asia society: asian americans and the u.s. presidential election

Just heard about this interesting discussion happening next week at Asia Society in New York: Shattering Convention: Asian Americans and the US Presidential Election. They'll be talking about the role and impact of the Asian American community in U.S. politics, particularly during this important election year. Panelists will include moderator Mae Cheng, Glenn Magpantay, Vijay Prashad and our pal Carmen Van Kerckhove. Here are the details:

Shattering Convention: Asian Americans and the 2008 Election

Wednesday, May 28, 2008
6:30 p.m. Registration and Reception
7:00 p.m. Program
Asia Society
725 Park Avenue at 70th Street, New York

Featuring:
Glenn Magpantay
Staff Attorney, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)

Vijay Prashad
Professor and Director of International Studies, Trinity College
Author, Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting: Afro-Asian Connections and the Myth of Cultural Purity

Carmen Van Kerckhove
Co-founder and President of New Demographic
Host of the podcast Addicted to Race

In Conversation with
Mae Cheng, Executive Editor, amNewYork
former President of Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and former President of UNITY, a coalition which represents over 10,000 journalists of color

Asian Americans are playing an increasingly important role in American political life. What are the most pressing issues facing the Asian American community today? What impact did the community have on the primaries, and what impact might they have on the national election?

Join us in a lively discussion as we analyze the dynamics of ethnicity and the roles of new media and youth as they relate to the Asian American community in the 2008 election cycle.

Should be a pretty interesting talk—though I imagine they'll only be able to scratch the surface of this topic within an hour and a half. Tickets are $10 for members, students with ID and seniors, and $15 non-members. For more information, go to the Asia Society website.