Holiday Hiatus

Monday, December 20, 2010

Winter storms + flu season = catch up + sporadic posts for the rest of the year.

Happy New Year (early).

Home For The Holla'Days II: Magnetic North + Taiyo Na + Vudoo Soul + Geunjin + Ruth Cho

Tuesday, December 14, 2010



For the second year in a row it's Home For The Holla'Days which means good people, great music, and doing some exceptional DIY for the organization Aid To Children Without Parents:

ACWP’s Saving in Children Crisis ("SCIC") program was first established in 2004 to help economically disadvantaged and high-risk Vietnamese children from "children trafficking." In the poorest area of Southeast Asia , children are at risk of being or have been a victim of "children trafficking" where they’ve been kidnapped, sold, traded or tricked into child slavery and/or prostitution. The SCIC program is targeting children from the age range from 5 to 14 years old. These children come from extremely poor families in remote areas along the border of Cambodia such as and Svay Pak and Phnom Penh and rural or metropolitan cities in Southern Vietnam such as An Giang, Song Be, Kien Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho and even Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) in Vietnam. ACWP founded SCIC program after discovering a small village in Cambodia that was formed by a group of poor Vietnamese immigrants whose families migrate to Cambodia in search for work. For some desperate families, parents resulted to selling their children to brothels.

ACWP aims to help children who may be lured into sex trafficking. As a result, ACWP has developed various programs to provide immediate solution and long-term commitment to preventing children from being a victim of human trafficking crime; i.e., ranges from providing education, or vocational training and financial assistance.
Get tickets and check out more about the show down at the site.

East West Players + Wrinkles

Tuesday, December 14, 2010



Sounds good to me.

East West Players (EWP), the nation’s premier Asian American theatre, continues its 45th Anniversary season, themed Shake It Up, with the world premiere comedy WRINKLES by Paul Kikuchi. This production will be directed by Jeff Liu. The cast of the production includes Sab Shimono, Amy Hill, Elizabeth Ho, Ki Hong Lee, Scott Keiji Takeda, and Lisa Dring. Generous support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players.

Grandpa Harry’s got a big secret! In this comedy, unbeknownst to his daughter and grandson, 73 year-old Nisei Harry Fukutani is an internet sensation. But to view his work, you’d have to turn off the parental filter and have a valid credit card. A sticky comedy about sex, lies, and tiger balm. This play was developed in East West Players’ David Henry Hwang Writers Institute.

“East West Players is shaking it up with this world premiere comedy WRINKLES,” says EWP Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang. “On the surface, it is a great intergenerational comedy, but if you dig deeper, there are issues of aging as our baby boomer generation enters retirement. We want to show audiences that senior citizens are vibrant and healthy in all aspects of their lives. We hope audiences young and old are able to gain new perspectives on our senior citizen community after seeing this play.”

Paul Kikuchi (Playwright) is a playwright, substitute teacher and weekend trumpet player. Born and bred in Pasadena, California, he attended UC Santa Barbara where he received a BA in English Literature. He has also written six screenplays which have landed him three different agents, two options and a cup of Winchell’s coffee. His first play, IXNAY, had its world premiere at East West Players in 2009 and was nominated for a 2010 Garland Award for playwriting. Paul lives with his wife Maida, two daughters and dog in South Pasadena.

Jeff Liu (Director) is the Literary Manager of East West Players and was the Resident Director for Lodestone Theatre Ensemble during its ten year run. His productions include the world premieres of TEXAS, TERMINUS AMERICANA (Ovation Award nominee), SOLVE FOR X, THE GOLDEN HOUR, IXNAY, and GRACE KIM AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS. An independent feature he co-wrote, CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES, was nominated for two IFP Spirit Awards.

The design team consists of set designer Alan Muraoka, lighting designer Dan Weingarten, costumer designer Bich Vu, sound designer Dennis Yen and property master Ken Takemoto. The stage manager is Jaclyn Kalkhurst.

Additional funding for WRINKLES is provided by the James Irvine Foundation, the California Community Foundation, Shubert Foundation, The LA Board of Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

All performances of WRINKLES will be staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. WRINKLES opens Wednesday, February 16, 2011 and closes on Sunday, March 13, 2011. Opening night will be accompanied by a pre-performance cocktail reception and a post-show reception with the cast and creative team. Performances are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Previews are Thursday - Saturday, February 10 – 12 at 8pm and Sunday, February 13 at 2pm. The Pay-What-You-Can Performance will be held Thursday, February 17 at 8 pm with a suggested $5 minimum. The post-show discussion will be held on Sunday, February 27.

General Tickets range from $30 - $40. Preview tickets are $20 for all seats. Opening night tickets are $60 for all seats. Tickets are currently on sale. For ticket purchases or more information, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org. Senior, student and group discounts are available. Dates and details are subject to change.

One Week Away

Friday, December 10, 2010

Mu, Dreamland, Katie Hae Leo, And Gifted And Talented

Friday, December 10, 2010

If you're in the MSP area and have nothing to do on Saturday evening get on down and catch the reading of Katie Hae Leo's play Gifted And Talented down at Dreamland Arts.

GIFTED AND TALENTED by Katie Hae Leo

Julius is an Asian American man with superhero powers who does good deeds with the help of sidekick Kane. But when Felicia enters their lives, Kane flexes his muscles in surprising ways.

Sat. Dec. 11 at 7pm
Featuring Eric Sharp, Sherwin Resurreccion, Katie Bradley, Jason Vogen

All readings at Dreamland Arts.

Tickets are FREE. $5 suggested donation at the door. Seating is limited, so make reservations today by calling 651-645-5506 or emailing your reservation request to info@dreamlandarts.com

More information: http://www.muperformingarts.org/

I'm Just Going To Post This Matisyahu Video

Friday, December 10, 2010



I'm not going to tell you that we could probably delve deeper into the realm of an American Hasidic Jewish Reggae musician and all that might come with that (just do a search on Matisyahu) - because I'm sure we could if we wanted too - but really - I just wanted to post the video because it's kind of catchy and he's rapping in a snowsuit and iceskates.

That's pretty damn sweet.

Somehow This Is Just Wrong

Thursday, December 09, 2010

The Lexicon Of Cute

Thursday, December 09, 2010

So the only reason I'm actually writing this post is because I was lounging around with someone a month or so ago and somehow the phrase "Lexicon Of Cute" came out of my mouth and I don't really have any idea exactly what it meant at the time but the next thing you know they da noi "You should do a post on the Lexicon Of Cute".

Now, over a month later - since I'm in a sickly flu infested state (actually not really anymore as I'm on the tail end of it) I've decided to go ahead and actually do a post with that exact title even though I don't know what exactly it really is.

But I think it'll go something like the following: Below is a list of things I think of when I think of the Lexicon Of Cute.

1. Sanrio's Buta Coron aka Cute Plushy Pig You Just Want To Squeeze



2. The word "K" in a txt message from a SO, dating partner, or someone you'd just like to get to know more because somehow it sounds sweet and like there's a hug attached to it (and maybe a free late night snack of pancakes too).

3. Steve Wozniak (I can't help it - he kind of reminds me of Yogi The Bear).



4. Yogi The Bear (and a Boo Boo)



5. Pictures of cats

20 Essential Works of Asian American Literature?

Thursday, December 09, 2010

I caught this link down at someplace called Masters Degree and while I don't know who wrote it, thought I would pass it on as they've listed up what they think are the 20 essential Asian American piece of literature you should know.

And yes.

I'm way too lazy to be doing that.

The American Sociological Review Says Asian American Men Are Getting The Shaft (And Not In A Good Way With Some Lube And Nice Fingering Pleasure)

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Apparently Asian American men - we earn less than our White male counterparts.

At least on a whole, because me - I just use blackmail to get what I want -- and yes, I'm damn good at it, but I actually probably still get paid less because part of my agreement wasn't more money but more red Gummi Bears (I couldn't help it, they're just really tasty and heard the place I work at had the best uncut Gummi Bears around) -- and some extra time off of course to work off said Gummi Bear compensation.

Asian-American men are paid up to 29 percent less than equally qualified white males, according to a new study.

The gap is narrowest, at 8 percent, for U.S.-born Asian-Americans who speak fluent English and widest, at nearly 30 percent, for first-generation U.S. citizens who were born and educated abroad.

Even men who were born and educated abroad but who received university degrees in the U.S. earn 14 percent less than white men.

“The most striking result is that native-born Asian Americans - who were born in the U.S. and speak English perfectly - their income is 8 percent lower than whites after controlling for their college majors, their places of residence and their level of education,” said ChangHwan Kim.

“No ethnic group has reached full parity with whites,” the assistant professor of sociology at the University of Kansas added in a telephone interview.

Stamp The LIRR

Thursday, December 09, 2010

I can't really tell you anything more about this than what I read in the Gothamist, but I can say that I really don't know anyone who would come up to someone they work with - who wasn't their friend - and jiggle their boob just to say hi.

A lesbian locomotive engineer is suing the Long Island Railroad for millions, accusing superiors of punishing her more harshly than her co-workers because she's gay and Asian-American. Melissa Stampf, 43, was accused of grabbing a fellow engineer's breast in a parking lot at the West Side rail yards. Stampf had been friends with her accuser, Angela Trigg, leading up the incident, and even shared a locker with her, the Daily News reports. But that collegiality ended one day in June 2006, when Stampf spotted Trigg sitting in her car and went over to say hello.

"I put my hand on and squeezed her shoulder," Stampf testified yesterday. "She said, 'What are you doing?' She said if I touched her again she'll 'break my fucking arm.' I was shocked. She repeated it again, 'Don't fucking touch me.' I felt there was some kind of tension in the air and I walked away." (A threat to break somebody's arm does tend to harsh the mellow.) A male co-worker in Trigg's car backed up Trigg's allegation that Stampf didn't grab her shoulder, but instead "grabbed and jiggled" one of Trigg's breasts.

You Could Be A First: Kat Chang + Amazing Race

Thursday, December 09, 2010



Even with all the hype surrounding the The Amazing Race this season I haven't actually been watching as much - hardly at all really - but television goes on no matter who's watching it (well...kind of...) -- and guess who could also be the first women pair to win the race since it started?

Yup.

That would be those people above.

Check out the finale on CBS this Sunday at 7:00 PM CST.

Margaret Cho + Grammys

Wednesday, December 08, 2010








Catchafire, Rachael Chong, And Doing Good

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

I was listening to NPR last night on my way over to a friends and they happened to be profiling some non-profits and how they were working with social media and technology and the next thing you know I was txting myself the name catchafire.org, which was started by Rachael Chong (also a blogger down at the Huffington Post).

Catchafire matches professionals who want to volunteer their skills with nonprofits and social enterprises that need their help. We match volunteers and organizations based on a variety of characteristics including skills, cause interests, and time availability.

We help organizations identify their needs as short-term, discrete, and individual-based projects. Our projects are structured in this way to make it easy for professionals to find time to volunteer in the midst of their busy daily lives. Check out our projects here.

We charge nonprofits and social enterprises less than 5% of the cost that they would normally pay for the professional services our volunteers provide. Our service is free for all professionals willing to donate their time. We also help corporations offer our skills-based volunteer opportunities for their employees.

Catchafire is a New York City-based, for-profit social mission business and a certified B-Corporation.
Find out more.

Bio: Grant Imahara

Wednesday, December 08, 2010



Mythbusters Bio

Electronics and radio-control specialist GRANT IMAHARA is a former animatronics engineer and model maker for Industrial Light & Magic, where he worked on such movies as The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence and Van Helsing. Grant also worked on The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions.

In addition to operating R2-D2 (one of only a handful of official operators), Grant has another claim to beloved-character fame: developing a custom circuit to cycle the Energizer Bunny's arm beats and ears at a constant rate. In fact, he's responsible for all the electronics installation and radio programming on the current generation of bunnies, even serving as the bunny's driver and crew supervisor on numerous commercials.

A native of Los Angeles, Calif., Grant earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. He's also the author of the book, Kickin' Bot: An Illustrated Guide to Building Combat Robots. His own machine, DEADBLOW, is a former BattleBots champion.
Twitter Love.

MTV Iggy Artist Of The Week: Mondega

Tuesday, December 07, 2010



Links.

Get It On-Demand: A Song For Ourselves

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Got this passed my way from filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura and wanted to make sure and pass it on.

Hi everyone,

I'm excited to announce that A Song For Ourselves is now available On-Demand to Comcast digital cable subscribers for only $0.99! Comcast just launched "Cinema Asian America", a ground-breaking new video-on demand project featuring some of the best in Asian American cinema. Each month Comcast will feature a new curated line-up, which means A Song For Ourselves will only be available from Dec. 1st - Jan. 3rd. Also available this month is a musical montage of highlights from Jake Shimabukuro's Japan tour that we shot in the summer. This is a really significant opportunity to show corporations like Comcast that there is indeed an audience for relevant Asian American content on televison, so please order (it's only a buck!) and spread the word!

If you have Comcast this is what you do:

1) Click on the “On Demand” button
2) Look under the “Movies” folder
3) Select the “Movie Collections” folder
4) Select the “Cinema Asian America” folder to see the list of films
Cool.

Eiko & Koma: Naked YouTube

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Since I missed seeing actual naked people at The Walker when Eiko & Koma were here and can't actually provide you with any sort of review I'll just provide you with some naked YouTube.



And yes.

I don't know what's going on either.

East West Players And Allos: The Story Of Carlos Bulosan

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

From my inbox to you (with love).

East West Players (EWP), the nation’s premier Asian American theatre, presents the touring production of ALLOS: THE STORY OF CARLOS BULOSAN by Giovanni Ortega as part of its Theatre For Youth Program. With generous funding from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and California Community Foundation, East West Players ensures that this school year’s Theatre for Youth touring production of ALLOS: THE STORY OF CARLOS BULOSAN can provide multicultural outreach to the underserved communities in the Los Angeles area. Through this, the touring production will serve as a forum to educate communities on a part of American History not often discussed in schools. The tour begins next year mid February and ends in March.

ALLOS: THE STORY OF CARLOS BULOSAN tells the story of an important American hero many do not know about and history text books do not discuss. Like so many immigrants seeking a better life, he followed his brothers to America only to find violence, racism and exploitation. Bulosan used his writing to combat discrimination and became an advocate for migrant workers rights. In 1946, his semi-autobiographical novel America is in the Heart became the voice of the Filipino immigrant experience. Bulosan’s story is a testament to one man’s courage and spirit in a country that rejected him, yet he never ceased to love and believe in the country he called home – America.

“We believe Carlos Bulosan’s compelling story of struggle and triumph will inspire students to become more responsible citizens by learning to respect the hard-earned civil rights of all ethnicities and cultures,” says Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang. “We try to tell the stories not often learned in the mainstream. This touring production reflects our commitment to utilize the performing arts as a tool to teach students about American history, immigrant rights, and how the arts can be an important tool in uniting a community. This tour is especially important at this time when so many schools are cutting back on arts education. The title of the play is an example of an educational moment in and of itself. Allos was Carlos Bulosan’s nickname growing up and it is a typical Filipino custom to give people nicknames.”

East West Players is the longest running theatre of color AND the largest producer of Asian American artistic work. Located in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, it is committed to teaching American history, diversity and respect for many different culture. EWP’s Theatre for Youth Touring Production has toured Southern California since 1972. To book this touring production for your school or organization, please contact Arts Education Director, Marilyn Tokuda at (213) 625-7000 x15 or email mtokuda@eastwestplayers.org. For more information on all of East West Players productions and educational programs, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org.

An Open Letter To TMM

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Militant:

I figure I could write up an e-mail and send it your way, but I feel like posting, so I guess that's what I'm going to do - but I was checking out the last few posts - and you know what I've always liked about them? They're just real - down to the core - in a way something I can never do - and yeah - everything is what it is - but at the base - when it comes to the posts - to the blog - you just represent - you put out a voice that's distinctly you and while it takes time to traverse things - figure out which way to go, what to keep behind closed doors, what to let go, and what to go after (in the good and the bad) - I'm always appreciating the voice you put out there - the stories you talk about in an unflinching way, sometimes from the most personal of vantage points.

And I respect that.

Because some things just need to be said.

TrĂșc Duym, Icee, Bad Girl, Suboi, And More Saigon Electric

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Just to catch you up (and me too), here are some music vids from the upcoming Saigon Electric/Yo soundtrack.

TrĂșc Duy feat. Icee - Bad Girl



Suboi - Away



The Offical Trailer

YUI: Rain

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

AAA, Paradise, And I Just Like The Hook

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Random Video Of People In Hawaii

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Joe Nguyen: You're A German Vietnamese Dominican Jewish Coemdian

Tuesday, December 07, 2010



I'm Lazy.

Therefore I give linkage.

Randy Tran + Suc Song Moi

Monday, December 06, 2010

I just thought this was a good story and wanted to post a little but of it up:

Abandoned as a new-born, US-Vietnamese singer Randy Tran returns to his native land to search for his mother and the meaning to life. Minh Thu reports.

Where is the most boring place to live? "Where I don't find any relatives," Randy Tran, a Vietnamese-American pop singer, replies. Where is the most desirous place to sing? "Anywhere I'm received," he says.

Tran has returned to Viet Nam three times but has never performed in more shows than he did during his most recent visit.

He sang at HCM City's Trong Dong (Bronze Drum) Music Stage Theatre, the southern province of Tay Ninh, Ha Noi, the northern city of Hai Phong and will perform again in the central city of Da Nang this weekend before returning to the US [...]

Although Tran sees that many things have changed since he was young, many people still remember and welcome him. They are surprised that he speaks Vietnamese and hasn't forgotten them or his former life.

"This trip is very meaningful to me, I have a chance to sing for my people and raise money for the flood victims. That's a special emotion when the audiences love hearing my songs. They even ask me to repeat."
Check it on in full here.

The Phan Family

Monday, December 06, 2010

This is some sad news - and any death is - but if there's one thing that can come out of this it's that the family of Vinh Phan at least got some sort of justice -- albeit a monetary settlement isn't what I'd exactly call justice.

Vinh Phan will never again walk through the front door of the Olympia home he shares with his parents.

He died on June 3, 2007, in Alaska while working aboard the F/T Enterprise, a factory trawler. According to a U.S. Coast Guard report, he was hosing fish out of a holding tank when a hydraulic door was activated, crushing his head. His parents and four siblings agreed that there was only one thing they had to do: tell their story to a judge.

“We strongly believe that the American judicial system is meant to bring out the truths and through the truths that justice and fairness shall prevail,” explained Ken Phan, Vinh’s younger brother.

“[A lawsuit was] their only recourse, and of course, it’s no substitute for their son, but it was the one thing they could do to honor him,” said Corrie Yackulic, the family’s lawyer.

In February 2009, Ken Phan, their second oldest son, served as a personal representative of his deceased brother’s estate and filed a civil lawsuit against O’Hara Corporation, owner and operator of the F/T Enterprise.

On Sept. 21, the company admitted liability, and King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez ruled in favor of Phan’s parents. “Bang Phan and Tron Bui are proper statutory beneficiaries under the Death on the High Seas Act … in the amount of $522,362.50,” wrote Gonzalez, in his final statement.

And Yes, Kamala Harris Is A First

Monday, December 06, 2010



She's both the first Asian American - and - African American to be elected as California's Attorney General.

And she's a Democrat.

Nice.

Going Under The Educational Radar: Cambodians, Laotions, And Hmong

Monday, December 06, 2010

Apparently if you're one of the above, you're getting the short end of the stick when it comes to education which means that you, unlike your fist pumping Korean counterparts (you know I love you my K-plushies but you know you're out there) always seem to go under the radar when it comes to this education thing (and living wage thing too).

In California, which has the country's largest and most diverse Asian population, 45 percent of Hmong haven't graduated high school, the highest proportion among all 40-plus subgroups, UC researchers say. Furthermore, 40 percent of Cambodians and Laotians haven't finished high school, which is twice the statewide rate regardless of race. And about 20 percent of Pacific Islanders drop out of high school statewide.
I think you should revolt against your people - and by people, I mean fist pumping Koreans.

In Pictures: Ivy League Asian Americans

Monday, December 06, 2010



Listen - I'm not saying that everyon's not having a good time once the camera was off - on the contrary - I'm sure there was a lot of...something...although I'm not sure what - and I'm sure it was fun - and I give mucho kudos to Justine Chiu and Laiyin Li for getting it together - because what they're doing is important.

All I'm saying is that I'm sure there's at least one person there wondering when the keg was going to get broken out.

Supporting the DREAM Act (And A Little Gary Locke)

Monday, December 06, 2010

Far be it for me to tell you in-depth about things I don't actually know about even though it doesn't always stop me from doing so (just remember that when I tell you how to make a million dollars by chewing gum and that to get you started first you need to stuff one $100 dollar bill in my g-string - and even though I'm a guy - it looks damn good).

So instead - I'll just let someone better tell you about what you should know that I can't really tell you anything more about except that it sounds much better coming from Gary Locke.

The President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders supports the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act ( "DREAM Act" ). The DREAM Act is good for our economy, our security, and our nation.

"Research has shown the potential of undocumented students to contribute to the economy and the U.S. workforce," said Gary Locke, secretary of commerce and co-chair of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. "The DREAM Act would offer a rigorous and lengthy pathway towards earned legalization that would be a powerful incentive for young people to stay in school, graduate, stay out of trouble, and contribute to the economic stability of our country."

According to a University of California report, Asian and Pacific Islander students make up approximately 40 percent of the total undocumented student population enrolled in the University of California system. Additionally, many undocumented Asian students are children of parents who have fled from war-torn countries.
While I can't tell you much I can point you to the link as well as tell make sure that your eyes have focused in on the part in bold.

Because that's important.

Will China Rein In North Korea? Was Deep Throat Really That Controversial?

Monday, December 06, 2010

In answer to these questions I give you the following.

No.

And maybe.

Cho Versus Palin And Those Gosselin Kids

Monday, December 06, 2010



So to get you up to speed this new feud goes something like this:


  1. I'm not really sure it's a feud since Cho writes that she actualy got along well with her.
  2. Even if it's not, I'm still making it a feud because it's just more interesting that way.
  3. Cho said that "Sarah supposedly blames Bristol harshly and openly (in the circles that I heard it from) for not winning the election, and so she told Bristol she “owed” it to her to do DWTS so that “America would fall in love with her again” and make it possible for Sarah Palin to run in 2012 with America behind her all the way."
  4. Bristol has responded saying that it saddened her and that if Cho ever has a question to "call me girlfriend" which somehow just doesn't sound right coming out of her keyboard.
I actually believe the Cho even though I can't believe that Palin really might run - and not because I don't know why she's going to run (it's her "brand") but because she probably thinks she's got an actual chance.

And on another note - Palin's new show (yes - that's hard to type) will be featuring Kate and 8.

visualizAsian + Hyphen Magazine

Friday, December 03, 2010

Last Call (at least for the year).

We’ve scheduled one more visualizAsian call before the end of the year, with publisher Lisa Lee and editor-in-chief Harry Mok of Hyphen magazine!

If you’re not familiar with Hyphen, it’s the 7-and-a-half-year-old magazine that offers, as it says on the cover, “Asian America Unabridged.” It’s not only a fine, high-quality publication featuring strong writing and editing and graphics, it’s one of the few national print media outlets that covers Asian American issues and pop culture, and it follows in the footsteps of many now-gone magazines, starting with the late, great A magazine and including such titles as TransPacific and East-West. Other mags currently being produced include KoreAm and Giant Robot, whose editor, Eric Nakamura, we spoke to earlier this year.

Our conversation with Lisa and Harry about Hyphen will be at 7 pm PT (10 pm ET) on Wednesday, December 8. Register here if you’re new to visualizAsian (if you’ve registered before you’ll receive an email with the phone and webcast information; you don’t need to register again).
Get it on.

Jason Yang Memorial And Fundraiser

Thursday, December 02, 2010

When: Thursday, December 2 · 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Location: Northbrook Alliance Church, 6240 Aldrich Ave. N., Brooklyn Center, MN, 55430

Allies, friends and relatives please join us for an evening of remembering Jason Yang and coming together as a community to support his family. The Jason Yang Memorial and Fundraiser will be held next Thursday, December 2, 2010 at the Northbrook Alliance Church, 6240 Aldrich Ave. N., Brooklyn Center, MN, 55430 from 7:00pm - 8:30pm.

All are welcome to attend this respectful and peaceful memorial. The evening will provide an opportunity for the community to come together and grieve Jason's tragic death with the family, but it will also serve as a celebration of Jason's life and the many lives he touched before he was so abruptly taken from us all. Aside from the heartbreaking loss of their husband, brother, father and son - the family has incurred and will continue to be burdened with a great financial cost. Let us come together as a community to help support them with their funeral expenses, legal fees and ongoing investigations so that the family may finally attain the truth and justice they deserve. We must also keep in mind, Jason's untimely passing has left a loving wife and four beautiful children without a husband or father. Please spread this throughout your network of family and friends and ask that they contribute what they can, but most importantly ask that they show up with you Thursday to stand in support with Jason's family.

If you are unable to attend please consider making a donation to the Jason Yang Memorial Fund:
Jason Yang Memorial Fund
Western Bank
663 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN, 55104

A special thanks to the Family and Friends of Jason Yang Committee for their continued dedication and struggle to bringing truth and justice to Jason's family. As we move forward, let us remember that "We Are All Jason Yang."

With gratitude,
Daniel Yang, Jason Yang Family Advocate

For more information please visit:
www.facebook.com/justiceforjasonyang

History: Rosa Parks

Wednesday, December 01, 2010



On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks, age 42, refused to obey bus driver James Blake's order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. Her action was not the first of its kind. Irene Morgan in 1946, and Sarah Louise Keys in 1955,[2] had won rulings before the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Interstate Commerce Commission, respectively, in the area of interstate bus travel. Nine months before Parks refused to give up her seat, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin refused to move from her seat on the same bus system. In New York City, in 1854, Lizzie Jennings engaged in similar activity, leading to the desegregation of the horsecars and horse-drawn omnibuses of that city.[3] But unlike these previous individual actions of civil disobedience, Parks' action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Parks' act of defiance became an important symbol of the modern Civil Rights Movement and Parks became an international icon of resistance to racial segregation. She organized and collaborated with civil rights leaders, including boycott leader Martin Luther King, Jr., helping to launch him to national prominence in the civil rights movement.

At the time of her action, Parks was secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and had recently attended the Highlander Folk School, a Tennessee center for workers' rights and racial equality. Nonetheless, she took her action as a private citizen "tired of giving in". Although widely honored in later years for her action, she suffered for it, losing her job as a seamstress in a local department store. Eventually, she moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she found similar work. From 1965 to 1988 she served as secretary and receptionist to African-American U.S. Representative John Conyers. After retirement from this position, she wrote an autobiography and lived a largely private life in Detroit. In her final years she suffered from dementia and became embroiled in a lawsuit filed on her behalf against American hip-hop duo OutKast.

Parks eventually received many honors ranging from the 1979 Spingarn Medal to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal and a posthumous statue in the United States Capitol's National Statuary Hall. Her death in 2005 was a major story in the United States' leading newspapers. She was granted the posthumous honor of lying in honor at the Capitol Rotunda.