Asian American Culture Club partners with Make Us Visible

Jeffrey Heng Staff Reporter

On Sept. 27, 2021, Pennsylvania Rep. Patty Kim introduced the Asian American and Pacific Islanders History Inclusion Act as H.B. 1917. The bill calls for inclusivity of AAPI history in Pennsylvania’s schools. Make Us Visible is a nationwide initiative that advocates for the integration and awareness of AAPI contributions, cultures and histories in K-12 classrooms. Two parents and a teacher established MUV in January 2021 due to an increase in anti-Asian American violence, and have since worked with legislators in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut to pass bills requiring the inclusion of AAPI history in K-12 schools.

H.B. 1917 was referred to the Education Committee in Harrisburg but expired by the end of the 2021-22 legislative session. Kenneth Hong, co-director of Pennsylvania’s branch, MUVPA, tried to negotiate with local legislators via postcards to help reintroduce the bill.

“The response rate on hearing back from the legislators (has) been low,” Hong said. “But, we have heard from three or four legislators across the couple of hundred postcards that we’ve sent. We see that as just one phase of a multi-prong approach into raising awareness. We’re hoping to grab their attention and hopefully get some responses and meetings with them.”

In January 2023, Kim circulated a co-sponsorship memorandum to propose the act again. The document informed legislators about the need for legislation and allowed them to sign as co-sponsors.

On March 30, Kim reintroduced the act as H.B. 779 after gaining enough support from fellow legislators. Prior to the reintroduction of the act, MUV directors collaborated with several organizations, such as the Main Line Chinese Culture Center, to garner support. Similarly, the Asian American Culture Club has been able to get in contact with MUV officials to participate in their campaign.

“We’re hopeful we can start doing more things with

Conestoga. I’ve met with the curriculum district officers, and it sounds like there’s great plans for implementing more inclusive Asian American content into all grade levels.

We hope we can support that (and) make that a reality,” Hong said.

Conestoga’s Asian American Culture Club sponsored Hong in February as a guest speaker, who worked with club members to create postcards to send to state representatives and spread awareness of AAPI advocacy.

“I think working with Make Us Visible gives students that idea of what’s out there,” AACC club adviser and history teacher Stephanie Matula said. “We have a growing Asian American population, and it’s important there is representation and visibility in curriculum. (I’m) hoping that in the future we can try to make different steps in Conestoga to have a wider array of representation.”

The AACC plans to have more cultural activities throughout April in preparation for AAPI Heritage Month in May, including a spirit week, bake sale and guest presentation. Hong believes that normalizing the presence of Asian American culture in the community is an important cause.

Heritage Month in May. The club sponsored Hong as a guest speaker and sent postcards to state representatives to spread awareness of AAPI advocacy.

Insulin pharmaceuticals cut prices

chronic health conditions, the most well-known being Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Main Line Health receives Community Champions Award

On March 1, Eli Lilly and Company announced it would be reducing the prices of its prescribed insulins by 70% and “capping patient out-of-pocket costs at $35 or less a month,” according to a press release from the company.

On March 14, less than two weeks later, Novo Nordisk released a statement, announcing that “it is lowering the U.S. list prices of several insulin products by up to 75% for people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.”

Two days later, Sanofi announced that it will cut the list price of Lantus, its most widely-prescribed insulin in the U.S., by 78%. The company also will establish a $35 cap on out-of-pocket costs for Lantus for all patients with commercial insurance.

For both Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, these new prices will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

These three companies — Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi — are the largest producers of insulin, a hormone used to manage blood sugar levels and help one’s body turn food into energy. For all non-diabetics, this hormone is produced naturally.

Diabetes consists of a group of

For people with diabetes, their bodies either don’t produce enough insulin or their cells stop responding to insulin. When this happens, too much blood sugar stays in their bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss and kidney disease, according to the CDC.

Those living with diabetes have to take insulin, but the prices created barriers for many diabetics to obtain the medication itself.

“14% of people who use insulin in the United States face what are described as a ‘catastrophic’ levels of spending on insulin, meaning they spent at least 40% of their available income after paying for food and housing on insulin,” according to Yale University researchers Baylee Bakkila, Sanjay Basu and Kasia Lipska.

However, insulin prices are a smaller issue compared to the price of supplies diabetics use to manage blood sugar levels and administer insulin.

“These changes are only for some insulins. People with diabetes need more than just insulin to survive, and those costs need to be lowered, as well. Additionally, these changes don’t impact any new insulins coming onto the market,” said a spokesperson from T1International, a non-profit organization that advocates for people with Type 1 diabetes.

Insulin accounted for only 18% of all out-of-pocket spending for diabetes related care, which is less out-of-pocket spending than what is spent on diabetes-related supplies, including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, according to research done by JAMA Internal Medicine.

These insulin price cuts follow a federal bill passed in January that capped the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35. However, the cap would only go into effect for those with Medicare or private insurance.

“These (companies’) changes mean that people without insurance, who are often the most impacted by high list prices, will have more options,” said a spokesperson from T1International. “We need these changes for all insulins and to see this kind of price lowering globally — but it’s a start. We also need federal legislation to ensure that the companies can’t decide to raise their prices again at whim.” from the Hospital and Health system Association of Pennsylvania for its food insecurity program.

Chester County on the Move campaign starts

Whether going on runs on Chester County Trails, participating in sports, taking dance classes, going to the gym or walking your dog, the Chesco on the Move campaign encourages all people living, learning and working in Chester County to incorporate more movement into their day.

Life lessons from poker OPINION

Call, check, bet, raise and fold. These are the building blocks of poker, the popular card game associated with betting and gambling. To skeptical onlookers, poker conjures up images of Wild West saloons, smoky card tables and cigar-chewing mobsters. But does the game deserve its shady reputation? Not really.

SPORTS

Bright future: Freshmen join varsity lacrosse teams

This year, as head lacrosse coaches Amy Orcutt and Brody Bush sent out team placement emails at the end of tryouts, an invitation to play on their respective varsity teams landed in the inbox of ve highly skilled freshmen. Gunnar Flesher was the only freshman male to make varsity full time. Freshman Colin Chorin also made the team but is unable to play due to an injury during the preseason.

“A lot of times, it’s easy to think about the history side of things,” Hong said. “But there’s a lot of areas where it’s important to say, ‘Hey, Asian Americans have been making contributions in a lot of different areas to my country,’ and I think that it gives our Asian American students a greater sense of identity and belonging in the country.”