Sacramento AANAPISIs underfunded + ‘Ms Marvel’ finds first Muslim lead: Your AAPI newsletter

It is Thursday, Oct. 8, and this is The Sacramento Bee’s AAPI weekly newsletter.

Here’s a recap of the stories I’ve covered and ones I’m following:

This year’s AANAPISI week, which ended Oct. 2, fell in line with some sobering numbers: Of all the minority-serving institutions in the United States, AANAPISI colleges and universities have received the lowest amount of funding per institution despite having one of the highest numbers of eligible institutions.

AANAPISIs — Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander-serving institutions — received about $9.15 million in funding across 160 grant-eligible institutions during the 2020 fiscal year, according to U.S. Department of Education data provided by Dr. Tim Fong, director of Sacramento State’s Full Circle Project.

That’s far less funding compared to what other minority-serving institutions received that year. For instance, HBCUs — historically Black colleges and universities — received $404.8 million for its 96 eligible institutions, enough funding for $4.2 million each.

“AANAPISI funding really draws attention to underrepresented and underserved API students,” Fong said. “The model minority myth is so strong.”

Sacramento State is one of three AANAPISI-eligible institutions in Sacramento — the other two are Los Rios Community College and Cosumnes River College — where funds have gone toward supporting AAPI students through peer-to-peer mentoring, counseling, academic advising and classes specifically exploring Asian American identity. Sacramento State has used their funding to create the Full Circle Project, which especially helps low-income and first generation AAPI students transition into college and find a community.

“To be honest, I really don’t think I would have survived my first year without it,” said Maya Custodio, a second-year Sacramento State pre-nursing student. “I didn’t know the help I would need … It was just not in my perspective.”

In other news

• Supporters of Elk Grove hospital project lavish donations on mayor. Could it cost him? [The Sacramento Bee]

• Suspect and victim killed in halal market shooting identified by Sacramento County coroner [The Sacramento Bee]

• Democrats doubted Kamala Harris was liberal enough. Now Mike Pence calls her radical. What’s true? [The Sacramento Bee]

• Community groups, education helped drive down COVID-19 cases among Pacific Islanders [Hawaii News Now]
• Baohaus, the Taiwanese Hotspot that Propelled Eddie Huang to Fame, Closes [Eater NY]
• Trump debate comment pushing Black Americans, others to vote [The Associated Press]
  
  
• Kamala Harris and a history of trying to define ‘Asian American’ [NBC News]
• Paid internships elusive for women and Asian college students [The Telegraph]
• New US museum’s goal: show how Chinese-Americans are woven into the nation’s fabric [South China Morning Post]
• ‘Monsterland’ Star Trieu Tran on Being the Rare Asian American Leading Man [Variety]

This week in AAPI pop culture

Marvel Studios announced last Wednesday that newcomer Iman Vellani had been cast as the title role of the Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel,” Marvel’s first onscreen Muslim superhero.

Based on the comic book character Ms. Marvel, the first Muslim character to lead a Marvel comic book series, the story centers on Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American teenager from New Jersey. Kamala Khan will also appear in future Marvel films eventually, according to Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige.

“Ms Marvel” will be Vellani’s first major Hollywood role. Vellani, an Ontario native, was part of the Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival responsible for highlighting and categorizing films that would resonate with young viewers.

“Ms. Marvel” will be directed by “Bad Boys For Life” duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, with several episodes directed by Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon.

Celebrities and fans took to social media to celebrate Vellani’s casting.

“I just saw they cast Ms. Marvel and legit got teary eyed,” comedian and Marvel’s “Eternals” actor Kumail Nanjiani wrote on Twitter. “Congratulations Iman Vellani! Your work is going to mean so much to so many people, myself included. I can’t wait.”

Got a story suggestion? Please reach out to me at awong@sacbee.com.

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That’s it for this week’s newsletter. Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

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