As I'm semi back from the dead of almost flu (so it's not like I'm actually really coming back from the dead, nor really the flu) I'm watching the MTV VMA's on MTV Brazil, and I had very very random thoughts - all which don't have a lot do about anything.
*Sigh* on Chelsea again. Although at least right now that I know of she hasn't made an Asian joke. Yay.
Brazilian VJ's can't really sing. Especially Cher.
Waiting for Linkin Park.
I'm thinking they really should have had an FM appearance.
It's a shocker Justin Bieber won new favorite artist.
I wonder how much Nicki Manaj reps for her Indian side?
As we all know, free is good. Free is very very good.
From September 15-17, travel back in time to Angel Island, circa 1915. Direct Arts presents a FREE outdoor performance in the heart of Chinatown to mark the 100th anniversary of the immigration station on Angel Island.
Set during the Chinese Exclusion Act, PAPER ANGELS is about a former railroad worker whose attempt to bring his wife from China after 40 years of separation leads to their detainment on Angel Island, the Ellis Island of the West.
Our new production features projections of archival images, Chinese opera, folk dance and spoken word, not to mention a fabulous cast that will have you laughing, crying and falling in love.
In historic Portsmouth Square for THREE DAYS ONLY, catch Max Carpenter, Kitty Mei-Mei Chen (from the original cast in 1981!), Andrea Day, Ming Lee, Helen Madelyn Kim, Carl Ka-Ho Li, Victoria Linchong, Avery Pearson, William Rothlein, Hansel Tan, Helen Tong and Obie Award winner Jojo Gonzalez.
Portsmouth Square Kearny & Clay Street Weds-Fri, Sept 15, 16 & 17 Play begins at sunset FREE!!!
If you need any more proof that I'm not going to travel into Arizona - because brown is brown is brown (and that probably results in things I don't even want to imagine) I give you some Daily Kos:
The U.S. Justice Department sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Thursday, saying the Arizona lawman refused for more than a year to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics. The lawsuit calls Arpaio and his office's defiance "unprecedented," and said the federal government has been trying since March 2009 to get officials to comply with its probe of alleged discrimination, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and jail policies that discriminate against people with limited English skills.
While the above is a teaser for the Rocky Rivera video "Trick Habit" don't worry - you can see a special sneak preview Wed 9/8, 7:30pm at VC.
Visual Communications presents H.P. Mendoza's FRUIT FLY Followed by a special sneak preview of TRICK HABIT feat. Rocky Rivera directed by Patricio Ginelsa
Join your friends at Visual Communications as we close out our VC Summer Series 2010 with a free screening of HP Mendoza’s FRUIT FLY on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, 7:30pm in the comfort of the Visual Communications office. ... And if you thought it couldn't get ANY better... we're giving away goodie bags and free DVDs to select audience members! Show up early to the reception at 7:00pm and you might just end up winning something sweet!
PROGRAM INFORMATION Filmed in The City's famous Castro District, this award-winning musical romp is an insightful exploration of gay and Asian identity that sheds the limelight on life in the Castro. Follow Bethesda (L.A. Renigen), a Filipino American performance artist who moves into an art commune to search for her long missing biological mother. Along the way, Bethesda comes to realize that she just might be a fairy princess, fag hag, fruit fly! Don’t miss out on the first VC screening of this 2009 Festival season favorite! Bring a friend, sing along if you want and find out what the “buzz” about FRUIT FLY is all about!
The feature will be preceded by a special SNEAK PREVIEW presentation of TRICK HABIT featuring Bay Area MC Rocky Rivera and directed by Patricio Ginelsa.
Submit your film to the 27th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, April 28-May 7, 2011. Be a part of the largest film festival of its kind in the greater Los Angeles and Southern California area. Submit early, and save on entry fees. All genres and lengths accepted.
Call for Submissions opens – Friday, September 3, 2010 at 5 p.m.
Early Deadline – Friday, November 12, 2010 $25 entry fee (Withoutabox upgraded projects save $5)
Final Deadline – Friday, December 10, 2010 $35 entry fee (Withoutabox upgraded projects save $5)
Withoutabox Extended Deadline (available only through Withoutabox) – Friday, January 7, 2011
I just kind of wonder what the thought process was when selecting Chelsea I'll Make Any Joke About Asian People I Damn Well Feel Like Because I'm A White Comedian for the MTV Video Music Awards.
I don't know much, but I do know that somehow I found myself at this reading one time and while I had no idea who this person was (because I live under a rock) she was definitely one of the people that made an impression on me if only because she seemed to make some White People really really uncomfortable.
BIO
CHRISTY NAMEE ERIKSEN a.k.a. 정나미 Jung Na Mee is a korean adoptee spoken word poet and proud mama. She has performed at Patrick’s Cabaret, Intermedia Arts, Hamline University, Pillsbury House Theatre, and Equilibrium’s spoken word series at The Loft Literary Center. She is a featured artist on the 2009 Minnesota Spoken Word Album of the Year, “¿Nation of Immigrants?” produced by The Loft Literary Center. She has been published in Alaska Women Speak, The Fulcrum, Tidal Echoes, and Race-Talk.org. Christy has shared the stage with Ishle Park, Mayda del Valle, Bao Phi, the Good Asian Drivers and other really cool people. Her Scandinavian father always asked that she "try to be good", but she holds a B.A. in Social Justice (concentrating in Racial Justice) and a Certificate in Conflict Studies from Hamline University anyway.
She co-created and contributes to an ibyang (korean adoptee) poem-a-week blog called THURSDAYS. Check it out.
Just in case you wanted to know about how Australians are still dealing with issues of race and racism here's a little from Australian's Digital Spy:
am Newman has been slammed for 'racist slurs'.
The Australian television star, who referred to a Malaysian man as a "monkey" during a segment on The AFL Footy Show last year, was found to have breached the commercial television code by a media watchdog [...]
The ACMA said: "Ridiculing or racially abusing dark skinned people by comparing them to monkeys has recently received much media attention in Australia, particularly in and around the sporting arena. We believe a sporting commentator such as Mr Newman would have been aware of these incidents and should therefore have been aware that using the word 'monkey' in this manner would be likely to provoke severe ridicule."
But you know what's almost as funny for me is the actual response on using the term dark skinned people which isn't quite the way I myself would like to be described as, simply because it's a little to close to "darkie".
The slantyapolis/seftre blog has served millions of views trying to help in its own way, to give voice to the Asian and Asian American community, as well as document it, over the last 18 years. Sometimes op-ed, sometimes straight news, sometimes off the beaten path--the continued impetus remains that there's power in sharing voices and in sharing your own voice and reflecting that back into the communities you belong to.
If you're looking for the 2008 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).
2007 In Review Posts
If you're looking for the 2007 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).
