Is the Asian community experiencing a mental health crisis? Issues like PTSD are on the rise in our diaspora for many reasons, including long standing racism and cultural shame seeking help. How have immigration and gentrification impacted our mental health? In the past year, five major killings have been by Asian men. This includes last week’s U-haul driver, Weng Sor, whose violent rampage left 1 dead and 8 others injured. Sor was 62-years-old, homeless, and estranged from his family. Experts point to the spur of Asian hate in the past few years, isolation and fear about being blamed for Covid, and the continued gentrification of places like Chinatown as factors to why these tragedies continue to occur. How will our governments address this–and more importantly, how will our communities handle it?

In 2019, streetwear designer Khanh Ngo launched his online store and made $90K in less than three months. He landed his “dream job” at Levi’s, but when COVID hit, he lost his job. Growing up in a rough neighborhood, Khanh wasn’t typical in the fashion industry, and people judged him for not being the model minority Asian. He also felt shamed by his father–a Veteran and Captain, who projected his own losses onto his son. Between familial pressures and stereotyping, Khanh wasn’t in a good place. Today, Khanh speaks on how those difficulties made him more authentic, and a source of inspiration, for even his own family. He’s proud to represent where he’s from and tell the stories he believes are important. He’s also focused on love–not normalizing being defensive “because you’re Asian” anymore.

Will Kim Jong Un’s successor be his 9-year-old daughter? Kim Ju-ae has become a prominent figure at some of North Korea’s biggest moments, unlike her siblings that we know very little about. Does this point to her legitimacy as the future leader of North Korea or is it a PR stunt by the regime? Kim Ju-ae made her first appearance at a missile launch in 2022, and last week she was at the 75th anniversary celebration of the North Korean army. Already getting comfortable in the limelight and opting in for intimate moments shared with her father, Kim Ju-ae has experts wondering. Is there a possibility that a woman can ever become the face of this country?

In Hong Kong, trans people no longer have to show proof of surgery to change gender on their ID. The law that required full sex reassignment surgery has been ruled by Hong Kong's top court as unconstitutional and an infringement on trans people’s rights to bodily integrity. Until now, the law required trans people to remove their uterus and reconstruct male genitalia to change their gender on identification cards. Half of trans Hong Kongers say they face discrimination in daily life, impacting their mental health severely. This government recognition is a great step in helping trans people have access to banks, gyms, toilets–but it’s only a first step. There’s much more to be done–including acknowledging non-binary genders. Will other countries follow suit?

Perbedaan etnis di Malaysia bukan hanya persoalan nilai di masyarakat, namun tertuang juga dalam hukum yang berlaku. Hal ini membuat banyak orang-orang minoritas mengalami ketimpangan dalam berbagai bidang, mulai dari ketersediaan pendidikan yang terbatas, akses ke penunjang kesehatan yang sulit, dan tingkat kesejahteraan yang berada di bawah rata-rata. Ketimpangan ini juga berujung pada hal-hal lain yang juga membahayakan seperti diskriminasi dan kekejaman oleh aparat pemerintahan. Produk hukum ini salah satunya adalah New Economic Policy, sebuah kebijakan yang dilahirkan pada tahun 1970-an dan terus meminggirkan kebutuhan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat minoritas di Malaysia. Apa cerita di balik kebijakan ini, dan apa yang bisa dilakukan dalam menghadapinya?

A genocide in Afghanistan is being neglected. For over 130 years, Hazara communities have been massacred in killings, by famine, starvation, and state-sanctioned enslavement. Today, the Taliban has pushed Hazara people out of government, displaced them, and redistributed their land to their supporters. What can we do? Humanitarians have advised the UN Genocide Investigation team to get on the ground and start collecting details to even prove the existence of a genocide. The hashtag #StopHazaraGenocide has gone viral, with over ten million mentions on Twitter - and this number is only growing. Here’s how you can support Hazara people.