The Brief

Shen Yun, a performing arts group that tours worldwide and is known for its contentious relationship with the Chinese government, has been accused of forced child labor in a lawsuit brought forth by two former dancers.

The suit was filed last month in a federal district court in New York on behalf of Sun Zan, 32, and Cheng Qing Ling, 28. In a recent interview with NPR, Sun and Cheng said they felt isolated from their families, too afraid to speak up and endured both physical and psychological harm. To this day, they said they are recovering from the physical and emotional toll of their childhood.

The complaint itself alleges that children as young as 13 years old worked grueling 15-hour training schedules at least six days a week, in exchange for little pay and inadequate education. The suit also claims that workers lived under a culture of fear and routinely performed while injured.

A similar suit accusing the dance company of abuse was filed by another former dancer back in November 2024. Both lawsuits came after a New York Times investigation last summer that looked into the Shen Yun enterprise and its treatment of young performers. Both Sun and Cheng were interviewed in the Times' story.

Shen Yun has vehemently denied the allegations detailed in the Times' investigation and lawsuits that have followed. In a statement to NPR, the group firmly rejected that dancers were mistreated or denied medical care, adding that it operates "with integrity" and "committed to upholding the highest artistic and ethical standards."

When asked why he felt compelled to pursue legal action, Sun told NPR, " I just want to be the person that should have been there when I was a kid."

"In our view, this lawsuit offers a chance to hold the powerful accountable for exploiting that kind of vulnerability," said attorney Carol Merchasin, who is representing Sun and Cheng.

What is Shen Yun?

Shen Yun was formed in New York in 2006 by a group of classic Chinese artists looking to revive traditional Chinese culture — or, as the company advertises, "China before communism" — through dance, music and storytelling.

Shen Yun is deeply intertwined with the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong, which centers on self-improvement and meditation. The movement was founded in the early '90s by Li Hongzhi, who was also named a defendant in Cheng and Sun's lawsuit, as well as the one filed in November.

The Chinese government has banned the practice of Falun Gong, accusing the movement of being a cult. As a result, practitioners of Falun Gong have faced persecution in China, with thousands imprisoned or sent to labor camps, according to a Human Rights Watch report. Shen Yun performances are also not allowed in China.

Since its inception, the dance group has toured in 36 countries and reached over a million people annually, according to the company. Shen Yun has performed in some of the world's most prestigious theaters including the Lincoln Center in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

What the lawsuit says

At around age 13, Cheng left her family and home in New Zealand in 2010 to join the Shen Yun dance company in the U.S. Her decision to join was driven by a desire to make her mother — a devoted Falun Gong follower — proud, she told NPR. But over the next five years, the lawsuit claims, Cheng lived in fear, especially of making mistakes or underperforming at dance rehearsals.

" I was in such a survival mode," she told NPR. " 'Oh, thank God at least I'm not the one that's being hit this time. Oh, thank God I'm not being verbally abused this time.' That was the only thing you could focus on and not really, 'Hm, could I have been treated better?'"

Sun, who is also from New Zealand, joined in 2008 at age 15. According to the suit, Sun was invited to New York for a three-month trial period at the group's compound in New York. The suit alleges that, at one point, the instructors forced Sun into a side split, causing internal bleeding and several tears to his leg muscles, which resulted in "extreme pain for several weeks."

After the trial period, Sun became a full-time student at Shen Yun's affiliated religious school Fei Tian Academy, where his long workdays were mainly devoted to dance training, the suit claims.  

"Back then I didn't feel like I really had a choice," he told NPR. "I was kind of just led there — all these adults telling me this is the best thing you can do."

The suit alleges that Shen Yun leaders warned Cheng that "complaining or speaking up would be harmful," while Sun was told his life would be meaningless if he left. After about seven years, Sun was terminated from Shen Yun in 2015 because he was "caught interacting with girls," according to the suit. That year, Cheng was also let go after doing a stint at the costume factory.

Years after parting from Shen Yun, both Sun and Cheng, who are now married to each other, said they are still in the process of healing emotionally and physically.

"You think you can kind of run away from this, but you actually can't, you know?" Sun said. "You're so hurt and so damaged."

For Cheng, one of the toughest challenges has been forgiving her parents, who she said did not protect her from years of hardship.

"At the same time, I do feel like I can't really blame my parents as well," she said. "Because at some point in their life they thought Falun Gong was the right thing for them and hence the right thing for me."

Shen Yun's response

In a statement to NPR, Shen Yun argued that its success depends on healthy dancers, and that they ensure their performers have access to medical care, including physical therapy and rehabilitation, both during rehearsals and on tour.

The company added that it takes its young dancers' education seriously, arguing that students at Fei Tian Academy consistently perform well on standardized tests.

Shen Yun also argued that the dance company and more broadly, Falun Gong, have been under attack by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for decades through harassment and disinformation. In February, the Kennedy Center had to be evacuated following a bomb threat targeting Shen Yun. The source of the threat remains unclear.

Shen Yun also pointed to a petition made last year, signed by over 1,550 individuals, including current and former performers as well as family members, in support of the dance group. The petition called for the U.S. Justice Department to "investigate sources of this foreign malign influence campaign and bring to justice those behind it."

"While a small number of individuals who were performers with Shen Yun many years ago are now helping to spread the CCP's narrative, we are grateful for the large number of our performers who are publicly standing up for us despite CCP pressure," Shen Yun said in a statement to NPR.
Copyright 2025 NPR

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Companies backing data center construction are flooding Sacramento with cash, hoping to stop or defang seven bills that would regulate the facilities as they head toward approval in the California Legislature this week.

The pro-data-center spenders include Big Tech companies like Amazon and AI titan Anthropic. But they are led, dollar-wise, by old school utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric, which earlier this year clocked its second biggest lobbying quarter since 1999.

The financial push comes a year after four bills that attempted to regulate data centers died or were diluted after lobbying from the industry. But as artificial intelligence fuels an unprecedented facility buildout, public backlash is transforming data center construction into a major issue for candidates in upcoming elections.

A May Gallup poll found seven in 10 Americans oppose data center construction in their communities, while a Public Policy Institute of California poll in July found similar opposition statewide. Rising public anxiety over utility costs, water use, and grid strain has driven California lawmakers to propose strict new data center rules — igniting a high-stakes lobbying push by the industry.

Hundreds of cities have considered or passed project bans this year, including in Monterey Park, where voters passed a ballot measure to permanently ban data centers, and Bay Area cities like Pittsburg, which backtracked on approvals following public outcry.

State law requires businesses and groups that engage in lobbying to report their overall quarterly spending, but does not require a breakdown of exactly how much is being spent on each bill. An analysis by CalMatters of lobbying activity for the first six months of 2026 found that utilities, tech companies and their proxies have spent millions of dollars lobbying state lawmakers, with data center bills emerging as a primary focus.

By Monday, it will be clear which bills made it out of the Legislature and onto Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature or veto by the end of September.

The fate of the measures could have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only data center development but environmental regulation, utility rates, and how freely California’s tech giants can operate in the state. Nationally, advocates and lawmakers agree that California’s regulation around data centers could be an important bellwether for how similar fights will play out elsewhere.

“The level of awareness is through the roof, and the level of concern and sensitivity is through the roof — it's bipartisan, it's national, and it's across the board,” California Sen. Steve Padilla, a Democrat from Chula Vista who is author of two pending data center bills, told CalMatters.

Who is lobbying on data centers?

During the first half of 2026, Amazon paid more than $500,000 to lobby lawmakers on 33 pieces of legislation, including several data center bills and matters related to antitrust and artificial intelligence. Amazon spent more than $1.7 million lobbying in California last year.

Meanwhile, AI company Anthropic, which sent its first lobbyists to Sacramento last year, has spent nearly $90,000 to influence decisions made by the California Legislature so far this year and, according to the Financial Times, nearly tripled its federal lobbying spend in the same time period. Last year, Anthropic spent over $200,000 lobbying in the state.

Although Anthropic paid a lobbyist to influence lawmakers decisionmaking on data centers, a spokesperson said the company does not support or oppose any specific bills in California. The company, the spokesperson said, is also interested in working with lawmakers “on AI safety and other relevant issues." Representatives for Amazon did not respond to a request for comment from CalMatters.

Utility giant PG&E’s latest filing shows that it spent $2.86 million lobbying in California between April and June — its second highest quarter since 1999 (only surpassed since then by 2018, the year of the deadliest wildfire in state history, later linked to its equipment). A spokesperson for PG&E said the company has engaged on a “broad scope” of issues facing the industry during this legislative session, adding that “less than 5% of our spending was on data-center related issues,” amounting to approximately $143,000.

Groups acting as proxies for data center operators and tech companies have been especially active this year in California’s capitol, critics say. Business interests say they are trying to ground policy conversations in reality.

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Other utilities, like Southern California Edison, and unions representing utility workers, like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, have also invested in lobbying efforts on the bills.

Utilities providers are particularly motivated to influence bills because the development of new data centers represents a historic opportunity for expansion and grid upgrades, according to Matthew Freedman, senior staff attorney for The Utility Reform Network. Under the current regulatory framework, he said, the cost of expanding transmission lines is spread across all grid users, which means everyday consumers foot the bill.

But several of this year’s data center bills would change that, shifting costs back toward data center operators. “The groups that have been the strongest opponents of the bills this year include the proxies for the data centers and the tech companies,” Freedman said, referring to industry groups such as the Data Center Coalition, Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the California Chamber of Commerce. “They serve as a mouthpiece for the tech industry.”

Filings do not show that tech giants like Google, OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft are lobbying lawmakers directly on data centers this session. Instead, the business groups Freedman referenced, which represent the Big Tech firms, carry the weight.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which represents companies including Apple and Amazon, has so far spent over $100,000 lobbying on bills including the various data center measures this year and is on track for its highest annual lobbying spend since tracking began in 2005.

The Data Center Coalition, which counts companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI among its members, has logged its second and third highest-ever spending quarters so far this year. It has spent roughly $60,000 lobbying state lawmakers and the governor’s office to voice opposition to nearly every bill that would regulate data centers.

The bills and the backlash 

The measures before the Legislature this session include:

• Bills to shift electric infrastructure costs toward data center operators and away from residential customers: SB 1168, SB 886 and AB 2383.
• Bills mandating disclosures or estimates of water usage (and sometimes usage of other resources): AB 2619 and two bills that cleared the Legislature Thursday, AB 1577 and AB 2469.
• SB 887, which would require all data center projects to undergo environmental reviews and offer fast-tracked approval for facilities that meet standards for water and energy conservation.

Business interests opposed to the bills argue they would stifle tech companies’ ability to innovate and compete, tie up critical infrastructure in red tape and unfairly burden the construction of data centers versus the construction of other types of projects.

Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Ahmad Thomas told CalMatters that he sees public debate over data centers as fueled by “strong anti-AI sentiment,” and that industry groups like his aim to “ground the conversation in reality” about the ways consumers rely on data center infrastructure for everyday services.

Advocacy groups counter that transparency is vital to protect the environment and public resources, and that everyday consumers should not be affected by increased infrastructure and utilities costs.

Britt Smith, who is part of a community group organizing against a controversial $2 billion Amazon data center project in Gilroy south of San Jose, said corporate opponents of the bills are “spending so much because there’s so much at stake,” adding, “Our future, our safety, is not for sale.”

This robust fight stands in stark contrast to last year, when the only bill signed into law was stripped down to just a requirement for state energy regulators to publish an environmental impact study on data centers’ electricity demand. Newsom also vetoed a water usage disclosure bill, citing concerns that regulation could stifle AI growth.

Whether this year's intensified lobbying will yield similar results remains uncertain, but lawmakers say shifting voter sentiment heading into the midterms has altered the political landscape.

“When you're looking down the barrel of public outcry that says we don't want [data centers] at all, and you've got localities that are saying they’re going to ban them, then you know the atmosphere has changed,” Assemblymember Diane Papan, a San Mateo Democrat who authored two of the bills, told CalMatters. “We are in a totally different environment this year.”

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

Topline:

Why oysters? Oysters filter and improve water quality … and can help prevent coastal erosion. Yet native species have been nearly wiped out since the Gold Rush era sparked overharvesting and coastal development. The nonprofit Orange County Coastkeeper has been working to restore oysterbeds along the OC coast for more than a decade.

What to expect: Oysterpalooza will feature speakers highlighting the group’s restoration efforts, as well as local food, beer and sustainable product vendors. Of course, there will be oyster tasting too!

The details: You can join a beach cleanup beforehand at 9 a.m., or just get straight to the party, which starts Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. at Sunset Beach Community Center in Huntington Beach. Sign up for the beach cleanup and get full festival details here.

Go deeper: Your shucked oysters could help shore up the Orange County coast

After opening a modern Korean pub called Yi Cha in 2025, chef Debbie Lee decided to pay homage to her heritage with Mokja, this time serving Korean goods and convenience.

Lee sat down with AirTalk Friday host Austin Cross to talk about her vision for gourmet Korean style snacks in L.A.

Grab-and-go convenience with a twist

Lee says the idea behind Mokja was to take the model of American convenience stores and blend it with Korean flavors.

It’s a place for people who want to grab something for the road, stop by for a quick snack or even meal prep for the week. The store also partnered with Frank and Michele La, creators of Be Bright Coffee, to offer Korean-style coffee drinks to pair with the snacks.

Daru Yu, Frank La, Debbie Lee and Michelle La

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The Korean word Mokja translates to "let's eat."

“If your mom or your grandma was calling you over the table, they'd say, ‘Bali Mokja,’ which means, ‘Hurry, let's eat’”

What you’ll find at Mokja

One of the quick, to-go items you’ll find is Lee’s northern style mandu dumplings, stuffed with fatty pork and shrimp and inspired by her grandmother’s recipe.

Build your own ramen tray

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Build your own Ramen station

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Grab n' Go Banchan

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For optimal convenience, the king-sized dumplings are offered in the grab-and-go fridge. Lee recommends popping them in the microwave at the store and enjoying them with a coffee.

Mokja also features a make-your-own ramen station, which Lee says has become incredibly popular for families with kids.

Korean hand pies with southern flair

One of the highlights on the menu is the oxtail hand pie, which features a braised Korean-style oxtail known as kkori-jjim. It’s inspired by southern soul food influences her parents picked up on.

Braised Oxtail aka “Gori Jjim” Hand Pie

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“My mom learned how to cook from the Black cooks in Jackson, Mississippi, and she learned good old soul Southern food.”

Kimchee Cheese Biscuits

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Yuja Cha Ice Box Pie

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Lee said Mokja is all about telling the story through food.

The restaurant also features other Korean/Southern fusion, including a Yuju cha ice box pie and Kimchi cheese biscuits.

State lawmakers have reached a deal that would provide school districts some relief from the costs of childhood sexual abuse lawsuits filed after a 2020 law allowed victims to sue for abuse by public employees going back decades, EdSource has learned.

It was not immediately clear Thursday afternoon whether the last-minute deal, brokered days before the legislative session is set to end on Aug. 31, has enough support to reach Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

At issue is Assembly Bill 218, a law that lifted the statute of limitations to sue for childhood sexual abuse and enabled a blitz of costly litigation against schools and public agencies. In some cases, victims have received tens of millions of dollars for sexual assaults and abuses they say took place decades ago at the hands of teachers and other public employees.

Details of the deal are included in amendments made to Senate Bill 577 co-authored by Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz. According to the amended bill text, the deal would raise the legal standard required for people who are 40 years or older to sue for sexual assaults that occurred before Jan. 1, 2024. It also calls for schools and other agencies to have sexual assault prevention plans and codes of conduct.

“California stands with survivors, whose voices have shaped this process every step of the way, and the Legislature is taking action to defend and preserve survivors’ path to justice — that is not negotiable,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, said in a statement. “With this solution, the state is safeguarding schools and public services, while investing in prevention and protecting against future abuse. California is committed to the safety of every child.”

The amendments do not appear to address a limit or cap on jury awards or settlement amounts for childhood sexual abuse cases in the state. Caps were a major demand from public agencies, including schools, counties and obscure agencies called joint powers authorities that serve as insurance pools for school districts.

Laird, who had attempted to pass an AB 218 reform bill last year, said in a phone interview Thursday evening that the negotiations that led to the compromise were difficult. Putting a complete cap on settlement amounts “was a bridge too far” for many lawmakers, Laird said.

Troy Flint, spokesperson for the California School Boards Association, said the group was grateful for lawmakers’ efforts, but added that it’s “highly questionable” whether the deal would do enough to prevent school districts from getting slammed with seven-figure settlements.

“We’re grateful to Speaker Rivas and Pro Tem (Monique) Limón for their efforts to address this issue,” Ben Adler, director of public affairs for the California State Association of Counties, said in a statement. “It’s clear the status quo is broken, and the unintended consequences have grown out of control.”