Saturday, September 29, 2012

Blacklava Shout-Outs to Asia America for 20 Year Anniversary



Congratulations Ryan Suda on Blacklava's 20th anniversary! So honored to be a part of the celebration and art exhibit.

from Angry Asian Man:

blacklava 20th anniversary celebration, september 29

omg I'm listed as a "notable artist" in this article! Congratulations Ryan Suda Blacklava on your 20th anniversary! I am so excited to be a part of your art exhibit and your celebration! Thanks for all you do for our community!

Blacklava Shout-Outs to Asia America for 20 Year Anniversary

more about Blacklava. this is what i said before, we're all doing the same work, just different mediums...

Wearing Asian American Culture On Our (Short-) Sleeves | Commentary | SoCal Focus | KCET

Friday, September 28, 2012

2012 Advancing Justice Conference "The Vincent Chin case: Made in Michigan."

2012 Advancing Justice Conference Screening of "Vincent Who?" followed by discussion with Michigan AAPI leaders, moderated by Curtis Chin, Friday 11:30-1:00

Working lunch warm up to the afternoon’s plenary session. Get up to speed on the details of the Vincent Chin case from American Citizens for Justice and the folks who were there at the time. Why did the Vincent Chin case happen in Michigan? What legal changes have occurred because of the case? What are the lessons learned, especially regarding media and coalition building? What are the demographics and changing identity of the Michigan AAPI community, then and now? What are the unique challenges of being AAPI in Michigan today? What are Michigan AAPI leaders doing today? Focus on Michigan. Detroit. Local. Autos. Then. And Now.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Chicago is the World » Mooncakes and Yo-Yos

Getting ready for the moonfestival this Sunday with mooncakes and YoYos at Chicago is the World:
We were going to have an moonlit picnic at the park — teriyaki chicken musubi, steamed little dragon buns, a thermos of hot jasmine tea, and of course, plenty of mooncakes. Thirteen-year-old Hao Hao had already written up a grocery list (which suspiciously includes “Pocky — 1,000,000 boxes”). We had four pink and green paper lanterns and candles from Vietnam, one for each of the kids. It was going to be a rare Saturday night with everyone together, just to sit and eat as a family and look at the beautiful full moon, the Harvest Moon, while composing a poem or two for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (basically, Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean Thanksgiving or Oktoberfest … but without the beer).
But then rain was forecast.

click on link for whole article: Chicago is the World » Mooncakes and Yo-Yos

The Great Chuseok Party - Ann Arbor Observer

Great event coming this Saturday afternoon, and they will be doing it Gangnam Style! 

The children and I had kites on the brain last year (from the U-M Center for Chinese Studies' fiftieth anniversary kite festival), so the first thing we noticed as we walked up to the Nam Center for Korean Studies' first Great Chuseok Party was all the little children running up and down the sidewalk in front of the School of Social Work Building. They were flying large rectangular white kites with sturdy stays, a big circle cut out of the center, and several tails. The kites fluttered, flew, crashed, fluttered, flew, crashed. The children kept running. I picked up an abandoned kite and examined how differently this Korean kite was constructed from the Chinese kites I had been learning to make.
Chuseok (pronounced choo-sock) is a Korean harvest festival that usually falls in September or October. Much like Thanksgiving and Moon Festival and Sukkot, it is a time for families to come together and celebrate the end of the harvest season. Just like we always have turkey at Thanksgiving, a big family feast with special Chuseok foods is also at the center of this holiday. Children play favorite games. Everyone takes time to enjoy the beauty of the full moon, the largest of the year (it's known as the harvest moon in the West).

click on link for whole article: The Great Chuseok Party - Ann Arbor Observer

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

BEST. LOVE LETTER. EVER. National Film Society Awesome Asian Bad Guys


BEST. LOVE LETTER. EVER. National Film Society is so absolutely awkwardly adorkable one cannot not want to support their Awesome Asian Bad Guys project "An action/comedy series about two offbeat filmmakers, a volatile group of Asian bad guys & one impossible mission." Badass fun! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nationalfilmsociety/awesome-asian-bad-guys

Monday, September 24, 2012

Last day of the #170in7 bone marrow donor cyberdrive



Today is the last day of the #170in7 bone marrow donor cyberdrive so I wanted to post the updated information again... Read this touching article by one of Janet's friends at Racebending. And Register today!  Racebending: 170 in 7: a bone marrow cyberdrive in memory of Janet Liang



About
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer and the most common cancer to affect children and young teens. Treatment to save a leukemia patient’s life often requires a bone marrow transplant from a “perfect match” donor – a donor whose blood matches a recipient’s blood for 10 separate genetic markers.
Unfortunately, Asian American and other non-White leukemia patients are much less likely to find a “perfect match” donor than White leukemia patients. This is because Asian Americans and other minorities are significantly underrepresented in Be The Match, the national bone marrow registry used to search for and match potential bone marrow donors with recipients.
Janet made it her mission to register Asian American bone marrow donors, and thanks in part to her efforts, at least 18 bone marrow matches were made to recipients nationwide. However, last week, Janet passed away without finding a perfect match for herself. Today, many other Asian American leukemia patients are still waiting to find their perfect match, like 2-year-old Jeremy who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. To celebrate Janet’s life and her legacy, we want to register 170 new potential bone marrow donors in Janet’s name in just 7 days.
Be one of the 170 in 7:
Registration is free for the donor, convenient and secure. Here’s how to be one of the 170 in 7:
  1. Click on the link: http://join.bethematch.org/TeamJanet. Fill out the forms to request a free, do-it-yourself cheek swab kit.
  2. Tweet about it using #170in7 to be counted!  Click the button to send a Tweet to your followers: If you don’t have a Twitter account, send an email to jenn [at] reappropriate [dot] co to be counted!
And that’s it! Less than ten minutes of your time can help you save a life!
Donor FAQ
In about one month, a cheek swab kit will be sent to you in the mail, along with instructions and a pre-paid return envelope. Follow the instructions to swab your cheeks and return the kit. If you are matched (only 1 in 540 registered donors are ever matched), you will then be contacted and asked if you would like to donate your bone marrow. Registering is not a commitment that you must donate; it is only to help match recipients with potential donors.
Most donors are never matched. But if you are matched and if you do choose to donate your bone marrow, that donation is likely to save a young person’s life.
Other Ways to Help Out: Donate to AADP and/or to the Liang family
Donor registration is free for the donor because AADP and other non-profit organizations cover the costs of donor registration through charitable donations. If you are unable to register as a bone marrow donor, please donate to AADP to help fund registration costs for other donors, or to the Liang family (PayPal account using helpingjanet@gmail.com as the recipient, or checks payable to “Janet Liang” sent to PO box 1526, Pleasanton CA 94566).
Other Ways to Help Out: Spread the Word
If you are already registered, please help spread the word about the 170 in 7 bone marrow cyberdrive through Twitter and Facebook. If you would like to join your site to this partnership or if you would like more information about the 170 in 7 bone marrow cyberdrive, please go here.
Partnership
To add your site to the list, please go here.
***
About the Drive
170 in 7 will be running from September 17, 2012 to September 24, 2012. Our goal is to register 170 new potential bone marrow donors in 7 days in memory of Janet Liang.
To Partner
We would love to add more partners to this week-long bone marrow donor cyberdrive. To join, please contact Jenn for more information.
To Spread the Word
Please Tweet about the campaign using the hashtag #170in7. The following buttons and banners are available for use with this campaign: 150 px168px200 px500 px.
Please return to this post for aggregated and updated information on the campaign.
***


Janet Liang Memorial Posts:
Monday’s Posts (Sept 17):
Tuesday’s Posts (Sept 18):
Wednesday’s Posts (Sept 19):
Thursday’s Posts (Sept 20):
Friday’s Posts (Sept 21):

Sunday, September 23, 2012

"The Vincent Chin case: Made in Michigan." Advancing Justice 2012 Conference Vincent Who? Screening




2012 Advancing Justice Conference Screening of "Vincent Who?" followed by discussion with Michigan AAPI leaders, moderated by Curtis Chin, Friday 11:30-1:00

Working lunch warm up to the afternoon’s plenary session. Get up to speed on the details of the Vincent Chin case from American Citizens for Justice and the folks who were there at the time. Why did the Vincent Chin case happen in Michigan? What legal changes have occurred because of the case? What are the lessons learned, especially regarding media and coalition building? What are the demographics and changing identity of the Michigan AAPI community, then and now? What are the unique challenges of being AAPI in Michigan today? What are Michigan AAPI leaders doing today? Focus on Michigan. Detroit. Local. Autos. Then. And Now.

Roland Hwang, Attorney and founding board member and current Vice President of American Citizens for Justice, member Governor’s Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, board member of Association of Chinese Americans Detroit and Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Writer and blogger for New America Media, Chicago is the World, RememberingVincentChin.com blog and postcard project, and former Executive Director and current Online Communications Chair on Advisory Board Member of American Citizens for Justice.

Dr. H. Sook Wilkinson, Licensed clinical psychologist and Chair of the Governor’s Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission. Author of Birth is More than Once and After the Morning Calm.

Prasanna Vengadam, Communications Instructor at Wayne State University, Director of Council of Asian Pacific Americans Michigan (CAPA-MI), and President of American Citizens for Justice.

Curtis Chin, Award-winning writer and producer of “Vincent Who?” Co-founder of the Asian American Writers Workshop and Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, 2008 member of Barack Obama’s Asian American Leadership Council.

For more information, check out the Advancing Justice Conference website!

Jeremy--another reason to join the 170 in 7: A Bone Marrow Cyberdrive in Memory of Janet Liang.

Be a part of the #170in7 bone marrow donor registration cyberdrive in memory of Janet Liang and benefitting patients like Jeremy. Asian Americans, hapas, and people of color particularly needed to register.

Janet Liang, a vibrant 25 year old UCLA graduate and a leukemia patient who spent years championing leukemia awareness and Asian American bone marrow registration, passed away last week
. In Janet’s memory, this site is partnering with a network of other prominent Asian American sites to host 170 in 7: A Bone Marrow Cyberdrive in Memory of Janet Liang.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Sharing the Jubliee Project film, "Picture Perfect," for the #170in7 bone marrow donor cyberdrive in Janet Liang's memory





I saw this film by Jubilee Project in the spring at the ITASA conference at the University of Michigan while sitting next to adorable Jubliee Project brothers Eddie and Jason Lee. It's out now so I wanted to share it as part of the  #170in7 bone marrow donor cyberdrive in Janet Liang's memory.

Janet Liang, a vibrant 25 year old UCLA graduate and a leukemia patient who spent years championing leukemia awareness and Asian American bone marrow registration, passed away last week. In Janet’s memory, this site is partnering with a network of other prominent Asian American sites to host 170 in 7: A Bone Marrow Cyberdrive in Memory of Janet Liang.

Friday, September 21, 2012

U-Mich Gangnam Style

University of Michigan students ask "Who needs swag when you have Gangnam Style?" Gangnam Style flash mob on the Diag tonight at 5:30. see you there?

U-Mich Gangnam Style

Janet Liang video: 10 reasons why you should sign up to be a marrow donor.


10 reasons why you should sign up to be a marrow donor from Janet Liang.

In March 2012, Janet Liang won the APAforprogress.org (APAP) 2011 Unsung Hero Award for her grassroots movement, Helping Janet, increase the number of AAPIs and ethnic minorities in the National Marrow Donor Registry.

APAP 2011 Unsung Hero: Janet Liang | apaforprogress.org





Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Posts from the #170in7 bone marrow donor cyberdrive in memory of Janet Liang



Posts about Janet Liang and the #170in7 bone marrow donor cyberdrive in her memory. 

Janet Liang, a vibrant 25 year old UCLA graduate and a leukemia patient who spent years championing leukemia awareness and Asian American bone marrow registration, passed away last week. In Janet’s memory, this site is partnering with a network of other prominent Asian American sites to host 170 in 7: A Bone Marrow Cyberdrive in Memory of Janet Liang.

Janet Liang Memorial Posts:
Monday’s Posts (Sept 17):
Tuesday’s Posts (Sept 18):

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

170 in 7: A Bone Marrow Cyberdrive in Memory of Janet Liang




About
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer and the most common cancer to affect children and young teens. Treatment to save a leukemia patient’s life often requires a bone marrow transplant from a “perfect match” donor – a donor whose blood matches a recipient’s blood for 10 separate genetic markers.

Unfortunately, Asian American and other non-White leukemia patients are much less likely to find a “perfect match” donor than White leukemia patients. This is because Asian Americans and other minorities are significantly underrepresented in Be The Match, the national bone marrow registry used to search for and match potential bone marrow donors with recipients.

Janet made it her mission to register Asian American bone marrow donors, and thanks in part to her efforts, at least 18 bone marrow matches were made to recipients nationwide. However, last week, Janet passed away without finding a perfect match for herself. Today, many other Asian American leukemia patients are still waiting to find their perfect match, like 2-year-old Jeremy who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. To celebrate Janet’s life and her legacy, we want to register 170 new potential bone marrow donors in Janet’s name in just 7 days.

Be one of the 170 in 7:
Registration is free for donors, convenient and secure. Here’s how to be one of the 170 in 7:
1.       Click on the link: http://join.bethematch.org/TeamJanet. Fill out the forms to request a free, do-it-yourself cheek swab kit.
2.      Tweet about it using #170in7 to be counted!  Click the button to send a Tweet to your followers: Tweet

If you don't have a Twitter account, send an email to jenn [at] reappropriate [dot] co to be counted!

And that’s it! Less than ten minutes of your time can help you save a life!

Donor FAQ
In about one month, a cheek swab kit will be sent to you in the mail, along with instructions and a pre-paid return envelope. Follow the instructions to swab your cheeks and return the kit. If you are matched (only 1 in 540 registered donors are ever matched), you will then be contacted and asked if you would like to donate your bone marrow. Registering is not a commitment that you must donate; it is only to help match recipients with potential donors.

Most donors are never matched. But if you are matched and if you do choose to donate your bone marrow, that donation is likely to save a young person’s life.

Other Ways to Help Out: Donate to AADP and/or to the Liang family
Donor registration is free for the donor because AADP and other non-profit organizations cover the costs of donor registration through charitable donations. If you are unable to register as a bone marrow donor, please donate to AADP to help fund registration costs for other donors, or to the Liang family (PayPal account using helpingjanet@gmail.com as the recipient, or checks payable to "Janet Liang" sent to PO box 1526, Pleasanton CA 94566).

Other Ways to Help Out: Spread the Word
If you are already registered, please help spread the word about the 170 in 7 bone marrow cyberdrive through Twitter and Facebook. If you would like to join your site to this partnership or if you would like more information about the 170 in 7 bone marrow cyberdrive, please go here.

Partnership

To add your site to the list, please go here.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Rhythms of the Season - NAM EthnoBlog

Getting back into the rhythms of the season at the beginning of the school year (previously published in Pacific Citizen and Chicago is the World):
After a long trip away from home, one of the first things I always do upon our return is take all the kids to buy groceries at our favorite Chinese grocery store. I love watching them zip around, squealing as they load up our basket, “Ooooh! It’s been so long since we’ve had cong you bing!” “Xiao long bao! I want xiao long bao!” and “I haven’t seen this kind of zhu rou gan in soooooo long!”
At Tsai Grocery, the kids and I all know what and where everything is. There is none of the uncertainty that comes with travel and being in new and unfamiliar environs. Our tested and favorite brands are there where they always are. We recall our favorite dishes that we have missed all summer. We find comfort and grounding here among the steamed buns. We have not really come home until we replenish our pantry and cook our first meal together.

click on link for whole article: Rhythms of the Season - NAM EthnoBlog

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Yuri Kochiyama Leadership Program still accepting applications!

Michigan families with high school students! the Yuri Kochiyama Asian American Leadership program at the University of Michigan is still accepting applications. It is a great program that pairs Asian American high school students with college students in a mentoring program to explore Asian American history, heritage, and identity issues. Last year my daughter participated and loved it so much she's going back in a leadership role. And they get to paint the rock! 

Yuri Kochiyama Leadership Program

Friday, September 14, 2012

Chicago is the World » Rhythms of the Season

For me, the year still starts in September and the beginning of school. Getting back into the rhythms of the season with my article in Chicago is the World (previously published in Pacific Citizen): "We find comfort and grounding here among the steamed buns."
After a long trip away from home, one of the first things I always do upon our return is take all the kids to buy groceries at our favorite Chinese grocery store. I love watching them zip around, squealing as they load up our basket, “Ooooh! It’s been so long since we’ve had cong you bing!” “Xiao long bao! I want xiao long bao!” and “I haven’t seen this kind of zhu rou gan in soooooo long!”
At Tsai Grocery, the kids and I all know what and where everything is. There is none of the uncertainty that comes with travel and being in new and unfamiliar environs. Our tested and favorite brands are there where they always are. We recall our favorite dishes that we have missed all summer. We find comfort and grounding here among the steamed buns. We have not really come home until we replenish our pantry and cook our first meal together.
click on link for whole article: Chicago is the World » Rhythms of the Season

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

LifeLong Learning @ WCC › Browse All Classes › Languages

Starts today at Washtenaw Community College:

Chinese Level 1Conversational Chinese Language and Culture.

PREREQUISITE(S): None.

Have fun and learn to speak a new language. Using various teaching methods, instructors will cover topics including proper pronunciation, greetings and useful expressions for daily life, identifying people and things. Learn and become familiar with culture and country knowledge including climate, history, beliefs, customs, and food. 20 hours of instruction.
LifeLong Learning @ WCC › Browse All Classes › Languages

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Monday, September 10, 2012

Pineapple and Red Bean Mooncakes by mamnonshop on Etsy

3 weeks to moonfestival! freshly made mooncakes that support a great cause--the GIFT mentoring group that connects girls adopted from China age 11-13) with young Asian American women at the University, some adopted, some not. The mooncakes are made in Ann Arbor at Eastern Accents Bakery by the girls and their parents with no preservatives so they taste wonderful. They can be shipped anywhere in the world and also be picked up in Ann Arbor with no shipping charge.

Pineapple and Red Bean Mooncakes by mamnonshop on Etsy

also, here's an article i wrote about it last year http://chicagoistheworld.org/2011/09/making-mooncakes-the-modern-traditional-way-for-the-mid-autumn-moon-festival-adventures-in-multicultural-living/

Sunday, September 9, 2012

“First kill all the poets” or was it lawyers? I forget. « Kerrytown BookFest

Kerrytown BookFest today. think i can sweettalk keith taylor into looking at my book? Joe Grimm and Katherine Yung will be there too (with coneys? :) as well as storyteller extraordinaire Laura Pershin Raynor from Ann Arbor District Library. looks like another beautiful day, too... :) Follow my twitter feed for more about the poet's panel and the ConeyDetroit talk.

“First kill all the poets” or was it lawyers? I forget. « Kerrytown BookFest

Friday, September 7, 2012

Homegrown Festival - Ann Arbor Observer

From last year's Ann Arbor Observer. This year's Homegrown Festival will be on September 8, 2012:

The rain poured down on us throughout my son Little Brother's entire soccer game at Northside Elementary School. Adults huddled under umbrellas, kids wore raincoats under their jerseys, and even the boys on the sidelines hid from the pouring rain under a makeshift tent.

I worried that the second Homegrown Festival would be rained out, as it had been the infamous first year, at Community High School. However, once the soccer game ended, so did the rain. Surprised, Little Brother, his sisters, and I headed down to the Farmers Market with renewed spirits.

I went expecting apples, and maybe some Michigan cherries. But with cornstalks strapped to all the posts, piles of strategically placed hay bales, and twinkling Christmas lights overhead as the day darkened, this was not at all just another market. With a local band at one end and a jam session at the other, the Homegrown Festival had a beat and a rhythm all its own.

click on link for more: Homegrown Festival - Ann Arbor Observer

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Works by Michigan Artists - Ann Arbor Observer

Every fall during college, after all our books were purchased and fees paid, the last thing on the shopping list was always posters or art. With whatever money we had left, my girlfriends and I would scour the poster bins for something big and colorful to cover our bare dorm or apartment walls. Every year, the desired "look" would change, depending on who we were that year, what image we wanted to project. But what really made it "classy" (or so we thought) was framing the giant poster with a cheap but giant frame.

As we grew older, we shifted from posters and prints to original art. However the tension between the look we want to project, the space in which we live, and the cost continues to hang in balance.

I had heard for many years about the art print collection available for loan at the Ann Arbor District Library, but didn't know where to find it. It turns out the posters and prints are on display on the third and fourth floors of the downtown branch, where folks can view and check out every past Ann Arbor Art Fair poster, posters from art museums around the country, prints of famous paintings and drawings ("The Scream," "Starry Night," "Don Quixote"), photography, calligraphy, and original art. Walking through the collection like a gallery, knowing all I had to do was take a piece off the wall and it could be mine for eight weeks, was easy, fun, exciting.

click link for more: Works by Michigan Artists - Ann Arbor Observer

Monday, September 3, 2012

The blacklava 20th Anniversary Celebration!

Just finished writing my piece for Blacklava 20th Anniversary Celebration at Hatakeyama Gallery in LA September 29. How's this for a first paragraph, Ryan Suda?
"I show up at your back door with a bento box of potstickers. I thought you were inviting me to tea, so I had to bring something. Only to find that you were not really inviting me to tea, the potstickers forgotten on your kitchen counter, as our tongues tangle on the couch."
click on link for more: The blacklava 20th Anniversary Celebration!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Register to vote!

Are you registered to vote? Every eligible American should have a chance to cast his or her ballot in this coming election. Register here, courtesy of the Obama campaign!

More information at  http://www.barackobama.com