THE APPA Newsletter

Feb 19, 2008

See This Weekend

Black History Month

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhm1.html

http://www.history.com/minisites/blackhistory/

Setsubun. The Japanese haven’t completely forgotten the Lunar New Year. One last vestige, celebrated on Feb 3 (I’m a little late), is the spring setsubun. It seems to involve throwing roasted soy beans to scare away demons. Nothing escapes the marketers in Japan, and they’ve pushed a regional custom of eating maki zushi while facing in a favorable direction into a nationwide practice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun

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. (substitute in your Enterprise and company, etc…)

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ed. by Douglas Ikemi

(dkikemi@pacbell.net)

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Back issues of the newsletter for all of 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 are available at http://www.ikemi.info/APPA/newsletters.html if you want to look up some past event. The website www.apa-pro.org no longer exists. This newsletter was originally published under the auspices of the Hughes Asian Pacific Professional Association (no longer extant). It currently has no affiliation and is available to anyone who is interested in downloading it.

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Please send in information on cultural events and news items to dkikemi@pacbell.net or dkikemi@mac.com . Thanks to those who have.

Long range calendar items:

Chinatown Farmers Market EVERY THURSDAY FROM 2-6PM, the Chinatown Farmers' Market takes place at Hill & Alpine bringing fresh fruits and produce by California Farmers to the Chinatown Community. FRIED BANANA, FRIED YAM, HAWAIIAN CHICKEN. We invite you to come and experience the Chinatown Farmers' Market. Free parking with purchase.

The Downtown Arts District/Little Tokyo Farmers' Market

Weller Court 2nd & San Pedro in

Little Tokyo Summer Hours 10-3pm

Features fresh produce, Hawaiian Chicken, more food gifts...and live jazz band.

Tuesdays from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

The weekly market is held every Tuesday from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m year round, rain or shine.

Sponsored by LARABA the market will include farm-fresh produce, Asian produce, organic produce, eggs, seafood, cheese, olives, olive oils, flowers, plants, bread and prepared foods and more.

Hawaiian Chicken, Roasted corn on the cobb

Local businesses interested in having a prepared food booth at the market or individuals interested in volunteering at this non-profit event, please contact Susan Hutchinson at 323-660-8660 for more information

Los Angeles Public Library Celebrates our DiverseCity

http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/events/diversecity/index.html

Chinese American Museum, El Pueblo de Los Angeles, www.camla.org

Jake Lee exhibit opens.

THE CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUM AND AUTO CLUB GIVE LEGENDARY CALIFORNIA PAINTER DAY IN SUNSHINE

California Artist Fused Chinese Heritage with California Scenes

(LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2007) –— Jake Lee, a highly respected, yet quiet and enigmatic painter who influenced numerous other artists in California for decades, has not been the subject of a major retrospective, until now. “Sunshine & Shadow: In Search of Jake Lee” an exhibition hosted by the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles, co-produced with the Automobile Club of Southern California, marks the first comprehensive and critical review of a prolific artist who embraced California landscapes and city scenes through watercolor.

Showcasing at the Chinese American Museum (CAM) from Dec. 1 to April 13, 2008, “Sunshine & Shadow” will highlight more than 60 watercolors, including eight from the Auto Club’s WESTWAYS cover art collection. The collection will also illustrate with photos and letters more details of the artist’s professional career and his family life, which he kept distinctly separate for many years.  “Jake Lee is among the most well known and prolific watercolor artists of the 20th Century, yet we found very little published about his personal life as we researched this exhibition,” said Dr. Pauline Wong, Executive Director of the museum. “We had no problem locating his art and his influence – it lives in collections throughout the state and in the hearts of his many students. But it was more challenging to find the man. We believe this exhibition and catalogue will result in new appreciation for his artistic production and his influence.”

*SPRING 2008

Corky Lee exhibit opens.

http://camla.org/

Exhibition: Discovering the Grace of Life

January 11th ~April 30th, 2008

Story of Beautiful Korean Crafts

The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles\5505 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles , Ca. 90036

January 11th ~April 30th, 2008

The Korean Cultural Center will host the Special exhibition, Discoverong the Grace of Life. This Exhibition will present fine Korean Traditional and Contemporary Craft Arts to fully recognize and appreciate the wonders of Korean Culture. This show is supported by the Korean Craft Promotion Foundation.

One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now

February 10, 2008 - May 4, 2008

One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now, a traveling exhibition organized by the Asia Society, brings together seventeen artists from across the United States who challenge and extend the category of Asian American art. The title of the exhibition, drawn from the 1978 Blondie hit song, suggests a non-formulaic way of making or seeing art. The artists and their works characterize the freedom to choose, manipulate and reinvent different kinds of languages and issues, whether formal, conceptual, or political. Together, they defy a definitive conception of Asian American art.

The exhibition features painting, sculpture, video and installation art by contemporary Asian American artists who—with a strong sense of being American and an acute critical consciousness of world matters—grapple with issues of self in a way that sets them apart from their predecessors.

Curated by Melissa Chiu, Director and Curator of Contemporary Asian Art at the Asia Society Museum in New York, Karin Higa, Adjunct Senior Curator of Art at the Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, and Susette S. Min, Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies and Art History at the University of California, Davis.

Featured artists: Michael Arcega, Xavier Cha, Patty Chang, Binh Danh, Mari Eastman, Ala Ebtekar, Chitra Ganesh, Glenn Kaino, Geraldine Lau, Jiha Moon, Laurel Nakadate, Kaz Oshiro, Anna Sew Hoy, Jean Shin, Indigo Som, Mika Tajima, and Saira Wasim.

Photograph from exhibition installation at the Asia Society, New York, October 2006 by Eileen Costa, Courtesy of the Asia Society.

This exhibition was organized by Asia Society, New York with support from Altria Group, Inc., the W.L.S. Spencer Foundation, Nimoy Foundation, and Asia Society's Contemporary Art Council.

The Los Angeles installation is co-presented by the Asia Society of Southern California.

Additional Support Provided by: Ernest Y. and Kiyo Doizaki, Mariko Gordon and Hugh Cosman, Barbara and Thomas Iino, Mitsubishi International Corporation Foundation, Kristine Nishiyama and Barry K. Schwebs, Michael W. Oshima and Chiaki Tanaka, PhD, Deborah Shiba and Gordon Yamate.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

February 8 - May 11, 2008 Lotus Moon: The Art of Otagaki Rengetsu

Otagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875) was a Buddhist nun, a woman of great beauty and one of Japan’s most celebrated artists. Admired primarily for her exquisite calligraphy, Rengetsu was also a poet and ceramic artist, often inscribing her poems in her own calligraphy onto ceramic vessels, a unique blending of art forms for any artist in Japanese history.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

March 6 - July 27, 2008

Chinaman's Chance: Views of the Chinese American Experience

The discovery of gold in California drew unprecedented numbers of Chinese immigrants. By 1865 about 50,000 Chinese had come to “Golden Mountain” to try their luck. But the winds of fortune often blew in unexpected directions.

The majority of the Transcontinental Railroad’s east-bound track was built by Chinese. To conquer the treacherous terrain, workers were often suspended from the top of cliffs to plant explosives. It was from this dangerous task that the phrase “A Chinaman’s Chance in Hell” was coined. Later shorten to “Chinaman’s Chance,” the phrase unfortunately defined many immigrants’ experiences.

Three contemporary artists – Amanda Ross-Ho, Zhi Lin and Arthur Ou – will examine the diverse Chinese American experience from the days of the Transcontinental Railroad’s construction to today.

Several of the artists will be incorporating Pacific Asia Museum collections into their work, and all draw their inspiration from the history encompassed in the museum’s exhibitions.

While the experience of being of Chinese heritage and living in America is unique to each individual, Chinaman’s Chance: Views of the Chinese American Experience will investigate the similarities and dissimilarities of these experiences. The experience of the viewer will be simultaneously cerebral, physical, historical, contemporary, foreign and universal.

Sponsored by Pasadena Art Alliance.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

VOICES FROM OKINAWA

By Jon Shirota

Kama Hutchins, an American graduate student of one quarter Okinawan descent, teaches English in Okinawa, and receives an unexpected education in Okinawan- American relations. From the author of LEILANI'S HIBISCUS and LUCKY COME HAWAII.

WORLD PREMIERE Previews - February 7 - 10, 2008

Opens Night - Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Performance Run - February 14 - March 9, 2008

Wednesday - Saturday @ 8 pm, Sunday @ 2:00pm

$60 Opening Night

$35 Regular Tickets

$30 Students & Seniors

$20 Preview Tickets

American Sign Language-interpreted performance Sunday March 2, 2008 @ 2:00 pm

$20 Tickets for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Patrons

For more information, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or email info@eastwestplayers.org. Click here to visit the Mark Taper Forum online for more details.

March 1 Community Forum: Okinawans and Their Global Networks

2-4PM

In 2006, over 4,900 people from around the world attended the 4th Worldwide Uchinanchu Taikai Festival in Okinawa to reconnect with their heritage and culture. The Center for Migration Studies at the University of the Ryukyus surveyed these participants and will present their findings revealing how Okinawans connect beyond the island borders.

Join us for this special event, the first in a new program series presented by Discover Nikkei. FREE with Museum admission. Light reception to follow which includes special cultural performances. Please check Discover Nikkei for updated program info.

RSVP required to 213.625.0414 ext. 2227 or rsvp@janm.org. Limited spaces available, so please reserve early!

Organized by the Center for Migration Studies at the University of the Ryukyus and the Japanese American National Museum in collaboration with Lane R. Hirabayashi, Aratani Endowed Chair, Asian American Studies Department at University of California at Los Angeles and the Okinawa Association of America Inc.

DiscoverNikkei.org is a project of the Japanese American National Museum made possible by the generous support of The Nippon Foundation in collaboration with Nikkei Affiliate organizations and participants from around the world.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 2 1pm Lecture

Dr. Kendall Brown on “Paul Jacoulet’s Third Space”

Raised as a Frenchman in Japan, Paul Jacoulet’s life negotiated identities of Oriental and Occidental. In his most compelling work, Jacoulet transcends conventional oppositions – east and west, masculine and feminine, modern and traditional – to create an art that explores a kind of cultural “third space.” Free with admission, call ext. 31 to RSVP.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

March 8 TARGET FREE FAMILY SATURDAY

11:00am - 4:00pm

FREE ALL DAY Celebrate shared traditions and family fun activities within the Asian American community.

Generously sponsored by Target, these special Saturdays are filled with fun activities giving families unique ways to learn, play, and grow together.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 8 One Way or Another - Gallery Talk

1PM

Gallery talk with curator Karin Higa and artists Anna Sew Hoy and Mari Eastman.

In conjunction with the exhibition One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

Saturday March 8. 2008 Hanayui Southern California debt

he Japanese performing arts group Hanayui make their Southern California debut at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre this coming March 8th. Featuring Yoko Fujimoto and Chieko Kojima of Kodo and Okinawan dance expert Mitsue Kinjo, Hanayui explores the rich folk tradition of traveling entertainers who traversed the Japanese countryside in song and dance. Hanayui grew as an offshoot of Kodo in 1991 when original members Fujimoto and Kojima envisioned as less taiko-centric performance, and a more intimate atmosphere of folk dance and song with the taiko drum as accompaniment. Together with Okinawan dance expert Kinjo, this 3 woman trio has captivated audiences from local community centers to concert halls around the world with their enlivening interpretation of folk dances, vibrant percussive sounds and hauntingly beautiful songs. For their performance at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre Hanayui will be joined on stage by Kaoru Watanabe, former Kodo member and artistic director, performing on the shinobue bamboo flute. Come and experience the unblemished sounds and color of rural Japan at their finest!

Aratani/Japan America Theatre $37 orchestra, $32 balcony / $32, $27 JACCC members, Groups 6+ / $25 Student Rush Day of Show For more information call 213-628-2725

Charge by phone 213-680-3700 (Monday-Friday, 12-5pm)

Buy tickets online http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/140886

Watch video clip: Windows Media (.wmv), Quicktime (.mov)

Japanese American Cultural and

Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

March 9 10am-5pm Writing Workshop Join author, editor, and award-winning documentary filmmaker Loren Stephens for her popular “Writing Your Life Story” workshop. Limited to a small group, this day-long program includes reading excerpts from popular memoirs, short writing exercises, and immediate feedback to get even first-time writers well on their way to becoming memoirists. $75 per person. To register, call ext. 31. For more about Loren, visit www.writewisdom.com. This program is expected to sell out.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

March 13 6-9pm Opening Party for Chinaman’s Chance: Views of the Chinese American Experience. Free for members and a guest. $10 for non-members. Food, drinks and music by DJ Tony. Call 626.449.2742 ext. 31 to R.S.V.P.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

March 13 7pm Film Premiere

Chinese Ghost Story by Dan Boord and Luis Valdovino (2008, 25 minutes) It is estimated that over 1,300 Chinese laborers perished during construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. While the remains of many were eventually shipped home, others lie in unmarked graves throughout the American West. Chinese Ghost Story is a poetic essay in which history and landscape intersect in ghost towns, parks and undisturbed railroad grade. The filmmakers will introduce the film and answer questions. Part of the Chinaman’s Chance opening party’s activities. Call 626.449.2742 ext. 31 to R.S.V.P.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

March 14 6-10pm Artnight

An ALL-FREE Event! Check out the exhibitions and the ensemble of symphony musicians performing in the auditorium. For more information call the ArtNight Pasadena Hotline at (626) 744-7887or go to www.artnightpasadena.org

Saturday, March 15, 2008 2pm matinee, 8pm evening

VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Tamilyn Tomita leads a new cast of Pan-Asian performers in Eve Ensler's award-winning play about women embracing the power of accepting their bodies. The 2007 Benefit performance sold out so get your tickets early!

All proceeds benefit the Center for the Pacific Asian Family and V-Dayfor their work to end violence against women and girls.

Directed by Heidi Helen Davis

Produced by Karen Gee, Andrea Apuy and Grayce Wey

Aratani/Japan America Theatre

Matinee preferred seating $50

Evening VIP preferred seating + reception $75

For both performances, orchestra $40, balcony $30

Early bird (by Feb 15th) $10 discounts on balcony and orchestra seats for Students,

JACCC Members, Non-profit employees, and Senior Citizens

Charge by phone: (213) 680-3700

Box Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 12-5pm

VIP Tickets are available only through the Center for the Pacific Asian Family at

(323) 653-4045 x. 204

Japanese American Cultural and

Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

March 15 Member's Only Performance of: Dawn’s Light: The Journey of Gordon Hirabayashi

As a thank you for your support of the Japanese American National Museum you are invited to a special Members-only event…

Please join us for a special performance of Dawn’s Light: The Journey of Gordon Hirabayashi

(An abridged Theatre for Youth production)

By Jeanne Sakata

Directed by Jessica Kubzansky

With Martin Yu as Gordon Hirabayashi

Based on a true story.

During WWII in Seattle, University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi agonizes over U.S. government orders to forcibly remove and imprison all people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. As he fights to reconcile his country's betrayal with his Constitutional beliefs, Gordon journeys toward a greater understanding of America's triumphs and failures.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Two Performances: 1:00 pm or 3:00 pm

Each performance is approximately 45 minutes.

At the Democracy Forum

of the National Center for Democracy

Located on the National Museum’s campus

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, CA 90012

FREE for all Member cardholders + 1 guest

(guests must be accompanied by the Member cardholder)

Space is limited.

Reservations are required and will be accepted until 5:00 pm on March 15, 2008 or until space becomes filled.

Reservations: 213.625.0414 ext. 2222

Please specify which performance you will be attending.

Thank you for supporting the Japanese American National Museum.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 16 Authors on Asia

2pm

Pierre Odier

Slide Lecture: Minority Tribes of Myanmar (Burma)

The intrepid explorer/ photographer/raconteur returns to the museum with a recent inside view of the minority tribes of the southern Golden Triangle. He will focus on the Wa people, a littleknown group from the remote upland region of eastern Myanmar (Burma); their costumes, headdresses, art and lifestyle and the effects of recent political and economic change in the area. Odier is the author of Some Last People: Vanishing Tribes of Bhutan, China, Mexico, Mongolia and Siberia and is past President of the Los Angeles branch of The Adventurers’ Club.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. Authors on Asia programs are free to museum members and free with museum general admission for non-members. Reservations are strongly recommended for these programs. Light refreshments included. Authors on Asia programs are free for members and included in museum admission for nonmembers, $7 general, $5 students and seniors. For information and reservations, please call (626)-449-2742, ext. 20.

Pacific Asia Museum

46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena California 91101 [Google Map]

Hours: Wed – Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Admission: $7 for adults

$5 for students/seniors Free admission every 4th Friday of the month!

Parking: Free parking is available in museum parking lot, located on corner of Los Robles and Union.

www.pacificasiamuseum.org

March 22 Resettlement to Redress: Rebirth of the Japanese-American Community

2PM

REDRESS REMEMBERED (Part 2 of 2)

Documentary revealing the varied experiences of Japanese Americans whose lives were disrupted by their forced removal and the fight for redress. Special tour of Common Ground with Prof. Art Hansen to follow.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 23

Exhibition Walkthrough

11:30am - 1:30pm

Walkthrough of One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now.

In conjunction with the exhibition One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 29 One Way or Another - Gallery Talk

1PM

Gallery talk with curator Karin Higa and artists Kaz Oshiro and Glenn Kaino.

In conjunction with the exhibition One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 29 Southwest Chamber Orchestra: Music Unwrapped

2PM

FREE! Enjoy new quartet music from Southeast Asia juxtaposed with the exciting Mozart Hunt Quartet. Part of a three-year cultural exchange project between Southwest Chamber Music Orchestra and the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and the Hanoi National Conservatory in Vietnam.

Visit their website

In conjunction with the exhibition One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 29 Little Tokyo Walking Tour

10:15am - 12:15pm

Relive history, learn about present-day Little Tokyo with National Museum docents. $8 Members; $13 non-members, includes Museum admission. Comfortable walking shoes and clothes recommended. Weather permitting.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

April 5 Neglected Legacies: Japanese American Women and Redress: Organizing the Community.

REDRESS REMEMBERED (Part 2 of 3)

2PM

Panel presentation about the role of Japanese American women in the redress movement. Each panelist will speak about a specific individual's contributions - Joy Morimoto on Sox Kitashima; Sharon Yamato on Michi Weglen, and Diana Meyers Bahr on Sue Kunitomi Embrey.

Presented in collaboration with the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy and Dr. Lane Hirabayashi, George & Sakaye Aratani Professor of the Japanese American Internment, Redress and Community, Asian American Studies, UCLA.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

April 12 The Nikkei Experience: Curtiss Takada Rooks on Hapa Issues

2PM

In September 2007, Hapa Issues Forum bid its final farewell. This program seeks to explore Nikkei identity through the lens and lives of multiracial Japanese Americans.

Presented by DiscoverNikkei.org with the generous support of The Nippon Foundation.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

Sunday, April 20, 2008 2:30pm

SUSHIMASTERS

Los Angeles Regional Competition

Mark you calendars! Join us for a spectacular afternoon of unforgettable taste sensations and culinary virtuosity as top Southern California sushi chefs compete for the regional title in the first Los Angeles SushiMasters competition. Think Iron Chef, sushi-style!!

The live competition on the Aratani/Japan America Theatre stage will be followed by a tasting of gourmet delights with complimentary Japanese beer and sake on the JACCC Plaza.

This event is brought to you by JACCC and The California Rice Commission.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre

$65 general admission, $75 reserved seating

Tickets include complimentary tasting & sampling after the competition

For more information call (213) 628-2725

Charge by phone (213) 680-3700

Box Office Hours: Monday-Friday,12-5pm

Buy tickets online

Watch video clip (coming soon)

www.sushimasters.com

www.calrice.org

Japanese American Cultural and

Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

April 24 Asian New Media

7:30PM

Film screening and panel discussion featuring time-based and media artists. Contact Peter Mays at Gallery 825, peter@laaa.org, or 310.652.8272.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

March 29 He Hawai’I Au a Mauboa Ho’ike 2008

7PM, Doors open at 6;30

Marsee Auditorium, El Camino College, Torrance, CA

Tickets $15 presale, $20 at the door, Parking is $2

For tickets call 310-62801547

Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8, 2008

LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL

A Visual Communications Production

24th Edition

May 1-8, 2008

Wednesday, May 7 - Film screening at Aratani/Japan America Theatre

Thursday, May 8 - Closing Night & Awards Ceremony at Aratani/Japan America Theatre

Visual Communications will present the 24th edition of The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, May 1-8, 2008, at the Directors Guild of America, Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatre, and Aratani/Japan America Theatre, among others. The Film Festival will include the latest new works by established and emerging filmmakers and video artists; a slate of provocative and highly entertaining feature-length productions showcasing the talents of Asian American acting and producing talents; new works by Asian international artists; and filmmaker seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.

The Film Festival once again is proud to present two of its most prestigious events at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre, host venue to the 1st Festival back in 1983. On Wednesday, May 7, the Film Festival continues and expands its commitment to nurture and promote new Asian Pacific American filmmaking talent through the World Premiere screening of works by Visual Communications' 2008 Armed with Camera Fellowship. Then be sure to join us on Thursday, May 8 as the Film Festival presents the annual Filmmaker Awards for feature-length and short films, and Festival Audience Awards for favorite feature-length narrative and documentary film, to be allowed by the local premiere of the Closing Night feature and Reception.

For complete program and ticket information call Visual Communications at

(213) 680-4462 x. 59 beginning April 2008 or visit www.vconline.org

Japanese American Cultural and

Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

Saturday, May 10, 2008 3pm

THE COLBURN DANCE INSTITUTE SPRING CONCERT

The annual Colburn Dance Institute Spring Concert will be performed for the first time at the Aratani/japan America Theatre. Featuring a combination of classical and contemporary choreography, the students of the Professional Training Program will showcase the work of Jiří Kylián, George Balanchine and Marius Petipa amongst others.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre

Admission Free

Reservations required

Call the Colburn Box Office at (213) 621-1050

www.colburnschool.edu

Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, 2008

LITTLE TOKYO FUNFEST

DAY ONE: Saturday, May 17, 10-4pm

JACCC Plaza, Center Building, & San Pedro Street

Admission Free

Day one of Little Tokyo Funfest kicks off with JACCC'S Asian Pacific Arts & Crafts Faire, the 10th Annual San Tai San Youth Basketball Tournament and Nikkei Community Day.

10th Annual San Tai San Youth Basketball Tournament

For girls and boys ages 7-12 years old

For information and online registration go to http://reccenter.ltsc.org

Come out to play ball on the streets of Little Tokyo! Children ages 7-12 are invited to register teams for our outdoor 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament. All teams play at least 2 games and everyone gets a goodie bag, t-shirt, and tournament raffle ticket.

2nd Annual Nikkei Community Day

Sponsored by Ties That Bind

Japanese and Japanese Americans from all over the Greater L.A. Area come together for an amazing festival of Nikkei heritage and culture. Join community leaders as they share their ideas on "The State and Future of the Nikkei Community," visit community information booths, watch performances on stage and participate in workshops.

DAY TWO: Saturday, May 17, 10-4pm

25TH ANNIVERSARY CHILDREN'S DAY CELEBRATION

JACCC Plaza, Center Building, & San Pedro Street

Admission Free

Day two continues with our Asian Pacific Arts & Crafts Faire, with live entertainment, craft vendors, delicious food, and childrens' crafts and games. along with our annual Chibi-K: Kids for Kids Fun Run and Cultural Discovery Workshops.

Chibi-K: Kids for Kids Fun Run (Rain or Shine!)

For children ages 4 to 12 years

Everyone is invited to participate in this fun run through the streets of Little Tokyo. Registration includes a Chibi-K Run T-shirt, and goodie bag.

Online registration for Chibi-K (coming soon)

For schedule and phone registration contact Jessie Kikuchi at (213) 628-2725 x142

or jkikuchi@jaccc.org

Cultural Discovery Workshops, 11-3pm

Workshops for the entire family! Led by local artists and professionals, these hands-on workshops are a unique opportunity for parents and children to experience a variety of cultural traditions all in one day! A perfect event for the whole family!

Online registration for Cultural Workshops (coming soon)

For schedule and phone registration contact Jessie Kikuchi at (213) 628-2725 x142

or jkikuchi@jaccc.org

Saturday, May 24 - Sunday, June 29

AJA 22nd ANNIVERSARY

AJA XXII marks the 22nd year of the JACCC s annual spotlight on contemporary art.

Activating and manipulating the space of the Doizaki Gallery and the JACCC Plaza marks the return of award-winning landscape architect Calvin Abe to the Artist of Japanese Ancestry (AJA) series for the second time.

Honed by his many years of experience, Abe's exciting new installation piece titled Shreddings Part III: Defuragu is an innovative look into our current eco-system. This visually powerful and interactive installation promises to take gallery-goers on an introspective journey.

George J. Doizaki Gallery and JACCC Plaza

Admission Free

Gallery Hours: Tues-Fri, 12-5pm, Sat-Sun 11-4pm, or by appt. Closed Mondays and Holidays

For information or to schedule an appointment beyond normal gallery hours contact

Gavin Kelley at (213) 628-2725 x.133 or kelley@jaccc.org

Japanese American Cultural and

Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Anniversary Dinner

The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center cordially invites you to attend its 28th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Dinner. Sunday June 1, 2008, at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. We will be honoring Councilperson Jan Perry and Media News Anchors Frank Buckley, Rob Fukuzaki, Susan Hirasuna, David Ono, and Gordon Tokumatsu.

For ticket and sponsorship information call (213) 680-2725.

Saturday, June 7, 8pm

ASIA AMERICA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Japanese national treasure Sadao Watanabe returns in a very special appearance with the full Asia Symphony Orchestra. Also featured in the program will be Beethoven's Symphony #6 in F Major "Pastorale" and the World Debut of "Dolores Del Carmen" for Spanish guitar and Orchestra composed by music director David Benoit.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre

$75 VIP with reception /$50 Premiere tickets/ $35 general admission

For more information call (213) 628-2725

Charge by phone (213) 680-3700

Box Office Hours: Monday-Friday,12-5pm

Buy tickets online (coming soon)

www.asiaamericasymphony.org

Sunday, June 29, 1pm

Special film screening and Aurora Borealis Photography Show

AURORA FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER FILM SCREENING

The Aurora Foundation will hold a special screening of the film Bizan (2007)

directed by Isshin Inudou. Based on the novel by Masashi Sada the film starts

Nanako Matsushima, most known for her leading role in The Ring. Set in Tokushima, Bizan tells a universal story of familial love and emotional healing with lots of local flavor.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre

For ticket prices, tickets, and information contact the Aurora Japanese

Language Scholarship Foundation at (323) 882-6545

Saturday, June 21

A benefit concert for the Theatre

SOUNDS & VOICES OF J-TOWN

Save the date for this benefit concert celebrating the Aratani/Japan America Theatre. Bringing together extraordinary talent from the API community, featured artists include acclaimed Jennifer Paz (Flower Drum Song & Miss Saigon), a rare in-concert performance by Mariko Nishizu, and compelling poet/activist Traci Kato Kiriyama.

These artists and other special guests honor the main stage that has been home to

Asian Pacific Islander performing artists for over 25 years. There will be a post performance reception following the concert.

Proceeds from the concert will go towards theatre equipment upgrades.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre

Special VIP Seating $100*

$50 orchestra, $45 balcony

*(tax deductible to the extent permitted by law)

Japanese American Cultural and

Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

See LA Library DiverseCity events at http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/events/diversecity/index.html

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This Weekend (and earlier/later)

Chinese Cultural Night

Presented by Chinese Cultural Dance Club

Thursday, February 21, 2008

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Fowler Museum

Los Angeles, CA 90095

The Chinese Cultural Dance Club presents dance from Mongolia, Tibet, and the Dai minority, as well as more contemporary works of modern Chinese choreographers. A dance workshop follows the performance. This event will be held outdoors. Light refreshments will be served.

Cost: Free

Tel: 310-206-0306 www.fowler.ucla.edu

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Ruby, Tragically Rotund by Ruby Salazar, Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera

7:30pm

The story of Ruby Salazar, a full-figured Filipina American, whose battle with weight and self-image intensifies when her mother takes a refund on Ruby’s tuition in order to fund her sister’s blossoming beauty pageant career.

Presented in collaboration with East West Players.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Little Tokyo Walking Tour

10:15am - 12:15pm

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

Feb 23 Craft Class with Ruthie Kitagawa: Girl's Day Cards

Create greeting cards for Girl's Day and St. Patrick's day. Class fees are $8 for National Museum members and $13 for non-members, includes Museum admission and supplies. Reservations are recommended.

1-3PM

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

Feb 23 7^th Annual Lantern Festival is a holiday that occurs annually on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to mark the closing of Chinese New Year festivities. Bring your family and friends and celebrate this popular tradition with us!

ADMISSION IS FREE!

Featuring:

· CAM ’s newest exhibit, Sunshine and Shadow: In Search of Jake Lee

· Watercolor demonstrations and workshops with noted artist Tom

Fong

· Book signing with author, Oliver Chin and his new book, Year of the

Rat

· Book signing with author, Icy Smith and her new book, Mei Ling in

China City

· Lantern-making workshop

· Live dance, musical and acrobatic performances

· Extended museum hours

7th Annual Lantern Festival on February 23, 2008

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument

425 N. Los Angeles St.

LA, CA 90012

www.camla.org

(213) 485-8567

The Rise of Asia in the 21st Century: Can America Handle the Challenge?

A lecture by the Hon. Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore's Former UN Ambassador & Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM UCLA Faculty Center

Los Angeles, CA 90095

Kishore Mahbubani is the author of the forthcoming book The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Power to the East, available early 2008, as well as Can Asians Think? and Beyond the Age of Innocence: Rebuilding Trust between America and the World. Now the Dean and Professor in the Practice of Public Policy of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, he served for 33 years as a diplomat for Singapore and has written many articles on world affairs. This website will introduce you to his writings: you can learn more about his books and read some of his articles and interviews.

For additional information on the Hon. Kishore Mahbubani, click here to visit his webpage.

Cost: Free to the public.

Special Instructions

Limited seating available. Please RSVP to ucla.mc@gmail.com to secure a seat.

http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/events/showevent.asp?eventid=6450

Chinese Independent Documentary Series

Presented by the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies and the REEL CHINA Documentary Biennial

Thursday, January 31, 2008

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM 2534 Melnitz Hall UCLA Los Angeles, CA 90095

The Hurricane, dir. Duan Jinchuan and Jiang Yue, 2005, 89m. The Hurricane is a reinvestigation of the communist Land Reform (1946-1953) that started as a strategy to mobilize peasants to support the Communist Party in the civil war with the Nationalists (1946-49). This documentary, in the form of grassroots oral history, presents villagers in Northeast China, where the Land Reform was launched. The peasants speak from memory, giving accounts of manipulation, injustice, and cruelty.

Organizers: Center for Chinese Studies, UCLA

REEL CHINA Documentary Biennial, New York

Independent Chinese documentary filmmaking has flourished for over a decade. Produced outside the official or commercial channels by dedicated individual filmmakers, these works—mostly in DV format—are valuable documents of alternative histories and life styles in contemporary China. For our series, we have selected documentaries—divided into five categories (history, education, documentary ethics, minorities, women and gender)—that are not only recent productions but also offer a rich, varied, up-to-date, and intimate view of contemporary China. By presenting exemplary works on various, sometimes controversial topics in different styles, we hope to stimulate discussions of not only the contents of the documentaries but the process, and sometimes the problems, of documentary filmmaking (and by extension history writing) itself.

Schedule

Time: Thursdays, 7:00pm

Titles:

Feb. 21, 2008: Senior Year; and We Are the … of Communism

Feb. 28, 2008: Gongbu’s Happy Life; and Blossoming in the Wind

March 6, 2008: Women’s Fifty Minutes; and Mei Mei

Venue: 2534 Melnitz Hall, UCLA

Admission: FREE

Screening Format: all films will be in DVD format with English subtitles.

Source of films: • REEL CHINA Documentary Biennial, New York. • Zero Channel Media Co., Beijing. • Director Zhou Hao.

http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/events/showevent.asp?eventid=6405

Japanese Painting: Calligraphy and Image

Until February 19 | Pavilion for Japanese Art

In traditional Chinese aesthetics, scholars considered poetry to be the highest form of communication, followed by calligraphy, which revealed the character of the writer, then by painting, a pictorial branch of calligraphy also meant to elucidate poetic imagery and reveal the painter's individual nature. This group of paintings and calligraphies features three main groups of Japanese artists for whom calligraphy became a central means of expression: Zen and other Buddhist monks, literati, who modeled themselves after the educated Chinese elite, and aristocrats of the imperial line, who bore the responsibility for maintaining authentic Japanese artistic principles. Curator: Hollis Goodall, Japanese Art. This exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. LACMA, Los Angeles , CA

Japanese Prints: Word/Poem/Picture

Until February 19 | Pavilion for Japanese Art

Japanese writing, composed of Chinese ideographs and kana syllabary, is pictographic in origin and as such combines seamlessly with pictorial imagery. In prints, paintings and decorative arts, the interweaving of poems or bits of famous poetry with associated pictures was continuous from at least the eleventh century forward. In Western art, words entered pictorial imagery in the early twentieth century with cubist collage, stimulating a new look at words, poems, and pictures in Japanese art. This exhibition shows some of the ways in which words and images have been blended in art since the eighteenth century, with a concentration on modern artists' and poets' interpretation of mixing single words, continuous prose, or poetry with images.

Curator: Hollis Goodall, Japanese Art. This exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

LACMA, Los Angeles, CA

January 6 – February 24, 2008

10TH Annual SHIKISHI Exhibition

One of the most interesting and popular annual exhibitions in Los Angeles returns to mark its 10th year. The exhibition is open to anyone with a creative spark who looks to express their hopes for the New Year through the shikishi. This year's exhibit continues to showcase shikishi signed by dignitaries, and will feature art work based on this year’s theme Hatsu Mukashi (First–Long Ago) as well as references to the Year of the Rat, the animal which sits atop the 12-year Lunar Calendar cycle.

George J. Doizaki Gallery/ North Gallery Free Admission

George J. Doizaki Gallery Hours Tuesday – Friday 12noon to 5pm Saturday & Sunday 11am to 4pm Closed Mondays and holidays

Japanese American Cultural and Community Center

244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 505

(between 2nd and 3rd Streets)

Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

(213) 628-2725

www.jaccc.org

Last weekend (or so) I went to:

Feb 16 San Gabriel Valley Lunar New Year Parade - 11:00 am to 12:30 pm

On Valley Blvd. from San Gabriel to Almansor

http://www.chinesenewyearparade.net/parade_info.htm

and

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Community Day of Remembrance

2:00pm

REDRESS REMEMBERED

FREE ALL DAY

The Day of Remembrance marks President Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which authorized the unconstitutional forced removal of 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast and Hawai'i during World War II.

On August 10, 1988 President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 which legislated monetary reparations and an offical apology to thousands of individuals whose rights had been violated almost 50 years earlier. The Civil Liberties Act was won through a grassroots campaign and the efforts of the entire community along with many justice minded people.

This 2008 Day of Remembrance program celebrates the grassroots activism starting with Japanese Americans testifying at government-sanctioned hearings in 1981, through letter writing and lobbying for redress, to the current deamnd for compensation for Japanese Latin Americans. Day of Remembrance programs are part of the continued need to educate and remember and it is a tradition for many colleges to hold Day of Remembrance events on their campuses.

PROGRAM "Unleashing Community Voices-Performance Art created by Traci Kato-Kiriyama - Video Highlights from the 1981 Commission Hearings and the Redress Campaign" Japanese Latin American Redress: Rep. Xavier Becerra, Congressman 33rd District  Collegiate Days of Remembrances: USC, UC San Diego, UC Riverside Light refreshments following program  Arrive early - limited seating  For more information: NCRR (213)680-3484, JACL (213)626-4471

Presented in collaboration with the Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, the Japanese American Citizen’s League–Pacific Southwest, and the National Museum.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

369 East First Street

Los Angeles, California 90012

phone: (213) 625-0414

fax: (213) 625-1770

janm.org

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Links to selected articles from the LA Times. To actually access the articles, you may have to sign up for a free account.

One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now

http://theguide.latimes.com/art/latcl-one-way-or-another-asian-american-event

Japanese taiko drummer Shuichi Hidano has western influence

He is performing Saturday at Japan America Theatre in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo.