Written by Kayla maharani and Vivian Zhu
Edited by Kathryn Lee
Article 1 - Monterey Park Shootings
TW: death, gun violence, suicide
Monterey Park, CA — On Jan. 21, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran killed 11 people and wounded nine in one of the first mass shootings of 2023. The incident occurred at Star Ballroom Dance Studio, while most of the Asian-American community was out celebrating Lunar New Year’s Eve. Tran entered the studio with an automatic firearm, now classified as an illegal “assault weapon,” and fired at least 42 rounds. Intending to cause further harm, 20 to 30 minutes after the first shooting, Tran entered the Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra. He was stopped by two individuals who worked together to disarm the man.
The authorities received a description of a white van leaving Alhambra around the time of the shootings. It was spotted shortly after in Torrance by local police officers, who discovered that Tran had committed suicide inside the van, leaving questions unanswered and ultimately losing the man who should’ve been held accountable. Investigators are now shifting their focus to Tran’s history in order to gain background information crucial to resolving this case.
Shocked by the violence, the community has tried to deal with their losses and overcome safety concerns. Although investigations are still ongoing, authorities have struggled to make sense of the motive behind this devastating crime. According to a profile the FBI constructed on older gunmen, the authorities suspect Tran to have lashed out due to the baggage of past failed relationships. The police have also emphasized that the ease of access to firearms has caused an influx in mass shootings and gun violence.
We can honor these victims by using our voice in the fight to reform gun laws to prevent further violence. Additionally, we can also donate to organizations working with families of the victims. Classroom of Compassion is raising funds for public altars in order to honor the 11 victims who died in this tragic incident. A team of nonprofits (such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California and Gold House) are also working together to raise $500,000 to help individuals suffering from gun violence.
Article 2 - Transnational same-sex marriage recognized in Taiwan
Image credit: https://time.com/5594339/taiwan-gay-rights/
Taipei, TW — Taiwan is officially the first nation in Asia to pass gay marriage legislation. Same-sex marriages between Taiwanese citizens and their foreign partners will now be recognized and considered legal. In 2019, a similar marriage equality law was limited to Taiwanese individuals whose spouses were citizens of countries where same-sex marriage is considered legal. The recent reformation also includes individuals who come from jurisdictions that have not legalized same-sex marriage. This law will go into effect on May 24.
This decision was passed by Premier Su Tseng-Chang, a politician from the Democratic Progressive Party. He submitted his resignation to the president shortly after passing the law to make room for new political parties. He has been a major player in facilitating same-sex marriage legislation.
This news comes as a huge win for Taiwan’s gay community. Taiwan’s gay pride parade is one of the largest in Asia, and the fight for marriage equality has existed for many years. In recent months, advocates have struggled with backlash from conservative groups pushing to redefine gay marriage as simply a same-sex union. Yet the gay community’s persistence and advocacy has paid off — most of Taiwan has rejoiced over these new developments.
Article 3 - Oscar Nominations
The nominations for the 95th Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday, Jan. 24, with some surprising results but also many well-deserved nominations.
This year, the Oscar nominations mark an important milestone for Asian and Asian American representation in Hollywood, especially since that representation is now recognized by a larger community. The bestowal of 11 nominations on Daniel Kwon and Daniel Scheinbert’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” reflects the profound impact that the film’s story, acting and directing had on its audience. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis all received nominations for their performances. Besides the success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Hong Chau, a Vietnamese-American actress, was also nominated for her supporting role in “The Whale.”
Other noteworthy nominations include Angela Bassett for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — she is the first actor to receive a nomination for an acting role in a Marvel movie. Paul Mescal’s leading actor nomination for his role in “Aftersun” was also a pleasant surprise. There have also been controversies surrounding the nominations, most notably Andrea Riseborough for “To Leslie.” Many agree that her acting was too subpar for an Oscar nomination, and that the Academy had snubbed other deserving actresses such as Viola Davis. “Blonde,” a movie centered around the life of Marilyn Monroe, also received a nomination for Ana de Armas’ performance, despite many feeling that the movie depicted Marilyn Monroe’s life from a disrespectful and misogynistic perspective.
As for Best Picture, the nominations were as expected, ranging from box office hits such as “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” to smaller niche films like “Women Talking” and “Triangle of Sadness.” Overall, this year’s Oscars nominations recognize many well-deserved films and actors, and it will be difficult to predict who takes home all the awards.
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