It started with stuffing campaign envelopes together as a family. Decades later, mother Rosemary Kamei and daughter Ellen Kamei are both serving in local government. Rosemary, a likely pick for San Jose vice mayor, won the District 1 seat for City Council last June. District 1 is based in West San Jose and includes the […]
First Cambodian American mayor in U.S. takes office
January 6, 2022 by Leave a Comment
BOSTON — A refugee who survived the Khmer Rouge’s brutal rule has become the first Cambodian American mayor in the United States. Sokhary Chau, a city councilor in Lowell, Massachusetts, was unanimously picked by his council peers to assume the legislative body’s top post on Jan. 3. He also became the city’s first Asian American […]
Michelle Wu sworn in as Boston’s first woman elected mayor
November 25, 2021 by Leave a Comment
BOSTON Michelle Wu was sworn in Nov. 16 as Boston’s first woman and first person of color elected mayor in the city’s long history. The swearing-in of the city’s first Asian American mayor came two weeks after Wu won the city’s mayoral election. Before Wu, Boston had elected only white men as mayor. “City government […]
Mayoral wins mark milestone for Asian Americans
November 11, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Asian Americans will serve as mayor in Boston and Cincinnati for the first time in both cities? histories, signaling political progress for a population that has struggled for almost two years with a rise in anti-Asian hate. Boston voters tapped City Councilor Michelle Wu, 36, on Nov. 2 to serve in the city’s top political […]
Diversity among Bay Area elected officials improves, but disparities still exist
September 2, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Racial diversity among Bay Area elected officials increased during the 2020 election cycle but new data shows wide disparities still exist across the region. The proportion of people of color holding top local offices increased from 26 percent in 2018 to about 34 percent after the 2020 elections, according to a report released this week […]
Asian Americans hope for more inclusive society under Biden
November 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
TOKYO — With U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly calling the novel coronavirus the “Chinese virus,” many Asian Americans have been exposed to adverse experiences because of their race or ethnicity. But now that Democrat Joe Biden has beaten the Republican president in the Nov. 3 White House election, they are hoping the incoming administration will […]
Docuseries offers fresh look at Asian American experience
May 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment
“Asian Americans,” a five-hour film series chronicling the contributions and challenges of the fastest-growing ethnic group in America, is being shown this month on PBS during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Personal histories and new academic research cast a fresh lens on U.S. history and the role Asian Americans have played in it. Renee Tajima-Peña, […]
Trump effect: Mid-terms a turning point for Asian American voters
November 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment
The 2018 mid-terms marked the pivotal moment when Asian Americans made a difference — as voters, candidates and historic winners. An Ethnic Media Services survey of Asian American voter turnout and growing involvement in the political process reveals the surging significance of these major ethnic groups’ participation in elections in various states. With a history […]
Asian American candidates in Calif.
June 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment
California held its primary elections June 5, resulting in several wins for Asian Americans, while many more were locked out of the November election in the state’s top-two primaries. Congressional Seats Several Asian American hopefuls ran to unseat United States Sen. Dianne Feinstein, but the veteran senator held a healthy lead with 43.8 percent of […]
OPINION: Donald Trump: a disruptive president
Traditionally, American presidents have governed with dignity and a strong sense of national purpose and international responsibility. Since his election in 2016, however, Donald Trump has debased the dignity and decorum of the presidency. Every day, over the past three years, he has trampled on the principles and practices of democratic governance. He caters to […]