Speaking at 2024 Asian & Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration at the University of Michigan

Very excited to be invited by the University of Michigan Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives and the Asian & Pacific Islander Student Committee to be the keynote graduation speaker at the 2024 Asian & Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration at the University of Michigan this May!

Ohio University announces 2024 Kiplinger Fellows (me!)

Ohio University announces 2024 Kiplinger Fellows on immigration (including me!)

Eighteen veteran journalists with experience covering immigration and migration issues across the globe have been selected for the 2024 Kiplinger Fellowship in Public Affairs Journalism at Ohio University.

The Kiplinger Fellows will come to Columbus and then travel to Ohio University, April 14-20, for a weeklong fellowship aimed at improving immigration and migration reporting. The majority of the fellows this year are freelancers who extensively cover immigration and migration issues for large media outlets or for dedicated online sites. 

Some of the fellows in this year’s class are also immigrants, moving from their original birth places because of economic or political strife, such as wars. The selection of these seven U.S. journalists and 11 international ones concludes a two-month review process of nearly 300 applications.

“We are again blessed with an amazing class of fellows from all over the world,” Kiplinger Program Executive Director Kevin Z. Smith said. “This topic is one of the most current and relevant anywhere you look in the world. Understanding immigration and migration issues and being able to convey the complexities of these stories is one of the most important jobs for a journalist in 2024, and we have an excellent class to take on the challenge.”

During the week at Ohio University, Fellows will have an opportunity to hear from leading experts on immigration and migration policies, from humanitarian organizations, as well as other journalists who cover the issues exclusively. The fellowship will consist of workshops and focus of themes like economic, climate, or political forced migration; border policies and immigration quotas, human trafficking and other related topics. 

The fellows will meet daily at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in Schoonover Center.

The U.S. Fellows include:

Jordan Gass-Poorè, independent investigative journalist, podcast creator, New York City, N.Y.

Alexandra Locke, executive producer, The Take, an Al Jazeera English podcast, Cambridge, Mass.

Katie McQue, investigative freelance reporter, New York City, N.Y.

Sophia Qureshi, publisher, 285 South magazine, Atlanta, Ga.

Clavel Rangel, immigration communities freelance journalist, Miami, Fla. 

Ralph Thomassaint, immigration journalist, Documented, New York City, N.Y.

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, communities correspondent, PBS Newshour, Dearborn, Mich.

International Fellows include:

Amir Hadi Azmi, correspondent, South China Morning Post, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Morgan Black, reporter/anchor, Global News, Edmonton, Canada

Alienor Carrieré, online freelance journalist, Lille, France

Francisco Javier Carrión, reporter, El Independiente, Madrid, Spain

Liz Cookman, freelancer British journalist, Kyiv, Ukraine

Mahmoud Elsobky, freelance journalist, Brussels, Belgium

Juan Luis Garcia Hernandez, reporter, Causa Natura, Mexico City, Mexico

Cristina Lai Men, producer, TSF Radio, Lisbon, Portugal

Erkinbek Kamalov, freelance immigration writer, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

Magdalena Rojo, freelance journalist, Oaxaca, Mexico

Pierina Sora, founder, Cápsula Migrante, Lima, Peru

The April gathering marks the 51st year of the fellowship which was started in 1973 at Ohio State University following a generous gift from the Kiplinger family in honor of patriarch Willard Kiplinger, founder of the Washington Editors (WE). WE produced the Kiplinger Newsletter and Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine from 1920-2019. 

The Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism moved to Ohio University in 2019. 

In addition to the fellowship, the Kiplinger Program maintains a robust training schedule for professional journalists in the United States and abroad. 

https://www.ohio.edu/news/2024/01/ohio-university-announces-2024-kiplinger-fellows

Upcoming classes et al Winter 2024

Introduction to Publishing
2 Saturdays, Jan 20-27, 2024, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Finding the Writer Within Continuing Writers Workshop
10 Sundays, Feb 18-Apr 28, 2024, 12-2pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Telling the Stories of your Life through Food
3 Saturdays, Mar 9-23, 2024, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Guest Lecture Hawaiian Sovereignty

Asian/Pacific Islander American Civil Rights, University of Michigan Dept of American Culture
Mon., March 18, 2024, 10-11:20am EDT

Midwest Asian American Students Union (MAASU) 

3 workshops: Writing to Save the World and Hawaiian Sovereignty

Sat., April 6, 2024, University of Michigan

Reading with Zilka Joseph at Booksweet

Friday, April 12, 2024, 7:00 pm, Booksweet, Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor

University of Michigan Asian American and Pacific Islander graduation celebration keynote

Sat., May 4, 2024, University of Michigan

1990 Institute Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 25 Dec 15, 2024

My essay for 1990 Institute Newsletter

How books by Asian American and Pacific Islander authors can connect us

December 15, 2023

Volume 3, Issue 25

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue24_copy1

Starting today: Ethical or Legacy Wills -- Writing a Love Letter to your Family at WCC

Starting today

Ethical or Legacy Wills -- Writing a Love Letter to your Family

3 Sats, Dec 2 - 16, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Other Winter writing classes at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) coming up

1990 Institute Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 24 Dec. 1

My essay for 1990 Institute Newsletter

How can a good cup of chai make any book better?

December 1, 2023

Volume 3, Issue 24 

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue24

Reading at Kundiman Midwest's 11th Hour Salon

Update: Sorry I had to cancel because I'm not feeling well.

I'm excited to be selected as one of 15 featured poets reading at Kundiman Midwest's 11th Hour Salon on Zoom on Wednesday, November 29th at 7:30pm EST/ 6:30pm CT/ 4:30pm PST/ 2:30pm HST .  Thanks to Helene Achanzar for organizing.

Here's the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84104748461

More re Kundiman Midwest https://www.kundiman.org/regional-groups-1 

1990 Institute Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 23, Nov. 17, 2024

My essay for 1990 Institute Newsletter

How can the festival of lights bring us together with hope and belonging?

November 17, 2023

Volume 3, Issue 23 

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue23

Inaugural Washtenaw Artist Grant

Big thanks to CultureSource and and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation for including me in their inaugural Washtenaw Artist Grant! And big congrats to friends Chien-An Yuan Is/Land: A Performance Collaborative and Eileen S. Ho Raion Taiko Drummers

https://culturesource.org/stories/announcing-the-inaugural-washtenaw-artist-grant-recipients/

Writing class starting today: Writing Op-Eds or opinion essays at WCC

Starting today

Writing Op-Eds or opinion essays

3 Sats, Nov 4 - 18, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Other Fall writing classes at Washtenaw Community College (WCC)

Ethical or Legacy Wills -- Writing a Love Letter to your Family
3 Sats, Dec 2 - 16, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

1990 Institute Newsletter Nov 3, 2023

November 3, 2023
Volume 3, Issue 22
How did the Magnuson Act bring an end to the Chinese Exclusion Act?

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue22

Thanks Skazat Poetry Series at Sweetwaters Cafe

Thanks everyone for joining us tonight at the Skazat! Poetry Series at Sweetwaters on Zoom. It was great to see so many friends and hear so much great writing. Thanks to the organizers, Scott Beal and Ellen Stone, and check out their new publication https://www.publicschoolpoetry.com/ 

And as always thanks to our dear friends at Sweetwaters. 

Here's the event link https://www.facebook.com/events/306183645494137

Poetry Reading at Skazat! Poetry Series at Sweetwaters Tues Oct 24 7:00 pm EDT on Zoom

 I'll be reading Tuesday Oct 24 7-8:30pm EDT at Skazat! Poetry Series at Sweetwaters on Zoom. There will also be an Open Mic so hope you read with us too!

Here's the event link https://www.facebook.com/events/306183645494137

Welcome to Skazat! We are back for another season and invite you to come and share poetry with us virtually.

Here is the Zoom link to join the event on Tuesday, Oct 24 at 7pm EDT:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81213611123...
Meeting ID: 812 1361 1123
Passcode: 716735

This month's feature: FRANCES KAI-HWA WANG!

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang is a poet, essayist, journalist, scholar, and activist focused on issues of Asian America, race, justice, and the arts. Her writing has appeared at Cha Asian Literary Journal, Kartika Review, Ricepaper, Drunken Boat, Knight’s Library. She is a founding member of IS/LAND Asian American Contemporary Performance Collaborative. She co-created a multimedia artwork for Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. She wrote “You Cannot Resist Me When My Hair Is in Braids,” Wayne State Press. She teaches creative writing at Washtenaw Community College. She has a weakness for a well-crafted argument and a lyrical turn of phrase. Franceskaihwawang.com @fkwang

1990 Institute Newsletter Oct 20, 2023

October 20, 2023
Volume 3, Issue 21
How will APEC create a resilient and sustainable future for all?

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue21

Writing class starting today: Jumpstart your Memoir at WCC

Starting today

Jumpstart your Memoir

3 Sats, Oct 7 - 21, 2023, 10am-12pm EDT, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Other Fall writing classes at Washtenaw Community College (WCC)

Writing Op-Eds or opinion essays

3 Sats, Nov 4 - 18, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Ethical or Legacy Wills -- Writing a Love Letter to your Family
3 Sats, Dec 2 - 16, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

1990 Institute Newsletter Oct 6, 2023

October 6 , 2023
Volume 3, Issue 20
The spirit of the Silk Road continues to connect us

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue20

Starting today: Finding the Writer Within Continuing Writers Workshop at WCC

Starting today

Finding the Writer Within Continuing Writers Workshop

10 Sundays, Oct 1 - Dec 10, 2023, 12-2pm EDT, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Other Fall writing classes at Washtenaw Community College (WCC)

Jumpstart your Memoir
3 Sats, Oct 7 - 21, 2023, 10am-12pm EDT, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Writing Op-Eds or opinion essays

3 Sats, Nov 4 - 18, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Ethical or Legacy Wills -- Writing a Love Letter to your Family
3 Sats, Dec 2 - 16, 2023, 10am-12pm EST, Washtenaw Community College, Zoom

Poetry Reading with Matwaala Sept 28

 Matwaala Asian American Poetry Reading 

Flavors of Verse: Marinating in the diverse voices of E and SE Asia

Thurs., Sept. 28, 2023, Zoom  https://www.matwaala.com/

1990 Institute Newsletter Sept 22, 2023

September 22 , 2023
Volume 3, Issue 19
Can mooncakes, songpyeon, and frozen kimbap bring us closer across cultures?

https://1990institute.salsalabs.org/1990newsletter_vol3_issue19

Auto workers in Detroit share why they’re striking | PBS NewsHour

My article for PBS NewsHour
Auto workers in Detroit share why they’re striking | PBS NewsHour
Nation Sep 21, 2023 4:45 PM EST

At the UAW “Stand up for our Communities against Corporate Greed” rally in Detroit, UAW members and allies talk with the PBS NewsHour Communities Initiative about the challenges of working for the Detroit Big Three and why they are striking.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/auto-workers-in-detroit-share-why-theyre-striking