Jason Chu + COLORBLIND (Response To La Jolla Playhouse Racism)

Tuesday, July 31, 2012



Nice.

Oceanside: A City On A Lake Feat. Ximena SariƱana

Sunday, July 29, 2012



Nice.

Video Poetry: Bao Phi + Joua Lee = Lin 467 To The Future

Sunday, July 29, 2012



Original poem written and performed by Bao Phi.
Video by Joua Lee.

ARTIST STATEMENT: This poem and video was originally conceptualized at the height of Linsanity as one in a trilogy -- the first, "Lin. Sanity" by Giles Li and Ash Hsie, was posted last week. "467" alludes to the rank Jeremy Lin had in the NBA prior to Linsanity. When Jeremy Lin went down with an injury, the whole plan was put indefinitely on hold. The recent (and baffling) vitriol that sports media outlets have thrown Jeremy Lin's way escalated the timeline. Thank you to all involved in making this video, and keep an eye out for another video in the trilogy (July 27, 2012)

DISCLAIMER: This artistic work contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is included for the purposes of criticism, commentary, and education; the artists do not profit from the online viewing of this work. This constitutes a 'fair use' of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

Bio: Jessica Lu

Friday, July 27, 2012

From mtv.com:

Jessica Lu currently stars as the down-to-earth Ming Huang on the critically acclaimed MTV series Awkward, which airs its second season at the end of June. The Asian-American actress will also be playing the role of Tabitha on Ryan Murphy's (Glee) new show, The New Normal, airing this fall on NBC. Jessica has also appeared in the TV series Law & Order: LA, CSI, 90210 and the movie Mortal Kombat: Rebirth.

Jessica grew up in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois where she spent her childhood and high school days developing her love of theater and the performing arts. Jessica went on to attend Columbia College in Chicago where she starred as the lead role in the musical, Flower Drum Song.
Jessica graduated with honors from Columbia College in Chicago with a degree in Musical Theatre Performance.

Jessica's talents range from musical theater to modeling to acting on film. As a successful model she has worked with established brands including: Kaiser Permanente, Samsung, McDonalds, Claire's, Marshall Fields, Montgomery Wards, Sears, Carson Pirie Scott and Got Milk?. Her modeling career also includes commercial work for Ford Motors and Orville Redenbacher Popcorn.

In addition, she is an advocate for the charity, Love is Louder, which addresses the issues of bullying, depression and discrimination as well as the Trevor Project, an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for the LGBTQ community.

Jessica resides in Los Angeles with her dog, Oprah and her cat, Lucky.

I Don't Know What This Post Is About

Thursday, July 26, 2012

With exception to the fact that I wanted to post up the following words:

Chautacular.
Chaunomenal.
Chaugasmic.

P.S.

As I write these words and say them aloud, K-Girl rolls her eyes at me and says the following.

"How unfortunate".

Random Miike

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Model Minority + Next Showing + AAIFF 2012

Wednesday, July 25, 2012



SCREENING INFO:
Saturday August 4, 2012 *** EAST COAST PREMIERE ****
4:45pm est
@ Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF)
Chelsea Clearview Cinemas - 260 West 23rd Street, New York, NY - (212) 777-3456

Special post-screening q&a with Lily Mariye, Nichole Bloom, Delon De Metz, Marc Anthony Samuel and more!

Pre-order your tickets now http://www.asiancinevision.org/model-minority/

Triangle Offense + The First Love

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

From the PR.

Jersey City, NJ -- Electrohop group Triangle Offense (TO) released their newest mixtape project The First Love as a free download on their website. (Direct link: www.triangle-offense.com) The mixtape features their signature style of clever, lyric-driven rap over a selection of hip samples and original, drum and synth production. The First Love is the second chapter in a trilogy following their debut The Courting, continuing the story arc based on love and relationships.

"The story continues where we left off on 'The Reeling,' the last song on The Courting. As the story progresses and situations arise, we do our best to put you in those places with our music," explains TO member Sci. "We have our own interpretation of the story, but we want listeners to make up their own."

TO has a history of putting their own spin on both mainstream and indie hits having rapped over artists' songs ranging from Cut Copy to Ryan Leslie to The xx. They continue the trend on this project with samples like Janet Jackson's "When We Oooo," New Look's "Numbers," Toro Y Moi's "Sweet," and a New Jersey take on Azealia Banks' "212" entitled "201." They teamed up with Jersey City producer Nemobeatz for the other half of the tape, creating high energy, synth driven songs like "You Know The Name" and "Love It."

"We've all known each other for so long, it's just like making dinner with your family," Nemo explains. "For the most part we're on the same wavelength creatively, but like with family, sometimes we bump heads. One thing we can always agree on though is all wanting the best product possible."

Other original songs like "Eyes Open" featuring Mitchel Grey front-man Ryan Bandong and "Beautiful Stars" featuring Nightlight show TO's dedication to make music that can be danced to while respecting their lyricist roots -- a style they've dubbed "contemplative club music." When asked what his favorite song on the mixtape was, Sci said, "Without a doubt, 'Beautiful Stars.' It's the track where every TO member shows who they are as people, rather than just musicians or artists. I wrote the hook for someone dear to me, who helped me through some of my toughest times. It's my 'thank you' to that person. We all have someone like that in our lives. It's important to let them know that they are appreciated."

The group plans on celebrating the release in their hometown of Jersey City by inviting all their fans to a party on July 27th at Space Station, an art space in the downtown neighborhood. TO previously released a music video for their single "It's All Good" (Direct link: http://youtu.be/juwe3kFvHO4?hd=1) as well as a trio of promotional songs that found their place as bonus tracks on The First Love. (Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/trioffensemusic)

Prometheus Brown & Bambu (The Bar) - "At it Again"

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Stir-Friday Night! Asian American Comedy + This Asian American Life

Tuesday, July 24, 2012



I just might need to travel on down to Chicago to check this out - because that picture just draws me in (and so does that title).

Check it out if you're in town.

Stir-Friday Night! is a 17-year old ensemble with alumni such as Danny Pudi (NBC's Community), Steven Yeun (AMC's The Walking Dead), The Second City's Mary Sohn (Who Do We Think We Are?), and Broadway's Christine Lin (Chinglish)

SFN presents "This Asian American Life" a sketch comedy revue.

Written and Performed by Dacey Arashiba, Kannan Arumugam, Gilbert Galon, Samantha Garcia, James Kannookadan, Sonia Khaleel, Avery Lee, and Irene Tu.

Director - Anthony LeBlanc
Musical Director - Marques Stewart
Stage Manager - Dujuan Pritchett

The Second City Donny's Skybox Theatre
Fridays @ 10:30pm July 27 - August 24

Tickets
$13 General Admission | $10 Students | $8 Training Center Students

Purchase Tickets
http://www.secondcity.com/training/chicago/performances/detail/1300/

stirfridaynight.org
facebook.com/stirfridaynightcomedy
twitter.com/stirfridaynight

Bricolage + Asian American Writers Workshop

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Thursday, July 26, 2012
7:00pm in EDT


Spanning 1980s Midwest to imperial court China, our second installment of Bricolage—a salon-style multimedia show-n-tell—takes us into the brilliant minds of novelists on journeys of recovery. American Book Award-winner Don Lee’s The Collective is a gripping tale of friendship, loss, and the “melancholy burden of unfulfilled dreams” (Publishers’ Weekly). After a tragic suicide, the novel retraces the struggles of three aspiring artists from nascent college years to their travails as working artists of color in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Aimee Phan’s multigenerational novel The Reeducation of Cherry Truong skips across three continents of the Vietnamese diaspora, following a young woman’s mission to uncover family secrets blurred by war, betrayal, and fickle human memory. Described by Library Journal as an irresistible “blend of the highbrow literary and guilty summer pulp,” Pauline Chen’s The Red Chamber re-imagines the Chinese classic in a retelling of opulence and excess in aristocratic women’s quarters of 18th century Beijing. Join us for a night of inquiry in examining memory that lapses time and straddles continents.

This event is co-sponsored by Guernica Magazine of Art and Politics

Pauline A. Chen earned her B.A. in classics from Harvard, her J.D. from Yale Law School, and her Ph.D. in East Asian studies from Princeton. She has taught Chinese language, literature, and film at the University of Minnesota and Oberlin College. She is also the author of a novel for young readers, Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas and lives in Ohio with her two children.

Don Lee is the author of the novels Wrack and Ruin and Country of Origin and the story collection Yellow. He has received an American Book Award, the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction, the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, an O. Henry Award, a Pushcart Prize, the Fred R. Brown Literary Award, and was a finalist for the Asian American Literary Award in Fiction. His stories have appeared in The Kenyon Review, GQ, The Southern Review, American Short Fiction, The Gettysburg Review, and elsewhere. For nineteen years, he was the principal editor of the literary journal Ploughshares. He is currently the director of the MFA program in creative writing at Temple University.

Aimee Phan grew up in Orange County, California, and now teaches in the MFA Writing Program and Writing and Literature Program at California College of the Arts. A 2010 National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellow, Aimee received her MFA from the University of Iowa, where she won a Maytag Fellowship. Her first book, We Should Never Meet, was named a Notable Book by the Kiryama Prize in fiction and a finalist for the 2005 Asian American Literary Awards. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, Guernica, The Rumpus, and The Oregonian, among others.

$5 suggested donation

Muppets Win! Chick-Fil-A Loses!

Monday, July 23, 2012

This why the Muppets are loved by all ages.

The Henson company, named after the creator of lovable characters like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, supplied their Creature Shop Muppet toys to Chick-Fil-A for children's meal packages but decided to sever ties after recent statements by the fast-food chain's Chief Executive Dan Cathy.

Cathy told the Baptist Press in a recent interview the company supported the "traditional family," and "the biblical definition of the family unit."

The Henson company, whose Muppet characters are hugely popular, said its Chief Executive Lisa Henson is a "strong supporter of gay marriage and has directed us to donate the payment we received from Chick-Fil-A to GLAAD," the company said in their statement.

In Pictures: When Justin Bieber Went Tupac In Japan

Wednesday, July 18, 2012



I think the only reason I'm making this post is because somehow I started watching a video of the Bieber in Japan (and I'm still not sure how I got there or what even compelled me to watch, unless I was hoping deep down I would see something happen to him) and a few days earlier, I just happened to be watching Gridlock'd - so obviously, I had to make this post - and say what you will about the connection being drawn - but I'm entitled to my opinion on all things irrelevant.

P.S.

For some reason I feel like something bad might happen to me for putting those two images together.

The Ann Curry Dark Post: A Week Later It Still Hurts And Guess What? The Numbers Still Don't Add Up

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

I was e-mailing a friend telling them that for some reason over the past couple of weeks I just had this dark void in my soul and I wasn't really sure why - but as those of you who have dark voids in them know - there's always a reason.

And I think in this case it was that I didn't fully allow myself to mourn the passing of Ann Curry in the tragedy that is Savannah Guthrie, the "Today Show", and that Matt Lauer guy who apparently was never really on her side.

Because we all have to mourn the loss of the tragedy in our lives. And make no mistake - this was tragic - and for no apparent reason either.

Like a senseless shooting the day after Christmas.

Because the numbers don't lie. And the numbers say this:

The former morning juggernaut was beaten last week by "Good Morning America" by 357,000 viewers, the Nielsen Co. said.

"GMA" drew an average of 4.57 million viewers, compared with 4.21 million for "Today," according to preliminary figures.

This represents the largest lead by "GMA" over "Today" in more than 17 years, while extending its top-ranked status to three consecutive weeks, ABC said.

From The Atlantic With Love: Reinvention Of Asian American Food + Pictures Of People In The Mud

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Mud Stuff



The above photo is from the "In Focus" feature which shows 32 pics from various countries with people interacting with mud - like in SK at the 15th annual mud festival on Daecheon Beach in Boryeong.

Stinky, Spicy, and Delicious: The Radical Reinvention of Asian American Food

Here's a snippet from another feature they have on the redefinition of Asian American food and the chefs that are helping to redefine it.

Choi is part of a tsunami of rule-breaking Asian American chefs who have created a new genre of cooking in America: a robust and astonishingly creative blend that draws on Asian, Latin, and Southern foods. Its growing ranks of practitioners bring sterling chef credentials and modernist cooking techniques to bear on the foods of their forebears.

What they're making is not just "modernist" Asian cuisine. It's a type of cooking that has filtered through the multiethnic influences of their upbringings: taco stands, fast food joints, barbecue shacks, hip hop, and graffiti. Theirs is not the "fusion" cooking of the late '70s and '80's, effete creations of European-trained masters who melded cultures with delicacy and nuance. Nor is it the cooking of Nobu Matsuhisa or Martin Yan, talented newcomers who tutored America in Asian ingredients and flavor combinations. This new wave of chefs is dishing up what I call Asian Soul Food: a gutsy, high-low mash up of street food and haute cuisine, old country flavors and new-fangled cooking techniques.

Read it in full here.

Fall T.V. Promos: The Mindy Project

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

I was searching around for some of the latest promos for the Mindy Kaling upcoming series "The Mindy Project" and found this:



Can't.Wait.For.So.Many.Reasons.

Into The Woods And Mu Performing Arts

Tuesday, July 17, 2012



Friday
7:30pm
music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
book by James Lapine
directed by Rick Shiomi
music direction by Denise Prosek

Mu dives further into its Asian American musical theater initiative with this Tony Award winner that turns classic fairytales on their heads. A baker (Randy Reyes) and his wife (Sheena Janson) seek to break a witch’s (Katie Bradley) evil curse, sending them on a raucous journey through the woods where they cross paths with Cinderella (Sara Ochs), Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood (Suzie Juul), and Jack (Maxwell Thao) and his beanstalk. But 'happily ever after' is not always what it seems.

In a Mu-inspired twist on this modern classic musical, the casting, costumes, and staging are re-imagined from an Asian American perspective, giving even the show’s most seasoned fans something new to enjoy. Get your tickets today for Mu’s biggest production ever!

Previews:
Tuesday, July 17th - 7:30 pm
99 cent Preview!
Arrive early for this Park Square tradition. (First come, first served)

Wednesday and Thursday, July 18-19
$20-$25

Sunday, July 29 - 2:00 pm
Audio Description by Rick Jacobson
ASL Interpretation by Josette Repke and Joan Lisi-McCoy

Appropriate for ages 9+.


FEATURING: Randy Reyes*, Sara Ochs, Sheena Janson, Katie Bradley, Eric Sharp*, Jeannie Lander, Tom Thao, Maxwell Thao, Lara Trujillo, Meghan Kreidler, Danice Cabanela, Alice McGlave, Suzie Juul, Tom Lee, Jennifer Kelley, Alex Galick, Natalie Chung, Michael Sung Ho, Kim Egan, Brianna Heu.

Call or click to get your tickets today!

www.muperformingarts.org

Jason Chen + No Distance

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Random Heartbreaker

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Heart to Heart with David So Ft. Joseph Vincent

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Kero One - Shortcuts ft. Sam Ock

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Nadia Ali + Spencer & Hill: Believe It (Cazzette Remix)

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

BFF's Episode 1

Friday, July 13, 2012

It's the V3: Vision, Visibility, Voice Digital Media Conference (V3con)! And I'll Be There Too

Wednesday, July 11, 2012





I'll be posting up more on the V3 Conference later, but if you can make, you'll definitely want to get on out to this amazing conference.

The Asian-American Bloggers Conference is Back in LA!
The “V3: Vision, Visibility, and Voice” Digital Media event will gather Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the digital space, and strengthen the reach of the AAPI online community


Los Angeles (July 10, 2012) – Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) digital journalists, bloggers, and social media communicators nationwide will attend the “V3: Vision, Visibility, Voice” Digital Media Conference (V3con) on Aug. 24-25, 2012 at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. To kick off the event, an awards reception will be held Friday, Aug. 24, 2012 at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, Calif. The conference aims to showcase AAPIs in the digital space and build a stronger online community.

V3con, presented by the Asian American Journalists Association’s Los Angeles chapter (AAJA-LA), is the sequel to the Banana Asian American bloggers conferences in 2009 and 2011. The event has been expanded to include all forms of digital media, highlighting multi-platform AAPI communications in a one-day conference setting with interactive panels and workshops. V3con also will offer conference attendees unique “bloggable” experiences such as cooking and makeup demonstrations, tours of museums and historical areas near the venues, a bloggers showcase and much more.

"AAJA-LA is excited to bring to V3con some of the top names in Asian American journalism and highly influential communicators in digital media. The media landscape has shifted dramatically in emphasis, impact and resources with the rise of digital media. With this trend, AAPIs have emerged quickly and prominently on the digital media scene. V3 aims to highlight the vision, visibility and voice of AAPIs online,” said Joz Wang, creator and executive director of V3con and president of AAJA-LA.
Studies from the Pew Research Center found that 87 percent of AAPIs used the Internet every day, more than any other major demographic group. AAPIs also visit Twitter and WordPress more than other demographic groups. This data is reflected in the popularity of bloggers and vloggers online – of the 20 most-subscribed-to channels on YouTube three belong to AAPIs: Ryan Higa, with 5.2 million followers; Kevin Wu (KevJumba), with 2.3 million followers; and Michelle Phan, who has 1.9 million followers.

"We're not just going to wait around to get represented in mainstream media. We're looking for other avenues to get our voice out there. V3con is a place to share this vision, visibility and voice, and to strategize further on how to push the pedal to the medal at full throttle,” said Lac Su, author of "I Love Yous Are for White People” and one of the original founders of the Banana bloggers conference in 2009.
This year’s conference features YouTube sensations David Choi and Clara Chung; news anchors Frank Buckley, Susan Hirasuna and David Ono; Lela Lee of Angry Little Asian Girls; Phil Yu of Angry Asian Man; Jeff Yang, columnist for The Wall Street Journal; and film producer Teddy Zee. The panels will include topics such as AAPIs in mainstream media and on YouTube, food blogging, trendsetting in beauty and fashion, utilizing digital media in nonprofit and healthcare realms, anime and manga in the digital space, journalism vs. blogging, and covering sports in the social media era. It will also include an introductory workshop to various social media and blogging tools such as WordPress, Tumblr, Posterous and more.

V3con is presented by AAJA-LA, IW Group, Inc., and the organizers of the Banana bloggers conferences of 2009 and 2011. The conference is sponsored by Verizon Wireless, Comcast/NBC Universal, AARP, CBS, McDonald’s, Union Bank, and Wells Fargo, with in-kind donations from the Japanese American National Museum, Pacific Asia Museum, Panda Restaurant Group, Coca-Cola, Primo and Glaceau Smartwater.
More details, including program, speakers and registration, can be found online at www.v3con.com.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: 31st San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Asian American Filmmakers - get your engines ready....or something like that.

From the good folks down @ SFIAAFF.

SFIAAFF 31 Call for Entries
Deadlines and Entry Fees
(Withoutabox upgraded projects save $5)
Early deadline – Sept 3, 2012 | $25 entry fee
Late deadline – October 1, 2012 | $35 entry fee
Extended deadline – Oct 8, 2012 (available only through Withoutabox)

http://caamedia.org/festival/call-for-entries/

CAAM members at the senior / student level submit for free! Limit one waiver per member.

Find out more about the CAAM membership here: http://caamedia.org/support/membership/

One More Day Till K-Town Hits The YouTube LOUD Channel

Tuesday, July 10, 2012



It seems as if it was a long long time ago since everyone first heard about this series (that at least I was hoping would have been picked up by a cable network) and while I wonder if it's faded from some people's minds - I think there will still be a decent amount of people that will be watching - I know I will - and who knows - maybe it gets really hot and everyone tunes in.

Site | Loud.

Ellen Pao And The Kleiner Perkins Sex Discrimination Case

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

If you've been following the case, or even if you haven't, here's an update as they get ready to head to court.

The judge in a sex discrimination lawsuit that's riveted Silicon Valley ruled Monday that venerable venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers can't force a junior partner to take her complaint to binding arbitration. The tentative ruling, a win for Ellen Pao, is likely to boost the chances that the case will settle out of court for millions of dollars [...] Pao, who joined Kleiner Perkins in 2005 after stints at Tellme Networks and BEA Systems, alleged in her May lawsuit that she was pressured into sex by another junior partner who has since left the firm and that after she broke things off, he retaliated by excluding her from meetings and email discussions. Pao's suit claims that when she complained to the firm's top executives, she wasn't taken seriously. The suit says another Kleiner partner subsequently propositioned her and that the firm eventually retaliated by giving her a series of poor performance evaluations that hindered her earnings.

Dance Like A K-POP Star With Ellen Kim & Aimee Lee Lucas

Tuesday, July 10, 2012



Nobody knows it except for the stuffed animals that watch me (mostly in low lighting), but I got dance skills - I just don't want to show them off in public because you know, it's just embarrassing to be that good at something - and I don't make YouTube videos - so you can't learn from me either.

But if you want to get, I guess 1/2 as good as me, you can view the above video by "real dancers" who've worked with "real" K-POP stars like 2NE1.

Tuesday Lego House Cover

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

AVbyte + 50 Shades Of Grey The Musical

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

ALFA: "The Way You Look Tonight" (Guitar & Kazoo)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012



Nice.

It's The Friend Zone!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

In Pics: Tran, Sold, Utah

Tuesday, July 10, 2012



Insert credits here.

WTF EV-71?

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

What do you have against Asia and specifically Cambodia, and specifically children?

Why don't you attack some other kids, like imaginary ones.

Like ones in Toy Story 2 (because I didn't see that, so I'm just going to say it sucked, versus Toy Story 3 which was awesome).

I don't like you EV-71...

White Women Of Color What's Going On!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Via FB via Gawker.



I was going to make some joke about pasty white women from Utah, but the women in the picture probably actually didn't know anything about the title, so I can't hold them accountable.

See - I like White People.

Just Don't Call Me: A 'Call Me Maybe' Asian Parody + Collegians

Tuesday, July 10, 2012



So you might have seen this, it's a month or so since it was posted up on YouTube, but the two collegians (can I use that word, hell, why not) who made it, Nicole Tay and Meliora Gadfly (or possibly someone else...my brain is like 'llo) sent it along with an e-mail that said:

"Two students from Wellesley College attempt to change minds and combat the projection of Asian American stereotypes in the media and other outlets by composing, directing and editing a humorous music video set to the tune of what else but “Call Me Maybe”! The two students originally won a contest at the College’s annual Asian Awareness Coffee House competition and the audience liked the song/ performance so much the two were urged to turn the song into a music video and post it on YouTube. The video addresses many well know Asian stereotypes and also parodies the infamous UCLA Girl “Asians in the Library” rant that went viral on YouTube a year ago. It is a great way to show how a younger generation of activists is utilizing the media (in this case the Internet) to address new challenges presented in a changing time."

I don't know about you, but I think I was high a lot during my college years (it's all a blur really) so I give kudos to collegians who...well, aren't high all the time and try and do something constructive with their time.

And it is a catchy tune.

Help The AAJC Raise Some Well Needed Funds (And Really, It's Not That Much)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

This is what I tell myself when I read things like I'm about to post:

"Dude, just lay-off the fricken BK Double Whopper Meals with a side of value nuggets for 2/3 days and donate just a little. If 1,000 people do that, they can double what they are asking for."

Or

"Pervert, stop doing seedy things with your money. You have enough honey and flour to last you for as long as you'll need for whatever weird and crazy things you might be doing with it...and you don't look good in a thong like you thought you did and remember...it was a dare....".

I feel like I shared too much.

On to the post.

Dear friends,

My first few months as president and executive director at AAJC have been full of exciting successes, but they have also been filled with reminders of the many complex challenges still facing our community. I've met passionate advocates nationwide, and each day, I am reminded of the invaluable role that AAJC plays in our community. I'm truly energized by our work, and I am so grateful that it's with the support of friends like you that it is achieved.

Now, as I celebrate my 43rd birthday, I'm asking all of AAJC's supporters, as well as my friends and family, for a very special gift: help me raise $10,000 in new donations over the next 43 days for AAJC's Partners Advancing Justice Capital Campaign. This Campaign is an incredible opportunity for AAJC to double the impact of all new gifts up to $2 million. Your support would mean so much to me personally, and I'm hoping you will help me celebrate my birthday with a gift of $25 or more today.

With each new supporter I meet, I've enjoyed learning your personal story, and hearing why our work is meaningful for you. For my birthday, I invite you to share your story with me, and to hear my own in AAJC's new video:

Friends, help me make my first birthday at AAJC memorable—there are so many ways to join the celebration!

Make a gift and be a partner in the fight for equality. Your tax-deductible gift of any amount will most certainly be appreciated.

Share your personal story with me and show others why you support AAJC.
Follow me on Twitter @mee_moua to be among the first to get AAJC news and updates.
Forward this message to your networks using the link below. I am excited to make new friends and expand the AAJC family.

Help me make an impact. Be my partner in advancing justice for the Asian American community. Your generosity directly affects our community's pursuit of equality, and it is with this in mind that I ask you to fulfill my birthday wish. It is only with your support that the Partners Advancing Justice Capital Campaign will be a success, and over the next 43 days, I'd love to see you grant me this birthday wish.



For equality,
Mee Moua
President and Executive Director

Asian American International Film Festival NYC 2012

Tuesday, July 10, 2012



Festival info here.

Kollaboration LA 2012 (This Friday)

Monday, July 09, 2012



LOS ANGELES, JULY 2012 – Kollaboration Los Angeles, the largest showcase for Asian Pacific Islander (API) talent in North America, announced David Choi and father Ray Choi as special guest performers today for its show at the Ford Amphitheatre on Friday, July 13.

This will be the very first time the talented father/son duo will be performing together. Both are highly accomplished musicians, and this is a once in a lifetime chance to see the pair debut a collaboration of their different styles. David has completed a worldwide sold out tour and released 2 albums of original work, singing in the contemporary acoustic pop genre, while Ray has swept grand prize at various national competitions in autoharp and maintains a highly distinguished autoharp craft.

Kollaboration Los Angeles is also pleased to announce its celebrity judging panel, including:
· Jen From Head to Toe, celebrated Youtube makeup guru;
· Dante Basco, actor known for his role as Rufio in the Peter Pan movie Hook;
·Jaeyoon Choi, Mnet America’s Head of Programming and Production and producer of shows such as the Mnet Asian Music Awards and 2NE1 TV;
·Traci Kato-Kiriyama, writer, artist, and creator of Little Tokyo’s Tuesday Night Project.

Other special guest performers taking the stage include comedian and founder of Kollaboration, Paul “PK” Kim, and comedian Jimmy Ouyang, who has been featured on CBS’ “2 Broke Girls.” The seven rigorously selected competitors vying for a chance to compete in November’s nationwide finale show are:
·Nate Tao, an L.A. based singer/songwriter known for his smooth, yet powerful R&B pop vocals;
·Ms. Laney, a versatile vocalist and performer who utilizes her classical background in pursuance of both opera and contemporary music;
·Jeremy Crooks, a YouTube sensation hailing from Irvine, CA who received national attention dancing on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show;”
·Brooke Taylor, an R&B vocalist featured on Power 106 with DJ Felli Fel, Big Boy’s Neighborhood, and The Steve Harvey Show;
·Dave & the Cousins, an up-and-coming indie folk band led by singer/songwriter Dave Cho that can be spotted playing on the well-known Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica;
·Kaitlin Obien, a nationally recognized speech and debate artist who combines her oratorical skills and love for the ukulele to become a versatile musician;
·St. Andrew, a classically trained pianist that infuses 20 years of his classical artistry into his pop music.

The 2012 Kollaboration Los Angeles show will be held in the historic Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, which has housed performances for renowned artists such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction. The 1,200 capacity outdoor venue offers a unique live performance experience under the summer night sky and allows picnicking for maximum entertainment. Tickets prices start at $15 for General and $40 for VIP. Tickets are available at www.FordTheatres.org or 323 461-3673 (for non-visual media 323 GO 1-FORD). For groups of 8 or more, please call 323 769-2147 .

ABOUT KOLLABORATION
Kollaboration is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and Movement founded in 2000 by Paul "PK" Kim. Under the guidance of Executive Producer Roy Choi and a leadership network of students and professionals all over the United States and Canada, Kollaboration Global promotes the mission of “Empowerment through Entertainment” in the Asian Pacific Islander community. Kollaboration has produced over 60 shows to a total audience of over 50,000.

Tour Info: The Slants

Monday, July 09, 2012



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Kollaboration SF 2012!

Monday, July 09, 2012

Because you can never have enough musical and art goodness from the APA community - especially from the good folks that run Kollaboration.

SAN FRANCISCO, California – Tickets are now on sale for the fast approaching third annual Kollaboration San Francisco show! Kollaboration San Francisco is the largest Asian American entertainment event in the Bay Area and one of the fastest growing chapters of a nationwide movement to empower Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Come September 8th, 2012, Kollaboration San Francisco’s highly anticipated return promises to be an entertaining and memorable experience for all ages!

From now until August 15th, a limited number of Advanced Pre-Sale Admission tickets will cost $15. Our Exclusive Meet ‘n Greet & General Admission ticket package is on sale for $40 until September 7th or until limited quantity runs out. The Exclusive Meet N Greet ticket package guarantees a 15-minute early entrance to the show with access to better seating as well as a meet and greet with Kollaboration San Francisco 3 Competitors, Guest Performers and Judges.

The third annual Kollaboration SF show will be held at the Zellerbach Auditorium in UC Berkeley with a projected attendance of over 1800 people. Tickets can be purchased online through Eventbrite: http://kollaborationsf2012.eventbrite.com.

This year’s contestants present some of the most diverse talents native to the San Francisco Bay Area and California. Live bands like Soulfull, Outer Sunset and Monsters Calling Home will go head to head against talented vocalists like Jayne Rio, Dustin Ako and Peter Chung. Team Loopkicks and Crywolffs! Violin will also challenge the status quo with their unconventional and innovative talents.

The competitors will be facing off for a $1000 Grand Prize and a spot at Kollaboration Los Angeles’ November show featuring Kollaboration global winners from across the country. As a bonus, the winners will also have a chance to open for Clara C and David Choi when their tour stops in San Francisco.

Come join us for an evening of “Empowerment Through Entertainment.”

For additional information about Kollaboration SF, contact Jennifer Kim Van Nguyen at jennifer.nguyen@kollaborationsf.org or visit us at www.KollaborationSF.org.

July 4th Break

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Not like I really need a reason for a break...because it has been sporadic...but here it is - 4th of July break resuming sometime in the next week with hopefully more time dedicated to things...well...you know.