Asian American Life - May 2016

♪[THEME MUSIC]♪ >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Hi. Welcome to Asian American Life. I'm Ernabel Demillo. It's the fourteenth annual Orchid Show here at the New York Botanical Garden and we're here celebrating Orchid Delirium, which chronicles the history of orchids from all over the world. There are over six thousand colorful species on display here. Let's take a closer look. >>>Orchids were first discovered in China and Japan around 700BC. Many of these exotic flowers were used for medicinal purposes and by the 1700s missionaries brought back orchids to Europe as a rare and expensive gifts. Today these flowers are grown all over the world and the most popular are the phalaenopsis from the Philippines and Himalaya tropics. >>>To learn more about our show like our Facebook page at Asian American Life. Now let's take a look at what's ahead. >>>Race relations. Minnie Roh reports on New York City police officer peter Liang's case. Sustainable rice. Paul Lin reports on the world's largest food staple. Plus a tour of Islamic art and on point. Ballerina Stella Abrera makes dance history. This and more on Asian American Life. >>>We start our show with headline news. New York City police officer Peter Liang's case continues to stir national debate on race relations and justice. >>>MINNIE ROH: I'm Minnie Roh. Peter Liang's name became a rallying cry nationwide for justice when he was convicted of manslaughter for shooting an unarmed black man in a housing project stairwell. He was facing up to fifteen years in prison but in an astonishing and controversial turn of events Peter Liang walks away without serving a single day behind bars. >>>This- >>>This- >>>-Is a miscarriage- >>>-Is a miscarriage- >>>-Of justice. >>>-Of justice. >>>MINNIE ROH: The reaction was swift and furious. >>>This city. >>>This city. >>>-Continues to remind us- >>>-Continues to remind us- >>>-That black lives- >>>That black lives- >>>Do not matter. >>>Do not matter. >>>MINNIE ROH: Black lives matter and victim Akai Gurley supporters chanted in unison- >>>Hands up to the sky we do this for Akai- >>>MINNIE ROH: -To show their disgust at the punishment that former New York City police officer Peter Liang received after fatally shooting one of their own. Liang was facing up to fifteen years in prison for the manslaughter conviction that he received in February 2016. At a sentencing in April Judge Chun reduced the conviction to criminally negligent homicide and ordered 800 hours of community service and five years probation. Akai Gurley's family and friends huddled in disbelief after exiting the courthouse. >>>HERTENCIA PETERSEN: Justice was not served to my nephew Akai Gurley. Now here it is, another black man has been murdered by the hands of a police department, and the officer is not being help accountable. >>>MINNIE ROH: Liang was a rookie New York City police officer when he and his partner were patrolling the Louis H Pink Houses, a housing project in Brooklyn on November 14, 2014. The two officers had just stepped into the eighth floor stairwell with their guns drawn for safety. A floor below them, Gurley an unarmed black man, and his girlfriend entered into the stairwell because the elevators were not working. Liang testified that he was startled by a noise and his gun accidentally went off. >>>911 what is the emergency? >>> 2724 Linden Boulevard. >>>2724 Linden Boulevard? >>>Yes. >>>Are you in an apartment or a private house? >>>Uh, this is the projects. >>>What apartment are you in? >>>Uh, somebody got shot in the stairs on the sixth floor right here. >>>MINNIE ROH: The bullet had ricocheted off the wall and struck Gurley in the chest. Gurley stumbled down a few more flights before collapsing on the concrete floor. Reportedly Liang and his partner argued about who would report the shooting. Neither police officer administered CPR on the victim. >>>Black lives matter. >>>Black lives matter. >>>Black women matter. >>>Black women matter. >>>MINNIE ROH: Liang's case and Gurley's death took place during a tumultuous year of debate. Nationwide about white police using aggressive tactics against African-American victims including shooting and killing them while receiving minimal if any punishment. >>>Put your hands behind your head. >>>I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. >>>MINNIE ROH: Neither officers responsible for the deaths of Eric garner in Staten Island, New York and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri were even indicted for their actions. The officers are white. The victims African-American. Yet Liang was indicted and convicted. The ground swelling response following Liang's guilty verdict was immediate and powerful. The typically silent Asian Americans who seldom march, seldom protest, poured out in strong opposition to the verdict. In 42 cities across the nation including Minneapolis, Dallas, Chicago, Sacramento, New York City. Many carry signs that read; "One tragedy. Two victims." And photos of Martin Luther King Jr. with the inscription reading; "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Their message was clear. Do not scapegoat officer Peter Liang to pay for the mistakes of others. >>>JESS FONG: Peter Liang took the fall for the sins of a country and while he should be held accountable for the actions that he took we believe that the sentencing that comes down in April needs to be proportionate to his action and not proportionate to the sins of a nation. >>>MINNIE ROH: And equally as vocal was the black community determined not to allow yet another victim to slip through the cracks. Tensions between the Asian American and black communities bubbled up further following the announcement in mid-March that the DA would not seek prison time for Liang despite the guilty verdict. It was enough to motivate community activists to do what they could to nip the tension in the bud. They hurriedly put together a race relations panel discussion filled with top leaders in both communities as well as lawmakers to come to a common solution rather than continue to splinter apart. >>>RON KIM: I'm participating today at this forum because I want to dispel a couple of Asians stereotypes that are a result of racism. >>>MINNIE ROH: Assemblyman Ron Kim who represents the 40th District of New York, which includes Flushing, a predominantly Asian American district, says contrary to popular belief Peter Liang's case may be the glue that finally unites the two communities together. >>>RON KIM: Asian Americans are new at this, fighting the injustice fights. African-American communities have been doing this for so many years. There's a lot to be learned. I think it's very critical that we come together and understand that unless we unite to change the rules of the game then we're always going to be victims to double standards. >>>MINNIE ROH: Democrat Walter Mosley who represents Brooklyn in the state assembly stressed the importance of co-existing peacefully especially in a place like New York City where so many racial component live in such close proximity to each other. >>>WALTER MOSLEY: For us to be divided within that proximity really does add to the tension unfortunately that you know many of us experience on a day to day basis but I think that what we can do is look at this as an opportunity to change our moral compass, to change our moral authority, in an effort to understand that when justice takes place regardless of what we want to call it, Asian injustice, black injustice, Hispanic injustice, white injustice, that we all speak up on each other's behalf. Because then I think that will make us a better society and make us a more whole community. >>>MINNIE ROH: The common theme of the discussion could be boiled down to accountability. Systematic change. And the fact that New York City as well as the know rest of the country is due for a major racial overhaul. >>>RON KIM: This family lost a lot. It doesn't matter where you come from, where you live, every life does matter and make sure that the family received the justice they deserved. I don't think crucifying Peter Liang is going to result in the justice that they want. You know, I think the NYPD should be accountable. I think NYCHA should be accountable. >>>REV. JACQUES DEGRAFF: This is the latest in a litany of mistreatments, of injustices that have been visited upon our communities. The laws that are on the books now are sufficient in my view to bring about justice if they were applied. Enforce existing laws. And it comes from the top man and that means we have to make a statement in the next election. >>>MINNIE ROH: The solidarity that these leaders were hoping for may take some time to achieve as emotions run high at the Brooklyn courthouse on the day of the sentencing. Carol Gray, whose son Kimani was shot and killed by police officers in March 2013 in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn, came out to show her support for Gurley's family. >>>CAROL GRAY: Big insult. I was hurt. Big insult. And all I could think about was what's going to happen to my son. But this isn't justice. Instead of even sticking to what the DA produces, the judge brought to a lower charge. What is criminal negligence? A life has been taken. You know, Peter Liang has a life too but his life is here. He can further it, he can future it. But Akai Gurley's gone and his daughter has no father. >>>Justice for all. >>>Justice for all. >>>No scapegoating. >>>No scapegoating. >>>MINNIE ROH: But Liang supporters say Judge Chun's decision was a wise one and paves the way for healing and an opportunity to work together to correct injustice. >>>YUNGMAN LEE: In the Asian community we think that it is a tragedy with two victims. >>>WILLIAM COLTON: There's a lot of anger. There's a lot of emotion but once we get beyond the anger and the emotion hopefully people of rational minds will realize we all want the same thing. We all want safe streets. We all want good schools. We all want housing conditions that are habitable and livable. >>>MINNIE ROH: And evidence of this common goal is right here where Asian Americans stood shoulder to shoulder hand in hand with the black community vowing that Akai Gurley's death shall not be in vain. >>>We will now have a moment of silence. >>>MINNIE ROH: I'm Minnie Roh for Asian American Life. >>>PAUL LIN: I'm Paul Lin. Roughly half the world's population depends on rice. That's more than three and a half billion people and believe it or not rice grows right here just minutes from Manhattan. The rice program was started by a Korean woman. Rice is a staple for dozens of Asian countries as well as many in the Americas, Africa and parts of Europe. In the U.S. it's grown chiefly in the south as well as California but when EunYoung Sebazco learned rice grew in northern Japan about the same latitude as New York she wanted to try growing it here and in a sustainable way. >>>EUNYOUNG SEBAZCO: The way to grow the rice is the way to learn sustainable design. So I spoke to my grandmother and what would be her thoughts if I grow the right on Randall's Island, she thought this is crazy idea but I could feel she was very excited. >>>PAUL LIN: Rice is in EunYoung's roots. Her grandmother's family owned a rice farm in Korea. EunYoung asked her how to grow rice traditionally and in keeping with the Asian lunar calendar. >>>EUNYOUNG SEBAZCO: She tell me that this is the right time to plant and this should be the time that you have a flower. This is time you should be cut the water. And this is the time should be the rice grain will be fatter. And she told me this is the time will be cut the rice and hanging upside down and dry them out. >>>PAUL LIN: Her grandmother also described how to grow rice without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. How adding fish to swim among the seedlings could get rid of insects and provide nitrogen. In short growing rice sustainably. Nick Storrs devised a way to make the paddies using raised beds. >>>NICK STORRS: So the beds are a about thirty feet long. A little bit less more like twenty six feet long. And they're about three feet wide. >>>PAUL LIN: The first year they planted a short grain sushi rice growing seedlings first in the greenhouse then transplanting them to the patties. The careful work paid off. >>>EUNYOUNG SEBAZCO: Unexpectedly we had a huge success in the season. We were able to harvest fifteen pounds of rice in New York City, first time rice. >>>PAUL LIN: The urban farm now has four rice pattys growing ten kinds of rice. The program helps educate thousands of students from the Bronx and East Harlem whose families may come from rice based cultures whether Asian, Latino or Caribbean. >>>NICK STORRS: The rice itself fits so perfectly into an education environment. It is something that is paradoxically very common and very exotic at the same time. It's something the kids are eating every single day. They eat it many different forms yet all they've seen are bags of rice in the grocery store. >>>PAUL LIN: So kids field trips to Randall's Island connect them to the food they eat. They experience different cultures that depend on rice with demos using Japanese sushi rice or Italian risotto. All grown on the farm. Kids also learn that they can do small scale local earth friendly farming. Making that connection helps kids be aware of what it takes to grow food responsibly with farming methods that don't harm the environment. As the planet's population swells how can rice farmers increase yields but in an earth friendly way? Growing rice uses up land and water and traditionally has meant back breaking labor. It also has led to some serious environmental issues. Rice is grown traditionally by flooding fields and when plant matter dies and decays under water it produces methane, a greenhouse gas. It's a big deal. In India for example rice methane accounts for about ten percent of India's total climate changing emissions. Add to that the use of chemical fertilizers to boost nitrogen often leading to runoff and nitrous oxide emissions another greenhouse gas. And there's also a carcinogen risk from arsenic. Consumer reports recently tested dozens of varieties of rice and found measurable levels in almost all of them including organic and brown rice and infant cereal. It recommends adults eat no more than two quarter cup servings per week and to rinse rice thoroughly before cooking. There's no arsenic in Randall's Island's raised beds, no chicken manure in the compost. The farm uses barley as a cover crop for nitrogen and has been introducing so-called SRI methods to use less water and avoid greenhouse emissions. >>>EUNYOUNG SEBAZCO: It's all mother nature woks together to make a healthy patty. >>>NICK STORRS: We're lucky enough that we were able to do this in a very safe way. When that blows up into a food system it's difficult because it does make it more expensive to produce that food. >>>PAUL LIN: That expense is exactly why getting the biggest producers to change their ways will take time. Rice is big business. U.S. producers have sales of more than three billion dollars a year. Rice is one of the top ten U.S. crops and the U.S. produces more than six million tons of rice exporting half of that. Still that's just a fraction of what's produced outside the U.S. where sustainable farming would have a bigger impact. More than 90% of rice is produced and consumed in Asia. The average Asian person may eat rice at every meal. That's several hundred pounds of rice every year. The average person in the U.S. eats about twenty pounds a year. Underscoring how important rice is for Asia. Getting consumers connected with sustainable rice cultivation is just the start of what EunYoung has in mind. Connecting people to the culture of rice is the bigger idea she's been working on through a website called LiveRice. >>>EUNYOUNG SEBAZCO: Since we start rice project I have been called rice lady so many people I have met have share their rice story and I realize and the rice is not just food and I've been discovering the rice could be used on fabric or cosmetic or shoes or many other stuff. >>>PAUL LIN: How a dream about rice growing in New York has led to education on sustainable farming, Asian life and culture. I'm Paul Lin for Asian American Life. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Did you know that Southeast Asia has the largest Muslim population in the world and one of the largest collections of Islamic art. Some of that art can be seen at the Newark Museum where I recently took a tour. So tell us about this. >>>So here we have three spectacular martial implements. We've got two daggers. One from Java, one from Sumatra and this wonderful broadsword from Lombok. All of them are status markers in Indonesia. They are used by people who are Islamic as well as people who are Hindu in that area. So it shows this confluence in Indonesia where you have both religions existing. Wondrous World: Art and Islam Through Time and Place transports visitors through time and place through different themes that emerge out of different strands of Islamic art. All the art that's on view is from the Newark Museums own permanent collection. That we've been collecting for over a hundred years here at the museum. The exhibition unfold initially with an introduction to the five pillars of Islam which are the same tenets that are shaped by all forms of Islam and then themes news about epigraphy, the art of writing. Hospitality, which is incredibly important in Islam. Modest beauty in costume and dress and architecture and its offspring. We have ceramic from many many different parts of the globe that really show a diversity of the ceramic tradition not only in porcelain and earthenware in many different styles of glazes and the communications between different parts of Asia, east and west Asia, to promote those kinds of technologies for ceramics. One of the interactions between Southeast Asia and the rest of the world that we promote in this exhibition also looks at textile trade. Because textile trade is one of the things that really brought Islam into Southeast Asia. Our collections really support showcasing arts from Islam, Indonesia, India, also North Africa, East Africa and even the Americas. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Wondrous Worlds is on display at the Newark Museum in New Jersey. I'm Ernabel Demillo for Asian American Life. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Stella Abrera is gracing the stage as the first Filipino American principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater. I met up with a recently that talk about her life and career. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Her dancing has been called luminous and heartfelt. You are watching Stella Abrera who has been dancing with the American Ballet Theater for more than half her life. She had long ago dreamt of reaching the top. In the dance world the top is principal dancer but with each passing year that dream was becoming more elusive. So much to her surprise and probably no one else's Abrera was recently named principal dancer at ABT making her the first Filipino American to reach this elite rank. So Stella, what was your reaction when you first heard the news that you were named principal dancer? >>>STELLA ABRERA: I was completely bowled over. I was so surprised and shocked and overjoyed. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: She along with her friend Misty Copeland made history that day. Copeland became the first black female to be named principal dancer. Copeland made national headlines. Meanwhile Abrera's historic promotion didn't get as much media play but that's just fine with Abrera who is quietly stepping into her new role, that of role model. >>>STELLA ABRERA: There are people who have told me that you know I'm their daughter's role model or that I inspire their little kid sister in ballet or and they're all Filipino. It humbles me. I hope that I can live up to that title of being a role model and I can inspire some young kids and young ballet students or anyone. I would hope to and it's wonderful. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Abrera was once that young child with big dreams. She started dancing at five and it was love from day one. >>>STELLA ABRERA: It was so fun for me. Every part of it. All the hard work and long hours of being in the studio and constantly trying to fine tune my technique and improve all of that was really fun for me as a kid and so I never actually thought of it is hard work it was just, it was just fun. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: At seventeen she left her family and her southern California home when she got the call that every young dancer hopes for to join the American Ballet Theater. One of the most prestigious dance companies in the world. >>>STELLA ABRERA: I had about a week's notice to pack everything up and move to New York from Los Angeles. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: And she never left New York or ABT. Moving from apprentice to the core to soloists but just as her star was rising her dancing days almost came to an end in 2008 after she suffered what many thought was a career ending injury. >>>STELLA ABRERA: I never actually allowed myself to say those words even though that was a huge fear because I got injured and it was quite an epic journey to go from that first day of injury to getting back on stage eighteen months later. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: But she came back in a big way. Six years after her return to the stage at thirty seven an age when many dancers are thinking retirement Abrera was named principal dancer. >>>STELLA ABRERA: It's been, it's been a very rich adventure. Very rich journey. Many highs. Many lows and I've learned over the years that the lows make me really appreciate the highs. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Some of the high points in her life include marrying her fellow dancer Sascha Radetsky and returning to her family's homeland the Philippines. She had been invited to dance with the Ballet Philippines and before her visit Typhoon Haiyan hit. Devastating central Philippines. Abrera created Steps Forward for the Philippines to help the victims. >>>STELLA ABRERA: This was a good opportunity for me to use my visit to the country as that performer to go beyond that and maybe try to get back to the region. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: Partnering with Operation USA Abrera mamaged to raise close to twenty thousand dollars to help rebuild and resupply a school. >>>STELLA ABRERA: I got out of the car and they had all lined up with little cards and they spelled out Welcome Miss Stella and they chimed in unison and welcomed me and I just immediately burst into tears because it was like so moving. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: We caught up with Abrera during recent rehearsals and we wondered what's next for ABTs newest principal dancer. She told us she hopes to one day teach and coach but that can wait for now. >>>STELLA ABRERA: I think that would be a nice natural segue for me to transition one day but for now I'm going to just enjoy, I mean right now, I get enjoy new roles that I otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to do. So I'm going to just try to sink my teeth into those roles and enjoy that process. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: I'm sure ballet fans are thrilled to be a part of this chapter in Abrera's life. >>>ERNABEL DEMILLO: We hope you enjoyed our show. Be sure to stop by the New York Botanical Garden when you get a chance. If you want to learn more about our stories like our Facebook page at Asian American Life. I'm Ernabel Demillo, we'll see you next time. ♪[THEME MUSIC]♪