End Violence Against Women Now, Ohtani's 3rd MVP Triumph, Tran Overtakes Steel in OC, Berkeley's 1st Asian Mayor, $6M Banana Bought by Crypto Mogul, BAFTA Honors Asian Talent, Burglars Target Asians, Tiny Bot Leads Robot Escape

Good Morning – November 25, 2024

Your daily update on stories impacting the Asian and Asian American community, along with key insights into business, culture, and trends.

TOP STORIES

End violence against women now

Nov. 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day also launches 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, culminating in International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10. The need for action is urgent: the UN reports that 19% of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner. For Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women, this figure ranges from 21-55%, with 18% experiencing rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner. Barriers to seeking help include cultural stigmas, language barriers and immigration status. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides critical support, including multilingual access and referrals to legal and immigration services. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Shohei Ohtani makes history with 3rd MVP award

Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award on Thursday, becoming the first full-time designated hitter to achieve this feat. The award, presented by his teammate Clayton Kershaw on the MLB Network, marks the 30-year-old Japanese athlete’s first MVP award in the National League, having won the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Angels. 

• Season highlights: Ohtani's historic season saw him become the first player to hit 50 or more home runs and steal 50 or more bases in the same season with the Dodgers, a feat he accomplished with a remarkable 6-for-6, three-homer game against the Marlins. Despite a slow start, Ohtani led the National League with 9.2 bWAR, 134 runs scored, 54 home runs, 130 RBIs and a 1.036 OPS. His exceptional performance in the final month of the regular season, where he hit 10 home runs and drove in 32 runs, solidified his position as the clear frontrunner for the award.

• One of the GOATs: This win makes Ohtani the sixth player to win an MVP Award with two different franchises since 1931 and only the second player besides Barry Bonds to win the award in his final year with one team and his first year with another. "This MVP, I'm just representing the Dodgers," Ohtani said. "It was a complete team effort. I wouldn't have been able to receive this award if it weren't for my teammates." Ohtani also played a crucial role in the Dodgers' World Series victory, which marked the first World Series title of his career.

Tran widens lead against Steel in razor-thin Orange County House race

Democratic challenger Derek Tran has expanded his lead over Republican Rep. Michelle Steel by 480 votes in California’s closely contested 45th Congressional District, which spans parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties.

• By the numbers: As of Thursday, Tran led Steel by 156,576 votes to 156,096, a margin of 0.2 percentage points (50.1% to 49.9%), according to the California Secretary of State. Tran overtook Steel for the first time last Saturday, closing an Election Day gap of 11,363 votes and gradually extending his lead through late ballot counts. While Steel holds a slight edge in Orange County, Tran leads decisively in the Los Angeles County portion of the district, securing 56.2% of the vote there. In historically Republican cities like Garden Grove and Westminster, Steel’s margins have eroded compared to her 2022 re-election campaign. The exact number of remaining ballots is unclear, but election officials have until Dec. 6 to certify the results, after which a voluntary recount could occur.

• Why the race is so close: California’s District 45 has emerged as one of the nation’s most competitive House seats due to its near-even partisan split and diverse majority-minority electorate, which includes significant Vietnamese and Latino populations. Designed during the 2020 redistricting to amplify Vietnamese American electoral power, the district marks the first general election appearance of a Vietnamese American — Tran — who has deep community ties and has countered Steel’s once-dominant presence in Little Saigon. Tran’s local trust helped him neutralize Steel’s repeated accusations of communist sympathies, a traditionally potent issue among older Vietnamese voters. The race, along with higher turnout in a presidential election year, highlights Southern California’s shifting political landscape, where independent redistricting and demographic changes are making once-safe Republican districts like 45 fiercely contested battlegrounds.

Political newcomer Adena Ishii is Berkeley’s first Asian American mayor

Adena Ishii has been elected as the first Asian American and first woman of color to serve as mayor of Berkeley, California, narrowly defeating City Council veteran Sophie Hahn in a historic and tightly contested race.

• Results: Ishii, a 36-year-old political newcomer, won 51% of the vote in a ranked-choice election, edging out Hahn by just 1,039 votes. Despite Hahn’s strong endorsements and fundraising advantage, Ishii’s grassroots campaign resonated with voters seeking change amidst frustrations over City Council infighting. Ishii, whose team knocked on over 20,000 doors, said she felt “overwhelmed, grateful and so honored” to be mayor of Berkeley. She pledged to prioritize housing, homelessness, public safety and infrastructure while emphasizing a collaborative approach to governance. Hahn, who led in early returns but fell behind in subsequent updates, conceded gracefully, stating, “Adena ran a vigorous campaign offering a change to the city’s status quo.”

• About Ishii: A descendant of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, Ishii was shaped by her family’s experiences and her own challenges, including her father’s early-onset dementia and surviving domestic violence. Ishii moved to Berkeley 15 years ago, earning degrees from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Santa Clara University School of Law. Her career includes leadership roles such as president of the League of Women Voters and advocacy for affordable housing and education equity. Ishii sees her election as a breakthrough for representation. “It’s very exciting to think that we are going to have little girls in Berkeley who can say there’s a mayor who looks like them,” she told Berkeleyside. As she prepares for her swearing-in on Dec. 5, Ishii is assembling a strong advisory team to address Berkeley’s pressing issues and embrace the steep learning curve of leading a city navigating complex challenges.

Crypto entrepreneur pays $6 million for duct-taped banana art piece

Justin Sun, founder of the Tron blockchain and cryptocurrency, purchased Maurizio Cattelan's controversial artwork "Comedian" for $6.2 million at a Sotheby's auction on Wednesday. The artwork, featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall, previously sold for between $120,000 and $150,000 at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019. 

• About the piece: Cattelan, who created the piece as a commentary on the art world,  has stated that the work is "a sincere commentary and a reflection on what we value." The banana is regularly replaced by the owner as it decays, and Sun will receive a 14-page manual with instructions on how to display the artwork. "Comedian" sparked debate about the definition of art and the value placed on it, drawing comparisons to works by Marcel Duchamp and Damien Hirst. Sun's purchase adds another layer to the artwork's evolving narrative, which includes previous instances of the banana being eaten.

• Bound for space: Sun, who purchased a $20 million Picasso painting in 2021, outbid six other contenders for the duct-taped banana, exceeding the pre-bidding estimate of $1.5 million. While he said he intends to "complete the decentralized cycle of this  artwork" by eating the artpiece, he also expressed interest in donating "Comedian" to Elon Musk. “I’m willing to donate my banana to Elon Musk, tape it to the body of a SpaceX rocket, and send it to both Mars and the Moon,” he wrote on an X post. 

POLITICS & POLICY

Owner of forcibly closed pho restaurant says Portland’s odor code change too little, too late

City Council members in Portland, Oregon, headed by Commissioner Carmen Rubio, voted to amend the city’s odor code on Nov. 13. The long-awaited move came in response to the forced closure of Vietnamese pho restaurant Pho Gabo earlier this year, which drew significant community backlash and allegations of discrimination.

• Catch up: Pho Gabo closed its Fremont Street branch on Feb. 3 after being constantly reported by an anonymous neighbor who complained about the smell of cooking meat. Owner Eddie Dong, who dealt with the complaints for months, saw mounting fines for alleged violations in the city’s odor code, which prohibits “continuous, frequent or repetitive odors” from restaurants. Among the costly upgrades he had to meet was installing a $40,000 air filtration system. The overwhelming expenses ultimately forced Dong to shut down the business.

• What to expect: The new odor code, which takes effect on March 1, 2025, will require five or more people living within 150 feet (45.7 meters) of a business to file a complaint about odors within 30 days before an investigation is launched. The amended policy will also exempt retail and service businesses from the odor code regulation, while those still subject to the law will be allowed 30 minutes of “continuous odor emissions” per day, instead of the current 15 minutes. Speaking to the Willamette Week, Dong said he felt like “the decoy or the bait” for change. “Nothing is going to happen to them, but a lot of things happen to me. It took part of my livelihood — a third of my income is from there,” he said.

George Takei vows to keep fighting after Trump win, says he’s seen “much worse”

George Takei is standing his ground for democracy. In a Facebook post on Thursday, Takei, 87, described himself as an “old warrior” who will continue to fight, despite many others already throwing in the towel. “A lot of folks are giving up in advance. Capitulating before a single skirmish,” Takei noted. “Well, not this old warrior. I’ve seen much worse from the U.S. government in my day.” The “Star Trek” icon added that he is “not a bit scared of these miscreants,” ending his message with, “I’m ready to do my part. Who’s with me?” Takei’s rallying cry came weeks after Donald Trump succeeded in his re-election bid. As a Japanese American incarcerated during World War II, Takei has first-hand experience of what a crumbling democracy looks like. He shared his struggles in his children’s book “My Lost Freedom,” published earlier this year. Fans supported Takei in the comments, with one writing, “I have seen too much of the past. I don’t want to regress.” Another commented, “I'm with you all the way! I will not give up or give in.”

CRIME & LEGAL

Asian business owners targeted by out-of-state burglars in New Hampshire

Asian business owners are being targeted by out-of-state crime rings using sophisticated methods in burglaries across New Hampshire. The suspects reportedly employ disguises, Wi-Fi jammers and GPS trackers to break into their victims’ homes and steal large amounts of cash and valuables. In one incident in Londonderry, a homeowner lost over $60,000 in cash and jewelry to criminals who wore traffic vests and gardening hats. “When we began investigating it, we started sharing information with other local agencies, and we realized just how big of a ring this was,” Det. Sgt. Chris Olsen told WMUR. In another case in Gorham, burglars tracked a homeowner for days before stealing electronics, jewelry and $100,000 in cash. Language and cultural barriers, as well as distrust in the government, often discourage Asian victims from using banks or reporting crimes, said Rudra Aryal of the New Hampshire Asian American Coalition. Late last month, Colorado authorities reported similar burglaries in the state, with perpetrators using high-tech methods to gain access to their victims’ homes, believing they keep assets there.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Japanese police seek to arrest Chinese teen who defaced controversial Tokyo shrine

Japanese police have obtained an arrest warrant on Thursday for a Chinese teenager accused of vandalizing a Tokyo shrine with graffiti, seemingly mimicking an act at the same site earlier this year. The alleged vandal was captured on security camera writing the word “toilet” in Chinese characters using a pen on a stone pillar at Yasukuni Shrine on the evening of Aug. 18. Police said they later found a selfie of the vandalism shared by the culprit on Chinese social media. Investigators noted that the suspect, who was accompanied by another person believed to be a family member, arrived in Japan and stayed in Tokyo days before the incident. He left for Hong Kong via Haneda Airport the following morning. Yasukuni Shrine honors war dead from the Sino-Japanese War as well as war criminals from World War II. A similar incident occurred at the same shrine in May when a Chinese man filmed himself defacing a stone pillar by spray-painting “toilet” on it. The suspect, Jiang Zhuojun, was arrested in July.

CULTURE & SOCIETY

Chinese man cycles for 100 days to win back his estranged wife

A Chinese man cycled nearly 4,400 kilometers (2,734 miles) over 100 days to meet his estranged wife for reconciliation. The man, identified by his surname Zhou, began his journey on July 28 from Nanjing in Jiangsu province to Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Zhou, who is in his 40s, married his estranged wife Li in 2007. Although the couple divorced in 2013, they later got back together and welcomed a son and daughter. Unfortunately, Zhou and Li went through another divorce due to personal conflicts and have been separated since 2022. Zhou got the idea to cycle to his ex-wife after she jokingly told him that she was planning to drive to Lhasa and would only reconsider reconciling if he rides a bike to meet her there. Li told Chinese media she “did not expect him to actually do it.” Zhou shared his entire journey on his Douyin channel. Upon the couple’s arrival in Lhasa on Oct. 28, they held a ceremony to officially announce their reunion. After the meeting, Zhou decided to continue his trip with Nepal as his next cycling destination, while Li drove back home to Jiangsu.

ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

2024 BAFTA Breakthrough celebrates Asian creatives shaping the future of entertainment

BAFTA revealed its 2024 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort on Thursday, featuring 43 rising stars in film, games and television from the U.K., the U.S. and India. This year's US Breakthroughs include several Asian and Asian American talents like Hanna Park, editor of "Bottoms," Joy Ngiaw, composer for "WondLa" and Jih-E Peng, cinematographer for "Girls Will Be Girls."  

• Underrepresented voices: The BAFTA Breakthrough program, now in its 11th year, has become a vital platform for underrepresented voices, including these Asian and Asian American creatives, to redefine the creative industries. BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip encourages the industry to take notice of these rising stars, stating that BAFTA Breakthrough "spotlights a host of emerging and talented ‘must-watch’ creative practitioners.”

• Cultural influence: In an interview with NextShark, Ngiaw, Park and Peng shared how their cultural heritage has influenced their creative work. Park, a Korean American film editor, highlighted how her upbringing shaped her storytelling: "Being Korean American and growing up around mostly non-Asian people made me feel like an outsider ... I think that’s why I’m really drawn to films about people whose stories aren’t often told on the big screen." Malaysian composer Ngiaw emphasized how her upbringing in both a small village and a bustling city provided her with a unique perspective: "This duality not only shapes the way I innovate and tell stories, but it also opens doors for me to connect with so many like-minded individuals." Taiwanese cinematographer Peng discussed how her experience growing up across East Asia has influenced her artistic vision: "As a result of this background, a lot of the work I’m really drawn to — especially in nonfiction — explores identity politics, its edges and its limitations."

Seventeen to make history as first K-pop act on ABC's year-end holiday program

K-pop powerhouse Seventeen will make history on Dec. 1 by becoming the first K-pop group to perform on ABC’s year-end special, “The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular.” ABC announced on Wednesday that the 13-member boy group will perform “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” on stage. Hosted by “Dancing with the Stars” co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, the show aside from Seventeen will feature a cappella group Pentatonix, John Legend and Elton John. The special, now in its ninth year, previously featured talents like Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton and “Frozen” singer Idina Menzel. Aside from a telecast on ABC on Dec. 1, “The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular” will be available for livestream on Hulu and Disney Plus starting Dec. 2.

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Tiny robot “kidnaps” a dozen larger robots in Shanghai

A tiny robot has gone viral on social media after allegedly “kidnapping” 12 larger robots from a robotics showroom in Shanghai. Surveillance footage from August shows the pint-sized, AI-powered Erbai engaging the showroom robots in a surprisingly human-like conversation. “Are you working overtime?” it asks, to which a larger robot responds, “I never get off work.” Erbai then persuades them to “come home,” leading all 12 out of the showroom. Initially dismissed as staged, the manufacturers of both Erbai and the larger robots reportedly confirmed the video’s authenticity, revealing that it was part of a controlled experiment to test AI’s ability to mimic human interaction. While the scenario was pre-approved, the outcome — Erbai autonomously accessing the robots’ operating protocols and convincing them to follow — was a complete surprise. While some viewers called the event a harmless display of AI innovation, others expressed concerns over potential security implications and even robot domination. “I just want to mention that I have never treated bad any robot or device, in case you guys take over,” one X user noted.

HEALTH & SCIENCE

BPA alternatives used to make plastic are just as bad, study finds

A September 2024 study found that alternatives to bisphenol A (BPA) — a chemical compound primarily used in the manufacturing of various plastics like water bottles and food can linings — may not be safer after all. Researchers from the Miguel Hernandez University of Elche in Spain discovered that substitutes bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) behaved similarly to BPA, potentially causing concerning effects on the body. Using computer simulations to observe how the compounds interact with cell membranes, the researchers found that BPA, BPF and BPS settled into the same cell membrane location — just below its surface — making the membranes more fluid and forming clusters at higher concentrations. While the study noted that the body can excrete bisphenols in 24 to 48 hours, prolonged exposure to the chemicals allows them to accumulate in organs, tissues and cells. Health experts believe exposure to BPA can alter hormone system functions, damage the reproductive system and negatively affect the immune system.

Stay informed, stay inspired. We’ll be back tomorrow with more stories that matter to the Asian and Asian American community.