What the GOP Can Learn From Jeremy Lin
What can one possibly add to the hill of hype that now surrounds the glorious Jeremy Lin, New York Knickerbocker?
We are fascinated by his rise, but instead of focusing on his talent, which is raw and untested, we fixate upon his race and his biography. Lin's parents came here from Taiwan in the late 70s, settling in California, and he grew up as American as he did Taiwanese, with a quiet but devoted Christianity that marks him as a cultural conservative, and a playfulness and sense of humor that keeps him tethered to the modern world. Implicit within the coverage of Linsanity is the assumption that Lin is so special because he is unusual. But he's not, really. If you've been paying attention to integration of second-generation Asian-Americans into the our political super-culture, he's kind of normal.
Read the full post >America’s Opportunity Fund Endorses Mazie Hirono, Tammy Duckworth, and Mark Takano
Today America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF) announces additional endorsements for the 2012 election cycle. Focusing on candidates who represent and support the needs of underrepresented communities, AOF is proud to add the following candidates to their endorsements: Mazie Hirono for Senate, Tammy Duckworth for Congress, and Mark Takano for Congress.
Read the full post >AOF Condemns Hoekstra's Racially Insensitive Campaign Ad
America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF) condemns the commercial aired during yesterday’s Super Bowl from Michigan Senate candidate, Pete Hoekstra. The commercial depicting a young Asian American woman speaking in broken English and set in a presumed Chinese countryside perpetuates negative stereotypes and is disrespectful to the Asian American community.
Read the full post >Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year from all of us at America’s Opportunity Fund! We wish you and your family a joyous, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Read the full post >Happy Holidays from Norm Mineta and America's Opportunity Fund!
As we take the time to celebrate the meaning of the Holiday season and reflect upon this past year, we wanted to give thanks to all of you who have donated and supported our programs. You’ve helped AOF to strengthen our mission to increase the number of elected officials who represent the needs of communities of color, increase voter visibility and participation to support those endorsed candidates.
Read the full post >For Envoy To China, The Personal And Political Mix
The U.S. ambassador to China, Gary Locke, went home Friday. He didn't return to Seattle, his old stomping ground, but to his ancestral village in southern China. It was his third trip back, though his first since being appointed ambassador.
At first, Chinese Internet users had criticized him as a "fake foreign devil who can't speak Chinese." But now the tide has turned.
Read the full post >Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley: A Leader's leader
Today, in Little Rock, Arkansas and across the country, we honor and celebrate the life of Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley.
Read the full post >America’s Opportunity Fund Expresses Condolences on the Passing of Etsu Mineta Masaoka
Last week, long-time community leader Etsu Mineta Masaoka passed away. Mineta Masaoka was a stalwart leader and icon in the community, particularly within the Japanese-American community. She was the sister of AOF Co-Founder and Chair, Norman Y. Mineta, and was interned with her family at the Heart Mountain camp in Wyoming, where she met her husband, civil rights leader, Mike Masaoka.
Read the full post >Happy AAPI Heritage Month!
In 1977, when I was still a Congressman, I worked with Congressman Frank Horton to introduce a House resolution that established the first 10 days of May as Asian Pacific Heritage Week. A month later, Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga led the passage of a similar bill in the Senate. Then in 1990, APA Heritage Week was expanded to APA Heritage Month.
Read the full post >Actress Tamlyn Tomita Meets with Activists to Discuss the Role of Arts in Advocacy
Last Thursday, actress Tamlyn Tomita (of Joy Luck Club and Karate Kid II fame) met with a packed room of community leaders and activists to talk about her work as a fellow activist in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
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