| | | | Dear Friends, On the first of this month, the U.S. Supreme Court held a hearing on Trump v. Barbara, a nationwide class action lawsuit. Legal experts say that President Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented or temporary visa holders is unconstitutional, citing the landmark United States v. Wong Kim Ark case from 1898. As we await the Supreme Court’s final ruling (expected by late June or early July), let us remember how this 128-year-old case was a victory not just for Wong Kim Ark and future generations of Asian Americans, but for all children regardless of their parents’ citizenship status. Interested to learn more about United States v. Wong Kim Ark and the history of anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S.? Check out our quick explainer and our video titled "Exclusion: The Shared Asian American Experience" on YouTube.
SAVE THE DATE Our 2026 Roots & Wings Youth Symposium will be held on Saturday, September 19, at the College of San Mateo in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you missed last year’s event, you can check out more details here and view a recap video here. We are excited to share more details on this year’s event over the coming months! Stay tuned.
LAST CALL FOR ESSAY CONTEST SUBMISSIONS The deadline has been extended for the China Focus Essay Contest. Enter by Friday, April 17, at 11:59 pm PT. Visit our website for the official rules and the opportunity to win up to $1,000.
SUPPORT THE 1990 INSTITUTE Thank you for your continued support. If you would like to make a charitable donation of any amount to help us continue our work, we would be grateful for your support. You can also explore past newsletter issues and subscribe to stay connected. |
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| March 28 marked the 128th anniversary of the birthright citizenship decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898). A few days later, the Supreme Court held a hearing on Trump v. Barbara. Read a quick explainer on the two cases. |
| | | JOIN US AND 1990 INSTITUTE BOARD MEMBER KER GIBBS — BOOK TALK: “THE FRAGILE DRAGON: TRADE, TRUMP, AND CHINA’S VULNERABILITIES” ON APRIL 29 - In this talk presented by the University of San Francisco (USF) and co-sponsored by the 1990 Institute and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Ker Gibbs introduces his new book, “The Fragile Dragon,” which offers a nuanced portrait of China and its complex relationship with the West through the lens of his long and colorful history working in Shanghai. Sign up to join online or in person at USF on April 29 at 5:00–6:30 pm PT.
- As president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Ker had extraordinary access to senior leaders in Washington and Beijing, giving him remarkable insight into why tensions between the U.S. and China have escalated so sharply, and what that means for global commerce and stability.
- 1990 Institute Emeritus Director and 2026 Youth Symposium Co-Chair Sandra Pan will attend in person and share a few words at the event.
WATCH THE RECORDING — “ASIAN AMERICAN AUTHORS SERIES: A CONVERSATION WITH DANIEL TAM-CLAIBORNE” |
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|  | Join us at a book talk on April 29 with our board member Ker Gibbs — presented by the University of San Francisco, the 1990 Institute, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Register to attend in-person or online |
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| U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS & CHINA NEWS Car site Edmunds tests a Chinese SUV, says it should worry U.S. automakers | Reuters - Popular car-shopping website Edmunds put a Chinese vehicle through a series of rigorous tests for the first time. Editor-in-Chief Alistair Weaver came away with a notable impression: "The technology is terrific."
- Did you know? China is the worldwide leader in motor vehicle production, producing more than 31 million cars and commercial vehicles in 2024, more than 3 times the next largest producer.
U.S. lawmakers say they'll visit Taiwan before Trump's summit with China's Xi | AP News - A bipartisan group of four senators has plans to visit Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea in the coming days on a trip meant to bolster U.S. alliances seen as important to countering China’s dominance in Asia. President Trump’s rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping is in May.
Shocked by gas at $4 in America? Try $16 in this Asian city | CNN Business - The conflict involving oil-producing Gulf states, and the effective closure of a critical oil and gas shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices surging globally over the past month. This is particularly painful for Hong Kong and other Asian economies, which depend heavily on energy sourced from the Middle East.
UM Chinese researcher dies after alleged questioning by feds | The Detroit News - Chinese officials are calling on the U.S. to investigate the death of a University of Michigan researcher after undergoing what they labeled "hostile questioning" by U.S. federal law enforcement. Danhao Wang, whom the university said was an electrical and computer engineering research assistant, died March 20 in a "possible act of self harm."
China doesn’t want to catch up with the U.S. in tech. It aims to lead | CNN Business - Over the next five years, China seeks to upgrade its already powerful industrial sector, strengthen tech “self-sufficiency,” and incubate sectors that will help accelerate the country’s tech supremacy, from artificial intelligence and robotics to aerospace and quantum computing.
ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, & PACIFIC ISLANDER (AANHPI) NEWS Supreme Court appears skeptical of Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship | Politico - The court’s conservative majority joined the liberals in aggressively questioning the potential implications of disturbing the decades-long consensus on citizenship.
AAPI adults mostly think Trump has done more harm than good on immigration, new poll finds | The Associated Press - The survey is from AAPI Data and The Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About 6 in 10 Asian American and Pacific Islander adults say Trump has hurt immigration and border security, compared to 4 in 10 adults overall.
UFW Filipino co-founder's son speaks out amidst allegations against Cesar Chavez | ABC30 Fresno - The United Farm Workers movement included key Filipino activists who were an integral part of the 1960s Delano Grape Strike. Over the last 10 to 15 years, many people have shifted their focus away from Cesar Chavez and more toward the unseen heroes of the labor movement.
Five years after the Atlanta-area spa shootings, community continues working toward healing | CBS News - March 16, 2026, marked five years since a series of deadly shootings at massage businesses shocked metro Atlanta and started a conversation about hostility toward Asian Americans across the country. Local councilwoman Sarah Park says while time has passed, she isn't sure the community will ever fully heal.
Blackpink’s Lisa to Headline First K-Pop Residency in Las Vegas | Resonate Voices - A member of the South Korean group Blackpink, Lisa (born Lalisa Manobal) is the first K-pop artist to headline a residency in Las Vegas.
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| | The 2026 College Essay Contest is open to college/university students and recent grads. See full rules on our website. This contest is presented by the 1990 Institute, the 21st Century China Center at UC San Diego, the Fudan-UC Center on Contemporary China, and The Carter Center. |
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| | THE CARTER CENTER — Event on May 1: “China Goes Global: Managing U.S.-China Trade and Tech Competition”: - The half-day event includes panels on the challenges to productive co-existence and guidance for businesses navigating the turbulent U.S.-China relationship.
- 1990 Institute board member Ker Gibbs is a panelist.
- Join in-person at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 1 at 2:00–5:00 pm ET.
- Register here — free and open to the public.
COMMITTEE OF 100 — New report on the ongoing State of Chinese Americans research: - The nonprofit Committee of 100 and NORC at the University of Chicago, one of the largest independent social research organizations in the U.S., released new findings on March 25, 2026.
- For the first time, the study reached beyond the Chinese American population to survey the general American public about issues relevant to Chinese Americans and U.S.-China relations.
- The new report outlines the pervasive impact of the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, or the perception of a racial or ethnic group as outsiders.
- Read the report here.
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| | Dim Sum - A Little Bit of Heart |
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| | | | 1990 Institute
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