First Asian American becomes federal judge in western New York – AsAmNews

Meredith Vacca testified at her confirmation hearingScreengrab from U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee video

On Wednesday, Monroe County Court Judge Meredith Vacca made history as the first woman of color and the first Asian American to be appointed as a federal judge in western New York.

The Senate confirmed Vacca, a 43-year-old Korean American Democrat, as the first woman of color to serve in the western New York federal court district. It spans 17 counties from the Pennsylvania border to the hubs of Rochester and Buffalo.

The confirmation, passed with a vote of 50 to 41, also saw some support from Republican senators.

In support of Vacca’s nomination, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said in a statement “As a Korean American who was adopted at six months old and comes from a family of attorneys, she has a unique perspective and deep commitment to equal justice for all.”

Vacca graduated from Colgate University and SUNY Buffalo Law School, then served as a prosecutor in the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office from 2007 until her election to county court in 2020. During this time, she handled serious cases of child abuse and domestic violence.

Source: First Asian American becomes federal judge in western New York – AsAmNews

Eine vergessene Geschichte aus meiner Jugendzeit / … A forgotten story from my youth – Stella, oh, Stella

Mein Onkel / my uncle

Als ich mal wieder Jill Dennisons Geschichten über „gute Menschen, die gute Taten tun“ las, erinnerte ich mich plötzlich an etwas, das ich selber erlebt habe, als ich mit 18 Jahren von zuhause auszog, weil ich einfach nicht mehr mit meiner Mutter unter einem Dach leben konnte und dadurch finanziell sehr eingeschränkt war.

Aus heiterem Himmel bekam ich auf einmal Briefumschläge mit Geld zugeschickt, einmal im Monat, immer der gleiche Betrag, der mir half, durch den Monat zu kommen. Sie wurden von verschiedenen Orten verschickt, so dass es nicht sehr einfach war herauszufinden, wer der Absender war. Aber letztendlich gelang es mir: es war mein Onkel, der Halbbruder meiner Mutter.

Als wir darüber sprachen, sagte er zu mir, dass er kein Dankeschön haben möchte. Er würde es vorziehen, wenn ich stattdessen jemand anderem auf ähnliche Weise helfen würde, wenn die Möglichkeit sich böte. Ich war in der Lage, genau das für zwei Leute zu tun, als ich anfing, mein eigenes Geld zu verdienen. Beide fanden nach einiger Zeit heraus, dass ich es war (eine Cousine und ein Cousin von mir), und ich sagte das Gleiche wie mein Onkel damals zu ihnen. Auf diese Weise werden gute Taten verbreitet und vervielfacht.

Kleine Akte der Freundlichkeit sind ziemlich einfach durchzuführen. Wenn man beobachtet, dass jemandem einige wenige EUR, USD oder welche Währung auch immer fehlen, um für ihre Einkäufe, ihre Bus- oder Bahnfahrkarte oder ähnlichem zu bezahlen, und sie offensichtlich nicht wissen, wie sie die Situation handhaben sollen, hilf ihnen. Und erwarte nicht unbedingt enthusiastische Dankeskundgebungen; manche Leute können das nicht.

Eine weitere Situation, als ich 15 Jahre alt war, begegnete mir auf einem U-Bahnsteig. Dort ging ein Türke, der offensichtlich gerade Lebensmittel eingekauft hatte. Er trug zwei dieser schrecklichen Plastiktüten, deren Handgriffe in die Finger schneiden. Der Handgriff einer Tüte riss, und Kartoffeln und Apfelsinen rollten in alle Richtungen auf dem Bahnsteig. Ich dachte eigentlich gar nicht, sondern begann einfach die Objekte zu fangen und aufzusammeln. Eine meiner Freundinnen half mit, und ganz schnell konnten wir dem Mann seine Lebensmittel wiedergeben. Er war dankbar, verlegen und verwirrt. Höchstwahrscheinlich war ihm noch nicht viel Freundlichkeit begegnet als Türke in Deutschland (Fremdarbeiterprobleme).

Kleidung und andere Gegenstände, die man nicht mehr benötigt, und die noch in gutem Stand sind bzw. noch funktionieren, kann man an das Rote Kreuz oder andere Organisationen spenden. In Dänemark haben wir das Blaue Kreuz, eine Organisation, die Kindern aus Familien helfen, die auf Grund von Alkoholproblemen der Eltern funktionsgestört sind. Mehr als 200.000 Kinder sind im kleinen Dänemark davon betroffen, und das sind nur die, von denen man es weiss. Die Dunkelziffer ist sicherlich höher. Man kann auch zuerst bei den Organisationen schauen, wenn man etwas kaufen möchte und so ihre Sache unterstützen.

Wenn du dein Sandwich oder was auch immer nicht aufessen kannst, biete es einer Obdachlosen Person an.

Freiwillige Arbeit in Suppenküchen oder anderen Organisationen sind auch Alternativen, die sich hilfreich auswirken.

Die Möglichkeiten sind zahllos.

*********************************************************************

ENGLISH

When I read the stories about good people doing good deeds on Jill Dennison’s blog, I suddenly remembered something I experienced myself when I had moved out from home with 18, because I simply couldn’t live with my mother under one roof anymore, and was financially very much strained.

Out of the blue, I started to receive envelopes with money in them, one every month, always the same amount, which helped me to get through the month. They were posted from different places, so it was hard to find out who it was, but in the end I did: it had been my uncle all along, my mother’s half brother.

When we talked about it, he said to me that he didn’t want any thanks, he would prefer that, when the time came, I would help somebody needy in the same way. I was able to do just that for two people when I started to earn my own money. They also found out in the end (a girl and a boy cousin of mine), and I told them the same thing that my uncle had told me. This way good deeds spread and multiply.

It is quite easy to do small acts of kindness, actually. If you notice that people lack a few EUR, USD or whatever to pay their groceries, their train or bus fare or similar, and it is obvious that they don’t know how to handle the situation, help them. And don’t necessarily expect big displays of gratitude; some people cannot do it.

Another instance from when I was 15 years old happend on an underground platform. There was a Turkish man who had been grocery shopping, carrying two of these awful plastic bags that cut into your fingers. The handles of one bag broke, and potatoes and oranges were rolling into all directions on the platform. I didn’t really think much, just started hunting and collecting the objects. A friend of mine joined in, and in no time we could give the man his items back. He was grateful, embarrassed and flustered. Most probably he hadn’t met much kindness yet as a Turk in Germany (foreign workers problems).

Clothes and other items that you don’t need anymore and that are still in good shape / working, you can donate to the Red Cross or other charity organizations. In Denmark we have the Blue Cross that helps the children of families that are dysfunctional because of the parents‘ alcohol problems. There are more than 200,000 children affected in little Denmark, and those are only the known ones, unofficial statistics will be worse. You could also look at charities first to buy items you need and therewith support their cause.

If you cannot eat your sandwich or whatever, offer it to a homeless person.

Voluntary work at soup kitchens or other organisations are also alternatives that have helping effects.

The possibilities are endless.

Source: Eine vergessene Geschichte aus meiner Jugendzeit / … A forgotten story from my youth – Stella, oh, Stella

Trump hush money case gag order to stay in place, N.Y. appeals court rules – National | Globalnews.ca

A five-judge panel ruled that trial Judge Juan M. Merchan was correct in keeping parts of the gag order until Trump is sentenced because the case is still pending and his conviction doesn’t constitute a change in circumstances that would warrant lifting it.

“The fair administration of justice necessarily includes sentencing,” the judges wrote.

Source: Trump hush money case gag order to stay in place, N.Y. appeals court rules – National | Globalnews.ca

Agosto – O Outro Lado

Era um sol de agosto desenfeiando tudo e dando um ar de era possível (ainda).
Luciane Recieri

Luci,

hoje lembrei-me de você. Já era para ter te escrito antes, mas os dias se perderam uns dentro dos outros e quando dei por mim, já era agosto. Queria ter te contado sobre minha ida ao lugar do meu pai – ou seria meu? – e dizer que tudo parece tão igual, Luci… Parece que ele ainda está no salão de tijolos expostos, sentado em sua cadeira de rodas a esperar o sol se por.

Daquele canto, Luci, bem rente à porta, o sol se escondendo fica visível, por que o muro é baixo e o beiral, um pouco maior do que os outros muros da rua. Fiquei horas ali, Luci, compondo memórias para dias iguais. Lembrei-me do seu pai também… tinha um estuque verde na parede da casa vizinha à de minha irmã, que não teve como não me lembrar de que foi assim que começou nosso diálogo.

Sabe, Luci, em muitos momentos dessa viagem lembrei-me de você. Teve tantos momentos que apontei para você, como se estivesse ali, comigo. Um deles foi quando descobri um tatu e ele se transformou em um amigo… Você precisava ver a cena dele dando uns pulinhos quando eu tocava ele no casco.

Acho que essa viagem, Luci, serviu para a saudade explodir na pele. O lugar do meu pai, a casa do meu irmão e o sítio onde os vagalumes bailam a noite toda e dá para vê-los mesmo em noite de lua cheia. Acho que senti ali, a mesma solidão sua de criança… e isso, nos liga mesmo tão longe fisicamente.

Agosto chega ardente, Luci! E logo já será setembro… mas ainda é o primeiro dia desse agosto que já arde tanto. Acho que era isso que eu queria te falar.

beijo meu,
Mariana Gouveia

Source: Agosto – O Outro Lado

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