"Where the Lava Meets the Sea" and Kona Stories

Very excited that Kona Stories Bookstore is interested in carrying my chapbook, "Where the Lava Meets the Sea"! Scheduling a reading now for next summer. Meet me in Kona next summer? More about the book here: http://www.franceskaihwawang.com/p/blog-page.html

Register now for Jumpstart Your Memoir class at UHH

Last chance to register! Class starts next Tuesday at University of Hawaii Hilo!

Do you have a memoir you have been meaning to write, either for publication or just for your grandchildren, but are having difficulty getting started? Why not start here, one chapter at a time? In this short workshop, students will learn short writing exercises as well as tips and tricks—including creating a space for writing, writing every day, reading aloud, training your mind to see detail, taking chances with emotion, having fun with humor and flourishes, writing from the heart, cultivating consistency, and overcoming barriers to writing—that will start you on your way. Leave with beginning drafts of several chapters. Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, a writer, speaker, activist and multicultural educator who teaches at the University of Michigan, and is the author of “Where Lava Meets the Sea—Asian Pacific American Postcards from Hawaii” instructs this dynamic workshop that is open to anyone. Students will need a notebook and pen.

Aug 6 & 8, TTh, 5-8pm, UCB 111, 2 classes, $40

Register here: http://hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/ccecs/registration/

More at: Jumpstart Your Memoir

Zilka Joseph reading in Saline August 31

Looking forward to Zilka Joseph's reading in Saline on Saturday August 31. This series is hosted by poet Saleem Peeradina.

She writes: "The event will be at 7 PM, at Brewed Awakenings, a wonderful family-owned bakery and coffee shop in downtown Saline. The address is 7025 E. Michigan Avenue., Suite M, Saline, Michigan 48176."

Talking story with Tom Peek, author of Daughters of Fire

Great morning talking story with author Tom Peek in Volcano (and planning joint readings in Ann Arbor and Hilo) Anyone else want to invite us for some great romantic stories about identity, intrigue, and Hawaii?

Check out his new book, Daughters of Fire: http://daughtersoffire.com/

Daughters of Fire is a tale of romance, intrigue, myth and murder set amid the cultural tensions of America’s fiftieth state. A visiting astronomer falls in love with a Hawaiian anthropologist who guides him into a Polynesian world of volcanoes, gods and revered ancestors. The lovers get caught up in murder and intrigue as developers and politicians try to conceal that a long-dormant volcano is rumbling back to life above the hotel-laden Kona coast.

"Where the Lava Meets the Sea" at Basically Books

Very excited that Basically Books Bookstore in Hilo is interested in scheduling a joint reading next summer with me and Tom Peek, author of Daughters of Fire. Meet me in Hilo next summer? More about the book here: http://www.franceskaihwawang.com/p/blog-page.html

Chicago is the World » Justice for Trayvon, Justice for all our children

My article at Chicago is the World:

I am sitting at a beautiful airy music concert, the highlight of every summer, the Big Island Music Festival. On stage is a handsome young man, ukulele virtuoso Kris Fuchigami, with his mom playing backup on keyboard. But I cannot hear anything. The verdict comes through as I find my seat, short staccato posts on my Facebook feed, “Noooo,” “verdict fail,” “#hoodiesup.”

I wish I were surprised by the verdict, but my heart is breaking.

I am typing this out on my phone today because it could not wait.

How do we raise our sweet children of color? What do we tell them? What do we tell ourselves?

click link for rest of the article: Chicago is the World » Justice for Trayvon, Justice for all our children

Remembering Vincent Chin--the civil rights trials

Remember that there were two civil rights trials in the Vincent Chin case. The first trial found Ebens guilty of violating Vincent Chin's rights and aquitted Nitz, then it was declared a mistrial. The second trial was moved to an almost-all-white city with an all-white jury and Ebens and Nitz were acquitted. Tweet me your thoughts @fkwang for Remembering Vincent Chin
 http://rememberingvincentchin.com

NAACP | Urge the DOJ to file civil rights charges

http://www.naacp.org/page/s/doj-civil-rights-petition

Justice for Trayvon, Justice for all our children

I'm sitting at a beautiful airy music concert, the highlight of every summer, the Big Island Music Festival. On stage is a handsome young man, ukulele virtuoso Kris Fuchigami, with his mom playing backup on keyboard. But I cannot hear anything.

I wish I were surprised by the verdict, but my heart is breaking.

How do we raise our sweet children of color? What do we tell them? What do we tell ourselves?

Just last night, my multiracial nine year old boy--who could look like any number of ethnic stereotypes--stayed up late, refusing to sleep, waiting for me to come home. When I finally arrived home, after a long day where I had travelled to 14,000 feet altitude and back, he wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed my face, "You're the best mommy in the world. Really you are."

I wrote the article below for Chicago is the World 16 months ago when the case first broke. Today it looks hopelessly naive. I wish a list of rules was enough to keep our children safe. I am lost.

I always felt some distance from the Vincent Chin case because of time and geography and age and naïveté. There is no distance today. 

My thoughts are with the Martin family. 

Chicago is the World » Lessons I do not want to teach my children–about Dharun Ravi, Trayvon Martin, Shaima Alawadi

http://chicagoistheworld.org/2012/03/lessons-i-do-not-want-to-teach-my-children-about-dharun-ravi-trayvon-martin-shaima-alawadi/

NAACP | Urge the DOJ to file civil rights charges

http://www.naacp.org/page/s/doj-civil-rights-petition

Tweet me your thoughts @fkwang for Remembering Vincent Chin
 http://rememberingvincentchin.com 

Typed this out on my phone today because it could not wait. 

14,000 feet altitude

Ellison Onizuka. Respect. From above the cloud line at 9000 feet, 5000 more feet to the summit, let's go.

OMG KTVU SF on Asiana Airlines crash

OMG. KTVU of San Francisco's news anchor mindlessly reads obviously fake racist Asian names off teleprompter re Asiana Airlines crash. How can no one have caught this? It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

here's the apology (they say ntsb confirmed the names) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFDwgJa7JOI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Big question is if this can happen in San Francisco, with such a big apa population, and with apas in the newsroom, what hope is there for the rest of the country?

that's right, blame the summer intern...http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2013/130712.html

Here's the Asian American Journalists Association's (AAJA's) Statement and Media Advisory: 

http://www.aaja.org/ktvu-gaffe/

http://www.aaja.org/asiana-airline-crash-coverage/

The Best Tacos in Los Angeles: LAist

Must keep a record of this...

The Best Tacos in Los Angeles: LAist

Jumpstart Your Memoir class at UHH in August

Teaching at University of Hawaii Hilo this summer!

Do you have a memoir you have been meaning to write, either for publication or just for your grandchildren, but are having difficulty getting started? Why not start here, one chapter at a time? In this short workshop, students will learn short writing exercises as well as tips and tricks—including creating a space for writing, writing every day, reading aloud, training your mind to see detail, taking chances with emotion, having fun with humor and flourishes, writing from the heart, cultivating consistency, and overcoming barriers to writing—that will start you on your way. Leave with beginning drafts of several chapters. Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, a writer, speaker, activist and multicultural educator who teaches at the University of Michigan, and is the author of “Where Lava Meets the Sea—Asian Pacific American Postcards from Hawaii” instructs this dynamic workshop that is open to anyone. Students will need a notebook and pen.

Aug 6 & 8, TTh, 5-8pm, UCB 111, 2 classes, $40

Register here: http://hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/ccecs/registration/

Jumpstart Your Memoir

Nostalgic for Kathmandu

Rereading Han Su YIn's The Mountain is Young and feeling nostalgic.

A friend tells me that the word nostalgia derives from a wound that has not yet healed.

I don't know if one ever recovers from Kathmandu.

Writing today.


More earlier http://www.franceskaihwawang.com/2012/11/han-suyin-mountain-is-young.html