Asians in America : Calendar

Myths and Mirrors: A Workshop

July 28 2009 | Chicago, IL

The Chicago chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League is holding a workshop called Myths and Mirrors: Affirming Asian American Identity.
Event:
• All ages
• Lights refreshments served
• JACL’s newest publication will be debuted
• July 28th, 2009
• 6:30 p.m.
• RSVP at 773-728-7171
• Email at chicago@jacl.org

The workshop will help educate on current issues and discuss Asian American identity. JACL’s newest publication, Myths and Mirrors: Real Challenges Facing Asian American Students, will be discussed at the event.

This is a great event for any Asian American Chicago student or anyone interested in learning more about issues concerning Asian Americans.

For more information, visit www.jaclchicago.org/.

San Francisco Aloha Festival 2009

August 1 2009 | San Francisco, CA

Event: 15th Annual San Francisco Aloha Festival
Date: August 1-2, 2009 (Saturday-Sunday)
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Place: San Francisco Presidio, Parade Grounds
Admission: FREE!
Parking: $7.00 for the lot adjacent to the festival

The Aloha Festival is a free, two-day ethnic arts festival celebrating Pacific Islander culture. This is one of the largest gatherings of Pacific Islanders on the U.S. mainland. Each year thousands of islanders and islanders-at-heart gather to celebrate the culture through music, dance, arts and crafts, authentic food, and educational workshops. The festival is held during the first full weekend in August. If August 1st falls on a Sunday, then the festival is held the following weekend.

For additional information on this event, visit their website.

Book Launching “Filipinos in Carson and the South Bay”

August 8 2009 | Los Angeles, CA

The story of Filipinos coming to America , particularly the Los Angeles Harbor area, has long been an overlooked part of this local area’s history. That will change on August 8, 2009 with the arrival of the new book Filipinos in Carson and the South Bay. Written by long-time residents Florante Peter Ibanez and Roselyn Estepa Ibanez, this pictorial history book will formally be launched at a Town Hall Meeting entitled “Presentation on the History of Carson and the South Bay ” on Saturday, August 8 at 1:00-3:00pm at the Carson Community Center, Carson Dominguez Room ( 801 Carson St. , Carson , CA 90745 ). This Town Hall Meeting is hosted by Carson Mayor Jim Dear and Councilwoman Julie Ruiz Raber, in partnership with the Filipino American Library (FAL).

The educational presentation will feature samples of the book’s historical photographs, local speakers, and the opportunity for the audience to share their own stories about growing up in the area. Co-Authors and couple, Florante and Roselyn Ibanez, have sought out family albums, organizational records, and personal stories to present this evocative history of their community. Filipinos in Carson and the South Bay is part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series that celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country.

For additional information, visit www.filipinoamericanlibrary.org.

Top Ten Films from 6th Annual 72-Hour Film Shootout

July 24 2009 | New York, NY

The premiere of the top 10 films from the 6th Annual 72-Hour Film Shootout, by the Asian American Film Lab, is part of the 32nd Asian American International Film Festival. The screening and award ceremony will take place from 7:15PM to 8:45PM, at the Museum of Chinese in America, on 215 Centre Street, in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Teams of nationwide filmmakers had just 72 short hours to create a five-minute film based on the surprise theme, "Time's Up". AAARI is the co-sponsor of this year's first-ever Student Filmmaker Award.

A reception will be held after the award ceremony, free for all ticket holders.

General admission is $12.50; Student/Senior is $11.

To purchase tickets for the 72-Hour Film Shootout, visit www.aaiff.org.

Family Day at Asian American Writers Workshop

July 26 2009 | New York, NY

When: Sunday, July 26, 2-4pm
Where:The Workshop 16 West 32nd Street (btwn. Broadway & 5th Avenue), 10th Floor, New York City
Cost: $5 suggested donation, open to the public

Parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles bring your young ones to a day
of fun at the Workshop. Look forward to story time, a craftmaking
workshop, a writing game and ice cream for all. Our guests include
author Christina Seid, kids craft expert Laura Young, and parenting
writers/experts Suelain Moy and Susan Soriano.

Suelain Moy is the author of Names To Grow On: Choosing a Name Your Baby
Will Love. She is a freelance writer who regularly contributes to
parenthood site BabyZone.com.

Christina Seid is the co-owner of the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory in New
York City. She recently released her first children's book, Saturdays In
Chinatown. Christina is an Asian American advocate, and is well-known in
the Chinatown community for her volunteer work. She maintains a blog about
the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and events in NYC's Chinatown.

Susan Soriano is an instructor at the Columbia Publishing Course at
Columbia University-School of Journalism. She has worked in marketing and
public relations for major parenting print and online media sources for
the last ten years. Susan is the former Director, Public Relations at
Kaboose.com and has previously worked in Public Relations at The Time Inc.
Parenting Group, The National Geographic Traveler, Time Magazine and Conde
Nast.

Laura Young is a parenting writer and craft expert who blogs about pop
culture and crafts at Parental Pop Culture.

For more information, check out www.aaww.org.

Fundraising Gala!

July 23 2009 | Los Angeles, CA

Join the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) in celebrating its 3rd
Annual Giving For All Seasons Fundraising Gala on Thursday, July 23,
2009 at the Grammy Museum Terrace in LA Live. The event is about
promoting philanthropy and civic engagement in the diverse community
throughout Los Angeles County.

The ACPF is a non-profit, community-based charity in Los
Angeles that raises money for health and human service agencies
providing programs and services that are culturally sensitive and
linguistically appropriate. We address the needs and serve Asian,
Pacific Islander, and other ethnic communities.

For more information, visit www.apcf.org/index.php/latest-news
or call (213) 624-6400 ext. 4.

Shotokan Karate of America Puts on Oldest Karate Demonstration

August 15 2009 | Pasadena, CA

On Saturday, August 15, 2009, Shotokan Karate of America (“SKA”) will host its 53rd Annual Nisei Week Karate Exhibition and Tournament at the Braun Gymnasium of the California Institute of Technology (“Caltech”). SKA’s Nisei Week Karate Exhibition and Tournament is the oldest karate demonstration in the United States. Fighters and participants will come to Los Angeles from dojos nationwide and abroad to compete and give individual and group demonstrations.

SKA’s Nisei Week Exhibition and Tournament started in 1957 when Mr. Tsutomu Ohshima gave the first official demonstration of karate to the American public. Mr. Ohshima is a direct student of Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of modern day karate who brought karate from Okinawa to mainland Japan. For over 50 years, SKA, under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Ohshima, has spread the teachings of Master Funakoshi and traditional karate-do. Mr. Ohshima travels throughout the world teaching karate to thousands of students and is currently the head instructor of karate organizations in fifteen countries, including Shotokan Karate of America, France Shotokan, Israel Shotokan, Canada Shotokan, Swiss Shotokan, Spain Shotokan, Belgium Shotokan and Morocco Shotokan.

The 53rd Annual Nisei Week Karate Exhibition and Tournament will be held on Saturday August 15, 2009 from 11 am to 1:30 pm. at the Braun Gymnasium of Caltech located at 1200 East California Boulevard in Pasadena, California. The public is welcome to attend. Admission and parking are free. The doors will open at 10:30 am.

For additional information, click www.ska.org.

Comedy World Premiere: "Bow Down To Your Asian Masters!"

July 31 2009 | Hollywood, CA

It's the Asian Century. Be prepared to show obedience to your new Asian masters. 18mmw will show you how. We have ways of making you laugh! You will bow down...with laughter. We will torture you...with laughter! You will shiver with...oh, you get the picture.

Starring: Vivan Bang, Junko Goda, Michael Chih Ming Hornbuckle, Greg Watanabe, Peter J.Wong and more!

Brand New Theatrical Sketches! Including:

1.
* David Carradine meets Bruce Lee in heaven!
2.
* The 18 MMW News Show!
3.
* How to serve your new Asian masters properly
4.
And more!

"Bow Down to Your Asian Masters" runs from July 31 to August 23 at The Complex's Dorie Theater, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood, CA. It is presented by 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors.

For show times and ticket prices, visit www.18mmw.com.

Anime Expo 2009 in Los Angeles

July 2 2009 | Los Angeles, CA

Now in its eighteenth year, the Anime Expo® + Conference emphasizes cutting-edge, creative thinking as related to the manga, anime, gaming and related industries. Anime Expo® is the nation’s largest anime/manga convention and serves to foster trade, commerce and the interests of the general public and animation/comics industry. This event serves as a key meeting place for the general public to express their interest and explore various aspects of anime/manga, as well as for members of the industry to conduct business. This is the place where the brightest and most innovative minds meet to talk about ongoing industry trends and speculate on how these trends will impact the U.S. and international markets at large. Panel discussions, Exhibit Halls, SPJA Industry Awards, SPJA Industry Reception and other events make up this one-of-a-kind conference in Los Angeles, California.

Our attendees are made up of not just fans, but also of digital creatives, business leaders, enterprising students, trendsetters and many more who come to Anime Expo® looking for creative ideas and solutions. This is a unique opportunity to reach first generation users-the people who are changing the industry with creativity and innovation.

Both the Convention (July 2-5) and Conference (July 2-4) will take place in the LA Convention Center.

For a full schedule of programs as well as ticket info, click here.

Reminder: Artist Jean Shin Exhibits Work at Smithsonian American Art Museum

June 28 2009 | Washington, D.C.

Jean Shin is nationally recognized for her monumental installations that transform castoff materials into elegant expressions of identity and community. This exhibition, which runs until July 26, features eight works created since 2000, including the new site-specific installation Everyday Monuments commissioned by the Museum in 2008.

Shin employs a meticulous process of dismantling and alteration to create evocative sculptural installations that are composed of everything from worn shoes and lost socks to broken umbrellas and discarded lottery tickets. The resulting assemblages consist of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of seemingly identical objects gathered from friends, relatives, and perfect strangers.

To learn more about her exhibit, visit the museum's website.