Every week, AAMPLIFY brings you the week in Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander news.
Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park leave “Hawaii Five-0”
On July 3rd, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park announced their departure from CBS’s “Hawaii Five-0”, after negotiations for equal pay with their white costars broke down.
According to Variety, CBS’ final offer to Kim and Park, who had been regulars on “Hawaii Five-0” since its inception in 2010, was “10-15 percent lower” than the salaries of Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan, their fellow leads.
In a statement, a representative for CBS said: "We are so appreciative of Daniel and Grace's enormous talents, professional excellence, and the aloha spirit they brought to each and every one of our 168 episodes. They've helped us build an exciting new Hawaii Five-0, and we wish them all the best and much success in their next chapters. Mahalo and a hui hou."
Meanwhile, Kim posted his take on Facebook, saying “the path to equality is rarely easy,” and encouraged fans to see his own company’s show, “The Good Doctor.” That show, produced by Kim’s studio, 3AD, airs this fall on ABC.
July 4th offers cause for celebration, but also reflection
For many Americans, July 4th is a time for hot dogs, beer and fireworks. For other groups, however, the United States’ independence from Great Britain is a reminder of the imperialism the U.S. undertook under the cause of Manifest Destiny.
58 years ago, Hawaii became the 50th state in the U.S. This July 4th, Native Hawaiians reenacted the annexation and the overthrow of Hawaii’s last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. In “The Theft of a Nation,” a play written and produced by Native Hawaiians, Native Hawaiians showed the overthrow and subsequent annexation, provisional government and the Spanish-American War.
It wasn’t until 1993 that Congress passed S.J. Resolution 19, which “acknowlege[d] the 100th anniversary of the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and to offer an apology to Native Hawaiians.”
Sarah Jessica Parker to publish Indian American Muslim novel by new novelist
Sarah Jessica Parker, made famous by playing Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City,” is now editorial director of SJP for Hogarth, her brand new book line under the Hogarth imprint of Random House’s Crown Publishing Group.
Parker announced on July 3rd the first book in SJP for Hogarth, tentatively titled “A Place for Us.” Written by Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate Fatima Farheen Mirza, the book follows an Indian American family who is reunited on the eve of their eldest daughter’s wedding.
According to SJP for Hogarth’s report, the book is a “resonant story of faith, tradition, identity and belonging in contemporary America.” Alluding to the novel’s exploration of a family of color who is also Muslim, Parker noted she was “thunderstruck” by the book’s timeliness, and said “[Mirza’s] feeling something, and her family is [too].”
“A Place for Us” is slated for 2019.
What to check out this weekend
Want to kick off the weekend by catching up on AANHPI content? These highlights should have you covered.
AANHPI to follow this weekend
Looking for AANHPI to follow online? Every week, we’ll showcase interesting AAPI in media, the news or even on Twitter. Join the community today.
The film “Out of State” is a documentary about Hawaiian inmates imprisoned in Arizona, and it recently won Best Documentary at Cayman International Film Festival. Follow the crew on their website and on Twitter @OutofStateFilm.
Irene Koh draws the comic book adaptation of The Legend of Korra, along with a ton of other illustration work. Find her at her website and on Twitter @kohquette.
Patrick Trinh, a.k.a. Space Town Savior, is a musician and videogames developer who will be playing at the very first MAGWest next month. Check out his music at his website and Bandcamp.