To learn firsthand how it is changing lives at the most basic level. I learned about the tremendous support vida usa has from the bay area to peru because of its mission and its beloved cofounder. [ speaking spanish ] it was a spectacular 25thanniversary gala, with 900 donors and the consul general of peru in san francisco, candy chavez. Haydee rodriguezpastor is the cofounder of vida usa and vida peru. This mother of six lives in the bay area and was born in peru. She inspires people because of the work being done by the nonprofit she started in the east bay with her late husband, carlos. He started a bank in peru, which has been an enthusiastic supporter of vida for years. A deadly illness prompted the birth of the charity. The infrastructure was already there after the epidemic ended, so haydee and her team built it into a lifesaving powerhouse that ships containers full of surplus medical equipment and supplies to peru and helps millions of other people in at least a dozen other latin american and caribbean countries. I took care of the peruvian side while haydee was pushing all of the logistics from the United States, which was the most important part. The need is enormous. Thousands and thousands live in shacks like this without Running Water or sewage systems. Many dont have health insurance, but they can get firstclass free or lowcost medical services at hospitals served by vida, like this one in lim everything from a syringe to a bandage to a 10,000 surgical medical kit for openheart surgery. It all starts in emeryville, at vida usas 6,000squarefoot warehouse. These items could have been thrown into landfill, but businesses and individuals choose to recycle. Stanford being our biggest donor. We got the kaisers, the ucsfs. Every item has to be carefully logged and tracked. Volunteers like david from businesses or schools help sort the equipment and the supplies. I couldnt believe what waste went on. So, the fact that they could take these supplies and put some good use to them was something i thought was very worthwhile. Durable medical equipment stays good for a long, long time. Steve dropped off supplies donated to a recycling Company Called recares. And i cant get these back into the community. That gently used boot will help this young mother of two at one hospital which is served by vida. [ speaking spanish ] the main burn unit in lima is at this old hospital. Men and women are in the same room. Theyre grateful for vidas help, but the need never ends. We really appreciate when people from other countries, especially the United States and especially from san francisco, are taking care of our people here in peru. We really feel the warmth of the people when they do that with their hearts. Coming up later, youll learn more about the incredible financial commitment by vida usa to get tons of surplus medical supplies and equipment from the bay area to peru. Doing 60 shipments a year, the cost really escalated. So, you have to raise funds for that. Were you absorbing that yourself in the beginning . Yes. When we come back, well take you to see some of the incredible sights in peru that tourists want to see, including one of the seven wonders of the world. This gentleman is about to get a shot for hepatitis b. Its provided free of charge. And well show you some of the many ways vida usa is changing the lives of those who need and deserve hope for a better future. [ speaking spanish ] and youll also see some of the searing poverty that tourists will never see. vo want to be happy with your next vehicle purchase . At enterprise, we guarantee it. Head to your neighborhood enterprise car sales and let the people who buy more vehicles than anyone. Change your thinking about buying your next one. More people are choosing nissan. Its americas best sales event at nissan the fastestgrowing auto brand in the u. S. A. Take on every day get 0 for up to 72 months on 13 models. Everand every day younkful promise to protect them. Off is here to help with proven protection against mosquitoes. Trust our family to protect yours. Sc johnson, a Family Company welcome back to our program about a bay area nonprofit that is making lifechanging differences in the health of the poorest people in peru and latin america. I was invited to visit peru with vida usa to see how it works. Vida usa ships surplus medical equipment, supplies, and medicine to peru and more than a dozen other latin american countries. This helps provide free clinics to people who might otherwise never see a doctor. This searing poverty is in a country that is better known for its stunning beauty. Let me take you on a tour. [ chimes clinking ] just hearing the name of the country peru makes many people think of its rich history, and its the location of one of the seven wonders of the world. This is what people think of when they think of peru, the beautiful machu picchu area, and it is absolutely spectacular to be here in person. Tourists can see traditional methods of cleaning and dyeing wool from llamas or alpacas out in the country. [ flute playing ] they can enjoy authentic peruvian music, or in the big city of lima, capital of peru, visitors can see museums with incredible artifacts. [ marching music playing ] or they can try and get close to the metal gates of the president ial palace and watch the changing of the guard. Visitors could head out to the wellmaintained zoo and see the big cats or other critters that come out to play. There are so many interesting sites to make tourists grab their cameras. But then there is a sobering reality that locals and visitors will never see. This is pamplona alta. 40,000 people live in shacks on the mountain. Dirt roads, no Running Water, no indoor toilets, no sewage system. Kids play with broken toys in contaminated dirt. [ truck beeping ] water trucks come in several times a week and sell it to those who can afford it. Its stored in unsanitary conditions. Its a harsh life, but pamplona residents are getting help that can transform their lives, thanks to a bay Area Organization called vida usa. And theyre gonna be giving this gentleman a shot for hepatitis b, and the shot is gonna be free of charge. This is a Free Health Clinic coordinated between vida and the Governments Ministry of health. What vida does is we bring all the supplies and equipment they need on an ongoing basis. Ramon alzamora is a vida board member. He says peru has a policy of social inclusion and a longterm povertyreduction plan. Education will make the difference, but children need vaccinations to get an i. D. To enroll in school, so vida and the Health Ministry provide these clinics on a regular basis. Vida usa collects supplies from bay area hospitals and other facilities at its warehouse in emeryville, california. This is surplus supplies that theyre clearing out their inventory. Then vida ships containers to its warehouse in lima and distributes those supplies to more than 80 hospitals, clinics, and organizations. Haydee rodriguez pastor cofounded vida with her late husband, carlos, 25 years ago. Theyre both from peru, but came to live in the bay area. They saw a desperate need to help the poor in peru. Her choice to focus on vida usas critical work is saving lives and creating futures, and vida will continue bringing quality healthcare for entire families thanks to its own family of donors and volunteers. Hundreds of volunteers help vida usa sort equipment at its emeryville warehouse, and they love it. My aunt told me about this, and i thought it was like a really od thing to do, so i wanted to help out. Helping other countries that have nothing, especially when you think about individual families i think that is wonderful. So, thank you. When we come back, well take you to a place thats like the Ronald Mcdonald house in lima, peru. Youll meet Carmen Cortez, the woman who created a home away from home for families living with a medical crisis. He was born with a bad deformation. A deformed hand . Yeah. And later on, youll meet a man rescuing children who are literally thrown away or even attacked just because they were born with disabilities. What is her name . Lucia. Lucia. And lucias father tried to kill her . Yeah, he tried to kill her, but shes already healed. Isaac hou has mastered gravity defying moves to amaze his audience. Great show. Here you go. Now hes added a new routine. Making depositing a check seem so effortless. Easy to use chase technology, for whatever youre trying to master. Isaac, are you ready . Yeah. Chase. So you can. At at t, we believe in access. The opportunity for everyone to explore a digital world. Connecting with the things that matter most. And because nothing keeps us more connected than the internet, weve created access from at t. California households with at least one resident who receives snap or ssi benefits may qualify for Home Internet at a discounted rate of 10 a month. No commitment, deposit, or installation fee. Visit att. Com accessnow to learn more. Welcome back to our program on vida usa, a bay area nonprofit helping millions of people in some of the poorest countries in the world. It ships surplus medical supplies and medicine overseas. Those are supplies that would have ended up in our landfills. The cofounder of vida was born in peru and lives in the bay area. The charity is based in emeryville and is marking 25 years of service. Vida usa invited me to travel with them to see where those supplies are going to hospitals and programs helping families with disabled children. [ speaking spanish ] Carmen Cortez founded peru ninez in lima to help families with disabled children or mothers who need surgery and dont have anybody to care for their children. Its sort of like a Ronald Mcdonald house, designed to keep Families Together during a medical crisis. Peru ninez is the only place of its kind in all of lima, which has a population of nearly 10 million. Peru ninez can only serve about 22 people right now. Its expanding because the need is so great. It helps support itself by selling food on the streets. Carmens commitment and passion for serving these families inspired a bay area charity called vida usa to help her. She lets vida know what she needs, and they help in many ways, such as providing stateoftheart whirlpool baths to help with physical therapy for people like this young man. He can barely walk because of a medical condition, so he cant work. Vidas executive director in peru, olga baca, helped arrange transportation to get up to peru ninez in a vida truck so he can get therapy and get his life back. Adam see is the executive director of vida usa, which is based in emeryville, california. Everything has never been used, with the exception of the equipment. The equipment is lightly used. If its broken, we dont use it. Vida collects surplus medical equipment and supplies that would have been thrown away. Major donors include stanford and kaiser. They dont want it to go in the landfill, so they have big green initiatives. Theyre counting how much tonnage do they that theyre not sending to the landfill. Vida usa volunteers sort and catalog thousands of donated items, which are then shipped to lima in containers. We shipped 60 40foot containers last year. A 40foot container costs us about 12,000 door to door. For 12,000 were shipping a container that carrying 700,000. Haydee rodriguezpastor cofounded vida usa 25 years ago with her late husband, carlos. She lives in the bay area, was born in peru, and has a huge humanitarian heart. Vida usa works with partnerships that not only offer help and health, but also dignity and a sense of family for programs like peru ninez. [ speaking spanish ] several peru ninez supporters showed up while we were visiting to drop off baby supplies for the families. They were excited to explain why they love this program. This is really close to my heart because my best friend is from here, so we just love to help the children. And im glad that we see the kids here, and were just blessed to help in any way. Im tessie cabrera. Im from the amazon here in peru, but i live in alabama. My husband is retired military, so i travel all over the world. But my heart is here, so i had to help my people. What do we have here . Clothes, different sizes for the children, some winter clothes, diapers, special milk. [ laughter ] in just a moment, youre going to meet a man some say is quite the hero, but he humbly says it is his calling rescuing children who are literally thrown away by their parents just because the children were born with disabilities. What is her name . Lucia. Lucia. And lucias father tried to kill her . Yeah. He tried to kill her. She has a cut here in the belly, but shes already healed. [ indistinct conversations ] and later on in our program, the Creative Partnership between vida usa and emeryville and Global Trading company Otis Mcallister in oakland. As peru gives us from their bounty the riches of their agriculture, their products like quinoa, what can we offer them . And one thing we can offer is surplus medical equipment. Well be right back with more on vida usa. Were continuing our look at vida usa, a bay area charity based in emeryville, which is helping millions of people with Critical Health needs in more than a dozen latin american countries. Vida usa invited us to see some of their programs in lima,eru. Were going to take you to several hospitals and clinics that get regular shipments of medical equipment and supplies from vida usa. We also visited an orphanage, which rescues children who are literally thrown away because they were born with disabilities and the families were too poor to care for them. When you have a house with 97 boys and girls, you always need medical supplies, always. Omar sanchez is in charge of a parish with an orphanage that cares for children and adults who have been left on the streets of peru because they have severe disabilities. We care for kids and older people who are abandoned. They are mentally disabled, down syndrome, autism, psychiatric problems, and when they have terminal illnesses, too. This little girl has down syndrome. And what is her name . Lucia. Lucia. And lucias father tried to kill her . Yeah, he tried to kill her, but shes already healed. And shes receiving a lot of love and hugs and kisses. [ smooching ] vida usa invited us to peru to see a few of the nearly 100 facilities its helping. Vida is based in emeryville, california, and collects surplus medical equipment and supplies from bay area hospitals, including stanford and kaiser. Then, vida ships the products to their chapter in lima for distribution. We asked them for help, and they offered us help very, very fast, very, very easy, and very, very important for us. My parish in santa maria, where i live, and the kids come once a month to sort and help organize the boxes. Theyre taken to containers at the port of oakland and turned over to a big vida supporter, Otis Mcallister. Its a Global Trading company and major importer of quinoa from farmers living in the peruvian andes. People live in very humble circumstances, and theres a real need for modern medical equipment there. Otis mcallister donated 18 container shipments to vida usa, carrying more than 15 million in aid in 2015. Their humanitarian decision made Good Business sense. We offload the medical equipment in lima, and then from there its put on trucks that wind their way up through the mountains, and when they arrive, they distribute those products. And then we, in turn, load those trucks with quinoa. This is a very exciting day for the hospital, its in one of the poorest areas of lima, and all of the vida supplies that came from emeryville are right here being delivered at this moment. The need is enormous. There are a Million People in this district in lima. [ speaking spanish ] haydee rodriguezpastor cofounded vida usa 25 years ago with her late husband, carlos, to bring quality healthcare to impoverished people in peru and other latin american countries. Haydees friend started a hospital in a garage in lima 11 years ago, and vida helped it expand into a new facility. Vida supplies anything the hospital needs. Did you just get asked for more beds . More beds, 12 beds, 12 gurneys. They help us a lot because one of our biggest expenses is in medical supplies. So, when we receive that, we have a big breath to say thank you. [ speaking spanish ] vidas longterm commitment creates the opportunity for children like these at the orphanage to live out their fragile lives in comfort, surrounded by a big circle of love. You can learn more about vida usas partnership with Otis Mcallister at otismac. Com. Vida usa is always looking for volunteers to help sort supplies and equipment at their warehouse in emeryville. One thing we think is i think is really cool, is that you need almost no training to be able to just come here and be productive. And they always need help. We can turn this around in about 3 months, so that means by the time we get it in, process it, inventory it, book a shipment, get it on the boat, then three to four weeks down there, a week or two in customs. Then it goes to our warehouse in lima. From there, then, its sent all over the country. Vida usa is also looking for more sponsors for the big containers, which are shipped overseas. Vida usa wants to do more to help, and can do that with your help. Thanks for joining us on our special program on vida usa. You can find them at vidausa. Org. For more information about todays show and resources where you live, just go to our website, abc7news. Com community. Were also on facebook at abc7 community affairs. And follow me on twitter cherylabc7. Meta appetite control. Its your glass of willpower that helps keep cravings. Far, far away. Feel less hungry with the natural fiber in clinically. Proven meta appetite control. From metamucil. Breathe easier with your vicks vaporub. Soothing cough relief that starts working instantly. On Great Fathers day gifts at bass pro shops. Like red head 8pocket shorts for under 15. Mr. Steak patio grills starting at under 350. Plus, free catch and release ponds and giveaways this weekend. Now from abc7, beyond the headlines with Cheryl Jennings. Welcome to beyond the headlines. Our show today focuses on our local asianpacificamerican community, or apa for short. The library of congress defines the Asian Pacific as encompassing all of the asian continent, as well as the Pacific Islands of melanesia, micronesia, and polynesia. A u. S. Census estimate in 2015 found 19 million residents of asian and Pacific Islander descent with a total u. S. Population of 248 Million People. In california, asian and pacific americans make up almost 21 of the population. And the bay area census in 2010 found that asians and Pacific Islanders make up almost 24 of the population, inching above latinos as the largest minority race across the nine counties. Abc7s chris nguyen is here now with local apa leaders to talk about important issues affecting our bay area communities. Cheryl, its great to be here. Im excited to introduce you to our panel of guests today. Gina su is an actor based here in the bay area. Shes the winner of the 20162017 miss asian global pageant. Next, lan diep is an attorney. He currently serves as a San Jose City Council Member representing district four. And finally, vincent pan, executive director of chinese for affirmative action. Hes also a board member for the center for Asian American media. Thanks to all of you for joining us today. We have a lot to talk about. Our first topic is Civic Engagement and how to get more Asian Americans involved in the process. Vincent, well start with you. Would you say that we are seeing an upsurge in political activism . I would. I mean, i think that theres always been a lot of unseen activism thats occurred in the Asian American community that maybe hasnt been recognized by dominant culture. But if we look at things like voting, if we look at things like people running for office, we do see that we continue to increase our numbers after election. But one of the most interesting things, i think, is the way Asian Americans are starting to show up across the spectrum of ways to be involved, and especially in many of these direct actions and protests against many of the federal policies that have been targeting immigrants, that have been targeting communities of color. And i think that those types of ways of being involved are really important for the Asian American community, not only to be involved in but to be recognized for it. And with social media, it seems like everyone has an opinion these days. They want to share it. Were seeing more people on facebook getting in fights more than ever before. Gina, do you get the feeling that more people are hiding behind the monitor instead of just having that conversation face to face . Yeah, absolutely. Its so easy to just type on your computer and write something that you want to be heard. But i think for Civic Engagement, especially in the Asian American community, it starts with your immediate family, your immediate friends. Im never afraid to admit the first year i was able to vote, i didnt cause my parents didnt. I didnt understand the process. I didnt understand the value. And it wasnt until a close friend of mine that i actually met through the pageant her names sharon chung. Shes so passionate about politics that thats what encouraged me to do it. And so sometimes social media is great to see all of that, but you really need someone a friend, a Family Member i think to encourage it to really happen. Yeah, good point. And, lan, i want to get your thoughts. But first we have some video of your swearingin ceremony as a San Jose City Council Member. Lets roll the clip. I, lan diep. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. That i will support and defend. That i will support and defend. The constitution of the United States. The constitution of the United States. And the constitution of the state of california. And the constitution of the state of california. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Lan, youve spoke about wanting to make government more fun. We saw in that video you wearing your captain america shield. I have to ask, what was the reaction from people in the audience that day . The reaction was quite warm, i thought. I got laughs, i got applause. I didnt realize it at the time, but it kind of took off, and i got a bit of National Attention for that. And i think it was just great. I did it not to make any political statement, but to just bring home the point that government can be fun, it should be fun. And if it is fun, it can bring more people into the process, because a lot of the things that we discuss as elected officials or as policymakers are of great importance, but they tend to be dry and drawnout conversations. Theres nothing wrong with bringing a little levity to the process and making it entertaining as well as educational. But, lan, when you hear that people are saying, hes not taking his job seriously, et cetera, does that make it discouraging at all . I do get that, but i think that im not taking myself too seriously. And i think we need more politicians who are able to laugh at themselves. And as long as people are laughing with me and im giving them the opportunity to engage, i think thats great, because for everybody who says that im not taking my job seriously, there are people who reach out to me to say that im a symbol of hope for them. They project positive things on to me, and im very happy to be that symbol for them. Vincent, what would you say are some items that are holding the Community Back from being more engaged . Well, theres some structural issues. So if you look at the number of times that Asian Americans are contacted by either people running for office or by the political parties, its much, much lower than for other groups. So i think that one thing that has to change is that there needs to be a better awareness from the overall political infrastructure about the importance of the Asian American vote, the importance of the Pacific Islander vote. So i think thats one thing. I think the other thing is that we do need more candidates that people can relate to and that understand that their community is their home base and who had the cultural competency to really discuss the issues that matter to them. I think all these things have to happen at the same time. Gina, what do you think it will take to get more people involved, more of your friends involved, more young people . You know, i always think it starts with passion. When i got politically involved was when i saw the soda tax. I love health and nutrition, and this was something i could relate to, i could understand, and i could easily share with my friends and family. And i could tell them, this will affect your life if this passes. And so i think more people, if they do want to get involved, take a baby step. Start with something that youre excited about, maybe you want to root for, and see what happens. Okay, some very good points. And as we see more people take an active role, you know, another question is, you know, could that lead to a rise in racial tension . Well tackle that issue coming up on beyond the headlines. Food. Water. Internet. We need it to live. But what we dont need are surprises, like extra monthly fees. I see you, fee, played by legendary actress anjelica huston. You got me, mark. Internet for one everyday simple price and no extra monthly fees. Food. Water. Internet. We need it to live. For all the streaming and the shopping and the newsing, but most of all. For the this. Internet for one everyday simple price and no extra monthly fees. Welcome back to beyond the headlines with Cheryl Jennings. Im abc7 news anchor chris nguyen sitting in as guest host for this special roundtable edition. As more Asian Americans get involved in the political process, many wonder will this lead in a rise in racial tension . Vincent, you work for a civil rights organization. Its important that people push back on bias and discrimination. It is, and i think the way we should understand our own identity is as a means, not an end. And so i think when we understand what it means to be treated as an other, we can maybe be more empathetic to other groups who are marginalized. And so in that way, we dont see everything as a contest for limited resources, but how we need to Work Together to make sure that everyone has a fair shot, i think thats the way to address some of these questions around, you know, any potential downsides of diversity, including tension between different groups. Vincent, are you hearing more reports of people becoming more hateful toward others . Well, i think we look at it nationally. Weve seen a huge uptick in the attention in the amount of support groups that identify as either white nationalists and white supremacist groups. I think that when you have a place like the bay area and in california where theres maybe a much more sophisticated appreciation and pride in diversity and inclusion, the issues are a little bit different. And so, yes, we still do have a lot of problems of dealing with this notion that, you know, america is only for white people. But i think also within our community, within other communities of color, we have to do a much better job of actually getting to know one another and learning from each other. Valid points. Gina, what are you hearing amongst the millennials, so to speak . Any experiences that stand out that have kind of just left you thinking, oh, my goodness . I definitely have had a few friends who have had this experience of racial slurs or things being said to them, which is incredibly disappointing that thats happening now. But i think it has always been happening a little bit, and so im glad it is being brought to the surface and now we can have courageous conversations about it. Lan, as a younger politician, as the son of two immigrants, do people still view you as a foreigner . Yes, i think the working assumption is that im also an immigrant myself. Im actually san joses fourth vietnamese american Council Member, but im the First American born. So there is a change in the guard, change of generations. And i think its important for more, you know, Asian Americans to get out there, not just be elected, but to run for office, make the attempt and to just create this normalcy around Asian American candidates. Okay, so we have a question from our Facebook Community for the panel, and this one comes from praise santos. And the question is, is the passive tendency of asians in our current climate of racial tension in the United States benefiting us in the immediate but hurting us in the long term . Vincent, well start with you. Well, i actually dont accept that premise. I think that Asian Americans are much more active and outspoken than often is understood. You know, certainly the myth of asians as being passive across the globe is easy to debunk, and you could see that in the elections in south korea, you could see that in protests like occupy central in hong kong. And even in the United States, i do think that Asian Americans are involved in so many different ways, either as political leaders, community leaders, grass roots activists. And so i actually dont think that folks havent been outspoken. I think we havent been heard. And i think theres a difference between that and actually not speaking up. And, lan, what motivated you to run for city council . You know, youre obviously you know, that question from one of the viewers, in some ways, youre going against what theyre saying. Sure. I was a legal aide attorney. I helped a lot of folks in the bp oil spill in mississippi and louisiana. I did some legal aide work here in the bay area dealing with limited English Proficient vietnamese americans, and i saw myself helping a lot of people resolve the same issues, more or less, again and again and again. And i thought if i were to run for office and were able to affect change at a policy level, id be able to help a lot more people with, you know, one ordinance or so. And that attracted me to politics, it attracted me to run, and im glad i did. Gina, your thoughts . You know, i actually do think in the Asian American community there is the sense of being passive, about not rocking the boat and bringing too much attention to yourself. Its obviously important to speak out and be bold about it, but i do think that, as Asian Americans, were also not innocent in this climate of racial tension. So if we can just be the best ambassadors to fight for the rights and things that we believe in, then maybe we can also help support other minorities and people of color. And if all of us can do that together, i think theres quite a bit of strength there. Now, immigration is always a hot topic. We hear a lot about immigration when it comes to hispanics. But this is also an issue that affects asian families across america. Vincent, can you expand on that for us . Sure. There are about 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, and about 10 of them are people of asian descent. Right here in san francisco, there are 10,000 undocumented chinese immigrants. So this whole narrative around immigration and undocumented immigration being a latino issue is really, again, i think something i think we have to look at more closely. The reality is that half of the Asian American community is foreign born, that the same fear and bigotry thats targeted against undocumented immigrants are the same types of fear and bigotry that are targeted against legal immigrants, as well. And so i think were seeing nationally this rhetoric that, you know, on the one hand, been about undocumented immigrants, but really its about, you know, people who have not been part of the old notion of what it means to be america, which is a very white america. And talk to us about the importance of celebrating diversity and, in particular, Asian American accomplishments. Well, i think that when we understand our accomplishments, when we understand our history, it can maybe point the way forward. And it could help us understand that we have always contributed to the things that do make America Great and that theres so much more that we can do. But to do it in a way that isnt just about us, that is about reaching out to others, that identifies common goals, and really moves us to maybe a higher and shared humanity. Gina, when you were going through the process for the miss asian global pageant, was there anything that you learned in particular that you didnt necessarily expect to take away . That was my first very pageant, so it was a very new experience for me. And when i thought of it as a miss asian global pageant, i just thought of my chinese american friends, my taiwanese american friends, and it was interesting to have people fly from japan and china. We had an awesome candidate, maya, who is cambodian, and that really expanded my understanding of the Asian American community in the u. S. Its so diverse, yeah. Lan, when you told your mom that you were gonna run for city council, what did she say . And then what was the reaction like from your family and friends when you actually won . Because you won by 12 votes. Is that correct . I did. My mothers reaction initially was, are you serious . [ laughter ] and i ran in 2015. I lost by 13. I ran again in 2016. I won by 12 against the same person who beat me the first time. So its an ordeal, but i think generally asian parents, at least vietnamese parents, dont encourage their kids to go into politics. You know, they encourage their sons and daughters to become pharmacists, doctors, engineers, lawyers even. But in the case of vietnamese americans, their political history has been to be disappointed by government, to be wary of government. And so they dont want to see their kids move into that field. And i think thats a Common Thread i hear among vietnamese americans, perhaps Asian Americans more broadly. And im glad to kind of move in that direction because i think we need representation, and i represent not just vietnamese americans and Asian Americans, but also my entire district of north san jose, which is more than just asians. And real quickly, what made you decide, you know what . Im gonna try again, even though i lost the first time around . Maybe theres a bit of pride in it, but theres also a bit of wanting the district to have good representation. I observed in the second round of that election, there were no contenders. In the first time when there was an open seat, we had 10 people sign up to run. In the second round a year later when there was an incumbent, nobody decided to run. And i thought, in a democracy, you need choices. And some people are unwilling to put up their kind of Political Capital and lose. But im willing to do that because i believe in democracy. I believe people deserve a choice. But im thankful that they chose me. Great perspective. Well, were gonna pause for a quick commercial break. But comi up, well dive into the topic of asians in entertainment. Stay close. Youre watching beyond the headlines with Cheryl Jennings. Have to travel from its source to the bottle . A hundred miles . A thousand miles . How about less than a mile and a half . Crystal geyser always bottled at the mountain source. Everand every day younkful promise to protect them. Off is here to help with proven protection against mosquitoes. Trust our family to protect yours. Sc johnson, a Family Company how fafrom its sourcelpine spring to the bottle . Travel how about less than a mile and a half . Crystal geyser is the only major us spring water bottled at the mountain source. Welcome back to beyond the headlines. Im chris nguyen sitting in for Cheryl Jennings on our special roundtable episode today. Lets move in now to another interesting issue asians in entertainment. So, lan, this first question goes to you. Growing up, did you have any Asian American role models on television that you can remember . I remember two, and i dont know if they were role models, per se, but people that i identified with. One was Dustin Nguyen of 21 jump street. Mmhmm. And two was connie chung, because those were the only asian people that i recall seeing on tv. And i watched a lot of tv. I learned english completely from tv. So those are my two. And, you know, i guess it impacted me to see somebody familiar to me on tv. I lived in houston growing up at a time when there werent many vietnamese people in houston. I was kind of the token vietnamese kid in my class. I remember going to, like, target and hearing a vietnamese person speak, like, two aisles down. I would run out just to see them. And so i think its important for young people to see other people like them in media as actors, as entertainers, as elected officials, as News Reporters just so they know that there are many paths and avenues available to them, and its not just the kind of stereotypical thing that you would typically get from, you know, Old School Media like youre a kung fu fighter or martial artist of some sort, and i think thats important. Yeah, were gonna talk about stereotypes in just but first, gina, as an actress here in the bay area, can you share some of your experiences that youve had as youve gone on auditions . Yeah, absolutely. So, auditions are always nervewracking, i think, for me and for a lot of other actors. And theres a sense of when youre confident and youre calm and you have this good, you know, humor about you and sense of selfawareness, then i always find that those are the auditions that do really well. And in the bay area, we have a very tightknit community of artists, directors, producers, and its nice to see people collaborating and using the same actors or producers again. So its great here. And theres a lot of student filmmakers, as well. As you go out to read for some of those roles, are you seeing that, you know, race isnt that much of a deal for those student projects, but then when it comes to the commercial side, theres a difference . Yes, absolutely. For all my commercial work, theres definitely a pool of diversity. You know, you want in a shot with people of all different colors being shown. But when it comes to student films and indie films, every single role that ive been casted as a lead for had nothing to do with my race. And i find that to be incredible. And i think as these student directors or indie filmmakers take leadership roles hopefully in hollywood in the future, theyll carry that mind set with them. Its the character and its a story, and thats the most important part. And we do have a question from our Facebook Community. What advice would you give to upandcoming or aspiring Asian American actors . For actors in particularly, totally be so good that you are undeniable, you know, because sometimes people always talk about do we have enough roles written for us, and, you know, are we able to even compete in this era of whitewashing or roles given to white actors . But if theres more of us that come out, were bold about it, we go on as many auditions as possible, and we bring to the table all our talent and our hard work, then its a choice of choosing between talent rather than race, so. And weve also been hearing more from stars such as constance wu, who is on abcs fresh off the boat. Shes been very vocal. I love that. I think shes really making a big change and making some waves, and people are having more courageous conversations about it, which is what we need. Now, vincent, what do you think needs to happen more for Asian Americans in terms of representation in the entertainment world . What needs to happen for that to happen . Well, i think ginas points really good about what people can do individually. But i do think theres also a need to work collectively. I think that, you know, people who are involved in the creative arts, in all the creative arts, have to think about the ways that the industry is set up and how changes need to be made in order to make sure that theres full representation. And i think thats how weve seen gains in the past, and i think thats how well continue to see gains in the future. And one of our viewers on facebook was wondering, do you think asian stereotypes are going away at a fast enough rate in hollywood . Well, i dont think its ever fast enough. Theres clearly been some progress, and i think its important to have roles and to have stories that really reflect our experiences, some that center our experience as Asian Americans and others that dont. I think that a lot of that, again, happens throughout the chain of how things get on air, and thats both the writing, the producing, the directing. And also that crew has the decision to greenlight what projects go forward and what dont. Lan, youre an attorney, now serving on city council. Is it encouraging for you to see more young Asian Americans choose different career paths as opposed to what you mentioned, the doctor, the typical doctor, et cetera . I think, you know, asians are very talented, just like any other community, and living in america, we have choices. And whats important is to pursue a career path that is fulfilling to us as individuals. I mean, i keep telling people as a politician, but i think this is true for anybody. Whats important is youre able to live with the reflection in the mirror that you see every day. So whatever you do, you have to find that fulfillment and live for yourself. Panelists, thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to be with us today. We are out of time, but were gonna keep this conversation going online on our website, abc7news. Com. For now, cheryl, well send it back over to you. Thank you, chris. For more information about todays show, go to our website, abc7news. Com community. Were also on facebook at abc7 community affairs, as well as Cheryl Jennings abc7. And follow me on twitter, cherylabc7. Thanks so much for joining us. Have a great week. Well see you next time. Last man standing is recorded in front of a live studio audience. Whats up, honey . Ugh. Can you believe theres another kardashian . Look at this. Its like cars they come out with a new model every year. I bet shes got that new kardashian smell. Honey, i hate how, as women, were either objects of desire or domestic servants