in theaters: fame, pandorum

In theaters this weekend... Fame, a reinvention of the 1980 hit film, following a talented group of dancers, singers, actors and artists at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. The movie is directed by Kevin Tancharoen, whose previous credits include music videos and series for MTV.


Among the featured cast of Fame is Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as an aspiring actress named Joy. You might recognize her from previous work in Disney Channel stuff like Camp Rock and Hannah Montana. Interested in seeing the movie? Not sure? You can watch the first six minutes of Fame online here.


Also opening in theaters today, the sci-fi thriller Pandorum, about some folks who wake up on a spaceship with no memory of who they are, or what their mission is... and then a lot of terrible things start happening. None other than MMA champ Cung Le is in the movie as Manh. I don't know what kind of character he plays, but when I met him at Comic-Con back in July, he seemed to indicate that his role was fairly substantial. I'm just hoping he doesn't get eaten by a space monster or something.

apa organizations defend state tuition for undocumented students

Did you know that nearly half of the undocumented immigrants in the University of California system are Asian Americans? Surprising, right? That's why Asian American groups are fighting to defend AB 540, a law that lets undocumented students pay in-state tuition prices: Asian Americans: UC's Invisible Illegal Immigrants. More here: Coalition files legal brief in support of state tuition law.

Yesterday in Los Angeles, a press conference was held to announce that a coalition of over 70 Asian Pacific American civil rights, legal and community organizations will be filing a legal brief in support of immigrant college students whose ability to pay in-state tuition under a California law, AB 540, may be seriously threatened by the outcome of the case Martinez v. Regents of the University of California, currently before the California Supreme Court.

The brief describes how thousands of APA students have been able to afford to attend college in California under AB 540, how undocumented students would be harmed if AB 540 was eliminated, and how APA youth become undocumented and the challenges they face. From APALC's press release:

AB 540 is a state law that allows both documented and undocumented students to attend California's public state colleges and universities and pay in-state tuition rates if they have: attended at least three years of high school in California, graduated from a California high school, and met other conditions. Enacted in 2001, AB 540 has made it possible for thousands of California high school students to attend public community colleges, Cal State schools, and universities in California. Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging its legality and the part of the provision that allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition, alleging that it confers a benefit based on residency and conflicts with federal law.

Although APAs make up over 50% of the total number of documented and undocumented AB 540 recipients, this brief supports the University of California's (UC) efforts to keep open pathways to higher education for undocumented youth. The brief describes how thousands of APA students have been able to afford college under AB 540, how undocumented students would be harmed if AB 540 was eliminated, and how APA youth become undocumented and the challenges they face.

When talking about undocumented students, the conversation tends to revolve around Latino students. But Asian Pacific Amerians make up over 50% of the total number of documented and undocumented AB 540 recipients. What happen to all these students if AB 540 was eliminated? Read the full press release from the Asian Pacific American Legal Center here, and download the brief here.

aatc presents philip kan gotanda's #5 angry red drum

This is for theater fans in the Bay Area... Philip Kan Gotanda's #5 Angry Red Drum, presented by Asian American Theater Company, opens next week, September 28 (with previews this weekend) at Thick House in San Francisco. The play is directed by Matthew Graham Smith, and stars Rich Bianco, Daniel Bruno, Will Dao, Michael Uy Kelly, Thomas Pang and Anthony Julius Williams.

The fifth work in the celebrated playwright's Garage Band Series, #5 Angry Red Drum is the story of two world-refugees determined to survive with style amidst a post-apocalyptic universe gone mad. When a mysterious drum appears, it awakens their lost memories and inspires them to create a new society. Some details:

Philip Kan Gotanda's New Play: #5 ANGRY RED DRUM

Opening Night on Monday, Sept. 28 ...Tickets On Sale Now!

DIRECTED BY
Matthew Graham Smith

STARRING
Rich Bianco, Daniel Bruno, Will Dao, Michael Uy Kelly, Thomas Pang, Anthony Julius Williams

PREVIEWS
September 26, 2009, Saturday - 8:00 pm
September 27, 2009, Sunday - 5:00 pm

OPENING NIGHT
September 28, 2009, Monday - 8:00 pm

PERFORMANCES
October 1-17, 2009
Thu-Sat 8:00 pm | Sun 5:00 pm

MEET THE DIRECTOR AND THE CAST
The Director and Cast will be present for post-show Q&A with the audience following the October 4 and October 11 5:00pm matinee performances.

LOCATION
Thick House
1695 18th Street (between Carolina and Arkansas Streets)
Potrero Hill, San Francisco

AATC is part of the Thick House Presenting Program

TICKETS
$25 (student & senior rates available) | 415-401-8081 or www.thickhouse.org

It looks weird and crazy and absurd. Watch the YouTube trailer for the play here. And listen to a KCBS radio interview with Philip Kan Gotanda here: Post-Apocalyptic Times with Music, Dance, and Laughter. To learn more about the production, and to purchase tickets, visit the Asian American Theater Company's website here.

serial child molester denied parole

Excuse me as I throw up. Caught this story in the OC Weekly about George Joseph England, a convicted California serial pedophile who forced a kindergarten-age girl he purchased in Vietnam to become a sex slave to not only himself but also his dogs. Yes, you read that right. He was recently up for parole: Serial Pedophile Who Bought 5-Year-Old Vietnamese Sex Slave is Up For Parole.

In 1972, while working in a civilian electronics job in South Vietnam, a 28-year-old England bought then-5-year-old Thi My Lan Nguyen from her mother. He took Nguyen--an Amerasian born in 1967 from the union of a U.S. soldier and a Vietnamese woman--to a Bangkok, Thailand, hotel, injected a needle into her body, watched her fall unconscious and raped her for the first time. For several months, he and the minor traveled together in India and Japan, where he raped a 13-year-old girl in her presence.

It only gets a lot worse from there. The guy's list of evil deeds reads like a long, fiery path to hell. I actually couldn't read any more after the first page. All I know is, that guy needs to stay in jail, and rot there forever. Thankfully, England was denied parole earlier this week: Serial child molester denied parole. Anyway, read at your own risk -- you will be thoroughly disgusted.

id film festival 2009

The second annual ID Film Festival, dedicated to contemporary digital films that explore and celebrate identity within the diverse Asian/Pacific Islander community, will present an international and local lineup of films next weekend, October 1-3 at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

The festival will premiere several Hong Kong films, in addition to showcasing Asian Amerian films from the "Class of 1997": Michael Aki and Eric Nakamura's Sunsets, Rea Tajiri's Strawberry Fields, Chris Chan Lee's Yellow, Quentin Lee and Justin Lin's Shopping For Fangs -- all groundbreaking works in Asian American cinema. Here's the schedule:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1:
8 PM - OPENING NIGHT ($5.00 for Museum members, $8.00 non-members)
*Seikaku (Directed by Jaysn Kim)
*Sunsets (Directed by Michael Aki & Eric Nakamura): A special
never-before-seen new cut.This film is part of our Class of 1997 retrospective.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2:
6 PM - Three Narrow Gates (Directed by Vincent Chui): US Premier. This film is
part of our spotlight on Hong Kong Independent films

8 PM - King of Spy (Directed by Chu Ka Yat): US Premier. This film is part of
our spotlight on Hong Kong Independent films.

10 PM - Citizen King (Directed by Johnson Lee & Ching Long): US Premier. This
film is part of our spotlight on Hong Kong Independent films.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3:
12 PM - Lovers on the Road (Directed by Jessey Tsang): US Premier. This film
is part of our spotlight on Hong Kong Independent films

2 PM - Strawberry Fields (Directed by Rea Tajiri): This film is part of our
Class of 1997 retrospective and is FREE.

4 PM - Japanese American Shorts Program
* Half Kenneth (Directed by Ken Ochiai)
* A Song for Ourselves (Directed by Tad Nakamura)
* Pawns of the King (Directed by Ming Lai)

6 PM - Yellow (Directed byChris Chan Lee): This film is part of our Class of
1997 retrospective and is FREE.

8 PM - Shopping For Fangs (Directed by Quentin Lee & Justin Lin): This film is
part of our Class of 1997 retrospective and is FREE.

10 PM - Closing Reception

This is a really opportunity to see some true classics in Asian American cinema. Heck, I haven't seen any of these features -- Yellow, Shopping For Fangs, Strawberry Fields -- since they first premiered on the festival circuit way back when. The festival is free for JANM members; $5 non-members per program. Or you can buy a festival pass for $30. For more information about the ID Film Festival, visit the website here.

who is the real michelle rhee?

The Washington Post has an interesting article on Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of D.C. public school system: In Search of The Real Michelle Rhee.

With a lot of high-profile attention on her since she took the post (including landing the cover of TIME), Rhee's public image has been of a tough-talking schools chief who's out to sack every last veteran teacher in D.C.'s failing system. This article suggests that the reality is something entirely different, and not quite so simple.

The article is accompanied by a video on the chancellor, talking about leadership: On Leadership: Michelle Rhee on "Extreme Candor." She'll also be doing a live chat on Tuesday, September 29 to take questions and comments: D.C. Schools Chief Michelle Rhee.

playmobil's ugly ass asian family

Not to be outdone the box of ugly-ass asian family dolls, Playmobil has its own set of Asian Family figures. Complete with hideous outfits, bowl haircuts and demonic almond-shaped eyes. And the dad comes with a giant camera! All this for just $10.99. (Thanks, Eric.)

the best colleges and universities for aapi students: pitzer

This month, to kick off the school year, I'm partnering with Asian Pacific Americans for Progress to bring you a very special list of The Best Colleges and Universities for AAPI Students. Last week and this week, we're profiling the top ten best schools for AAPI student activism (in no particular order). Today's campus is...

Pitzer College
Private College
Location: Claremont, California
Founded: 1963
Enrollment: 1,025
API population: 7%
Interesting fact: In an effort to inspire dialogue about diversity, there are two murals at Pitzer reminding the community about intolerance and hate crimes -- one of Vincent Chin, which faces the mural of Chin's mother -- painted by students in the Claremont Colleges Consortium.

"I am submitting this application because I truly believe in Pitzer's commitment to intercultural understanding and diversity. I chose to come to Pitzer because of these values and I have been nothing but impressed with how the college, already a leader in student activism, continues to grow and build on its foundations. I have had the privilege of working with several AAPI groups throughout the Claremont Colleges." - Nominator

Pitzer College is a place that strives to enrich and develop social, intellectual and personal growth among its students by providing a welcoming and supportive environment. Students at there can take advantage of the resources offered at all five of the Claremont Colleges, including the Intercollegiate Department of Asian American Studies (IDAAS). They also benefit from the services and resources offered by the Center for Asian Pacific American Students (CAPAS).

Pitzer students and CAPAS regularly work with other organizations that support the experiences of AAPI communities at the Claremont Colleges, empowering students to seek partnerships and build larger coalitions for community events. On the Pitzer campus, the student leaders of CAPAS coordinate the Asian American Sponsor Program (AASP), which is a mentorship program matching older Pitzer students with first-year students to help the new students transition to college life. AASP coordinates AAPI-themed events to educate and bring together all students. New this year to Pitzer is the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), which serves as an umbrella organization for AAPI student organizations, and addresses the greater needs of the community.

Aside from cultivating activism within Pitzer's campus and the greater Claremont Colleges Consortium, students often turns its eye to the AAPI community off campus. The previous Fall-semester, CAPAS hosted an event titled "Fil-I-Am: Filipino Americans in Hip Hop", with outreach to the surrounding Inland Empire and Los Angeles community, the event was successful in moving beyond the college-student audience and engaging a diverse group of people in a discussion of the recent emergence of Filipinos in American mainstream media. Fil-I-Am included a philanthropic cause where donations were collected and sent to needy families in the Philippines.

CAPAS, AASP, APAC, and the IDAAS all create an environment at Pitzer for students to create a strong AAPI community. The very presence of these groups on campus is a testament to the commitment of Pitzer's students into creating an environment that truly embraces the school's intercultural and interdisciplinary values.

To see the rest of the Best Colleges and Universities for AAPI Students, go here.

jamey is looking for his mother

I recently heard from a reader named Jamey Byom, a Korean adoptee who is looking for his mother, but doesn't have much information to go on. A couple of weeks ago, he was fortunate enough to appear on a Korean television program, I Miss This Person, which is dedicated to people who are looking for others. That's the clip above.

Maybe someone out there can help Jamey out, and somehow he'll be able to reconnect with his birth mother. He knows it's a long shot, but hey, it's worth a try. His chances are based on whoever actually watches this clip, so the more eyeballs it reaches, the better. I figure it couldn't hurt to help a brother out.

jen wang on npr's tell me more

A few weeks back, I posted something about a recent study showing a higher rate of suicide, or contemplation of suicide, among Asian American women. Almost 16 percent of U.S.-born Asian American women -- compared to 13 percent of all Americans -- have contemplated suicide in their lifetimes.

Our friend Jen Wang from Disgrasian recently appeared as a guest on NPR's Tell Me More, along with Aileen Duldulao, lead author of the research, to discuss these disturbing findings: Asian-American Women More Likely To Attempt Suicide.

It's a really good, frank conversation about a topic that does not get discussed enough in our community -- with deadly consequences. Much props to you, Jen. You did a great job. Listen to the radio story, or read the transcript here.

free outdoor screening: space battleship yamato

If you're in Los Angeles, here's one way to enjoy a warm September night... This Friday, September 25th, the Japanese American Cultura & Community Center presents a special outdoor plaza screening of the Japanese anime classic Battleship Yamato (known here stateside as Star Blazers):

Film on the Plaza: Battleship Yamato

Friday, September 25, 2009
7:30pm - 10:30pm
JACCC Plaza
244 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA

FREE Outdoor screening of SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO a.k.a. STAR BLAZERS!
Plus live DJ sets by Akaider.

- FREE Admission
- $3 BEERS AVAILABLE ALL NIGHT!
- Franken's Vegan Hot Dogs, FISHLIPS Sushi and other Vendors
- Door Prizes

This outdoor screening features the Japanese anime classic Space Battleship Yamato aka Star Blazers (1979). Bring a blanket, bring a basket, bring friends, and delay the end of Summer in the heart of Little Tokyo.

Watch highlights from the last outdoor screening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZrVeJwgYTw

For directions and info on the JACCC Plaza go to:
http://www.jaccc.org/

Admission is free! Grab some friends, bring a blanket and enjoy some classic sci-fi animation under the stars in Little Tokyo. Should be a really fun evening. Summer, we're not letting go of you that easily! For more information about the event, visit the JACCC website here.

research study on asian american experiences

Another one of these research studies... Nancy Cha, a doctoral student in counseling psychology at Columbia University, is looking for participants for a research study on Asian Americans' social attitudes and experiences in contemporary American society:

You are invited to participate in a study examining Asian Americans' social attitudes and experiences in contemporary American society. I am interested in the extent to which Asian Americans living in the United States perceive, and are impacted by racial-cultural factors in the U.S. as well as their reactions to these perceptions and experiences.

This study specifically seeks U.S. born Asian Americans who are 18 years or older. Your participation in this research is entirely voluntary. This investigation is an online survey in which you will be asked to respond to several short surveys, which should take approximately 15-20 minutes (total) to complete. A number of safeguards will be in place to protect your identity. No names will be associated with the data at any time and all data will be coded with a number to preserve anonymity. The results of the study will be presented in my final dissertation and may be presented in subsequent journal articles, however individual participants will never be identified.

Everyone who participates in the study will be automatically entered into a raffled for a $50 Amazon gift certificate or a $50 iTunes gift certifcate. To take part in the study (and help a grad student out with her research), go here: Asian American experiences in Contemporary America.

seeking mr. hyphen

It's that time again! Looking for a few good men... Hyphen and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center present the fourth annual Mr. Hyphen competition on November 14, 2009, celebrating the men of the Asian American community. Are you worthy of the crown?

Each year, Hyphen and OACC celebrate Asian American men who devote themselves to worthy community causes. While structured like a pageant with rounds of talent, fashion and Q&A, Mr. Hyphen turns stereotypes on their heads in front of a sold-out crowd.

It's a fun night of community and "equal-opportunity all-in-good-fun ogling." Rounds will be decided alternately by an audience vote and by an illustrious panel of judges. The man who is crowned Mr. Hyphen wins a $1000 cash donation to his nonprofit organization.

If you think you've got what it takes, or know a good man who is, download the Mr. Hyphen application here. Applications are due on October 4th. You could win $1000 for your nonprofit org, a kickass crown, and of course, supreme bragging rights.

register for baasic 2009

Hey college students! I direct your attention to Boston... Next month, Northeastern University is hosting the Boston Asian American Intercollegiate Conference (BAASIC), organized annually by students in and around the Boston area.

The conference aims to encourage Asian American students to open the discussion of political, social, and economic issues in their individual communities. BAASIC also promotes positive exploration of Asian American culture and identity. This year's conference theme "What's Your Power?

This year's conference will feature performances from hip hop artists Magnetic North and Taiyo Na. Keynote speakers will be longtime community activist and author of The Snake Dance of Asian American Activism, Michael Liu, and poet/writer of The Heart's Traffic, Ching-In Chen.

The conference typically brings together 200-300 students every year from colleges and universities all over Massachusetts. You can register for BAASIC for just $20.00 now through September 30, and for $30.00 on the day of the conference. For more information about the conference, go to the website here.

flashforward premieres tonight

FlashForward premieres tonight! I've written quite a bit about this show over the last year, and now it's finally here. I've seen the pilot episode that's airing tonight, and it's a doozy. I'm looking forward to seeing where this is going.

It's a sci-fi-tinged drama about what happens when the everyone in the world blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and gets a glimpse of his or her life six months in the future. Want a preview? The first 17 minutes of the premiere are available for viewing online here.

It's promising. I like the characters, and it's hell of a premise. And of course, our man John Cho is in the starring cast as FBI Agent Demetri Noh. He has to figure out what's up when everyone sees their future... except for him. He doesn't see anything. What does that mean? He's quite likeable in the role, and I can't to wait to see what happens with the character.

The pilot episodes leaves you with a lot to go on. Who/what caused the blackout? The entire world's population has seen its future -- what are the repercussions? But looking ahead, my main concern is what happens six months from now, when we reach the fated date of April 29. Where does the show go after that?

two men robbing, sexually assaulting asian escorts

This week in the Bay Area, police released photographs of two men who are suspected of robbing and sexually assaulting Asian female escorts in San Jose and Santa Clara, in the hopes more victims will step forward: 2 men accused of robbing, sexually assaulting Asian escorts in South Bay.

According to police, Tizoc Loredo, 30, and Julian Carrasco, 27, made contact with women escorts between the ages of 20 and 40 by using internet services. The men are suspected of meeting the women in hotels and motels and committing robbery. In some cases, the women were sexually assaulted.

Anyone with information was asked to contact detective Sgt. Johnson Fong or detective John Atkinson of the San Jose Police Department's robbery unit at 408-277-4166 or Sgt. Kurt Clarke of the Santa Clara Police Department at 408-615-4828. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP (7867).

the problem with 'illegal'

Caught this over at the Restore Fairness blog and thought I'd share... This is an excellent video from Colorlines featuring Rinku Sen dissecting why our conversations around immigration are so often driven to extremes.

Basically, she breaks down the term 'illegal,' and calls on us to re-examine our stereotypes and the reasons we have grown immune to the hostilities directed at immigrants. More here: What about illegal do you understand?

the best colleges and universities for aapi students: columbia

This month, to kick off the school year, I'm partnering with Asian Pacific Americans for Progress to bring you a very special list of The Best Colleges and Universities for AAPI Students. Last week and this week, we've been profiling the top ten best schools for AAPI student activism (in no particular order). Our final campus is...

Columbia University
Private University
Location: New York, New York
Founded: 1754
Enrollment: 7,500
API population: 15%
Interesting fact: During his welcoming remarks at the APAHE conference in 2002 hosted by Columbia University, President Lee Bollinger told the crowd that Asian Americans do not have a stake in the affirmative action debate. In response, the large crowd gave him a resounding crash course in Asian American Studies with a lot of evidence about the racial and class inequalities faced by Asian Americans.

"Given its location in New York City, students have access to more resources and opportunities for activism than the usual collegiate experience. With a very organized community, Asian American students have a very strong influence on day-to-day student life and affairs." - Nominator

Over the last few years, AAPI students at Columbia have been extremely busy working on a variety of issues. Through cultural projects and activism, Asian American students at Columbia are very organized and engaged in advocating on behalf of AAPIs on the campus and in the surrounding communities.

Even though Columbia has an Asian American Studies program with famous professors like Gary Okihiro, a group of students proactively initiated a hunger strike in 2007, demanding an expansion of Ethnic Studies. One of the strikers was the vice president of the Asian American Association (AAA). At the end of the strike, the administration agreed to a timeline for meeting demands to grow the Ethnic Studies department by recruiting more faculty.

Also in Fall 2007, the NYPD arrest of a Korean American undergraduate from Texas was marked with racial slurs and remarks such as "Can you speak English?" Students took immediate action, meeting with the local NYPD precinct captain to demand sensitivity training for officers.

In the local community, Asian American students participated in the campaign for workers' rights at Saigon Grill, which was paying its workers $1.78 an hour. They have also worked with AALDEF on voter education, registration, and poll monitoring on election days. Students also mentor local high school students in the NYC area victimized by hate crimes and bias attacks, as well as youth who have been victims of domestic violence. In April 2009, the AAA hosted the Crossroads: High School Leadership Conference, bringing high school youth to Columbia to learn about Asian American history, leadership/activism skills, and current issues.

Columbia is definitely a place where AAPI students are actively holding the institution accountable to its campus community, and getting active in the surrounding community to make a difference! To see the rest of the Best Colleges and Universities for AAPI Students, go here.

jaeson ma's "love"

I'm informed that within just two weeks of its release, Pastor Jaeson Ma's first single "Love" has had over 60,000 views on YouTube, reached #10 on Amazon's mp3 sales, and has impacted and transformed lives worldwide.

Produced by Kevnish of Far East Movement, the spoken-word-on-beat single brings a positive, spiritual message the masses. I gotta admit, it's a pretty catchy tune. To learn more about Jaeson Ma, visit his website here.

sasha gong stereotypes asian american voters

Saw this over on Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, and I'm just kind of baffled. This is from a post over at Blue Commonwealth: Bizarre Comments by Republican Opponent of Charniele Herring.

Sasha Gong is running for Virginia's House of Delegates in the 46th District. She recently met with the Republican Women of Clifton, where she said some really intriguing things about Asian American voters:

"When you speak with Asian immigrants and hear heavily accented English, they are usually Republicans. If an Asian-American speaks General American English, he is usually a Democrat."

Wow. Thanks for breaking that down, Sasha. Generalize, much? What's funny, is that in the same address, she goes on to declare that, "Democrats pigeonhole people and regard them as stereotypes. Republicans regard people as individuals." Yikes. Who's doing the stereotyping?