1 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to OKP Daily with me 2 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: your girl, Daniel Moody recording from the home bunker, folks. 3 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: So some global news to start out. First of all, 4 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: anytime that a news story leads with a helicopter crash 5 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: of an elected official in another country or frankly, in 6 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: this country, my eyebrows are always raised. And so apparently 7 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: Iran's president, Ibrahim Rasisi racy excuse me, was killed in 8 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: a helicopter crash that had his helicopter crash against the mountains. 9 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 1: What is really interesting about this helicopter crash that would 10 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: kill who was going to replace the aging Ali Kamenni 11 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: in Iran? Really fascinating because Raci was presumed to be 12 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: the next leader, moving out of the way a other 13 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: successor who was you know, a family. 14 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: Related like a Nepo baby, if you will. 15 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: And now that this man has been killed, which is 16 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: what I'm going to say, it leaves the door wide 17 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: open for the other person that was in the running 18 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: to be the successor, which is Ali Kamenni's son, Moshtaba, 19 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: who is fifty who people didn't necessarily want his candidacy 20 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: because of what they termed monarchical succession right that it 21 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: shouldn't just go to. 22 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: A family member NEPO baby essentially. 23 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: And so now that the current president of Iran has 24 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: been killed in this helicopter crash, guess who has a 25 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: clear path to succeed his father. I'm just saying they 26 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: said that there were technical difficulties. I'm saying, okay, And folks, 27 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: the reason why I bring this up is because I 28 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: honestly think that more things like this will be happening 29 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: in the coming months, and I just kind of want 30 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: people to start to see the patterns of things that 31 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: are going to be happening. So let me switch gear 32 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: out of the Middle East for the moment and come. 33 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: Stateside to. 34 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: The place where Biden finds himself and Donald Trump finds himself. 35 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: So apparently Donald Trump was in the middle of his 36 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: speech where he completely glitched like Mitch McConnell for thirty 37 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: seconds and just like stopped talking and music was playing, 38 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: and then he finally got back into his thoughts. A 39 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: Twitter account that supports Biden retweeted and said, Glitchen Froze 40 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: clearly unfit for office. I mean, Donald Trump is unfit 41 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: for office in so many ways, but I will say 42 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: that the behavior that he has been exhibiting over the 43 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: last several months are alarming and should be. But of 44 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: course we'd rather focus on Biden's stutter. 45 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 2: Or you know, him being old, or what have you. 46 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: But we're not also putting the same end energy into 47 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: what our obvious trip ups that Donald Trump has been 48 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: having and should be raising alarms, but do not. Biden 49 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: spoke at Morehouse College over the weekend as a commencement speech. 50 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: Shenny talked about January sixth and drawing people's attention to 51 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 1: the fact that if January sixth insurrectionists had looked like 52 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: black people, can you imagine what would have happened? We 53 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: all don't have to really imagine. We see what happens 54 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: to unarmed black people on a regular basis, whether they're 55 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: playing on the playground, pulled over in their car, walking 56 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: down the street, standing in their backyard. We know exactly 57 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: what happens and exactly what would have happened. The steps 58 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: of the Capitol Building would have been covered in people's blood, 59 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: nor would they have even gotten that close to the 60 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: Capitol Building. 61 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 2: So, you know, this commencement. 62 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: Speech, as well as other stops that Biden took over 63 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 1: the weekend is to gin up support in the Black 64 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: community where he is lagging. He is losing support, and 65 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: that support is dwindling because of his ironclad support for 66 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: genocide in Gaza. And frankly, the American people, whether they 67 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: are Black or latinax, young or old, are looking at 68 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 1: what is happening in Gaza and looking at this administration 69 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: continuing to send billions of dollars to net Niyaku, who 70 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: continues to embarrass this motherfucker on the Maid stage, and 71 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: Biden just says, yes, sir, can I have another? And 72 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: so these attempts at tough talk and painting pictures that 73 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: black people have long seen and no will it do 74 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: much to bolster his image and appearance in the black community. 75 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: I don't think so unless Joe Biden actually takes some 76 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: real action, and I have yet to see that. But 77 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: what I will continue to say is that if you 78 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: look at the actions that not just taken by Donald Trump, 79 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: but taken by red state governors around the country, whether 80 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: it just Glenn Youngkin in Virginia that vetoed legislation that 81 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: would you know, secure contraception for women and people with 82 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: uterses in the state of Virginia, whether it is you know, 83 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: Greg Abbott pardoning a white supremacist murderer, Daniel Perry, whether 84 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,799 Speaker 1: it is Ron de Santis, you know, giving the green 85 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: light for vehicular homicide as it you know, pretends to 86 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: protesters in the streets, whether it is denying people access 87 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: to IVF in Alabama. We have to be able to 88 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: look at the full picture of what the Republicans are doing, 89 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: as Steve Bannon said, state by state and village by village, 90 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: and understand that if given Kart Blanche over the executive branch, 91 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: that all of these things that we are seeing pop 92 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: up state by state will in fact be nationalized. So 93 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: while I find it difficult to stomach what it is 94 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: that Biden is doing in Gazen, what he is using 95 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: our hard fought for dollars and sending them over to Israel, 96 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: I also know exactly what it is that the Republican 97 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: Party will do if they take control of the White House, 98 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: and what Donald Trump will do in the first one 99 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: hundred days, as outlined in Project twenty twenty five. So 100 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: as I continue to say, my friends, do not play 101 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: with your vote, because Republicans are not playing with your rights, 102 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: they're taking them away one by one. Coming up next 103 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: in my conversation is my interview with Varun Nekoor from 104 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: AAPI Victory Alliance to talk about the importance of AAPI 105 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: History Month and why it is important for us to 106 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: look more closely into this demographic that his organization represents 107 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: and where they are in the electorate. That conversation is 108 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: coming up. 109 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 2: Next, folks. 110 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: I am very excited to welcome back to wok F 111 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: Daily the executive director of AAPI Victory Alliance, Varunnicor. During 112 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: AAPI Heritage Month, which you know, I got to tell you, Varun, 113 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: it's a month that doesn't get the same amount of 114 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: play as a lot of us, as a lot of 115 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: other you know, it's like Black History Month, as Women's 116 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: History Month, like it just you know, so talk to 117 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: us about the importance of AAPI Heritage Month and what 118 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: you all have been focused on and are focusing on 119 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: at AAPI Victory Alliance. 120 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 3: It's a milestone. I don't think it was frankly on 121 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 3: the radar screen as you sort of alluded to of 122 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 3: most Americans until more recently. And we're obviously honored to 123 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 3: have this month to sort of celebrate our history, our accomplishments, 124 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 3: which I think very much lean to. I would say 125 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 3: the immigrant experience. And you know, I was I was 126 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,839 Speaker 3: asked by someone the other day, in fact, what this 127 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 3: month meant to me and how sort of ordinary folks 128 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 3: could celebrate the month or think about the month. And 129 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 3: I responded by, well, first reflecting on it and then saying, 130 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 3: you know, I think you know, everyone has an immigrant 131 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 3: story in this country, whether forced or unforced of immigration, 132 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 3: and to just reflect on their immigrant experience, and then 133 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 3: from that, I think you can get connected to how 134 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 3: the vast majority of APIs today in this country sort 135 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 3: of live and breathe and work and sort of interface 136 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 3: in society. 137 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: You know, we know in our conversations that we've had 138 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 1: that the AAPI community is the fastest growing community in 139 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: the country, made up of so many different countries, so 140 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: many different ethnicities and cultures, and I oftentimes feel that 141 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: one the recognition of marginalized groups matter. But then I 142 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 1: sometimes think about the lumping in that we do that 143 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: doesn't allow for there to be more distinction between how 144 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: these different cultures and ethnicities and groups fit. And so 145 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: how do you tend to I guess the needs of 146 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: such a vast and diverse community with this umbrella right 147 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: of AAPI, I. 148 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 3: Think, and that's such a great point, you know. I 149 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 3: was actually looking just yesterday in fact, at sort of 150 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:38,079 Speaker 3: all the countries of origin that make up the API population, 151 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 3: and it is staggering, right. If you look all the 152 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 3: way from the west, it includes you know, Iran, Afghanistan, 153 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 3: et cetera. To the east, you know, the Pacific Islands, 154 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 3: Hawaii to the north, the Mongolia to the south, Indonesia, 155 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 3: Sri Lanka, and everything in between, right, nations of origin, 156 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 3: hundreds of languages and dialects. And so I think the 157 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 3: best the way that we can lift up me as 158 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 3: I would say a privileged Indian American is to, is 159 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 3: to lift up those folks that we don't and countries 160 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 3: of origin that we talk about very often, right, like 161 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 3: Southeast Asians that have a completely different immigrant experience, being 162 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 3: largely refugees or folks displaced for more. Right. And then 163 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,679 Speaker 3: you know, Persian Americans and Iranian Americans have their own history. 164 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 3: We don't see too many Indonesian Americans or Mongolians. But 165 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 3: I like to talk about it because I think that 166 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 3: I think one of the things that binds us all 167 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 3: as people is food, and so by going into restaurants 168 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 3: and sort of exploring, we get tied to the cultures 169 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 3: and connect to the people and just really realize not 170 00:11:55,800 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 3: only how vast API as a community are, but how 171 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 3: we can all get maybe a little bit more in 172 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 3: tune to say, world geography, and how we can get 173 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 3: better connected as people, even in this country. And so 174 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 3: I feel, you know, I feel privileged, honestly to be 175 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 3: part of this larger family. It's like I feel like 176 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 3: I've got cousin in some place that I don't even 177 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 3: know it, and it's sort of it warms my heart 178 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 3: to think that, you know, I didn't create this term. 179 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 3: I probably wouldn't come up with another term had it 180 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 3: been me. But I will accept it fully and allow 181 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 3: myself to sort of explore all these nations and certainly 182 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 3: get a chance when i'm a little when I have 183 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 3: time to explore the countries themselves. 184 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: Right right, you know, with such a vast and rich community, 185 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: how do you go about And I know that I 186 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: ask you this, but particularly as we're heading towards, you know, 187 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: the most consequential election, I think of our lifetimes, how 188 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 1: do you part and parcel out what issues are most 189 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: affecting this very diverse population and how your community kind 190 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:17,479 Speaker 1: of measures against with what, let's say the larger democratic priorities, 191 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: values and such are for this term. 192 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 3: It's so important that you're bringing this up because it 193 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 3: certainly requires research and polling, right, which is done in 194 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 3: politics every single day. Our community doesn't have the robust 195 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 3: amount of polling as say mainstream politics. But that being said, 196 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 3: when we are able to get access to research and 197 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 3: data on what is moving the AAPI electorate, and frankly, 198 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 3: we really have to segment it by the ethnicity to 199 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 3: know because certain ethnicities feel stronger or weaker on issues. 200 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 3: But I'll give you one example. Gun violence, which is 201 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 3: one of the key issues that we're working on in 202 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 3: our community, has risen to the top. Some polls have 203 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 3: it number one as the number one issue going into 204 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,319 Speaker 3: this election. So think about it for a second. This 205 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 3: is not an issue that was even in the top 206 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 3: ten three years ago, four years ago, and now it's 207 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 3: risen to number one, and we believe we've had a 208 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 3: little bit of data to back this up, but the 209 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 3: numbers started to really move in terms of the importance 210 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 3: of this issue after Uvaldi in Texas two and a 211 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 3: half years ago, and it was the intersection of historically 212 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 3: important theme and issue, education and schools right and the 213 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 3: fact that this was a shooting in an elementary school. 214 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 3: It really was the I would say that Netsu's point 215 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 3: for when the numbers started to rise in terms of 216 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 3: issue of importance, and we've seen similar parallels in the 217 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 3: Latino community as well. And that's not something you hear about. 218 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 3: I would say when you if you reading political news 219 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 3: or you're reading about you know, Biden Trump or the 220 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 3: fall matchup, is how far this issue has come. Now, 221 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 3: reproductive freedom is going to be front and center, part 222 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 3: and parcel like central to this election. And a sleeper issue, 223 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 3: I believe is it's going to be gun violence. And 224 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 3: these issues they don't get talked about in an election 225 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 3: without an impetus, without a push, just like the crime 226 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 3: narrative is being pushed very hard on the other side 227 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 3: right now that you know Democrats and the left or 228 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 3: weak on crime, frankly, they're making that up. But the 229 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 3: core of the issue for our community is gun violence. 230 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 3: And if we decide to put some money behind this 231 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 3: messaging and this narrative, I think that we can win 232 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 3: on this issue as well. And I believe once again 233 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 3: that this is a once in a fifty year, once 234 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 3: in one hundred year opportunity when you have two very 235 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 3: galvanizing issues like the basic rights that women have had 236 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 3: in this country for fifty years just taken away, as 237 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 3: well as gun violence. And I think a lot of 238 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 3: API's view view gun violence in the frame of crime, 239 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 3: and so it may not be the winner issue that 240 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 3: the Republicans are I think, really trying to hit us on. 241 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 3: They're going to view it in the issue in the 242 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 3: framework of gun violence, and they're losing on that issue. 243 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 3: And I like this issue specifically because the Republicans don't 244 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 3: have a message right now. They don't even have a response. 245 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 3: They decided that they don't even want to respond at 246 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 3: least on reproductive's freedoms. They're kind of trying to figure 247 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 3: out what the magic number of weeks that might be 248 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 3: palatable to restrict amortionis. Right, it's like pick a dart 249 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 3: and choose on gun violence. They've chose to unilaterally disarm. 250 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 3: And I like that political equation. 251 00:16:52,200 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: From a math perspective, I wonder too as a tains 252 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: to gun violence. I mean, the you know, community was 253 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: visited upon right by a mass shooting. You know, god, 254 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: what was it, maybe three or four years ago at 255 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 1: this point, And I wonder that since that time, coupled 256 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: with the UVALDI and that being you know, children being targeted, 257 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, has there also been a rise or would 258 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,919 Speaker 1: your polling show in gun ownership like because you know, 259 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: on both sides as violence, you know, escalates when it 260 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: is directed towards a particular community, like the AAPI community. 261 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: Both people want gun reform, right, but then they also 262 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: tend to actually go ahead and purchase guns. So what 263 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: is what does that look like for you? Well, what 264 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: have you seen in your research? 265 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 3: So we went from being the demographic with the least 266 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 3: amount of gun ownership now on a per capita basis 267 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 3: one of the fastest growing communities of guns. And it 268 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 3: all started, frankly, with this cycle that really started with 269 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 3: Donald Trump and his spewing of vicious rhetoric and hatred 270 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:15,479 Speaker 3: that led to sort of the next part of this 271 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 3: was that it led to mass acts of hate and 272 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:24,719 Speaker 3: violence all across the nation, and correspondingly, it led to 273 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 3: the direct marketing by the NRA because they saw their 274 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 3: gun sales started to Flatten in the latter half of 275 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 3: the Trump years, and they were looking for new markets. 276 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 3: They said, hey, in the Asian American community, they've got 277 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 3: high net worth income, they've got high incomes, they're low ownership. 278 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 3: And they started marketing in all their magazines and doing 279 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 3: some advertisements essentially towards the API community. So we responded 280 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 3: in kind by buying guns now at very high rates. 281 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 3: And now where we are, and everyone knew this was 282 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 3: going to happen, that we have some of the highest 283 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 3: suicide by gun rates in the country. Sixty of all 284 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 3: the suicides that happened in the APAC community are suicide 285 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 3: by gun. Right, So we also know that by any measure, 286 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 3: that when a gun is in the home, that it 287 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 3: leads to a number of negative consequences intentional homicide, accidental death, 288 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 3: accidental injury, intimate partner violence, all of that. And so 289 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 3: this is what it's led to. And it started with 290 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 3: the vicious rhetoric, and I would say sort of the 291 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 3: white supremacist frankly, the white supremacist elements of not only 292 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 3: the NRA, but I would say the gun industry. They 293 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 3: use this and they capitalize on the sphere, and we 294 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 3: respond because we think this is the only way we're 295 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 3: going to be able to protect ourselves and our protect 296 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 3: our families. 297 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 1: I mean that, And you're right, as you had opened 298 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: up with saying the vicious cycle, right, because the more 299 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 1: gun violence that we experience, then the more that people 300 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: are triggered in their mind that, well, there's so much 301 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: gun violence. Now I need a gun because I need 302 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: to protect myself because clearly I'm not protected, right. And 303 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: the more that your community is targeted, then the more 304 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: that you you know, you feel inclined to want to 305 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: go kind of run in that direction, which is really 306 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: terrifying because what we know is that the NRA, you know, 307 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: prides itself off of operating out out of chaos. Right. 308 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 1: The more chaos and devastation that there is, the more 309 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:35,680 Speaker 1: that they see sales opportunities as we too. You know, 310 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: you talk about gun violence being a top issue, you 311 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 1: talk about abortion. 312 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 2: Where does democracy fall? 313 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 3: Right? 314 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: We know that, right, the Biden campaign made democracy the 315 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: center of this campaign. We have to save our freedom, 316 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: save our rights. But some people have said it's two 317 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: up twos, right, what does that actually mean? And so 318 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: when you're looking at the issues that are our most 319 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: top of mind for the folks that you represent, where 320 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 1: does that fall and how and how did how does 321 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 1: the messaging around democracy actually hit them? 322 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 3: Ranks very high, and I think with the right messenger 323 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 3: and the right message, we can turn out people on 324 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 3: this issue. And the fact that I think many Asian 325 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 3: Americans saw January sixth as sort of this call to 326 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 3: action at a very sort of you know, personal personal 327 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 3: DNA level, because a lot of the countries that they 328 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 3: left APIs had left either did not have democracy or 329 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 3: did not have democracy in the forum that America represented 330 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 3: and was founded upon. And so when they saw that 331 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 3: insurrection happened before their very eyes, when they saw these 332 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 3: frankly traders, these treasonous acts go on, they you know, collectively, 333 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 3: were impacted. And I think this election will be very 334 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 3: pivotal on a number of levels. We'll get a chance 335 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 3: soon to see, you know, how America as a whole, 336 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 3: as a collective is going to you know, decide to 337 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 3: vote people in or people out based upon the issues 338 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,479 Speaker 3: of the day. Democracy is very much an undercurrent of that. 339 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 3: Of course, there's the single issues like gun violence and 340 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 3: reproductive freedoms that are going to be I would say 341 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 3: a response if polsters ask people. But the subtext is 342 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 3: going to be very much like which president or which 343 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 3: a legislator is going to preserve America or try to 344 00:22:53,880 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 3: wreck America or reshape America to their own, say, fascist ideals. Right. 345 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 3: That's really what this is coming down. 346 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 1: To, you know, And I think, Wow, you made a 347 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 1: point that I hadn't thought about, which is that a 348 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: lot of folks inside of the AAPI community come from 349 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: countries that don't have democracy, right. And I think that again, 350 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: a really important voice and messenger right of people who 351 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: can testify firsthand as to what it is like to 352 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: live inside of a country that doesn't give you know, 353 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: women a voice, right, that doesn't recognize LGBTQ people, that 354 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: doesn't you know, certify a vote. You know, I think 355 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: that that is really important to uplift that a community 356 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: of immigrants means coming from countries that were in some 357 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: ways worse off than the United States in terms of 358 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: how their governments function. And don't want to see that 359 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: backslide here. 360 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 3: You know. 361 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: I wonder too, again, as we are a handful months away, 362 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: if you were to give a directive right to the 363 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: Biden campaign in terms of how they invigorate right, the 364 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: AAPI community, how they engage and inspire the AAPI community 365 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: to come out in robust numbers. 366 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 2: What would you say? 367 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,639 Speaker 3: I would say, start talking about the issues that really 368 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 3: matter to the American people outside of just the economy. 369 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 3: I think there's been way too much emphasis on the 370 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 3: economy when the data points in other elections prior to 371 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 3: this coming November has been that, yes, jobs are important, 372 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,719 Speaker 3: the economy is important, Inflation is important. Right, every single 373 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 3: poll has that as the number one or number two issue. 374 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 3: But this administration, I believe in my bones, has so 375 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 3: much accomplishments that they don't talk about. They have moved 376 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 3: the needle more on gun violence than any administration in 377 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 3: modern times. I would say, since the assault weapons ban 378 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 3: in the Clinton administration. But they don't they don't talk 379 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 3: about it. They need to get out there and spend 380 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 3: millions of dollars messaging on this because it will move 381 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 3: the needle. And they talk about climate, but they talk 382 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 3: about climate in a business frame. You know, they're out 383 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 3: there with hard, hard hats and shovels. We opened up 384 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 3: a new microchip plant, or we've you know, set up 385 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 3: a new solar factory, or uh, you know, windmill and all. 386 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 3: That's important. People care, but they need to know how 387 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 3: it's going to affect their daily lives. And I'm not 388 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 3: sure that connection has been made quite yet. They're getting there, 389 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 3: they're I think they're doing a much better job than 390 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 3: they have, but I think they need to be talking 391 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:49,400 Speaker 3: more about those bread and butter issues, you know that 392 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 3: folks can connect with, right, I'm not sure they're going 393 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 3: to connect with you know, Biden necessarily with the visual 394 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 3: of of him and a hard hat. They're going to 395 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 3: connect with him like in a Chipotle talking to people, 396 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 3: talking to line workers and talking to customers, you know, 397 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 3: about the issues that matter, like how much has the 398 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 3: price of guacamole gone up? And why has that happened? 399 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 3: And how what I've done to make it go down 400 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 3: and stabilized prices. That's I think, you know, where he 401 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 3: is is his best because you know, Joe Biden is 402 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 3: very much a retail politician. Yeah, we haven't had a 403 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 3: retail politician like that in a very long time. It's 404 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 3: almost been bred out of the system in many respects. 405 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 3: But he's assault of the earth, regular Joe, and he 406 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 3: needs to just maybe showed a little bit more. 407 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, vroom, we'll leave it there today with you, 408 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: but I like that direction and the advices you offer. 409 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: Please tell folks how they can connect with AAPI Victory 410 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: Alliance and stay in touch with the work that you're doing. 411 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 3: Of course, thank you so much. So we're at API 412 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 3: Victory Alliance dot com. You'll see a big fat donate 413 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 3: page and link on that website. We hope you do 414 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 3: throw a few dollars our way, especially this month, so 415 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 3: we can get out there and activate voters and make 416 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 3: sure that we message on the issues that really matter 417 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 3: and drive the vote and slip elections. Thanks so much again. 418 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 2: That is it for me today. 419 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 1: Dear friends on Woke af AS always, power to the 420 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: people and to all the people. 421 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 2: Power, get woke and stay woke as fuck.