As he hosted a White House screening of the new streaming series “American Born Chinese” to honour Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, President Joe Biden urged for a “fair deal” for Hollywood’s striking writers.
In remarks prior to the pilot’s screening, Biden delivered his first statements to the public regarding the strike, which Tuesday marks its one-week anniversary. In the East Room and the State Dining Room, he was joined by an overflow gathering of hundreds of civic leaders, government representatives, cast members, and show producers.
“Nights like these are a reminder of stories and the importance of treating storytellers with the dignity, respect, and value they deserve,” said Biden. “I sincerely hope the Hollywood writers’ strike is resolved and they receive the fair compensation they deserve as soon as possible.”
“This is an iconic, significant American industry,” he continued. And in order to convey the story of our country and of all of us, we need the writers, the workers, and everyone else involved.
Starring Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, “American Born Chinese” is a graphic novel adaption of the same name by Gene Luen Yang. On May 24, it will make its Disney+ debut.
In his brief remarks, Biden described the initiatives his administration has taken to celebrate the successes of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities and to denounce bigotry and violence directed against these groups.
“Hate can have no safe harbour in America,” added Biden. Silence is complicity, and we won’t do that.
In his remarks before introducing Biden, Quan reflected on his journey from being an eight-year-old Vietnamese refugee who came to the United States to making his first trip to the White House months later.
I know that this structure is a memorial to a nation that welcomed me, so I do not take this moment lightly’, he remarked.
