FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS IN CARSON, CALIFORNIA

October marks Filipino American History Month and once again, the city of Carson will be holding several events throughout the month in celebration.

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Kicking things off is the 9th Annual Filipino American History Month Celebration happening on Saturday October 6th from 9am – 12pm at the CJMM Community Center in Carson. The celebration will include special appearances by Fe De Los Reyes & Miguel Vera, along with musical performances by Shekinah Austria, Therese Masangcay Jason Farol, Jeserey Sanchez, Charishma Marquez, Shane Selloria, SCULB PCN, and Kindreds of Carson Dance.

Awards will also be presented to seven outstanding Filipinos: Florante Ibanez, Rose Ibanez, & Arturo Garcia for Community Leadership: Paolo Roca and Matheo Leuterio for Youth Achievement; and LCDR Edgardo Labao and Deputy Melvin Castro for Heroism.

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October 16th the FACC-SLAA will present FilAms Got Talent, a dance group competition happening from 1pm – 4pm in the Center Court of the SouthBay Pavilion Mall in Carson. The top 3 dance groups will receive cash prizes.

The following weekend, October 20th is the Leyte Landing Commemoration & Walkathon at the Carson Community Center to commemorate the 74th Anniversary of the Leyte Landing. Following the commemoration and walkathon will be the FilAm Medical, Health, Sports & Wellness Day at the Southbay Pavilion. Medical Practitioners, Nutritionists and various vendors will be on hand for the public.

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Closing the month long celebration is the 9th Annual Larry Itliong Day Parade & Festival which will be held at Veterans Park in Carson. The parade will feature Filipino organizations, followed by guest speakers including Johnny Itliong, Cesar Chavez’ son, Fernando Chavez and Roger Gadiano. Awards will be presented to Ivy Quicho and the late Dr. Dawn Mabalon. Musical Performances and the announcement of the Larry Itliong poster contest winners will also be part of the celebration.

ABC, Viola Davis & Lisa Takeuchi Cullen take on "Ohana"

A new hour long drama titled, “Ohana” based on Kiana Davenport’s novel Shark Dialogues is in development for ABC. The series will follow the story of four hapa women who reunite after their grandmother passes away and leaves them the family plantation.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, a former Times writer will write the adaptation. Cullen told the Hollywood Reporter “This is a story we’re passionate about telling from the point of view of native Hawaiians – Pacific Islanders, people of Asian descent and people of hapa heritage.”

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The four main characters in Ohana will be of different mixed ethnicities including half white, half Japanese, half Filipino and half black. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “their unexpected shared inheritance will force them to overcome years of jealousies, misunderstandings, resentments and secrets.”  

Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions will be teaming up with ABC on the upcoming series.

Chrisa Hickey [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Chrisa Hickey [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

From Crazy Rich Asians to Lazy Rich Asians

Emmy winning writer Jessica Gao is developing a single camera comedy for ABC, which she titled “Lazy Rich Asians” after being inspired by the blockbuster film, “Crazy Rich Asians”.

The currently untitled sitcom will tell the story of Janet Zhao, a first-generation Chinese American woman who becomes the sole inheritor of her grandmother’s fortunes and according to the Hollywood Reporter, “finds herself the unwilling new matriarch of the family she’s spent her life trying to keep at arm’s length.”

Jessica Gao will not only pen the sitcom, but will also executive produce the new comedy. Gao has written for Silicon Valley, Take My Wife and Rick and Morty. This past weekend, Gao received an Emmy for the Rick and Morty episode, “Pickle Rick.”

 

KELSEY MERRITT FIRST FILIPINA AT VICTORIA'S SECRET FASHION SHOW

Kelsey Merritt will be the first Filipina model to walk the runway at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show happening later this year. 21 year old Merritt is no stranger to posing for Victoria’s Secret. This past May she booked her first shoot with the popular lingerie company for their active wear line.

from @kelseymerritt Instagram

from @kelseymerritt Instagram

Merritt, who was born in the Philippines and graduated last year from Ateneo De Manila University with a BA in Communications juggled going to college in the Philippines and modeling around the world for several years. Upon receiving her degree last Summer, on May 2017 she posted on her Instagram account:

“God knows how hard it was to constantly fly back and forth New York and London while still in school. I had to miss classes, but still make sure that I was on top of everything. At the same time, I had no right to complain I was having a hard time because I was blessed with work. I was living my dream! People often ask me how I managed to do it, and all I say is that as long as you have your priorities straight and manage your time well, then it really can be done.” 

Kelsey Merritt’s other modeling credits include projects with Maybelline, Uniqlo, Kashieca, Palmolive and Vera Wang’s White Bridal Collection.

@KelseyMerritt Instagram

@KelseyMerritt Instagram

Although Merritt will be the first Filipina model to walk the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show runway, Janine Tugonon became the first Filipino to be featured in a Victoria’s Secret promotional material when she appeared in the VS Pink Line. However, Tugonon did not make the cut to appear in the 2016 fashion show.

NAOMI OSAKA BEATS SERENA WILLIAMS AND BECOMES 1ST JAPANESE PLAYER TO WIN THE GRAND SLAM

By Carine06 from UK (Naomi Osaka) [CC BY-SA 2.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Carine06 from UK (Naomi Osaka) [CC BY-SA 2.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

20 year old Tennis player Naomi Osaka made history this weekend when she beat her idol, Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open. Osaka's win makes her the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles tournament. 

But the tournament was also overshadowed by much controversy. During the match, 23 time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams received a code violation when umpire, Carlos Ramos, claimed that Williams was receiving hand signals from her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. Williams argued with Ramos, denying the accusation and stated that her coach was only giving her a thumbs up for doing a good job, adding, "I don't cheat to win. I'd rather lose." After the game however, William's coach did admit in a television interview that he was coaching Serena but added, "I don't think she looked at me" and "everybody does it." 

Williams received another violation when she smashed her racquet after losing her serve. She went back to Ramos, still disappointed at the previous call and stated, "I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter and I stand for what's right for her. I have never cheated." As the match continued, Williams continued to speak to Ramos and eventually calling him a thief and a liar. Upon doing so, Williams received a third violation for verbal abuse and was penalized a game. 

All the while, Osaka maintained her concentration and determination to win the tournament by jumping around, facing the wall and looking at her racquet. After her 6-2, 6-4 win, she stated, "I didn't know what was going on, I was just trying to focus. Since it was my first grand Slam final, I didn't want to get overwhelmed... I didn't really hear anything I had my back turned." 


The awards ceremony was a bittersweet moment for all and the most awkward for Osaka. Loud boos were heard from the crowd and you can see Osaka crying as she pulls her hat down to cover her face. Williams consoles Osaka by putting her arm around her. When Serena receives the microphone, she tells the crowd to stop booing. "She played well and this is her first Grand Slam...let's make this the best moment we can, we'll get through it. Let's give everyone credit where credit's due. Let's not boo anymore...Let's stay positive. Congratulations, Naomi. No more booing! Let's not boo anymore." During Osaka's moment, she tells the crowd, "I know everyone was cheering for her (Serena Williams) and I am sorry it has to end like this. It was always my dream to play Serena in the U.S. Open finals so I'm really glad I was able to do that."  

This isn't the first time Osaka beat Williams. Earlier this year, Naomi beat Serena at the Miami Masters, 6-3, 6-2. Naomi Osaka who was born in Osaka, Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father moved to the United States when she was just 3 years old. Growing up, Serena Williams was her idol and disclosed that she even did a report on Serena when she was in the third grade. After her win, she said, "When I step onto the court, I feel like a different person, right? I'm not a Serena fan. I'm just a tennis player playing another tennis player...when I hugged her at the net, I felt like a little kid again."

 

 

JOY LUCK CLUB SEQUEL - 25 YEARS LATER

During the 25th Anniversary screening of “The Joy Luck Club” at the AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) last week, it was announced that a sequel may be in the future for the successful Amy Tan penned novel turned film.

Producer Ronald Bass told Entertainment Tonight that there is a script for both a TV series and a film sequel being circulated around Hollywood right now. Bass states, “both the series or sequel, if they happen, will be the same cast 25 years later…in other words, the mothers are now grandmothers. The daughters are no mothers and they each have a millennial daughter of their own. So, now it would be a three generation…what’s that like in mother-daughter relations? Today’s world versus first, second generations and immigrants.”

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After the recent successes of "Crazy Rich Asians" and "To All the Boys I've Loved Before", Hollywood has increased their interested in producing more projects starring APAs or telling the Asian and APA story; including ABC developing a new drama titled, "Ohana" which follows the lives of 4 hapa women, and Netflix's productions of "Wu Assasins," which will star Byron Mann, Mark Dacoscos and JuJu Chan, "Tigertail" - an upcoming drama directed and written by Alan Yang and starring John Cho, Christine Ko, Hayden Szeto and Tzi Ma, as well as "Always Be My Maybe" starring Ally Wong, Randall Park, Daniel Day Kim, and Keanu Reeves.