It’s bad enough when someone cheats on their spouse. It is even worse when that cheating affects a whole category of people.  Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an affair with a suspected Chinese Spy. As Emil Guillermo points out here, Huang’s affair reinforces the stereotype that Asian Americans are more loyal to their ancestors’ home country than to the US.

Huang has apologized to his company Nvidia in a company wide e-mail sent on November 8.  He should probably also apologize to the 25 million Asian Americans who will increasingly be objects of suspicion. Perhaps another apology is due to The Asian American Foundation, whose efforts to bolster the Asian American image by highlighting our contributions is being undermined.

Plenty of Asian Americans behave badly, but their actions usually affect a small circle around them. Like the actions of former Arcadia mayor Eileen Wang, Huang’s actions deserve special recognition.

(h/t: ms)

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All images and videos courtesy of 8Asians

Coach Natalie Nakase of the Golden State Valkyries and player Kaitlyn Chen made history on Saturday by winning the WNBA championship in a first ever do-or-die Game 7. In a nail-biter, the Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68 to 63, making Nakase the first Asian American coach to win a WNBA championship. You can watch the game highlights here.

Gabby Williams was named Finals MVP after averaging 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.6 steals in the series. She recorded 30 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks in Game 7. She scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half – the most points scored in a half in WNBA playoff history.

Chen is the first Taiwanese American WNBA player to win a championship. This is a seminal moment for not only women’s sports and the WNBA but for Asian Americans and Asian American women in professional sports!

Winning a championship is incredible, but to do so in the second season of a team’s existence is truly amazing – the quickest ever since the first season of the WNBA began in 1997. The Golden State Valkyries was the first expansion team to ever make the playoffs in their first season. Coincidentally, the Atlanta Dream were became an expansion team in 2008. Additionally, the Valkyries is the only team ever to win without having any All WNBA players on their roster.

Golden State Valkyries

As soon as it was announced that the San Francisco was going to have a WNBA expansion team I *knew* it was going to be successful. It boggled my mind that this was the first expansion team since 2008. I later learned that Valkyries owner Joe Lacob had actually invested in the brief and now defunct San Jose Lasers, a women’s professional basketball team (part of the American Basketball League (ABL) from 1996 until 1998 (and lost $10 million). Lacob believed women’s basketball was the next big thing and wanted to show his daughters that women’s sports matter.

Valkyries’ 2026 WNBA Finals Trophy Ceremony

After the Valkyries won the championship, there was the trophy ceremony, which you can watch here. Owner Joe Lacob, as well as Coach Nakase and the Finals MVP, Gabby Williams spoke. Lacob gave all the credit to the women he hired during the trophy ceremony:

• Jess Smith (Team President) -hired from Angel City FC to head the business side
• Ohemaa Nyanin (General Manager) – hired from the New York Liberty to construct the roster and oversee all basketball operations.
• Natalie Nakase (Head Coach) – hired as a first-time head coach

He set a goal of winning a championship within 5 years.  Obviously his team exceeded his expectations!

“Lacob is immensely proud of President Jess Smith, general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and Nakase. Lacob promised three years ago, when the Bay Area was granted an expansion franchise, that his team would win a championship within five years.

But in Year 2, is that amazing to him?

“Of course it is, what do you say? Two years, it’s insane,” he said. “It’s just a lot of good decisions, a lot of good execution, a great coach. I said it when I got up there, I really want to give the credit to those three women. I give myself credit for hiring them, but other than that, they did it. They were all spectacular in their jobs; they deserve it.”

After finishing her postgame interview on the podium, Nakase took a moment to thank the media members one by one with a handshake, a show of class.

“I didn’t score one basket,” she said. “Thank you, I appreciate it. Without you guys, we wouldn’t be (here).”

That’s the kind of attention to detail Lacob loved from the moment he met her over a late breakfast in Las Vegas two years ago and knew Nakase was the best choice as coach.

Then Nakase went out determined to bring home a title well sooner than what Lacob had declared.

“I’m impatient. I’m obsessive but it’s because he pushes me,” she said. “He pushes me. He leads. He says, ‘Look, we’re going to take care of and we are going to get all the resources you want,’ and so that’s what I’m saying, is someone who invests in women’s sports, this is a result.””

During the press conference, Coach Nakase was appreciative of all the support – especially by the incredible fans as well as the press.

After the press conference was over, Nakase stuck around to thank and shake reporters hands (which I got to!) – she really felt that the press has really helped propel the Valkyries’ success.

The San Francisco Bay Area & Ballhalla

It’s only fitting also that the San Francisco Bay Area with the largest concentration (as a percentage of the population) of Asian Americans community in the continental United States to not only have the first WNBA Asian-American coach in a Japanese American like Nakase, but also its first Taiwanese American player – as Jeremy Lin was the first Taiwanese American NBA player who was first drafted and played for the Golden State Warriors in 2010–11. He later won an NBA championship when he was with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

I was able to attend the Golden State Valkyries first game ever along with the first playoff game in its first season, as well as this year’s Finals Game 2 as well as Saturday’s Game 7 it’s been a real honor and pleasure to see the amazing ascent of this expansion team and to achieve such great heights in such a short amount of time and cover them here on 8Asians.

Having attended many Golden State Warriors games in the past (even during their peak championship years) the one thing that really stands out to me are the Valkyries’ fans. The fan base is just amazing, full of genuine fans, not attendees who can afford the tickets. Ballhalla is the famous nickname the Valkyries call the home court and their fan community – a blend of “basketball” and Valhalla (the Norse mythological hall of slain warriors). It’s especially touching to see a lot of moms (as well as dads) along with their daughters (as well as sons) attending the games. Chase Center is loud, if not louder, than Warriors games (especially these days when the Warriors are not at their peak …).

Kaitlyn Chen

Mid-season, Chen was making her case with her stats to be one of the most improved players in the WNBA – her post-Valkyries overseas play as well as her training really paid off. By the end of the season and with winning a national championship, the Valkyries press room made their own case (as well as with their other players):

“Kaitlyn Chen didn’t make the Valkyries inaugural roster and when she did make her way onto the team, she wasn’t in the rotation as a rookie. Fast forward to her sophomore season and she is one of the WNBA’s most efficient reserves, putting her in the conversation for the league’s Most Improved Player award. Chen more than tripled her scoring average year-over-year, averaging 6.9 points per game compared to just 2.0 points per game last season. Her shooting splits also improved, with her field-goal percentage rising by 14%. Chen is one of six players league-wide with at least 200 shot attempts shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from three (A’ja Wilson, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Aaliyah Edwards, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston).

“Kaitlyn Chen is the kind of player that every really, really good team has. Somebody that doesn’t have to score every time she touches the ball to impact the game.” – UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma.

MORE KEY STATS:
Chen ranks 3RD among WNBA reserves in total assists (83) and 5TH in total points (270)”

Chen was a three-time Ivy League champion when she played for Princeton and a NCAA national champion when she played for UCONN in her last year of eligbility.

And if you haven’t seen Chen on the sidelines, Chen is definitely the BIGGEST Valkyries cheeleader – by far. Chen exudes passion and enthusiam – a very un-Asian trait, which I love.

One Last Note

Prior to the game starting, it’s traditional for the Valkyries to have a guest of honor drum the drum. For this game, was San Francisco Bay Area native and Olympic Gold figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi:

It’s been great to see the outpouring of support by San Francisco Bay Area celebrities (as well as those from beyond the Bay) during the WNBA playoffs like Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters performing during the semi-finals.

The post Golden State Valkyries Win the WNBA Championship as Coach Natalie Nakase & Kaitlyn Chen Make History appeared first on 8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog.

Sad news as voice actor Eric Bauza dies from hypertension.  More exactly, from the LA Coroner web site, Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease. I only knew about him recently from the Pablo Torre video embedded above that we also used in a post about his voice work.  I find this particularly sad as hypertension that affects many Filipinos and in many cases, heart disease can be prevented.

What exactly is Hypertensive Cardiovascular disease?  According to the Cleveland Clinic:

Hypertensive heart disease is a condition with damage to your heart from years of unmanaged or undermanaged high blood pressure…In the U.S., 1 out of every 3 adults has high blood pressure. But only half of those with the diagnosis manage it well. Hypertensive heart disease is the number on cause of illness and death due to high blood pressure.

As we have pointed out before, Filipino Americans are particularly vulnerable to hypertension. Hypertension can be managed through medication and lifestyle changes. I deal with it myself. I made lifestyle changes, but those were insufficient so I had to take medication. We don’t know how well Eric Bauza managed his condition, but I have known some Filipinos who ignore their hypertension.  One woman we know neglected her high blood pressure and ended up going blind because of it.

Eric Bauza leaves behind a huge body of work. He also leaves behind one son.  Rest in peace, Eric.

(photo credit: Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

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Graphic novels that become movies are typically superhero or action stories. The In Waves movie, adapted from the wonderful graphic novel, breaks that pattern. It also has a also has a strange origin story – it was animated and developed in France! After a positive reception at the Cannes film festival, Netflix will show it in theatres and on streaming.

Since it opened for Cannes Critic Week, In Waves has seen positive reviews. At the time of this writing, Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 94% on the Tomatometer. French Vietnamese director Phuong Mai Nugyen  made versions in French and English. Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu voice the main characters in the English language one. The English language teaser is somewhat limited, so I included the French trailer below.

If you are curious what AJ Dungo and Phuong Mai Nguyen look like and sound like, check out this interview. They also discuss some of the challenges in making this movie. I am really looking forward to seeing this movie. In Waves will show in a few select theatres on November 27 and will stream on Netflix on December 11.

The post In Waves Movie to Debut in the US appeared first on 8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog.

Hoon Lee in East of Eden, a Netflix series adapting the Steinbeck novel of the same name, does a fantastic job portraying the character of Lee. Koji’s character analysis of Lee has always been one of our most enduring posts. Until I saw this adaption, I never understood why. The series is worth watching not only because of the production and Hoon Lee’s, Florence Pugh’s, and the rest of the casts’ acting, but also because of its insights in Asian American life.

I had never read Steinbeck’s novel, so Lee’s code-switching was a pleasant surprise for me. It made remember how the series Eli Stone used a similar trick with the character Dr. Chen. You can see some of it in the clip above although I recommend watching the whole scene in Episode 3. You can also check out Koji’s character analysis which has the dialogue. Lee also details Asian American history, particularly that of Chinese railroad workers. Given the push to purge Asian American history, the East of Eden helps keep that history alive. Note that Lee was completely cut out of the East of Eden movie that starred James Dean.

In his character analysis, Koji points out that Lee grows somewhat stereotypical later in the novel. I don’t know if co-showrunner Zoe Kazan read his essay, but in this talk at Harvard, she describes how they cut some of Lee’s lines from the book that made him sound like a “fortune cookie caricature.” She also hired Alexander Chee to write the episode where Lee goes to San Francisco Chinatown.

East of Eden is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

The post Don’t Miss Hoon Lee in East of Eden appeared first on 8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog.

Here’s a quick summary, from a publishing house:

In this visually arresting graphic novel, surfer and illustrator AJ Dungo remembers his late partner and the shared love of surfing that endured throughout their difficult times.

Dungo explores the beauty and complexity of his relationship with his partner as they face her prolonged battle with cancer. With a passion for surfing at the forefront of this narrative, Dungo intertwines his own story with those of the great heroes of surf in a rare work of non-fiction that is as moving as it is fascinating.

I found this book simultaneously sad, moving, yet inspirational. It makes one think about who to get the most out of life, with the example of someone who tried to make the most of her limited amount of time. In addition, In Waves doesn’t explicitly state that AJ and Kristen are Filipino American. You can see it, though, through the art and the subtle hints of Filipino American culture. Clutching a rosary, going to Catholic school, hanging with the cousins – I see my own life and that of my family embedded in those small details.

I strongly recommend this book. It has won several awards from graphic novels from groups around the world. As I mentioned, I will write a separate post on the Netflix animated version of this movie.

The post 8Books Review: In Waves by AJ Dungo appeared first on 8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog.

Photo and video courtesy of 8Asians.

This past Wednesday, the Golden State Valkyries played against the Las Vegas Aces (the defending WNBA champions) at the Chase Center in San Francisco. For the halftime show,  Rei Ami, of KPop Demon Hunters fame, performed, which I thought was pretty cool:

“The Golden State Valkyries stayed “Golden” on Wednesday night with a win over the Las Vegas Aces. During halftime, one of the original singers behind the “Kpop Demon Hunters” hit song was also on the court.

Rei Ami brought high energy to Ballhalla during Wednesday night’s halftime show. She is one of the three singers behind the voices of Huntrix in “KPop Demon Hunters.” In the movie, she sings and raps as Zoey.

During halftime on Wednesday, she sang “Golden” and her new song “2 Loud.””

The Valkyries wound up defeating the Aces and eventually sweeping the series, 3-0, to make it to the WNBA finals in their second season. Pretty amazing for an expansion team! Last year, the Valkyries were the first WNBA expansion team ever to make it to the playoffs!

The WNBA finals, where the Valkyries face the Atlanta Dream, starts on Saturday, October 17.

The post Golden State Valkyries Game 2 Semi-Finals Halftime Show with Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters appeared first on 8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog.

I watched Forgotten Island last weekend and as a Filipino American, I enjoyed it immensely. Will non-Filipinos enjoy it as much? If this movie will have any kind of legs, it must appeal to a broad audience. Here is my review that tries to look at it from both viewpoints.

One initial warning: if you are sensitive to bright flashing lights, be careful about seeing this movie! It has a similar look and feel to the Spider-verse animated movies. I personally liked that look and feel.

From a Filipino standpoint, the cultural references absolutely delighted me. From food and folklore, spotting those Easter Eggs provided a lot of joy. I won’t spoil it too much, but like many people have said, I felt “seen.”

Of course, being “seen” and cultural references to a particular group aren’t enough to keep it and future Filipino themed movies in US theatres. In my opinion, the core story of friendship and memory is universal enough to people of all cultures. Is the movie perfect?  No. I felt a few items were left hanging at the end. I also thought that there were some Deux ex Machina moments, which I personally think are poor plot devices.

H.E.R. really impressed me. I didn’t know what character she voiced until the end, and she definitely didn’t sound like a musician trying to be an actor. I later found out that she acted in a Nickelodeon movie before she became famous as a singer and musician.

Forgotten Island has been doing rather poorly at the box office (definitely worth a separate post). If you want to see it, I suggest you see it soon.

The post 8mm Film Review: Forgotten Island (No Spoilers) appeared first on 8Asians | An Asian American collaborative blog.