[AMA-e-News] Asian Media Access, E-Newsletter, 3/7/07

[Johnny Chio]

Greetings from Asian Media Access:

For information on community events, please also visit Asian Media Access¹
(AMA) Website at www.amamedia.org and click the link ³Community Events
Calendar² (http://www2.amamedia.org/calendar/month.php).

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Local Community Events:

1. Final Reading of the Hmong and Laotian American Writer Series at the Loft
2. Dance Performances by CAAM Chinese Dance Theater
3. First Annual Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative Summit
4. Call for Submission by the White House Project
5. Casting for Asian/Asian American Roles for 16mm Short Film "DELIVER"
6. Listen Up! Asian and Asian American Women & Girls Want Justice
7. Sucheng Chan Presentation, ³Why Asian American Studies Matters²

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1. Final Reading of the Hmong and Laotian American Writer Series at the Loft

On Friday, March 9th at 7:00 PM the Loft Literary Center (1011 Washington
Ave. N, Minneapolis www.loft.org) will host the final reading of the highly
successful Hmong and Laotian American writers series.

This exciting evening will feature Noukou Thao and Ka Vang for a one-night
only live performance: Hmong Women Undress/Redress, exploring the Hmong
experience from unusual and multiple perspectives.

The amazing performance is free, and there will be refreshments and other
surprises. Donations are accepted, but not necessary. The two writers will
be presenting both classic examples of their work as well as all-new pieces.

This reading concludes the Un-named Poetry Series of Hmong and Lao writers,
and is funded in part by COMPAS. Previous writers include May Lee, Shoua
Lee, Bryan Thao Worra and Pacyinz Lyfoung who have performed to packed
crowds since January.

Noukou Thao grew up in Selma, Alabama, where she spent long summer months
running around and berry hunting with her cousins and siblings. She started
writing at an early age and continues to write every day of her life. She
attended the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where she graduated with
a BA in English in 1996.

She is currently writing a novel, New Mexico Odyssey, the story of a young
Hmong woman named Shang and her journey into the Hmong¹s narrative soul.

In Hmong Women Undress/Redress, Noukou Thao will be reading from her
collection of poems about the spiritual journey of Hmong women. It starts
the moment one Hmong woman murders her five children to the moment another
Hmong woman gives birth. Noukou Thao describes her writing as, ³A path I am
on to create a new American literary voice.²

Noukou Thao¹s work has appeared in Bamboo Among the Oaks: Contemporary
Writing by Hmong Americans  , Paj Ntaub Voice, Hmong Times, and Minnesota
Law & Politics. 

Ka Vang was born in Long Cheng, Laos, in 1975 just days before the end of
the Secret War in Laos.  A playwright, fiction writer and poet, she is a
two-time recipient of the Playwrights' Center's Many Voices Fellowship, the
2002 Asian American Renaissance/Jerome Foundation's Artist Regrant program,
the Jerome Study and Travel grant, the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist
Grant, and the prestigious Bush Artist Fellowship.

Her one-act play, DISCONNECT, was performed by Theatre Mu during the 2001
New Eye Festival. Another play, Dead Calling, was performed at Intermedia
Arts in Minneapolis in 2001.

Her play, From Shadows to Light was performed by Theater Mu in the fall of
2004 at the Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis.

She is also featured in two anthologies, Bamboo among the Oaks, and Charlie
Chan is Dead 2. She is currently a columnist for the Minnesota Women's
Press. You can visit her on Myspace at www.myspace.com/kavangwriter.

For more information about the series, you can e-mail May Lee:
may_lee_yang@hotmail.com
____________________________________________________________________________

2. Dance Performances by CAAM Chinese Dance Theater

CAAM Chinese Dance Theater presents 2007 Chinese New Year Annual 'Family
Day' Dance Performances: ³Leap into Spring²

Date & Times: Sunday, March 11, 2007, 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm
Location: O'Shaughnessy Auditorium

The tickets for are priced as follow:
- $13 for adults
- $9 for children (1-12) (lap seating for under 1) and students (valid ID)
- $36 for a Family pack of 4 (all ages)
- Group tickets of 20 or above will be available.

Please don't miss out on this wonderful annual dance production, please
invite your relatives, community friends, school teachers, and your
neighbors to come and enjoy this beautiful,
traditional Chinese Dances performing by 100 dancers.

For more information, visit their website at www.caam.org.  Please contact
Le Ha at 651-481-8789 for tickets and help pass this news to others who may
be interested.
____________________________________________________________________________

3. First Annual Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative Summit

In just two years, Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative has grown from
an idea into a network of community leaders and industry professionals
working to close the homeownership gap in Minnesota.  Join them for the
first annual Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative Summit to learn more
about their progress.  From pilot projects to industry certification, we
want your feedback on EMHI¹s progress as they shape their action plan for
the future.

Date & Time: March 13, 2007, 10 am ­ 3 pm (registration starts at 9 am)
Location: University of Minnesota¹s Continuing Education Center

For additional information, please visit its website at www.emhimn.org or
call Jacqueline Gausvik at 612-204-5869.
____________________________________________________________________________

4. Call for Submission by the White House Project

Seeing Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House and Hillary Clinton running for
the presidency, as well as Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State has had a
powerful effect on young women--and young men.  Visibility is viability, and
young women are starting to see that they, too, can be powerful leaders.

The White House Project wants to capture this moment by seeking out young
women whose goal is to become commander in chief.  We are seeking girls and
women between the ages of 7 and 35 who want to run for President of the
United States.

If your submission is chosen, you could...
- Star in Project 2024, a documentary film from the creators of Mad Hot
Ballroom that focuses on women of different ages that want to run for
president.
- Have your story published in She's Out There! The First Daughter to Become
President of the United States! The book will feature a collection of essays
from girls and women around the country who want to run for President.
- Be one of five women selected to attend The White House Project's Go Run
Leadership Training in New York City during the summer of 2007!

To apply, provide the following information in an email to
mspresident@thewhitehouseproject.org by Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 at
5:00pm.  Please attach a recent photo.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Full Name:
Age:
Year you will run for President:
City, State:
Contact Phone:
Contact Email:
Please attach a recent photo.

In a single page submission (Times New Roman font size 12) please answer the
following questions in essay form.
I. Why do you want to be President of the United States?
II. How has politics affected your life?
III. What, if anything, will you do differently from our previous leaders?

Winners will be announced on Friday, March 23rd, 2007 on The White House
Project's homepage.
____________________________________________________________________________

5. Casting for Asian/Asian American Roles for 16mm Short Film "DELIVER"

Casting for Asian/Asian American roles
 
DENNIS - 30-50, owns an Asian restaurant (specific type dependent upon
location), possibly an immigrant with slight accent.  Does not have to be
fluent in any language aside from English, although if you can speak
Mandarin/Cantonese/Japanese/Korean etc this is beneficial.
 
Also casting for a 2 to 3 MALE and FEMALE Asian/Asian American extras (ages
ranging from 20 - 60)
 
Auditions are to be held MARCH 17th from 10 am ­ 4 pm in the main MCTC Film
Dept. (4th floor MAIN BUILDING, proper signage will be provided) address is
1500 Hennepin Ave.

Shooting dates are currently scheduled for the first and second weekend in
April, the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 13th, 14th, 15th. Those dates may change.

All roles are unpaid. But actors will be given dvds of the film, and food
will be provided. 

If possible, please send an email with your resume and head shot and they
can schedule a time for you to come in.  Though walk-ins are accepted.
Also, if the 17th doesn't work, contact them and they can try and set up
another time and place to hold the audition.
 
Email: jesseskogh@gmail.com with your information and intent to audition.
____________________________________________________________________________

6. Listen Up! Asian and Asian American Women & Girls Want Justice

Listen Up! Asian and Asian American Women & Girls Want Justice

Date & Time: Tuesday, March 20, 2007, 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Location: St. Cloud State University, Atwood Memorial Center
- Free registration -

Come to hear their speakers from the governmental and non-governmental
organizations, the national NAPAWF organization, and high school students,
among others, who will discuss topics relating to social justice, youth
empowerment, and human trafficking in your own backyard of Minnesota.

Please direct any questions you may have regarding the conference to:
Hedy Tripp: 320-654-8873 (h/o); 320-309-3087 (cell); E-mail:
hedytripp@charter.net
Tzong Chang: 320-308-3202; E-mail: tchang@stcloudstate.edu
Joy Roberts: 320-308-4771; E-mail: aproberts@stcloudstate.edu
Also see www.napawf.org for more information on NAPAWF.
____________________________________________________________________________

7. Sucheng Chan Presentation, ³Why Asian American Studies Matters²

Sucheng Chan, one of the founding scholars of Asian American Studies, is
donating her formidable collection of Asian American Studies-related books
and materials to the Immigration History Research Center, and will be
presenting on:

Date & Time: Thursday, April 26th, 5:00 -7:00 pm

"Why Asian American Studies Matters"
Sucheng Chan, Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies, UC Santa Barbara
Community reception and book signing 120 Elmer Andersen Library (west bank
of the U of MN Twin Cities campus).  For directions and map, please see
http://andersen.lib.umn.edu/

Friday, April 27th from 11-12:30 pm
Graduate student lunch and seminar with Prof. Chan
308 Elmer Andersen Library
RSVP to Erika Lee (erikalee@umn.edu)
____________________________________________________________________________


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