Entertainment
Deliberations in ‘Blurred Lines’ Case to Resume Tuesday
![In this Jan. 17, 1983 file photo, singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, winner of Favorite Soul/R&B Single, "Sexual Healing," attends the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. On Wednesday, March 4, 2015, Grammy-winning singer Pharrell Williams told a jury in federal court in Los Angeles that he grew up listening to Gaye's music. But the singer-producer said he didn't try to copy it directly for his collaboration with Thicke and T.I. Williams is being sued by Gaye's children, who claim "Blurred Lines" improperly copies their father's hit "Got to Give it Up." Singer Robin Thicke and rapper T.I. are also defendants in the case. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/5badee2c28a7d70a6f0f6a7067003ee9.jpg)
In this Jan. 17, 1983 file photo, singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, winner of Favorite Soul/R&B Single, “Sexual Healing,” attends the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury has completed its first full day of deliberations in a copyright infringement case in which Marvin Gaye’s family claims the 2013 hit “Blurred Lines” copied their father’s music.
The eight-person panel left Friday afternoon after being told by U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt to resume their deliberations on Tuesday.
Gaye’s children are suing Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and the rapper T.I., alleging their song copies Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.”
Jurors heard from Thicke and Pharrell, who denied they copied Gaye’s song. Much of the trial focused on detailed comparisons of the two songs.
An attorney for the Gaye family told jurors they could award millions of dollars in damages if they determine “Blurred Lines” copied the earlier hit.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Activism
OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America
If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.
![](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/trumps-america-featured-web.jpg)
By Emil Guillermo
Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.
First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.
The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.
But I did.
Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.
As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.
I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.
History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.
Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.
For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.
Football and Identity Politics
My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.
Not if they were White.
Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.
Sort of like Nikko Remigio.
My dad would have loved Nikko.
If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.
You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?
Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.
Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.
That’s all I needed to see.
He’s our Filipino guy.
Detractors may call it “identity politics.”
People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.
I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.
For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.
But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.
I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.
I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.
Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.
But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.
The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.
About the Author
Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok
Activism
Open E.A.R.S. for Change Continues to Inspire Asian-Black Unity Through Annual Celebration
Destiny Arts Center youth dance group performed on stage at the Lunar New Year x Black History Month event at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center at 388 Ninth St., Suite 290. Photo by Peter Jew.
![Destiny Arts Center youth dance group performed on stage at the Lunar New Year x Black History Month event at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center at 388 Ninth St., Suite 290. Photo by Peter Jew.](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/destiny-arts-center-featured-web.jpg)
By Anka Lee
Post Intern
Featuring lion dance, hip-hop dance and more, the third annual Lunar New Year Black History Month drew a multiracial and multi-ethnic crowd to the Oakland Asian Cultural Center on Feb. 1.
Perhaps unique in the U.S., this deliberately bicultural celebration honored diversity in both communities.
The celebration grew out of a time of significant tension between the Asian and Black communities during the pandemic when anti-Asian hate was prominent and appeared in a lot of media coverage. In those news stories, members of the Black community were frequently and untruthfully portrayed as the primary aggressors.
In response to this rift between communities, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) started the Open E.A.R.S. for Change initiative (Engage, Activate and Rise up Series), which was created with the intention to build stronger relationships between the Asian and Black communities in Oakland.
According to Saly Lee, the executive director of OACC, the bicultural celebration began with holding a series of community conversations to bridge cultural gaps and get input on what could be done. It took 18 months, but the first gathering in 2023 drew 1,200 people and the second was 1,800.
![Great Wall Youth Orchestra performed with traditional Chinese instruments at the Lunar New Year x Black History Month event at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center at 388 Ninth St., Suite 290. Photo by Peter Jew.](https://www.postnewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/capion-2-1024x682.png)
Great Wall Youth Orchestra performed with traditional Chinese instruments at the Lunar New Year x Black History Month event at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center at 388 Ninth St., Suite 290. Photo by Peter Jew.
Voices of a Dream, along with Dimensions Dance Theatre and Destiny Arts Center were among the African American performers. The participating Asian groups were diverse—with Filipino rapper Amihan, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra, Korean drumming, and Filipino martial arts.
The children’s story-telling activity was also bicultural, cohosted by Marcus Books, a historic Black independent bookstore, and Eastwind Books, which now exists online.
In an interview, the organizers of Open E.A.R.S. for Change discussed the event and their future goals to encourage Asian-Black unity. Lee called the Lunar New Year x Black History Month Community Celebration “the anchor event” that brings the communities together every year. She wants to organize more such cross-cultural events, though on a smaller scale, like hosting a local author for a speaking engagement.
As younger generations tend to be more involved in activism and advocacy, OACC hopes the celebration will also encourage older generations to join in. “Historically, this program was geared towards the Chinese community,” Lee said. That had made it easier for older generations to attend, but now “the focus has shifted… [there are] more family units and multicultural audiences.”
Although more diversity means more reach and engagement from different communities in Oakland, it also means there is still much work to be done. Emily Grover, the OACC Program and Communications Coordinator, emphasized that they are “trying to improve language access in other programs,” one example being more translation options similar to the ones provided by the exhibition.
OACC works closely with refugee and immigrant communities to support them and provide resources in multiple Asian languages. Despite some accessibility concerns, they are confident more opportunities will arise as long as they persevere and continue to spread the word. “Programs are largely free,” said Director of Programs & Exhibitions Indra Mungal. She added, “and we invite the public to check out the classes and spaces available to be rented here.”
Lee wanted to stress that regardless of language barriers, these programs are created to contribute to a more diverse society: “Even if the language changes, our work will not change.”
For more information, visit www.oacc.cc
Activism
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