Having arrived from South Korea ten years ago, Soh Myoung Lee has settled into the entertainment industry and found a place for both her love of digital media and her faith in God.

By Anne Su with Philana Ho

Soh Myoung Lee, Associate Director and Motion Graphics Designer at PPFF, has produced trailers for many popular films including Bride Wars. Photo courtesy of Soh Myoung Lee.

I came to know Soh Myoung Lee through my friends at the Pan Pacific Film Festival (PPFF), a Christian film festival dedicated to recognizing Christian-themed films and to globally spread the Christian faith through media.

Soh, PPFF’s Associate Director and motion graphic designer, is in charge of making trailers and putting together graphics to publicize PPFF. Amidst the busy week before PPFF, Soh took time out of her regular job and PPFF work for an interview. See more of Soh’s work here.

After arriving in the states ten years ago from South Korea, Soh went to high school in the San Fernando Valley and later attended the Otis College of Art and Design. There she majored in digital media, which broadly includes broadcasting, motion graphics, filmmaking, etc. When she graduated, she had only one year to look for a job, due to her status as an international student.

For the firm that hired her, it was the first time the company had ever hired someone of international status. After Soh worked there for two years, the president of the company told her he could no longer sponsor her.

“After those two years was the hardest time of my lifetime,” Soh says. To add to her job loss and the lack of money in her bank account, Soh accidentally broke her ankle. However, she persevered, even going to an interview at her second (and current) company on crutches. She got the job. However, two years later the firm had to cut down its employment due to the downturn in the economy.

When each employee was called into the president’s office for a round of “interviews” to help decide which employees to cut, Soh bravely articulated the absence of fear because of her faith and revealed how she had been praying to God consistently for the company’s well-being.

“Literally, my boss was crying on me,” Soh recounts. “And she was hugging me.”

Soh didn’t lose her job amid the ongoing wave of job cuts.

—

Recalling her childhood, Soh always had a passion for drawing and painting.

“I wanted to always become a cartoonist, or a painter, or some kind of artist, or more specifically illustrator,” she says. “But God has led me to digital media.”

A ticket for the Pan Pacific Film Festival. Photo courtesy of PPFF.

Soh’s faith led her to work at her current company, an entertainment marketing firm, where the majority of her coworkers are Jewish-Americans or Caucasians.

“I’m really proud of being Korean and Asian. I’m proud that I’m one of only [a] few in our company too,” Soh says. “I believe in God in sending me to my company as a mission field, not just to make money, but because He wants me to show my life, not just my work, in spreading the gospel. Like being a good example. Not like obviously going to them and saying, ‘I’m a Christian, so I’m a nice person.’ Not doing that, but just showing how God is really great and [how] He made my life really full with light.”

Soh has even started a Bible study with one of her colleagues. They not only discuss their faith but also pray together for their company and its success.

In addition to Soh’s full-time job, she currently plays a big role in PPFF. In working with PPFF, Soh shares God’s vision for her, saying, “We have such diverse ethnicities here, so many other types of cultures. I think He wants me to be more globalized than being stuck in Korea.”

When I ask if she is planning to stay in the U.S., Soh confirms that Hollywood is where she belongs, where she continues to devote herself to God through digital media.

As Asian Americans continue to climb the corporate ladders, something continues to prevent them from breaking through to the top.

By Harsh Vathsangam

The bamboo ceiling has made the promotion of APAs to senior managerial roles at top companies a rare occurrence. Art: Margaret To.

Stereotypically Asian Pacific Americans are known to enter careers as meticulous engineers, life-saving doctors, and mad scientists. But how many Asians become CEOs?

Although Asians make up only 5 percent of the U.S. population, according to a study by the Center for Work-Life Policy, they’re highly represented at some of the most prestigious universities, making up between 15 and 25 percent of Ivy League enrollment.

Yet the impressive credentials and achievements that have caused them to be dubbed “the model minority” aren’t reflected in senior leadership positions.

Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc., recently released a report that stated Asian Americans constitute only 2 percent of board members in Fortune 500 companies, and within these companies there are only nine Asian American CEOs.

The numbers point to a phenomenon known as “The Bamboo Ceiling,” a term that refers to the fact that while Asian Americans find no problem in acquiring prestigious academic degrees, they find it difficult to take the next step up and into senior managerial roles at top companies.

Why can’t Asians break through that bamboo ceiling? It’s certainly not for lack of interest. The CWLP researchers found that 64 percent of Asians compared to 52 percent of their Caucasian counterparts aspire to hold top seats at a company.

Asian family values have stressed hard work, avoiding confrontation, and humble respectfulness. Although these characteristics are positive on their own, these cultural values don’t necessarily match up with success in the cutthroat corporate world.

A popular argument is that these very same characteristics that put Asians on the top of college admissions stacks can work against them when gaining a foothold in corporate America. With these values as the cornerstones of their academic successes, thoughts such as putting one’s ideas forward in meetings, self-promotion, or taking credit for achievements end up being alien concepts.

The result? Often, silence is mistaken for arrogance and unwillingness.

A reason could be lack of mentorship. The CWLP study also found that only 46 percent of Asians say they have a mentor in their professional life compared to more than 60 percent of Caucasians. You can find strategies to help with breaking the bamboo ceiling here.

Another possible cause is that Asian culture places emphasis on eldercare, an activity that could for better or worse take time away from career advancement.

Taking a look at the issue from another perspective reveals more. There are now 61 Chinese and eight Indian companies in the Fortune 500.

With that said, companies with a largely Asian top brass are steadily rising up the rankings and making their presence felt. These numbers are only slated to increase. Conversely, according to Fortune magazine, the number of American companies on this list has been declining from 197 in 2002 to 133 in 2011.

I find myself asking how is it that these companies with Asian CEOs who have the similar cultural values are thriving. But, there is a key difference. It is important to note the distinction between Asians working in Asian companies and Asian Americans working in U.S. companies.

Thus, I argue that it has more to do with the clashing of cultures than any innate inability to perform. Asian Americans need to understand these significant cultural differences and recognize the corporate atmosphere in which they operate if they hope to break through the bamboo ceiling.

Or perhaps we should all book one-way tickets to corporate Asia?

Related Stories —

Science: Breaking through the “bamboo ceiling” for Asian American scientists

NPR: Looking at the ‘bamboo ceiling’

Cornell Chronicle Online: Model minority? A ‘myth of the American dream,’ says panelist at Asian American discussion

Inside Higher Ed: ‘The Myth of the Model Minority’

In the past 50 years, Asian characters in television and film have made small strides towards an honest interpretation of real APAs, but the clichés are not behind us.

By Jeffrey Ledesma

Best

Gold: Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), “Grey’s Anatomy”

The ever-intimidating Dr. Yang is anything but subservient. Photo: ABC.

Hands down and scalpels up, I had to give the gold medal to the fictional surgeon on ABC’s hit television series the number one spot. Yang is a bad-to-the-bone doctor who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She goes against the grain and defies the subservient Asian woman stereotype.

Silver: Michael “Mike” Chang, Jr. (Harry Shum, Jr.), “Glee”

Mike moonwalks onto the number two spot because he’s a football player who can dance like nobody’s business. While it isn’t hard to find an APA on the football team and busting a move on the dance floor, it’s rare to see one doing both on television.

Bronze: Kumar (Kal Penn), Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle

Although Penn’s character is extreme, the portrayal is extremely funny and not what’s expected in East Indian roles. Unlike Dr. Rajesh Ramayan “Raj” Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) of “The Big Bang Theory,” Kumar can talk to girls without drowning himself in alcohol (although alcohol isn’t prohibited) and that is worth a medal in my book.

Worst

Gold: Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), The Hangover

Most APAs would not be proud of any association with Mr. Chow. Photo: Warner Bros.

Mr. Chow highlights the stereotypical emasculation of Asian men. When the three Caucasian protagonists find Chow’s shoe in their car, they comment on how unusual that it is “a men’s size six.” This is later followed by Chow jumping out of the trunk, naked and yelling in a cookie-cutter Asian accent, “You gonna f*** on me?” Overall, it’s distasteful portrait of Asians.

Silver: Ms. Swan (Alex Borstein), MADtv

While Ms. Swan makes me laugh every time, she gets the laughs and the silver medal by pulling from a bunch of stereotypes: slow speech, hard to understand, distrusting, and cheap. My mom would get mad if people saw her this way – so this is for her.

Bronze:  Tricia Takanawa (voiced by Alex Borstein), “Family Guy”

Takanawa speaks in a nasal monotone cadence that Borstein has described as “all presentation and no substance.” She was revealed to be Japanese in “Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story,” but will always be know as “Asian reporter Tricia Takanawa.”

Don’t agree with the ranking? Think another APA character should be thrown into the mix? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Philip Yu, the creator of AngryAsianMan.com, confesses he’s not really angry. But, the media’s overuse of racist Asian stereotypes does get the Korean-American blogger and his followers fired up.

By Ivana Banh

It has been 10 years since Angry Asian Man first emerged on the blogging scene. Today, thousands of people flock to the website daily to update themselves on the Asian American representation in the media.

Philip Yu, the Korean-American mastermind behind the website, covers anything ranging from YouTube’s Chinese American comedian KevJumba to a shooting at San Jose State University that killed a Japanese American student.

Photo courtesy of Philip Yu.

Yu’s master’s degree in critical studies coupled with his passion for pop culture has created an online hub that is both intellectual and entertaining.

Yu said he began AngryAsianMan.com in his early college years with the intention of establishing a personal space to voice his thoughts. Little did he know, his insight on the media’s lack of Asian presence would become an Internet sensation.

Readers appreciate the coverage Yu provides on a population that is usually neglected. His witty perspective on Asians in politics, sports, entertainment, and news has gradually built up an extensive fan base.

Yu’s observations have chronicled the evolution of the portrayal of Asians in the media within the past decade. When the blogger first began, Asians were almost invisible in film and television. A decade later, Yu said he’s grateful to see the presence of Asians in the media increase in number.

However, despite the increase in exposure, the way that Asians are depicted on the big and small screens have changed very little. Stereotypical roles such as the socially inept nerd or the kung-fu karate kid are still prevalent in the current entertainment industry.

It is rare to see actors such as Harry Shum, Jr. star as a football player on Glee and Nikita’s Maggie Q as a rogue secret government agent.

While Yu said he’s not strongly against stereotypical roles as long as they are well-drawn, he does not foresee the formulaic characters disappearing anytime soon.

In addition, the fashion in which Asian America children are brought up plays a major role in the media. Immigrant parents often prefer their children to take the “safe” route in becoming doctors and lawyers.

Acting, or any other artistic careers for that matter, is not a profession that has been deeply rooted in traditional Asian culture. Yu acknowledges that the lack of parental support in any creative field is definitely an additional hurdle that Asian Americans face.

Yu said he’s glad to have raised awareness for the Asian American community through AngryAsianMan.com.

His dedication to the website has earned him a cover on KoreAm magazine and a job as the Asian Pop journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle.

However, Yu does not consider the fame or any title his biggest reward. “The biggest compliment that I receive is when someone comes to me and says I didn’t really know about this issue before and now I want to do something about it,” he said.

What initially began as a channel for Yu to express his personal thoughts has blossomed into a highly influential online hub.

With AngryAsianMan.com’s concoction of political coverage, comedic YouTube clips, and Yu’s personal opinion pieces, Yu said the website’s ultimate goal is to inform, entertain, and activate.

It is safe to say Yu has accomplished his goal as his readership continues to multiply.

Related Stories —

International Examiner: How a blogger created Asian America’s most influential site

Racebending.com: ComicCon 2011 panel video

By Andrew Dang

Staff artist Andrew Dang illustrates different paths by which APA students come to choose majors and later careers.

How does your own journey compare? Was there a Tiger Mom in your midst or were your choices driven by childhood passions? Share your story with us by leaving a comment below.

Most people picture the American Dream as a house surrounded by a white picket fence. For APAs, however, the American Dream is something quite different.

By Tiffany Banh

For most people, the American Dream is summed up in three words: freedom, opportunity and prosperity. The premise remains constant for APAs, but their American dream focuses more on the journey towards success. With little family history in the United States, APAs tend towards ambitious goals as they try to accomplish more in the time that they are given. Their goals range from providing themselves with better futures to moving up the socioeconomic ladder as they make names for themselves in America. In the end, APAs create their own American dream as a measure of success.

APA students from USC describe how they see the American dream:

The journey to success is an important aspect of the American dream for APAs. Photo: Flickr.

1. Jessica Liou, sophomore: “I think the American Dream is an expectation that you strive to make a reality when you immigrate to America. The expectation is that you have a plethora of opportunities to make a better life and living for your family and yourself.”
2. Christopher Liu, junior: “I think the American Dream is having the freedom and ability to achieve anything you want to achieve.”
3. Johnny Jung, sophomore: “The American Dream is the idea that all Americans, given a great deal of initiative and effort, can achieve and experience all the opportunities that America (the world) has to offer. However, in reality, the American Dream proves to be a ‘myth of meritocracy,’ as the ideal never quite meets the realities of America’s social systems.”
4. Andrew Ju, sophomore: “[The American Dream is the idea] that anyone can achieve any measure of success regardless of how little they start with as long as they seek opportunities, work hard, and don’t give up. The sky’s the limit because America is the land of equality and opportunity. [The dream was] designed originally for people with little opportunities and resources.”
5. Jonathan So, sophomore: “[The American Dream] is the notion that anybody can change the conditions of their life and bring themselves up the socioeconomic ladder based purely off of hard work. My family came pursuing the notion of the American Dream, and they have been successful in doing so. I think that it has affected me in my upbringing, but I believe it’s a notion that’s a little bit naïve to take in. Social factors and issues, as well as political greed, play into the fact that it’s merely an unreachable dream for many individuals.”

Thoughts or opinions on (Asian Pacific) American dream? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Asian students have consistently been top scorers on standardized tests.

By Yimu Xue

Asian students are known for their test-taking abilities and school smarts. These academic pressures, however, have instilled a negative tradition as cram schools train students to take standardized tests without teaching them meaningful information. Photo: Flickr.

It was a brisk January morning as I shuffled into line at Irvine Valley College, my local community college. There were a few glum faces I recognized from my high school, deeply wrinkled with worry and cheeks rosy from the cold. Step by step, we all entered a large auditorium-like classroom as volunteers ushered us into seats in a pattern and provided us with pencils and Scantrons.

This was it. This was the time for which we had spent the last two and a half months preparing. Countless Saturday afternoons had been lost to practice slaying the monster that lay in front of me.

A jarring voice over the PA system jolted some weary students alert: “Open your test booklets, and begin. You have 25 minutes for this first section.”

Cram schools have become increasingly popular in the United States in the Asian Pacific American community. These after-school and supplemental educational programs structured on the concept that practice makes perfect have become standard amongst students whose parents insist them on attending. Asian students attend cram schools almost as if it is second nature, especially during high school with important tests like the SAT and ACT.

Like America, in Asia it is common practice to send children after-school to an extra-curricular activity.  Children take art lessons, practice music, play soccer. However, on top of that, children are expected to attend supplemental educational programs that instill good study habits and ensure their progress in school is up to par and even beyond average standards. It is no wonder that young Asian children are stereotypically depicted as bookish, studious, and quiet – they rarely have time to socialize when they are being inundated with quizzes on English vocabulary.

Many a Tiger Mother have insisted on their children being over-prepared to not only maintain their competitive academic edge in their school but also to compete with the top students in the nation. Some invest thousands upon thousands of dollars every year to ensure that their children are getting the best education outside of what is offered in public schools.

“In a public school setting, our children’s individual needs aren’t being met,” one Asian mother notes. “It’s up to us, as parents, to ensure they have the best education for the best future possible.”

Study habits are drilled into children as early as pre-school as they repeatedly are tested on their times tables and English vocabulary words. Students studying at Kumon (the Kumon Method), the world’s largest after-school math and reading enrichment program, are given the same tests over and over again until they have committed everything to pure muscle memory. Seven times eight equals fifty-six is no longer a mathematical equation – it’s a reflex.

Hoards of students flock to test prep centers and cram schools year-round to prepare for a variety of tests. College preparatory courses are offered along with courses in various subjects.

Cram schools demonstrate a large ethnic divide. Stuveyesant High School, one of New York City’s best public schools that accepts only the top 3.7% of students who take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, has a student body made up of 72% of that 3.7% at their school.

It can be argued that Asian students are better at “being coached” to take tests. This is a false statement – everyone gets what their parents pay for.

When I joined the 2100 club at the Elite Educational Institute to prepare for my SAT in November 2007, my base score was a 2090 – after I took the SAT for the first time, I received a 2150. Most people would be very pleased, but I felt disappointed that I just spent $1500 of my mother’s hard-earned wages to improve a mere 60 points, and only 10 points above the score they had guaranteed me. With devout studying techniques and extreme discipline, I vowed to not waste any more money on something that guaranteed an individualized experience when in fact I was thrown into a bundle of teenagers desperate for an Ivy League acceptance letter.

I ended up with a 2320 (750 Critical Reading, 780 Mathematics, and 790 Writing). I scored a perfect score on the Math Level 2 Subject Test, and well above 700 in all my other subjects. It seems that I have been well trained in my testing techniques.

However, all these standardized tests seem to indicate is who paid the most to prepare themselves the best. Asian students have demonstrated their capabilities in over-preparation – however, we must think about what effect this has on the future of our community. With standards so high and college admissions expecting the top scores coming from Asian students, what will happen to those who do not follow the traditional route and take standardized tests without the preparation that cram schools provide?

Related Stories —

New York Magazine: Paper Tigers

Las Vegas Review-Journal: National Merit semifinalist at Coronado not ready to decide on career path

Many APA parents are reluctant to let their children pursue majors in the humanities. They claim that the liberal arts are not a worthwhile way to spend four years of time and tuition. 

By Jennie Zhang

However, an increasing amount of APA college students are becoming humanities majors, and many face the same struggles: is breaking out of the “Asian” mold and defying their parents’ wishes worth pursuing their passions? Are their parents correct when they say that humanities majors have a severe disadvantage in the job market? USC student Yuan Tao hopes to bring these issues to light with her new club AASHA, which targets APAs in the humanities.

USC seniors Yuan Tao and Alex Norby fasten flyers to ramen packages for an AASHA tabling event. Photo: David Hong.

The traditional and often stereotyped road to success for Asians is paved by the pursuit of the sciences, mathematics, engineering, accounting and other quantitative majors that Asian parents either studied themselves or associate with financial stability.

Many APA students admit defeat early on. If their parents are willing to shell out $50,000 a year for college in order to secure a lifetime of happiness for their children, a rough or boring four years is the least they could do to satisfy their parents’ wishes while ensuring a stable future.

Yuan Tao, founder and president of Asian-Americans in the Humanities and Arts (AASHA), disagrees.

Tao, a senior majoring in English, entered USC through the prestigious Baccalaureate/M.D. Program. As part of this program, Tao was guaranteed acceptance to USC’s Keck School of Medicine after college.

She reluctantly matched the pre-medicine track she was on with a major in the biological sciences.

From her first semester, Tao found that she was much less engaged in her science classes than she was in her Thematic Option (TO) honors course, where she was taught by an esteemed English professor and surrounded by peers with similar literary interests.

Tao attributes her longing to study English to not only the class itself, but also to the void she felt when her class ended. “I had no place to do what I was passionate about,” said Tao.

Her TO classes were rare opportunities, exclusive to her experience at USC, where Tao felt she could connect with other humanities-inclined students.

At first, not many of Tao’s friends or family understood her desires.

She said, “I feel like growing up in an Asian American community makes it hard to meet someone who loves literature because most of us are focused on science, business, and other practical career paths.”

USC cultivates a predominantly pre-professional undergraduate community, with approximately one third of the undergraduate population in the business school. Consequently, the decision to major solely in the humanities often raises some eyebrows, especially amongst those from APA backgrounds.

Despite the disparity in the number of APAs in professional curriculums versus the number of APAs pursuing degrees in the liberal arts, many APAs are starting to see that college is the time to explore their interests.

More students are having experiences similar to Tao’s: leaving sheltered homes with their eyes on a solid pre-professional education and stable career, but discovering their true passions after experiencing engaging college classes and meeting compelling professors.

Many APAs ignore this discovery aspect of the typical American college experience because their cultural norms focus on success rather than enjoyment, even when enjoyment of the humanities can lead to success.

Soon, Tao met a few classmates with similar cultural backgrounds and academic situations. She realized that many APAs were potentially interested in pursuing careers in the humanities, but most were either nervous or felt restricted by their parents.

Tao said, “AASHA creates a safe space for people who are going through challenges in pursuing their passion in the arts and humanities.”

She emphasized that AASHA does not pressure students to study humanities but gives support and information to anyone who needs help in making the decision.

AASHA highlights the skills that liberal arts majors develop in critical and analytical thinking.

“To actually develop your analytical intellect, you have to pursue what fits how your mind analyzes things. That is science for some people, and that’s great for them, but for those who don’t fit in that way, they improve much better from staying true to who they are,” said Tao.

Despite her difficult struggle and the critics in her community, Tao convinced her parents and close friends of why she was so adamant about pursuing her love for literature.  They ultimately supported her difficult decision to leave the Baccalaureate/M.D. program and to become an English major.

While this experience was both hard and rewarding, Tao hopes AASHA can help other APA students reach a similar happy ending.

Related Stories —

Mochi Magazine: How I broke free of the Asian stereotype in college

The New York Times: Report challenges Asian-American college stereotypes

By Jeffrey Ledesma

Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Dan Inouye (D-Hawaii) Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) welcome Goodwin Liu before the Senate vote on May 19. Photo: Creative Commons

President Barack Obama made history in 2008 when he defeated Republican rival John McCain by becoming the first African American to head to the White House. With promises of “change we can believe in,” Obama hasn’t ceased to make historical headlines.

About six months after giving his victory speech in Chicago, Obama nominated federal appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor became the first Hispanic and third female member of America’s highest court.

But recently, the Asian American community was denied a similar honor.

Republican senators used a filibuster to block a vote on Goodwin Liu’s nomination to the U.S. 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco since they considered him too liberal. The UC Berkeley law professor would have been the court’s only active or full-time Asian American judge.

If the 40-year-old were confirmed he would have been the only Asian American out of 175 active judges on the appeals courts.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid described Liu as a man living the American dream and a highly successful son of immigrants.

“His integrity has been praised by democrats and republicans,” Reid said. “Not just one or two, but many.”

Despite Reid‘s attempts to combat the filibuster with a long list of praises and qualifications, the Senate rejected cloture with a 52 to 43 vote on May 19.

According to Politico.com, the filibuster will be met with disappointment from both progressives and Asian American groups that advocated for Liu and hoped to see him seated on the Western court that covers a region of the country with a significant Asian American population.

With the exception of Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who supported Liu and Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who voted with the GOP, voting was almost strictly along party lines.

“I stated during the Bush administration that judicial nominations deserved an up-or-down vote, except in ‘extraordinary circumstances,’ and my position has not changed simply because there is a different president making the nominations,” Murkowski said in press release following the vote.

“This is a loss for our country and a deep disappointment for the Asian American community,” Vincent Eng told the LA Times. Eng is an Asian American civil rights advocate.

The successful GOP filibuster appears to have doomed Liu’s chances of becoming the only active Asian American on the court that serves California, Hawaii, Washington and Oregon.

Along with fellow Republicans, the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called Liu too progressive for the position.

“Mr. Liu said he believed that the last presidential election gave liberals, as he put it, quote, ‘a tremendous opportunity to actually get their ideas and the progressive vision of the Constitution and of law into practice.’” McConnell said. “This is repugnant.”

Americans for Limited Government echoed this feeling calling Liu “the most radical nominee to the federal bench in a generation.” Similar in sentiment, the American Center for Law and Justice called the vote “a victory for the rule of law and a sound defeat for judicial activism.”

But not everyone agreed. Many senators believed that the filibuster has set an unfortunate precedent.

“I think the ramifications of this filibuster are going to be long and difficult for those who cause this good man to be filibustered,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer of California on the senate floor.

Berkeley Law Dean Christopher Edley criticized the denial of cloture in a blog posted by Berkeley Law student Jonathan Singer.

“I met just this morning with a delegation of lawyers from China,” said Edley. “I had planned to talk with them about our national pride in having a federal judiciary independent of partisan politics and discuss the efforts of many in China to develop a similar legal culture.”

Edley explained that the situation with Liu’s nomination was upsetting.

“It would have been fraudulent to boast on the very day the Senate cast aside respect for merit,” he added. “The Senate has had up-or-down votes on many Republican nominees far more conservative than Goodwin is ‘liberal.’ It’s shameful.”

Law professor and former prosecutor David Sklansky described Liu as a brilliant scholar and a dedicated public servant.

The American lawyer of Taiwanese decent has been recognized for his writing on constitutional law, education policy, civil rights, and the Supreme Court.

“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to have Goodwin as a colleague, and the students have been fortunate enough to have him as a teacher, know he would have been an exemplary and fair-minded judge,” Sklansky said.

In the end, history was still made as Liu became the first judicial nominee named by President Obama to be successfully filibustered. It was the first successful filibuster of a judicial nominee since 2005.