Asian American voters favor Biden over Trump, survey shows

News

Filipino American teens embrace mental wellness “without shame”

A peer-to-peer program called “Walang Hiya,” developed by Search To Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), is empowering Filipino American teens in Los Angeles’ historic Filipinotown to address mental health challenges. The program, meaning "shameless" or "without shame" in Filipino, aims to reclaim the term and encourage open conversations about mental health. 

Destigmatizing mental health: Walang Hiya addresses issues specific to the Filipino American experience, such as colorism, cultural expectations and the pressure to conform to Western ideals. Facilitators discuss mental health issues like depression and anxiety, while also incorporating coping mechanisms and discussions on Filipino heritage. Participants learn coping mechanisms and build a supportive community through workshops, discussions and creative expression.

Finding common ground: SIPA Development Coordinator Kevin Sandoval Casasola, who like many others didn't learn Filipino from his parents, highlights a common experience among Filipino Americans: “You're kind of looked down upon if you don't speak the language. We recognize through this program, as students talk to one another, that something that's shared — this feeling of not being Filipino enough.” Through Walang Hiya, participants learn the importance of cultural identity and are encouraged to embrace their heritage.

Politics

Asian American voters favor Biden over Trump, survey shows

Asian American voters continue to show support for President Joe Biden, though his approval has waned since the 2020 election, according to the 2024 Asian American Voter Survey, the longest-running survey of Asian American voters conducted by the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), AAPI Data, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC and AARP.

Key findings: The survey reveals that 46% of Asian American voters are likely to support Biden, a decline from 54% in 2020. Meanwhile, 31% express support for Trump, showing little change from the previous election’s 30%. Despite Biden’s declining support, the Democratic Party still maintains a lead in preference for House and Senate candidates. The voters’ most critical issues include the economy (86%), inflation (85%), healthcare (85%), crime (80%) and education (80%). A significant portion (68%) also reported concerns about hate crimes and discrimination.

How the survey was conducted: The survey polled 2,479 Asian American voters through a mix of online and phone interviews. Among them, 42% identify as Democrats, 22% as Republicans and 31% as Independents. Read the full survey here.

News

Dartmouth student's death sparks hazing probe

Hanover Police are investigating the death of 20-year-old Dartmouth College student Won Jang, whose body was found in the Connecticut River on Sunday. Personal items discovered near a dock suggest he never left the area after being last seen alive near the college's boathouse docks on Saturday night.

An active community member: Jang, from Delaware, was a biomedical engineering major, an active member of a fraternity and involved in various aspects of the Dartmouth community.  "I've always challenged myself to learn more about the world in many different fields, and I loved how my exploration of hobbies and academics could be used to help my community," Jang was quoted saying in a Delaware Secretary of Education Scholars nomination statement from 2022.

Ongoing probe: Hanover Police received anonymous tips alleging a fraternity hazing event and heavy drinking occurring prior to Jang's death. Investigators are currently exploring these claims along with other possible factors contributing to his death. In response to the ongoing investigation, Dartmouth College has suspended two Greek organizations and is providing support services to students affected by this tragedy.

Music

Grammy Museum to exhibit K-pop memorabilia

The Grammy Museum, located in Los Angeles, will run “HYBE: We Believe in Music,” an immersive exhibit featuring articles from Hybe acts — including BTS, Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together, Enhypen and Le Sserafim, to name a few — from Aug. 2 to Sept. 15, 2024. The exhibit will cover 4,000 square feet and display artifacts, outfits and performance gear used by the artists.

What to see: Highlights include original outfits from iconic music videos like BTS’ “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment),” Seventeen’s “Maestro,” Tomorrow X Together’s “Sugar Rush Ride,” Enhypen's “Sweet Venom” and Le Sserafim’s “Easy.” Accessories and performance gear from Zico, Fromis_9, Boynextdoor, TWS, &Team and Illit are also showcased. Additionally, there are exclusive video content with producers, artists and music videos.

What to do: Visitors can engage in sing-along and dance rooms, a Photoism Booth for posing with their favorite Hybe artists, and a “Mono to Immersive” room showcasing BTS’ 2022 Grammy performance of “Butter.” There is also a dedicated fan section that “celebrates the endless support between Hybe artists and their fandoms.” For tickets, head over here.

Entertainment

Jennie apologizes over indoor vaping video

Blackpink’s Jennie has apologized after a clip of her vaping indoors sparked backlash in South Korea. The moment was captured in a video posted on her YouTube channel on July 2 while she was getting her hair and makeup done.

What she said: OA Entertainment, the record label Jennie founded last year, issued a statement apologizing for her actions, saying she “acknowledges and deeply regrets her mistake of vaping indoors and causing inconvenience to the staff.” The statement went on to apologize to fans “who have been disappointed through this incident” and vowed to “prevent this from reoccurring in the future.”

Reactions: The clip has drawn mixed reactions, with some expressing disappointment and others defending her personal choice. Jennie has personally apologized to the staff involved, her agency added.

Climate

China  takes urgent climate action amid deadly flooding

China is prioritizing its climate change policy as severe torrential rains and flooding continue to affect several parts of the country. Extensive emergency responses have been put in place to mitigate the impact of the extreme weather.

What’s happening: Relentless rains since June have caused flash floods and mudslides, resulting in at least 60 deaths. The southern provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi are among those that experience severe flooding, leading to mass evacuations. Zhengzhou, the capital city of central China’s Henan province, which lost hundreds of lives from similar flooding in 2021, reportedly endured 9.21 inches of rain for more than three hours on Monday. The torrential rains are expected to continue across 18 regions this month.

What the government is doing: Aside from relocating thousands of residents, Beijing has deployed hundreds of soldiers and allocated significant funds for disaster relief. It has also prioritized adapting to extreme weather, with recent direct warnings from officials about the increasing threat of heat and rainfall due to climate change. The China Meteorological Administration has published the “Blue Book on Climate Change of China 2024” and advised the public to take precautions, including for secondary disasters.

More Asian News

Japan adds new heatstroke index category due to dangerous heatwave: To reduce deaths from heatstroke, Japan has added a “most severe” category to its heatstroke index, alongside the existing categories of mild, moderate and severe. The move comes in the same week that six people died from a heatwave with temperatures rising as high as 40 degrees Celsius  (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of Japan, five degrees higher than the level weather officials classify as “extremely hot.” A weather agency official described the severe heat to Agence France-Presse as “rather rare,” especially as it is occurring during the country’s rainy season, which typically runs from May to July.

Rent this “ugly man” in Japan to prevent jealousy?: Rui Shinohara, a 34-year-old former comedian in Japan, found success after launching a “not-so-good-looking-guy-for-rent” service in July of 2020. Shinohara charges 10,000 yen ($62) for two to three hours of his service, which may include acting as a practice partner for women to rehearse for their dates. “Rental boyfriends are often handsome, which might not sit well with her actual boyfriend. In that regard, there’s no way things would develop into cheating with me. It's precisely because I'm unattractive that I got the request,” he explained to Shueisha Online.

Thai teen designs Red Bull’s Formula One cars: Team Red Bull has incorporated the design created by Chalaj Suvanish, a grade 11 student at Prince Royal’s College in Chiang Mai, Thailand, into its cars after the 16-year-old boy won the brand’s first “REBL CUSTMS” livery contest this year. “I love watching Oracle Red Bull Racing win and I can’t describe how it would feel to see them win in my livery,” said Suvanish, an avid Formula One fan who took inspiration from Red Bull Racing's 2015 pre-season testing livery, "The Camo Bull.” The cars competed in the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit in England on Sunday.

Why Asian American online grocers are thriving: Asian American online grocery stores and delivery services in the U.S. offering rare foods and snacks from Asian countries are reportedly flourishing. Three such companies that have seen growth include Weee!, Yamibuy and Fantuan. Crystal Li, public relations director at Fantuan, told China Daily she believes that the growth may be attributed to customers "seeking comfort in the flavors of their hometowns, even while far from home." This sentiment is echoed by Asian snack retailer Yamibuy founder Alex Zhou. Originally from Dalian, China, Zhou moved to Kansas to study engineering in 2007. He was inspired to start his company after having trouble finding his favorite snacks while studying in the U.S.