Stand with Asian Americans

(Amended 7/25/2024) Microsoft cuts two of its DEI roles on its events team because they are “no longer business critical.” The news follows a story published by Business Insider on July 15, 2024, which reported “Microsoft laid off a DEI team,” though they noted the exact number of people affected was not yet known. But since, Microsoft has responded clarifying that they eliminated two diversity and inclusion roles on its events team. The roles were then duplicated on the main GTDDI team, which was not reported to the core D&I group. The cuts are among a series of job cuts the tech giant has made since the end of its fiscal year. Read more: https://lnkd.in/efwGyv8v In 2020, following the historic aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, Microsoft joined a number of technology companies in committing to improving their efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within their companies. But since, companies such as Zoom, Google, Meta and others have since cut their DEI programs. "True systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020," a team leader wrote in the email announcing the layoff of the internal team, noting “changing business needs” is what led to the decision. The news has since drawn criticism with one leader criticizing the company for not adequately funding these efforts. Company spokesperson Jeff Jones defended the decision, saying, “[Microsoft’s] … D&I commitments remain unchanged. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work.” The company also pledged back in 2020 that they would double the number of Black leaders at the company by 2025. It is unclear whether they’ve made progress. Read more: https://ow.ly/OpVU50SEOS7 #RepresentationMatters #WorkplaceJustice #FightDiscrimination Source: Business Insider

A former University of Kansas professor wins appeal in court overturning a conviction that alleged he had engaged in espionage. Dr. Feng “Franklin” Tao was among two dozen professors charged with espionage in a Trump-era probe (known as the China Initiative) which sought to root out Chinese influence. Attorney Peter Zeidenberg described Dr. Tao’s prosecution as being without merit, a costly misguided accusation that ultimately led to Tao being fired and his family nearly bankrupted. Dr. Tao was indicted in 2019 when prosecution alleged the professor failed disclose on a form his affiliation with Fuzhou University in China. He was convicted by jury in April 2022 of four of the eight counts against him, but the three wire fraud convictions were later overturned due to insufficient evidence. On a 2-1 vote, the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the remaining conviction. In a statement by U.S. Circuit Judge Nancy Moritz, she wrote that prosecution failed to provide evidence that Tao’s failed disclosure was material, arguing that because there was no proposal from the professor being considered at the time, Dr. Tao’s statement could not have influenced funding decisions. Read more: https://ow.ly/Reai50SENCM #FightAsianHate #StandwithAsianAmericans Source: Reuters

The EEOC sues HCA Healthcare for retaliation and #workplacediscrimination based on race and age. The Commission claims a former #AsianAmerican employee of the for-profit graduate-level health education provider was denied a promotion in favor of a younger, underqualified white candidate. HCA argues that the claimant failed to meet the position's minimum requirements. The EEOC says the claimant did meet said requirements. When the former employee stood up to the perceived discrimination in a complaint to his employer, he says they retaliated by berating him, writing him up and ultimately, by firing him. The EEOC initially tried to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process, but the parties failed to do so. The Commission filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, claiming HCA’s actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race and age-based discrimination and retaliation against employees who claim discrimination has occurred. They are seeking injunctive relief to prohibit further acts of discrimination as well as compensation. Read more: https://ow.ly/lU1s50SENoM If you have ever experienced discrimination in your workplace, or know someone who has, please don’t say silent: https://ow.ly/VSrF50SENoL. #FightAsianHate #FightWorkplaceDisrimination #StandUp #SpeakUp #StandwithAsianAmericans Source: EEOC

The FBI quietly released a 602-page file on Vincent Chin, whose hate-fueled death continues to ignite the Asian American movement. “Forty-two years ago, Vincent Chin was beaten to death in the heart of my district," said U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit. "With violence against the (Asian American) community reaching all-time highs, Vincent's murder is a reminder of the work we still have to do to make sure all Americans feel safe in their own skin." Those involved with the case for decades said they were not made aware of the file’s release. Detroit FBI Spokesperson Jade Carter said the file was released into the Vault, the FBI’s Freedom of Information Act library. The file includes FBI memos, letters, interviews, notes, newspaper clippings and witness reports detailing the Vincent Chin case. The 27-year-old Oaks Park draftsman was celebrating what should have been one of the best nights of his life—his bachelor’s party at the Fancy Pants Lounge in Highland Park, Michigan. That is when Ronald Madis Ebens and stepson Michael Nitz started a scuffle with Vincent which ended on Woodward Avenue, where Vincent was held down and his head cracked by a Louisville Slugger. Eyewitnesses testified hearing #antiAsian remarks at the club, that Vincent was called a “chink” and a “nip,” an anti-Japanese slur. A dancer said she heard Ebens say, “Because of you, you little (expletive), we’re out of work.” Another witness reported that Ebens asked him for help, “I’ll give you $20 if you help us catch the Chinaman.” At the scene of Vincent’s murder, an EMS/firefighter told FBI that Ebens said, "That's right, I did it. If I had it my way, you would be there too,” pointing to Vincent’s friend Jimmy Choi. According to Jimmy, Vincent’s final words were, “It isn’t fair.” Asian American activists were outraged over how the case was handled. John Thompson, assistant United States attorney for the eastern district of Michigan, concluded on June 16, 1983, that there wasn’t enough evidence for a civil rights case. However, Justice Department Attorney Ronald Kennelly requested further investigation weeks later, reopening the case. Nitz would later be acquitted and Ebens was found guilty of one civil rights charge, but he was later released on bond and eventually acquitted in a 1987 retrial. The file also shows how the Vincent Chin case made waves across racial and ethnic lines. Included was an FBI interview with two off-duty Black Highland Park police officers who intervened. FBI notes also describe a Black woman who said “… From Chin's actions, constantly looking around, she felt that he was being chased by the two white males (she had seen) in the Fancy Pants parking lounge," prompting her to warn Vincent. #StandwithVincentChin #AlwayswithUs #FightAsianHate #StandwithAsianAmericans Read more: https://ow.ly/bHf950SEMbf Source: Detroit Free Press

Please join KALAGNY on LinkedIn and the Asian American Bar Association of New York on July 30th at the New York Supreme Court for the sentencing of Assamad Nash, who pleaded guilty to murdering #ChristinaYunaLee. Please RSVP by scanning the QR code in the flyer. If you cannot attend, please repost and share with others. #stopasianhate #fightasianhate #standwithasianamericans

Standard General Founder Soo Kim is suing the FCC claiming that they derailed an $8.6 billion purchase of Tegna, Inc. because he wasn't the “right type of minority.” "I am suing the FCC because they need to be held accountable for racially discriminating against me. The disparate and unfair treatment in my case is undeniable and unnecessarily divisive. Every person appearing before the FCC deserves to be treated equitably.” In 2022 Standard General won a public bid to buy Tegna, which owns over 60 televisions stations. Soo said the “transaction was poised to be a historic leap forward for both minority ownership and female leadership of broadcast stations,” with Standard General ready to hire a female chief executive. The purchase would have also offered Tegna shareholders $24-per-share-premium, after having traded as low as $10 per share. However, the FCC nixed the deal in favor of Black media tycoon Byron Allen, who Soo says is unfairly favored by the FCC, which has called advancing equity a core of their policymaking processes. "The FCC killed the deal … motivated by the belief that Mr. Allen’s black-owned company deserved greater solicitude than Mr. Kim’s Asian American-owned company," the filed complaint said, claiming the FCC’s diversity policies excluded Asians, using Soo’s race against him “with pernicious stereotypes.” Soo also claims those who objected parroted Byron’s publicized views that #AsianAmerican diversity was sham diversity. In killing the deal, Soo said, the FCC cost Standard General a loss of $85 million based on its 10.6 million shares owned. "The FCC chairwoman and her personal staffer blocked the deal at the behest of Mr. Allen, who used business allies and six-figure political donations to destroy Mr. Kim’s chances of acquiring TEGNA – to the tune of over $200 million in losses to Standard General and Mr. Kim and nearly $2 billion in losses to TEGNA shareholders." #RepresentationMatters #AsianRepresentationMatters Source: Fox Business Network Read more: https://lnkd.in/gvD-B9N5

🚀 Big news! Stand with Asian Americans is taking a giant leap forward in our fight against workplace discrimination. We're thrilled to announce: 1️⃣ New Leadership: Welcome Michelle Lee as President, GC and Board Chair; Brian Pang, PMP (he/him) as COO and Head of Partnerships; and 朱浩然 Justin Zhu and April Moh as our Board Directors! 2️⃣ $1 Million Workplace Justice Fund: A first-of-its-kind initiative to provide comprehensive legal support and education for Asians facing workplace discrimination. This fund aims to be accessible to every member of our Asian American community, regardless of their individual resources or circumstances. 🔑Key features of our Workplace Justice Fund: - Pro bono and affordable legal representation for landmark cases - Education and training programs - Policy research to drive systemic change - Online platform for community support and incident reporting Together, we can create lasting change. Are you with us? #StandWithAsianAmericans #WorkplaceEquality #StopAsianHate

Olympic All-Star Suni Lee trailblazes her way to the world’s biggest stage for the second time, despite being told she would never compete again. The Minnesota-native turned heads at the 2021 Tokyo Games taking home a gold medal. However, in late 2023 her world was shaken by the news that she had two rare incurable kidney diseases. "I could not bend my legs the slightest, I couldn't squeeze my fingers, my face was swollen,” The 21-year-old said she started swelling from her ankles to her face, hands and legs, leaving her unable to train, unable to properly flip or grab onto the bar. She began experiencing constant pain, nausea and lightheadedness. She would eventually announce her early retirement from college gymnastics. This is not Suni's first health battle. Early on the young gymnast developed eczema which would swell and inflame her legs, arms and neck, often triggered by high stress, like that of before a major competition. “It has definitely taken a hit to my security levels when I’m competing, because it feels like people are looking at me." Suni has also spoken out about her #mentalhealth—of feelings of inadequacy, feelings of not being enough or not deserving of the wins. “I feel like after the Olympics, there’s just been so much doubt in like, ‘Oh, she shouldn’t have won Olympics, blah, blah, blah,’ and it really hits my soul.” Slowly Suni’s condition began to ease up and eventually, she would be able to return to training with adjustments, finding herself weaker from the hiatus. Then in June came the Xfinity U.S. Championships, competing all-around for the first time in 15 months and cement her path to join Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “It feels absolutely insane,” she said. “There were so many times where I thought about quitting and just giving up because I was so sick … We didn’t think I would be here. So getting through all of those events and ... everything that we had to go through this week to get to where we are right now, it was just such a hard, incredible journey." #GoForTheGold #SuniLee #AsianAmericans #RiseUp #Representation Sources: Today, The Sporting News Read more: https://ow.ly/lKkL50SzTOE https://ow.ly/LW4G50SzTOF

Asian elders of Westlake Christian Terrace in Oakland, California fear for their safety following a string of at least 13 brutal robberies in a span of one week. “It was happening every hour on the hour," said resident council president Sister Marie Taylor. By her count, she estimated there were 30 violent attacks and robberies in a single week targeting elderly #AsianAmericans living at the assisted living facility home to over 700 elders. The average age of their residents is 85. "Not only do you grab their purse but you beat them brutally. We had several who had to be taken to the emergency, one broke the wrist. We had police here almost 7 hours filing reports. Then it continued on Sunday with more. Multiple residents being attacked." Residents will often walk along Valdez from their 28th Street block north of Lake Merritt to run daily errands, and among those targeted include an Alzheimer’s patient that one resident said didn’t understand what was happening as the assault occurred. Several key arrests have been made thanks in large part to people reporting these attacks. "Reporting ... that's what really made a difference. On Monday, sent my special resource section out my crime reduction teams to conduct operations. I haven't had any robberies in 2 days in that area which is huge.” Residents say amidst the fear they remain committed to being allies for one another. A group of 50 gathered on a Wednesday in a show of support for each other and to demand accountability from the city, saying they had #enough. "We are here we are paying taxes, we vote and we need to be recognized." The Oakland Police report a citywide spike in robberies with 83 occurring between June 25th and July 1st, 2024. They urge elders to move in groups and only in the daytime. #ProtectOurElders #FightAsianHate #StandwithAsianAmericans Read more: https://ow.ly/XOGj50Sz4JO Source: ABC7 News Bay Area

Golfing superstar Lilia Vu makes her way to the 2024 Paris Games, and she reflects on her family's legacy as Vietnamese boat people and on her grandfather Dinh, whose bravery secured the future of 82 people and her own. Lilia Vu is a certified #AsianAmerican #trailblazer. She went from ranking 1,330th in the world in 2020 to number one. In the past 15 months alone, she earned three wins, two major victories and nearly $5 million. Following her AIG Women’s Open victory, she became the first American woman to win multiple majors in a single year since 1999. All this from a woman who nearly gave up, if it wasn’t for her grandfather, Dinh Du. “I told him that it was all too much, and I just — I didn’t have it … I couldn’t figure out how to have fun anymore," said the 26-year-old professional golfer. The once college All-American and the No. 1-ranked women’s amateur in the world faced a toughed 2020. One after another, she lost her legacy status and stacked up miss cuts and eventually, #impostersyndrome crept in. Then before a low-level tournament in Florida, she visited her “ông ngoại” (grandfather in Vietnamese), who was in the hospital with heart issues. He saw the pain in her eyes and told her to stop worrying and just play, to ignore everything and seek out the joy again. Grandfather Dinh would later die on March 9, 2020. Four years later, Lilia, Kha-Tu Du Vu to her family, is on her way to Paris to represent Team USA, a feat only made possible by the bravery of her mechanic grandfather who, decades earlier, created a 32-foot boat that would help 82 people escape the harsh conditions of Vietnam following the Fall of Saigon. Known as the Vietnamese boat people, an estimated 2 million fled Vietnam by rowboat, flatboats or fishing boats following the aftermath of the war. 200,000 to 600,000 would die along the way. Today, their children and grandchildren are learning to reclaim their identity as boat people, a stigma inherited of “being inherently desperate” in a culture of saving face. Dinh would spend two years to create the boat, faced with the threat of being accused of plotting defection, going back and forth from their home in Cần Giuộc to the coastline of Vũng Tàu. A total of 83 would cross the 1.4 million square miles of the disputed South China Sea until 400 miles south of Ho Chi Minh City, the leak began. Daughter Kieu Thuy watched the painful acceptance of death crawl across her father’s face. They would later be rescued by the USS Brewton, and the family would make their way to Southern California. “It’s just mind-blowing to me that all this had to happen for me to have the chance to be here today … I’ve learned that if you want something, you have to go.” #GoForTheGold #NotYourModelMinority Read more: https://ow.ly/bMF450Sz0uv Source: The New York Times