Latest news with #FilipinoAmerican
San Francisco Chronicle
19 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
These S.F. malls are experiencing a ‘renaissance' that defies the doom loop. Here's their secret
Rebekah Penaloza loves San Francisco's Japantown so much that she and a friend drove an hour and a half from their homes in Fairfield during a recent weekday to shop for K-pop merchandise, Pokémon cards and nostalgic anime trinkets. 'I love to spend money here,' said Penaloza, 19, who is Filipino American. 'I love all the cute things. I love the food, the drinks. Japantown is just perfect for me.' As downtown's struggling San Francisco Centre mall and Union Square face scores of empty storefronts, a new wave of Asian retailers and restaurants in Japantown and Stonestown Galleria has captured the zeitgeist by offering unique Japanese, Korean and Chinese pop culture merchandise as well as experiential businesses such as bowling, movies and augmented reality. There are almost no vacancies at either mall. By capitalizing on buzzy imports like Sanrio plushies and anime collectibles in claw machines and wildly popular Pop Mart toy figurines, the malls have captured the young customers that all shopping centers are chasing. The success of the Japantown and Stonestown malls offers lessons about what it takes to thrive as a brick-and-mortar business in a still-recovering city. 'After the pandemic, we started seeing a renaissance of more visitors here. We are seeing an increase in more young people here in Japantown and that's because of the shops and restaurants here,' said Japantown Merchants Association president Richard Hashimoto. While Japantown attracts shoppers from within and outside San Francisco, Stonestown's shopping base pulls from nearby San Francisco State University, multiple high schools and Parkmerced. 'We've always had a strong student population here. Now we've got more offerings for them, with the entertainment,' including arcade and bowling alley Round One, escape rooms and a movie theater, said Darren Iverson, Brookfield's senior general manager of Stonestown. Stonestown is enjoying record high foot traffic — up 6% in the last 12 months, said Iverson. Sales per square foot are up 20% since 2019. Both malls have suburban elements like abundant parking, are located in safe neighborhoods and Stonestown benefits from freeway access while Japantown gets a boost from ample Muni bus lines. Both have a diverse mix of offerings that attract residents seeking everything from daily necessities to a fun night out, such as Japantown's karaoke bar, eye-popping Kiddleton arcade and traditional Japanese communal bath house, Kabuki Springs and Spa. 'Stonestown is a regional center that has got all things to all people. You've got a grocery, you've got a gym, you've got soft goods, you have a lot of food,' said Kazuko Morgan, a retail broker at Cushman & Wakefield. 'Everybody I know is going there. The kids from Pac Heights go every weekend. They used to all go to S.F. Centre.' No longer. San Francisco Centre, the city's biggest mall, is over half empty and has lost dozens of retailers in recent years, including Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. Stonestown owner Brookfield previously co-owned the downtown mall before walking away from its mortgage along with then-partner Westfield. Meanwhile, transit data suggests that Japantown foot traffic has exceeded that of downtown's shopping district. The bus lines that serve Japantown are some of Muni's strongest performing routes, SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato said. And the mall's parking garage became the agency's busiest last year. 'I would never have thought, in the close to 50 years I've been there, that we would surpass Union Square, the bigger downtown garages,' said Hashimoto, who's worked at Japan Center Garage since 1977. That change is partly a sign of rising Asian cultural power. 'Anime, manga, all that, has always been popular in Japan but now it's making its way over here to the U.S,' he said. When Kelvin Chak, a Japantown regular, was a kid growing up in the Fillmore, liking anime meant 'You're going to get bullied,' he said of the Japanese animation genre. 'But now, it's normal.' The surging consumer demand for East Asian culture and food, propelled by the success of K-pop groups like BTS and Blackpink, has helped drive foot traffic to these two malls — both of which are more than 50 years old. Reinvention was made possible when longtime tenants left during the pandemic. 'In the last three to four years, what we identified was an untapped customer here and they happened to be Asian," Chris Brandon, Brookfield senior vice president of leasing, said about Stonestown, pointing out how many of the nearby university students are Asian American. 'We didn't cater to (them) enough.' They are now. Stonestown diners have a slew of new Asian food options including spicy Chinese hot pot from Tang Bar and Japanese rice ball vendor Onigilly. Taiwan's Supreme Dumpling and Vietnamese restaurant Le Soleil are on the verge of opening as well. One hugely popular Asian retailer at Stonestown, Pop Mart, saw long lines on opening day last year and virtually every week during its regular product releases, including its 'Labubu' collectible toy series. Superfans can buy 'blind boxes' with a range of possible dolls, including rare versions that can resell for thousands of dollars. "We've been thrilled by the enthusiastic response at Stonestown,' said Emily Brough, head of Pop Mart's intellectual property licensing in the Americas. 'Stonestown has cultivated a strong community feel, which we believe is key to its success.' That demand led gaming center Activate, Escapology escape rooms and Regal Cinemas to lease the former Macy's space in Stonestown. The Japan-based, neon-tinged arcade Round One replaced the former Nordstrom there and buzzy fried chicken restaurant Raising Cane's is replacing a shuttered McDonald's. Tang Bar owner Russell Liu said his hot pot restaurant sees sales of $2,100 per square foot per year, which he said ranks it in the top 10% among restaurants nationwide. Other retailers are also taking notice. In an unusual move, H&M is reopening in the same Stonestown space where it closed in 2019. DSW, Vans and GNC have also signed leases in recent years. Japantown was hit hard by the pandemic, Hashimoto said. But that provided an opportunity for the aging district to revamp itself, said Haley Klein, one of the partners at Maven Commercial, the leasing agent for Japan Center's East and West Mall. By 2021, there were 13 vacancies, which gave Klein's team a chance to find a 'better blend' of tenants. 'After COVID, there was an influx of newer, modern urban tenants,' Klein said, such as boba chain Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea, which she said she sought out. 'Now five to six years later, with little to no vacancy, Japan Center has become a budding hotspot for new and emerging trends.' One such entrepreneur is Fanny Deng, who's had a dream of opening a store for teenage girls filled with beautiful stationery, plush toys and make-up ever since she immigrated to the U.S. at 19. She wanted to create a place like her favorite store growing up in Guangdong Province, China, where she could spend hours picking the perfect notebook. In 2019, she heard about a vacancy at Stonestown Galleria and emailed the leasing agent. She refinanced her house to obtain $200,000 to start her first brick-and-mortar called Fanloli, named after her daughter. She now has more than five stores across the Bay Area, including in Stonestown and Japantown. 'I built my dream store,' she said. Her teenage daughter frequently sends her TikTok videos about the latest makeup trends and Deng often stocks products at her daughter's recommendation, such as a popular Korean lipstick-blush gel. 'I am always just listening to young people.' Even legacy businesses have adapted to Japantown's increasingly youthful clientele. When husband-wife duo Stephen Jordan and Mariko Sawada Jordan opened 'Sakura Sakura' in Japantown 26 years ago selling Kimono-inspired Japanese garments and art pieces, they never imagined that they'd end up carrying a line of 'little fuzzy dolls,' Jordan said. In 2016, their daughter urged them to update their merchandise to cater to Gen-Z. Today, their store houses a line of Japanese-imported mischievous-looking street cat dolls dressed in hoodies and beanies, alongside cute plushies and sweatshirts, which the couple said has attracted more young people and increased sales. There's a common refrain among customers, retailers and advocates about another upside of the malls: Safety. 'The success of Japantown,' Hashimoto said, 'is that people see Japantown as being safe and not being exposed to the skid row type people, mentally disturbed people.' The Japantown Community Benefit District runs a community ambassador program and 'clean team' hotline to respond to requests for sidewalk sweeping, graffiti removal and cleaning the glass from car break-ins. Unlike San Francisco Centre, Stonestown has not had widespread security or safety problems. One exception were two large-scale fights among teenagers and youths in 2023, which Brookfield spokesperson Lindsay Kahn called 'an unfortunate, isolated location.' The mall has a 'robust security presence,' which includes security officers, canines and security cars, she said. Brookfield is investing in Stonestown and plans a massive 3,500-unit housing project approved last year to replace parking lots in what would be the biggest west side development in 50 years. An additional 150,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and entertainment as well as parks are planned over two decades. Still, President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs loom large over business owners' futures. Fanoli owner Deng said shipping costs have increased but she has been afraid to raise prices. Jordan said he recently had to pay for duties on imported Japanese merchandise that were 'untenable,' including $313 on a shipment of plush dolls valued at $598. Eunice Ashizawa of Japantown's oldest store, Soko Hardware, said her distributor cancelled her order of Chinese-made somen machines. And Tang Bar's Liu said he's forced to raise prices nearly 5% due to tariffs. For the time being, the stores at Japantown and Stonestown remain packed with Gen-Zers like the 19-year-old shopper Penaloza, who enjoyed wandering through the pastel-colored shelves of the Fanloli store, picking out a photo card set from a beloved K-pop band. 'This is like my favorite place,' she said.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Democratic candidate accused of suddenly including 'Ortiz' in her name to pander to Hispanics: 'You are not Latino'
A Texas Democrat is facing wild allegations she using a last name in an attempt to make her more popular with Hispanic voters in a mayoral race. Gina Ortiz Jones, who is white and Filipino, has been accused of campaigning adding 'Ortiz' to her campaign to be the next mayor of San Antonio. Local Republicans claim the 44-year-old had previously gone by Gina Maria Jones until 2017, when she added her mother's maiden name of Ortiz while running for Congress to represent Alamo City. The mayoral election in San Antonio, America's seventh-largest city, is expected to be decided by just a few thousand votes. There are nearly one million Hispanics in the South Texas city where Spanish and Mexican heritage runs deep. Rolando Pablo, her GOP rival, drew attention to the alleged name swap with an ad saying: 'Gina Jones was Gina Jones until she wasn't. 'She added Ortiz to her name when she ran for Congress. It didn't work. She lost. Two years later, she tried to fool you again, and lost again. 'Gina, drop it. You're not Latina.' Jones told 'Ortiz' is her legal middle name. 'Gina is a proud Filipino-American, and it's tradition for Filipino children to take their mother's maiden name as their middle name, so that's always been her middle name,' Mary Kate Hull, Jones campaign constant told Daily Mail. But Republicans counter Jones didn't use her middle name until she thought it might help her Hispanic voters, using Gina Maria Jones while a student in John Jay High School. 'Like a lot of people, as she's gotten into adulthood, has wanted to embrace her heritage and use her middle name,' Hull added. Her campaign confirmed her full legal name is Gina Maria Ortiz Jones. Her official paperwork with the City of San Antonio for mayor lists her as Gina Ortiz Jones. The Democrat has openly talked about her heritage, including her Asian mother who moved to the US to chase the American dream and starting out as a domestic worker. The candidate posted a picture of her mother as she cast her ballot for herself Monday. 'I might not be Latina, but I know what opportunity looks like,' she told a Spanish-speaking audience during the local Univision station's debate in May. By contrast, Rolando Pablos was born in Mexico and moved to the Lone Star State as a child, later become an attorney and a Republican. He served as Secretary of State after being appointed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott in 2018. Jones' use of the her mother's last name has been used by Republicans against her before. She lost two bids to GOP candidates to represent San Antonio in Congress, in 2018 and 2020. During those campaigns, conservatives pointed out how she used the name Gina Maria Jones in her high school year book at John Jay High. She is also listed as Gina Jones on a website for a Washington, D.C. research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. 'At home in Washington, D.C., she goes by Gina Jones. While pandering for votes in Texas, she's Gina Ortiz Jones,' the ad said according to Express News. Jones called Pablos' attacks 'racist.' 'Do you not think it's racist,' Jones told the local paper. The former Air Force captain is the first woman of color to served as the Under Secretary of the Air Force under former Pres. Joe Biden. 'Antagonizing someone on their race is the definition of racism,' Jones campaign manager Jordan Abelson told the Express News. Jones's campaign, who is openly a lesbian, claims the controversy over her name is being fueled the state's governor and MAGA allies of her opponent. ('They) are pouring tons of money into this race to get those ads on TV, on digital, on mailers, and I thin that's why people are seeing it so much and maybe reacting to it so strongly, that it's just taken over the race- taking over the issues that people are actually concerned about,' Hull explained. Voting for the June 7 mayoral race has been underway since May when early voting started.
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Fil-Am actor Yonas Asuncion Kibreab is the voice of the new Disney animation 'Elio'
Remember the name Yonas Asuncion Kibreab because pretty soon, he will become a household name. The charming and energetic 14-year-old Filipino American actor is the voice of Elio Solis in upcoming film "Elio," and he will be acting opposite Academy Award-winning actress Zoe Saldaña, who will be the voice of Aunt Olga in the original Pixar animation. Directed by Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian and Adrian Molina, the movie follows an 11-year-old boy named Elio Solis (Kibreab) who accidentally becomes the intergalactic ambassador of planet Earth after being beamed up to the Communiverse by aliens for making contact. Kibreab, the son of Irene Gonzales Asuncion from Quezon City, Philippines and Bemnet Kibreab from Eritrea, was also a series regular on Disney's "Pretty Freekin Scary," Blumhouse's "Blood Moon," and Netflix's "Sweet Tooth." In animation, he has also voiced characters in Disney's series "Pupstruction" and as Pinocchio in the animated film "Pinocchio." He has also voiced Ninjai in the film "Ninjai." A passionate musician, Kibreab plays the piano, sings, and has released his first original song on Spotify in 2024. His maternal grandfather is from Tarlac and his maternal grandmother is from Ilocos Sur. We were able to interview Kibreab via email as well as talk to directors Sharafian and Shi, and producer Mary Alice Drumm on a recent visit to the Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. Yonas Asuncion Kibreab (Elio Solis) Contributed photo How were you discovered for Elio? How was your audition process? In early 2021, I received an audition request from my then-agent for a project called "Untitled Adrian Molina Project. "I recorded the audition sides at home and submitted it to my agent. As typically happens, I did not hear back for a couple of months. Around the middle of 2021, I received a request for a callback, and I did the callback via Zoom with Adrian Molina and others from Pixar's Elio team from my parents' closet. Callbacks are typically a quick 15 minutes, but this callback lasted for over an hour, and we focused a lot on the emotional scenes, and Adrian tested me on how well I could take directions. Around August 2021, I received the offer to do the scratch for Elio. Scratch is a temporary voice recording used in the early stages of production of an animated film. Before this offer, I had never heard of "Scratch." Because it was a Pixar movie with the co-director of Coco, I was very excited to book the role, even though, at that time I had expected the final "main" role to go to a well-known actor. I worked on the project as a scratch actor for over a year. The Elio team must have loved my scratch work because they offered me the role of Elio. What made you sign up for this movie? I was 11 when I booked the role for Elio and to be offered the main role for a Pixar movie is a dream come true for any actor. And to have the opportunity to work on a Pixar movie at such a young age is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So, I am very grateful to the Disney Pixar team for trusting me to be the lead in Pixar Elio. How much do you relate to your character? Elio is such a great kid with an incredible spirit! He has a big imagination and dreams of great adventures across the universe. Another thing that makes Elio special is that he has a quirky, fun personality, and he is not afraid to be different. I would say that my biggest similarities with Elio are his adventurous spirit and boundless imagination. Elio has an incredible spirit despite some major tragedies in his life that he is going through at a very young age. He is experiencing the loss of loved ones and the sadness that comes with it. This is an experience that luckily, I am not familiar with, and where I am very different from Elio. What I like most about Elio are his big dreams, the courage to be different, and his quirky, fun personality. How Filipino are you? Talk about living in a biracial home? I grew up surrounded by my Filipino family—my Lola, aunties, uncles, and cousins have always been a big part of my life. I grew up eating Filipino food like Pancit and Lumpia, hearing Tagalog around the house, and celebrating traditions that connect me to my roots. I'm very proud to be Filipino—it's a big part of who I am. I also think being biracial is kind of like having a superpower. The chance of being born is already rare, scientists say it's about one in 400 trillion—but to be born to parents from completely different worlds and cultures is even more unlikely. So, for me to be here, I see it as an incredible event. Growing up in a biracial and immigrant household is a privilege. You get to experience two cultures at once, have family in different parts of the world, and inherit the resilience and drive that comes from immigrant parents. It's made me more open-minded, proud of my background, and excited to share it with others. How has your Filipina mom influenced you into the person that you are today? My Filipina mom has definitely influenced who I am today. I get my silly, quirky personality from her for sure—she's always laughing, being goofy, and just having fun. She's super artistic and really creative, and she still acts kind of like a kid sometimes in the best way. She's not afraid to be herself, and I think that's really cool. When I was a toddler, my mom would let me pretend to play drums by banging pots and pans on the kitchen floor while she was cooking. She always encouraged me to be creative, even if it was loud! We also sing karaoke together all the time. She's a big fan of '80s and '90s music, so we'd sing songs by The Cure, Tears for Fears, Lionel Richie, and Michael Jackson. My dad always says I got my artistic side and fun personality from my mom. She's also made sure I stay connected to my Filipino culture by taking us to visit family in Michigan, Vancouver, Florida, and Los Angeles. She always cooks Filipino food at home and makes the best pancit and lumpia. She's taught me to be proud of who I am, to be creative, and to always find something to smile about. Have you been to the Philippines? What do you look forward to when you go to the Philippines? I am super excited to visit the Philippines in December 2025 for the first time and spend Christmas there. I'm most excited about visiting our extended family, seeing the amazing beaches, and eating all the great Filipino food. I also really look forward to being surrounded by Filipino people and being fully immersed in the Filipino culture. I think it's going to feel like home in a way I've never experienced before. Among the Filipino talents, whom do you idolize the most? There are so many Filipino talents that I admire and look up to. And I hope that one day I can work with some of them. I think what defines Filipino talents is that they are usually multidisciplinary—they act, sing, dance, and create in so many ways. If I had to choose an actor I idolize, it would be Dave Bautista. He went from being a world champion wrestler to starring in major films like "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Dune," proving his incredible range and dedication. In music, one of my favorite artists is Bruno Mars. He's a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and performer known for his amazing voice and energetic stage presence. What is your favorite Filipino food? Can you speak or understand Tagalog? My favorite Filipino food is my mom's lumpia, pancit and adobo. I love halo halo, so my mom always gets it for me when we go to the Filipino grocery store. I understand some Tagalog. I grew up hearing my family talk in Tagalog, and my mom spoke some Tagalog to me growing up. I understand it more than I can actually speak it, though. Since I'm homeschooled, I am taking Tagalog as my language class, and now I'm doing an online Tagalog course to help me learn how to speak it better. What will be your next project? My next live action project is the upcoming musical film "Reimagined," where I play the lead role of Felix McCoy. The movie is directed by Mateo Messina and is based on his original symphony "The Pageant". "Reimagined" is about a young boy named Felix who's trying to cope with the loss of his mom, Mary (played by Paula Patton), who used to create and lead their town's annual holiday pageant. When an over-the-top, self-centered director named Hamilton Lydell (played by Joel McHale) takes over the pageant, Felix sets out to sabotage it. But eventually, he realizes that the best way to honor his mom's legacy is to save the show. I also have an upcoming animated series called "Bat Fam." "Bat Fam" series is a spinoff of the animated movie "Merry Little Batman." In both the movie and the spin-off series, I voice Damian Wayne and Little Batman. "Merry Little Batman" is available to stream on Amazon Prime, and the upcoming "Bat Fam" series will also stream on Amazon Prime when it comes out later this year. What is the most fun thing you did for this movie and why? Booking the role and being part of the film is a huge privilege, and it was super fun to work with the Pixar team. I learned so much working with the three incredible directors - Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina. It's an experience that I will never forget. I will be forever grateful to the Disney Pixar team that allowed me to be part of this incredible film. The most fun thing I did for the movie though, was that I got to attend twice D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. D23 is this huge fan event where Disney presents and promotes all their upcoming slate, and I got to promote Pixar's "Elio" in front of tens of thousands of Disney fans. To get to experience D23 twice, to promote Elio on stage, and meet all the major Hollywood stars in the green room was such an amazing and fun experience. What do you hope audiences would get after watching this movie? Pixar's Elio is about Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession, who suddenly finds himself beamed up to the Communiverse, a galaxy-wide organization of aliens. Mistaken for Earth's leader, he has to navigate this strange new world, make unexpected friends, and figure out who he really is along the way. Elio, a film for all ages, is a coming-of-age adventure filled with humor, heart, and wonder. It's emotional (bring some tissues!), imaginative, visually stunning, and full of fun surprises. So, I hope that audiences come away from watching Elio feeling entertained, uplifted, and inspired. Madeline Sharafian (Director), Domee Shi (Director), Mary Alice Drumm (Producer) Photo courtesy of Disney/Pixar It was wonderful watching and listening to you last night during the presentation. And it reminded me how vastly different the animation is, because it used to be male-dominated. So, can you talk about that, especially your collaboration on this film? Madeline: Oh yeah. That's a great question. For me personally, I don't think I would be in this role at all if it wasn't for Domee. Watching her make "Turning Red," I was a story lead on that movie, and just watching her totally be herself, make exactly what she wanted to see. It gave me confidence that I can really just be the person that I am in a leadership role. I really wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Domee. Domee: It's such an honor to be on this film and to work with such an amazing crew of women, like Mary Alice, like Maddy, and I feel like I'm so grateful for Pixar for kind of giving us these opportunities to tell these stories and putting all this trust in us. And for me, kind of just, you know, as much as, like, I want to be like a support system for the next, you know, upcoming female filmmakers, I also want to, like, just pay back all of the amazing trust and support I've gotten from, like, a lot of the male leadership here too. Pete Docter, he's an EP in this movie. But he has been like my mentor and champion ever since I was his story artist on the first "Inside Out." It's really cool that we're at this stage in the film industry and in animation where you're seeing a lot more female voices in the industry. It's awesome. Mary Alice: I think we are lucky at Pixar. I often say as an audience member, I do look out in the world and want to see more women directors. But Domee was director of "Turning Red" with a fully women leadership show, and we have Claudia, who you just saw, our visual effects supervisor, so there's just a lot of great women and men leaders. And I think everyone loves working with Domee and Maddy because they're just such great directors. I just want the back story behind the parents of Elio - why he got orphaned, how he got orphaned and what was your inspiration? Domee: Yeah, that's a good question. That was kind of like a later in production kind of addition to the story. And we felt like, you know, watching the story about this boy who feels alone on earth, who feels like no one understands him, who feels like he has nothing for him on earth, and he wants to leave. And to have him choose earth at the end, it felt like we needed to kind of, like, put him in this situation in this space where, as an audience member, I would also be like yeah, like, I don't think there's anything for you on earth at the beginning of the story. And having him kind of slowly realize that he is loved that there is connection around him, it felt like it would be a stronger story if he didn't have kind of that immediate familial, like, parental relationship in the beginning of the story. Madeline: Yeah, like nothing that was a guarantee for him, because knowing that we're leading towards a big choice at the end of the film, every decision that we make is story-based is around that. And because it's such a tricky needle to thread, Olga, being his aunt, and having to believe with Elio that he shouldn't be on earth at the beginning of the film. Zoe Saldana really helped us a lot with that character and that role, because you have to be on Elio's side, but also root for him and Olga to come together at the end of the film, so she had to bring this warmth to the character, while at the same time, you know, kind of bring down the hammer on him in these scenes where she's just trying to figure out why he wants to be abducted by aliens. So, it was a difficult balance, but I'm really happy with where we ended up with that. Since I can remember the concept of animated films is they've been great learning curves or learning lessons about life's complexities. And it's really fascinating that you talked about its loneliness. But it's where he finds his tribe, they're aliens. Now, in today's political climate, the alien looks a little different. But how important was it that the people who can help move you to the next level or who are there for you don't necessarily look like you or think like you, but if you have a conversation with them, they can be your closest friend. Can you talk a little bit about navigating through that? Madeline: From the very beginning, one of the most important character dynamics is between Elio and Glordon, who when Elio first meets him, he's terrifying. His mouth is full of crazy teeth, and he doesn't sound like Elio expects. But once Elio takes the time to learn how to connect with him instead of pushing him away the way that he always pushes away the kids that he met on earth, then there's this beautiful connection there. And that was sort of the nugget that we wanted Elio to learn throughout the film is that at the beginning, you know, he meets kids who aren't like him, and he immediately assumes, you're not like me, you could never possibly understand me. Olga isn't like me, and she could never understand me, and he just creates a barrier without even giving anyone a chance, without even attempting to reach out. And it's thanks to Glordon and thanks to all of these aliens who are so different and who understand him immediately that he sort of starts to come around to the idea that the connections that he's looking for could be right in front of him. So, that was always something inherent to the concept of a human, aliens and loneliness. Domee: And what I love so much about this movie is, like you said, the positive depiction of alien species and this aspirational quality of searching for life out there, of finding connection out there with beings that don't look like you. A lot of sci-fi movies show aliens in this very negative light. Like, they don't look like us. They want to hurt us. They want to abduct us and experiment on us, but I love how this movie shows the wonderful world of the communiverse how there's this, like, aspirational utopia where species of all different backgrounds and cultures and shapes and sizes can all kinds of live and work together. It's such a beautiful image of the future, and I strive for that. I'm also kind of an alien at this, in some ways. You know, I'm Canadian. I was born in China. And I think it's just such a cool message to spread this idea of connecting to others who don't necessarily look like yourself. So, obviously the question are we alone in the universe has intrigued mankind for ages. Can you talk about what kind of research you did on this topic, what you learned, and if the science related to this impacted the story in any way? Mary Alice: Early on, we worked a lot with SETI, and Jill Tarter and Simon Steel, people who do look for intelligence in the universe. We got to go to some planetariums and some military bases. It's really amazing when you start to understand the vastness of the universe and how many exoplanets there are and the likelihood. Jill likes to say, as you look out at the vast universe, you can feel so small and so insignificant. But you can also realize what a big part of this huge, amazing thing you are, and that we're all earthlings. We know a lot of people who are searching for that, and I think it's really interesting. From my experience on this film, it seems more and more likely with just the number of planets out there. The realities, I don't know what it'll be like, but it was certainly interesting to spend time thinking about that possibility. Madeline: We are huge fans of the movie "Contact," which was also inspired very much by Jill Tarter. Seeing space as not just this empty, scary void, but as this, like, potential space for hope and connection and answers all of our questions. I just think it's really beautiful just this idea that no matter where you are on earth, at nighttime when you look up, you're all gonna be seeing the same kind of thing, which is the stars and space. Having one thing that we can all bond and relate to, and experience together, is really beautiful. Domee, you touched already on your alien-ness being from China and then growing up in Canada. You are also the first female Asian director for Pixar. So, talk about how you learned to take your alien kind of thing as something as an advantage? How did you learn that? Even when you're growing up or even in this company. So, can you talk a little bit about that? Domee: Maddy and I have really bonded over this movie in that both of us have always felt like Elio at some point in our lives. Like, we were the weird kids in school. I was the vice president of the anime club in high school. My best friend was the president. There were only two members. Us. And every day I dreamed and hoped of going to a place where everyone understood me and the things that I was obsessed with and liked. When we were directing this movie, the moment when Elio gets beamed up and he arrives in the communiverse, for us, felt a lot like going to animation school or coming to Pixar. Like, going through the gates and looking around us and realizing, oh my gosh, everyone's weird like me! And finally finding that acceptance and that belonging. That was our north star as we were developing Elio as a character, as this boy who's just obsessed, hell bent on just getting to this one place. But maybe inadvertently ignoring and pushing away all of the potential connections around him. That very much felt like us, right? Madeline: And I feel like the best part of making this movie together was having moments of just shared understanding of there are just common things that we both love. Like, we both love a certain kind of humor. A lot of the interactions between Glordon and Elio feel very much like our interactions. So, there are specific moments in the movie where Glordon does something and I laugh, and I look at Domee because I feel like in that moment that I'm seeing us on screen. So, I feel very grateful that as this movie goes out into the world, I get to watch it and just think about the friendship that we have. Domee: And, like, the communiverse does also feel like Pixar in some way, too. Like, we also have an international cast and crew. And they all came together from all walks of life and were all kinds of weirdos and nerds in their way. And we made this one thing together. Zoe Saldana and Yonas Asuncion Kibreab. Contributed photo Talking about diversity, I think Elio's family is of Latin origin. I'd like to know what country the heritage is and how the process of choosing diversity and heritage to balance in your films? And how do you use AI and preserve human art, the human art touch? Mary Alice: To answer your first question, this movie is very much from Adrian Molina's back story, from his heart. So, Elio is based on Adrian's past. Adrian is Mexican, and in the story, Elio is Mexican Dominican, and Olga is Dominican. And Elio's father is Dominican, and we felt that that was an important thing to preserve. You'll see touches in their house of little details of folk art, and we just thought that it was a beautiful thing to hang on to. Then for your second question, Pixar is a place that puts a lot of care into handcrafting everything that we do. We like the personal touch. It's the reason why we all like to work together in one building. So, everything that you see on Elio was done very carefully by a human being and was checked carefully through many human beings' eyes. Which means sometimes there are mistakes, but I think those mistakes and that little piece of humanity are what make watching movies fun. Madeline: And to add to the first question. Zoe Saldana, the voice actress for Olga, is Dominican American and she really helped inform the character and kind of, like, just her performance and her energy. And we leaned a lot on Zoe to bring herself into the character. And she did an incredible job. Pixar had tremendous success last year with a sequel. But this is the original IP. I know there's been some personnel changes at the start of this, but could you talk a bit about creating new IP and if there was any input on the studio level, like what is a Pixar movie? What are the key ingredients to make it a Pixar movie? Domee: At Pixar, we always pride ourselves on making original films. What makes an original Pixar film, I think we're always asking ourselves that trying to let the films, evolve and be different, but a film that's for everyone that's what we often say is we're making films for ourselves or films we want to go see in the theater. There is a balance of sequels and originals. We're really excited. People are very excited to see an original in the theater. It does feel like people are going back to the theater more and more, even though "Inside Out Two" was a sequel, it's exciting that people are back there. We have other originals coming, and that's exciting to us, is this balance. And I can be someone who's like oh my gosh, so many sequels, but then, Pixar announces, "Incredibles Three." I'm like what? I want to see that. So, I understand audiences want both, but I think we're excited about originals. Madeline: And sequels exist because there was an original before that. Pixar understands that, and they've always just been this champion of making the personal story universal for all. I feel like we were able to achieve that with "Elio." For all of you, which movie or what kind of project made you believe in the things that you are doing today, that made you believe in being a director, to be an artist? Or when you were little, what movie made an impact on you? Madeline: I remember it very clearly. I watched "Spirited Away" for the first time. I was around the age of Chihiro when I saw it, so I was also a very whiny, annoying little girl. Watching her change, I remember realizing that the way she was drawn, because it was in 2D, hadn't changed over the course of the film. But the way that I saw her change and the way that she held herself changed as she grew throughout the movie, and I'd never really experienced film in an artform way until that point. I remember being in the car home, staring out the window, having a brain-exploding moment, realizing that I had changed as well because I'd watched the film. That experience, just sitting in a dark room for an hour and a half, and what it can do to a person that I've never looked back from there. Domee: For me it was the very first VHS tape that my parents bought when we first immigrated to Canada, and we bought a VHS player. My parents bought "Aladdin" on VHS, and I popped it in. I was like mesmerized. I kept rewinding and watching it. It was "Friend Like Me." And just the music and all of it just hit me in a similar way as "Spirited Away" did. Then I kept rewinding and watching it closer and closer, because I also didn't realize a drawing could be so handsome. I totally had a crush on Aladdin, and I would pause it. I would open my sketchbook, and I would try to draw him over and over again. Mary Alice: We're such nerds because I can remember where I was when I saw both of those movies. But I'll say, "Star Wars." I'm older. My family got there. We were in line. My dad came from work, and we were in a dark room for two hours with people to see this thing that just took you so far away. Sci-fi. I also love any movie that asks what it is to be human, like pushing us. That's where the Pixar movies, when we do that well, that's what I think is the most exciting. —MGP, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Jo Koy receives honorary doctorate from Cal State LA ahead of Etihad Arena show
The Doc will see you now… Comedian Jo Koy adds 'Dr' to his title as he prepares for his highly anticipated performance at Etihad Arena next week. Comedy superstar Jo Koy was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree by California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), on May 21st, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the arts and the global comedy landscape. The milestone in his career comes just as he gears up to bring his razor-sharp wit and signature storytelling to the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, 29th May, as part of the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season. A proud Filipino American and a relentless force in stand-up comedy, Jo Koy's journey from open mic nights to sold-out arenas has been nothing short of inspirational. His comedy is deeply personal yet universally relatable, touching on family, identity, and everyday life with warmth, vulnerability, and hilarious insight. During his commencement address at Cal State LA, Koy shared the challenges he faced in pursuing his passion for comedy. Watch it here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cal State LA (@calstatela) 'It's not easy getting to where you want to go. It takes a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of sacrifice. It takes a lot of falling flat on your face, and that's when you find out who you really are. That's when you build the grit, the heart, and the strength to keep pushing.' He also recounted his early days performing in less-than-ideal venues: 'My schools were bad nightclubs that did comedy on Tuesdays, and I would go anywhere that would give me five minutes. That was my school.' The honorary doctorate acknowledges not only his success as a performer but also his impact on cultural representation in mainstream entertainment. Known for breaking barriers and amplifying diverse voices, Jo Koy continues to be a powerful figure in comedy and now holds the rare distinction of being a doctor of the very art he has helped redefine. Fans in the UAE are in for a treat as Jo Koy returns by popular demand to the region with his Just Being Koy tour. With fresh, never-before-seen material, his irresistible charm, and now an honorary doctorate in tow, this promises to be a comedy experience that's both intelligent and side-splittingly funny. Tickets are limited – book your tickets today at
Axios
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Racial evolution of the Chicago City Council
Editors note: This story is part of our ongoing series about equity in a city that has recently reached a nearly equal balance of one-third Black, white and Latino residents. Today we examine racial representation on the Chicago City Council. After decades of so-called "plantation wards" occupied by non-white residents but led by white alders, today's Chicago City Council nearly matches the racial makeup of the city's population, thanks to a transformational 2023 election. Why it matters: Equitable racial representation in government can help drive equitable policies and outcomes. But diversity efforts are facing federal pushback, including an investigation launched this week into Mayor Brandon Johnson for allegedly favoring Black hires on his staff. The big picture: For decades, white alders held disproportionate power on the council, but today they hold 28% of council seats, lagging behind their 32% of the 2024 population. Black representation has flipped from 30% of council seats in the 1980s (when Black residents were 40% of the city) to 40% today, while the Black population is 28% of the city. "Well, finally," says Black freshman Ald. William Hall (6th). "How many years did it take to get here and to get the first Black female finance [committee] chair and general counsel? I think that what we're doing is catching up. It's inspirational when you see people who look like you leading and serving and working." Latino representation grew from a single alder in 1983 to 14 today, or 28% of the council, nearly matching the city's 29% Latino population. Many Latino alders, including Latino Caucus chair Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), represent racially mixed wards, creating a need to balance a variety of priorities. "I think [ethnic] representation is very important," Vasquez tells Axios. "But what's more important is that we're in touch with the constituents in our communities and we really listen." Asian representation hit its highest point (4%) in 2023 after Nicole Lee (11th) and Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) won seats representing Chinatown and Edgewater/Uptown. Still, it remains behind the city's 7% Asian population. "I just think it's important to bring our perspectives to the table," Filipino American Manaa-Hoppenworth tells Axios. "We bring the perspective of immigrants seeking better lives, and we know that to build strong communities, you need to bring empathy and collaboration, so I'm proud to be here in the city council doing that." Between the lines: Some of the biggest power struggles on the council have shifted from Black and white issues to skirmishes between the Black and Latino caucuses. Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) called the intense 2022 ward remap battle for representation"probably the most racialized thing I've ever been a part of." Yes, but: Some alders say race is playing a shrinking role in voter choice as Black alders lead at least four plurality white wards. "I think people are now voting based on the quality of the service that you give them, not your ethnicity," Black Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), who represents the plurality white 27th Ward, tells Axios. "Maybe we're starting to get into Dr. Martin Luther King's dream when people are judged not based on their race." Reality check: Council power hasn't yet translated to economic power. A new Urban League analysis suggests the median net worth of a Black Chicago family is $0 compared to $210,000 for white families. This is one of the reasons Hadden believes the Black caucus, for all its diverse views, remains important. "A lot of our efforts are really based on equity and parity, whether it's in contracting or the distribution of grants or economic development," she said. "And so that's still very important to me as a black Chicagoan, and it's important to my community." What's next: Former council member Dick Simpson says he's not surprised to see council representation lag behind population changes as alders use "gerrymandering to protect political bases."
