THE APPA Newsletter

THE APPA Newsletter

December 10, 2003

See This Weekend

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MISSION STATEMENT:

Promote full utilization of the capabilities of the Enterprise's employees and champion the betterment of the company and community. Promote interest in Asian Pacific issues and culture and act as a bridge to all groups within our community.

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ed. by Douglas Ikemi

(dkikemi@pacbell.net, dkikemi01@sprintpcs.com)

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The internet site is at:

www.apa-pro.org

Our own domain name, apa-pro.org, stands for Asian Pacific American Professionals. www.apa-pro.org/ gives you a menu of AP organization websites.

Back issues of the newsletter for all of 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 are available on the website if you want to look up some past event.

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APPA Board Meeting Schedule for 2003:

Evening meetings open to the public will be at the Hilton Garden Inn, 2100 Mariposa Ave.(corner of Nash)‎‎ 310/726-0100.

(finished for the year)

Detailed, updated calendar is available on the internet at www.apa-pro.org in Acrobat and Excel formats . Please send in information on cultural events and news items. Thanks to those who have.

Long range calendar items:

Chinatown Farmers Market Every Thursday, 3:00pm to 7:00pm Chinatown Business Improvement District http://www.ChinatownLA.com/ For Information (213)‎ 680-0243

Nov 1-Feb 1, Korean Costumes Exhibit at the Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles, Pasadena 91101, 626-449-2742.

Dec 17 APEX Christmas Community Social Mixer! Come join the Asian Professional Exchange (APEX) as we celebrate our event finale of the year! All proceeds from the APEX Christmas Community Social will be benefiting the Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF). The mission of CPAF is to build healthy and safe communities by addressing the root causes and consequences of family violence against women. CPAF is committed to meeting the specific cultural and language needs of Asian and Pacific Islander women and their families. Also come meet the new board of Directors and get ready to mingle with friends as we celebrate the Holiday Season in style accompanied by live music at the famous ZIP Fusion Restaurant/Bar in the Mid-Wilshire area! We would also like to thank hapihour.org as a supporting organization for this event! 7:00pm-11:00pm, 3855 W. Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 365 –6677. APEX Member: FREE admission with an unwrapped gift ($10 value) or $10 at the door. Non Member: FREE admission with an unwrapped gift ($10 value) or $15 at the door. $10 without an unwrapped gift if you RSVP by December 15th. Please RSVP for this event at the "more info" section below or visit http://www.evite.com/jason@apex.org/APEXChristmasCommunitySocial by

December 15th to receive a discount at the door! If you have any questions about this event please feel free to contact Jason Park, Vice President, at Jason@apex.org.

Dec 20 APEX Healthcare SIG Potluck. The APEX Healthcare Special Interest Group (SIG) is geared towards the needs and interests of Asian American healthcare professionals--but everyone from all walks of life are invited to participate as well. Join us for potluck dinner in the new Playa Vista neighborhood. We'll talk about plans for the Healthcare SIG for 2004, but there also will be plenty of merriment, including medically and Asian American themed versions of party games such as Pictionary and Taboo. See you there!

6 pm until no later than midnight at Dr. Max Yang's Place. Bring a potluck dish to share for dinner, that's all! RSVP as soon as possible to Jhemon Lee, jhemon@post.harvard.edu, 562-597-6834. Limited to no more than 30 attendees!

Dec 20 Gallery Talk at the JANM 2:00-3:00pm The exhibition Object Lessons: Exploring the Permanent Collection features a wide range of artifacts that serve as concrete evidence of history. Join Associate Curator Sojin Kim and Assistant Curator Lisa Itagaki Assistant Curator as they share the stories behind the objects.

Dec 21 A Taste of Holiday Traditions at the JANM 1PM-4pm Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa. Learn the traditions of each of these festive holidays, including the art, crafts, food, and music that makes each unique and culturally important. You will also have an opportunity to create your own special gifts.

Dec 20, 21 "The Spirit of the Season" HIROSHIMA in Concert, Aratani/Japan America Theatre. In "The Spirit of the Season" join our favorite Asian American jazz band Hiroshima for our annual holiday concert. This is an opportunity to gather the family together, young and old, to celebrate and honor relationships, community and the Japanese American culture. Songs of the season from Hiroshima's CD "Spirit of the Season" and new songs from their latest release, "The Bridge" will be featured. A J-TOWN BEAT Event. $30, $25 JACCC Members, $35 orchestra, $30 balcony, Holiday Family Special $30, $25 (Groups of 6 or more) For information and tickets call the box office at 213.680.3700. www.jaccc.org

Dec 28 Little Tokyo Community Mochitsuki, JACCC Plaza. Join in the Japanese tradition of making mochi, pounded rice cakes, for the new year. Traditionally in rural areas, families would pound their own mochi for the New Year ozoni, or good luck soup. Participants can purchase mochi to take home. To register to particpate.call Miles Hamada at 213.628.2725, ext 114 or email at hamada@jaccc.org. Free to the public

Dec China Expo, LA Convention Center [ I have not heard anything more about this.]

Jan 1 Oshogatsu activities at Weller Court, NW of intersection of 2^nd Street and San Pedro, 11AM.

11AM Opening Ceremony

12PM Lion Dance

12:25PM Calligraphy Demonstration

12:40PM Kempo

1PM Koto by Mme. Yoko Awaya Koto School

1:20 Samurai Action Show

1:40 Kendo demonstration

2PM Kimono Show

2:20 Minyo

Also, cultural demonstrations at the New Otani Hotel (adjacent to Weller Court) 12-3PM

Jan 4 Hatsuyame (1^st dream), 1PM, JACCC Plaza in Little Tokyo, off 2^nd Street and San Pedro.

Jan 4 Arts & Crafts demonstrations at the JANM, 2PM Mochitsuki, 3PM Aikido and laido demonstrations at the JANM.

Jan 30, Feb. 27, Mar 12 and 19 children’s play performance of A Thousand Cranes at the Stella Adler Theatre, free to the public and schools wishing to attend.

March 21, 2004 Live at the Armstrong - George Takei. 4:00 pm Tickets $30.

As part of the American Perspectives Series ...Salute to Liberty

Recognized worldwide as a member of the original Star Trek cast, Los Angeles native, George Takei is an actor, community and political activist, author, long distance runner and lecturer. Mr. Takei spent most of his childhood behind the barbed-wire enclosures of United States internment camps during World War II. His optimistic vision is a world where people from all backgrounds work together to overcome problems. Armstrong Theatre at 3330 Civic Center Drive in Torrance. Questions: 310-738-8011. Box Office: 310-781-7171

April 3, 2004 Also the Peanut Gallery Series which is especially popular with children two to six years of age is featuring Korean Classical Dance, Saturday Morning 10 am. Tickets $5.50 - $8.00, Armstrong Theatre. The Company performs graceful and elegant ceremonial and social dances that present a stunning vision of traditional Korean art. A thrilling drum dance is featured in a rich and vaired repertoire of exciting dances that are an integral part of the Korean culture.

May 2, 2004 30^th Anniversary Awaya-kai Koto Concert, 2PM, Marsee Auditorium, El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, Ca, $10, call 310-329-5965.

The Pacific Asia Museum (46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, 91101, 626-449-2742) Family Festival schedule for 2004, Saturdays, 1-4, coming soon.

This Weekend (and earlier)

Dec 11 Cultural Affairs - APEX Pages and Plates, Thursday. APEX is proud to host Pages & Plates, a Cultural Affairs series to celebrate Asian Pacific American heritage. Pages & Plates is a combination of a book club and a restaurant club. APEX members are invited to dine at a restaurant and to discuss the book of the month. By tying together the love for literature with the love for food, APEX hopes that Pages & Plates enables its members to

discover a new dimension of Asian Pacific American heritage. Pages and

Plates are held every first Thursday of the month. The book for December is "In Full Bloom" by Carolyn Hwang. We encourage members to finish the book and contribute to the discussion. However, folks who want to participate without having read the book are welcomed. 7pm-9pm at The Dragon, 966 S. Vermont Ave., Koreatown, LA, 213-387-8833. Free, RSVP required as seating is limited. APEX members get priority seating. Contact: Charles Ferrari, APEX Associate Chair of Cultural Affairs, at jcharlesferrari@mac.com

Dec 13 Craft Class with Ryosen Shibata 1:00pm Christmas Ornaments. Deck the halls with your own geometric ornaments (most ornaments will be crafted out of yarn). Class fees are $5 for National Museum members and $11 for non-members, includes Museum admission and supplies. At the JANM

Dec 13 A Taste for Strawberries: The Independent Journey of Nisei Farmer Manabi Hirasaki, by Manabi Hirasaki with Naomi Hirahara, 1:30pm BOOK SIGNING AND DISCUSSION

A Taste for Strawberries: The Independent Journey of Nisei Farmer Manabi Hirasaki recounts one man's relationship with the world of commercially grown strawberries. Entrepreneur, philanthropist, veteran, and visionary, Hirasaki's memoir-style account of his journey through life as a strawberry farmer is certain to touch the lives of readers everywhere. Hirasaki and Naomi Hirahara will speak about the process of writing the biography.At the JANM, www.janm.org

Dec 13 Pasko Sa Nayon at the The Pacific Asia Museum (46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, 91101, 626-449-2742) Family Festival, Saturday, 1-4

Dec 13 Minyo Master Tameshichiro Miura II at the Zenshuji Temple, 2PM, $20. 123 S. Hewitt St., Little Tokyo (East of Alameda) For more information call Shuichi Maruyama at 909-333-2224.

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Last Weekend

I went to the Japanese Village Plaza 25^th Anniversary Celebration in Little Tokyo. It was a small scale but well attended set of cultural demonstrations. I caught the Okinawan minyo, Kempo, Shigin (poetry accompanied by a dramatic presentation) and a little karate.

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LA Times: (The Times are requiring registration again, but you might as well sign up for the free on-line access to their articles. This week they may even be accessible without registration)

Dec 8 CALIFORNIA

Pop Culture Asian American Magazine Falters

After 10 years of struggling to find the right formula, Yolk will have a new home on the Web.

By William Wan, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-yolk8dec08,1,4536894.story

Dec 7 LOS ANGELES

Little Tokyo Group Backs LAPD Plans

Despite some concerns, the community council votes to support new site for police headquarters.

By Julie Tamaki, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-parker7dec07,1,5462485.story

Dec 7 Spanish Speakers Lose Leg Up to UC

New rules will reduce the advantage of taking foreign-language SAT IIs. Latino enrollment may be affected.

By Alan Zarembo and Doug Smith, Times Staff Writers

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sat7dec07,1,6485713.story

Dec 6 OS ANGELES

High Schools to Offer AP Chinese Classes

Working with China's government, the College Board expects to launch the program by 2006.

By Jean Merl, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-chinese6dec06,1,6635263.story

Dec 5 THE WORLD

A Report Details How Japan Ran Wartime Brothels

Declassified documents show that the military licensed and oversaw 'comfort stations.'

By K. Connie Kang, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-slaves5dec05,1,626997.story

Dec 5 COMMENTARY

High Productivity Is Fine, but It's Just Not Enough

By Everett Ehrlich, Everett Ehrlich, an undersecretary of Commerce in the Clinton administration, is director of research of the Committee for Economic Development, a nonpartisan economic policy think tank

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-ehrlich5dec05,1,3800291.story

Dec 10 PASSINGS

John I. Kitsuse, 80; Sociology Professor at UC Santa Cruz

From Times Staff and Wire Reports

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-passings10.1dec10,1,1331682.story

Dec 8 COMMENTARY

History in the Remaking

Bush's comparison of Iraq with postwar Japan ignores the facts

By John W. Dower

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-dower8dec08,1,4855754.story

Dec 8 After a Charging Spree, S. Koreans Face the Bill

The easy availability of credit cards led many to spend beyond their means. Now, one in six workers are delinquent on their payments.