[AMA-e-News] Asian Media Access, E-Newsletter, 4/8/08

[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. A Reading of The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir
2. PBS Special: Unnatural Causes... Is inequality making us sick?
3. Financial Literacy Workshop
4. Passage to China Event

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1. A Reading of The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir

A Reading of The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir

A DEBUT BY KAO KALIA YANG

APRIL 10 @ 7:00 PM
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR HMONG STUDIES PUBLICATION PARTY SPONSORED BY
THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND THE HMONG AMERICAN
INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING
Buenger Education Center in St. Paul (651) 641-8870 www.csp.edu/HmongCenter/

MONDAY, APRIL 14 @ 4:00 PM
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY KAO KALIA YANG IN
CONVERSATION WITH MITCHELL P. OGDEN
125 Nolte Center, 315 Pillsbury Drive SE in Minneapolis (612) 624-2921

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 @ 4: 30 PM
CARLETON COLLEGE
Gould Library, One North College Street in Northfield, MN (507) 646-4260

SUNDAY, APRIL 27 @ 2:00 PM
COMMON GOOD BOOKS AT THE VIRGINIA STREET SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH
170 Virginia Street in St. Paul (651) 225-8989

Kalia Yang's story begins in the 1970s during the aftermath of America's
SecretWar in Laos.  In this time of great terror, Yang recounts the
harrowing story of her family's captivity by Laotian soldiers, the daring
rescue undertaken by her father and uncles, and their narrow escape into
Thailand, where Yang was born in Ban Vinai Refugee Camp.

Just six years old when her family immigrated to St. Paul, she evocatively
captures the challenges of adapting to a new place, a new language, and a
growing family. Filled with photographs documenting her family's journey,
Yang's memoir speaks eloquently to the history we all share and to the
culture of the Hmong people. (www.kaokaliayang.com)
____________________________________________________________________________

2. PBS Special: Unnatural Causes... Is inequality making us sick?

A seven-part documentary series exploring racial & socioeconomic
inequalities in health.

http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/

The national broadcast starts in late March and is spread over 4 1-hour
sessions, to be shown over 4 weeks.  Show times vary (in Chicago it doesn't
start until April, for example).  The website below has listings for many
cities.

http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/check_tv_listings.php

The premise of the series, like the underlying idea of social epidemiology,
is that social structures -- in particular, different forms of inequality --
really are the determining factor in most major illnesses.  Social
inequality in life, not just in access to medical care, causes health
disparities.

UNNATURAL CAUSES to show nationally on PBS Thursdays at 10 PM: March 27 and
April 3, April 10 & April 17.  Date and times may vary locally.  Please
check show times in your area.
____________________________________________________________________________

3. Financial Literacy Workshop

Financial Literacy Workshop

Date & Time: Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. - 1:00pm
Location: Brooklyn Park library

What is your take-home pay? Do you understand all the deductions from your
paycheck?

African Development Center's Director of Homeownership and Financial
Literacy will cover the basics of computing monthly income and expenses, the
importance of credit history and how to protect it.
____________________________________________________________________________

4. Passage to China Event

During the last several years, there has been a growing interest in China in
this country, particularly in the areas of culture and trade.  Our
Foundation feels that there is a strong need for our community to reach out
to the greater Twin Cities community and promote mutual understanding and
friendship.  With the Olympics Games taking place in Beijing in August, we
thought it would be timely to organize an inaugural event that would
emphasize the geography of China.  Does the average Minnesotan know the
latitude of Beijing?  In what province does it reside?  And how far is
Shanghai from Beijing?

In searching for a venue for this geography event we looked for a congenial
space that has large built in foot traffic and have decided on the central
courtyard in Southdale Mall.  Its average traffic on a Saturday is around
30,000 patrons, and there is ample parking.  We have chosen the date of
Saturday, May 17, to coincide with the celebration of Asian Heritage Month.
The hours will be from 10 AM to 4 PM.

This event, named "Passage to China" will be underwritten by our Foundation
and will be free to the public.  China Insight, our corporate partner, will
be providing substantial in-kind publicity on our behalf.  Southdale Mall
also will be making every effort to promote this event.

We extend a warm, cordial invitation to your nonprofit organization to join
us in this fun, likely first of many, venture.  Participation in this
inaugural event is free, and you will be provided with a booth consisting of
a table and several chairs.  In return, we request that you produce an
interactive game or activity, relating to a city/region of China of your
choice, that will entice attendees to stop by your booth and participate.
It can be as simple as three fun facts about the Great Wall, or a
demonstration/teaching of qi gong or acupuncture.  At the end of your
activity, you will stamp that region on the map of China that every attendee
will have been issued in the form of a passport.  At the completion of a
certain number of stampings, attendees can come to our Foundation's booth
and claim a prize.

In addition to educating the public about the geography of China, it is also
the intention of our Foundation to use this occasion to showcase all the
thriving and worthy organizations among us.  This is therefore a great
opportunity for you to promote your organization's mission.  However, we ask
that you not engage in fundraising activities at this event.
____________________________________________________________________________


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