AC;&#x153;created by and reports to the Legislature and not the Board of Regents.â&#x20AC;? (Opinion of General Counsel to Board of Regents Regarding Whether Assembly Bill No. 220 Infringes on Constitutional Authority of Board (Aug. 30, 1999)) Thus, the Board has, at various times, made sweeping arguments regarding its authority and autonomy from additional legislative oversight and accountability. However, the Nevada Constitution VSHFLÂżHV RQO\ WKH /HJLVODWLYH ([HFXWLYH DQG -XGLFLDO EUDQFKHV RI VWDWH JRYHUQPHQW DQG WKH framers of the Nevada Constitution made clear their intent that the Board is not entitled to â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolute controlâ&#x20AC;? over the management of the State University. (Debates & Proceedings of the Nevada State Constitutional Convention of 1864, at 586 (Andrew J. Marsh off. rep. 1866)) Voting in favor of this ballot question will ensure the Legislatureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authority over the Board in all matters relating to the State University by making the Board a statutory body like other executive branch agencies, which will allow for additional legislative oversight and accountability to improve the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entire system of public higher education.

Further, while the Nevada Constitution UHTXLUHV WKH /HJLVODWXUH WR SURYLGH ÂżQDQFLDO VXSSRUW IRU WKH operation of the State University, it also directs the Board to control and manage the funds of the State University. This divide between the Legislatureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constitutional power to fund higher education and the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constitutional power to direct how those funds are actually spent gives the Board a virtually unparalleled power within state government to control and manage higher education spending without the same level of legislative oversight typically applied to other executive branch agencies.

For years, the Legislature has received complaints about the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policies and practices, and the Board has taken actions that some believe have hindered, thwarted, or undermined the Legislatureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investigation, review, and scrutiny of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) controlled E\ WKH %RDUG $FFRUGLQJ WR QHZV UHSRUWV DQG OHJLVODWLYH WHVWLPRQ\ 16+( RIÂżFLDOV ZHUH DOOHJHGO\ involved in providing potentially misleading information to a legislative study of higher education funding in 2011â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2012. As part of another legislative study of higher education in 2017â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018, testimony indicated NSHEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of an overall compensation philosophy contributed to a faculty pay imbalance that will cost approximately $90 million to address initially and will remain as an RQJRLQJ DQQXDO ÂżQDQFLDO REOLJDWLRQ :LWKRXW DGGLWLRQDO OHJLVODWLYH RYHUVLJKW RI WKH %RDUGÂśV ÂżQDQFLDO management decisions in a manner that is comparable to other executive branch agencies, there is D JUHDWHU SRWHQWLDO IRU FRQWLQXHG ÂżVFDO LUUHVSRQVLELOLW\ ZLWKLQ 16+( ZKLFK XOWLPDWHO\ KXUWV WD[SD\HUV and students by driving up the cost of higher education.

WKH IHGHUDO ODQG JUDQW SURFHHGV GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ GHSDUWPHQWV RI WKH 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ under the federal Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862. By removing the Board as the constitutionally designated trustee, this ballot question would allow the Legislature to name any other executive branch DJHQFLHV RU RIÂżFHUV DV D VWDWXWRU\ WUXVWHH ZKHWKHU RU QRW WKH\ KDYH DQ\ H[SHULHQFH NQRZOHGJH RU understanding of the higher education system or its funding needs. Such a deviation from the intent RI WKH IUDPHUV FRXOG EH D UHFLSH IRU ÂżVFDO LUUHVSRQVLELOLW\ DQG PLVPDQDJHPHQW ZKLFK FRXOG SRWHQWLDOO\ jeopardize the Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compliance with the federal law.

last ten years, the Board has only met once per year, creating a backlog of applications. An applicant ZKR PHHWV WKH TXDOLÂżFDWLRQV VKRXOG EH JLYHQ D FKDQFH WR KDYH KLV RU KHU DSSOLFDWLRQ UHYLHZHG E\ WKH Board in a timely manner.

__________________________________________________________

The Department has also indicated that, based on the anticipated increase in workload resulting from the provisions of Question 3, the State Board of Parole Commissioners will require one additional administrative position, which would result in an increase of expenditures by the State of approximately SHU ÂżVFDO \HDU

Finally, the framers of the Nevada Constitution named the Board as the proper trustee to administer

m

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A N w A N C m Existing law allows the Governor to block the approval of an application by a majority of the Board, m m N HYHQ LI HYHU\ RWKHU %RDUG PHPEHU VXSSRUWV LWV DSSURYDO 7KHUH LV QR MXVWLÂżFDWLRQ IRU WKLV 7KH SRLQW RI m w vesting clemency power in the Board, as opposed to solely with the Governor as some other states do, is to take advantage of the collective wisdom of the Board. Of the 21 states where this power rests D GES â&#x20AC;&#x201D;N R w P S RPS w C Reject this uncertain and unnecessary change to the constitutional status of the Board of Regents; with an executive or administrative board, Nevada is the only state where the Governor has the power N R S NRS U w N do not allow the Legislature to inject politics into the protection of individual academic freedom at to block approval by a majority of the Board.

P P Z P P institutions within NSHE; and retain the existing constitutional provisions relating to the administration m m RI WKH IHGHUDO ODQG JUDQW SURFHHGV GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ GHSDUWPHQWV RI WKH 6WDWH )LQDOO\ WKH %RDUG LV FRPSULVHG RI QLQH HOHFWHG RIÂżFLDOV ZKR DUH ZHOO TXDOLÂżHG WR PDNH GHFLVLRQV m N P w RPS w University under the 1862 federal law. Vote â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? on Question 1. regarding clemency: the seven justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, the Nevada Attorney General, Z and the Governor. Allowing each of these members to propose matters for the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consideration FISCAL NOTE makes the process more fair and just.

A w N RPS w C Financial Impactâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Cannot Be Determined 0DNH WKH RSHUDWLRQ RI WKH %RDUG PRUH WLPHO\ HIÂżFLHQW DQG IDLU 9RWH Âł\HV´ RQ 4XHVWLRQ NRS w N C N w If approved by the voters, Question 1 removes references to an elected Board of Regents from the ARGUMENTS AGAINST PASSAGE m m m m m E Nevada Constitution and instead requires the Legislature to provide by law for the governance, control, and management of higher education in this State. This ballot question also requires the Legislature to A person who was convicted of a crime and sentenced under Nevada state law may petition the provide by law for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for students, employees, 6WDWH %RDUG RI 3DUGRQV &RPPLVVLRQHUV WR KDYH D SDUGRQ JUDQWHG D VHQWHQFH FRPPXWHG D ÂżQH RU ARGUMEN S OR PASSAGE and contractors of Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public higher education institutions. forfeiture remitted, or a civil right restored. The Board generally holds hearings twice a year to review these applications. However, a convicted person does not have a right to the review of his or her R w E P m Future actions, if any, taken by the Legislature regarding the governance, control, and management of application. Clemency is a privilege and an honor reserved for those who have demonstrated good higher education cannot be predicted. Additionally, future actions taken by the Legislature to provide EHKDYLRU IROORZLQJ D FULPLQDO FRQYLFWLRQ ,Q DGGLWLRQ UHTXLULQJ WKH %RDUG WR PHHW TXDUWHUO\ LV LQHIÂżFLHQW Q w N m for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for students, employees, and contractors EHFDXVH WKH %RDUG PD\ KDYH WR PHHW HYHQ LI WKHUH LV D ODFN RI TXDOLÂżHG DSSOLFDQWV w w m N Am RI 1HYDGDÂśV SXEOLF KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ LQVWLWXWLRQV FDQQRW EH SUHGLFWHG 7KXV WKH UHVXOWLQJ ÂżQDQFLDO w w m w impact upon state government, if any, cannot be determined with any reasonable degree of certainty. The Nevada Constitution requires that the Governor must be in favor of the clemency decisions made w m m m Q by a majority of the Board. As the Chief Executive and the leader of our State, the Governor rightly has w )LQDOO\ WKLV EDOORW TXHVWLRQ FODULÂżHV DQG PRGHUQL]HV H[LVWLQJ SURYLVLRQV RI WKH Nevada Constitution WKH SRZHU WR EORFN WKH %RDUGÂśV GHFLVLRQV WR JUDQW FOHPHQF\ *UDQWLQJ WKH *RYHUQRU ÂżQDO DXWKRULW\ RYHU UHODWLQJ WR WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI WKH IHGHUDO ODQG JUDQW SURFHHGV GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ clemency decisions is not uncommon. In fact, there are 29 states without similar pardons boards, and $ <(6 4 Z m departments of the State University under the federal Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862. However, the governors in those states have the sole power to grant clemency.

P Z : 4 P Z because the State of Nevada must administer those proceeds in the manner required by the federal m w Q m m law, this ballot question will not change the purpose or use of those proceeds under the federal law. Lastly, changing the Nevada Constitution to allow each Board member to propose matters for the w w m m w w 7KXV WKHUH LV QR DQWLFLSDWHG ÂżQDQFLDO LPSDFW XSRQ VWDWH JRYHUQPHQW IURP WKHVH UHYLVLRQV LI 4XHVWLRQ Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consideration diminishes the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constitutional power and ability to act in the best 1 is approved by the voters. interest of justice and fairness. $ <(6 4 Z m B w Q w m 5(62/9(' %< 7+( $66(0%/< $1' 6(1$7( 2) 7+( 67$7( 2) Nevada voters should keep the current operations of the Board. Vote â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? on Question 3. m S m w m 1(9$'$ -2,17/< 7KDW WKLV UHVROXWLRQ PD\ EH FLWHG DV WKH 1HYDGD +LJKHU (GXFDWLRQ 5HIRUP Z Z Accountability and Oversight Amendment; and be it further FISCAL NOTE N m RESOLVED, That Section 4 of Article 11 of the Nevada Constitution be amended to read as follows: [Sec:] Sec. 4. 1. The Legislature shall provide for the establishment of a State University which shall Financial Impactâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Yes $ <(6 4 Z m m embrace departments for Agriculture, Mechanic Arts, and Mining [to be controlled by a Board of Q w m N Regents whose duties shall be prescribed by Law.] , and other departments deemed appropriate Under current law, the State Board of Pardons Commissioners, consisting of the Governor, the w justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, and the Nevada Attorney General, is required to meet at least for the State University.

VHPLDQQXDOO\ WR FRQVLGHU UHTXHVWV WR KDYH D ÂżQH RU IRUIHLWXUH UHPLWWHG D SXQLVKPHQW FRPPXWHG D $ <(6 2. The Legislature shall provide by law for: 4 Z N m pardon granted, or a civil right restored. Since 2001, the Board has met at least once per calendar year, (a) The governance, control and management of the State University. m w w N (b) The reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for persons who are with two meetings held per year in calendar years 2002, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2017, 2018, and 2019, and m w w w enrolled in or who are employees or contractors of the State University and other public three meetings held per year in calendar years 2001, 2004, and 2007. The Board is scheduled to hold m m institutions of higher education in this State in order to facilitate the policies of Section three meetings during calendar year 2020.

1 of this Article to encourage by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, literary, 4 Z P 1 : The provisions of Question 3 require the Board to meet at least quarterly, which would increase the VFLHQWLÂżF PLQLQJ PHFKDQLFDO DJULFXOWXUDO HWKLFDO DQG RWKHU HGXFDWLRQDO LPSURYHPHQWV <(6 4 number of meetings that are held in any given calendar year from the historical pattern. The Board And be it further RESOLVED, That Section 8 of Article 11 of the Nevada Constitution be amended to read as follows: has indicated that, based on historical expenses, its average meeting costs the State approximately m w m B Q C mm m [Sec:] Sec. 8. The >%RDUG RI 5HJHQWV VKDOO IURP WKH LQWHUHVW DFFUXLQJ IURP WKH ÂżUVW IXQGV ZKLFK FRPH $4,250. Thus, to the extent that the Board would be required to meet more frequently if Question 3 NRS C mm m m D S W under their control, immediately organize and maintain the said Mining department in such manner as is approved, the Board would incur additional expenses of approximately $4,250 for each additional H B P NRS C mm meeting held. However, since it cannot be predicted how many additional meetings the Board may P to make it most effective and useful, Provided, that all the] Z P P Z proceeds of the public lands donated by Act of Congress approved July [second AD. Eighteen hundred KROG LI 4XHVWLRQ ZHUH WR EH DSSURYHG WKH UHVXOWLQJ ÂżQDQFLDO LPSDFW XSRQ 6WDWH JRYHUQPHQW IURP www and sixty Two,] 2, 1862, ch. 130, 12 Stat. 503, and thereafter amended by Act of Congress, for a those additional meetings cannot be determined with any reasonable degree of certainty.

FROOHJH IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI $JULFXOWXUH [[,] the Mechanics] and Mechanic Arts, [and] including Military w NASA NSO AR m tactics, shall be invested by the [said Board of Regents] State of Nevada in the manner required by The provisions of Question 3 also allow any member of the Board, rather than just the Governor, www m law LQ D VHSDUDWH IXQG WR EH DSSURSULDWHG H[FOXVLYHO\ IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI WKH ÂżUVW QDPHG GHSDUWPHQWV WR to submit matters for consideration by the Board. The Division of Parole and Probation of the ZZZ 19 & P ( the State University as set forth in Section [Four above;] 4 of this Article. And the Legislature shall Department of Public Safety, which provides staff support to the Board, has indicated that allowing ZZZ Z Z Z provide that if through neglect or any other contingency, any portion of the fund so set apart [, shall be] any member of the Board to submit matters for consideration, in conjunction with the increase in is lost or misappropriated, the State of Nevada shall replace said amount so lost or misappropriated in the number of meetings that must be held each year, will increase the workload of the Division. The www w w m Division estimates that it will require two additional staff members to provide support to the Board said fund so that the principal of said fund shall remain forever undiminished . [[.]] with managing its caseload, resulting in an approximate increase in expenditures by the State of And be it further www m SHU ÂżVFDO \HDU RESOLVED, That Section 7 of Article 11 of the Nevada Constitution be repealed. www m w w

QUESTION NO. 2 Amendment to the Nevada Constitution Assembly Joint Resolution No. 2 of the 79th Session CONDENSATION (Ballot Question) Shall the Nevada Constitution be amended to: (1) remove an existing provision recognizing marriage as only between a male person and a female person and require the State of Nevada and its political subdivisions to recognize marriages of and issue marriage licenses to couples, regardless of gender; (2) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law; and (3) establish a right for religious organizations and clergy members to refuse to perform a marriage and provide that no person LV HQWLWOHG WR PDNH DQ\ FODLP DJDLQVW WKHP IRU H[HUFLVLQJ WKDW ULJKW" Yes

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EXPLANATION & DIGEST EXPLANATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;This ballot measure would remove an existing provision in the Nevada Constitution which provides that only a marriage between a male person and a female person may be recognized and given effect in Nevada. Based on a 2015 United States Supreme Court decision, this state constitutional provision is currently preempted by federal constitutional law and is therefore unenforceable.

In addition, based on the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision, each State must: (1) issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples; and (2) recognize same-sex marriages validly performed in another state. This ballot measure would amend the Nevada Constitution to require that the State of Nevada and its political subdivisions must recognize marriages of and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender, and that all legally valid marriages must be treated equally under the law.

Finally, based on a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision, a member of the clergy who objects to samesex marriages on moral and religious grounds cannot be compelled to perform same-sex marriages.

This ballot measure would amend the Nevada Constitution to provide that religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to perform a marriage, and that no person has the right to make any claim against a religious organization or member of the clergy for refusing to perform a marriage.

A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesâ&#x20AC;? vote would amend the Nevada Constitution to: (1) remove the currently preempted and therefore unenforceable provision stating that only a marriage between a male person and a female person may be recognized and given effect in Nevada; (2) require that the State of Nevada and its political subdivisions must recognize marriages of and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender, and that all legally valid marriages must be treated equally under the law; and (3) provide that religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to perform a marriage, and that no person has the right to make a claim against a religious organization or member of the clergy for refusing to perform a marriage.

A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noâ&#x20AC;? vote would keep the currently preempted and therefore unenforceable provision in the Nevada Constitution stating that only a marriage between a male person and a female person may be recognized and given effect in this State and would not add a provision in the Nevada Constitution providing that religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to perform a marriage, and that no person has the right to make a claim against a religious organization or member of the clergy for refusing to perform a marriage.

DIGESTâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;An existing provision in the Nevada Constitution provides that only a marriage between a male person and a female person may be recognized and given effect in this State. (Nev. Const. Art. 1, § 21) However, in a 2015 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the right to marry is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and that same-sex couples may not be deprived of that right. (Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015)) Under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution IHGHUDO FRQVWLWXWLRQDO ODZ VXSHUVHGHV DQG SUHHPSWV FRQĂ&#x20AC;LFWLQJ VWDWH constitutional law. (U.S. Const. Art. VI, cl. 2) As a result, because the existing provision in the Nevada Constitution FRQĂ&#x20AC;LFWV ZLWK IHGHUDO FRQVWLWXWLRQDO ODZ LW LV FXUUHQWO\ SUHHPSWHG E\ IHGHUDO FRQVWLWXWLRQDO law and is therefore unenforceable. This ballot measure would remove that unenforceable provision from the Nevada Constitution.

In the 2015 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that each State must: (1) issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on the same terms and conditions as opposite-sex couples; and (2) recognize same-sex marriages validly performed in another state. (Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015)) This ballot measure would amend the Nevada Constitution to require that the State of Nevada and its political subdivisions must recognize marriages of and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender, and that all legally valid marriages must be treated equally under the law.

5(62/9(' %< 7+( 6(1$7( $1' $66(0%/< 2) 7+( 67$7( 2) 1(9$'$ -2,17/< 7KDW 6HFWLRQ RI $UWLFOH RI WKH 1HYDGD &RQVWLWXWLRQ EH DPHQGHG WR UHDG DV follows: Sec. 14. 1. The governor, justices of the supreme court, and attorney general [, or a major part of them, of whom the governor] shall [be one,] constitute the State Board of Pardons Commissioners.

2. The State Board of Pardons Commissioners may, upon such conditions and ZLWK VXFK OLPLWDWLRQV DQG UHVWULFWLRQV DV WKH\ PD\ WKLQN SURSHU UHPLW ÂżQHV DQG IRUIHLWXUHV commute punishments, except as provided in subsection [2,] 3, and grant pardons, after convictions, in all cases, except treason and impeachments, subject to such regulations as may be provided by law relative to the manner of applying for pardons.

[2.] 3. Except as may be provided by law, a sentence of death or a sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole may not be commuted to a sentence which would allow parole.

[3.] 4. The State Board of Pardons Commissioners shall meet at least quarterly.

5. Any member of the State Board of Pardons Commissioners may submit matters for consideration by the State Board of Pardons Commissioners.

6. A majority of the members of the State Board of Pardons Commissioners is VXIÂżFLHQW IRU DQ\ DFWLRQ WDNHQ E\ WKH 6WDWH %RDUG RI 3DUGRQV &RPPLVVLRQHUV 7. The Legislature is authorized to pass laws conferring upon the district courts authority WR VXVSHQG WKH H[HFXWLRQ RI VHQWHQFHV Âż[ WKH FRQGLWLRQV IRU DQG WR JUDQW SUREDWLRQ DQG ZLWKLQ WKH PLQLPXP DQG PD[LPXP SHULRGV DXWKRUL]HG E\ ODZ Âż[ WKH VHQWHQFH WR EH VHUYHG by the person convicted of crime in said courts. __________________________________________________________ QUESTION NO. 4

ARGUMENTS FOR PASSAGE

Question 2 also preserves the constitutional right to religious freedom. Recognizing a same-sex coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to marry in the Nevada Constitution would ensure every couple the freedom to marry.

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This ballot measure would amend the Nevada Constitution to: (1) require the State Board of Pardons Commissioners to meet at least once each calendar quarter; (2) authorize each member of the Board to submit matters for consideration by the Board; and (3) authorize the Board to grant pardons and make other clemency decisions by a majority vote of its members without requiring the Governor to be part of the majority of the Board that votes in favor of such decisions.

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$W WKH JHQHUDO HOHFWLRQV LQ ERWK DQG 1HYDGD YRWHUV UDWLÂżHG DQ DPHQGPHQW WR WKH M m w m w Nevada Constitution by approving an initiative petitionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;proposed by the people of Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that m m w w w GHÂżQHV PDUULDJH DV EHLQJ RQO\ EHWZHHQ D PDQ DQG D ZRPDQ 7KLV EDOORW TXHVWLRQ²SURSRVHG E\ P P P Z The Legislature has also received complaints that the Board has adopted policies and procedures the Legislatureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;asks voters to change the Nevada Constitution based on a 5-4 decision of the U.S. that are not responsive to the higher education needs of the State. Since at least the 1970s, 6XSUHPH &RXUW ,I WKH 8 6 6XSUHPH &RXUW ZHUH WR RYHUWXUQ WKLV GHFLVLRQ WKH GHÂżQLWLRQ RI PDUULDJH 3 3 9 legislators have heard complaints that the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policies regarding the transfer of student credits currently in the Nevada Constitution would again be the controlling law of Nevada. The Nevada ZLWKLQ 16+(ÂśV RZQ V\VWHP KDYH SURYHG SUREOHPDWLF EHFDXVH WKH SROLFLHV PDNH LW GLIÂżFXOW IRU Constitution VKRXOG UHĂ&#x20AC;HFW WKH ZLOO RI WKH SHRSOH RI 1HYDGD DQG QRW EH FKDQJHG LQ UHDFWLRQ WR D FRXUW ARGUMEN S AGA NS PASSAGE students to move between the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s institutions, resulting in unnecessary procedural barriers decision that can be overturned. to the completion of degrees. Although the Board has claimed for years that it is committed to N m w Âż[LQJ WKLV UHFXUULQJ LVVXH²DQG VRPH SURJUHVV KDV EHHQ PDGH²D UHFHQW 16+( DXGLW VKRZV WKDW Recognizing same-sex marriage in the Nevada Constitution raises serious questions about the right to U S C N C approximately 1 in 4 students still do not receive full credit and/or lose 3 or more credits under the religious freedom guaranteed to every Nevadan. Traditionally, for some religions, marriage has been Q systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credit transfer process. If the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s control and management of the State University were viewed as an institution typically recognizing only the union between one man and one woman. For C w m subject to the same level of legislative oversight typically applied to other government agencies, the VRPH SHRSOH WKLV WUDGLWLRQDO GHÂżQLWLRQ RI PDUULDJH UHPDLQV D FRUH SDUW RI WKHLU UHOLJLRXV EHOLHIV DQG m m Legislature would have the power to change by law any of the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policies and procedures that they hold genuine and sincere religious convictions that same-sex marriage is incompatible with and w LW GHWHUPLQHG ZHUH QRW UHVSRQVLYH WR WKH KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ QHHGV RI WKH 6WDWH :LWK VXFK SRZHU WKH undermines the sanctity of traditional marriage. m Q â&#x20AC;&#x201D; w Legislature could exercise the full extent of its legislative authority to review, reform, and improve the â&#x20AC;&#x201D; control and management of NSHE. 7KHUH LV QR QHHG WR FKDQJH WKH WUDGLWLRQDO GHÂżQLWLRQ RI PDUULDJH WR LQFOXGH VDPH VH[ FRXSOHV Domestic partnerships are a viable option for same-sex couples in Nevada. These partnerships were C Passage of this ballot question will require the Legislature to guarantee under state law the enacted under the current constitutional provisions and already afford many of the rights of marriage, reasonable protection of individual academic freedom for students, faculty, and contractors in including community property, inheritance without a will, and hospital visitation. The State has the w NSHE. Even though individual academic freedom is currently afforded some protection under ability to expand these rights, and therefore, approval of Question 2 is not necessary.

P Z federal constitutional law, numerous courts and legal commentators have observed that the true m N C m scope of the federal constitutional protection has been unclear since the U.S. Supreme Courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2006 8SKROG WKH WUDGLWLRQDO GHÂżQLWLRQ RI PDUULDJH DV D XQLRQ EHWZHHQ RQH PDQ DQG RQH ZRPDQ WKDW decision in Garcetti v. Ceballos. By requiring the Legislature to enact state statutes that provide for currently exists in the Nevada Constitution. Vote â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? on Question 2.

Q m V Q the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom at NSHE, this ballot question will compel the Legislature to specify the scope of that protection under state law and also consider whether FISCAL NOTE SCA NO E to provide greater protection to individual academic freedom than is already afforded by federal constitutional law. Because the protection of individual academic freedom is essential to the pursuit Financial Impactâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;No m â&#x20AC;&#x201D;N of knowledge and the search for academic truth and enlightenment, this ballot question will ensure that NSHE continues to foster experimentation, invention, and a robust exchange of ideas.

The Nevada Constitution provides that only a marriage between a male person and a female person % P P 2 6 6 may be recognized and given effect in Nevada. However, based on the United States Supreme Courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Q m Finally, this ballot question will clarify and modernize existing provisions of the Nevada Constitution ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, marriages are currently recognized by the State and local governments B UHODWLQJ WR WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI WKH IHGHUDO ODQG JUDQW SURFHHGV GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ in Nevada regardless of gender, irrespective of the language in the Nevada Constitution. Thus, there 1 P 4 Z departments of the State University under the federal Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862. However, LV QR DQWLFLSDWHG ÂżQDQFLDO LPSDFW XSRQ WKH 6WDWH RU ORFDO JRYHUQPHQWV LI 4XHVWLRQ LV DSSURYHG E\ S m because the State of Nevada must administer those proceeds in the manner required by the federal the voters. law, this ballot question will not change the purpose or use of those proceeds under the federal law.

5(62 9(' %< +( 6(1$ ( $1' $66(0% < 2 +( 6 $ ( 5(62/9(' %< 7+( $66(0%/< $1' 6(1$7( 2) 7+( 67$7( 2) 1(9$'$ -2,17/< w S A A Improve our public higher education system by allowing for additional legislative oversight and That Section 21 of Article 1 of the Nevada Constitution be amended to read as follows: w accountability regarding the system, ensuring state-law protection for individual academic freedom [Sec:] Sec. 21. [Limitation on recognition] Recognition of marriage. [Only a marriage between a male 6 $ ( Z at institutions within the system, and clarifying and modernizing existing provisions relating to the and female person shall be recognized and given effect in this state.] w S A DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI WKH IHGHUDO ODQG JUDQW SURFHHGV GHGLFDWHG IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI FHUWDLQ GHSDUWPHQWV RI 1. The State of Nevada and its political subdivisions shall recognize marriages and the State University under the 1862 federal law. Vote â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? on Question 1. issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender.

Z P Z 2. Religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to ARGUMENTS AGAINST PASSAGE A solemnize a marriage, and no person has the right to make any claim against a religious organization or member of the clergy for such a refusal.

In 1864, the framers of the Nevada Constitution made a deliberate choice to give constitutional status 3. All legally valid marriages must be treated equally under the law. to the Board of Regents to guarantee that it had independent powers to control and manage the State __________________________________________________________ University without the threat of political interference by the Legislature and Governor. The Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s w m constitutional status and independent powers are not unique. In at least 21 other states, elected or QUESTION NO. 3 appointed governing boards have been given constitutional status and independent powers to control w w and manage state universities and other public institutions of higher education, even if those boards Amendment to the Nevada Constitution do not oversee the entire state system of higher education to the same extent as Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Regents.

Senate Joint Resolution No. 1 of the 79th Session m w m Consistent with the intent of the framers of the Nevada Constitution, the Board has not claimed that w CONDENSATION (Ballot Question) it is entitled to â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolute controlâ&#x20AC;? over the management of the State University, or that it is free from m legislative oversight and accountability. (Debates & Proceedings of the Nevada State Constitutional Shall the Nevada Constitution be amended to: (1) require the State Board of Pardons Convention of 1864, at 586 (Andrew J. Marsh off. rep. 1866)) The Board recognizes that the Nevada Commissionersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whose members are the Governor, the justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, and m w &RQVWLWXWLRQ SURYLGHV LW ZLWK VSHFLÂżF DQG OLPLWHG DXWKRULW\ RYHU WKH 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ WKDW LV LQGHSHQGHQW the Nevada Attorney Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to meet at least quarterly; (2) authorize each member of the Board to w m m of the more general control of the Legislature and Governor because the framers wanted to promote submit matters for consideration by the Board; and (3) authorize the Board to grant pardons and make m m and ensure the academic independence of the State University without making it the political â&#x20AC;&#x153;football other clemency decisions by a majority vote of its members without requiring the Governor to be part m w of the legislature.â&#x20AC;? (State ex rel. Mack v. Torreyson, 21 Nev. 517, 528 (1893) (Bigelow, J., concurring)) RI WKH PDMRULW\ RI WKH %RDUG WKDW YRWHV LQ IDYRU RI VXFK GHFLVLRQV" w :KHQ GHHPHG QHFHVVDU\ LQ FRXUW FDVHV DQG OHJLVODWLYH LQTXLULHV WKH %RDUG KDV OHJLWLPDWHO\ DVVHUWHG m its constitutional status because the Board has a duty to defend the framersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intent to protect the State Z Yes No University from unwarranted intrusions by the political forces of government.

EXPLANATION & DIGEST Proponents of this ballot question want voters to believe that the framers got it wrong, and that by UHPRYLQJ WKH %RDUGÂśV VSHFLÂżF DQG OLPLWHG DXWKRULW\ IURP WKH Nevada Constitutionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thereby making the EXPLANATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;This ballot measure would amend existing provisions of the Nevada Constitution S A E QUES ON NO Board a statutory body completely subject to the control of the political machinery of governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the that govern the powers and functions of the State Board of Pardons Commissioners whose members /HJLVODWXUH ZLOO VRPHKRZ LPSURYH WKH WUDQVSDUHQF\ HIÂżFLHQF\ DQG HIIHFWLYHQHVV RI 1HYDGDÂśV KLJKHU are the Governor, the justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, and the Nevada Attorney General. This Am m N C education system. Unfortunately, passage of Question 1 does not guarantee any of these promised ballot measure would require the Board to meet at least once each calendar quarter and would allow EHQHÂżWV 4XHVWLRQ LV QRWKLQJ EXW WKH /HJLVODWXUH WU\LQJ WR JDLQ PRUH SRZHU DQG FRQWURO DQG LW ZRXOG for each member of the Board to submit matters for the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consideration. This ballot measure CONDENSA ON B Q only serve to add political pressures to a governance system that is serving this State well. would also authorize the Board to grant pardons and make other clemency decisions by a majority A N C m vote of its members without requiring the Governor to be part of the majority of the Board that votes S Under the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) has steadily improved in favor of such decisions. w higher education outcomes in Nevada. Recently, both the University of Nevada, Reno and the N m University of Nevada, Las Vegas were recognized as Very High Research Activity (R1) institutions A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesâ&#x20AC;? vote would require the State Board of Pardons Commissioners to meet at least E\ WKH SUHVWLJLRXV &DUQHJLH &ODVVLÂżFDWLRQ RI ,QVWLWXWLRQV RI +LJKHU (GXFDWLRQ )RU WKH ODVW WHQ \HDUV quarterly, allow any member to submit a matter for the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consideration, and authorize the P 1 P P in which data is available, while full-time equivalent student enrollment in the system increased by Board to grant pardons and make other clemency decisions by a majority vote of its members URXJKO\ SHUFHQW WKH QXPEHU RI GLSORPDV DQG FHUWLÂżFDWHV DZDUGHG LQFUHDVHG E\ PRUH WKDQ without requiring the Governor to be part of the majority of the Board that votes in favor of Y N percent. During this period, the amount of state funding for the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;when calculated in real such decisions.

GROODUV DGMXVWHG IRU LQĂ&#x20AC;DWLRQ²DFWXDOO\ GHFUHDVHG <HW WKH %RDUG KDV WKURXJK LWV ÂżQDQFLDO PDQDJHPHQW EXP ANA ON & D GES decisions, effectively navigated the consequences of a severe economic recession and successfully A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noâ&#x20AC;? vote would keep existing provisions of the Nevada Constitution, which do not specify JXLGHG 16+( LQ LWV DFDGHPLF PLVVLRQ ZKLOH DOVR LPSURYLQJ RSHUDWLRQDO HIÂżFLHQFLHV IRU WKH EHQHÂżW the frequency of meetings of the State Board of Pardons Commissioners and which provide EXP ANA ONâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; m m A of Nevadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taxpayers and adding marketable value for the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students. Under the existing that the Board may grant pardons and make other clemency decisions by a majority vote of FRQVWLWXWLRQDO VWUXFWXUH DQ\WLPH WKH /HJLVODWXUH KDV FRQFHUQV DERXW WKH %RDUGÂśV ÂżQDQFLDO SROLFLHV DQG its members only if the Governor is part of the majority of the Board that votes in favor of N m R w P S RPS w practices, the Legislature already has the power to investigate, review, and scrutinize the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such decisions.

RPS ÂżQDQFLDO PDQDJHPHQW GHFLVLRQV DQG WKH /HJLVODWXUH DOVR UHWDLQV WKH XOWLPDWH SRZHU RI WKH SXUVH WR A P U C mm N RPS determine the amount of state funding that is appropriated for higher education. Consequently, the DIGESTâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The United States Constitution authorizes the President of the United States to grant m m m Board is already subject to considerable legislative oversight and accountability, and it must explain pardons and reprieves for federal offenses, except in cases of impeachment. (U.S. Const. Art. II, § 2) DQG MXVWLI\ LWV ÂżQDQFLDO PDQDJHPHQW GHFLVLRQV WR WKH /HJLVODWXUH LQ D PDQQHU VLPLODU WR RWKHU H[HFXWLYH By contrast, the Nevada Constitution authorizes the Governor, the justices of the Nevada Supreme m N w branch agencies. &RXUW DQG WKH 1HYDGD $WWRUQH\ *HQHUDO DV D ERG\ WR UHPLW ÂżQHV DQG IRUIHLWXUHV FRPPXWH FHUWDLQ m m m m punishments, and grant pardons for state offenses, except treason and impeachments, subject to m m The Board has governed our higher education system for over 150 years as the system has grown certain procedural regulations provided by law. (Nev. Const. Art. 5, § 14) Existing law immediately m m N m in size, prestige, and complexity. If this question passes, it is uncertain whether the Legislature will restores certain civil rights, such as the right to vote and the right to serve as a juror in a civil action, to w m retain or reshape the governance of our higher education system. The sole focus of the Board is a person who has been convicted of certain offenses and who has been discharged from probation or on higher education policy, and it is best equipped to govern NSHE. It does not make sense to risk parole or released from prison upon the expiration of his or her sentence. A pardon can immediately m N losing the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s independence, institutional knowledge, and expertise with no assurance of what the UHVWRUH RWKHU FLYLO ULJKWV LQFOXGLQJ WKH SHUVRQÂśV ULJKW WR KROG RIÂżFH DQG WKH ULJKW WR VHUYH RQ D MXU\ LQ D Legislature may put in its place. criminal case. (NRS 176A.850, 213.155, 213.157) Only a full, unconditional pardon can restore the m N right to bear arms to a person convicted of certain offenses. (NRS 213.090) Maintaining the Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current status in the Nevada Constitution ensures that the Board remains m N elected, responsible to the voters, and responsive to constituents. The Nevada Supreme Court has The Nevada Constitution does not expressly name the State Board of Pardons Commissioners or the recognized that the constitutional status of the Board prevents the Legislature from directly interfering frequency with which the Board must meet. Instead, the name of the Board and the requirement to m m N with its essential management and control of the State University, and for good reason. Passage meet at least twice a year are designated by state law. (NRS 213.010) For the Board to grant pardons of this ballot question would allow the Legislature to change existing higher education policies and and make other clemency decisions, the Nevada Constitution requires that at least a majority of the N w procedures and even allow the Legislature to make members of the Board appointed rather than Board votes in favor of such decisions and that the Governor be part of that majority. (Nev. Const. Art. P P 5 Z elected. Previous attempts to change higher education governance have failed because Nevadans 5, § 14) Thus, the Governor can block the granting of a pardon, commuting of a sentence, remitting of m w m recognize the importance of keeping the system in the Nevada Constitution as originally drafted.

D ÂżQH RU IRUIHLWXUH RU UHVWRULQJ RI D FLYLO ULJKW E\ YRWLQJ DJDLQVW WKH DFWLRQ m w m w w Further, requiring the Legislature to enact state statutes that provide for the reasonable protection of individual academic freedom is unnecessary and will likely cause confusion because federal constitutional law already provides such protection and the Board of Regents has already adopted policies related to individual academic freedom and responsibility at its institutions. Transferring this GXW\ WR WKH /HJLVODWXUH LV QRW RQO\ XQQHFHVVDU\ EXW DOVR WDNHV WKH GHÂżQLWLRQ RI LQGLYLGXDO DFDGHPLF freedom out of the hands of academic professionals and places it with an inherently political body whose partisan nature may be hostile to the concept of professors and others speaking openly and freely about political, ideological, or controversial issues. Instead of facilitating and encouraging individual academic freedom, this insertion of partisanship into the realm of scholarship is more likely WR VWLĂ&#x20AC;H WKH FRQFHSW RI DFDGHPLF IUHHGRP WKDQ WR SURWHFW LW

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ SEptEmbER 24-30, 2020

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september 24-30, 2020 • LAs VeGAs AsIAN JOUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

‘Vote out Trump’ is not just a partisan fight...

The author, Nora Formento (center), with her family at their restaurant, Manila BBQ in Henderson, Nevada.

For Filipinos, our small businesses are on...

PAGE A5 harder to act. The same can be said for voting. Many Asian Americans, especially those in Nevada, know this president and our country are letting us all down. We see it in our neighborhoods, and we hear about it when we serve you in our restaurant. We hear people complain that he is being racist to Chinese Americans, choosing to give massive tax breaks to billionaires instead of helping out the little guys like us, and creating great uncertainty about how we handle this pandemic. There is one way to help bring change to our communities this fall, and that is to vote. As my son used

to say in the restaurant, “You do not have the right to complain if you don’t participate.” The same holds true for these elections. For our voices to be heard, our communities need to register and vote in large numbers, to ensure we hold those in power accountable.

If Donald Trump is re-elected to the White House and does not get a handle on the coronavirus, we will likely lose our business and our livelihood. We cannot continue to operate under these circumstances. Our community cannot take another four years of this administration. Time and time again, we see Trump fail small businesses, Asian Americans, our

communities, and our families.

We all deserve better leadership.

We need someone in power who will fight for our livelihoods like it is their own. We need a sensible leader who does not bail out the giant corporations, but fights for the little businesses here in Henderson.

That is why I will be doing everything I can to ensure our communities are accounted for at the ballot box. I hope you join me. Because you don’t have the right to complain if you don’t participate. *** Nora Formento is a Filipino immigrant, and her family owns Manila BBQ in Henderson, Nevada.

RBG’s lasting impact on communities like ours

PAGE A5

the constitution’s equal protection clause (14th Amendment), challenging presumptions of difference that may ultimately be a hindrance to an individual’s rising to their potential. For me, her most enduring legacy, lies in the changed perspective and the stricter interpretation of the prohibitions enshrined in the 14th Amendment, commonly referred to as the “Equal Protection Clause,” which explicitly forbids government “to make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States…nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws (emphasis added)” For RBG, disparate treatment, however benign it may appear to be, could ultimately hinder an individual’s development to their full potential. This is clearly

illustrated in the ruling which RBG wrote for The Court’s 7 to 1 majority decision in United States v. Virginia, 518 U.S. 515, (1996), involving the Virginia Military Institute, a state-funded military college. The Supreme Court found the all-male admissions policy of a state-supported military college unconstitutional.

To avoid a charge of disparate treatment, the state of Virginia had set up an alternative military college for women. In the majority opinion that she wrote, RBG notes that the state had failed to provide “the exceedingly persuasive justification” that the Constitution requires for treating men and women differently. “Women seeking and fit for a V.M.I.-quality education cannot be offered anything less under the state’s obligation to afford them genuinely equal protection.”

Any disparate treatment she

argued, must not “create or perpetuate the legal, social, and economic inferiority of women.”

While RBG admits that there are “inherent differences” between men and women, the laws based on gender under the guise of “protection” are not a legitimate cause “for denigration of the members of either sex or for artificial constraints on an individual’s opportunity.”

RBG is the mother that watches over us —women, men, people of color, minority communities — vigilant against arbitrary distinctions or outdated social mores and wishing that we are able to rise to our full potential. Now she has now joined the ages. I need a hug. RBG, thank you. May her memory be a blessing.

••• Enrique de la Cruz is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at Cal State University, Northridge.

PAGE A5 not vote for Trump and may write-in his wife, while Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she is “struggling” with the decision.

Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) has also said he will not vote for Trump and is considering a vote for Biden.

Former Gov. John Kasich - challenged Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016, has been one of Biden’s most vocal Republican backers, lauding his “experience and his wisdom and his decency” at the Democratic convention Former Republican cabinet secretaries who endorse Biden Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Tuesday that he’s supporting Biden for president, arguing that the former VP is the “right person” for “this time in our country,” though he remains a Republican.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Trump is not his “kind of politician” and called out the president for “the way he disparages people.”

Bush administration Secretary of State Colin Powell said Trump has “drifted away” from the Constitution, and will instead vote for the former vice president, the Democratic nominee.

Christine Todd Whitman, New Jersey governor from 1994 to 2001 before serving as George W. Bush’s EPA director, appeared at the DNC alongside Kasich.

Former Republican Senators have come out for Biden: David Durenberger of Minnesota and Gordon J. Humphrey of New Hampshire (both independents now), John Warner of Virginia and Jeff Flake of Arizona, who called a Trump second term “a real danger.”

Former Republican Representatives Susan Molinari of New York spoke at the Democratic convention, joining former Reps. Charles Djou of Hawaii and Joe Walsh of Illinois, a former tea partier who challenged Trump for the GOP nomination in 2020 and voted for Biden in Illinois’ open Democratic primary in March, calling Trump a “horrible human being” who “must be defeated.”

Former Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania endorsed Biden ahead of the third night of the Democratic convention, declaring, “It’s a sad state of affairs when a president endorses a 9/11 truther,” in reference to Trump’s embrace of Georgia Congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene.

A group of 73 former U.S. national security officials in the Republican administrations, including former heads of the CIA and FBI and Trump administration officials, endorsed Biden, asserting that Trump’s “corrupt behavior renders him unfit to serve as president.”

Former Trump Assistant Director of Homeland Security Elizabeth Neumann accused Trump of ignoring the threat of domestic terrorism and early pandemic warnings, claiming he “gave permission” to white supremacists.

27 former GOP lawmakers, including Jeff Flake, who served in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 and as a U.S. Senator from Arizona from 2013 to 2019; Rep. Bob Inglis of South Carolina, Rep. Jim Kolbe of Arizona, Rep. Jim Greenwood of Pennsylvania, Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa and Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma, Former Sens. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, John Warner of Virginia, Ray LaHood of Illinois and Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire.

These former members of Congress cited Trump’s corruption, destruction of democracy, blatant disregard for moral decency and urgent need to get the country back on course as a reason why they support Biden Former Republican Senator and Clinton Defense Secretary Bill Cohen of Maine endorsed Biden, blasting Trump’s “failed leadership” on coronavirus and calling Biden “a leader with optimism and competence who gives us hope.”

100 McCain 2008, 30 Romney 2012, two dozen George W. Bush campaign and administration staffers endorsed Biden.

A group of 100 prominent Republicans and independents, including Todd Whitman, former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, launched a group to campaign, run ads and pen opinion pieces on Biden’s behalf.

A group of 107 former state attorneys general who endorsed Biden for his “commitment to eliminate abuses of power” and belief in “common sense law enforcement” includes six Republicans; Greg Zoeller of Indiana, Mark Shurtleff of Utah, Jim Jones of Idaho, Doug Baily of Alaska, Jeff Amestoy of Vermont and Jeff Pine of Rhode Island.

Numerous Republican media figures, campaign strategists and government officials have even organized PACs dedicated to sup-

porting Biden, such as Republican Voters Against Trump and, most recently, 43 Alumni for Biden.

The most notable among them is the Lincoln Project, whose scathing attack ads on Trump have captured the hearts of antiTrump resistance-minded Democrats. Fil-Am George Conway, the husband of former White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway, was among those who spearheaded this project to rebuke Trump.

Anthony Scaramucci served as Trump’s White House communications director for just two weeks, endorsed Biden and called Trump “crazy.”

Other ex-Trump officials have spoken out against him as well, including communications staffer Omarosa Manigault, National Economic Council director Gary Cohn, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer.

Carly Fiorina - a former Hewlett Packard CEO and GOP presidential candidate who was briefly the running mate of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), said she cannot support Trump and that “elections are binary choices,” Meg Whitman - another Hewlett Packard CEO, said that Trump “has no clue how to run a business, let alone an economy.”

What do these endorsements mean? Country first before party.

Nobody is above the law. Like the above-mentioned Republicans, it is okay to change your mind about supporting Trump because he has proven to be unworthy and beneath the Office of the President of the United States. That is the patriotic and honorable thing to do under these circumstances.

Trump’s transgressions against the Constitution and his character, personality and selfishness in putting his political agenda ahead of his oath to protect and serve ALL of the American people just prove he is the wrong man for the job.

Joe Biden is the better leader we need in this chapter of our history as we all move and work together to heal this nation and move forward together toward a more perfect union. *** 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.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 24-30, 2020

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http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

september 24-30, 2020 • LAs VeGAs AsIAN JOUrNAL

How to survive a post-COVID-19 market...

PAGE 8 WITH its goal to create a framework in order to innovate the business of Filipino cuisine in the time of the pandemic, the Filipino Food Movement held a virtual summit called ‘Savor Filipino’ on Monday, June 29.

The meeting was attended by almost a hundred people across the globe, coming from different fields and industries but all share the same love and commitment to Filipino food.

“Filipino cuisine is no longer the next big thing. It is a part of the American culinary landscape,” said Department of Tourism Secretary Berna RomuloPuyat who opened the summit.

its food and what better way to understand Filipino culture but also through its food.

The tourism secretary mentioned that they brought in three Filipino American chefs to the Philippines late last year so they could visit culinary destinations in order to learn about heirloom delicacies and heritage ingredients which they could use in their respective restaurants when they return to the United States.

Sonia Delen, Filipino Food Movement president talked briefly about how they adjusted with the times and came up with Kulinarya Live, quarantine cooking series streamed online fea-

when they realized that because of the quarantine, people have reignited their interest in baking and cooking.

As a nonprofit organization, FFM has been at the forefront in promoting Filipino cuisine and creating sustainable impact on the Filipino culinary industry whether it is through dinners, outreach or gala events.

‘Dial it up’ Ligaya Mishan, the awardwinning New York Times food writer and critic and writer, delivered the keynote speech along with restaurateur and cookbook author Nicole Ponseca Mishan shared a little bit of her own personal history. Her

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 24-30, 2020

VEGAS&STYLE

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Journal Why Mia Mercado’s ‘Weird But Las Vegas Fil-Am community comes Normal’ is the Funny Read We Need together for COVID-19 relief efforts by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

Meet Mia Mercado, a Filipina American millennial humorist who launched “Weird But Normal,” her debut collection of essays last May. the essays focus on various subjects, from gender roles, sexuality and beauty standards to racial identity, privilege and work dynamics.

In the book, Mercado shares her insights about issues, some absurd, some beautiful and some mundane.

Armed with her sharp humor and wit, “Weird But Normal” brings the laughter and hilarity, and we sure need some of those these days.

Mercado deftly maneuvers her way around humor, identity, culture and the intersections between them and comes up with gems.

Some parts are a little intimate and personal as the author delved into her memories as a young girl going through her teens (along with the corresponding bad/good decisions), and now adulting (with issues on racism, relationships and capitalism). It’s like watching an unfiltered livestream of a reality show where the protagonist wears her heart on her sleeve as she shares some painfully embarrassing moments in her life so far.

Some of the essays look hilarious, judging by the titles alone: “the Holy Sacrament of Birth Control,” “I Am the Girl From Your tampon Commercials,” “Can I Still be a Good Girl While Still Getting F*cked Up?,” “All the things I thought Sex Was” and “White Friend Confessional.”

Born to a Filipino dad and a white mom, Mercado grew up in what she describes as “very suburban Christian Midwest” (read: Glendale, a small city outside Milwaukee in Wisconsin).

She took up creative writing at

by Gloria

Mia Mercado, seen here with her dog Ava, blends personal stories and humor to explore the completely absurd, and yet completely regular experiences of being a millennial.

Photos by Chase Castor

the University of Wisconsin, the same university where her parents met.

She has been asked “where she’s from” many, many times that she felt she had to make some jokes out of it so it wouldn’t overburden her thoughts. As a young girl, she didn’t realize what it meant then but now that she’s an adult, she says she’s “all too familiar with this line of questioning.” “‘What ethnicity are you?’ is something I’ve been asked so frequently my answer is not only well rehearsed, it comes equipped with a brief lesson in Filipino history and the etymol-

ogy of my last name. I’m working on a choreographed musical number called ‘Spain Colonized the Philippines and All I Got Was a Spanish-sounding Last Name and a Whole Lot of Catholicism.’”

Mercado writes. there’s a part in the book where she introduces Rachel Ambiguity (see what she did there?), where she talks about how being half-white afforded her “whiteadjacent privilege,” and says that while her mixed-race informs every part of her life and experience, it is not the focus.

Mercado’s essays have been published in outlets such as PAGE B5

T. Caoile

WItH countless local families and individuals suffering due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, community members put together a day of action.

Dr. Noel R. Fajardo of Las Vegas Gastroenterology teamed up with area church groups and Filipino American organizations to orchestrate a large distribution of food bags to people in need. the goal was to fight food insecurity as well as promote further engagement and action. “there are many people who could use a helping hand, and so we came together in the spirit of bayanihan, one of our most important Filipino values,” Dr. Fajardo said. “Moving forward, we hope the momentum will inspire and motivate many in our community to be active and participate during the November elections.”

400 families were able to receive the food bags across the Las Vegas area. “thanks to Dr. Fajardo’s generous donation, churches and Fil-Am groups were able to distribute 400 of these very special food bags,” expressed Bernie Bernito, a respected community

leader. “each one was filled with a 25-lb sack of rice, an assortment of canned goods, packs of rice noodles, and masks. For recipients, the bags offer some relief in these unpredictable and challenging times.”

“We are all being tested right now, but we are not alone,” said Rozita V. Lee, executive pastor at Seek Jesus First Ministries. “Our

community is blessed to have so many members who are working to help others.”

As election Day draws closer, Dr. Fajardo is hopeful that the community will again show its strength and support for one another. “We, as a community, have unique needs,” he said. “We need to be heard as loudly as we can.”

B september 24-30, 2020 • LAs VeGAs AsIAN JOUrNAL

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Features

Filipina nanny delivers Emmy Award acceptance speech despite not winning

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

AMERICAN host Amy Schumer did not win an Emmy Award for her show “Amy Schumer Learns To Cook,” but she still uploaded a video of her family’s speech if they won. The speech included their Filipina nanny.

In her Instagram account, Amy posted the video of their speech, which included her husband, Chef Chris Fischer, their son Gene, and Gene’s nanny Jane.

“The vid we made in case we won. We lost to Cheer! I loved Cheer!” she captioned the video.

Amy explained first what was Amy Schumer and Jane the video was about then Jane started thanking their fans for Network show “Amy Schumer watching the show and for sup- Learns to Cook” was nominated porting them, as well as thanking in the award-giving body, Amy Amy, Chris and Gene. Amy also gave respect to her Filipina nanny thanked Food Network. by posting their photos on InstaAmy’s show was nominated for gram last July. an Emmy Award for Unstructured Jane helped the couple by filmReality Program, which was then ing them do their show everytime awarded to Netflix’s “Cheer.” their child was asleep.

Upon learning that the Food Earlier this year, Amy also

Photo from Instagram_@amyschumer

showed her love for the Filipina nanny when she posted a photo of them wearing skincare masks.

“This is our nanny who makes it possible for me to work and know that our baby is happy and healthy. I love her very much and we also both want to have nice skin,” Amy wrote.

Alice explains controversial marijuana farm tour

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Alice Dixson explained that her viral photo in a cannabis farm was taken in the United States and not in the Philippines.

In her Instagram account, Alice

posted a video of her playing with her dog.

“2 weeks ago I posted a photo teaser to promote my upcoming Medical Marijuana vlog,” Alice said.

“While Cannabis is illegal in the

Alice Dixson explained on her Instagram about her vlog about her tour of a cannabis farm in the U.S. Photo from Instagram_@alicedixson

Philippines it is legal in 11 U.S. states where all my footage was shot in August 2019,” she said.

She also explained that her YouTube channel is all about sharing information relevant to inspire healthy living.

“My YouTube channel’s premise has always been about sharing information relevant to inspire health and happy living,” she said.

“And while I in no means advocate the use of marijuana recreationally, I do share information related to its medicinal use objectively without bias. God Bless the Philippines and all those who effort to enhance the lives of others especially during this pandemic. Stay strong & take care,” she added.

Alice deleted her post showing her in the cannabis farm after getting flak from social media users.

Some internet users suggested that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) might go after her.

“This photo was taken on a cannabis farm. Yes marijuana! I look like a deer in the headlights...

Hundreds of plants sooo tall, all different sativa & indica strains; some maybe 9-10 feet tall,” she captioned the deleted post.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 24-30, 2020

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Features

B september 24-30, 2020 • LAs VeGAs AsIAN JOUrNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS COVID-19 around the world has now reached almost 32 million cases with nearly a million deaths. The Philippines has 292,000 cases, with 5,100 deaths and 1,700 new cases; the U.S. has almost 7.1 million cases, with 205,000 deaths, and 3,800 new cases; India has 5.6 million cases, with 90,000 deaths, and 21,000 new cases; the UK has 404,000 cases, with 42,000 deaths and 5,000 new cases.

The cold and flu season is here.

FDA advises flu vaccine now, especially for the elderly. Antibiotics are useless for viruses. About 30 percent of prescription for antibiotics are unnecessary and a waste of money. Abuse in the use of antibiotics leads to bacterial resistance, which costs the U.S. healthcare about $20 billion annually and contributes to $35 billion in lost productivity every year. If we, as a society, allow bacterial resistance to develop by frequent use of antibiotics for the wrong diseases, we will soon lose our effective weapons against infections and become helpless, dying from simple infections as we did in pre-1928 era. Remember, antibiotics are not effective against viruses, like cold and flu, bronchitis, sore throat (except Strep throat, which is bacterial).

Abuses have consequences.

This COVID-19 pandemic could certainly drive some people to drink. As always, while a drink or two with dinner is fine, more than a couple is considered unhealthy. Here are some facts about drinking.

Cheers! Ganbei! Salud!

Social drinking is an invention of modern society. And as long as it is done with grace and discipline, and in moderation, the etiquette is totally acceptable.

However, as far as calories go, alcoholic beverages contain one of the highest, per ounce. This is one reason why the choice of cocktails is important for those watching their calorie intake or weight, and to protect their heart and liver.

The National Institute of Health reports that “the pounds put on during the holidays account for half of all the weight gained annually…and the unsuspected culprit is alcohol.” While the observation is totally significant and relevant in the United States, it is today also apropos in other cultures around the globe, albeit, in general, less in Asia.

The five most fattening cocktails • Eggnog: 257 calories and 14

COVID-19 update grams of fat, without alcohol, and more than 300 calories when you add distilled spirits.

• Martinis: Many Martinis have 2-5 ounces of liquor and sugary syrups and can have 800 calories per drink. The “Dry” Martini, though, which is basically pure gin (or vodka) and a drop or two of vermouth, plus a couple of olives, may be around 200 calories.

Without the olives and vermouth, it could drop down to 100 calories.

• Hot Toddies: Hot toddy plus 2 ounces of liquor is about 200 calories. Adding creamy liquors, like Kahlua or Baileys, Schnapps or Amaretto, it adds about 100 calories more, making it a total of 300 calories.

• Margaritas: Whopping 400 calories per drink.

• Mixers: An ounce and a half (45 cc) of 80-proof spirits is roughly 65 calories, and together with 6 ounces of mixers (cola and other soda, plus syrups), the calories zooms at least a couple of hundred.

Five lower calorie drinks • Champagne: The traditional drink for toasts is about 100 calories per drink, which is not too excessive for the waistline.

• Wine Spritzer: With 3 ounces of club soda, the 3 ounces of wine to make the spritzer total about 60 calories, and zero fat.

• Wine: A glass of wine is about 100 calories. Great choice, especially the red variety.

• Beer: Regular has about 150 calories and light beer about 100 calories per can/bottle.

• Gin or Vodka and Soda, or as a Dry Martini: one and a half ounces of 80-proof, with soda mixer or straight (without any mixer), has less than 100 calories and zero fat.

Choosing red wine is smart move as it is good for cardiovascular health. Red wine has been singled out because the skin of the grapes where they come from contains phytochemicals, such as resveratrol, that help protect the plant’s self-defense system, and proanthocyanidins (OPC) and cathechins, which are also powerful antioxidants. Studies at the University of California, Davis, and Cornell University have confirmed the beneficial effect of these potent antioxidants that aid in preventing cancer and heart coronary heart disease. Also, the alcohol in it has some sedative and euphoric effects when wine is taken in moderation, and these are healthy for the psyche, especially in these stressful times.

Not all red wines are alike or equal, though, as far as the amount of resveratrol they contain. Research on seventy red wines from New York rated the Pinot Noirs to contain the high-

est amount of this phytochemical, with an average content of 13.6 micromoles per liter, about twice the amount found in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The specific wines and vintages with very high level were the ’97 Pinot Noir from Benton-Lane Winery in Oregon and the ’98 Noble Muscadine from Dennis Vineyards in North Carolina. Large commercial wineries manipulate their wines more and reduce the resveratrol and other antioxidants as a result; small wineries utilizing the old European technique produce wines with higher resveratrol.

Most wines, red and white, contain sulfites and tannin, which cause headaches among some wine lovers. To enjoy imbibing my favorite Pinot Noir, I have tried DropIt solution, which stops wine headaches by reducing sulfite and tannin in wine (1-2 drops for white and 2-3 drops for red, per 6 ounce-glass). It works. For more info, email wineRx@DropItwine.com.

While drinking alcoholic beverages weakens our resistance (or makes us more susceptible) to other “temptations,” like eating more and succumbing to additional high-calorie desserts (pecan pie, crème brulle, or chocolate mousse, etc), the technique of drinking two glasses of cold water after each cocktail drink, used by experienced drinkers, not only ward off dehydration (caused by alcohol) but also helps in calorie and weight control.

So, pick your poison, I mean potion, wisely, hold your liquor with grace, and know when to quit. And as always, let the designated (sober) driver handle the car to avoid being a statistic.

In the meantime, a votre santé!

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people to 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, Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Apl.de.ap surprises KC with greeting from Shakira

By Jan

Milo Severo

Philstar.com

INTERNATIONAL rapper Apl. de.ap surprised KC Concepcion with a video greeting from international pop star Shakira.

KC posted the video greeting on her Instagram account.

In the video, the “Whenever, Wherever” singer congratulated KC on her new cooking show.

“Hey, KC! A little birdie told me that you like my music. Thank you so much. I wanted to say hi and congratulations on your new show, your new cooking show.

I hope it goes really well and I wish you the best of luck,” Shakira told KC. The daughter of “Megastar” Sharon Cuneta thanked Shakira for the support.

“Thank you for supporting my newfound quarantine passion, my fitspiration, immortal powerhouse woman, @shakira! Omg

EMPLOYMENT

Apl.de.ap and KC Concepcion

her Super Bowl performance was (love),” KC captioned the post.

KC also thanked Apl for the surprise and said she is excited for the new single by Black Eyed Peas and Shakira.

“And can’t wait for her new single Girl Like Me to drop

Phistar.com photo

alongside my @bep bros. S/O to my good friend @apldeap for this surprise,” KC said.

The rap group and the Colombian singer have a new single titled “Girl Like Me” that is included in the Black Eyed Peas’ new album “Translation.”

FOR RENT

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Video-streaming of ‘Guadalupe’ at ticket2me.com October 30-31, 2020 AFTER a long wait due to the COVID19 PANDEMIC, “GUADALUPE” the Musical returns as a STREAMABLE VIDEO, taped live at the Meralco Theater in 2018, brought to the comfort of your living rooms and favorite devices starting at 9 AM October 30 for the Premier Showing until 11:30 AM on October 31, 2020, (all Philippine standard time).

The success of the musical, staged live at Meralco Theatre in 2018 has encouraged the Producers to bring the story of our Lady of Guadalupe and Mexico via the TICKET2ME.NET video streaming platform.

Through technology, the Julie Borromeo Performing Arts Foundation Inc. and the Producers of the ONLINE EDITION of this musical viewing, hope to reach all the art aficionados and devotees alike, in the Philippines and all over the world.

This original Filipino musical is directed by theater legend Baby Barredo and was created by award-winning artists Joel Trinidad and Ejay Yatco.

GUADALUPE: THE MUSICAL is once again led by the inimitable Victor “Cocoy” Laurel (“Miss Saigon”), who reprises his role as Juan Diego, the Aztec mat-weaver at the center of the tale. Joining him once again are award-winning performers Shiela Valderrama-Martinez (“Binondo”), Lorenz Martinez (“Spamalot”), and a host of other theater stalwarts.

What is significant in this online event, is that proceeds from the sale of the E-tickets from TICKET2ME.NET and Sponsorships involved, will benefit the following organizations: Click here to view all beneficiary ticket buying links Early Bird E-TICKETS (PHP

1,000 for the Premier Showing and PHP 500 for the regular showing) are on sale now until September 30,2020 at TICKET2ME.COM or at the links at “GUADALUPE THE MUSICAL ONLINE” FB page or contact guadalupethemusicallive@ gmail.com or at 650 550 9851,

+63 2 8634 5063, +639 939 910 2629, +63 918 921 8182.

Regular prices will apply starting October 1 to 30, 2020 (PHP 1,500 for the Premier Show and PHP 700 for the regular shows).

A 10% surcharge will be applied by TICKET2ME.NET for its services.

Maja leaves ABS-CBN by nika

roque Manilatimes.net

ONE of ABS-CBN’s top stars Maja Salvador confirmed in an Instagram post that she will be appearing on screen again soon but for a different network. It will be remembered that the country’s erstwhile leading network lost its free TV franchise in July.

The actress has withheld information on where she will continue her career, but rumors are rife the 31-year-old is headed to TV5.

TV5 Chairperson Manny Pangilinan announced the network was open to hiring ABS-CBN’s talents and employees; while Star Magic’s Chairman Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan similarly stated they have Maja Salvador given their talents the green light you see me appear in a different to work for TV5 and GMA 7 and network where I will continue to continue to manage their careers. entertain you in whatever way or Salvador has been a Star Magic platform),” she said.

It has been announced that Maartist since 2003 and her career quickly flourished with challeng- nahan has been asked to direct and ing roles from her mother studio. produce a Sunday noontime show On Instagram, she made sure to on TV5 which will bring both ABSsay that her success in showbiz is CBN and GMA talents together.

The weekend variety show is titled due to ABS-CBN’s support.

“Ako po ay taos pusong nagpa- “Live@5: Ultimate Sunday Party,” pasalamat sa mga taong walang while a daily noontime show called sawang sumusuporta sa akin at sa “Laugh Out Loud” is said to be in (My heartfelt gratitude to all those the works as well.

“Sana po ay tuloy tuloy niyo who have supported me at) ABSakong samahan at suportahan CBN. “Mga Kapamilya, sasamahan ko sa kahit anong landas na aking po muna ang aking tatay na si Mr. tatahakin. Maraming salamat po M kaya sana wag po kayo magulat (I hope you will continue to stay kung makikita niyo akong luma- and support me on my new jourbas sa ibang network at patuloy ney. Thank you very much),” she makapagbigay ligaya sa inyo kahit ended.

Salvador’s post received supsa anong paraan at plataporma (My family, I will first accompany portive comments from her fanmy father, Mr. M., which is why I base and fellow actors Erich Gonhope you won’t be surprised when zales, Julia Barretto, and boyfriend

SERVICES

Photo from Instagram/@iammajasalvador

Rambo Nunez, among others.

Under ABS-CBN, Salvador was dubbed the “Dance Princess” following her energetic performances on the Sunday show “ASAP” and singing career. As an actress, she proved her mettle with the hit teleseryes like the leading antiheroines of “The Killer Bride” and “Wildflower.” The latter even had an international stint which led to Salvador’s historic Best Actress win at the first Asia Contents Awards in Busan, South Korea in 2019. The show was also nominated for Best Drama, where she played the dual role of Ivy Aguas and Lily Cruz, out to avenge the death of her parents. Salvador and the show were the only nominees from the Philippines.

Under Star Cinema, Salvador’s most acclaimed role was in the biopic “Thelma” where she won a Gawad Urian Award for Best Actress.

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EntErtainmEnt

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 24-30, 2020

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Why Mia Mercado’s ‘Weird But Normal’... Hands-on mom Solenn on showbiz hiatus till year-end

by AllAn

PolicArPio Inquirer.net

PAGE B3 The New Yorker, The New York Times, Washington Posts’ The Lily, New York Magazine’s The Cut, Bustle, McSweeney’s, Gizmodo, The Hairpin, among others. For a time, she also worked as a greeting-card writer and editor at Hallmark.

In an interview with the Asian Journal, Mercado shares how this book of essays came about.

Asian Journal (AJ): What was the reason behind the book?

MM: It’s something that seemed like a pipe dream or something I’d need to wait years to be even remotely qualified to do until I had enough people with enough publishing power saying I could do it. There are self-aggrandizing and self-sacrificial and romantic reasons why I wanted to write a book, but ultimately, I wrote the book for, I’m guessing, the same reason anyone writes a book: I had an idea and enough people said “yes” to it.

AJ: What was the writing process like for you, did you follow a certain structure or did you write about what you wanted to write when inspiration struck?

MM: If you asked any writer if they’d ever want to write a book, they’d be like, “Yes, duh, of course.” If you told them to start writing it, they’d be like, “Oh, you meant, like, now?” It was a lot of sitting in coffee shops, thinking about writing, and then maybe writing a couple sentences. I need a lot of thinking time/brainstorming time/looking at Twitter time before I write something. When I would write, I’d try to write a couple of the satirical/conceptual humor pieces between the personal essays just to give my brain an emotional break.

AJ: How did you end up with the title? Were there other alternate titles you thought about?

MM: I have a list of potential names in a Google doc that are all bad and confusing and trying very hard. My main criteria for a title, aside from something that pertained to the book, was that it had to be something I wouldn’t be embarrassed about in five years.

AJ: What was a normal day like for you (before COVID-19)?

MM: My day-to-day hasn’t changed too much since coronavirus lockdowns and self-quarantining. The main difference is I now just work from my bed or my couch instead of at coffeeshops.

On a typical day, if I have a specific assignment, I start with that.

The rest of my day is a combination of checking email, thinking about writing, and maybe writing a couple sentences. I repeat that until it’s an acceptable time to start thinking about dinner.

AJ: In a nutshell, how do you describe your journey so far?

MM: I started as a greeting card editor, had the briefest stint an ad agency, freelanced for who-

Mia documented the day she received copies of her book on her Instagram account @mia. market.

ever would have me, and now I’m almost exclusively writing things I want to be writing (as opposed to writing what I had to because [of] money). It’s a rare and cool thing to be able to do the thing I’m passionate about as my job.

Mostly, I’m trying not to take that for granted.

AJ: What was your biggest learning in coming up with this book? Was it how you imagined it to be?

MM: My biggest takeaway is to try to work with people who are as excited about the thing I’m excited about both when it comes to writing a book and also…every other aspect of a creative project. I still only understand a small fraction of what goes into publishing a book— the “writing the book” part is neither the beginning nor the end of that process—but having people around me who know their shit and are excited about what I’m doing (or are at least very convincingly fake excited) is what helped make it all fun and fulfilling.

AJ: What’s next for you?

MM: Hopefully, book two. I’d also love to write for TV. If those don’t pan out, I’ll figure out how to scam my way onto the next season of Love Island.

AJ: When was the last time you visited the Philippines?

MM: I’ve only visited the Philippines once, twenty years ago when I was in fourth grade. My dad Basil grew up in Makati.

AJ: What’s the most important lesson your father has taught you?

MM: If you want to do something, there is probably a YouTube tutorial for it. My dad had taught himself how to do everything from chang[ing] his oil to install[ing] a dishwasher to repair a shower. Sometimes I forget how to open the hood of my car.

AJ: How old were you when you realized you wanted to write? Did you have other childhood ambitions?

MM: When I was five or six, I would tell my parents I wanted to be a typewriter because I thought that a writer had to use a pen and paper and I was like, “Hmm no

Julia shuts down pregnancy rumors with toned abdomen photo ACTRESS Julia Barretto has shut down rumors of her being pregnant, supposedly with actor Gerald Anderson, by showing a photo of her toned abdomen in her Instagram page.

Barretto, seen wearing white pants and a grey bralette that exposes her mid riff, captioned the post with the words “fake news,” apparently to dismiss speculations of her being pregnant.

Former broadcaster and administration supporter Jay Sonza earlier posted something about Barretto’s alleged pregnancy, claiming that the actress and Anderson “proved that they were not barren.”

Barretto’s relatives including sisters Dani and Claudia, as well as friends and other celebrities like Liza Soberano, Miles Ocampo, and Alex Gonzaga shunned the issue, saying that it is how baseless allegations should be answered.

“Shut it down sis! Love you!”

Dani said in her comment.

As of now, the phrase “Leave Julia Barretto Alone” is trending on Twitter with Jay Sonza’s name, as over 3,200 tweets have been made about the topic.

Netizens have condemned Sonza for his post, with several

Julia Barretto Photo from Instagram/@juliabarretto

of Barretto’s supporters and other women rights advocates urging her to file a case against the former mediaman. Others on the other hand ridiculed Sonza for insinuating that a woman with a flat tummy is pregnant.

Anderson and Barretto drew controversy in 2019 after Anderson and his former girlfriend actress Bea Alonzo broke up, with people pointing at Barretto as the culprit. However, both Anderson and Barretto denied the accusations. (Inquirer.net)

I will be using a machine for my word making.” At other points growing up, I also wanted to be a vet, a teacher, and a singer/actor/dancer/model. I should have stuck with typewriter.

AS far as show biz work is concerned, 2020 is over for Solenn Heussaff. “[Year] 2020 is done for me, show biz-wise,” she declared.

With a considerable number of COVID-19 cases still being recorded daily, health and safety remain her priority, especially now that she’s raising her first child. But even if the situation does eventually return to normal, she doesn’t see herself taking on the same kind of workload she used to juggle.

“The pandemic has made me rethink my job. I’m happy with show biz, but I don’t want to be working six to seven days a week as I did before. When life goes back to normal, maybe I can allot three days a week for work,” she told the Inquirer in a recent video interview arranged by the insurance company Philam Life, which she and her husband, Nico Bolzico, represent as celebrity ambassadors.

For now, it’s all about her 9month-old baby girl, Thylane. “I want to be present in the early years of her life, the first seven years at least. I want to focus more on being a mother,” the 35-year-old GMA 7 actress said.

While long-term projects like drama series are out of the question this year, she has done quick, one-off shoots here and there. “We made sure everyone was tested …

You do have to start getting out a bit, because it’s easy to get used to this (staying at home). It’s still scary, but you have to put a foot back in,” she said.

Looking back, Solenn is grateful that she was able to give birth last

Jan. 1, two months before the pandemic blew up and prompted strict quarantine measures across the country. She had a delicate pregnancy, and she couldn’t imagine doing the things she did then now that there’s a health crisis.

“That difficult pregnancy required me to go to the hospital every week or every two weeks for five months. Thank God I didn’t give birth in the middle of the pandemic.

If I were pregnant now, I would have been at risk all the time,” she said. “It’s scary.”

Being a first-time parent is daunting enough. What more in this kind of situation?

“When they announced the lockdown last March, there were many things going through my head, because we have never had anything like this. You start wondering, ‘What kind of world am I bringing my child into?’” she related. “Is this going to last for a week? Two weeks? And now we have been in this for so long.”

“I’m afraid of anything that has to do with Thylane. I have started feeding her food. But what if she gets allergies? I’m afraid of doing something wrong,” she said.

Fortunately, Nico is able to work from home and give all the support Solenn needs. “It’s just Nico and I taking care of the baby.

He looks after her in the morning, so I can sleep in. And his office is upstairs, so he can always visit us. We then take a walk with her, bathe her, put her in the inflatable pool,” she related. “Her room is my sanctuary.”

“I didn’t expect I would be as hands-on as I am now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,”

Solenn Heussaff with her baby girl Thylane Photo from Instagram_@solenn

Solenn added.

Once in a while, if possible, Solenn visits her mom, so Thylane can get used to seeing other faces.

Like Solenn, Nico is making the most of his time with Thylane— something he probably wouldn’t get to enjoy if he had to go to the office. “Since I’m staying at home now, I get to see my baby every hour, even if it’s my work hours,” he said.

“We don’t know everything. We don’t know if we will be able to protect our children 100 percent of the time. So, it’s good to have that support, knowing where or who to go to when needed,” said Nico, explaining the need to have “a variable” life insurance plan for children. “I hope that never happens, but … it’s a tool that can help parents raise their children with less worries.”