More than 200 videos were submitted by members from the AAPI communities to a video challenge called "What's Your Story" sponsored by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Here are the top eleven finalists. You may vote only once, for one of these eleven video entries. The deadline to vote is March 1, 2012. A group of finalists will be selected to come to the White House in March, 2012 to share their stories at a White House Champions of Change event. 

White House staffers Eddie Lee, Associate Director, Office of Engagement, and Miya Saika Chen talk about the "What's Your Story" video challenge.

Sokha is one of nine girls featured in GIRL RISING. She was a Cambodian child of the dump, orphaned and forced to pick through garbage to survive. Through a series of miracles she finds her way to a school and has risen to become a star student with a promising future. Photo credit: GIRL RISING

April 19-26, 2013 GIRL RISING is screening nationwide in selected Regal Cinemas.

“No one is more vulnerable than an uneducated girl, and this film is a wake-up call to the world that it’s time to educate girls,” actress Freida Pinto said in a statement to India-Times.com. “Right now, 66 million girls are not in school, and 14 million girls under 18 will be married this year — that’s 38,000 girls married today, and 13 girls married in the last 30 seconds."

Sometimes it only takes a single person to start a revolution. This time, its a documentary film. GIRL RISING is the centerpiece of a campaign for girls' education. The film's message: "Educate Girls and you will change the world." A simple notion, yes, but in reality - not so simple.

Millions of girls in developing countries face barriers to education that boys do not encounter.

The film's campaign reports that 66 million school-age girls are...

Eddy Li, former ABC News Video Editor 1971 to 2009, now retired and healthy Photo credit: Eddy Li

Hong Kong

May 13, 2013

Eddy Li globe-trotted the world for ABC News in a high-stress non-stop news video editing job from 1971 to 2009.

When a sudden diagnosis of cancer changed his life, Li wrote his personal account on how he entered into the darkest tunnel of his life and emerged, a more vigilant and environmentally aware individual.

Today, as a cancer survivor and a retiree who now enjoys a healthier and more fulfilling life, Eddy shares what he has learned about our world's increasingly hazardous environment and how you can protect yourself from its toxicity.  

AsianConnections' Suzanne Joe Kai chatted with Eddy about his new book, "From A Great Escape to a New Beginning - My Journey Through Cancer." 

Suzanne: Congratulations on beating your Stage 3 cancer. When you were a news video editor with a busy globe-trotting life for years, can you share with our readers what your life was like, and how and why you have changed your lifestyle? 

Eddy: In the eyes of an average audience, network news looks glamorous. It was indeed, at least during my days. But behind the scenes of its glamor, there went a stress-filled working environment. That is compounded by the time difference between Asia and the Americas. I joined ABC News in October 1971. I retired in October 2009.

For me, it had been a physically challenging career. Sleep...

Our AAJA-LA.org board has a great slate of programs this year. Don't miss this event this Sunday April 21 - but hurry! RSVP by April 18 on Eventbrite.

Presented by Asian American Journalists Association – Los Angeles chapter, in partnership with KPCC, Southern California Public Radio  

When: 10:00 a.m. to noon Sun April 21, 2013

Where: Crawford Family Forum at KPCC, 474 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena

LIMITED SEATING + RSVP required by Thursday, April 18 on Eventbrite

What: Please join us for a session for community groups to learn how to pitch stories to the media and to get news covered.

Meet with journalists and trainers in print, broadcast, online media and public relations.

Step by step, how does the press select stories to cover?

What’s a pitch, and what kind of pitches catch the attention of decision-makers?

How do you make a local story appeal to national media?

How can you help journalists gain access to and understand diverse communities, diverse issues?

The workshop will include specific examples, case studies as well as allow participants to break into small groups, with a trainer guiding a conversation in each group.

Attendees may want to bring specific ideas and issues to brainstorm within your group and with our speakers.

SPEAKERS:

- Ashley Dunn, Los Angeles Times

- Jay Eckstein, KABC Channel 7 

- Oscar Garza, KPCC

- Rachanee Srisavasdi, VENG Group 

Moderator: Anh Do, Los Angeles Times

A rare run of Giant Squid are biting bait off of our fishing poles! Check out the iPhone photo emailed from the boat tonight to our editors.

AC Team members are taking a July 4th holiday break to do a little fishing, and up came these giant (and delicious) squid!

Photo taken July 1st at 10pm PST by AC Team members about ten miles off the coast of Newport Beach, California and emailed from their iPhones to AC's editors in California and New York City.

Catch a glimpse of these squid in action from underwater videographer Walter Marti's lens featured on scuba diving website diver.net!