Issuu

Issue 32, October 2020

Illustration by Rosa S. Lee

Cartoonist Lynda Barry Feeling â€˜lovedâ€™ in her comics world Commissioner Carmelyn Malalis Human rights right up her alley

Dear Undecided FilAm Voter Why are you still torn?

Letter from the Editor

Dear Undecided FilAm Voter

get it. You are still on the fence less than a month away from the election. Not committed to either Donald Trump or Joe Biden, still figuring out which of the two candidates is deserving of your invaluable vote. I don’t know how big a population you are, but pooled together with all undecided American voters, you make up at least 11 percent of a projected 156 million voters in 2020, according to an Atlantic report. Seventeen million is a huge number. You can decide the winner of an election, depends on where your votes go or what swing state catches them. It’s a number both parties are lusting after. As an Undecided FilAm Voter, you are probably registered in any the populous states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Nevada and Florida. Of these regions, only one is a Red State (Texas) and Florida is a toss-up, which makes us truly Democrat-leaning. It used to be that the FilAm community was viewed as 50-50 GOP-Dem, but in the 2016 election, our votes were tracked by the Asian American Legal Defense Fund to be 27 percent for Donald Trump and 71 percent for his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Whether that divide still holds true will be tested in the November 3 election. The election is really a choice between a candidate legendary for his bad behavior and

horrible decisions as a leader, and a challenger who is a middle-of-the-road traditional politician. Can our nation afford four more years of gaslighting, violence tied to racism, personal insults, nepotism and corruption, cronyism, lack of respect for the people in uniform, and other reprehensible acts? Or should we try a different kind of president who we hope will restore trust and decency in public service and repair our relations with our allies?

Contributing Writers Tricia J. Capistrano Ludy AstraquilloOngkeko Joel David Mariel Padilla Wendell Gaa Maricar CP Lindy Rosales Hampton Danielle Vania Angelito Cabigao Bonus

Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116

As Trump did not take the public health pandemic seriously, more than 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. The number is expected to climb to more than 300,000 by November 3. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs when the economy collapsed as a result. We see no pathway to a solution moving forward because he did not offer any platform for his second term. If the only reason you are having this dilemma is that Trump, who is supposedly ‘pro-life’ is against abortion, that is not the only guidepost for being a good Christian. Father James Martin, SJ offers a more expansive definition of what being a pro-lifer means when he said, “…my respect for life extends to all people, but most especially those whose lives are at risk: the unborn child, to be sure, but also the refugee whose life is threatened by war, the L.G.B.T. young person tempted to commit suicide, the homeless person whose life is endangered by malnutrition, the uninsured sick person with no health care, the elderly person in danger of being euthanized, the inmate on death row. I have come to value all life, from conception to natural death, and believe that our laws should reflect this important principle.” “Where’s the government?” asks the Brookings Institute in a recent article. Where, indeed, UFV? Yours truly, Cristina Pastor

Contact Thefilamny@gmail.com

The FilAm is a publication of A&V Editorial THE FILAM |

Cartoonist of the Year Lynda Barry hailed as a ‘great light in dark times’ Filipino American Lynda Barry is the recipient of the 2019 Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year as selected by members of the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) in a secret ballot.

“O

ne of the things that’s so beautiful about comics is that whatever may be missing from your world, you might be able to find it in comics,” said Barry in accepting the coveted award via a virtual ceremony. Barry – also known as an editor, a writer, illustrator, playwright, and teacher — was born in Wisconsin. She was raised with two younger brothers in a working class and racially mixed Seattle neighborhood, she said in an interview with The Comics Journal in 1989. TCJ writes: “Although she was known as the class cartoonist in grade school, not until she attended Evergreen State College in Washington did she start taking the cartooning side other drawing seriously. Focused on a degree in fine arts, she began drawing comic strips compulsively when her boyfriend left her for another girl: ‘I couldn’t sleep after that, and I started making comic strips about men and women. The men were cactuses and the women were women, and the cactuses were trying to convince the women to go to bed with them, and the women were constantly thinking it over but finally deciding it wouldn’t be a good idea.’ Her schoolmate Matt (‘Life In Hell’) Groening printed her strips, under the title ‘Ernie Pook’s Comeek,’ in the school paper.” Her father is of Irish and Norwegian ethnicity, and her mother of Irish and Filipino ancestry. Her parents divorced when she was 12. In accepting her award, Barry shared that she grew up “in a troubled house.” “I think I might be the first recipient who can say ‘Matigas ang ulo ni Lynda, naku po.’ That’s Tagalog…I grew up with people from the Philippines,” she said. One of the beautiful things about comics, she said, is she could get into the world of different characters, like Brenda Starr or Dick Tracy, and felt “loved” and “welcomed.” “Whatever may be missing in your own life you might be able to find it somewhere in comics. And that’s what happened to me,” she said. She thanked cartooning colleague “The Family Circus” creator Bil Keane for teaching her “how

Barry accepts her Reuben Award. The acclaimed cartoonist is also known as an editor, a writer, playwright, and teacher.

to really listen to how kids talk and how people talk.” She also expressed thanks to her professor at Evergreen State Marilyn Frasca, for teaching her “how to look at images and writing.” She thanked students at the University of WisconsinMadison where she is an Associate Professor of

THE FILAM |

Interdisciplinary Creativity. She said comics is now opening up to “other people, other worlds that people bring with them.” She held up a book of one of her students, KC Councilor, a transgender comics writer, and said that through comics “we can go into KC’s world and see what that world is like.” Barry is best known for her comic strip “Ernie Pook’s Comeek,” as well as several graphic novels such as “The Good Times are Killing Me,” “Cruddy,” and “One! Hundred! Demons!” In 2016, Barry was inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. She was honored in 2017 at the 71st annual Reuben Awards in Portland, Oregon where she received the National Cartoonists Society’s Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award, a prestigious honor that requires a unanimous vote from the Society’s Board of Directors. The Simpsons creator and Barry’s longtime friend Matt Groening presented her with the award. She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship as part of the Class of 2019. NCS President Jason Chatfield commented, “We’re so thrilled to be able to honor Lynda and her work in this way. She is a treasure, and we’re lucky to be able to enjoy her wit, wisdom and artistic talent. She is a great light in dark times.”

These FilAms are running for the U.S. Congress throughout the Central Valley of California. His wife, Kathleen Murphy, M.D. is an intensive-care pediatrician at Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, CA and at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. Together they have four children. With his background in engineering, finance, healthcare and community development, TJ knew he could make a positive difference in the lives of individuals and families of the 21st District. In 2018, he was motivated to run against the Republican incumbent David Valadao, a representative that voted with Donald Trump 99% of the time. On election night, the race was initially called for Mr. Valadao but TJ continued to persevere. Finally, by the first week of December and four weeks after the election, TJ Cox was declared the winner by 862 votes. The upcoming November 2020 election will be another competitive one. David Valadao is running to regain the seat and Republicans are pouring in millions of dollars into his campaign. Today, the race is listed as the only Democratic incumbent “toss-up” race in California.

former Vice President Al Gore), and Boston College Law School in 1973. He served in the Massachusetts National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. As a Democrat, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1977, Virginia State Senate in 1982 and finally to the U.S. Congress in 1992

||Rep. Robert C. ‘Bobby’ Scott The first representative in the U.S. Congress of Filipino ancestry is Rep. Robert C. 'Bobby' Scott of Virginia’s 3rd District. His grandfather, Valentino Cortez, was born in 1894 in Benguet province. He stowed away on a ship during the Spanish-American war. The American ship bound for the United States had a kind and generous captain. When the young stowaway was discovered, the ship was far from the Philippines to return the stowaway. Captain James E. Hamlin decided to adopt this adventurous, daring boy. Captain Hamlin with the young Filipino Valentino returned to Wake County, North Carolina where Val grew up and got a good education. He took the name of his adoptive father and became known as Valentin “Val” Cortez Hamlin. Val Hamlin became a pharmacist and married Amelia Roberts, an African American. They had two children, and one daughter Mae Hamlin, who graduated from Fisk University with a B.A and an M.A. in Education. She married Dr. Charles Waldo Scott, a general surgeon and civil rights activist, whose name is at the non-profit C. Waldo Scott Center for H.O.P.E. in Newport News, Virginia. They are the parents of Robert Cortez “Bobby” Scott, who was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1992. He was educated at Groton School, Harvard College (a classmate of

|| Terrance John Cox Representative Terrance John (TJ) Cox is the first ever Filipino American member of Congress from California. His mother, Perla DeCastro (now Davis), was born in Manila and attended the University of Santo Tomas before immigrating to the U.S. His father was Kenneth Cox, a European-Chinese immigrant, who immigrated to California before becoming a chemical engineering professor at the University of New Mexico. TJ was born in Walnut Creek, California and educated in New Mexico and Nevada. He graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno and later earned an MBA degree from Southern Methodist University. He is one of the few registered professional engineers in Congress. In 2011, he founded a community development enterprise that over the next 10 years invested over $130 million in projects, such as community health clinics, jobtraining facilities, social services campuses, and clean energy plants

Ortiz Jones with her mother Victorina Ortiz

THE FILAM |

||Gina Ortiz Jones

Gina Ortiz Jones is running for Congress in Texas’ 23rd District, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso, and includes more than 800 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. 4

Her mother Victorina Medenilla Ortiz is originally from Pangasinan and graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education. After teaching for several years in the Philippines, Victorina was presented with an opportunity to come to the U.S., and the opportunity was as a domestic helper. She jumped at it, because she knew even if she came to the U.S. in that capacity, and if she was willing to work hard, “the sky’s the limit.” Victorina raised Gina and her younger sister Christi by herself, while working multiple jobs, and at one point their family relied on programs like reduced lunch and subsidized housing to make ends meet. Like so many Filipino families, their family was guided by their faith, their commitment to one another, and hard work. Victorina would eventually return to teaching, and she’s been in the classroom for over 40 years. Gina graduated from John Jay High School in San Antonio where she earned a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend Boston University. After four years, she graduated with her B.A. and M.A. in Economics, and a B.A. in East Asian Studies. Gina served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed to Iraq. She later served in the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Executive Office of the President under Barack Obama. She stayed on when President Donald Trump was elected to see what good she could continue to do, but resigned when it became clear that the administration “was not interested in the public nor in service.” In 2018, Gina ran for the congressional seat in District 23 and came up just 926 votes short of winning, despite being massively outspent. If elected, she will be the first Filipina American ever to serve in Congress, as well as the first openly LGBTQ person and first female Iraq War veteran elected to represent Texas in Congress.

First-time voter Sophia Policarpio: Thrilled, independent, undecided By Cristina DC Pastor

There are two things that get Sophia Policarpio excited and anxious at the same time: Being an incoming freshman at Stony Brook University and a first-time voter in the November 3rd elections.

n turning 18, she registered to vote in her East Hills neighborhood in Long Island, thrilled at the thought of being a “legal-aged adult.” When told that first-time voters like her could potentially decide the results of the election she thought, “It’s very surreal.” “Now that I am able to vote, I feel I have a responsibility,” she said when interviewed by The FilAm by email, “to vote for a candidate I believe in.” The Pew Research Center groups 18- to 23-year-olds as Generation Z, a demographic projected to vote heavily Democratic (61 percent) over Republican (22 percent), according to a January 2020 study. “One-in-10 eligible voters in the 2020 electorate will be part of a new generation of Americans – Genera- ‘Issues that are important to me include the response to COVID-19 and the tion Z.” The issues that matter to them handling of racial tensions.’ are climate change and racial justice. Sophia is doing her due diligence, researching “Yes, I am aware of the prevalent issues in Amerthe candidates’ position on how to deal with race ican society today as they are broadcast all over and COVID-19. Like many young people, she is social media with many differing views,” she said. reading up on the issue of race as it intersects with She is not yet aligned with either political party, police violence. “Issues that are important to me and considers herself “undecided.” include the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, “I am an undecided, yet I will begin to form my and the handling of racial issues with respect to opinion by looking towards bipartisan sources that the wavering support for the police,” she said. “It remain neutral on such topics and delve into either is important to me to watch interviews and review side of the political spectrum,” she replied very partisan and nonpartisan sources.” thoughtfully. As one born in 2002, Sophia belongs to the Her mother, Mariliz Policarpio, a diagnostic post-9/11 population raised on social networks and radiologist, emphasizes the importance of educatdigital technology. She gets her information mostly ing one’s self on the issues and reading up on the from the Internet. background of each candidate. THE FILAM |

Mariliz Policarpio describes her elder daughter as a ‘sweet, caring girl’ who loves to eat Kamayan-style. “We (my husband and I) advise our daughters to not just follow their friends, their favorite celebrities, their teachers, relatives, or mainstream media. They need to do their own research,” she said. “They should always respect both parties. They should have open minds and listen to both sides of the arguments before coming to their decision.” Except for younger daughter Leila, who is still in high school, the Policarpios – Mariliz, husband Jason, and Sophia — will be voting in person. Mom describes Sophia as a “sweet, caring girl” who is prone to giggles. She plays bass guitar in a rock ‘n roll band, collects pandas, and likes posting nice photos on Instagram. She loves to eat Kamayan-style although her favorite dish is Salmon Sinigang. “It can be daunting for first-time voters to realize that they will finally have a say in the way things will turn out in our country,” Mariliz said. “Sophia knows where her family stands on the political spectrum and we hope she feels the same way, but on November 3rd, the decision will be hers alone in the voting booth.”

Emilia David carves her own space as a business journalist If you ask a young Emilia David what she would be doing by the time she was 30, she would have probably said a ballet dancer. But that didn’t end up her path instead, she followed in the footsteps of great women in her family, she became a journalist.

milia, 34, is a freelance reporter who focuses on finance and technology. For the past month, she’s been an editor for a popular cryptocurrency publication. She’s been writing about business and the economy for about a decade now. Emilia is the latest in a long line of journalists in her family. It began with her grandfather who, even as a lawyer and an educator, wrote articles for local newspapers in the Philippines. But her biggest journalism role models are the women in her family. Her mother is Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Rina Jimenez-David and her aunt was PDI’s late editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc. Other family members also entered the “family business” with other cousins writing for the newspaper at various times. “I can’t say I had it easy, in fact, I had to work harder to prove I’m my own person,” she said. “I had to be a strong, aggressive reporter because it doesn’t help that the public figures I interviewed knew my family. They all know that I was born during the EDSA People Power revolution because my mother wrote about it in the newspaper and the entire country read it. I really had to carve a niche for myself so people approach me as me and not as someone else’s daughter.” The niche she chose was business reporting. Emilia began as a reporter for BusinessWorld in Manila where she stayed for five years covering everything from trade disputes at the World Trade Organization to renewable energy tariffs. During this time, she was reporting on the layoffs of workers in Philippine Economic Zones that were blamed on the 2008 Financial Crisis. She said this was the moment she saw how important business reporting is and why this is the field she must focus on. Knowing she needed to expand her horizons, Emilia set her sights on New York, the epicenter of global business. She was accepted to the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, now the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, and there honed her skills not just in reporting but also learned to edit videos, audio shows and mastering data-driven journalism. It also allowed Emilia the chance to explore other topics to report on. She was able to write about housing lotteries and the affordable housing crisis in New York and figure out how small businesses survive in an ever-changing city.

After graduating from CUNY, Emilia pursued specialized beats within the business sector. A more niche niche if you will. She went into commodities reporting where she covered the steel market and also wrote about titanium. Today, she covers financial technology specifically for banks and asset managers where she gets to learn and write about emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data. Things she says everyone loves to talk about but don’t understand. “What I love about my job is I get to meld really cool things like artificial intelligence and machine learning with something nerdy like finance,” she said. “It’s honestly fun to talk about it in parties because people don’t really know that their bank is using machine learning to better invest their money. It also gets a little scary when you realize in the middle of writing a story on consumer data that you’ve given up a lot of your personal information to companies, but at least it keeps me careful!” Despite being away from her support group of friends and family, Emilia has managed to build a community in New York, one that includes fellow journalists. For someone who grew up in the presence of other journalists, this is a great comfort. She lives with two other Filipina journalists and the in-built sounding board has been a help. She added her roommates are her gauge for what other non-business people are interested in knowing. If there’s something in the news that they didn’t know about, she knows this is something to chase. Like that time she realized not everyone knew stocks are traded electronically now without a need for a trading floor because her roommates had not known about it. She may not have envisioned her path as a journalist when she was younger but Emilia believes this is the journey that she should stay on. Something that her role models, her family, helps remind her of. “I’m interested in so many things but when I think about society, my first thought tends to be, what would this mean for the everyday person’s wallet? That’s what’s most important to me. I see my parents grow older, and my mom cut back on her daily columns, and I think to myself, what is happening in the world right now that can hurt their retirement and how can I explain that to people? That’s really what I’m passionate about,” she said. THE FILAM |

‘When I think about society, my first thought is… what would this mean for the everyday person’s wallet?’

With mom, Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Rina Jimenez-David. The late editor-in-chief Letty JimenezMagsanoc is her aunt.

Jasmine Ting: The ‘probinsyana’ has come a long way New York City was but a pipe dream for someone who was raised in the small, northern Philippine city of Tuguegarao.

asmine Arielle Ting never imagined she’d end up thousands of miles away from her hometown, nor did she ever think she’d be working as a features journalist in the Big Apple at 24. She began as a young writer competing in local school competitions, and today she’s published in major publications such as Teen Vogue, Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, New York Magazine (Grub Street), and more. “It’s all still very unreal, to be honest. It’s been a dream.” Jasmine puts her multimedia skills to use she told The FilAm. for NYU Journalism’s weekly news show. “Of course, my life is far from the glamorous Carrie Bradshaw fantasy,” she laughs, referring to the popular Sex She acknowledged her parents and the City character — a columnist played a huge part. “They’ve always with a designer shoe collection, and a been supportive of my life as a one-bedroom in the West Village. “I creative, even though they didn’t…still can’t afford to have cocktails and brunch don’t completely understand what I every single day with my girlfriends. do,” she said. That’s just not realistic,” she said. Randolph and Nancy Ting, she “Making it as a journalist here in New explained, are engaged in the rice and York takes a lot of hustle, ambition, and grains trading business. “Like many confidence. I didn’t really think I had Asian parents, they wanted me to any of that until I moved here.” become a doctor or a lawyer, but never To be fair, Jasmine seems to have forced it. They never dissuaded me always had drive without realizing it. from following my own path. It still She made sure never to drop the school surprises me that the uncertainty in paper as an extracurricular activity my profession never fazed them.” She has written for Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, and New York Magazine. ‘It’s been a throughout grade school, high school, “I think the turning point when I dream.’ Photo by Ruben Chamorro and up until her college days. She also realized I had a talent for this was began taking magazine internships when my mom encouraged me to join a the summer before her junior year as a literature passion for video journalism. This led her to a video Harry Potter writing competition posted in The major in Ateneo de Manila University, though it internship with long-standing gourmet food, wine, Philippine Daily Inquirer.” She shared, “I wrote wasn’t required by her course of study. and travel magazine Saveur. This eventually turned about my favorite character, Hermione Granger. After interning for luxury men’s magazine into a part-time job as their Video Production I didn’t really expect anything to come from it. Rogue in the Philippines, writing for popular teen Assistant. While pitching, shooting, and editing To this day, my family has my piece from the glossy Candy, and then interning at national food videos for the magazine’s online channels, she also newspaper framed in my childhood home.” blog Pepper.ph, Jasmine wound up becoming the wrote articles for Vanity Fair, Teen Vogue, and Though she’s come a long way, Jasmine doesn’t editorial assistant for Pepper upon graduating. became the weekend editor for PAPER Magazine. forget where she came from. “Yes, I’ve met and She then went on to pursuing a master’s degree in She has interviewed personalities the likes of Rachel interviewed celebrities, gone to a couple of fancy journalism at New York University. Brosnahan (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Kevin Kwan events — those are exciting and all… but, at the end At NYU, the young journalist honed not only (Crazy Rich Asians) and celebrity hairdresser of the day, I’m still the probinsyana (province girl) her writing and reporting skills, but also found a Jonathan Van Ness. I’ve always been,” she said. THE FILAM |

Solicitor General Noel Francisco steps down, returns to private practice

olicitor General Noel Francisco has stepped down from the Department of Justice on July 3 and has returned to private practice at his old law

office. The first Asian American to be confirmed by the Senate as solicitor general said representing the United States before the Supreme Court is “one of the greatest jobs in the law.” “It has been the honor of my professional career to serve as the Solicitor General of the United States,” he said in a press statement. Under Francisco’s leadership, according to a press release from the Department of Justice (DoJ), the U.S. “consistently and successfully advocated in support of our nation’s core Constitutional principles including religious liberty, separation of powers, first amendment freedoms and enforcement of immigration laws.” He argued before the Supreme Court 17 times, including the following: • Trump v. Hawaii: upholding the President’s restrictions on travel from countries that present national-security risks. • Janus v. AFSCME: holding that the First Amendment prohibits requiring public employees who decline to join a union to pay union dues (overruling a 1977 decision, Abood v. Detroit Bd. of Education). • Kisor v. Wilkie: significantly limiting judicial deference to agency interpretations of their own regulations while retaining such deference in core applications. • Knick v. Township of Scott: allowing property owners to bring claims for government takings in federal court without first suing in state court (overruling a 1985 decision, Williamson County Regional Planning Comm’n v. Hamilton Bank). • Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Comm’n: concluding that Colorado violated the Free Exercise Clause in enforcing its antidiscrimination law against a baker who declined on religious grounds to create a custom cake for a same-sex wedding.

Attorney General William Barr calls him ‘a respected leader’ and a ‘good friend.’ Photo: Justice.gov

Francisco met with then Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano (left) in 2017 in Washington D.C. Both officials are born to American mothers and Filipino fathers. In overseeing federal litigation, says the statement, the government obtained relief from the Supreme Court on major immigration initiatives, including the travel proclamation, restrictions on asylum abuses, allocation of funds to build a border wall, and revisions to the definition of a public charge. “Solicitor General Noel Francisco has represented the United States superbly before the Supreme Court for the past three terms,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Arguing before the Court 17 times on behalf of the federal government, he has been a principled THE FILAM |

and persuasive advocate on issues ranging from the separation of powers to religious liberty to vigorous enforcement of federal immigration law. His skilled advocacy has been instrumental to historic victories on behalf of the President’s national security authority, the free speech rights of public employees, and property owners’ access to federal courts, among many other significant accomplishments. Away from the courtroom, he has been a steady and respected leader for the Office of the Solicitor General, a wise counselor to me and others in the Executive Branch, 9

and a good friend. I am grateful for his tireless service to his country and the Department of Justice, and I wish him well in his future endeavors.” Since his appointment in 2017, Francisco has represented the United States before the nation’s highest court in more than 150 merit cases. Francisco was raised in Upstate New York by an American mother, Therese, and a Filipino father, Nemesio, in the city of Oswego whose Asian population counted a little more than 1 percent, according to the 2015 U.S. Census. In this tiny, waterfront town, he attended the Oswego High School where he graduated in 1987. He has a brother, David. He received his B.A. with honors in 1991 from the University of Chicago, his law degree — also with high honors — from the University of Chicago Law School in 1996. He served as a law clerk first for Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and later for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Francisco was a partner in the Washington D.C. law firm Jones Day before he joined the Trump Administration. In announcing the return of Francisco, the global law firm said, “Noel will be of critical help to our clients as a strong and creative advocate and as a trusted and thoughtful advisor. He will also be a great leader in our Firm and more broadly in the profession."

COVER STORY

Commissioner Carmelyn P. Malalis on the ‘unconscionable’ discrimination facing Asian Americans

armelyn P. Malalis remembers witnessing a woman being harassed by two male passengers inside a New York City subway car. Others nearby wanted to help but didn’t know what to do that would be safe. A young lawyer at the time, Malalis did what she thought she ought to “out of sheer instinct.” She broke into song. “I began singing ‘You are my Sunshine’,” she recalled with a tinge of amusement when interviewed on a recent episode of Makilala TV. “Very loudly.” The harassment stopped, as did everything else in the train car as attention turned to the woman belting out a song. Malalis thought her act helped “interrupt” the situation. “Interrupting” is a powerful form of intervention in bias incidents as society sees rising incidents of anti-Asian sentiment, where Asians and Asian Americans are being discriminated against, yelled at, and wrongfully blamed for the spread of COVID-19. Although the incident happened long before she became Chair and Commissioner of the NYC Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), the harassment she witnessed on the train that day could be just as frightful as what some Asians and Asian Americans are experiencing right now. Referring to the incident she said. “I was watching in horror as this was happening.”

At her Manhattan office. The FilAm photo; A relaxing weekend in Brooklyn. ‘Faith and family are important.’ Photo by Alicia McCauley

||Bias crimes Incidents of anti-Asian discrimination are increasing at alarming rates around the United States, and Malalis is paying close attention to how this is playing out in NYC. Since February of 2020, incidents of bias and harassment toward Asian people have skyrocketed. The New York City Commission on Human RightsCCHR cited over 475 COVID- related discrimination reports from February to July of 2020. Of that number, 167 are incidents of anti-Asian discrimination in housing, public places, on the street, and on mass transit. For the same period last year, the number was 22. At a time when the entire US population is dealing with a public health crisis, said Malalis, Asian Americans are “burdened with the additional fears” of being attacked. “It’s unconscionable.”

The family marches at the 2019 Gay Pride parade. At the time, her daughters were 6 and 9 years old. THE FILAM |

She is urging Asians and Asian Americans, including Filipinos, who have been targeted to file a complaint, and gave the number that connects directly to her office: 212-416-0197. She stressed the importance of reporting even if the incident has passed and some details may seem fuzzy. There are people, she said, who still do not believe that anti-Asian American racism exists, and it is important to educate them on the frequency with which it occurs, so documentation becomes “very important.” What CCHR can do, she said, is to refer incidents for investigation that could lead to charges being filed, recommend monetary damages for victims of certain cases, and engage the local community to educate the public on protections available to them.

|| A fact of life Fighting for human rights is a fact of life for Malalis. As a woman of color, a child of immigrants, a Catholic, and a queer lawyer, she belongs to multiple communities and has been exposed to varying instances of harassment and discrimination. She has herself experienced some of it. Malalis was born in Carteret, New Jersey to Filipino parents. She and an older sister grew up in a neighborhood with lots of Irish, Italian, and Polish Catholics. Her father, a chemical engineer, and her mother, a doctor, came to the U.S. in the late 1960s, a generation then known as the “Asian Brain Drain.” “There was some shortage of doctors and engineers at the time, when all these professionals in the sciences, whether they’re from the Philippines or other Asian countries, came to the States. Growing up I remember in college talking to Filipinos and other Asian Americans and how our parents were part of that pathway,” she recalled in an interview with The FilAm. She went to a Catholic school in Carteret from kindergarten to middle school. For high school, she attended a private school in Edison, a nearby town.

In 2001, she earned her law degree from the Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, after her undergraduate degree in Women’s Studies from Yale University.

||Coming out at 16 Telling her parents she was queer was a moment she remembers very well. “I came out to my parents when I was 16.” “If you look back to what kind of year that was,” she paused briefly, “it’s a different time now than it was then for a child of 16 coming out.” She has always relied on family and her faith to get through how society has stigmatized lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex communities as being “different.” She remains, she said, steadfast in her devotion to the Virgin Mary, specifically to Our Lady of Fatima. In fact, her family continues to honor the tradition of passing the blue-and-white robed Fatima statue from one Filipino household to another. “I’ve often talked about the complexities of being Catholic and also being a lesbian, as folks have wondered, how does that work?” She said religion has made her into a well-grounded person and her spirituality led her to embrace human rights. “My parents stressed that helping the most vulnerable people in communities was central to our faith.” “I often credit my parents’ deep love for me as a reason I can believe in the enduring power of love to change hearts and minds. Something I do associate

With parents Conrado M. Malalis from Manila, and Dr. Carmelita P. Malalis from Tarlac province. with being Filipino and being Catholic, though it’s not exclusive to Filipinos or Catholics of course, is their enduring love for me as their child. When I was child, my parents grounded our faith in love and helping other people who are less fortunate. For example, as my life exposed them to a different model of family, I don’t think that they had any experience to base their reactions to it or talk about it. It was really challenging

for them, but we’ve worked through it and they let their love for me lead the way,” she said. She and her spouse, a financial services executive of Ethiopian descent, are raising two biracial daughters ages 10 and 7. Both Malalis and her wife hope to raise their daughters with an “enduring sense of self-esteem and confidence.” Malalis was appointed to the New York City Commission on Human Rights by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014. She brings more than a decade of experience, from her clerkship for Judge Ronald Ellis of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, as an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and as a partner at Outten & Golden LLP, where she represented employees in negotiations and litigations involving claims of sexual harassment, and discrimination based on race, gender identity, age, disability, and religion. She co-founded and co-chaired the firm’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Workplace Rights Practice Group and co-chaired its Disability and Family Responsibilities Discrimination Practice Group. She believes her mandate as the Chair and Commissioner of the NYC Commission on Human Rights is more important now that it has ever been. She said, “Right now, where there has been an uptick of discrimination and harassment, I’m in a position to address it, to speak about it, to let fellow Asian Americans know we see them and we’re standing with them, and we are working to combat it.”

UK borough in grief over the death of Filipina mayor

he borough of Hertsmere in the United Kingdom extended its “sincerest condolences” on the death of the mayor, Councillor Cynthia Barker. The Philippine-born Barker was appointed to the position in June this year, having served as deputy mayor last year. “Our elected members and staff are deeply saddened by the death of the serving Mayor of Hertsmere, Councillor Cynthia Barker, following a period of illness,” says a statement on the borough website. “Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this extremely sad and difficult time, and we send them our sincerest condolences.” Barker was recently featured in The August issue of The FilAm. She shared her story of how she joined her mother, then working as a carer in the UK, and became involved with charity work in her community until she was noticed by the Conservative Party and asked to run for a political office.

According to the article: “The Conservative Party wanted precisely a woman who was not in politics and a member of a minority group to demonstrate their inclusivity. She was the perfect candidate. To everyone’s surprise, most of all to Barker, she won handily in both towns and thus became the first female Philippine-born councillor simultaneously in the towns of Borehamwood and Potters Bar in the district borough of Hertsmere. That was the really significant victory. “She said, ‘My mother’s sacrifices gave me the inspiration and drive to pursue my aspirations. I must also acknowledge my father’s sacrifices as he was just as lost as we children were when my mother went abroad to support the family…My mother’s traits, compassion and the willingness to help was instilled in me. I didn’t realize the light I had inside of me was from my mother who worked as nanny/housekeeper in a foreign land when it was not fashionable to do so. And how successful she was in THE FILAM |

her journey specially in inspiring me and my siblings. From her journey, I was energized by people around me, our Filipino community and our local British community who believed in me and helped made me who I am now. They inspired me to integrate into the British community while proudly preserving my own heritage.” “I knew Cynthia as both a colleague and friend. Nothing was ever too much for her. She thrived at being a local councillor, always wanting to help residents with their issues. She left a lasting impression on the council and Borehamwood,” said Leader of the Council, Cllr Morris Bright MBE as quoted in the borough website. “We are all struggling to take in the sad news at the moment but I am sure we will all remember Cynthia as a kind, wonderful person who was a hardworking community representative.” Cllr Jeremy Newmark, Leader of the Labour group, said: “It was a privilege to have known and worked with Cynthia. She was a trailblazer and role model for women and minorities 11

Councillor Cynthia Barker became Mayor of Hertsmere in June: ‘Approachable and down to earth.’ in local government. Cynthia was kind and supportive to me personally when I was first elected as a councillor, despite being on opposite sides of the political divide. She brought grace and dignity to the office of Mayor but was always approachable and down to earth, particularly when engaging with children and young people.”

8 destinations to view fall foliage ||New Paltz, New York

An 80-mile drive north from New York City gets you into the Hudson Valley's Shawangunk Mountains (just call them the Gunks) and the village of New Paltz, with its preserved 17th century homes, farm-to-table eateries and all-around inviting ambience. The area is most famous for being home to the Mohonk Mountain House, a resort that sprawls like a Victorian castle above Mohonk Lake, with direct access to the hiking and biking trails in the beautiful 8,000-acre Mohonk Preserve. Visit in early to mid-October for gasp-inducing views of the changing red and sugar maple, white ash and yellow birch trees.

||Sevierville, Tennessee For a fall foliage vacation at the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park that's a bit less crowded than nearby Gatlinburg, Dolly Parton's hometown of Sevierville is hard to beat. Take a self-guided driving safari through the riotously colored scenery by following the Douglas Lake Fall Driving Tour: It'll take you down country roads for Smoky Mountain vistas and panoramic lookouts over the lake. From mid-October to mid-November are when leaves are at their peak.

||Marquette, Michigan Vibrant red maple leaves and thick forests of birch, beech and more blanket Michigan's Upper Peninsula every autumn. On the southern shore of chilly Lake Superior, Marquette, home of Northern Michigan University (about six hours from both Detroit and Chicago), has cool coffee shops, breweries and hiking trails all around. It's also an idyllic base for exploring the scenic sandstone cliffs of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in nearby Munising. The lakeshore is particularly gorgeous in fall, when the trees atop them appear to be aflame.

||Black Mountain, North Carolina

About 15 miles from downtown Asheville and the historic Biltmore Estate, quaint Black Mountain has a welcoming central square where you

Middleburg, Virginia can sit and relax in rocking chairs (its motto is “the little town that rocks") or visit the many galleries and cafés that spotlight the talent and tastes of southern Appalachia. In fall, especially from mid- to late October, the area is awash in color, so you'll want to stay outdoors: Lake Tomahawk is a favorite picnic spot, and you have lots of choices when it comes to hiking, biking and birding trails. They include the Point Lookout Trail, a paved path that winds for just over 3 miles through Pisgah National Forest.

||McCall, Idaho By mid-September, the fall colors are usually in full display along Payette Lake in the gorgeous lakeside town of McCall, Idaho, about two hours north of Boise. Spend your days strolling the paved wildlife trails within Ponderosa State Park, on a peninsula in the lake, where you may spot deer. In town, the Shore Lodge has a smack-dab setting on the lake, with views from rooms with a private balcony. A visit to nearby Burgdorf Hot Springs, where natural mineral waters THE FILAM |

bubble up in rustic pools originally built by miners in the 1800s, is a must.

||Carbondale, Colorado Late September is perfect timing to be in this friendly and exceptionally livable town in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley. About three hours west of Denver, Carbondale is home to independent restaurants, art galleries and a mile-long linear park you can stroll called the Rio Grande ARTway. And if you've never seen autumn sunlight flickering through the delicate leaves of golden aspens, you're in for a treat. One of the prettiest fall drives takes you south from Carbondale along a portion of the West Elk Loop Scenic Byway (Highway 133), where you can detour in tiny Redstone for ice cream at the general store in the historic district.

||Hermann, Missouri About 1.5 hours (80 miles) west of St. Louis, the small town of Hermann — settled by German immigrants in 1837 — looks like it came straight from a storybook, with a historic 12

district full of brick buildings and a placid waterfront setting along the Missouri River. You'll find distilleries and breweries, as well as six wineries along the Hermann Wine Trail, which glows with autumn colors come fall (mid-October is peak foliage time), as it follows the Missouri River for 20 miles between Hermann and New Haven. There are also many options for scenic walks, including the Daniel Boone Conservation Area, about 15 minutes from town.

||Middleburg, Virginia At the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and less than an hour from busy Washington, D.C., the tiny town of Middleburg is at the heart of Virginia horse and hunt country — an idyllic area for enjoying the mid-Atlantic's fiery foliage. Drive along country roads and visit bucolic vineyards for wine tastings. Stroll the trails at the 34-acre Salamander Resort & Spa (you don't need to stay at the luxury spot to explore its grounds) or Whitney State Forest in nearby Warrenton. -- AARP

AMBOY: Irreverent chef’s book of modern Filipino cuisine

lvin Cailan’s “AMBOY: Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream” is the debut collection of modern Filipino cuisine from one of America’s most dynamic and innovative chefs and restaurateurs, with interviews from writer and documentarian, Alexandra Cuerdo. Known to diners in Los Angeles and beyond for his unforgettable approach to pushing the limits of traditional Filipino cuisine, Calian has been recognized by everyone from The New York Times to Food and Wine as one of the most inventive authorities on Filipino cooking. His dishes—and the food philosophy featured at his restaurants, Eggslut, Amboy, and Unit 120—are offered for the first time in a cookbook. He first grabbed attention with his food truck concept, EGGSLUT, a cult favorite that specialized in affordable egg sandwiches in Los Angeles and gave late-night passersby whiplash with their outstanding 3 a.m. egg-maneuvers like the wagyu-egg-chimichurri hat trick and in-your-face messaging. While it took him a long time to find his path, Cailan began his career with a pedigree comparable to many fine dining chefs: a classical French culinary education at Oregon Culinary Institute, followed by stints at some of the West Coast’s finest restaurants: Castagna, Olympic Provisions, and French Laundry. His story of success, however, is an unlikely one. The son of immigrant parents raised in East L.A., he emerged feeling like he wasn’t Filipino enough to an American, thus “amboy,” the term for a Filipino raised in America. AMBOY is part autobiography, part cookbook, and the 100 recipes showcases Cailan’s creativity in the kitchen. He seamlessly combines his classical training with unmistakable and exciting Filipino flavor profiles, including foods he grew up eating, favorites from his restaurants, and inspirations from a wide swathe of cuisine infused with his irreverent personality and featuring lively stories. As he writes, “Amboy describes my cuisine, my lifestyle. It’s how I cook. It’s how I talk.” The vast majority of the dishes are accessible and completely replicable at home. The 13 chapters are organized by the people and places associated with the food. Each tells a story, often funny and always candid, about Cailan’s life and interspersed throughout are short Q&As. Highlights Includes: MOM AND DAD “Daddy Kitchen:” The dishes he watched his dad make and was raised on: Lugaw, a porridgey rice similar to Chinese congee described as “a bowl of happiness;” Champorado, the dessert-for-breakfast dish; Sinigang (Mom’s favorite), the tamarind-soured, vegetable-packed soup; Arroz Caldo, a soul-warming chicken, ginger, and rice stew; Adobo,

Seth Rogen says of Cailan: ‘He’s a wonderful person whose love of food shines through in every bite.’

Grilled Chicken with Annatto THE FILAM |

braised chicken in vinegar and soy sauce, as well as a no fail instructions for Jasmine rice. LOLA: Alvin’s great-grandmother and one of his first kitchen heroes. The dishes in this section are the epitome of Lola’s cooking—decidedly unfancy, from the heart, and for the soul. Ginataang Bilo-Bilo (Rice Balls in Coconut Milk); Pan de Sal (Sweet Rolls) “the ultimate sandwich bread”; Pancit Bihon (Noodles with Vegetables); Cheeseburger Lumpia, a recipe that taught him to think outside the box. AUNTIE CITA: Babysitter, wok master, and cooking mentor. Cailan learned how to food prep from her and she cemented his love and pride for Filipino food. Here you’ll find classics: Lechon Kawali, (Crispy, Tender, Deep-Fried Pork Belly); Sinigang and Adobo, amplified, but her true specialty, desserts all made by hand; Bibingka (Coconut-Rice Cake), an explosion of flavor and texture, and Latik (Caramelized Coconut Milk), Filipino desert syrup. THE RISE OF EGGSLUT: The egg sandwich phenomenon that captured LA’s food scene. The dishes here are OG Eggslut and showcases its in-your-face attitude: a bacon-and-egg banh mi, titled The Bone Mi; the classic brunch dish and very, very French renamed, The Madame; and The Bacon-Leek Tart, a really fluffy, eggy custard with caramelized leeks and bacons. UNIT 120: The culinary incubator and ground zero for the renaissance of Filipino food in L.A., this chapter features recipes like Amboy Chicken Inasal (Grilled chicken with Annatto) a favorite street food; Grilled Pompano, full of great oily, fishy flavors; Kare-Kare Lentils (Peanut Butter Curry Lentils); Filipino flavors without the bypass surgery; Carb Fat Sauce, described as “nirvana” for warm fluffy rice and juicy chicken. THE MAJOR LEAGUES: Cailan recalls the high and lows of success, and the dishes that kept diners lining up for hours, and what set him apart from everyone: The Slut, a coddled egg on top of potato puree, and Bulalo Ramen, his love letter to Japanese ramen culture and, until now, only staff and loved ones got to enjoy. AMBOY: The dishes once served at his Filipino restaurant in Nolita neighborhood in New York City, like the Slow-Cooked Crispy Pata (Fried Pork Knuckle), a complex dish that requires many days; Fish Sarsiado Shakshuka-Style, extremely Filipino and Amboy cuisine at its finest; Bone Marrow Fried Rice, it’s fatty, rich, and instantly badass; and Kinilaw (Vinegar-Cured Fish), a cousin of ceviche. Filled with 125 full-color photos, master recipes for stocks and French sauces, illustrations and instructions for laying a brick firepit for a pig roast and assembling a coconut grater, and sidebars highlighting a particular ingredient or tips on how to roast bell peppers or mince garlic.

N.J. billionaires reap record profits while millions lose jobs: report On Thursday August 20th, a new report, “Pandemic Profiteers: New Jersey’s Corporations and Wealthiest Individuals Reap Billions While Local Communities Suffer,” was released by the organizations called For the Many Coalition, and Americans for Tax Fairness.

he report analyzes wealth accumulation and profits generated by New Jersey's wealthiest residents and corporations headquartered or doing business in the Garden State and finds a surge in wealth during the pandemic by New Jersey's wealthiest. At the same time, New Jersey is facing unprecedented economic and public health crises as a result of COVID-19. By some estimates, it will take at least $2.8 billion in 2020 and $7.3 billion in 2021 to fill New Jersey’s general fund revenue gap. If these budget gaps aren’t filled, New Jersey residents can expect a spike in public sector unemployment in addition to deep cuts to essential public services like public schools, healthcare, and housing. On the date of the report release, workers, renters and essential workers and their families rallied at the offices of Freedom Mortgage, a "pandemic profiteer": a corporation which reported record earnings in the second quarter of 2020, while also having a long history of violations, including reportedly marketing misleading mortgages to veterans. The protestors call for an end to tax breaks for the wealthiest New Jerseyans and for the state to continue the corporate business tax surcharge. A livestream is available at

New Jersey’s wealthiest. Source: Forbes Real Time Billionaires data analyzed by Americans for Tax Fairness and Institute for Policy Studies. the For the Many NJ Facebook page. The report finds that New Jersey's six billionaires' net worth skyrocketed during the pandemic. The combined net worth of New Jersey's billionaires jumped $1.77 billion from mid-March to early August 2020. Still, wealthier New Jerseyans pay less taxes than the middle class. The report also identified key corporations based in or doing business in New Jersey that have reported increased profits, including Amazon, Walmart, Freedom Mortgages, NRG Energy, Campbell Soup, PSEG, American Water Works. The report recommends increasing taxes on New Jersey's wealthiest households and maintaining the 2.5 percent corporate tax surcharge on successful corporations doing business in New Jersey. "The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the deep inequities that exist

THE FILAM |

in our society," said Louis Di Paolo, Communications Director for New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). "While far too many families struggle to pay rent and put food on the table, a small privileged few are amassing record wealth and profits. To build an economy that works for the many, New Jersey must reform its tax code so the wealthiest among us — including pandemic profiteers — pay their fair share." "I lost my job during the pandemic and have not been able to access a penny in aid. I pay my taxes, work hard to support my family, but because of my immigration status, I'm left behind by aid. Corporations like Amazon are reaping record profits and pay less in taxes than me. That's just unfair. If New Jersey is going to survive the pandemic, we must cut tax breaks for the wealthy and well connected to fund key programs for families like mine," said Linda Fernandez of Make the

Road New Jersey, who joined the protest. “At New Jersey Citizen Action we work every day with homeowners who struggle to pay their mortgages and keep their houses as the pandemic rages on; our state could face 300,000 evictions in the coming months,” said Maura Collinsgru, of New Jersey Citizen Action’s Advocacy Team. “It’s unconscionable that companies who have helped precipitate our eviction crises— both past and present—should be profiting during the pandemic. They should not only be held accountable but made to pay their fair of taxes to put New Jersey on the road to economic recovery. For the sake of New Jerseyans hit hardest by the pandemic we urge our elected leaders to tax those who have benefited most during this crisis, the ultra-rich and the most profitable of corporations.” -- For the Many Coalition; Americans for Tax Fairness

Liu Yifei is Hua Mulan, the village girl who becomes a seasoned warrior.

Actor Tzi Ma as Mulan’s father Hua Zhou.

Mulan, a forgettable screen hero By Wendell Gaa

As the latest live-action adaptation of a classic animated Disney film, I found “Mulan” to be one of the least successful movies in this format when compared with the blockbuster hits of recent years “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin.”

ike 2019’s “The Lion King,” which was a financial hit worldwide but was otherwise a big letdown for me, this version of “Mulan” is devoid of emotional investment and proper character depth and progression. For those familiar with the 1998 animated classic, this film tells the story of a young girl named Hua Mulan living with her family in rural ancient China. Her adventurous spirit runs contrary to her village’s tradition of rearing all girls to eventually grow to become family homemakers. Mulan despises her predestined role to bring honor to her family by just meeting up with a matchmaker. It just so happens though that opportunity for bigger things in life come her way by the most unexpected of circumstances, when the remote northwestern regions of China are invaded by a horde of Rouran warriors led by the ruthless warlord

Bori Khan, who threatens to take over the Chinese imperial city and kill the Emperor. The Emperor of China issues a decree for one man in every family in the country to conscript themselves into the imperial army for defense against the Rourans. As the royal recruiting soldiers arrive in Mulan’s village, her father who is a war veteran willingly drafts himself into the army being that there are no boys in their family. Mulan however is very much aware of her father’s inability to survive battle due to his weakened elderly condition. Daring to defy her family’s wishes, as well as cultural tradition, Mulan secretly takes her father’s sword and arms and rides off from her village to bring honor to her family and country by joining the Emperor’s army under the guise of being a man. I did not mind so much that this live action version of “Mulan” does not have the musical song numbers like its animated forerunner did, which was enriched by our own Lea Salonga. There are elements to enjoy here, most notably the period designs and beautiful location backdrop (the film was shot in both China and New Zealand). If you can get past the obvious silly fact that everyone speaks English in what is supposed to be ancient China, the

THE FILAM |

atmosphere and appearance of that era is otherwise captured quite remarkably through the colorful costumes and imperial architecture. Watching the courtyard scenes of the imperial palace personally brought back great memories of my visit to the Forbidden City in Beijing, China back when my father Ambassador Willy C. Gaa served as Philippine envoy there. I also very much enjoyed the onscreen action stunts in the film’s battle sequences which were well choreographed. It is little wonder that martial arts legend Jet Li was cast as the Emperor here, albeit he is nearly unrecognizable, along with fellow martial arts star actors Donnie Yen as the commander of the imperial army, and Jason Scott Lee who is also barely recognizable as the warlord Bori Khan. We may remember Jason who portrayed the godfather of martial arts heroes Bruce Lee in 1993’s “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.” Despite such star power, the film unfortunately lacks solid and stirring character development. Up-and-coming Chinese actress Liu Yifei performs exceptionally well as the title hero and she proves that she is capable to the physical demands of the role. But the screen writers don’t provide her a powerful evolutionary trajectory towards the growth of her

character from a village girl to a seasoned warrior. It is sadly for this reason that I didn’t find her to be particularly memorable as a screen hero. The rest of the supporting characters in her army are rather bland and forgettable, and I didn’t feel much chemistry going on between Mulan and her fellow soldiers, which was supposed to have been a standout feature in the film. The best dramatic performance here is definitely given by Tzi Ma as Mulan’s father Hua Zhou, despite his screen time being minimal. Perhaps best known to modern TV audiences as the villainous Chinese intelligence operative Cheng Zhi in the 2000s Emmy-winning action-thriller series “24” opposite Kiefer Sutherland, Tzi Ma exudes a reassuring paternal presence in his scenes with Liu Yifei, and I wish there could have been a more moments shared between the two of them in the film. While I did appreciate the movie’s efforts to underscore the role of women in strong leadership positions, I just didn’t find the lead character to be as noteworthy as she potentially could have been. I am faithful that Hollywood will soon produce a landmark superhero film which would be the Asian version of “Black Panther.” Unfortunately, “Mulan” isn’t the one.

Asian Americans to vote 54% for Biden, 30% for Trump: poll Almost half of Vietnamese Americans will vote to re-elect President Donald Trump Nov. 3, while two-thirds of Indian Americans will vote for the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket, reports AAPI Data in new survey results released Sept. 15.

verall, 54 percent of Asian Americans will vote for the BidenHarris ticket, while 30 percent will vote for Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Surprisingly 15 percent were undecided at the time of polling. Similar data held for House and Senate races: 53 percent of AAPIs will vote for Democrats in House races, while 46 percent will vote Democrat in Senate races. Some 44 percent of Chinese Americans said they did not know who they would vote for in Senate races. AAPI Data surveyed 1,569 registered voters across the nation, including 610 in California. The survey was conducted online and by telephone From July 15 to Sept. 9, with interviews conducted in English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese. The population surveyed included 306 Chinese Americans, 263 Filipino Americans, 264 Vietnamese Americans, 250 Indian Americans and Korean Americans, and 226 Japanese Americans. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing electorate in the U.S., doubling over the past decade, according to the Pew Research Center. More than 11 million are eligible to vote this year, about 5 percent of the overall voting population. The majority of Chinese Americans identify as Independents, while the majority of Vietnamese are registered Republicans. Indians, Japanese, Koreans, and Filipinos largely identify as Democrats. John Yang, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said during a press briefing that Asian Americans have made a seismic shift in party affiliations since 1992, when most of the community voted for incumbent President George H.W. Bush, who was defeated by his Democratic opponent Bill Clinton. There is a high level of enthusiasm for voting this fall: 54 percent of Asian Americans responding to the survey said they were more excited this year than previous years. Voter enthusiasm was highest among Filipino Americans and Indian Americans. More than a quarter of Chinese Americans sur-

Former Vice President Joe Biden; President Trump veyed said they were less enthusiastic this year. Karthich Ramakrishnan, founder and director of AAPI Data, said during the briefing that Asian Americans will play a critical role in the presidential race in the states of Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. They will also play a pivotal role in Congressional races in Southern California, Texas, and New Jersey. He noted, however, that despite the high level of motivation, neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party has done much to engage with the AAPI community. Only 12 percent of Asian Americans surveyed said they had been contacted

by the Democratic Party: Indians and Japanese had higher levels of engagement with Democrats, while only 7 percent of Chinese and Vietnamese said they had been contacted by the party. The Republican Party had even less engagement with AAPI voters: only 7 percent of those surveyed said they had been contacted by the party. As a whole, the community supports bigger government, health care for all, regardless of immigration status, and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Asian Americans also support rigorous gun control measures, and are more progressive on climate change. – Ethnic Media Services

High level of enthusiasm among AAPI for the November elections

THE FILAM |

Language trans women can use when meeting strangers By Cristina DC Pastor

“I am a special girl.” “I am the best of both worlds.”

These statements may seem friendly and non-threatening, but hard to articulate especially for a transgender woman looking to get to know a male stranger. LGBTQ advocate Chelle Lhuillier shared these thoughts in the aftermath of the 2014 killing of transgender Filipina Jennifer Laude by U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton. The American soldier got angry when he found out Laude was -- in his words -- a “he-she” and dunked her head in a toilet bowl. The cause of death was "asphyxiation by drowning.” Chelle called on fellow transgender women to be “honest and upfront” about who they are. Being honest, she said, would keep trans women safe and lessen the risk of becoming a victim of a hate crime. The Marinduque-born Chelle was one of the speakers at a protest rally in front of the Philippine Consulate condemning the killing of Laude. Pemberton from Bedford, Massachusetts, served almost six years of his maximum 10-year term after President Rodrigo Duterte granted him “absolute pardon” for good behavior. LGBT activists and supporters in the Philippines and the U.S. denounced the pardon calling it a “grave injustice” to the memory of Laude. Chelle, a volunteer for the Human Rights Campaign of Greater New York working for equal rights for LGBT individuals, said honesty is truly a “best practice” policy. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy for a transgender individual to do. “It’s hard,” she said with pain in her voice as she recalled the story of a friend who almost lost her life in the hands of a Hispanic man during a sexual encounter. This happened around the time when hurricane Sandy hit

Advocate for trans rights Chelle Lhuillier. Photo by Jonna Baldres the New York Tri-State in 2012. “She did not divulge her true identity and she got beaten up with a beer bottle,” said Chelle speaking to The FilAm in a phone interview. “I got a call from her asking to bring her to the ICU. It’s terrible.” There are statements, both subtle and direct, that one can use, said Chelle. “You can say, ‘I am not a genetic girl’ or ‘I am the best of both worlds.’ The man, if he is enlightened or educated, will understand.” Unfortunately, she said, not all men will pick up the verbal clues, and if they do, not all of them are open and accepting of gender diversity. Some, even after being

told the truth, will get back at the transgender woman, insisting they have been “fooled,” she said. Chelle, a regular at glamorous charity balls and fundraising galas, has been a voice for the marginalized transgender community in the Philippines and New York. “I was already an advocate for gender equality even before (Jennifer Laude’s death),” she said. Last year, she formally and legally changed her name to ‘Chelle (and her parents’ surname)’ on all her public documents, such as birth certificate, passport, photo ID, etc. She is now able to write F on her new gender marker. “Feels like I am reborn,” she said.

THE FILAM |

U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton was held almost six years in military custody for the death of transgender Filipina Jennifer Laude.

COVER STORY

Howard Hoffman is CEO of first Filipino-owned cannabis company By Cristina DC Pastor

Howard Hoffman took a different path to the top. The CEO of Complete Hemp founded his first business at 13 years old. Then, he dropped out of college.

e recalled a conversation that would change the course of his life. He asked a teacher, who was then lecturing about becoming rich, if he was a millionaire; the teacher replied no. It dawned on Hoffman: How could someone talk about something without experiencing it? With that “moment of realization,” he decided to leave school. Hoffman is a firm believer in the importance of education which his Filipino mom couldn’t stress enough. But by the time he quit, he was already doing well for himself and on his way to becoming a self-taught entrepreneur. As a teen, he told The FilAm, he made money shoveling snow for his neighbors, raking leaves, and carrying garbage from their homes to the streets. He was paid a quarter per trash bag. When the lawn care and garbage business got busy, he recruited friends to help out. They did the work and Hoffman simply collected the money which would be split among his friends. The experience taught him how to delegate tasks and grow a business. “I decided to earn my own money because I got tired of kids making fun of me in school because I was poor,” said the La Union-born Hoffman who, as a boy, wore shoes his mother bought from thrift shops. He came to the U.S. at age 5. His American dad had left the family, and his mom, a factory worker, tried to make ends meet. “Mom was a hardworking woman who raised me all by herself. Life was not easy, even when we arrived in the USA. She had a tough time,” he said. His mother eventually remarried when Hoffman was in his teens. Hoffman’s journey in the nutraceutical industry began when he opened and co-founded a detox center and created a green supplement. It was an important learning moment, especially after a business partner ripped him off and he was removed from his own business. The green supplement paved the way for pHresh Products, a company he created to address the problem of why Americans are not eating enough

veggies. In pHresh Products, he also invented a medical device (now patented), the pHresh Strips™ which can test a person’s pH level to indicate wellness. He remains as the current CEO. He ventured into the hemp business through Omnium Canna, a company he co-founded in 2014 with his long-time friend from Long Island, Paul Lepore. They later established Complete Hemp in 2018, trusting in the medicinal benefits of hemp, a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species. He said hemp’s “non-psychoactive part has medical values for pain, stress, anxiety.” “They were (people) who had an injury or accident and were prescribed with opioids but eventually, they became too dependent which led to an overdose,” he explained. “Our products are formulated by a Yale scientist, grown using organic practices in the USA and uses only all-natural and organic ingredients.” Proud of his Filipino heritage.

Hoffman, with his mother Marilou, when he received an award from the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce as a successful Asian American entrepreneur; as a young boy raised by a single mom. THE FILAM |

Hoffman takes pride in being Filipino American. He said, “I believe that in whatever field and whichever place we are in, Filipinos remain to be the most hardworking and intelligent even though we are a minority. I’m proud of my race and heritage.” He was awarded the 2019 Asian American Leadership Award by USPAACC (US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce) in recognition for his community services and for having a successful Asian American business. Complete Hemp, based in Huntington Station, New York, is a certified Minority-owned business. In August, it won the UNFI Wellness CBD Pitch Slam after Howard delivered an engaging five-minute presentation on how his products bring awareness and education around Cannabidiol and how they can contribute to healthy lifestyles. His companies have partnered with the Gift of Life International, Inc. to facilitate free heart surgeries for children around the world. “We have saved a total of 27 kids so far,” he said. Hoffman defines success as the “balance of financial, emotional, physical, and spiritual abundance.” While becoming successful is a great motivator, what inspires him, he stressed, is not so much the attainment of material wealth but being told he cannot accomplish something and proving the naysayers wrong.

‘I got tired of kids making fun of me in school because I was poor.’

THE FILAM |

Issue 32, October 2020

Sophia Policarpio

First-time voter, independent, undecided

2 Pinay journalists

Finding their space in NYCâ€™s media culture

CEO Howard Hoffman Growing his cannabis business