On April 23, 2021, Rob Bonta was sworn in as the 34th Attorney General of the State of California, the first person of Filipino descent and the second Asian-American to occupy the position.

Literature possesses a profound ability to transcend the boundaries of time, place, and identity, serving as a powerful catalyst for empathy and deeper racial understanding. By immersing oneself in stories that explore racial dynamics, injustices, and personal struggles, literature not only educates but also cultivates a more compassionate understanding of the complexities of race and ethnicity.

The 2024 Ethnic Media Awards showcased outstanding work from ethnic multi-media outlets across the state, reporting in a dozen languages—stories rarely covered in the mainstream. The ceremony concluded a two-day Conference and Expo hosted by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services.

The recent Mandala Workshop hosted by Southland integrates HIV education and coping with discrimination, a theme that aligns with the organization’s mission of improving the well-being of Orange County’s diverse residents through outreach, education, and community health services.

OCAPICA condemns the university’s punitive and carceral response to student protests at the University of California, Irvine. On Wednesday, May 15th, students protesting in support of Palestine were met by law enforcement from both local and state divisions.

The third roundtable discussion of Da Màu Foundation, as part of the Stop the Hate project by the State of California on the theme "Defining and Defying Hate" took place on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 7:00 PM (Eastern Time). It was streamed live on two social media platforms: Da Mau Facebook and Da Mau YouTube.

Recently, I went to my mailbox and found a sticker that said “God Hates Fags.” What would drive someone to plaster that kind of message? Is that a way to win converts? No. It’s a way to spread fear and hate. Where is all this fear and hate coming from?

This year’s 2024 conference theme was “Strength In Unity: Embracing the Tapestry of Our Diversity, Cultivating Our Heritage, and Celebrating Our Multilingualism.” During the conference, participants were able to engage in numerous workshops, Spotlight Speaker sessions, and Keynote Speaker events covering various subjects relating to enhancing literacy skills, expanding multilingual and dual language programs, Asian language instruction, early childhood education, assessment methods, effective instructional approaches, policy advocacy, promoting racial equity, fostering family and community involvement, and exploring pathways for the State Seal of Biliteracy.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC), and Microsoft collaborated on a unique digital resource - the Asian Resource Hub. VAAMA was in attendance at the recent launch to gain a deeper insight about this incredible resource and to celebrate this great achievement.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was created by the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 in direct response to calls for racial and economic justice at the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. As the primary federal agency charged by Congress with enforcing laws against employment discrimination, the EEOC’s mission is to prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination and advance equal employment opportunity for all.

In recent years, Californians experienced a surge of hate activity. According to the California Department of Justice, the number of reported hate crimes is at a 10-year high, with much of the increase occurring within the past few years. Between 2020 and 2021, reported hate crimes increased by almost 33 percent. Other data sources portray similarly troubling patterns of hate activity. Nationwide, 53 percent of adults in the U.S. have reported that they experienced harassment online, and 32 percent of those adults reported that the harassment was due to their sexual orientation, religion, race or ethnicity, gender identity, or disability.

A Texas Mom, who is Vietnamese-American has been fighting for a year, accusing the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District of failing to take any action to punish racist crimes in which her two sons are victims.

Amid the holiday season, a coalition of mental health nonprofits in Orange County was joining forces to address the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health, particularly among people of color. This collaborative effort aimed to raise awareness about mental health issues, provide support, and combat the rising tide of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). A media event was hosted on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, at Pacific Electric Park in Santa Ana, California.

The California DOJ recently released a report that revealed hate crimes reported to law enforcement in California rose 20%, jumping from 1,763 in 2021 to 2,120 in 2022.

In a Friday, Oct. 13 Ethnic Media Services briefing, experts discussed the conflict’s roots, what it means for Jewish and Muslim U.S. communities confronting increased hate, and how inter-ethnic U.S. violence is deepening in response to the international violence.

Over the years, Asian and Vietnamese filmmakers have increasingly taken on the responsibility of portraying Asian characters and stories authentically, shedding light on the diverse and multifaceted nature of Asian identity, and the Viet Film Festival (VFF) has been a crucial channel that helps broadcast these creative works towards a broader audience, both in theatres and online.

Take a look at “20 Ideas for Action” to brainstorm ways your community can participate in United Against Hate Week.

Groundswell’s 2022 Orange County Hate Crime Report press conference on September 21, 2023, highlighted some urgent findings and calls for unity in community collaboration in combating hate in Orange County.

As a licensed clinical social worker, Paul Hoang encountered firsthand through his patients the many heartbreaking personal stories of their sufferings during and post-pandemic. He decided that treatments alone weren’t good enough. He wanted to take practical action to teach elders the many ways they can keep themselves safe and sane.

The City of Westminster commemorated a landmark civil rights court case on Tuesday with an intimate yet powerful reunion at Mendez Tribute Monument Park.