Podcasts about california's central valley

Hans Herkert, a first-generation rice farmer in California’s Central Valley, and I talk quite a bit about the ways rice fields serve vital ecological functions – including raising salmon and providing temporary shorebird habitat during migration. There is an emerging awareness or recognition that ecosystem services are crucial to maintain a hospitable planet for human life, and we find ourselves in a position where we must use preservation, restoration, and biomimicry on working lands.Coming from a small town heavily dependent on agriculture, and with extended family in the farming industry, Hans got his career started serving in a support role and then took the plunge in 2011 by acquiring a lease on a 154-acre field. The bird and wildlife benefits from rice field management were always at the top of mind for Hans, and I learned quite a bit about the evolution in California from burning rice straw after the harvest to now flooding the fields to decompose it instead. By recreating floodplains that used to exist naturally, rice farmers like Hans are providing critical wildlife habitat and building climate resiliency.Hans and I talk about the emerging research and pilot programs attempting to value these kinds of ecosystem services, including a recent study by University of California and the California Rangeland Trust. We talk about a few conservation programs that incentivize farming practices that maximize benefits to wildlife, the potential challenges scaling up these programs, and one of the biggest challenges facing California: the demands for water. Hans is a thoughtful steward of the land and I hope you learn as much as I have from our conversation.--- FULL EPISODE NOTES WITH LINKS @ https://truestewards.com/hans-herkert ------ TOPICS DISCUSSED ---1:39 – The path from growing up in Colusa to that first lease4:12 – Not your grandfather’s rice field – how is rice farmed today?6:45 – The ecological impact of flooding rice fields after the harvest7:57 – Water in the context of rice production plus the benefits in recreating floodplains that used to exist naturally11:02 – Recent studies attempting to value these ecosystem services12:05 – Incentive programs to increase economic feasibility of synching farming practices with benefits to wildlife14:38 – Is there enough funding for every farmer to participate if they want to?16:52 – Resources for people interested in these types of programs17:37 – How Hans stays on top of current farming trends and best practices18:17 – The demands for water in California, increasing supply through storage and conservation22:37 – Agriculture practices not only coexist with wildlife but can allow wildlife to thrive24:00 – Steep learning curve starting out and the importance of the business management side of things25:44 – Failure is an opportunity to learn27:16 – Hans suggests actions to take to learn more about these conservation efforts28:06 – Birding in the Sacramento Valley in the winter time, after the harvest

Bruce Rominger is a farmer who, along with his brother Rick, owns and operates Rominger Brothers Farms, a diverse and large-scale operation in California's Sacramento Valley. The Rominger’s family established the farm back in the 1930s, and now, five generations later, the family’s hard work, thoughtful vision, and deep respect for the land have made Rominger Brothers Farms a shining example of growing crops while also managing for wildlife.The Romingers do more than produce the food we eat. By thinking outside the box and partnering with UC Davis, California’s Rangeland Trust and other organizations, Rominger Brothers Farms has set a new standard for conservation, creative problem solving, and sustainable land stewardship.Bruce is an interesting guy who has thought very deeply on issues related to sustainable agriculture. We had a fun conversation that covered many topics including the communication breakdown between agriculture and urban populations, conservation efforts on the farm, why embracing failure is critical to success, and much more. There’s a lot of great information in this 30-minute interview, so I hope you enjoy!--- FULL EPISODE NOTES WITH LINKS @ https://truestewards.com/bruce-rominger ------ TOPICS DISCUSSED ---1:46 – A brief overview of Rominger Brothers Farms3:46 – Conservation efforts on the farm6:58 – The attitude you need to be a successful farmer10:20 – Best resources to stay on top of farming trends12:15 – The biggest area in farming Bruce is curious about14:20 – Intro to cover crops and barriers to implementation18:25 – Bruce debunks one myth about farming and farmers20:15 – Ever wonder what farmers do on vacation? Bruce recommends a day trip to Winters, CA.21:16 – Unintended consequences of different state regulations on the price of food28:08 – Communication breakdown between agriculture and urban areas

On this edition of our Reimagining EL Education series, we talk with Lori Villanueva, Superintendent of Coalinga-Huron Unified School District in California's Central Valley. She and her staff created an inspirational music video to share with students and families during school closures. The video has had a resounding effect on boosting morale, making connections, and keeping the lines of communication open in the school community. We also discuss what the future of EL education might look like in the face of learning loss, budget constraints, and technology challenges. Superintendent Villanueva points to strengthening partnerships with families and meeting students where they are as key elements of success moving forward. For more information and free resources to help engage English learners and their families from wherever they are, visit our Ellevation Distance Learning website. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/highest-aspirations/message

Laura and Kit are joined by Lorraine Salazar who owns and manages Sal's Mexican Restaurants along with her brother. They currently have 3 locations in Fresno, Madera, and in their original neighborhood in Selma, CA. Lorraine and her brother run the restaurants. Lorraine is an advocate for restaurants throughout the state as a part of the California Restaurant Association and is heavily involved in legislation governing our restaurants. Her passion for Mexican cuisine, restaurants, and people shine brightly.

By Richard Hunt Just like many families, a family in California's Central Valley is staying close to home as much as possible nowadays. They're having lots of family time and found an artful way to honor God and share their faith during these unusual times!

By Richard Hunt Just like many families, a family in California's Central Valley is staying close to home as much as possible nowadays. They're having lots of family time and found an artful way to honor God and share their faith during these unusual times!

Two New Dams Are Proposed on the Little Colorado River. That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. The latest IPCC report says the planet has warmed 1 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial era and that oceans are "taking the heat." A proposal to generate electricity on the Little Colorado River is being severely criticized. Farmers of California's Central Valley are turning to a new crop in order to adjust to water scarcity. One day, your bar of soap could be made from corn cobs, barley husks, or rice straw. There's a toe-tally new way to get a pedicure.

When heavy rain falls over the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the eastern Pacific Ocean temperatures in California's Central Valley will reach 100 F (38 C) in 4 to 16 days, according to a collaborative research team from UC Davis, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Climate Center in Busan, South Korea. Researchers, including UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources professor Richard Grotjahn, were able to link the heat waves to the phases of a large, traveling atmospheric circulation pattern called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Show ID: 35169]

When heavy rain falls over the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the eastern Pacific Ocean temperatures in California's Central Valley will reach 100 F (38 C) in 4 to 16 days, according to a collaborative research team from UC Davis, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Climate Center in Busan, South Korea. Researchers, including UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources professor Richard Grotjahn, were able to link the heat waves to the phases of a large, traveling atmospheric circulation pattern called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 35169]

This week we speak with farmer and local entrpenuer, Annie Florindo about her journey to becoming an organic farmer in the central valley. She shares with us her success in the organic farming industry and what it's like to thrive in California's Central Valley.

Former Senior Vice President of Content and Development of ValleyPBS Elizabeth Laval discusses the station's identity in being the sole provider of educational public programming for 3 million people in California's Central Valley.This interview was produced in collaboration with ValleyPBS.

Don Cameron, President of the California State Board of Food & Agriculture discusses shaping policies that influence and strengthen the agriculturally rich area of California's Central Valley. This interview was produced in collaboration with ValleyPBS.

"Esperanza Rising" is a riches to rags tale about a wealthy Mexican family who end up as farmworkers in California's Central Valley. Students from Murch Elementary School in Washington, DC compare the book to Frances Hodgson Burnett's "A Little Princess." Actress Christine Avila is celebrity reader. Writer Pam Munoz Ryan talks about her real-life grandmother whose life inspired the book. Kitty Felde is host. 

Jeremy Tobias of the Community Action Partnership of Kern, Nicole Celaya of Foodlink for Tulare County, and Tim Adam of the Merced County Rescue Mission discuss the challenges and need for food and trauma relief services to help those in need in California's Central Valley. This interview was produced in collaboration with ValleyPBS.

Visalia, California - home to Tacos Lucha! In the Season 2 finale, we talk to Chris of Tacos Lucha about food, family, and what drew him to California's Central Valley and why he chose to share his tacos with the community there!

Kristen Beall, President & CEO of the Kern Community Foundation, discusses the organization's various tactics in making effective changes within California's Central Valley community. This interview was produced in collaboration with ValleyPBS.

On episode 30 of Fox Trot Pod, Chris, Amy and Edward welcome special guests from Fresno State's Valley Public History Initiative: Dr. Romeo Guzmán, Tyler Caffee and Edna Ortega to talk about the Roots & Routes event on April 26 and 27th and the mission of documenting soccer history from California's Central Valley. All of this and much more on Fox Trot Pod! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Email us at FoxTrotPod@gmail.com.  

Lupe Delgado, an activist, organizer and educator in California's Central Valley, shares with Jim Grant her organizing commitments with Faith in the Valley, based in Merced County. In this half hour conversation she discusses Faith in the Valleys commitment to good jobs. clean air, clean water, alternatives to incarceration, quality health care and safe neighborhoods. Currently working with Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Merced, and St. Anthony Catholic Church in Atwater and the United Methodist Church of Merced, she is looking forward to add Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Planada to their team in 2019. Lupe describes in detail how Faith in Merced is actively collaborating with the Prevention Action Team coalition the local campaign Health4All to expand health care access for all in Merced County,

Dr. Mario Sifuentez is an Associate Professor of History at UC Merced who's done a lot of thinking about the past and future of California's Central Valley. He's been involved with Cal Ag Roots since the very start of this project, both as an advisor and as an interviewee. (You can hear his voice on our third podcast, where he gives us real insight into the Bracero Program.) Mario has deep knowledge about the history of food production, and his current research digs up some interesting new stories about an activist group featured our Can Land Belong to Those Who Work It? podcast, which is why I wanted talk with him for this Digging Deep episode. This is the second episode in our new Cal Ag Roots podcast series--Digging Deep: Conversations with Food Movement Leaders about the History of Farming-- which will be released every other month. I’m talking with people who are working to shift farming right now, bringing California farming into the future. And we’re talking about how their understanding of the past, and how what they learn from Cal Ag Roots stories, has shifted their thinking about their work. Each of the conversations will draw on Cal Ag Roots stories, so if you haven't heard them all yet, take a listen on our Story Hub (or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher)! Particularly relevant to today’s podcast is the last one we released—#2, Can Land Belong to Those Who Work it. We’ll keep on producing that style of podcasts and releasing them here—there are so, so many more histories to unearth. The two different kinds of podcasts are going to be in constant conversation with each other, so we're hoping that you’ll tune into both and that each episode will be more meaningful that way.

At the beginning of September in 1965, one of the most significant movements in modern day labor history -- the Farmworker Movement -- began in California's Central Valley. You’ve probably heard of the United Farm Workers and know the name Cesar Chavez, but before he became the embodiment of the strike and international boycott, a small group of Filipino farmworkers walked off the fields. Now people in the small town of Delano and across California are determined to share this rarely-told history.

Phoebe Gordon and Luke Milliron are two Cooperative Extension Advisors with the University of California. Listen for research updates and basic information on orchard agriculture in California's Central Valley!Any mention of trade names is not an endorsement.Theme song was recorded by Muriel Gordon

We talk to farmers in California's Central Valley and West Marin to unearth the planet-saving potential of soil.

Food comes from people--and often a whole lot of people are needed to get it to our plates. "DC Produce Man" José Morales of Keany Produce & Gourmet unveils a link of the food system that's often hidden from the consumer: distribution! So much of what customers see on the grocery shelf or on our restaurant plates has to do with distributors like Keany. José's experience growing up with immigrant parents who picked tomatoes and other produce in the fields, plus his own summer jobs planting cauliflower in California's Central Valley, have deepened his appreciation for how farmers plant, how they harvest, and who the people are that do the harvesting.

Could Los Angeles Become Water Self-Sufficient? That story and more on H2O Radio’s weekly news report about water. Could L.A. free itself from importing water from the Colorado River or Northern California? A new study says it could by 2050. By mid-century, more than half of California's Central Valley may no longer be suitable for growing apricots, peaches, and plums. A new study shows that layers of rock may be the reason some trees survive drought. A tiny town in Quebec just won a four-year court battle against oil and gas. Wim Hof, aka "The Iceman," can sit in freezing water for hours and climb snowy peaks in shorts. What's his secret?

  See Emil's latest at http://www.aaldef.org/blog This podcast on Emil's DACA take, plus clips from the news call of UC President Janet Napolitano on the lawsuit seeking to protect DACA recipients.  Also Tom Wong of UCSD talks about his survey of DACA recipients And Luis Quiroz, one DACA recipient hints at how Trump's action has bred a new distrust. A betrayal of Trump?  Emil thinks it may be Trump's ruse to slap down another Obama legacy an rebrand DACA as the Trump Action for Childhood Arrivals.  From DACA to TACA? A prediction. Listen to the podcast for what you need to know about DACA and the upcoming Oct. 5 deadline for eligible renewals. Even with the UC lawsuit, the deadlines aren't apt to change for now.  For DACA help go to http://www.aaldef.org for information Read Emil's latest at http://www.aaldef.org/blog   Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was an Ivy Orator and class humorist.

Come by  the I-Hotel/Manilatown Center, 868 Kearney St. SF,CA Friday, Aug. 4 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the eviction. Emil will moderate a panel and Curtis Choy will screen his film. 6pm - 9pm. PDT   See more at http://www.aaldef.org/blog See more about Curtis Choy, director of "The Fall of the I-Hotel." http://www.chonkmoonhunter.com/Asian-American-History.html   Emil Bio:   Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was an Ivy Orator and class humorist. Find out what he's up to at www.amok.com.  

See more info at http://www.aaldef.org/blog Eddie Huang at the Asian American Journalists Association convention.  Speaks candidly on race and identity. See previous story on Huang: http://aaldef.org/blog/emil-guillermo-is-fresh-off-the-boat-historical-or-the-taming-of-eddie-huang.html Emil bio: Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was an Ivy Orator and class humorist. Find out what he's up to at www.amok.com.

See more about my conversation with B.D. Wong at http://www.aaldef.org/blog           Emil's bio: Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was Ivy Orator and class humorist. Find out what he's up to at www.amok.com.  

Show log  Emil Amok’s Takeout Ep. 15 :00  Emil’s opening rap 1:46 San Diego Fringe Festival and SF Marsh shows 2:30 Coming up intros of top stories 5:05 What made me go amok this week 6:25 Martial Law in the Philippines? Oh, just “Partial Martial”? 18:12 Intro Celestino Almeda, the 100-year old  Filipino WW2 Vet still Fighting for his equity pay 24:12 Interview with Almeda 42:28 Intro and interview with Association of Asian American Studies President-elect Theo Gonzalves, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. 1:30:00 MY NBA FINALS PICK ---- Emil Guillermo: Emil Amok's Takeout Podcast - No rest on Memorial Day for a WWII Filipino Vet; and a conversation with AAAS President-elect Theo Gonzalves on APAHM May 26, 2017 7:36 PM Memorial Day always winds up the annual observation of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And what better way to remember the one story (along with the Japanese American Internment) that lingers as the moral compass of the community. For that reason, this Memorial Day will be a special one for Filipino WWII Veteran Celestino Almeda. Despite many vets seeing an equity pay windfall in 2009, a handful like Almeda are still in appeals. His fight for justice with the U.S. government has been the bureaucratic version of the Bataan Death March. hat's no disrespect to the survivors of that historic event 75 years ago. Almeda certainly will remember deceased friends like retired U.S. Air Force Major Jesse Baltazar, a former POW who survived the Bataan Death March in 1942, and died just last year at age 96.   Baltazar often accompanied Almeda, fighting side by side in the latter's bureaucratic battle with the VA over equity pay. Almeda was a young soldier in the Philippine Army reserve, when he answered the call of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to protect the Philippines with the U.S. Armed Forces of the Far East. The added lure was full benefits as a soldier, including U.S. citizenship. As you'll hear in my interview with him on Emil Amok's Takeout, Almeda, the reservist, was made active for a year.  He was then made inactive when Gen. MacArthur retreated to Australia as the Japanese took over Manila. Almeda has official Philippine Army documents signed by U.S. officers to document all that. What he doesn't have is the record that he served in the guerrilla forces, which Almeda says were only verbal orders. Once the war was over, he was made active again and served side-by-side Americans. There would be no problem until President Truman signed the Rescission Act of 1946. which stripped the Filipino veterans of any right to the benefits that had been promised for their service. Ever since then--for more than 70 years--Filipinos like Almeda have been fighting piecemeal for a restoral of all the benefits due them.    Almeda's service has been good enough to help get him U.S. citizenship in 1990. He's even been given a VA card for medical benefits.  But it wasn't until President Obama in 2009 finally came through with a lump sum payment of $15,000 to Filipino veterans living in the U.S., and $9,000 for those still in the Philippines, that Almeda found himself in the bureaucratic battle of his life. The VA has approved more than nearly 19,000 cases, according to its website. The payout has been more than $220 million. But it's also rejected close to 24,000 cases.  There's about $56 million left in the pot. But that doesn't mean the VA is willingly giving it out, at least not to Almeda. The VA wouldn't honor his Philippine Army documents, though he has kept the originals in pristine condition. He's still currently in appeal, but in the meantime, he's taken to public protests like one last year when Robert McDonald, the VA Secretary under Obama appeared in public. In the Q&A part of the program, Almeda tried to appeal to McDonald but had his mic turned off. MacDonald's reaction got a stern rebuke from retired General Antonio Taguba, the general who led the investigation into Abu Ghraib.  Taguba additionally pointed out that updates to the law--PL 111-5, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation)--directed the Secretary of VA to consider all forms of evidence of service and not just those originally considered.  "This amendment has not been fully executed by the VA," Taguba complained to Mc Donald. Now a year later, McDonald's out, a new VA head is in, and Almeda is still fighting for justice, seemingly locked in the Bataan Death March of appeals, hoping to get approved for his lump sum before he turns 100. It's Memorial Day, but his taste for justice has not died. Listen to him tell his story on Emil Amok's Takeout. Days before his 100th birthday, Almeda's still got a lot of fight left.   AAAS President-elect Theo Gonzalves on the relevance of Asian American Studies today On my recent trip to Washington, DC, I was able to talk to an old friend, Theo Gonzalves of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and the president-elect of the Association for Asian American Studies. What are they doing? How has Asian American Studies stayed relevant? How valuable is the AAS degree? Use the fast forward and listen to Gonzalves, where he thinks Asian American Studies is going, and the importance of APAHM.   And if you want to read my Emil Amok column on Martial Law https://usa.inquirer.net/4026/martial-law-not-needed-can-stop-dutertes-destiny   Contact Emil at http://www.aaldef.org/blog, the site of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.  If you like what you see, consider clicking the "DONATE" button.  AALDEF is a 501 C3 and your contribution is tax-deductible.  Give us your feedback there, or at www.amok.com Leave a voice message on Speakpipe.  We might use it in a future show. Consider subscribing for free on iTunes, where you can rate and review. You'll also find us on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.      BIO Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His columns are seen in Asia and around the world, on Inquirer.net.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was named Ivy Orator as the class humorist. Thanks for listening to Emil Amok's Takeout! http://www.twitter.com/emilamok http://www.aaldef.org/blog

Links to columns touched on by Emil in Podcast No.14: http://aaldef.org/blog/emil-guillermo-last-fable-day-asian-americans-emmy-snub-fresh-off-the-boat-easter-xua.html   http://aaldef.org/blog/emil-guillermo-is-fresh-off-the-boat-historical-or-the-taming-of-eddie-huang.html http://aaldef.org/blog/emil-guillermo-wong-kim-ark-gop-anchor-baby-suzanne-ahn-award.html   http://aaldef.org/blog/emil-guillermo-asian-americans-no-1-by-2065-immigration-pew-report.html *     *     *     Emil Guillermo PODCAST: Randall Park at the APAICS gala for AAPI Heritage Month talks about Asian American representation in the media May 22, 2017 10:19 AM On Emil Amok's Takeout, I corner Randall Park at the gala dinner of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS). a/k/a Asian Prom. Listen to my short conversation with the "Fresh Off the Boat" star, as well as an excerpt from his speech accepting the 2017 APAICS Vision Award. Oddly, I forgot to ask him if politics was in the cards for him. Writing and producing was. But politics? He does play a governor in HBO's "Veep."  As I flew into D.C., I noticed at the airport magazine racks the conservative National Review trying to make the case for a presidential bid by "The Rock"--a Republican. President Rock? Dwayne Johnson hosted the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend, and was joined by Tom Hanks. Hanks said if they ran as a ticket, he'd "get them the senior vote because he fought in WWII--in ten different movies. The Rock added that he'd get the minority vote, "because everyone just assumes, I'm, well, whatever they are."   It got a big laugh.    It sounds like a joke, but given the rise of a reality show star to the presidency and the immense popularity of Johnson and Hanks, you never know. And with that, the SNL banners unfurled to reveal the slogan "Johnson Hanks 2020." Considering that The Rock and Hanks seem like stable personalities with decent vocabularies, anything would be an improvement over the present White House occupant.                       Emil Guillermo is an independent journalist/commentator.   Updates at www.amok.com. Follow Emil on Twitter, and like his Facebook page. The views expressed in his blog do not necessarily represent AALDEF's views or policies. Contact Emil at http://www.aaldef.org/blog, the site of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. If you like what you see, consider clicking the "DONATE" button.  AALDEF is a 501 C3 and your contribution is tax-deductible. Give us your feedback there, or at www.amok.com Leave a voice message. We might use it in a future show. Consider subscribing for free on iTunes, where you can rate and review. You'll also find us on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.     BIO Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His columns are seen in Asia and around the world, on Inquirer.net.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was named Ivy Orator, the class humorist. Thanks for listening to Emil Amok's Takeout! http://www.twitter.com/emilamok http://www.aaldef.org/blog    

Ep. 13  Emil Guillermo: "Mommy, I need you," a Mother's Day podcast memory; plus Trump grows more Nixony by the day May 12, 2017 3:04 PM   From the AALDEF blog:  http://aaldef.org/blog/emil-guillermo-mommy-i-need-you-mothers-day-podcast-trump-nixon.html I wrote an essay about my mother that was in my collection of Emil Amok columns in my book Amok back in 2000.   I read it here, along with a preamble on the podcast, because I've too often given short shrift to my mom's story, in favor of my dad's.   But my mother's story was pretty incredible too. She survived the Japanese occupation of Manila during WWII and found her way to the U.S. with the help of an angel, a Spanish aristocrat who was unrelated, and whom I remember as having so much makeup on her face that she she looked like a ghost. I only knew her as Lola Angelita, world traveler. My mom is in this picture, on the left. Another one of her comadres, my Lola Rosie, is holding me. I'm just horribly disoriented looking for the right nipple. And probably crying.   All that and more on the podcast for Mothers Day in May, which is also AAPI Heritage Month.   Here's a shoutout to The New Yorker for its funny, satirical cover, the positive yellowfacing of Dr. David Dao, who is replaced by the ousted FBI chief James Comey. It's funny, not racist, as some have suggested. It's a recognition of how we felt about Dao, and how we should all feel about what's happened to Comey. In Trump-speak, the Comey thing is as important as the Russia thing, and so much more important than any email thing.    In the firing, Trump as Nixon was pretty obvious from Day 1. But Trump doesn't leave well enough alone. He's compounded it with subsequent steps that only create a growing credibility gap between his White House and the American public.   Where is the Truth about the firing of Comey? We have several versions, at this point. One too many for a real democracy.   And if Trump isn't getting really Nixony, why did he tweet about the possibility that conversations with Comey were taped?   Follow Donald J. Trump   ✔@realDonaldTrump James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! 5:26 AM - 12 May 2017         So our democracy under Trump is getting shakier and shakier, especially when Trump feels his people must be loyal to him and not the American people.            King Donald?            It leaves us with motherhood to hang on to for now, while we can.   Show Log: 00:    Opening :20     About our show 1:15   My theater performance 1:56   This episode 3:17   New Yorker spoof: Comey as David Dao 4:29    More on Trump 10:26  Preamble on my Mom, followed by the "Mom's Sundae" commentary from my Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective *     *     * Emil Guillermo is an independent journalist/commentator. Updates at www.amok.com. Follow Emil on Twitter, and like his Facebook page. The views expressed in his blog do not necessarily represent AALDEF's views or policies.     Contact Emil at http://www.aaldef.org/blog, the site of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. If you like what you see, consider clicking the "DONATE" button.  AALDEF is a 501 C3 and your contribution is tax-deductible. Give us your feedback there, or at www.amok.com Leave a voice message. We might use it in a future show. Consider subscribing for free on iTunes, where you can rate and review. You'll also find us on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.     BIO Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His columns are seen in Asia and around the world, on Inquirer.net.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was named Ivy Orator, the class humorist. Thanks for listening to Emil Amok's Takeout! http://www.twitter.com/emilamok http://www.aaldef.org/blog  

SHOW LOG: :00 Opening rap 3:25 Health care vote 8:15 Duterte and Trump 11:42 Corky Lee intro 18:20 Corky Lee interview   From the blog at http://www.aaldef.orgblog By Emil Amok My late mother, the wise Filipina, would always say, "Your health is your wealth." And when her health failed, she was thankful for her health care through Medicare. And now after today, we're a step closer to the danger zone. I talk about #TrumpNoCare on the podcast. But we won't let the threat to health care mar Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. And if you're wondering, yes, Donald Trump did tweet about it. His proclamation mentioned Dr. Sammy Lee, the great Olympic diver and the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal in the 1948 Olympics. He also mentioned Katherine Sui Fun Cheung, who embodied the spirit of this month. In 1932, she was the first Chinese American woman to earn a pilot license at a time when only one percent of all pilots in the U.S. were women. Trump, of course, likes any One-percenter of any kind. Trump's proclamation was fairly boilerplate, as you'd expect from a man who thinks diversity is identity politics and not a hallmark of a nation that believes in equality. Trump even cites Public Law 102-450, which makes May each year "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month." He's not going to try to repeal it like, say, Obamacare. (Listen to the podcast for my take on that.) "I encourage all Americans to learn more about our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities," Trump proclaimed Let's see if he takes his own advice, and learns how many Asian Americans will be threatened by his #TrumpNoCare. Or we can just go back in history with that legendary picture of the railroads and the Golden Spike uniting America by rail. You've seen it, right? Photographer Corky Lee saw it when he was a kid growing up in New York. It was the first mention of any Chinese people that he saw in his history books. The text said Chinese people helped build the railroad. But Corky didn't see any Chinese in the picture. On the AALDEF podcast, Emil Amok's Takeout, Corky said he bought the best magnifying glass he could find at Woolworth's. And he still couldn't see any Chinese. "We were excluded again," he told me. May is quite a month. May 6 is the 135th Anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882.    Important, no doubt. But May 10 is the 148th anniversary of the photographic exclusion that has been bothering Corky since he first saw that picture of the Golden Spike at Promontory Summit, Utah. On May 10, Corky will stage a flash mob photo, hoping for people coming in period dress to do what people have done for years. Only Corky wants to make a picture with actual Chinese people--like the people who built the railroads.   He's been doing it as a matter of tradition for the last few years, his build-up to a grand 150th anniversary shot.  But every year, there's something special besides "the picture." One year, it was the Buddhist ceremony at the Chinese Arch, believed to be the first one ever.  Go ahead, make a pilgrimage to Utah for AAPI Heritage Month. I doubt if The Donald will be there.  Find out more by going to Corky Lee's Facebook page. Listen to the podcast on how Corky developed his sense of "photographic justice," and how the activist's heart merged with the photographer's eye to produce some of the most memorable photographs of modern Asian American life ever taken.  Corky talks about his first camera and his father's style of teaching. And several times throughout, he talks about the picture that has been his driving force to include Asian Americans in everything he sees through the lens.    Contact Emil at http://www.aaldef.org/blog, the site of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.  If you like what you see, consider clicking the "DONATE" button.  AALDEF is a 501 C3 and your contribution is tax-deductible.  Give us your feedback there, or at www.amok.com Leave a voice message. We might use it in a future show. Consider subscribing for free on iTunes, where you can rate and review. You'll also find us on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.      BIO Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His columns are seen in Asia and around the world, on Inquirer.net.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was named Ivy Orator, the class humorist. Thanks for listening to Emil Amok's Takeout! http://www.twitter.com/emilamok http://www.aaldef.org/blog  

  Emil Guillermo: Dragged United passenger Dr. David Dao is no Rosa Parks, but he could be a poster boy for all consumers April 13, 2017 4:45 PM When the U.S. drops the "mother of all bombs" on Afghanistan as a worldwide message, it's time for a little sobering perspective. Maybe we could take a little more time to treat all people with a little more respect, fairness and dignity in our everyday lives. Person to person. And certainly, corporation to consumer.  Which brings us to the viral bombshell of a story that won't die.  If United, or anyone else, thought the dragging of Dr. David Dao was a short-term headline that would go away with a simple apology, they were sorely mistaken. Dao's tale is bigger than anyone thought. It's soon to become the last stand for the modern global consumer.  Dao, the 69-year-old man dragged off a United flight so that the airline could seat its own employees, has hired Thomas Demetrio, a top-notch personal injury lawyer based in Chicago. At a press conference Thursday, Demetrio made it clear how he saw things. Demetrio didn't think the case was about race, even though Dao in one of the now numerous cell phone videos could be heard asking if United was asking him to leave the plane because he was Chinese. (At the press conference, Dao's daughter, Crystal, clarified that Dao immigrated from Vietnam.)   To further his point, Demetrio shared with the media an e-mail he'd received from someone suggesting that Dao was the "modern day Asian Rosa Parks." "I don't think that's the case at all," Demetrio said. "What happened to Dr. Dao could have happened to any one of us." Demetrio said Dr. Dao "has come to understand that he's the guy to stand up for passengers going forward." In other words, he's the universal little guy.  But race did come into play in one significant way when Dao told Demetrio how he felt about the dragging. On one of the phone videos released, Dr. Dao was seen crying out, "just kill me, just kill me." A reporter asked what Dao meant by that?   "I asked him that question; here's what he told me," said Demetrio. "He said that he left Vietnam in 1975 when Saigon fell. And he was on a boat. And he said he was terrified. He said that being dragged down the aisle was more horrifying and harrowing than what he experienced in leaving Vietnam." If there's a lawsuit coming, and indeed there is, I don't think United stands a chance. As a writer on race issues in America, I've often wondered what one factor in our society could become our common ground and end the pain of discrimination. Twenty years ago, I thought age would allow us to see beyond race. The ageists of the world have proved me wrong. In Dao, a 69-year old loving father with multiple grandchildren, I think we have the answer.  He's the battered consumer in this angry, short-tempered society, standing up to the corporation.  Race? Not primary. It may have helped the Chicago Airport cops to see him as an "other" so they could drag him away with zeal. But basically, race is irrelevant.   Dao was a seated ticket holder, a profit center to the corporation. And when it didn't need him anymore, it violently bullied Dao and treated him like crap.  We can all relate to that. It's what I thought on Monday when I first heard the story.   Now Dao is poised to become the one who fights for what all consumers deserve.  Demetrio said there were three things every consumer should demand:  fairness, respect, and dignity. "That's it," Demetrio said. "I hope [Dao] becomes the poster child for all of us."  It's not the position that most Asian Americans willingly seek out. Most hold on to the stereotype--unless you are chosen, and it's beaten out of you. And then there's no other option but to speak up. You take a stand, and become what I've long called since my Asian Week days: a "Public Asian." Dr. Dao wasn't at the press conference.  Demetrio said he was at a secure location and appreciated if the media would leave him alone. Ultimately, Dao will return to Louisville, but probably by car. Said Demetrio: "He has no interest in ever seeing an airplane."  Hear bits of the media conference in Ep.9 of the ALDEF podcast, Emil Amok's Takeout. I also interview an Asian American from Kentucky, Mimi Hwang. She talks about the local reaction to Dao, who lives in the Louisville area, and gives her own perspective as a business owner and as someone who has experienced what it feels like to be bullied due to her Asian background. It happened to her family in 2015. She also says that while the Dao story is empowering, the micro-community of Asians has little voice and no support from social justice organizations. I even mention if the community has heard from Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation, who happens to be the wife of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell. No, Hwang said. But she'd welcome Chao's support in the community.   Show notes Opening 1:54 The Shriek 5:08 “I am not going…” 5:34 Thomas Demetrio, Dao’s lawyer 5:53 Rosa Parks? 6:13 Opening of Press conference 11:58 Dao’s the guy 12:25 On United CEO’s Apology 14:20 Crystal Pepper, Dao’s daughter 15:46 On seeing Dad dragged on video 16:00 Dao’s injuries 17:41 “Just kill me.” 19:06 The first 20 minutes of the whole conference (including a repeat of the first 6 minutes). 39:00  End of conference 41:48 Mimi Hwang at her martial arts studio, talk about the Louisville community where Dr. Dao is from and about her own experiences with racism. 1:06:51 Emil’s conclusion. Contact Emil at http://www.aaldef.org/blog, the site of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.   If you like what you see, consider clicking the "DONATE" button.  AALDEF is a 501 C3 and your contribution is tax-deductible.   Give us your feedback there, or at www.amok.com Leave a voice message. We might use it in a future show.   Consider subscribing for free on iTunes, where you can rate and review. You'll also find us on YouTube, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.      BIO Emil Guillermo wrote for almost 15 years his "Amok" column for AsianWeek, which was the largest English language Asian American newsweekly in the nation. "Amok" was considered the most widely-read column on Asian American issues in the U.S. His thoughtful and provocative social commentaries have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGate.com, San Francisco Examiner, USA Today, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and in syndication throughout the country.  His columns are seen in Asia and around the world, on Inquirer.net.  His early columns are compiled in a book "Amok: Essays from an Asian American Perspective," which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation in 2000. Guillermo's journalistic career began in television and radio broadcasting. At National Public Radio, he was the first Asian American male to anchor a regularly scheduled national news broadcast when he hosted "All Things Considered" from 1989-1991. During his watch, major news broke, including the violence in Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of dictatorships in Romania and Panama. From Washington, Guillermo hosted the shows that broke the news.  As a television journalist, his award-winning reports and commentaries have appeared on NBC, CNN, and PBS. He was a reporter in San Francisco, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. After NPR, Guillermo became a press secretary and speechwriter for then Congressman Norman Mineta, the former cabinet member in the Bush and Clinton Administrations.  After his Hill experience, Guillermo returned to the media, hosting his own talk show in Washington, D.C. on WRC Radio. He returned to California where he hosted talk shows in San Francisco at KSFO/KGO, and in Sacramento at KSTE/KFBK. Guillermo's columns in the ethnic press inspired a roundtable discussion program that he created, hosted, executive produced, resulting in more than 100 original half-hour programs. "NCM-TV: New California Media" was seen on PBS stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and throughout the state on cable. Guillermo also spent time as a newspaper reporter covering the poor and the minority communities of California's Central Valley. His writing and reporting on California's sterilization program on the poor and minorities won him statewide and national journalism awards. In 2015, Guillermo received the prestigious Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice from the Asian American Journalists Association. The award, named after the late Korean American physician from Texas, recognizes excellence in the coverage of civil rights and social justice issues in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Guillermo, a native San Franciscan, went to Lowell High School, and graduated from Harvard College, where he was an Ivy Orator and class humorist. Thanks for listening to Emil Amok's Takeout!

Early every year, 30 billion bees make their way across the country to California's Central Valley. Here's why.

Part 2: RN and Professor of Public Health at University of San Francisco talks with us about the practice of using oil wastewater in California's Central Valley--to irrigate crops. And the oil companies are making a profit on the wastewater--they SELL, yes sell--to the farmers. Barbara talks about this and more about California oil production and the concerns nurses have about public health. This is a 3-part podcast.

RN and Professor of Public Health at University of San Francisco talks with us about the practice of using oil wastewater in California's Central Valley--to irrigate crops. And the oil companies are making a profit on the wastewater--they SELL, yes sell--to the farmers. Barbara talks about this and more about California oil production and the concerns nurses have about public health. This is a 3-part podcast.

Part 1: RN and Professor of Public Health at University of San Francisco talks with us about the practice of using oil wastewater in California's Central Valley--to irrigate crops. And the oil companies are making a profit on the wastewater--they SELL, yes sell--to the farmers. Barbara talks about this and more about California oil production and the concerns nurses have about public health. This is a 3-part podcast.

Until 1982, there was a law on the books—the 1902 Reclamation Act-- that limited the size of farms allowed to use government subsidized irrigation water across the Western U.S. to just 160 acres. That’s much, much smaller than the kind of massive-scale agricultural development that characterizes California farming in general and the Central Valley in particular. This podcast tells the story of an activist group called National Land for People that fought to enforce the Reclamation Act-- and came close to achieving land reform in California's Central Valley.

An Excert from Wedding Day: Bryan Flynn loves to catch fish on the Yellow River in Florida's Panhandle. He loves to drive couples to and from their weddings in his limo and he loves to stay out of people's business until one day he receives a gift that turns his world inside out. ****************************************************** From Ron Vincent: "Unlike Wedding Day, the language will not blister skin. But I hope to make you laugh, perhaps shed a tear or two, and encounter characters who entrance you. If I had to categorize Wedding Day, I would call it both a satire and a romantic comedy. Heavy on the satire part. I hope all my Kindle reader friends enjoy the story. For my soft cover readers, I will be doing signings in Northern and Southern California this year and the South - as in the southern U.S. this summer."  ****************************************************** A brief biography: Ron Vincent grew up in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and has graduate degrees from Texas A&M and the University of Notre Dame. He has taught high school students in California's Central Valley for almost thirty years. His comic novel Mother's Day reflects the cadences, humor, and eccentricities he remembers growing up in Okaloosa County, Florida. ******************************************************

Joining me for episode #230 is Paul DeChant, MD, MBA to talk about reducing burnout, especially physician burnout, through Lean. Paul (see his bio here) is the former CEO of Sutter Gould Medical Foundation, a 300-physician multispecialty medical group in California's Central Valley. Before that, he had stints at organizations including Geisinger Health System and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. He is now a consultant and executive coach for Simpler Healthcare. For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/230. In the podcast, we talk about questions and topics including: Tell us about your career... how did you get involved in healthcare leadership and how did you get exposed to Lean? What problems or opportunities were you trying to address with Lean? How did you see your role and participation as CEO? As a physician leader? You recently wrote a blog post "why is physician engagement even an issue?" How would you describe the current state of life for an MD before Lean? Can Lean help prevent burnout for MDs or others? Is there a point where somebody gets "too burned out" and can't be turned?

This week, the Dapper Orcs are proud to present to you a very special guest by the name of Joe Cahill!Mr. Cahill joins our own Professor Falconer, MasterKate & Enigmatic Pariah to discuss and elaborate upon a number of projects he has coming in our own area, California's Central Valley. He and a business partner have been hard at work putting together Steam House Coffee Co, along with an upcoming Convention sharing the moniker, Film Festival + Award Show, and much more! But, don't be fooled easily by the names, dear listeners! While Steampunk may well be an overarching theme for the business savvy gentlemen, be aware that there's little Geek Culture that escapes them, and all events are aimed at the entire community. A single glance at our EP's hair proves he's tickled Pink about it! We hope you enjoy, urge you to peer closer into these amazing events, and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in October for the first annual Steam House Con!

Ron Vincent grew up in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and has graduate degrees from Texas A & M and the University of Notre Dame. He has taught high school students in California's Central Valley for almost thirty years. His comic novel, Mother's Day, reflects the cadences, humor, and eccentricities he remembers growing up in Okaloosa County, Florida. Excerpt: Phil Oglesby hasn’t spoken to his mother in years. And she doesn’t seem to care until he surprises her with a Mother’s Day visit that becomes the biggest mistake he’s ever made. Williemaye, Phil’s mom, is not a Norman Rockwell mom. For many people the Sunday set aside to celebrate motherhood is often regarded as a celebration of the deepest ties, the warmest memories, and the best emotions. Phil’s Mother’s Day is like being invited to a birthday party where the guests decide to hang you. Sometimes in life, it is often a much better idea to stay at home.

California's ballot proposition process was meant to give the people more of a say in legislation, but the process has become entirely corrupted by money and special interests. Proposition language makes the proposals sound like good ideas, but like the legendary Trojan Horse, buried within the legalese are often provisions that have entirely different consequences. And lately, when a bad idea proposition is enacted in one state, thanks to organizations like ALEC, they tend to pop up on ballots all over the country. Proposition 46 is billed as a patient safety act, by requiring physicians to undergo drug and alcohol testing. But there's more to it than that. Donna Schwartz Mills and Karoli are joined by Cathy Frey, CEO of the Central Valley Health Network consisting of 13 community helath center corporations serving high-need communities throughout California's Central Valley, and Democratic political consultant Teri Holomon. Political discussion from the progressive point of view by the MOMocrats. Produced by Engender Media Group.

California's Central Valley is arguably the most productive agricultural region in the world. However, despite the region's significant advantages in agriculture and comparative advantages over coastal California in terms of real estate costs, cost of living, and wages, it has routinely been passed over by private equity and venture capital investors, as well as by policy makers who have focused instead on regions with larger populations and more industry. This report examines the history and impact of both public investment and publicly documented private equity investment in the Central Valley. It includes recommendations for strengthening economic development by leveraging current investment and driving future investment in the region. We focus on two areas that are essential to bolstering the region's economy. The first focus area is workforce development and human capital, which refers not only to levels of educational attainment in the region's workforce, but also to the ability to match education and training with the actual needs of both current and potential employers. The second area is public and private investment in the region that is specifically targeted to growing businesses and the regional economy.

Every summer, 250,000 bats take up residence under a freeway bridge in California's Central Valley. And each night, they exit the bridge in a stunning ribbon-like formation.

Every summer, 250,000 bats take up residence under a freeway bridge in California's Central Valley. And each night, they exit the bridge in a stunning ribbon-like formation.