Latest news with #LittleSaigon
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Here are the best Asian restaurants in Springfield, according to readers
Hankering for something spicy? Sweet? Asian cuisine can encompass that of many cultures, but readers were able to vote for their favorite such restaurant in the Springfield area. Here are the top three Asian restaurants as voted on in the 2024 Community Choice Awards. Winner: Yummy Bowl Location: 3434 Freedom Drive, Springfield Phone: 217-953-3777 More: More: Paint is drying on new mural at Springfield's Jaycee Park Finalist: Little Saigon Location: 1531 Wabash Ave., Springfield Phone: 217-726-9633 More: Finalist: Mimosa Restaurant Location: 4201 Wabash Ave., Springfield Phone: 217-787-7733 More: More: Who is Christian Mitchell? Pritzker chooses running mate for re-election About the Community Choice Awards The Springfield Community's Choice Awards celebrates the best businesses and organizations in the Springfield area each year. The State Journal-Register readers vote at in more than 140 categories for their favorites from bakeries and barbecue joints to banks and barbershops. Nominations for the 2025 Community Choice Awards began June 2 and ended June 23. Readers will be able to vote for their Springfield favorites from Aug. 11 to Aug. 25. Winners will be announced in November. Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@ This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Top 3 Asian restaurants in Springfield, according to readers Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
3 Keys To Breaking Barriers
If you are an immigrant looking for success in the US—or you know one—there are three key moves you can make to overcome cultural challenges and break barriers in business. In many ways, my story is nothing new. America's history is rich with stories of immigrants who overcame great odds and broke barriers to achieve great success. From orphan immigrant Alexander Hamilton becoming the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury to bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger converting his movie stardom into becoming the governor of America's most populous state. No other nation on earth holds the opportunities for immigrants like the United States. That doesn't mean it's a cakewalk, of course. I know because I've experienced it firsthand—challenges and successes alike. And not every refugee kid from South Vietnam had my experience. But if you are an immigrant (or a refugee or someone who came from a broken family) looking for success in the US—or you know one—there are three key moves you can make to overcome cultural challenges and break barriers in business. Where many immigrants and refugees stagnate is that they come to the US and stay within the comfort of their immigrant circles. Many of the refugees who arrived in California around the same time as our family never attempted to move beyond 'Little Saigon.' Meanwhile, I was set on figuring out what American kids liked doing if I was going to become one of them and belong. Soon enough, I'd joined a Little League baseball team, which became my first social circle, my first American team. This one effort on my part allowed me to practice English, learn how to play America's favorite pastime, and integrate into my new homeland. No one can grow within their comfort zone. Whether you're learning a new skill, moving to a new town, or stepping into a new position, stepping outside of your comfort zone is essential. Throughout my life, I was consistently one of the only Asian faces in the group—at school, in sports, and even in the military. I learned early on that if people were going to notice me, then I might as well lean into it. My effort to embrace 'being noticed' led to the result of being unexpectedly named as captain of my high school basketball team. Of course, there are more important ways to be noticed than your physical attributes. When I was in sales, I did this by volunteering for role-playing exercises, manning the company booth at conferences, and even walking right up to the CEO to introduce myself. But my daily performance is what always mattered the most, resulting in me earning recognition as the top biotech sales rep. Immigrant or not, the mistake so many people make in the workforce is that they fail to get themselves noticed. If you keep waiting for someone in authority to notice you, then you will be waiting a long, long time. And staying right where you are until you do. As important as it is for you to integrate, it's equally important not to forget who you are and where you come from. Those pieces of your identity are your differentiators. To this day, I'm grateful that my mother chose not to anglicize our names. While my name led to many mispronunciations and instances of teasing, these moments always pointed me back to where I came from. Embracing my unique background led to me landing my first book deal. It's allowed me to be a voice for other refugees and immigrants, to help others overcome the same cultural challenges I did. By remembering your roots, your heritage, you maintain a sense of gratitude that can overflow into every other part of your life. In my upcoming book, Underdog Nation, I share even more of these stories of breaking cultural barriers to go from refugee to Marine officer to public company CEO. But life has shown me that if you put in the effort to follow these three keys, you'll see the results follow. How can you step outside of your comfort zone this week? How can you get yourself noticed? And how can you make sure you remember who you are?
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vietnamese-American salon owners are suing California after having their lives ‘turned upside down overnight'
A new federal lawsuit is targeting California's labor rules, and the state's Vietnamese-American nail technicians are at the center of the fight. Filed at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana, the lawsuit argues that a 2020 law, Assembly Bill 5, stripped nail technicians of their right to work as independent contractors, which violates the 14th Amendment's promise of equal protection. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it The change has shaken up an industry with many immigrant employees from Vietnam. That industry also generates about $3 billion a year, according to the Pro Nails Association. Representative of Little Saigon, California Assemblyman Tri Ta (R-Westminster), confirmed fear and frustration are flooding his office, and it's impossible to ignore. "Their lives have turned upside down overnight," Ta said at a news conference. "It is not just unfair, it is discrimination." While some are critical of the law, which has turned their livelihoods upside down, labor advocates argue it's a step toward ensuring a workforce that is often overlooked and underpaid, earns fair, stable wages. In 2019, California passed Assembly Bill 5, a law that redefined how companies classify workers. The law stemmed from a 2018 Supreme Court ruling against Dynamex Operations West, which had misclassified delivery drivers as independent contractors to cut costs. The assembly bill established ground rules for who can be an independent contractor. Under the new law, workers must meet three conditions to be classified as contractors. These include working independently, performing tasks outside the company's core business and offering their services to other clients. If not, they must be treated as employees, with protections including minimum wage, overtime pay, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance. For nail salon owners, this shift isn't in their favor. An Tran, who owns two Happy Nails & Spa franchises, is taking the state to court, arguing the rules impede how salons operate day-to-day. Turning contractors into full-time employees means higher payroll costs, higher insurance and tighter margins for owners, who also deal with overhead costs such as rent and supplies. "We don't have customers all the time. That's going to cost us a lot more to pay them for the downtime when they don't have any customers," Tran told the LA Times. Read more: You don't have to be a millionaire to gain access to . In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here's how This fight is also about community. Many Vietnamese refugees turned to nail salons in the late 1970s as a way to rebuild their lives in America. Decades later, that legacy endures. More than 82% of California nail technicians are Vietnamese, and about 85% are women, according to the lawsuit. 'Vietnamese American manicurists have faced blatant discrimination under California's labor laws, stripped of the same rights and freedoms afforded to others in their industry,' Scott Wellman, attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement to KTLA 5. 'If the State of California refuses to fix this injustice, we are prepared to hold them accountable in federal court.' Worker advocates add that the lawsuit highlights deeper issues of exploitation across the industry. A UCLA Labor Center report found nearly 80% of nail salon workers earn pay at or below two-thirds of the median full-time wage, more than double the national low-wage rate for all workers. Beyond low wages, many salons are reportedly concerned about health and safety conditions as well. Former nail technician Pabitra Dash confirmed those risks firsthand. She and her husband struggled with miscarriages while she was working in the salon industry. Once she quit, she was finally able to carry her baby to term. While her doctor never pinned the miscarriages on the chemicals she used at her job, Dash said she and her husband felt relieved they had a child after she left. '(My doctor) said, 'It's really good for your health and your baby,'' Dash told NBC News. Stoicism has been the response of many workers, who are worried that speaking up could cost them shifts or even their jobs. The federal lawsuit has turned nail salons into the latest flashpoint in California's struggle to balance gig work with fair labor protections. Salon owners fear that stricter rules might make it harder to keep their doors open, while many technicians quietly worry they'll lose their employee rights. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
