In the News

NBC News: Bakery Owners Defiant Despite Court Order to Pay $15 Million in Human Trafficking Suit

May 19 2016

In their first public comment since a federal court ordered them to pay $15.3 million in damages to 11 workers, the owners of the Los Angeles-area L'Amande bakeries insist they are the ones being victimized in the ordeal.

"The default judgment is a miscarriage of justice, brought about by the abuse of both the justice and immigration systems by the plaintiffs and their lawyers," Analiza Moitinho de Almeida told NBC News in an e-mail.

Almeida contends the suit was a ploy by the workers to enrich themselves and change their immigration status.

Orange County Home to Third-Largest Asian American Population in U.S.

May 17 2016

In a sprawling county of 3 million residents, today there are nearly 600,000 Asian Americans, marking a 41% increase from 2000 to 2010.

When the Chinese School in Irvine opened in the 1970s as a home for teaching the native language and culture, only 30 students filled a handful of rented classrooms.

Now, it has its own campus — bursting with more than 1,200 students. It's a reflection of the explosive growth of Orange County's Asian population, which a new study now ranks as the third-largest in the nation, after Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties.

Undocumented Children in Calif. Now Eligible for Health Care

May 17 2016

LOS ANGELES — Thousands of low-income children in California, regardless of their immigration status, are now eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal coverage beginning this week.

The health care expansion, known as “Health for All Kids,” was rolled out on Monday, May 16, and will benefit approximately 250,000 children under 19 years old.

An estimated 185,000 undocumented children are expected to enroll this year.

Judge Awards $15.2 Million to Exploited Filipino Workers

May 15 2016

Eleven Filipino workers were awarded over $15 million in a lawsuit against their former employers, whose claim of labor exploitation and human trafficking was uncontested

The workers were trafficked to the United States to serve as domestic servants and back-of-the-house employees at two high-end bakeries owned by defendants Analiza and Goncalo Moitinho de Almeida.

“Because of this judgment, all the heartache and suffering we had to endure because of Ana’s greed has not been for nothing,” said Gina Pablo, one of the workers.

L.A. bakery owners ordered to pay $15.3 million for abuse of workers on visas

May 13 2016

The owners of the now-shuttered L’Amande French Bakery that operated in Beverly Hills and Torrance have been ordered to pay nearly $15.3 million in damages for exploiting 11 Filipino workers.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin on May 2 granted a default judgment to the workers, who claimed they were trafficked to the United States to serve as domestic servants and under-the-table employees at two bakeries owned by defendants Analiza and Goncalo Moitinho de Almeida.

Advancing Justice-LA Celebrates 10 Years at Orange County Office

May 13 2016

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) on May 12 celebrated several decades of work in Orange County and the 10th anniversary of its Orange County office (Advancing Justice-OC). Held at 28, a popular Irvine restaurant owned by “Top Chef” Shirley Chung, this second annual luncheon highlighted the organization’s Orange County programs and services as well as honored individuals and institutions that have made a significant impact in the Orange County community. Funds raised from the awards luncheon will support Advancing Justice-OC.

Even The White House Is Over Asians Being Labeled As The ‘Model Minority’

May 12 2016

As far as ethnic stereotypes go, it’s easy to write off the Asian-American “model minority” myth — the idea that members of the ethnic group are universally high achievers — as a lesser evil. After all, what’s so bad about people assuming you’ll be successful?

A lot of things, it turns out.

California DMV Automates Voter Registration with a Two-Step System

May 7 2016

LOS ANGELES — The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has taken the necessary first steps toward improving voter registration services offered online and at its 174 field offices across the state. Until now, if someone wanted to register to vote through the DMV, they had to fill out a separate voter registration card.

The Department Of Education Wants States To Dispel The Model Minority Myth With Better Data

May 4 2016

Asian students often face major barriers to a good quality of education. But the so-called “model minority myth,” which assumes Asian students always excel academically, can prevent them from getting the attention and support they need.

Asian American Pacific Islander students are a very diverse group — including Chinese, Laotian, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, Guamanian, Chamorro, and Samoan Americans, to name a few — but they are all placed under the umbrella of “Asian,” making it difficult to see how different groups’ graduation rates and academic performance differ.

Contrary to Image, LA’s Elderly Asian Americans Far from Well Off

May 3 2016

LOS ANGELES — Although Asian Americans are widely perceived as the model minority, a new report containing disaggregated data of older adults among them paints a completely different picture.

In Los Angeles County, Asian Americans and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders (NHPI) aged 50 and older are the second fastest growing racial group, posting a 56 percent and 50 percent growth rate from 2000 to 2010, respectively. Asian Americans and NHPIs fall only second and third to Latinos, respectively, who grew at a rate of 60 percent during the same 10-year period.

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