#267 AASF/Stanford Symposium; AAAS Travels to China; NY Post Condemned; UCA Convention; +

In This Issue #267

·       New York Post Retracted and Apologized

·       AASF: Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium & Ceremony

·       Connecting Scientific Communities: AAAS Travels to China

·       2024 United Chinese Americans Conference

·       News and Activities for the Communities

New York Post Retracted and Apologized

Community organizations across the nation and elected officials were outraged and demanded that the New York Post apologize for incorrectly reporting the man who shot former President Donald Trump and killed an innocent bystander was Chinese.The New York Post has issued the following retraction and apology:On July 15, 2024, the Committee of 100 (C100) released a public letter from its Chair Gary Locke to the New York Post executive editor Keith Poole.  The letter criticizes the publication for inaccurately reporting that a Chinese man was responsible for an attempted assassination of former President Trump. The letter highlights the harm caused to the Chinese American community by such false claims, especially in the context of rising anti-Asian sentiment. C100 urges the New York Post to issue an apology, correct the error, and implement stricter editorial guidelines to prevent future misinformation.  Read the C100 letter: https://bit.ly/4f6O22gAccording to Documented, several Chinese community representatives held a press conference at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in New York City's Chinatown to request a formal apology from the New York Post. 

“The story caused the Chinese American community additional harm,” said Lester Chang, the first and only Chinese Republican assemblyman representing Brooklyn’s 49th district, at the conference. He noted that political rhetoric has blamed Chinese Americans for the pandemic, adding, “In this current era of heightened anti-Asian hate, Chinese Americans and the Asian American community are already looking over their shoulders daily.” Cindy Tsai, Interim President and Executive Director of the Committee of 100, emphasized at the press conference that anti-Asian hate is not just a relic of the past during the pandemic, “We will also be asking our government officials to take anti-Asian hate seriously, as it is still very real today.”Chinese community activist Queenie Ho was one of the first to contact the New York Post after finding the error. She said that she felt scared when she first saw the news. “On Saturday, our community and country were shocked by an act of political violence that went against the values of all Americans. That’s why I was incredibly disappointed and disturbed during this highly emotional time,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung in a statement. “I believe the Post owes the Chinese and entire Asian American community an apology.”State Senator John Liu stated, “Falsely identifying the shooter as Chinese in the heat of an assassination investigation is dangerous to Asian Americans. The New York Post must own up to its mistakes and apologize for this disturbing lack of journalistic integrity.”“Accurate and responsible reporting is crucial, especially in sensitive cases that can have profound impacts on individuals and communities,” said Senator Iwen Chu, urging the publication to take measures to prevent such errors in the future.

Councilwoman Susan Zhuang criticized the New York Post for not doing its due diligence and called the misinformation “reckless and dangerous.” She urged the publication to formally issue a retraction and apologize for the mistake.The Chinatown East Neighborhood Council is mobilizing its members to send letters to pressure the New York Post. The letter also condemns any act of political violence.“This reckless reporting, especially in today’s inflamed political climate, is dangerous to our communities,” tweeted Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition aimed at addressing racism and discrimination affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.“Dangerously irresponsible of @NYPost to wrongly claim the Trump shooter was a ‘Chinese man’ and then update the story without a correction notice,” tweeted the Asian American Journalists Association on X.Reuters did not include the New York Post report as part of its fact checks on July 16, 2024.

Media Reports and Statements:2024/07/17 NBC News: Trump assassination attempt live updates: U.S. learned of Iranian plot to kill Trump weeks before shooting2024/07/16 Resonate: ‘Chinese Man’: Trump Shooter Misidentified by New York Post, Asian Americans Demand Apology2024/07/16 South China Morning Post: Asian-American community angered by erroneous report that Donald Trump shooter was Chinese2024/07/16 Reuters: We fact-checked some of the rumors spreading online about the Trump assassination attempt2024/07/16 Documented: New York Post Falsely Claims “Chinese Man” Shot Trump, Chinese Communities Outraged2024/07/15 星島日報: 多位參選人下一步具體行動未有共識2024/07/15 United Chinese Americans: UCA Condemns the Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump and Calls on NY Post to Issue Public Apology to Chinese Americans2024/07/15 NextShark Editorial: New York Post criticized for misreporting Trump shooter as 'Chinese man'2024/07/15 Northwest Asian Weekly: Locke slams newspaper for incorrectly blaming Chinese man in Trump assassination attempt2024/07/15 AsAmNews: Apology demanded from NY Post to Chinese Americans2024/07/15 Committee of 100: Letter to the Editor, New York Post2024/07/13 New York Post: Gunman behind attempted assassination on Trump had head blown off by Secret Service, sources say; rally-goer killed

AASF: Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium & Ceremony

On July 27-28, 2024, the Inaugural Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony, an event dedicated to celebrating and honoring the remarkable contributions of Asian American scholar pioneers, will be held at Stanford University.  It is hosted by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF).The award ceremony on July 27 will feature prominent Asian American innovators that AASF featured in Project Pioneer with the National Science Foundation. These pioneers made fundamental contributions to our country from enabling WiFi everywhere to video calls with our loved ones.  AASF hopes this work can change the narrative and stereotypes of Asian American scientists as perpetual foreigners and threats. This special occasion will bring together some of the most distinguished minds in the fields of energy, artificial intelligence, life sciences, and leadership. Nobel Prize laureates and Turing Award laureates will deliver keynote speeches and distinguished leaders will engage in fireside chats, providing a unique platform for intellectual exchange and inspiration. The event will also have Asian American pioneers such as Congresswoman Judy Chu, as well as representatives from the White House and multiple federal agencies. This year’s symposium furthers AASF’s efforts to lift up the Asian American scholar community on a national platform and bridge the different sectors of our society for the betterment of our country. AASF has shown that a community can self-organize to ensure that the door is open for Asian American scholars to be empowered and have a voice and representation.For more information and to register to attend, visit https://bit.ly/3XLApPN

Connecting Scientific Communities: AAAS Travels to China

In late May, a delegation from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) led by Dr. Sudip Parikh, AAAS CEO and executive publisher of the Science family of journals traveled to Beijing, China to visit one of its international partners, the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST). The delegation included Bill Moran, publisher of the Science family of journals, Andrew Black, AAAS chief of staff and chief public affairs officer, and Dr. Kim Montgomery, AAAS director of international affairs and science diplomacy.Along with meetings with CAST, the AAAS delegation had the opportunity to meet with the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and Tsinghua University. It was an action-packed trip to the world’s second largest R&D spender that included discussions on the continued need for connections between the U.S. and Chinese scientific communities, especially at the basic research level.Read the AAAS report: https://bit.ly/463JoOs

2024 United Chinese Americans Conference

United Chinese Americans (UCA) held its fourth United Chinese Americans (UCA) Conference in Washington D.C. on June 27-30, 2024.This year’s conference, themed “Embracing the New Civil Rights Movement,” attracted nearly 700 participants from across the United States. The event showcased the strength and voice of the Chinese American community and united their hopes and confidence for the future.The first day featured the “AANHPI Congressional Advocacy Day,” co-hosted by UCA and APAPA. Hundreds of participants, divided into over 50 groups, visited 283 congressional offices, representing more than half of the 425 House representatives. Each group detailed the issues facing the Chinese American community, focusing on real estate purchase restrictions for Chinese nationals, anti-Asian sentiments, and the inclusion of Asian American history in U.S. high school curricula.During the Capitol Hill reception, Congresswoman Grace Meng thanked UCA and APAPA members for their participation and highlighted the importance of incorporating Asian American history into U.S. high school curricula. Texas State Representative Gene Wu emphasized the negative impacts of real estate purchase restrictions on Chinese Americans and called for the Asian American community to unite and engage in politics actively. California Congresswoman Judy Chu noted that current visa restrictions on Chinese students and scholars severely hinder academic and technological exchanges between China and the United States. New Jersey Congressman Andy Kim urged everyone to vote and participate in public affairs to secure more rights for the Asian American community.

The second and third days of the conference featured over 20 forums and more than 50 guests, providing attendees with engaging discussions and sharing sessions. At the opening ceremony, Erika L. Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President & AANHPI Senior Liaison, Congressmen Ted Lieu, Gene Wu, and Maryland State Delegate Lily Qi were present to offer their congratulations. In his opening remarks, UCA President Haipei Shue addressed three unique challenges facing the Chinese American community: deteriorating US-China relations, worsening domestic political climate, and the new immigrant community’s lack of engagement in political and social life. He called for the community to unite, launch a new chapter in the Chinese American civil rights movement, and establish a nationwide coalition to tackle future challenges.The conference included five themed sub-conferences focused on youth, mental health, AAPI political action, community building and civic engagement, and entrepreneurship and career development.The highlight of the conference was the Awards Ceremony and Gala. Individuals and organizations with outstanding performance in community service and leadership were honored. The final day featured a large-scale “Walk for Civil Rights, Walk for Our Rights” event on the National Mall to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Read the summary of the 2024 UCA Conference: https://bit.ly/4f5UTt2

News and Activities for the Communities

1.  APA Justice Community Calendar

Upcoming Events:2024/07/16-17 National Science, Technology, and Security Roundtable - Capstone2024/07/17 C100 Career Ceiling Summit: Creating a Level Playing Field2024/07/25-28 Leadership Convention by NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals) 2024/07/27-28 Asian American Pioneer Medal Symposium and Ceremony2024/08/04 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall Meeting2024/08/05 APA Justice Monthly Meeting2024/08/19 DNC Convention, AAPI Briefing & Reception, Chicago, IL2024/09/01 Rep. Gene Wu's Town Hall MeetingThe Community Calendar has moved.  Visit https://bit.ly/3XD61qV for event details.

2.  Book Chapter: "Asian Americans as 'the Perpetual Foreigner' under Scrutiny"

A chapter titled "Asian Americans as 'the Perpetual Foreigner' under Scrutiny," authored by Frank Wu, was in a book "Race and Surveillance" published by the Cambridge University Press in 2023.Frank Wu is President of Queen's College, The City University of New York.Asian Americans play a prominent role in the state surveillance story, because Asian Americans play an ambiguous role in both international relations and domestic race relations.4 Although people of Asian descent have been arriving in the Americas since before the Civil War – Asian soldiers fighting on both sides of the internecine conflict – Asian immigrants and their American-born descendants, whatever their formal status and however assimilated, have been portrayed as “sojourners” only temporarily resident in the United States and likely to return to a homeland to which they have remained stealthily loyal.  The persistent theme has been that Asians are inassimilable into American society, whether by biology, culture, or their own collective choices. The assumption that it is contradictory to be both Asian and American has been used, explicitly and implicitly, to justify discrimination against Asian Americans.For more information and to order the book, visit: https://bit.ly/3XWMD8t

3. Delaware SB 297 Passed Both State House and Senate

According to LegiScan, Delaware Senate Bill (SB) 297 passed the State Senate on a vote of 21-0 on May 21, 2024, and the State House on a vote of 40-0 with one abstention on June 26, 2024.According to AsAmNews, Delaware will become the seventh state to require Asian American history if the bill is signed by the Delaware Governor John Carney. Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, Senator Laura Sturgeon, Representative Sophie Philips, and Representative Bill Bush sponsored SB 297.Delaware joins Illinois, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Florida, and Wisconsin in passing legislation regarding Asian American history in classrooms.Read the LegiScan summary: https://bit.ly/4d13vPz.  Read the AsAmNews report: https://bit.ly/3W3nxSL