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April 8th 2004: Issue 06
New York finally feels like Spring, one of my top 4 favorite seasons. It's a season of getting in shape to look good for a summer at the beach--a season of anticipation. And of course the best part of anything is the anticipation leading up to it. Kind of like Christmas. Retailers are feeling it too with all of the promotions going on like the free makeovers at Takashimaya.
As a follow-up to last issue regarding that retarded article in Details magazine, there will be a protest in Midtown in front of the Fairchild building next Friday the 16th. In addition, the petition started by Daniel Lee is up to 28,187 signatures now. Its nice to see that not only are people just as offended about this negative typecasting as me, but there is action taking place. Get more information about the protest below.
Get ready for the new Friendster. Dodgeball.social is like Friendster on your phone. Kind of cool, especially when the music's loud, the Johnnie is flowing and you just want to let your buddy know that you are at some bar in the area without having to call him.
And lastly, it hasn't generated that much buzz in the independent film scene as much as I thought, but Shaolin Soccer is now screening at Landmark's Sunshine on Houston Street. I haven't seen it yet, but I heard its quite funny with Matrix-esque special effects, some to the point of making it look like a farce.
-ubn
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ONGOING SCREENING
Shaolin Soccer (2002, Hong Kong, 87 minutes)
Check theater listings for showtimes. Stephen Chiau's comic masterpiece has finally reached the U.S. of A. The ads paint it as a straight-up chop socky flick, but this is one of the funniest movies ever made and Chiau makes his bid for comic immortality with this deadpan, absurd heroic ballad of a film. This is the Cantonese version with English subtitles, and presuming advance reports can be trusted, even though it has been trimmed for the American release, it is still great!
"Everything you've ever loved (or hated) but were afraid to laugh at in Asian martial-arts movies, ''Matrix''-ian bullet-time actioners, and Farrellyesque slapstick comedies -- all rolled into Hong Kong's highest-grossing local production ever." —Entertainment Weekly / Lisa Schwarzbaum
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COMMUNITY SERVICE
yKAN Milal Easter Egg Hunt
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Young Korean-American Network
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Saturday, April 10, 12:30pm - 4:30pm
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Milal House
142-44 Bayside Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
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www.ykan.org |
community@ykan.org
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Easter is just one week away! yKAN invites you to celebrate with community service! The Milal House is an international organization that provides a home for the physically and mentally challenged adults and children. You will make colorful Easter eggs and play with the children. If the weather permits, you will take the Milal House members to local park to play some outdoor games. If it rains, then you will stay indoors and hold the event at the House.
Please let them know if you can attend. They will need a minimum of 15 people; so please come out and show your support for yKAN and especially Milal House. Please email community@ykan.org. They will be happy to answer any of your questions. Rides can be arranged.
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SCREENING
Second Saturdays: A Community Film Series & Happy Hour
Next film: Eating Welfare (58min)
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CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities & Nodutdol for Korean Community Development
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Saturday, April 10th
Doors open 7:00pm, Program starts 7:30pm
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Junno's
64 Downing Street at the corner of Varick
New York City
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Donations to benefit grassroots organizing in Asian communities
$7 suggested, $10 gets you a free drink (All ages welcome, ID to drink)
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www.caaav.org
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nodutdol@egroups.com
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This documentary by CAAAV's Youth Leadership Project challenges the success of workfare programs by exposing the wain which more than 500,000 families in New York City were pushed off the welfare rolls in the 1990's. Eating Welfare traces the journey of Southeast Asian refugees from war-torn Vietnam and Cambodia to the Bronx and examines the impact of federal welfare-reform measures on them after their arrival.
Second Saturdays brings together film, politics & community to support and promote alternative media and grassroots organizing in NYC Asian communities. The monthly series will feature films and videos that tell the stories and struggles of the Asian diaspora from diverse perspectives. Come and join us and learn more about Nodutdol's annual Moim (Gathering) for Peace and CAAAV's Youth Leadership Project.
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Not a Korean-American event, but a good event sponsored by a very reputable organization for those of you who are interested in a career in media (as most of our parents didn't think there were any other occupational options besides being a doctor, lawyer, or pharmacist) and how to land a job.
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DISCUSSION
Media Research: Driving the Industry
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Center for Communication
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Monday, April 12th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
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Baruch College
Newman Conference Center
7th Floor
151 East 25th Street
New York City
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www.cencom.org
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Leading researchers and executives from broadcast, cable, radio and Nielsen Media Research talk about where the jobs are in the area of the media that drives the industry and dictates all major decisions. Find out how the digital landscape is going to change their practices, and the skill sets you’ll need to land a job in research, where you will learn everything you need to know about the media business from the ground up. (BTW, this event is free)
John Dimling, Chairman, Nielsen Media Research
David Poltrack, Exec. VP, Research & Planning, CBS Television
Laurie Camuso, Vice President, Director of Research, Interep
Kristen Santoro, Vice President, Director of Research, Interep
Tim Brooks, Sr. Vice President, Research, Lifetime TV
Jack Myers, Editor, Jack Myers Report (moderator)
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CONFERENCE
At Home in the World: Fictions and Literatures of Asian America and Beyond
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NYU Asian Pacific American Studies
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Thursday, April 15th - Saturday April 17th, 8:00am
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Cantor Film Center
Theater 101
36 East 8th Street
New York City
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www.apa.nyu.edu/aia
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This year's Asians in America conference celebrates the 10th anniversary of the publication of the Charlie Chan is Dead anthology of Asian American literature and the release of a new version entitled Charlie Chan is Dead II: At Home in the World. With the updated publication, it is time to look at the social and political factors that have brought the aesthetics of Asian American literature and culture to where they are today. With current global and domestic political crises involving namely free speech and conflict, a look at what it means to "be in and of the world" through cultural production remains critical.
Panelists include Jessica Hagedorn (writer and Charlie Chan editor), Elaine H. Kim (University of California, Berkeley), Ed Lin, R. Zamora Linmark, Darrel Lum (writer and co-founder of Bamboo Ridge Press), Sabina Murray, Gary Y. Okihiro (Columbia University), and Shawn Wong (University of Washington and co-editor of Aiiiieeee!, the first anthology on Asian American literature).
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Protest Against Details Magazine
Join Asian Media Watchdog in a protest at the offices of Details magazine. Details magazine published a feature in its April 2004 issue titled, “Gay or Asian” that described Asian American men using offensive terms like “bonsai ass” and “sashimi-smooth chest.” Details plans to publish a statement in their next issue that says in part, “We regret that anyone was offended by the article.” They say they will keep our concerns in mind, but that leaves the door wide open for similar features in the future. This is not enough!
Asian Media Watchdog demands a full-page public apology in a future issue of the magazine, and they demand that Details magazine fire Whitney McNally, the author of the feature. They cannot continue to do this to Gays, Asians or anyone else! Please make and bring signs against racism, against homophobia, against Details
magazine and against Whitney McNally. New York City prohibits signs on wooden sticks, but you can bring hand held signs or signs on cardboard tubes.
Asian Media Watchdog has a protest permit and are working with the NYPD. Asian Media Watchdog is a
nonprofit organization. Their mission is to promote a fair and balanced portrayal of Asians and Asian Americans in the media.
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GALA
The Korean American Family Service Center 15th Anniversary Gala
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Korean American Family Service Center
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Saturday, April 24, 2004
Cocktails at 6:30 pm
Dinner at 8:00 pm
Dancing ‘til Midnight
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The Astoria World Manor
Grand Ballroom
25-22 Astoria Boulevard
Astoria, New York
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Heidi Yu at (718)539-7682 ext 104
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The Korean American Family Service Center cordially invites you to its 15th Anniversary Gala with honorees Aiyoung Choi, KAFSC Chair Emerita, Asian American Federation of New York, and New York Women’s Foundation
Sanctuary for Families. RSVP by Friday, April 16, 2004. Please make your check payable to: Korean American Family Service Center. Your contribution is fully tax-deductible except $62.00 per seat.
Founded in 1989, the Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) is nonprofit organization that provides bilingual counseling, advocacy and education to families, women, men, children and youth in the New York tri-state
area. The Center works to help end domestic violence, resolve conflict, and develop healthy family and peer relationships. KAFSC empowers individuals affected by domestic violence, as well as raising awareness and
educating the community at large about domestic violence specific to Korean Americans.
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SPORTS LEAGUE
Asian American Basketball League
Fastbreak NYC presents the first Asian American Basketball League in the New York City metropolitan area. The
Spring basketball season begins the weekend of April 24th, and features 11 weeks of games with an NCAA March Madness style playoffs. Compete against the best ballers that New York and New Jersey has to offer in full court
5-on-5 competition. Finally a league with refs, electronic scoreboard, complete stats recorded and posted online, and uniforms for every team. Registration is limited.
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FESTIVAL
AKA Culture Day 2004
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Also-Known-As
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Saturday, April 24th, 12:00 - 5:00pm
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Barnard College
McIntosh Hall Student Center
Lower Level
3009 Broadway at 117th Street
New York City
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www.alsoknownas.org
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skspitznas@aol.com | 646) 267-8328
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Continuing their commitment to share and celebrate all international adoptees, each year, Also-Known-As hosts Culture Day to celebrate our birth cultures. Families from all over the tri-State area join us for a day filled with fun cultural activities, education and entertainment. Culture Day is a major event for Also-Known-As (AKA) that's been going on for almost 15 years now. Also-Known-As serves the entire Intercountry adoption community although most of the families that come to Culture Day have adopted from Korea and China.
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Sonya. There will be three shifts for volunteers. Please commit to at least one. If you want to come earlier or stay later of course you're welcome to. You'll receive a lunch ticket for volunteering. The last shift should consider arriving early to eat before the food is gone. The theme will be "Beginnings, Celebrating Ceremonies of Birth & Arrival" and will be illustrated by:
Stage Performances - Camara Dance Unlimited, Drum Spirit of China, FCC Laurel Project, Nritya Kala Kendra, NYU Rhythmic Impulse, and featuring the AKA Mentorship Fashion Show.
Arts & Crafts - Chinese Red Envelope, Birthday/Arrival Day Banners and more.
Floor Activities- Traditional Dressing, Choose Your Destiny, Unwrap a Present, Yut (Korea Board Game).
Raffle: TIVO with 80 hours of recording and three free months subscription. Also, DVD Players, Digital Camera, Korean Tea Set, House wares donated by White on White, Flag Blankets - South Korea, China, and USA, Lan (Japanese Restaurant) dinner for 2, Korean Dolls, free entrance to Culture Day next year, Mentorship Program - movie night basket. More raffle items are welcome.
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INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Production / Postproduction intern
Chai Break Films is looking for an intern for their feature documentary, Out of Status. Out of Status (the short) premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival 2004 and will premiere locally at the Asian American International Film Festival. The filmmakers were awarded a NYSCA grant to continue work on the feature. Out of Status is a political documentary about the lives of four families that were affected by post 9/11 immigration policy changes.
They need a production intern preferably with experience working on independent features. Please have flexible hours and at least 2-3 days a week available to work on this project. You can check out our website at www.chaibreak.com for more information. The right person will be interested in a holistic experience and will get the chance to work with an award-winning documentary team. Please email Sanjna.Singh@hbo.com with a resume (word attachment) and your availability and interests.
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
IFP/New York's Project
IFP/New York's Project Involve consists of two distinct programs for filmmakers from cultural, racial and ethnic minorities - a five month Fellowship to foster mentorship and industry placement opportunities for two mid-career filmmakers, and a five month series of Networking Workshops promoting new industry relationships for 20 emerging narrative and documentary filmmakers. The Fellowship program provides a cash stipend of $10,000 to each fellow.
Submission deadlines for both the Fellowship Networking Workshops programs are June 1, 2004. For more information contact:
Pooja Kohli
Member Outreach Coordinator
IFP/New York, 104 West 29th Street, 12th floor, New York, NY 10001
(212) 465 8200 X210
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OPPORTUNITY
September 11th Service Coordination Program
The Asian American Federation has been running a Sept. 11th service coordination program, to ensure that individuals and families who may need assistance and ongoing care have access to these services. It has been more than 2 1/2 years since the disaster, and though families are still in the process of recovery, their temporary program is ending in the next few months. As they begin to phase their program down, they want to ensure that our remaining clients are connected with services and support that they may need for at least a few months, or perhaps longer, in the case of families of direct victims. There are 2-3 of these clients, who are Korean-speakers located in different parts of NJ, who they believe will need access to mental health professionals who are Korean-speaking, and either able to travel to their homes (a couple are elderly), or are close-by.
Private practitioners would be fine, as the clients' care would be covered by various programs. Any information, or guidance, would really be appreciated - especially the names and contact info for individuals who can help.
Parag Khandhar
Assistant Director, Programs & Planning
Asian American Federation, 107-06 71st Road, 2nd Floor, Forest Hills, NY 11375
p: 718-544-4700 x14, f: 718-544-2387
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