Pakistani Rock Band Noori at Top of the Park

Looks like fun! from Zilka Joseph at UM Dept of South Asian Studies:

"Pakistani Rock Band Noori at Top of the Park
Date: Wednesday, June 27
Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Ingalls Mall, Rackham Stage | FREE
Be sure to check out Pakistani band Noori this Wednesday, June 27 at 8:00 pm. The band makes a stop in Ann Arbor as part of Center Stage, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State. One of Pakistan’s top pop artists, Noori busts through local convention and international rock barriers with brainy songs and emotional beats. Led by charismatic brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, Noori delivers a great show with a distinctive subcontinent kick.

To celebrate the diverse community we serve, each year the Ann Arbor Summer Festival throws a series of Global Parties at Top of the Park that spotlight different ethnic backgrounds and cultural traditions. Featuring free outdoor performances by local and international artists, these nights showcase global grooves and international beats.

 

See other programs for the evening:

 

http://www.annarborsummerfestival.org/index.php/events/activities_and_attractions/global_party02/"

Kerrytown Concert House Announcement

Tue, 8/7/2012, 5:00pmART EXHIBIT

Omi Chowdhury and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

Gallery Reception and Unofficial Book Launch

This is a free event.

Reservations are not required for this event.

• Omi Chowdhury, photographer
• Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, writer

Event Details

Opening reception for photographer Jyoti Omi Chowdhury’s new exhibit, “Boots of Spanish Leather,” together with a reading by writer Frances Kai-Hwa Wang to celebrate her latest book “Imaginary Affairs—postcards from an imagined life.”  Hors d’oeuvres will begin at 5pm, accompanied by live music.

Full details at: Kerrytown Concert House

#VC30 Rivals Obama’s for Largest Google Hangout

The National Townhall via Google Hangouts organized by APAforprogress, Vincent Chin 30: Standing Up Then and Now, was so cool to be a part of! Google unofficially says that we were the second largest Google Hangout ever, second only to President Obama's Google Hangout. Thanks to Keith Kamisugi for this nice mention in foundAsian.org.

#VC30 Rivals Obama’s for Largest Google Hangout

Vincent Chin case articles compiled at apaforprogress.com

I've been tracking the 30th Anniversary of the Vincent Chin case all this week, including 18 hours Saturday covering the National Townhall (several events across the country connected by Google Hangout and Twitter) sponsored by APAs for Progress. Google unofficially says that this was the second largest Google Hangout ever, second only to one with President Obama.

If you are interested, I have lots more resources and articles and media coverage about the Vincent Chin case collected at my other website, http://www.rememberingvincentchin.com. Please check out the site and send me your thoughts. If you're on twitter, you can check out my twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/fkwang (@fkwang) or the hashtag #vc30.  I am also collecting short responses to the questions: What does the Vincent Chin case mean to you? How does the Vincent Chin case inspire you? Email me back your responses and I'll post them on rememberingvincentchin.com! 

Here are my other compilations and blog posts at APAforprogress.com/blogs/fkwang

Roundup of Vincent Chin articles 4 Sun, 06/24/2012 - 12:36

Roundup 3 of Vincent Chin articles so far Fri, 06/22/2012 - 23:18

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang's article in Chicagoistheworld.org Thu, 06/21/2012 - 14:27
Frances Kai-Hwa Wang's article in Chicagoistheworld.org about the Vincent Chin case, Ferndale Pride's Light the Night against Hate, and how we're all in this together, "Crossing boundaries and standing up for justice together. NoH8.

Roundup 2 of Vincent Chin articles Thu, 06/21/2012 - 13:39

Roundup of Vincent Chin articles this 30th anniversary Wed, 06/20/2012 - 13:32

RememberingVincentChin.com postcard project Sat, 06/09/2012 - 10:58

The RememberingVincentChin.com postcard project is a small independent project of Frances Kai-Hwa Wang to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the baseball bat beating death of Vincent Chin by asking the question of people everywhere: What does the Vincent Chin case mean to you? How does the Vincent Chin case inspire you?

For more information, check out my other blog at rememberingvincentchin.com.

'The Man Who Killed Vincent Chin' by Michael Moore | MichaelMoore.com

OMG. MUST READ. Before "Roger and Me," Michael Moore interviewed of Ronald Ebens 1987. Ebens really is the jerk he appears to be in "Who Killed Vincent Chin." I have chills. Can't even begin to excerpt...

'The Man Who Killed Vincent Chin' by Michael Moore | MichaelMoore.com

Remembering Vincent Chin

Tons of stuff up at my other blog, rememberingvincentchin.com--links to current news articles, radio interviews, tv clips, special events, etc. Please go there to get all the latest updates before Saturday's special events.

The Civil Rights Lessons of Vincent Chin’s Murder - COLORLINES

I sound so fierce in this Colorlines Magazine article by Julianne Hing! Excerpt:

Sharing our stories and knowing our history is a necessary, political act. The effort to keep the lessons of Chin’s death and the fight for justice from being swallowed up by the unstoppable passage of time is not about any romantic nostalgia—understanding the past is key to making sense of the ongoing fight for justice today, activists say.

“The facts of the story are never going to change. It’s never going to have a happy ending, but it can move people to get indignant. It can move people to action,” said Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, a Michigan-based writer and activist. It’s often said that in the the aftermath of Chin’s murder, the Asian-American community was born. Asian Americans, who tended to identify by ethnicity first, came to unite around a new political identity. Chin became a symbol in the Asian-American civil rights movement, a reminder that the struggle for justice is never quite over. Wang organized the Vincent Chin Postcard Project to collect exactly these sorts of stories. Among Wang’s favorite responses was one which asked: “How long will it be before we forget Trayvon Martin like we forgot Vincent Chin?”

Images and language matters. Dehumanizing language and images make it easier to attack those who are treated as less than fully human. Whatever the community, whoever the target, demagoguery comes with a real human cost. “People who do this are putting our lives at risk,” said Wang. She cited this year’sfearmongering political ads which played on American fears about the economic ascendance of Asian countries. In transparently coded images and words, politicians exploit those fears, but not without with great risk. “People see those ads and even if they don’t fully understand the message of the ad they take away this fear of China, and that makes it dangerous for those of us real Asians who are walking around on the street.”

Stewart Kwoh of APALC and Zahra Billoo of CAIR quoted too.

click here for the whole article:

The Civil Rights Lessons of Vincent Chin’s Murder - COLORLINES

Chicago is the World » Crossing boundaries and standing up for justice together. NoH8. Remembering Vincent Chin.

What does one wear to a gay pride event?

Something fabulous, certainly. But I am such an awkward dresser, I worry and I fret.

Oh! If only I had one of George Takei’s “It’s OK to be Takei” t-shirts. That would have been the perfect connector between the Asian American and LGBT communities. Instead, I opt for urban black, add my most fabulous big red hat, and try as best as I can to channel George Takei’s black t-shirt cool.

Think cool. Gotta be cool.

The very cool Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey had asked me to speak about the Vincent Chin case at Ferndale Pride‘s Light the Night against Hate, a family-friendly candle-lit walking tour around downtown Ferndale for folks from all backgrounds to “learn more about historical and contemporary issues surrounding hate in our schools and communities, including hateful speech in social media and online bullying…[and] to visibly unite against hate.”

It was a beautiful and warm Friday night, lots of folks downtown, laughter and music spilling out of all the restaurants and bars.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » Crossing boundaries and standing up for justice together. NoH8. Remembering Vincent Chin.

First mockup of Frances' book, "Imaginary Affairs--Postcards from an Imagined Life"

Very excited to see the first mockup of "Imaginary Affairs--Postcards from an Imagined Life" by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang thanks to Book Artist Laura Beyer and Guardian Angel Joe Grimm! Unofficial Book Launch August 7, 2012 Kerrytown Concert House, at Jyoti Omi Chowdhury and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang reception and reading for “Boots of Spanish Leather” photography exhibit in Ann Arbor, Michigan... 




“If I had a lost love—imaginary or real—I would want Frances to be mine. Her writing is heartfelt, eloquent, and nostalgic all at once. Frances possesses the ability to reach deep within the soul to speak on her heart's behalf—no matter how tormented, broken, and hopeful it may be. You will get what it is she is sharing.” —Lac Su, author of I Love Yous Are for White People (HarperCollins, 2009)

“With echoes of Sei Shonagon and Li Bai, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang has created a contemporary pillow book of sensual longing, heartache, erotic impulse, and wry wit. Her book is to be savored like dark chocolate on a moonlit night.” —May-lee Chai, author of Hapa Girl and Dragon Chica

“Imaginary Affairs is a must-read for any woman who has experienced unfulfilled love and heartache. Through a series of vignettes and short poems, Frances Kai Hwa Wang finds beauty and hope in the most unlikely of places in her search for love and desire. Her words of yearning will speak to your heart.” —Dr. Kate Agathon, Curator, CommUNITY and ImaginAsian Identity and Experience in Contemporary Asian Pacific America Art Exhibit

"Imaginary Affairs—postcards from an imagined life" by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang is a collection of prose poems and short short stories which wanders, dreamy and droll, across the landscapes of Ann Arbor, Berkeley, Kathmandu, Hawaii, and Asian America, wrestling with ache and desire, searching for the moment, but the moment is ever fragile.

Speaking at Ferndale Pride's Light the Night Against Hate

I will be speaking at Ferndale Pride's Light the Night Against Hate at the Vincent Chin Memorial Plaque at Woodward and Nine Mile, Ferndale, Michigan, Friday, June 15, 2012, 8:30 pm.

I was told that Saturday's march (Dyke Hike) is going to be dedicated to the memory of Vincent Chin.

For more information about the Vincent Chin case and my postcard project, go to my other blog, RememberingVincentChin.com.

Here is also an article I wrote last year for the 29th anniversary of the brutal baseball bat beating death of Vincent Chin for InCultureParent.com, "Crime without Punishment: Why the Death of Vincent Chin Resonates Today."

Photograph: Frances Kai-Hwa Wang with Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey at Ferndale Pride's Light the Night Against Hate, Ferndale, Michigan, June 15, 2012.

Speaking at Making Media Connections Conference: Chicago Nonprofit communications, news media and social media training

I will be speaking at the Making Media Connections Conference with Stephen Franklin and Marissa Wasseluk on Thursday, June 14, 2012. About Blogging! And Trolls!

Making Media Connections Conference: Chicago Nonprofit communications, news media and social media training. Bringing together Not-For-Profits, Journalists, Media-makers, and Communications experts

On Proms and Protocols-Figuring out the rules and creating new paths - NAM EthnoBlog

It was after midnight when my girlfriend Margie posted her prom picture on Facebook. The comments came promptly, “Major hotness! Oh, Margie looks good too.” (Her prom date, obviously, still enjoying his white tuxedo and sky blue ruffled shirt.)

click on link for more: On Proms and Protocols-Figuring out the rules and creating new paths - NAM EthnoBlog

Chicago is the World » On Proms and Protocols–Figuring out the rules and creating new paths

When Lauren Peng posted the prom pictures she took of Huron High School students Rujia Zha and Michael Shen, her friends commented that the only thing that could make it better would be big explosions in the background, so… | Photograph taken and digitally enhanced by Lauren Peng

by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang | contributor

It was after midnight when my girlfriend Margie posted her prom picture on Facebook. The comments came promptly, “Major hotness! Oh, Margie looks good too.” (Her prom date, obviously, still enjoying his white tuxedo and sky blue ruffled shirt.)

Then Margie put out a call for all her friends to post their old prom pictures.

No.

She was intrigued. What was the story here?

No story. Just, no.

My memory involuntarily flashed to my junior prom photo—my long-sleeved pink and lace Gunne Sax dress my mother made, my lanky prom date’s maroon tuxedo, the replacement boutonniere (free with his tuxedo) that he retrieved from his car when the one my mother made broke, that classic prom pose in front of the photographer. Oh, and we cannot forget the asianswithperms.tumblr.com hair!

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » On Proms and Protocols–Figuring out the rules and creating new paths

Follow up on the Diane Tran case and mobilizing forward to other cases - NAM EthnoBlog

Last month, eight graduating seniors surnamed Nguyen(pronounced Win) from Presentation High School in San Jose, California (my alma mater) tickled the Asian American blogosphere by combining their senior quotes in the high school yearbook. One or two words under each photo created their “Nguyen-ing” “We know what you’re thinking and no we’re not related.”

Clever, smart, proud. However, after four years at this small school, their classmates and teachers still did not know this? That is a little disheartening.

click on link for more: Follow up on the Diane Tran case and mobilizing forward to other cases - NAM EthnoBlog

Chicago is the World » Follow up on the Diane Tran case and mobilizing forward to other cases

Last month, eight graduating seniors surnamed Nguyen (pronounced Win) from Presentation High School in San Jose, California (my alma mater) tickled the Asian American blogosphere by combining their senior quotes in the high school yearbook. One or two words under each photo created their “Nguyen-ing” “We know what you’re thinking and no we’re not related.”

Clever, smart, proud. However, after four years at this small school, their classmates and teachers still did not know this? That is a little disheartening.

I am always surprised to learn what people actually know and do not know about each other.

Last week, 17-year-old Texan honors student Diane Tran was jailed 24 hours for truancy. She was taking several AP and dual high school college credit courses, and working two jobs as the family’s sole wage-earner after her parents divorced and moved away. She was often up until 7 am doing homework, and sometimes she had difficulty waking up and getting to school on time. Unfortunately, she crossed paths with a judge who admitted that he wanted to make an example of her. He put her in jail, and he gave her a $100 fine.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » Follow up on the Diane Tran case and mobilizing forward to other cases

On Birthday Parties, Tiger Aunties, and jailed Texan honor student Diane Tran - NAM EthnoBlog

My daughter Hao Hao turned 16 on Saturday. Sweet 16.

She put on my tiara that I wear for my most serious writing, and she asked eight-year-old Little Brother if he had anything to say to her, expecting him to say, “Happy Birthday.” Instead, he answered, “Swagger.” (Swag 16!)

The day I turned 16, I headed straight for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Gilroy after school to take my driver’s test. The Junior/Senior Prom was that weekend and I needed to be able to drive. Full of ego and optimism, I failed that driver’s test spectacularly, but I could only see as far as the Junior/Senior Prom. My date scrambled to get his old Chevy running at the last minute, so we managed to get there. Then it broke down on the side of old Monterey Highway on the way home, and my father had to rescue us. Lol.

click on link for more: On Birthday Parties, Tiger Aunties, and jailed Texan honor student Diane Tran - NAM EthnoBlog

Fendale City Council anniversary proclamation for Vincent Chin

just in from Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey (and former Mayor of Ferndale): Ferndale City Council will pass the anniversary proclamation tonight for Vincent Chin. Neat!

Also, heads up about Ferndale's "Light the Night against Hate" on Friday June 15. I'll be stationed at the Vincent Chin Memorial at Nine and Woodward for the event and talk about Vincent Chin and the APA community's response. More info at www.ferndalepride.com

Chicago is the World » On Birthday Parties, Tiger Aunties, and jailed Texan honor student Diane Tran

My daughter Hao Hao turned 16 on Saturday. Sweet 16.

She put on my tiara that I wear for my most serious writing, and she asked eight-year-old Little Brother if he had anything to say to her, expecting him to say, “Happy Birthday.” Instead, he answered, “Swagger.” (Swag 16!)

The day I turned 16, I headed straight for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Gilroy after school to take my driver’s test. The Junior/Senior Prom was that weekend and I needed to be able to drive. Full of ego and optimism, I failed that driver’s test spectacularly, but I could only see as far as the Junior/Senior Prom. My date scrambled to get his old Chevy running at the last minute, so we managed to get there. Then it broke down on the side of old Monterey Highway on the way home, and my father had to rescue us. Lol.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » On Birthday Parties, Tiger Aunties, and jailed Texan honor student Diane Tran

Catalyst to Action-Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Bike Month! - NAM EthnoBlog

How did that happen?

I thought I took precautions! I was careful!

Grrr.

Biker’s tan.

You can always spot the bicyclists by that straight white line three to four inches above their knee and little white sock line around the ankle. I have been slathering on the sunscreen every day, trying (hopelessly) to stay fair and lovely (joke), but to no use. I know once that line forms, it is almost impossible to shake. Only two weeks into May and I am already marked. Everyone can see my secret.

click on link for more: Catalyst to Action-Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Bike Month! - NAM EthnoBlog

Speaking at International Neighbors today

Speaking at International Neighbors today!

International Neighbors Annual Meeting
May 23, 2012 12:30-3:00pm
Ann Arbor City Club
1830 Washtenaw Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Parking available in the AA City Club’s lot or on side streets

Guest Speaker: Frances Kai-Hwa Wang
Writer, Editor, Speaker, Activist
“Becoming Asian American…in the Mid-West?!!
A Personal Journey into Identity and Community”

Chicago is the World » Catalyst to Action–Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Bike Month!

Oh no!

How did that happen?

I thought I took precautions! I was careful!

Grrr.

Biker’s tan.

You can always spot the bicyclists by that straight white line three to four inches above their knee and little white sock line around the ankle. I have been slathering on the sunscreen every day, trying (hopelessly) to stay fair and lovely (joke), but to no use. I know once that line forms, it is almost impossible to shake. Only two weeks into May and I am already marked. Everyone can see my secret.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » Catalyst to Action–Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and National Bike Month!

Speaking at EPA Today on APA Stereotypes and Media

flyer from the EPA...although the pictures didn't come out here...

EPA 2012 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Event

Asian Pacific Americans, Stereotypes, and the Media -from Dragon Lady to Jeremy Lin

By

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

Local writer and activist Frances Kai-Hwa Wang will discuss current issues about Asian
Pacific Americans in the media, share fun Asian Pacific American responses, and show ways to
deconstruct media and other stereotypes.

Stereotypes of Asian Pacific Americans in the media, from Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at
Tiffany’s to Ashton Kutcher’s recent Popchips commercial, affect how Asian Pacific Americans
are seen in the real world. Over the years, Asian Pacific Americans have been portrayed by
Caucasian actors in yellow and brown face, have been relegated to stereotyped roles, and have
been recast as Caucasian characters. Recent controversies include Avatar Last Airbender, Akira,
Prince of Persia, Flowers of War, and Hunger Games. Equal and fair media representation is
important for both fair treatment in real life and for employment equity. Asian Pacific American
new media and youtube are creating new opportunities for Asian Pacific Americans. The power
of Jeremy Lin’s story is that he was overlooked because of stereotypes, but then completely
shattered them (?) on live television.

Mrs. Wang is a second-generation Chinese American from California who now divides her
time between Michigan and the Big Island of Hawaii. She is a contributor for New America
Media Ethnoblog, Chicagoistheworld.org, PacificCitizen.org, and InCultureParent.com. She
team-teaches a course at the University of Michigan and University of Michigan Dearborn
on Asian Pacific American History and the Law. She is a popular speaker on Asian Pacific
American and multicultural issues. Check out her Web site at franceskaihwawang.com, her blog
at franceskaihwawang.blogspot.com, and she can be reached at fkwang888 AT gmail DOT com.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012
12:00 noon -1:00 pm

Office Building Lobby Conference Rooms C126 & C127

When Mother's Day Goes Awry - NAM EthnoBlog

Big Brother Roland called today to see what my plans were for Mother’s Day and to ask if I wanted to join him and his family in case the children were not with me this day. He is always looking out for me and invites me every year.

I declined, as always, because I will be writing (and buying an iPhone). A sudden burst of inspiration and opportunity has me writing constantly these days, even in my dreams.

However, it does feel strange to realize that this will be the first time ever that I will not be able to be with my children for Mother’s Day. Their dad wanted to take them somewhere this weekend. No, it did not make much sense to me either, but we have this fight every year.

click on link for more: When Mother's Day Goes Awry - NAM EthnoBlog

Chicago is the World » El dia de nuestras madres في اليوم من أمهاتنا The Day of Our Mothers

Thanks to Chicago is the World's Stephen Franklin for this: 


"Sun’s up, blue skies.

Running out to pick up flowers on Mother’s Day and what else?

But then I’m snagged by Frances’ essay that I start and can’t s stop"


click on link for more: Chicago is the World » El dia de nuestras madres في اليوم من أمهاتنا The Day of Our Mothers

Chicago is the World » When Mother’s Day Goes Awry

Big Brother Roland called today to see what my plans were for Mother’s Day and to ask if I wanted to join him and his family in case the children were not with me this day. He is always looking out for me and invites me every year.

I declined, as always, because I will be writing (and buying an iPhone). A sudden burst of inspiration and opportunity has me writing constantly these days, even in my dreams.

However, it does feel strange to realize that this will be the first time ever that I will not be able to be with my children for Mother’s Day. Their dad wanted to take them somewhere this weekend. No, it did not make much sense to me either, but we have this fight every year.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » When Mother’s Day Goes Awry

Choosing to defy "normal" versus excusing "unconscious racism" - NAM EthnoBlog

My fifteen-year-old daughter Hao Hao came back from school last week pretending to sniffle, “All my friends and even my teacher laughed at me.”

That was very much out of the ordinary, so I gathered her into my arms and asked, “What happened?”
She explained that they were talking about the Cold War during AP US History class, when the conversation segued to Putin and some of the things he did at the end of the Cold War.

This is when Hao Hao said, “I have a picture of Putin here in my bag,” and pulled it out to show everybody.

Instead of being appreciative of this instant handy-dandy visual aid, her friends asked, “Uhhh, why do you have a picture of Putin in your bag?”

click on link for more: Choosing to defy "normal" versus excusing "unconscious racism" - NAM EthnoBlog

Chicago is the World » Choosing to defy “normal” versus excusing “unconscious racism”

My fifteen-year-old daughter Hao Hao came back from school last week pretending to sniffle, “All my friends and even my teacher laughed at me.”

That was very much out of the ordinary, so I gathered her into my arms and asked, “What happened?”

She explained that they were talking about the Cold War during AP US History class, when the conversation segued to Putin and some of the things he did at the end of the Cold War.

This is when Hao Hao said, “I have a picture of Putin here in my bag,” and pulled it out to show everybody.

Instead of being appreciative of this instant handy-dandy visual aid, her friends asked, “Uhhh, why do you have a picture of Putin in your bag?”

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » Choosing to defy “normal” versus excusing “unconscious racism”

UPDATED: Remembering Vincent Chin

This June will be the 30th anniversary of the baseball bat beating death of Chinese American Vincent Chin, for which the killers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, were only fined $3000 and never spent a day in jail.

Check out my other blog, rememberingvincentchin.com, recently updated.

I am currently collecting and publishing people's reflections about the Vincent Chin case:

What does the Vincent Chin case mean to me? How does the Vincent Chin case inspire me?

Email me your thoughts today! rememberingvincentchin AT gmail DOT com

UPDATED: Remembering Vincent Chin

APA Heritage Month Upcoming Talks

Happy (second month of) Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

I'm excited to have been invited to speak at:
Environmental Protection Agency, May 16
International Neighbors, May 23
Community Media Workshop's Making Media Connections, June 14, Chicago

(ok that last one is not during APA Heritage Month, but I'm really excited to be a part).

The sun is shining, the birds are singing--it's National Poetry Month! - NAM EthnoBlog

A sudden cold snap has sent me scurrying for my Hello Kitty scarf and gloves. Hard to remember that only one month ago, I was splashing through puddles at balmy midnight, wearing a Hawaiian print skirt and flip flops.

A woman I see every morning walking to school growled about the cold this morning, and I, for some reason, sang out, “But it’s National Poetry Month! The sun is shining, the birds are singing.”

She was not quite sure how to respond.

On my way home, I found a stack of five free SAT and ACT and AP Calculus AB prep books on a neighbor’s lawn. A Tiger Mom score! Life does not get better than this.

So here we are, in the last week of National Poetry Month. A few more days to take the NaPoWriMo challenge of writing a poem a day. Last year, I was so impressed by all those poets who dared to publicly take the NaPoWriMo challenge, writing and publishing in real time, that this year I wanted to try, too.

click link for more: The sun is shining, the birds are singing--it's National Poetry Month! - NAM EthnoBlog

Chicago is the World » The sun is shining, the birds are singing—it’s National Poetry Month!

A sudden cold snap has sent me scurrying for my Hello Kitty scarf and gloves. Hard to remember that only one month ago, I was splashing through puddles at balmy midnight, wearing a Hawaiian print skirt and flip flops.

A woman I see every morning walking to school growled about the cold this morning, and I, for some reason, sang out, “But it’s National Poetry Month! The sun is shining, the birds are singing.”

She was not quite sure how to respond.

On my way home, I found a stack of five free SAT and ACT and AP Calculus AB prep books on a neighbor’s lawn. A Tiger Mom score! Life does not get better than this.

So here we are, in the last week of National Poetry Month. A few more days to take the NaPoWriMo challenge of writing a poem a day. Last year, I was so impressed by all those poets who dared to publicly take the NaPoWriMo challenge, writing and publishing in real time, that this year I wanted to try, too.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » The sun is shining, the birds are singing—it’s National Poetry Month!

Jamie and Jordan - Ann Arbor Observer

Jamie and Jordan, which returns on April 28 as part of the monthly Performance Network children's theater series, is a charming musical about two boys born in the same hospital on the same day who become best friends until a twist of fate (and ankle) separates them, with lessons about healthy lifestyle and healthy friendship. It is not so hard for adults to guess where this story is going to go, but how it gets there is a delight--and not heavy-handed at all. There are laughs. There are tears. There are great lines like "Your mom has some cut-up fruit on the dining table." Parents can lecture for years before kids see the consequences--both good and bad--that this play shows clearly and convincingly in one hour.

click here for more: Jamie and Jordan - Ann Arbor Observer

Seeking Asian Pacific American Superheroes...at a Conference? - NAM EthnoBlog

Purdue University recently had some race-related troubles in the form of a racist anti-Asian Twitter account(s) that denigrated and ridiculed Asian and Asian American students there. The Asian American community was offended. Others thought it was funny. The university was slow to respond.
As the Asian Pacific American media began talking about it nationally, I began to fantasize about a more effective solution. I knew that two very cool Asian American activists happened to be headed to Purdue for various Asian Pacific American Heritage Month activities. I conjured up the image of the two of them dressed up in sky blue superhero costumes with fluttering capes and bright yellow masks and gloves, parachuting into the center of Purdue to take care of business.

Ka-pow! Sock! Bam!

Sometimes, in the face of depressing news item after depressing news item, I long for a superhero to set things right as cleanly and simply as they do in the comic books.

click on link for more: Seeking Asian Pacific American Superheroes...at a Conference? - NAM EthnoBlog

Chicago is the World » Seeking Asian Pacific American Superheroes…at a Conference?

Purdue University recently had some race-related troubles in the form of a racist anti-Asian Twitter account(s) that denigrated and ridiculed Asian and Asian American students there. The Asian American community was offended. Others thought it was funny. The university was slow to respond.

As the Asian Pacific American media began talking about it nationally, I began to fantasize about a more effective solution. I knew that two very cool Asian American activists happened to be headed to Purdue for various Asian Pacific American Heritage Month activities. I conjured up the image of the two of them dressed up in sky blue superhero costumes with fluttering capes and bright yellow masks and gloves, parachuting into the center of Purdue to take care of business.

Ka-pow! Sock! Bam!

Sometimes, in the face of depressing news item after depressing news item, I long for a superhero to set things right as cleanly and simply as they do in the comic books.

click on link for more: Chicago is the World » Seeking Asian Pacific American Superheroes…at a Conference?

V3con is the evolution of the Banana Asian American bloggers’ conference: Visibility. Vision. Voice. | NIKKEI VIEW: The Asian American Blog - GIL ASAKAWA'S JAPANESE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE ON POP CULTURE, MEDIA & POLITICS

Hey, that's me in Gil Asakawa's photo! And great video too. I'm so looking forward to the new and improved V3con (Vision. Visibility. Voice.), the Asian American Digital Media Conference.

Click on link to see Gil Asakawa's article and video: V3con is the evolution of the Banana Asian American bloggers’ conference: Visibility. Vision. Voice. | NIKKEI VIEW: The Asian American Blog - GIL ASAKAWA'S JAPANESE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE ON POP CULTURE, MEDIA & POLITICS

Cool APA Women blogs to watch

DISGRASIAN™

Thick Dumpling Skin

Jiro Dreams of Sushi | Michigan Theater

The movie everyone's been talking about is coming to the Michigan Theater Sunday, Monday, Wednesday!

Jiro Dreams of Sushi | Michigan Theater

How to Raise Strong and Confident Asian Pacific American Daughters | InCultureParent

An old article suddenly starting new conversations about apa girl power and leadership workshops...interested?

A few years ago, I took a seminar called, “Raising Strong and Confident Daughters.” My husband laughed at me. “Could our daughters be any stronger or more confident?” 

The class was an eye-opener for me, not just in how to raise my girls, but also in understanding my own Chinese-American childhood. I had no memory of dealing with a lot of the issues the instructor talked about as being so important to pre-adolescent girls, such as friendship and physical appearance. 

At first I thought that I must have been just so low on the social totem pole—because of race and nerdiness—that I had given up hope of competing in those arenas; I never even tried. 

Then I came across a Wellesley College study of Boston middle-school girls’ self-esteem along racial and ethnic lines and discovered that girls of different ethnic backgrounds based their sense of self-esteem on different factors. It found that the Caucasian girls were obsessed with dieting and body image, the Puerto Rican girls were very attached to their friendships, and the Chinese girls based their self-esteem on how well they spoke English. I started noticing in the media and in casual conversations that Caucasian women cannot talk for more than five minutes without making some self-deprecating comment about their appearance or weight. The Chinese women I know do not talk weight or appearance, except in the context of health, as in, “You’ve lost a lot of weight, have you been sick?” So it wasn’t me, it was a cultural thing.

click on link for more: How to Raise Strong and Confident Asian Pacific American Daughters | InCultureParent

Helping Asian American girls and women navigate a crossroads of stereotypes and expectations - NAM EthnoBlog

My twelve-year-old daughter was recently backed up against a wall at school by someone much taller and heavier than her—that classic pose with one hand against the wall behind her head, body leaning into her as he talked, running his other hand through his hair, acting so cool. She did not feel like she was in any danger, but she did not like the feeling of being trapped there.
So back home in the safety of our kitchen, we practiced different strategies for what she could do if it ever happened again. She could push him back with two hands. She could casually take one step away from the wall. She could even point, “Look, over there!” She does not need to make a big deal out of it, but practicing these small adjustments empowers her to discretely shift control of the situation.

I shared this story with the very cool Lisa Lee, a former publisher of Hyphen Magazine and co-founder of ThickDumplingSkin.com, then peppered her with awkward and inappropriate questions. She works with young Asian Americans on issues of body image and self-esteem. Together we worried about young women finding themselves, staying safe, having fun, demanding to be treated with respect, and cultivating their characters. It is not easy, especially with all the different messages they get. There is a fine line between sexy and slutty, free-spirited and cheap, nice and taken advantage of. We like to think we can navigate that line with spirit and style, but as this perfectly titled article in Jezebel says, “People Are Terrible, So Stop Putting Your Boobs on the Internet.”

click on link for more: Helping Asian American girls and women navigate a crossroads of stereotypes and expectations - NAM EthnoBlog

Congratulations UM Yuri Kochiyama Leadership Program Graduates

Congratulations to the University of Michigan Yuri Kochiyama APA Leadership Program participants who graduated Saturday! Many thanks to the UM students for leading this great program! Painting the rock was great fun!

Congratulations also to Cathy Cao for her UM APIA Award for Yuri Kochiyama Lifetime Achievement and Frank Chi for his UM APIA Award for Most Likely to be elected President.

#bubbletearocks

Writing Class: Finding your Voice Sat at WCC

I will be teaching a writing Class, "Finding your Voice" this and next Saturday 10-12 at Washtenaw Community College. Hope to see you there!

If you have been scribbling poetry in secret journals for years or if you now want to begin a memoir for your loved ones, it can take some time to find your voice or to have enough trust to show your writing to the world. Rather than waiting until all is perfect, begin in this course, one word at a time. With many tips, tricks, exercises and more, overcome those barriers to writing. 2 sessions.

click here for more information: http://www.wccnet.edu/lifelong-learning/browse/view/category/writing-literature/

Sneak Preview:

Chicago is the World » Helping Asian American girls and women navigate a crossroads of stereotypes and expectations

My twelve-year-old daughter was recently backed up against a wall at school by someone much taller and heavier than her—that classic pose with one hand against the wall behind her head, body leaning into her as he talked, running his other hand through his hair, acting so cool. She did not feel like she was in any danger, but she did not like the feeling of being trapped there.

So back home in the safety of our kitchen, we practiced different strategies for what she could do if it ever happened again. She could push him back with two hands. She could casually take one step away from the wall. She could even point, “Look, over there!” She does not need to make a big deal out of it, but practicing these small adjustments empowers her to discretely shift control of the situation.

I shared this story with the very cool Lisa Lee, former publisher of Hyphen Magazine and a co-founder of ThickDumplingSkin.com. She works with young Asian Americans on issues of body image and self-esteem. I peppered her with awkward and inappropriate questions. Together we worried about young women finding themselves, staying safe, having fun, demanding to be treated with respect, and cultivating their characters. It is not easy, especially with all the different messages they get. There is a fine line between sexy and slutty, free-spirited and cheap, nice and taken advantage of. We like to think we can navigate that line with spirit and style, but as this perfectly titled article in Jezebel says, “People Are Terrible, So Stop Putting Your Boobs on the Internet.”

click here for more: http://chicagoistheworld.org/2012/04/helping-asian-american-girls-and-women-navigate-a-crossroads-of-stereotypes-and-expectations/

Lessons I do not want to teach my children–about Dharun Ravi, Trayvon Martin, Shaima Alawadi | InCultureParent

After Indian American Rutgers student Dharun Ravi was convicted of bias intimidation, I sent the very long New Yorker article about the case to my teenagers so that they can understand what kind of digital footprint they leave whenever they do anything online, and to remind them that regardless of what they might actually be doing, they need to be aware that sometimes those actions may be perceived quite differently by others, including people who do not understand technology and culture, including people with power.

Although I agree that homophobic bullying should not be tolerated, because of the technical complexity of this case, I cannot shake the nagging feeling that had Dharun Ravi been white, or if Tyler Clementi had been a person of color, this case might never have been prosecuted, and certainly would not have been punished so harshly (Ravi faces a possible sentence of ten years and deportation). Ravi admits to being a jerk, but there have been too many other cases in which white bullies have gotten away with much worse. Harry Lew.Danny Chen. Phoebe Prince. Vincent Chin. Luis Ramirez. Trayvon Martin.

My heart breaks as I read articles by African American mothers about the rules they make for their children because they know how easily their children could be Trayvon Martin:

click on link for more Lessons I do not want to teach my children–about Dharun Ravi, Trayvon Martin, Shaima Alawadi | InCultureParent

From the Twitter Feed: gaman and bullying

10h Frances Kai-Hwa Wang ‏ @fkwang
jacl's mary kamidoi tells high schoolers can't be all nicey nicey, have to speak up, forget gaman when it comes to bullying & racism #badass

11h Frances Kai-Hwa Wang ‏ @fkwang
With amazing @jacl mary kamidoi talking about internment w huron hs students. #badass

May-Lee Chai response to Preparing Children for Bullying and Hate Crimes we hope never come

from the beautiful and brilliant author May-Lee Chai in response to http://chicagoistheworld.org/2012/04/preparing-our-children-for-the-bullying-and-hate-crimes-we-hope-never-come/:

Frances,

Great column, great advice, as usual!

I'm really glad you wrote on this topic. And what great advice you give to kids about speaking up.

This is what's missing from the other media accounts I've read and seen about bullying.

They focus on what parents can do, what the kid being bullied can do, but you also but responsibility on kids who WITNESS bullying, which we all know is the vast majority.

It's so important that you show there's moral responsibility --and civic responsibility, and self-interest!--in telling an adult (so much more useful than just trying to defend the kid in the present) and to keep telling adults. Also puts responsibility on adults' shoulders. Many adults DO NOT FEEL ANY RESPONSIBILITY, but they should.

Great column!

May-lee

Preparing our children for the bullying and hate crimes we hope never come - NAM EthnoBlog

Last Thursday, my son, eight-year-old Little Brother, did not want to go to school. No fever. No stomachache. No runny nose. Normally, I am a big softie when the children do not feel well, but that day I had to go to the courthouse, so no time for fooling around. As I carried him to school under one arm, socks and shoes and breakfast and backpack under the other, he finally admitted that he did not want to go to school because something had happened on the playground a day earlier. Nothing too serious—definitely not bullying—just boys playing a little too rough, but he was frightened. He did not want to get his friend in trouble, but I told him that he had to tell, if only to help his friend learn how to become a better friend, and to let the grownups know to keep a closer eye on the foursquare. Together, we went in to tell his teacher and the principal, after which Little Brother was able to go to class without worries.click here for more: Preparing our children for the bullying and hate crimes we hope never come - NAM EthnoBlog

RememberingVincentChin.com postcard launch

Launching the RememberingVincentChin.com postcards at ITASA Midwest Conference at the University of Michigan. Thanks UM Yuri Kochiyama Leadership Program!

ITASA begins tonight

International Taiwanese American Student Association (ITASA) Midwest Conference at the University of Michigan begins tonight, April 6, 2012. Looking forward to hanging out with TaiwaneseAmerican.org Ho Chie Tsai, ThickDumplingSkin.com Lisa Lee, Akufuncture, Mochi Mag, and more!

Click here for more information. Workshops

International Neighbors' Luncheon May 23

Excited to have been invited to speak at International Neighbors' Luncheon Wednesday, May 23, 2012, at the Ann Arbor Women's City Club.

Speaking at UM Yuri Kochiyama Leadership Program

After the ITASA Conference http://midwest.itasa.org/2012/Workshops.html, I am thrilled to be speaking to the High Schoolers in the University of Michigan Yuri Kochiyama Leadership Program about the Vincent Chin case. They'll be going on a huge expedition that day to the Day Center, the McDonald's, the plaque, and more.

Here's more information on the program for your high schoolers...

http://www.umich.edu/~uaao/ykprogram/whatis.html

Angry Asian Man Tweets Awesome

April 2, 2012 Twitterfeed

Angry Asian Man ‏ @angryasianman
Heejun Han, an Asian American mother's lessons for her children, and how to invest in human beings. And other links: http://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/04/read-these-blogs.html

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang ‏ @fkwang
@angryasianman thanks for including me in your read these blogs! you're the best!

Angry Asian Man ‏ @angryasianman
@fkwang Of course! I hope your kids are aware of how awesome you are.

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang ‏ @fkwang
@angryasianman they are :) wait until you hear the whole story over drinks some day

Lessons I do not want to teach my children-about Dharun Ravi, Trayvon Martin, Shaima Alawadi - NAM EthnoBlog

After Indian American Rutgers student Dharun Ravi was convicted of bias intimidation, I sent the very long New Yorker article about the case to my teenagers so that they can understand what kind of digital footprint they leave whenever they do anything online, and to remind them that regardless of what they might actually be doing, they need to be aware that sometimes those actions may be perceived quite differently by others, including people who do not understand technology and culture, including people with power.

Although I agree that homophobic bullying should not be tolerated, because of the technical complexity of this case, I cannot shake the nagging feeling that had Dharun Ravi been white, or if Tyler Clementi had been a person of color, this case might never have been prosecuted, and certainly would not have been punished so harshly (Ravi faces a possible sentence of ten years and deportation). Ravi admits to being a jerk, but there have been too many other cases in which white bullies have gotten away with much worse. Harry Lew. Danny Chen. Phoebe Prince. Vincent Chin. Luis Ramirez. Trayvon Martin.

click here for more: Lessons I do not want to teach my children-about Dharun Ravi, Trayvon Martin, Shaima Alawadi - NAM EthnoBlog

Speaking at ITASA Conference at UM April 7, 2012

I am excited to be a speaker at the International Taiwanese American Student Association (ITASA) Midwest Conference at the University of Michigan on April 7, 2012. We're going to have some fun with "Spark your identity" (post-Tiger Mom). Looking forward to hanging out with Ho Chie Tsai again.

Click here for more information. Workshops