Found on the internets... via Leana L.

Possibility: Bringing Eric Byler ('94) to Wes!

Hey all-

  I'm trying to gage interest for bringing the independent filmmaker Eric Byler (Wesgrad '94) to Wesleyan for a screening of his newest documentary film which is currently in post-production.

 Here's a description of the project from their youtube channel "9500 Liberty":

Soon to be a feature length documentary, this project began as the world's first "Interactive Documentary" on YouTube, and developed into a virtual town hall about the politicization of the immigration issue in Prince William County, VA. During the first year of production, we often responded to viewer feedback, including requests for more coverage on certain story lines, contextual clarifications, and even on-site production. The aim of this channel and the feature documentary is to inform the public, and investigate alternatives to the intense polarization that is hindering progress on the immigration issue. 

 The project is pretty amazing for what it has to say about immigration and racism in America, not just for Latinos but for all minorities. If we were to bring Byler over it would be great to have the screening as a joint project between AASC and Ajuacampos as well. Look Eric Byler up on Wikipedia- he's done some pretty amazing things as a political activist and I think this would be a great project for AASC. 

 

 If I get enough feedback and volunteer organizers I'll start contacting Byler and coordinating things right away. Let me know what you have to say,

 

-Linda 

lshum@wes

"Stop Your Racism To Hispanics" -- Liberty Wall #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Dw1ioGPGY

Liberty Wall#2: Korean Americans Model Immigrants?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29WTKbpYhag&feature=related

 Also, check out his past films if you haven't- he's well recognized as an Asian American filmmaker/screenwriter. There are several copies of his first feature film "Charlotte Sometimes" at the Science Library.

Scholarship Opportunity for Asian Americans!

The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), through the generosity of Verizon, is offering six (6) scholarships each worth $4,500 to Asian American students with the most innovative ideas on how to create, support, and nurture more leaders within our Asian American communities. The scholarships total $27,000.
Read more and find out how to apply : http://www.naaap.org/scholarship/

The deadline is January 31st '09!

Hapa Happeningz

Hapa Perspectives is a documentary by Shannon Sun-Higginson '10 who conducted a series of interviews with different students on campus who identify as being "Hapa" or part-Asian. Their personal stories reflect the complex nature of identity formation, the salience of race in society, and the unique student body we have at Wesleyan. Check it out HERE and feel free to comment!



www.pridecomics.com

An e-mail I received... what say folks?

*** Is this something that we want to see happen at Wesleyan soon?***

Dear Sumana,

My name is Eric and I’m a member of Tim Be Told's management team. Tim Be Told is an Asian American rock band based out of Charlottesville, Virginia. They would love an opportunity to play for AASC at Wesleyen.

The band plays a rock/soul driven brand of pop and has opened for major label acts such as OK Go and Sparky's Flaw. They have played at many universities including NYU, Columbia, OSU, UVA, VCU, and Marymount University, among many others. The band’s music is played and sung through the band members’ perspectives as first generation American-born Asians, and we like to think that other Asian Americans can really relate to the music.

I was hoping that you would consider bringing Tim Be Told to play a future event for AASC, whether it be in the Spring Semester, next Fall, or any other time. They are quite an inspiring band and put on an incredible show! Go Cardinals!
Best regards,

Eric Macalma

P.S.: I appreciate your time and thought you may enjoy listening to the band’s music at www.myspace.com/timbetold. You can also watch some of their live videos on YouTube! :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g09aP91CdY - Full Band Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPtPSTYBu0s - Acoustic Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCpPWTdX5fc - Acoustic Video

Holler at Chu

The Associated Press reports that Barack Obama has chosen Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu to be his energy secretary. Dr. Chu is a strong advocate of alternative and renewable energy research and is one of three scientists who shared the Nobel Prize for physics in 1997 for work in cooling and trapping atoms with laser light. He will be the first Asian American to lead the department.

As the son of Chinese immigrants, Prof Chu said in his autobiography that he was once considered the 'academic black sheep' of the family because he only performed adequately at high school while almost all his aunts and uncles had PhDs in science or engineering. Ha.

So here’s the crazy thing -- the Associated Press reports that China's media has been going wild over the fact that Obama has selected a Chinese American for the post of U.S. energy secretary. The state-owned China Daily cited Chinese academics as saying that Chu's ethnic background will help ease future cooperation between China and the United States. Apparently, Chu’s picture has been printed all over the front pages of China’s major newspapers.

I’m so fascinated by China’s excitement over Chu. I guess I’ve never really thought about how, as the AP phrases it, China takes pride in the achievements of the “vast Chinese diaspora.” I’ve thought a lot about how Americans are so connected to the idea of “the homeland,” but not so much about how the descendents of a diaspora exist in the imaginaries of the "homeland’s" people. Why is the Chinese media is so eager to assume a connection to Chu because of his Chinese ethnicity? Does the Chinese media believe that because Chu is Chinese American, he necessarily has a dual connection to China and the United States?

Submit to [Skittles]

From the [Skittles] Art Exhibit Planning Committee:

BE THE ART: you want to see in the world!

[Skittles] is an annual exhibition of student art held at Wesleyan University's Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery. The project's objective is threefold. First,the exhibition calls attention to ongoing elitism in the contemporary world of fine art; second, it provides visibility for student artists working both in and out of Wesleyan's art department; and third, it coalesces a community of artists and allies around shared interests and goals. Works submitted need not be of an explicitly political nature, or even directly pertinent to [Skittles]'s greater mission. The exhibition presents an unconventional show in the conventional space of Zilkha Gallery—a gesture of nuanced critique that invites critical discussion, reflection and involvement. [Skittles] celebrates community and a wide spectrum of artistic expression.

If you have any general questions regarding submissions or the show please contact skittlesartshow@gmail.com