The Lens: Multiple mass shootings in California kill 19, casting shadow over Lunar New Year celebrations

At least 19 people died in three mass shootings in California during Lunar New Year celebrations this year, renewing concerns over gun violence in the United States.

The latest shooting occurred on Monday, January 23 in the city of Oakland. An 18-year-old boy was killed and seven people injured. Police have not announced any arrests.

Earlier the same day, 67-year-old Chunli Zhao shot and killed seven Asian and Latino farmworkers on the outskirts of Half Moon Bay in northern California.

Bouquets of flowers have been left in an impromptu memorial in the city’s downtown area, on a main street known more for tourists than tributes to victims of violence.

Sophie Li, a Chinese-American woman working in Half Moon Bay, was among those who blamed the shooting on access to guns in the United States. “Without a gun, we just argue,” Li said.

California was still reeling from a January 21 shooting at a dance studio in Monterey Park that killed 11 and cast a shadow over Lunar New Year celebrations.

Authorities identified 72-year-old Huu Can Tran as the man behind the attack, but Tran died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before he could be questioned.

Police have yet to determine a motive for the massacre.

The US has seen six mass shootings in around three weeks, accounting for 39 deaths. Three have occurred in California since January 16, according to a database from USA Today, Associated Press, and Northeastern University.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries of all causes, including suicide, in 2020, the last year for which data is available.

Agence France-Presse, Associated Press and Sue Ng

• How might gun violence affect the US and its residents?

• What could the US government do to prevent mass shootings and gun violence?

Jacky Lie, Carmel Secondary School

Michelle Yeoh has garnered praise since winning the Golden Globe for best actress. Her superb and natural performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once has received global recognition. She is also the second Asian and first Malaysian actor to win a Golden Globe award.

Although she worked hard and deserved the award, many people were surprised when she won. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that holds the ceremony and votes for the winners every year, has come under fire for its lack of diversity, so no one expected that an Asian actress would win the award.

Diversity matters in the entertainment industry; we live in a diverse society, and films should reflect the world we live in. Actors and actresses of all backgrounds should be cast to represent all groups in society and share their experiences. The industry should serve as a platform for people who were born to be stars to shine, no matter where they are from.

In a bid to publicise and foster diversity, cross-cultural collaborations would be a good option. For example, Jung Kook, a member of the world-famous K-pop group BTS, saw resounding success when he collaborated with American singer Charlie Puth on a track last year.

Through their song, the two could appeal to both their fanbases and introduce their music to a new demographic. In this way, their collaboration was able to kill two birds with one stone and serve as proof of the benefits of diversity.

Michelle Yeoh’s Golden Globes win for Everything Everywhere All at Once highlights the need for diversity