A First (Again): Gary Locke (And You're Still Not Going To Let China Get Away With Shit)

From Pacific Citizen:

“I can think of nobody who is more qualified than Gary Locke,” said Obama on March 9. “More than 100 years ago, Gary’s grandfather left China on a steamship bound for America, where he worked as a domestic servant in Washington state. A century later, his grandson will return to China as America’s top diplomat.”

Locke is the first Chinese American to serve the post.

I also like this quote from the WSJ because even though it's something we already know, maybe other people will keep on hearing and understanding that while you can love and respect your Mother Land and ancestry, that doesn't mean you're secretly going to be pro-Mother Land while you try and take down you're own country from the inside -- especially if you're Asian American.

In a recent speech, Mr. Locke indicated that he would not let the prospects for sales outweigh other U.S. concerns, warning that China has backtracked on its promises to make the country more friendly to foreign businesses.

Anya Ayoung-Chee, David Chum, And Project Runway

Because you know you like your fashion.

Getting an invite to New York City is usually a good sign for “Project Runway” cast members, but designers of season nine found out that making it to the Big Apple would not guarantee a spot on the show.

This season 20 fashion hopefuls were surprised to face an elimination on the first episode, “Road to the Runway,” where four designers were sent packing. The special casting episode will air July 28 on Lifetime and precedes the premiere where the eclectic group of designers will tackle their first challenge using their pajamas.

Anya Ayoung-Chee, 29, and David Chum, 29, were among the 20 designers who fought to land a spot on the show after a surprise casting cut.

Ayoung-Chee, former Miss Trinidad and Tobago who is half Chinese, says she draws on the Caribbean as inspiration for her clothing line Pilar, which was named after her brother who died at 18 in a car accident.

Chum, was born to two Cambodian immigrants who fled the genocide to resettle in the United States. Before “Project Runway” Chum balanced working at a Boston, Mass.-based restaurant and his clothing line, Selahdor.

Who will be cut on the first episode? Neither Ayoung-Chee nor Chum would divulge any secrets. But the Pacific Citizen caught up with the contestants to get the inside scoop on season nine as they anxiously await the “Project Runway” premiere.

Read it in full.

Lineups: Kollaboration New York 6

By now you know what to do and just in case you might have forgotten that means pick up tickets, support APIA artists and check out some great talent.

Kollaboration New York's 2011 lineup will feature some of the best Asian American performers this great city has to offer. The competitors reflect the amazing diversity of the New York area and we truly want to spotlight their talents to our audience in the coming weeks. As an added bonus, the winner of this year's Kollaboration New York will open for rising singer and songwriter Clara C. at her show at the Highline Ballroom!

Christina Love Lee, Singer/Songwriter
Triangle Offense, Electrohop Band
RooftopPursuit, R&B/Rock Band
The Wanted Ashiqz, Bollywood/Fusion Dance Troupe
Mitchell Grey, Pop/Rock Band
Elijah Park, Singer/Songwriter
VirTru, Singer/Songwriter/Rapper

Information on guest judges and performers will be announced soon so stay tuned as the competitor lineup is just the beginning of what we have in store!

Kollaboration New York 6
Thursday,
September 29, 2011
at Irving Plaza
7pm

Kollaboration is an annual talent showcase that has and continues to be the launching pad for emerging Asian American performers in mainstream entertainment.

Visit http://www.facebook.com/KollabNY for upcoming ticket information.

SFIAAFF 2012 Call For Entries

From the good folks down at the Center for Asian American Media.

Submit your film to the 30th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (March 8-18, 2012)

Be part of the largest showcase of Asian and Asian American cinema in North America!

Submit your film early and save on entry fees.

SUBMITTING A FILM TO THE 30TH SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL (March 8-18, 2012)

Presented by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM)

Early deadline – Sept 2, 2011
$25 entry fee (Withoutabox upgraded projects save $5)

Late deadline – Sept 30, 2011
$35 entry fee (Withoutabox upgraded projects save $5)

Withoutabox extended deadline (available only through Withoutabox) – Oct 7, 2011

CAAM members submit for free! Limit one waiver per member.

To submit go to the submissions page.

Related links

SFIAAFF Withoutabox Entry Page
https://withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festival_id=1392&festview=1

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

CAAM Membership
http://caamedia.org/support/membership/

Win $5000: East West Players + Face of the Future

Get your write on.

East West Players, the nation's largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work and the longest-running professional theatre of color in the country, announces Face of the Future, a playwriting competition with cash prizes awarded to the top three plays, including $5,000 for the first place winner, $2,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. All winners will be considered for workshop and/or production at East West Players. This year, the focus is on the exploration of the reality of multicultural America from an Asian American perspective. For instance, subject matter might include, but not limited to, biracial or multiracial identity, clashes or collaborations between cultures, or international/transnational storylines.

East West Players is an Asian American theatre organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1965. As the leading Asian American theatre organization, East West Players produce works and educational programs that give voice to the Asian Pacific American experience.

“Through Face of the Future, East West Players hopes to encourage more stories with Asian American themes and characters,” says EWP Producing Artistic Director, Tim Dang. “As we move into a more multiracial and global society, it is important to process the many levels and complexities of stories in our lives. We continue to encourage comedies as Asian American theatre works to balance an overwhelming majority of dramas. Our audiences also ask for more humor in their lives as a diversion from serious world events. We want everyone with ideas exploring these themes to submit their play.”

East West Players previously held a competition in 2008 called Pacific Century. The winners of Pacific Century included S. Vasanti Saxena for SUN SISTERS, Philip W. Chung for MY MAN KONO, and Michael Golamco for YEAR ZERO.

All our playwriting contests have received major funding from The James Irvine Foundation. Previous EWP writing competition judges have included Henry Chan, Julia Cho, Philip Kan Gotanda, Amy Hill, David Henry Hwang, Judith Nihei, Gary Shimokawa, Alice Tuan, and Wakako Yamauchi.

Submissions will be accepted through August 31, 2011. Notification of winners will take place in February 2012. Submissions must be original, unproduced full-length plays or musicals. Translations or adaptations will not be accepted. Submissions must have Asian Pacific American themes and/or characters as the primary focus. All genres are welcome, comedies are encouraged. Plays should require no more than 5-7 actors. Musicals should require no more than 10-12 actors. The story should be told in less than 2.5 hours (including a 15-minute intermission) and must be accessible to a primarily English-speaking audience. East West

Players must have the first option to produce.

All submissions must include a $20 entry fee with the Face of the Future entry form which can be found at www.eastwestplayers.org/arts_education/literary_competitions.htm. Submissions should be mailed to FACE OF THE FUTURE Playwriting Competition, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. For additional information, please contact Literary Manager Jeff Liu at 213.625.7000 x27 or JLiu@EastWestPlayers.org.

In Pictures: Gold Medal Park

Over the last year and a half I've just come to like this place.



Nestled inside a piece of the city.



Green grass. Neon lights.



If you ever get the chance, sometimes it's just nice to sit on a lighted park bench, play some music, and relax in summer.

You've Got An Extension: Fellowship for Asian Pacific American Filmmakers

You've heard me talk before about this year's Visual Communication's Armed With A Camera Fellowship and now you get to hear some better news.

The deadline has been extended to August 5th (5:00 PM).

Nice.

Goodwin Liu + California Supreme Court

From the PR:

NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of Professor Goodwin Liu To The California Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - Today, California Governor Jerry Brown nominated Professor Goodwin H. Liu to become a Justice of the California Supreme Court. Governor Brown's choice continues his strong belief in diversity. During his first Gubernatorial Administration from 1975 to 1983, Governor Brown appointed the first African American to the California Supreme Court (Justice Wiley Manuel, 1977), the first female and first female Chief Justice to the California Supreme Court (Chief Justice Rose Bird, 1977), the first Hispanic American to the California Supreme Court (Justice Cruz Reynoso, 1982), and the first openly gay judge to any court nationwide (Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephen Lachs, 1979). Professor Liu is the first Asian Pacific American state high court nomination by Governor Brown.
"Governor Brown once again has demonstrated his commitment to diversity by nominating Professor Liu," stated Paul O. Hirose, president of National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. "Professor Liu is an exceptional attorney who is well-respected by lawyers across the country. His intellect and integrity will add to the prestige of the California Supreme Court."

Professor Liu is a tenured professor of law at the University of California Berkeley School of Law, where he has taught since 2003. He received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, was a Fulbright Scholar at Oxford University, and received his law degree from Yale University School of Law. His long list of accolades includes, among other things, service on the Stanford University Board of Trustees and as a member of the American Law Institute. Professor Liu's interest in public service and the law was sparked when he served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives, thanks to the sponsorship of the late Congressman Robert Matsui.
NAPABA applauds Governor Brown for nominating Professor Liu and looks forward to his expeditious confirmation.

EEOC Check-In: Burger King, Target, Abercrombie & Fitch + More

It's been a little since I've hit the EEOC and I just thought you might want to know some random things from the last month:

• TSW Management, Inc. Sued by EEOC for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
  Burger King Franchise Owner Subjected Many Female Employees To A Hostile Work Environment And Retaliated Against Those Who Complained



• Court Finds for EEOC in Religious Discrimination Suit Against Abercrombie & Fitch
  Judge Finds Retailer Refused to Hire Teen Muslim Applicant Because of Head Scarf



• Target to Pay $160,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit
  Foothill Ranch Store Denied Accommodation for Attendant With Cerebral Palsy, Federal Agency Charged



• Great Lakes Chemical Corporation Settles EEOC Racial Discrimination Lawsuit
  Manufacturer Unlawfully Terminated Black Employees, Federal Agency Charges

Dichotomy: Manny Garcia + HYUNA

I don't know about you, but when Manny Garcia hits those high notes my panties just fall to the floor.



Same thing on this one too.

P.S.

I'm wearing K-Girl's panties right now.

They so plushy...

I Definitely Agree

Definitely gotta agree with Disgrasian Duo - this blows.

And it does make a good argument for not giving in to the Asian Ching Chong Self Hating Stereotypes because when something gets some attention - everyone else wants to follow along and we all suffer because of it.

Tumblr + heheheheheheheeheheheehehe (AKA Tao Lin)

http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.tumblr.com/

Ki Hong Lee + Pacific Citizen

Just a little snippet you might be interested in.

For showbiz newcomer Ki Hong Lee avoiding being pigeonholed as the geeky Asian American on TV was on his mind when he landed his first major role.

When the Korean American got the part of Paul on ABC Family’s “The Nine Lives of Chloe King,” he was careful not to play in to geek stereotypes by opting to wear his contacts instead of his glasses, among other things.

But Lee had nothing to worry about.

“When I first got it [the role] the description of him was kind of this comic book fan and when you first read that you think he’s a geek. So I was really worried like, ‘Are they going to dress me up nerdy?’” Lee said via telephone from Los Angeles, Calif. “But they’ve done a good job of showing different layers of the character.”

I just might have to bribe people to watch this for me.

Fucked Up: Korean American Adoptee Charged With Manslaughter (For Sticking Up For His Sister)

This is just messed the fuck up because we don't even know what really happened and I'm not saying Kevin Kennelly wasn't trying to step on in - but if all his friends were harassing Korean American Adoptee James Kieffer Malecek's little Korean sister (for wearing a red, white, and blue bandanna - because you know - you can't wear it if you're not White) - there's some doubt there that he was actually jumping on in to break it up versus help his friend.

But involuntary manslaughter?

For a racially motivated fight brought on by the White Kids against Asian American Kids?

Really?

So let me get this shit straight. If you're a Person Of Color and you're defending yourself (and again we don't know what else was said or if those White Kids touched his sister in any way) you're not supposed to fight back?

You should just sit there and take it otherwise you might get a beat down by the local justice system?

Give me a MF break.

And I Love This Quote

From the NY Times article:

Brian Godfrey, the head golf pro at the Long Beach Country Club where Mr. Malecek worked for a couple of summers, described him as a “golf rat.” “He could sit there and talk about golf forever,” Mr. Godfrey said [...]

But Mr. Godfrey, who has adopted two children from Guatemala said he had never seen any racism directed at his children or the Malecek youth in Long Beach. “Maybe other places, but here, never,” he said.

Yeah...sure.

Godfrey probably should have spent his money on a shiny new car to tout around versus his cute Kids Of Color because he apparently has no MF clue whatsoever.

I Give You Hide And Seek Baby

Could Be Good, Could Be Bad: Comcast And NBCUniversal Get Joint Diversity Council

I'm not sure it's going to make a difference - and who knows - it might actually hurt more if both companies don't actually listen to the new council but just tout them around as a trophy SO.

Maybe I'm just cynical though.

Here's to hoping?

As part of their drive to become industry leaders in diversity, Comcast and NBCUniversal have created an external Joint Diversity Council to advise their senior executive teams. The Joint Diversity Council held its first meeting in Philadelphia, where they were briefed on the Comcast and NBCUniversal diversity initiatives.

The Joint Diversity Council is comprised of four separate nine-member councils representing the interests of Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanics and women. Additional council members represent the interests of veterans, Native Americans, people with disabilities and the lesbian /gay /bisexual /transgender (LGBT) community. The Joint Diversity Council held the first of its semi-annual meetings in Philadelphia in May.

Before the Comcast/NBCUniversal transaction closed in January, leaders from both companies created a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Asian American community that includes a number of commitments to increase the inclusion and participation of Asian Americans in the companies' corporate governance, workforce, supplier chain, programming and community investment. The Asian American Advisory Council will focus its guidance on executing Comcast's diversity initiatives, including the MOU with the Asian American community.

Karen K. Narasaki, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), serves as chair of the Asian American Diversity Advisory Council, and Don H. Liu, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Xerox Corporation serves as vice chair.

Get it in full.

Random Monday Night 3X: FM

Because.



It's Monday.



And you really want it to be Friday.

Wu Denounces Anti-Chinese Rhetoric Campaigns (And Probably Should Have Done That With His Penis Too)

I'm not saying anything about anything but it is kind of funny and interesting that on one hand we have Rep. David Wu who was quoted in the Northwest Asian Weekly as saying:

“I am deeply disturbed by the xenophobic implications of recent political ads that use China as a scapegoat to discuss the U.S. economy,” said Rep. David Wu, from Oregon. “Given our country’s dark history of anti-Chinese discrimination — from the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act to the racially-motivated murder of Vincent Chin exactly 100 years later — these fear-mongering ads have potentially dangerous consequences, especially for Asian Pacific Americans.

Because this is true.

We all know it.

And we need people like Wu to help bring attention to the growing anti-Chinese sentiment that can be easily mistaken for anti-Chinese American and anti-APIA sentiment.

But then two days later we also get the following:

Rep. David Wu, facing an accusation of an unwanted sexual encounter with an 18-year-old woman and a request for an investigation by the House Ethics Committee, will not seek re-election next year and was pondering whether he would complete his term, a spokesman for the Oregon Democrat said Monday.

In a letter sent Monday, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi requested the Ethics Committee investigation. The Oregonian, Wu's hometown newspaper, had reported that a California woman left a voicemail at Wu's office accusing him on an unwanted sexual encounter. Wu, 56, has said the encounter was consensual.

*sigh*

I'm just glad Congresswoman Judy Chu (the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus chairwoman) knows how to keep her legs crossed when around young tight bodied eighteen year-olds.

Mari + Smoshpit Weekly + MILF Storage?

So I'll admit that I haven't watched all of this and I reserve the right to think anything about it whatsoever - and I'm not really sure - the "O Hai" thing kind of slowly annoys me right away as well as the "smosho pit a weekly" (that's the phonetic pronunciation thank you very much) - but who knows.

Maybe I just suck and get annoyed by random things that I shouldn't get annoyed by.



And isn't it wrong that I can't help but ask the question of why they decided to choose Mari and if they were just fueling WGAF?

That would be White Guy Asian Fetish if you were wondering which I've also decided should be pronounced as WTF (I reserve the right to possibly change this pronunciation).

Glenn Beck Is A Dick (Again)

If you don't believe me just see the following:

Glenn Beck, who in June aired his final cable tv show on Fox News, is still on the radio and has found a new way to get his name into the headlines around the globe.

Instead of calling the president of the United States a racist, Beck focused on the scores of young people gunned down at a camp in Norway. Beck said the camp reminded him of Adolf Hitler's infamous Hitler Youth.

"There was a shooting at a political camp, which sounds a little like, you know, the Hitler youth. I mean, who does a camp for kids that's all about politics? Disturbing," Beck stated in the first minute of his syndicated radio show Monday.