Dear Friends,

October is Filipino American History Month. The premiere of “In Joseph Ileto’s Eyes” was held at our Youth Symposium last month. This short film tells the story of  Filipino American Joseph Ileto, a federal employee who was killed in an act of ethnic violence in 1999, and the devastating impact of his death on his family. Joseph’s brother and sister-in-law, Ismael and Deena Ileto, share how they are keeping his memory alive through their advocacy. Watch “In Joseph Ileto’s Eyes,” produced by the 1990 Institute and the Asian American Education Project.

Follow our New Asian Americans Voices program to learn more about notable Filipino Americans. In addition to Joseph Ileto, we’ve featured author Carlos Bulosan, labor activists Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, historian Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, Olympian Vicki Draves, Filipino American nurses, artist Jenifer Wofford’s mural celebrating Asian American artists at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum, and much more. Contact us with suggestions on who to spotlight next. For lesson plans and more educational material on Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, visit the 1990 Institute’s Reference Library.

Thank you for your continued support of the newsletter (subscribe here) and the 1990 Institute — your tax-deductible donation of any size supports teachers and students, and programs like New Asian American Voices and the Youth Symposium. 

Joseph Ileto, a Filipino American and U.S. mail carrier, was killed in a hate crime in 1999. We were honored to welcome Joseph’s brother and sister-in-law, Ismael and Deena Ileto, to our Youth Symposium to introduce our new short documentary and share their determination to honor Joseph’s memory by speaking out against violence and discrimination. Watch “In Joseph Ileto’s Eyes” on our YouTube channel.

How can historical mooncakes inspire us in America today?

By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

I used to teach Asian American history as something that happened a long long time ago, before people knew better, before people knew who we were. I thought the key was learning history and sharing a few spring rolls and knowing the parameters of our rights. 

But as every new wave of immigration rolls in, that education cycle begins anew. I often hear Asian Americans spout tired stereotypes about how Asians do not like to speak out or stand out or cause trouble because “it’s not our culture.” 

I always push back that Asian and Asian American history and literature are full of troublemakers who stand up and stand out. Immigrants and refugees are the bravest and most courageous of us all.

For example, there are many versions of the story of the moon goddess Chang-e and the heavenly archer Hou-yi and the origins of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. But I like the historical story of Chinese statesman Liu Po-Wen, who during the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), baked messages of revolt into mooncakes. These mooncakes were then passed out to villagers and rebel forces, right under the noses of the Mongol soldiers. The soldiers probably found the villagers’ cultural traditions quaint. Then the people rose up together on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival and successfully overthrew their Mongol rulers. 

Some say that the story of how messages were baked into mooncakes is the origin of fortune cookies, invented in America. We brought this story with us. We also brought this courage.

In this historical moment, when we are overwhelmed by so much news, I sometimes notice that people only pay attention to stories when they apply to us, when we see a connection, when the person is the same ethnicity as us, the same race as us, the same immigration history or citizenship status as us. We care because we know and identify with that story. But we can also reach beyond our own experience and take a broader stance for what America is and could be. 

In a recent message about Bibi Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother who was detained, mistreated, and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), after living in California for 30 years and checking in with ICE annually for 13 years, the Sikh Coalition also noted many other cases involving people from other countries. It urged its readers, “If you are outraged by the treatment of Bibi Harjit Kaur, we urge you to share her story within your sangat [community] — and then emphasize how what is happening to her is happening to too many elders, children, and other fellow human beings from different communities. … Our defense of immigrant rights is not a choice — it is a moral imperative.”

It is a mistake to think that our particular group or identity will be exempted. Those who would harm immigrants and refugees and asylum seekers would harm all of us. So we should all stand up together in defense of immigrants and refugees and our communities. 

It’s Filipino American History Month. Learn about Carlos Bulosan, writer, poet, labor activist, and author of “America is in the Heart.” The novel, which features semi-autobiographical elements, chronicles the harsh experience of Filipino American immigrants in California in the 1930s.

Curated News

Asian American groups oppose revival of “China Initiative” | Northwest Asian Weekly  More than 80 Asian American and civil rights organizations are speaking out against a new proposal in Congress they say would bring back the controversial “China Initiative.” Read the press release from Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the letter and the full list of signatories, including the 1990 Institute.

Wyoming town erects new monument to violent, anti-immigrant history | NPR  Local students now learn about the 1885 massacre of Chinese immigrant miners at school and helped host a ceremony for the new monument. See 1990 Institute’s new video about the Rock Springs, Wisconsin, massacre of Chinese miners and the unveiling of the “Requiem” statue commemorating the 140th anniversary of the event.

Democrat Xp Lee wins race to succeed Melissa Hortman, restoring Minnesota House tie | Minnesota Public Radio  Hmong American and Democratic candidate Xp Lee prevailed in a pivotal special election to fill the seat opened by the killing of Minnesota House leader Melissa Hortman.

George Takei to lead Banned Books Week, urging the fight against censorship | NBC News  During Banned Books Week, libraries and bookstores highlight titles that have been censored.

Laotian refugee living in U.S. since childhood faces threat of deportation | PBS News Hour  Deportation flights to Laos have resumed for the first time in years. Alan Phetsadakone arrived in the United States as a toddler and now he faces the threat of deportation.

China is starting to talk about AI superintelligence, and some in the U.S. are taking notice | NBC News  Alibaba's CEO said the company would be pushing to develop advanced AI. Some in the U.S. have viewed China's AI ambitions as more focused on applications of the technology.

Targeted abroad and shunned at home: Chinese overseas students caught in limbo | CNN  For Chinese students, a degree from a U.S. university was once considered a “golden ticket” to coveted jobs back home. But many are now finding that geopolitics is blunting their ambitions.

China’s jobless youth aren’t happy with a plan to attract foreign professionals with a new ‘K-visa’ | CNN  A new visa category launched by the Chinese government to attract young science and technology professionals is causing backlash in China, where well-educated youth are struggling to find work.

Chinese electric cars are going global. A cut-throat price war at home could kill off many of its brands | CNN  In China’s auto industry, hundreds of brands have gone under in a brutal race to the bottom over the past few years. The country’s EV boom gave rise to global leaders like BYD; it has also led to extensive overcapacity in which a crowd of carmakers are scrambling for market share.

Indian students say H-1B visa changes are causing them to rethink studying in U.S. | NBC News  India was the largest recipient of H-1B visas last year with 71% of approved beneficiaries, while China was second at 11.7%. What to know about Trump's H-1B visa shake-up and the new $100,000 fee.

Arthur Sze named 25th U.S. poet laureate | NPR  The Library of Congress has announced Arthur Sze, born in New York City, a child of Chinese immigrants, as the 25th U.S. poet laureate. Sze’s work often draws inspiration from philosophy, science, and nature.

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