Nearly a week after the shooting rampage at Atlanta area spas, which claimed the lives of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, members of Congress are working to ensure that the tragic event doesn't just fall by the wayside and that solutions are being actively pursued.
Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J. 3rd District) said that one of his biggest concerns is that once the news cycle moves on, Americans will forget about the very real threat that remains against Asian and Asian American people.
"I'm working with the White House, with the Department of Justice, with congressional leaders, and community leaders around this country to try to find ways to institutionalize this discussion and try to make sure that we build on it and we don't let it dissipate when the headlines start to go away," Kim told Cheddar.
Non-profit group Stop AAPI Hate released a report in March that detailed thousands of incidents in the U.S. against Asian Americans since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. However, like the group, Kim suspects the numbers are drastically underreported from within the Asian American community. He said that for too long these people have felt unseen and unheard when it comes to instances of discrimination and hate.
Kim's hope is that the Atlanta-area mass shooting will force America to face head-on the social issues plaguing the Asian community and take real steps toward change.
Since President Donald Trump vehemently blamed China for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic from the outbreak originating in its Wuhan province, his charged rhetoric has been amplified by some Republicans in Washington, which Kim said has made it difficult for Democrats to work across the aisle on effective solutions.
"When I see that kind of rhetoric coming from my colleagues or others, it just adds to this pile of feeling like we're invisible, that people either don't care or don't want to actually learn what is happening. They just want to change the subject," Kim said.
While the pandemic certainly exacerbated attacks the Asian American community faces today, discrimination and hate have been a longstanding problem. Kim said it has been "a deep cut" in American society likely to persist after the pandemic wanes unless the community and its allies keep applying pressure for systemic changes.
"Just look at us. Just pay attention to this moment right now and understand the hurt and the pain that the Asian American community faces," Kim said.
Tattoo artist Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson, famous for starring in the VH1 hit series "Black Ink Crew: Chicago," is also the first Black woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She joined Cheddar News to discuss her trailblazing work, the stigma BIPOC tattoo artists face in the industry, and the way the space has changed for artists of color since her start. "In the beginning, I remember walking into a tattoo shop just like, hey, I wanna learn, I wanna be a tattoo artist and kind of just being laughed at, not taken seriously," she said. "Even with the tattoo conventions, a lot of African American tattoo artists were almost scared to go to conventions because it's not a welcoming environment."
Jack Miller, Head of Trading at Baird, joined Closing Bell to break down how the Securities and Exchange Commission's proposals would change the landscape for individual investors, as they face stiff opposition from brokerages like Robinhood.
Robotics automation technology company Symbotic made its market debut on the Nasdaq via a SPAC merger with SVF Investment Corp. 3, a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of SoftBank Investment Advisers. Symbotic rang the Opening Bell at the Nasdaq to celebrate the occasion this morning. Its debut on Wall Street comes amid an urgent need for logistics solutions, as it aims to reimagine supply chains with its A.I.-powered robotic and software platform. Tom Earnst, CFO of Symbotic, and Vikas Parekh, managing partner at Softbank Investment Advisors, join Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The critically acclaimed film "The Northman" is now available on Peacock, DVD, and Blue Ray, and director Robert Eggers joined Cheddar News to discuss the process of getting everything right about his brutal drama. “Me and my collaborators were working with some of the finest Viking historians and archaeologists in the field when we were making this," he said. "So the material, culture, and the spiritual world is you know, the best attempt at historical accuracy."
Catching you up on today's top entertainment stories with Julia Garner of "Inventing Anna" has been considered as a front runner for the upcoming Madonna biopic, a "Joker" sequel has been confirmed, and Matthew McConaughey visited the White House to speak on the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, and more.
Meta announced its plans to join the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This is leaving businesses and customers wondering what the tech giant has in store for the event. Nicola Mendelsohn, the vice president of the global business group at Meta, joined Cheddar News to preview what the tech giant will discuss at this year's festival. "We're going to be showcasing more about reels. We're going to be talking about our commerce solutions, are messaging solutions, and of course, the method of us speaking of new ways to kind of connect with customers," she said.
On today's episode of On The Job: Cheddar gets a look at how the salon and beauty industry has pivoted throughout the pandemic; Mark Brim, President of Aquent's Recruiting Division Vitamin T, breaks down how remote work has transformed hiring and recruiting process across the board;
Julie Bauke, President & Chief Career Strategist at The Bauke Group, breaks down why companies are being 'ghosted' by new hires, and what repercussions can come from this.
