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JOE BIDEN - WASHINGTON. Malaysia's Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh was one of 19 people to receive the US Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday (May 3).
Others who received the highest US civilian award from President Joe Biden included Team USA swimmer and Olympic champion Katie Ledecky, assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue.
In presenting Yeoh with the medal at the White House, Biden said she has "shattered stereotypes and glass ceilings to enrich and enhance American culture".
"Her roles transcend gender, cultures and languages, from martial arts to romantic comedies, to science fiction, to show us what we all have in common," he added.
"As the first Asian actor to win an Oscar as best actress, she bridges cultures not only to entertain, but also inspire and open hearts. And that's what she keeps doing. Congratulations.”
The 60-year-old actress made history in March 2023 by becoming the first Asian to win a best actress trophy at the Academy Awards for playing Evelyn Wang in the sci-fi comedy film Everything Everywhere All At Once.
The honoree list plays special homage to "firsts" in their field.
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"Don't let age get in your way," Biden said to seven-time Olympic gold medalist Ledecky, as he encouraged her to seek more medals.
"Katie, age is just a number, kid. And I and I can't wait to welcome you back to the White House with more medals from Team USA. I really mean it.”
Other winners included Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space; and Jim Thorpe, the versatile athlete who became the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal in 1912.
Biden also celebrated some key political allies in the Democratic Party, from Representative Jim Clyburn, who rescued his 2020 presidential primary bid with an endorsement in South Carolina, to Nancy Pelosi, who shepherded his legislative agenda through Congress as House of Representatives speaker until last year.
Before placing the award around the neck of Pelosi, 84, Biden said that "history will remember Nancy as the greatest speaker of the House of Representatives".
"On Jan 6, Nancy stood in the breach and defended democracy," said Biden, who has repeatedly bashed Trump for what he says is the former president's fueling of the Capitol assault.
Pelosi also led efforts to impeach Trump over the assault.
Also included in the honours list are several one-time presidential candidates, former senator Elizabeth Dole, former vice president Al Gore, one-time secretary of state John Kerry and previous New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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"After winning the popular vote, he accepted the outcome of a disputed presidential election for the sake of unity and trust in our institutions," Biden said of Gore's concession to George W Bush in the 2000 election, a jab at ex-president Donald Trump, who has never conceded his 2020 loss to Biden.
"That to me was amazing what you did, Al. I won't go into that." The remark drew some laughter.
"In my view, the last two guys should be standing here at this podium," Biden said of Gore and Kerry.
Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman who strayed from the Republican Party he once called home, may become an important financial backer of the president's 2024 reelection campaign.
Biden also honoured Father Greg Boyle, a Catholic priest who founded the gang intervention programme Homeboy Industries; Opal Lee, an activist who pushed for Juneteenth to be a holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States; Senator Frank Lautenberg, a consumer safety advocate; astrophysicist Jane Rigby; United Farm Workers president Teresa Romero; LGBT advocate Judy Shepard; and Clarence B Jones, who helped draft Dr Martin Luther King, Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech.
