Dear Friends,

The 1990 Institute was founded 34 years ago to promote a constructive U.S.-China relationship and now also champions fair and equitable treatment for Asian Americans. We are looking toward the next stage of our growth and are seeking a dynamic, motivated individual to become our new Director of Development to lead fundraising efforts and identify and cultivate donor relationships for our nonprofit.

Working with the President, Board, Development Committee, and staff of the 1990 Institute, the Director of Development will lead and build development and fundraising capacity and identify, cultivate, and steward a portfolio of institutional and individual donors and prospects to meet the 1990 Institute’s fundraising goals. Do you have demonstrable success in leading development efforts in a nonprofit organization and are a skilled networker who enjoys community engagement? Visit our website to learn more, and send your resume and cover letter to hiring@1990institute.org, or apply here. 

Following the success of our Spring 2024 webinar, “Asian American Identity: at the intersection of perpetual foreigner and pop culture trendsetter,“ we are organizing a Teachers Workshop for September 19 at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET continuing the topic of Asian American identity. For this workshop, the focus will be on how immigration affects values, identities, and traditions. We are pleased to announce our first two speakers: Vivian Louie, Professor of Urban Policy and Planning at Hunter College, and Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, Vice Dean for Research and Equity and Associate Professor of International Education at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Stay tuned for more speakers and details!

The Sundance Festival winner “Didi” is receiving rave reviews and is opening nationwide today. To show our support of Asian American representation and to show our gratitude to teachers and students, we are holding a free private screening of this film about a Taiwanese American family on Saturday, August 24, in San Francisco.

Read more about all our latest news, including our newest Board Member, in our Spotlight section below.

If you are able to make a charitable contribution of any amount to support teachers and students, we would be grateful to continue our work. Please share our newsletters with your friends and family and encourage them to subscribe.

As we look toward the next stage of our growth, we are seeking a dynamic, motivated individual to become our new Director of Development. Learn more here.

Hope and possibility and back to school

By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

I am moving my daughter to grad school this week, relearning a college town I once lived in for a Nepali summer language intensive. So much has changed, but street names and store names keep jumping out at me as vaguely familiar. We all celebrate graduations of course, taking family pictures in nice clothes and lei, but I also like rolling up my sleeves for the new beginnings of a new school year in a new college, too. So much hope and possibility.

With Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president, and Usha Vance as wife of the Republican vice presidential nominee, the presidential elections just became a lot more interesting for Asian American voters. Our immigrant parents always told those of us who are born in this country that we could grow up to be president someday. Hope. Possibility.

A study by APIAVote found that Asian Americans are the fastest growing group of eligible voters in the country and keep turning out to vote in record numbers. Ninety percent of Asian American voters said they plan to vote this November for President, Congress, and other offices. However, historically, neither major political party has been very good at reaching out to Asian Americans, with over 40 percent of Asian American voters saying that they have not been contacted by either the Democratic or Republican parties or candidates. Asian American votes should not be taken for granted as 42 percent vote Democrat, 22 percent vote Republican, and 31 percent vote Independent. 

“While representation at the top of the ticket and a potential vice-presidential spouse are potent symbols of the Asian American communities’ growing influence and standing in American culture and politics, representation alone is not enough,” said Christine Chen, co-founder and executive director of APIAVote. “While Asian Americans remain motivated to vote and have proven crucial swing voters in recent elections, candidates and campaigns still too often take them for granted and fail to engage them proactively and effectively.”

Asian American voters care about the same issues as everyone else, including jobs, healthcare, education, housing, and immigration. At the same time, 68 percent also worry about hate crimes, harassment, and discrimination. We are voting on hope and possibility.

But there is nothing like rounding out the summer with the Olympics to jolt you into believing in the dazzling possibility of talent and hard work. We cheered Hmong American gymnast Sunisa Lee who came back to win gold and bronze despite being diagnosed with two kidney diseases, Filipina American fencer and medical student Lee Kiefer, and Chinese American gymnast Asher Hong. And in the new Olympic sport of breaking, we have Korean American Sunny Choi (also known as B-girl Sunny) and Filipina American breaker Logan Edra (B-girl Logistx). 

At the Olympics, we are not constrained by national borders and also take pride in amazing Asian and Asian diaspora athletes, like gymnast Carlos Yulo of Team Philippines who became the first male athlete to ever win a gold medal for the Philippines, the super cool South Korean sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji, Chinese Chilean “table tennis Grandma” Zeng Zhiying who made her Olympic debut at 58, and multiracial Chinese British Alex Yee who won the Olympic men’s triathlon. And we understand more than anyone the power of that selfie bringing North Korean, South Korean, and Chinese table tennis medalists together in one photograph. So much hope and possibility.

2024 Olympians captured our hearts the past few weeks. On New Asian American Voices, we featured several returning medalists who won gold in Paris – gymnast Suni Lee, fencer Lee Kiefer, and swimmer Torri Huske (these three athletes have a total of 15 Olympic medals among them from two Olympics, including eight gold, four silver, and three bronze). We also highlighted new Olympic dancer Sunny Choi, who competed in the first-ever breaking event.

Curated News

Dìdi’ Review: 2008-Set Sundance Debut Recalls Being the Kid Brother in an Immigrant Household | Variety  Director Sean Wang shares memories of being a Taiwanese American teenager in Fremont, California in 2008 in his award-winning debut. More: A bittersweet Asian American coming-of-age drama | The Guardian. Join us to watch “Didi” at a free screening on August 24 in San Francisco. Co-sponsored by the 1990 Institute and Stand With Asians. Details in Spotlight below.

USA and China tie for most gold medals in the 2024 Summer Olympics | CNN  Both nations finished with 40 gold medals. In total, Team USA’s 126 gold, silver, and bronze medals topped all countries and exceeded China’s 91, the next closest nation.

Across Michigan, these groups are trying to fight misinformation and energize voters | PBS NewsHour  As November’s election nears, nonpartisan community organizations are ramping up efforts to address voter apathy, build confidence in the election process, and combat false or inaccurate information.

White House chef, first woman and person of color in role, retires after nearly 30 years | NBC News  Filipina American chef Cris Comerford retires after decades of service to five presidents. Learn more about Cris Comerford on New Asian American Voices.

The United States of Aunties: The culture powering the Harris campaign | The 19th News  In the Black and South Asian communities Harris hails from, being an “auntie” is an honorific for caregivers, community builders – and maybe even the next president.

Essay: Kamala Harris’ identity as a biracial woman is either a strength or a weakness, depending on whom you ask | The Conversation  More than 33 million Americans identify as multiracial and likely see themselves reflected in Harris’ layered background. But many Republicans are also trying to use Harris’ identity against her. By Jennifer Ho.

Opinion: Kamala Harris and the future of Indian Americans in politics | Seattle Times  “The aftereffects will likely be felt for decades as tens of thousands of Indian Americans become eligible to vote and run for office.” By Karthick Ramakrishnan and Sital Kalantry.

'Harris's no 2 taught in China': Chinese internet reacts to Walz | BBC  Chinese social media users have been discussing how Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spent a year teaching in the southeastern province of Guangdong in 1989. Walz once described his decision to teach in China as "one of the best things I've ever done."

California celebrates arrival of first pandas from China in decades | The Guardian  Governor Gavin Newsom declares California Panda Day as "gentle and lovable" Yun Chuan and Xin Bao make San Diego debut.

China auto market hits milestone as EVs, hybrids make up half of July sales | Reuters  Half of all vehicles sold in China in July were either new electric vehicles (EV) or plug-in hybrids, underscoring how far the world's biggest auto market has leapt ahead of Western counterparts in EV adoption.

Taiwan's Olympic athletes offered hometown food | Taiwan News  Beef noodle, dumplings, and tea eggs are served to Taiwanese athletes in Paris.

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