Latest news with #FilipinaAmerican
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gina Ortiz Jones, lesbian and military vet, elected mayor of San Antonio
Gina Ortiz Jones, a lesbian and military veteran who served in President Joe Biden's administration, has been elected mayor of San Antonio, the second-largest city in Texas and seventh-largest in the U.S. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. Jones beat Rolando Pablos, a former Texas secretary of state, in a runoff election Saturday. The margin was 54.3 percent to 45.7 percent, according to Ballotpedia. They advanced to the runoff because no candidate out of 27 in the May 3 general election received a majority of the vote. In the general election, Jones led with 27.2 percent and Pablos came in second with 16.6 percent. The current mayor, Ron Nirenberg, could not run again due to term limits. Races for mayor and other city positions in San Antonio are officially nonpartisan, but this election was partisan in practice. Jones emphasized her affiliation with the Democratic Party, while Pablos, who was elected secretary of state as a Republican, highlighted his ties to leading Republicans such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. RELATED: Jones was undersecretary of the Air Force during the Biden administration; she was the first lesbian, second member of the LGBTQ+ community, and first woman of color (she's Filipina American) to serve in the post. She twice ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House as a Democrat. She was an intelligence officer in the Air Force and was deployed to Iraq during the war there, serving under 'don't ask, don't tell.' After leaving the Air Force, she worked for the federal government as an adviser on intelligence and trade, with agencies including the Defense Intelligence Agency and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She left government service six months into Donald Trump's first term. In the mayoral race, 'she campaigned on her plans to expand early-childhood education to more children and increase affordable housing and work programs for unskilled workers,' The New York Times reports. 'San Antonio showed up and showed out,' she told supporters Saturday night after the results came in. 'We reminded them that our city is about compassion and it's about leading with everybody in mind. … So I look forward to being a mayor for all.' RELATED: Lesbian Gina Ortiz Jones Wants to Be Texas's First Out Congress Member Two other cities among the largest 10 in the nation have had LGBTQ+, specifically lesbian, mayors. Annise Parker was mayor of Texas's largest city, Houston, from 2010 to 2016. Until recently, she was president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the U.S. Another lesbian, Lori Lightfoot, was mayor of Chicago, the third-largest, from 2019 to 2023. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson hailed Jones's victory, releasing this statement: 'Every one of us deserves leaders who value equality and will fight to ensure that we can live freely without fear of discrimination. Gina Ortiz Jones is that leader. That's why HRC was proud to make calls and knock doors to help mobilize Equality Voters in San Antonio and put her over the finish line. Her win isn't just exciting, it's historic; as the first ever openly LGBTQ+ mayor of San Antonio during a time of ceaseless attacks on our community, Gina is emblematic of the resilience, strength, and joy that our community has already used to thrive in challenging times. We can't wait to see her get to work tackling the problems that are impacting our neighbors, families and coworkers and standing up for the rights and safety of every San Antonian.' Evan Low, president and CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which endorsed Jones, issued this statement: 'Gina Ortiz-Jones is LGBTQ+ Victory Fund family, and we are proud to see her rise to lead America's seventh-largest city as mayor. As a veteran, her service reflects the estimated 1 million LGBTQ+ veterans who have contributed to our nation with honor, distinction, and an unyielding warrior spirit. San Antonio voters made the right call by sending Gina to City Hall, not only making history but selecting a candidate who is driven to make lives better in her hometown.' Jones will be sworn in June 18 for a four-year term.
Buzz Feed
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
5 Asian-Inspired Foods I Tried At Disneyland For APAHM
Hi, I'm Dannica, and I recently went to Disneyland! I originally went because my friend is getting married at the end of the month, so we wanted to celebrate by having a little bachelor party at the happiest (and most expensive) place on earth, but turns out, the main point was that May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! And as a Filipina American, I was extremely excited to find that Disneyland is celebrating the diverse cultures of AAPI folks through the thing that really brings people together: food. So, here are my honest opinions on the exclusive and seasonal items I tried at Disneyland and California Adventure to celebrate APAHM! Let's get started! 1. Matcha Float 🍵 — You can find this item in Adventureland at The Tropical Hideaway on the Disneyland side! It's a strawberry and mango swirl Dole Whip with matcha on the bottom, topped with white chocolate drizzle and toasted coconut 🥥. First, there were A LOT of people at the parks when I went, so my friends and I stood in line for this float for about 30 minutes (you can't order this on the mobile app, either, BTW). It was $9.29, which, even for Disneyland, seems quite steep. However, I will argue that there was a whole lot of good stuff going on in this float, and there was enough to share among the three of us. The strawberry and mango swirl Dole Whip was sooo refreshing, but the mango flavor definitely overpowered the strawberry, resulting in a tangy-forward taste. However, the earthiness from the matcha and the subtle sweetness from the coconut flakes really balanced the tanginess out and made the float come together. (Also, I'm literally just noticing that the float we got didn't come with the white chocolate drizzle!?!?)My only qualm with this dessert (aside from it missing an ingredient 😒) was that the matcha by itself was noticeably chalky, especially once we got to the bottom of the float. It wasn't super chunky or clumpy, but it felt powdery in the mouth. All in all, I'd get the matcha float again if the line wasn't long, but it's not something I would feel compelled to get again, especially for the price rating: 8/10 2. Miso Caesar Salad 🥬 — I saw this salad on the menu at The Tropical Hideaway as well, but I actually bought it at Bengal Barbecue, which you can also find in Adventureland. It comes with romaine lettuce, shaved Parmesan, croutons, miso dressing, and a little cup filled with pickled cucumbers and pickled onions 🧅. I personally love a salad and don't think I've ever had a salad I didn't like before, and this miso caesar salad was no exception. I was a bit hesitant to try it because I'm honestly not that familiar with miso outside of the obligatory miso soup that normally comes with a lunch order at my local Japanese restaurant, but I'm glad I did!First of all, much like how the white chocolate drizzle didn't make it on top of the matcha float, the croutons meant to come with this salad were nowhere to be found. And again, I didn't notice until AFTER the fact. At this point, Mickey Mouse himself must've had something to do with it, but I digress. Even though there weren't any croutons, the salad as a whole was still very pleasant. The romaine was fresh and crunchy, the pickled onions and cucumbers were sweet with only a slight sourness, and the miso caesar dressing in the best way possible. In fact, the dressing carried the entire thing. The miso dressing wasn't what I was expecting because it was packing a bit of heat! I only knew miso as an ingredient that was a little salty and subtly savory (again, I've only known miss miso in soup form), so I was surprised when I tasted the creamy dressing and found it slightly spicy. I'm thinking from the close-up of the dressing that maybe there was some chili powder action or something, because it added a layer of flavor that completely elevated the the only downside of getting this salad is the portion size for the price. The portion given looks like it would be a side for an entrée, when in reality, it's $11.29 for the salad alone. That said, I don't regret trying it, but I'd probably spend my $12 rating: 7/10 3. Pulled Pork Slider Plate 🍖 — Also a seasonal menu item at Bengal Barbecue, this plate features three pulled pork sliders with coleslaw on what looks like Hawaiian rolls, paired with macaroni salad and a bag of Maui onion potato chips (not pictured) 🥔. For $18.99, I was expecting these sliders to be DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Before we get into the sliders, though, let's have a moment for the macaroni salad, which was extremely peppery and not very creamy. The dressing was thin and a little soupy, and it had a touch of sweetness to it that was ultimately overpowered by the liberal dusting of black pepper. Honestly, if I had a choice, I'd probably pass on the macaroni salad. OK, now for the main event: It's not like the sliders tasted bad. In fact, I'm sure that for a lot of people, these babies are delicious. Though the pulled pork was tender and moist, I just couldn't bring myself to fully enjoy the marinade, which was sweet and vinegar-y — almost reminding me of adobo (which, hot take, I don't like).I thought that the already-sweet Hawaiian roll paired with the already-vinegar-y slaw weren't good matches with the pulled pork, and I think I would've enjoyed it more had there been a more savory or salty element to it. Again, I'm sure other people would enjoy this dish, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. It is a big portion, though, so it's definitely shareable!Overall rating: 5/10 4. Ube Cake Flan 🍮 — We found this flan in San Fransokyo Square from Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill at California Adventure! This dessert features vanilla flan with ube cake at the bottom. I've had ube flan many times because a lot of Filipino-owned bakeries in my area make them, so they're always at family parties. That said, I was super curious what Disneyland's take on ube flan would be, so for $7.49, I found out — and wasn't mad about it! If you're unfamiliar with flan, it's basically a sweet, baked custard dessert with a nice layer of caramel on top. And if you're unfamiliar with ube, it's a purple yam originating from the Philippines, typically used in an array of Filipino desserts due to its subtle nutty flavor and touch of sweetness. So, basically, combining ube with flan creates the most heavenly concoction known to the human race. At least, in ube flan cake definitely satisfied my sweet tooth, but it obviously didn't compare to the ube flan I've had from family-owned bakeries. I kind of wish there was a bit more of the runny caramel, and I wish I could've tasted the ube more. The cake itself was moist, though. It was a good little (and I mean LITTLE) dessert, but I think Disneyland's ube cake just lacked a Filipino auntie's touch and ❤️love❤️.Overall rating: 8/10 Before we get into the last (and best) thing I had at the parks, let's have a moment for the matcha soft serve from Cars Land's Cozy Cone Motel at California Adventure, which sold out before I could get a taste: *Sigh.* I know it's not anything wild, but I think I would've loved it. Lastly: The Passion Fruit-Orange-Guava Punch 🥭 — I feel like everything you need to know is in the name, but this drink is made with passion fruit juice, orange juice, and guava juice. It can be found at the Lucky Fortune Cookery, also in San Fransokyo Square, at California Adventure (also, peep the Baymax macaron, which was filled with a chocolate-hazelnut spread and buttercream 🤤). I know, I know. Seriously, Dannica, of all the things Disneyland offered, the best thing you had was a drink?! Yes, I love a silly little drink, arrest me!This drink was incredible, and I've been thinking about it every single day since I left the parks. It's so refreshing, fruity, and light, and you would think with all the different juices that it would be overly sweet, but no! The drink had the perfect ratio of tang, sweetness, and tartness. I would inject this drink into my bloodstream if given the chance. The drink was $6.29, which I honestly and obviously wouldn't mind paying again. I hope they keep this punch throughout the summer so I can possibly get it again!Overall rating: 10/10. And those were my eats! I'm sure there are a lot more foods Disneyland will be releasing for APAHM, so if you visit the parks and come across any foods that I didn't try, please let me know! I'm going back to Disneyland in July, so if you have any favorite treats or sweets you recommend, comment them down below! Catch y'all later! Check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
