Asian Week

NEW PEOPLE‘s SUPERFROG Gallery is proud to announce Taiwanese artist Yu-Cheng Chou’s newest exhibition, Because 64 Crayons Made in the USA, opening on June 26th and running until August 1st.

Chou will attend a special opening party on Saturday, June 26th at 7:00pm at the Gallery, on the 3rd floor of the NEW PEOPLE building located at 1746 Post St. in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown.

Yu-Cheng Chou’s work displays a masterful use of photographic sensibilities combined with artistic inspiration to take on weighty subjects like the globalization of cultures, the creative vocabulary of new media, and the continued assimilation of pop culture.

Presented in a variety of visual mediums including photography and video, the subjects of Chou’s works are often estranged from their original identity or purpose to reflect a larger purpose of how contemporary ideas can entwine or even change the viewer’s perception of historical realities.

For more information on the Yu-Cheng Chou exhibit or the SUPERFROG Gallery, please visit: www.superfrogglallery.com.

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The Filipino American Arts Exposition Proudly Presents 17TH ANNUAL PISTAHAN PARADE AND FESTIVAL
SET FOR AUG. 14 & 15
-International Festival of Filipino Culture and Cuisine-

SAN FRANCISCO (June 23, 2010) - The largest celebration of Filipino Americans in San Francisco is back and bigger than ever featuring the return of the popular Adobo Cook-off and balut eating contests, delectable Filipino cuisine and desserts, cultural exhibits, and the 3rd annual San Francisco Filipino American Jazz Festival. Experience the best of Filipino art, dance, music and food at the 17th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival on Aug. 14-15 at the Yerba Buena Gardens.

The Pistahan Parade will take place Saturday Aug. 14 and features beautifully themed floats and an estimated 100 colorful and entertaining contingents. The parade will begin at Beale St., march down Market Street, left on 4th Street, left on Folsom Street and end on 3rd St.

The two-day event is expected to draw over 50,000 people. Both days will feature an array of entertainment, exhibits, and immersive cultural opportunities.

There will be 6 fun, educational, and interactive pavilions:

Art Pavilion: Visual art exhibits showcase an eclectic genre and styles of Filipino artists from local areas and abroad through the cooperation of gallery owners, schools and art groups. Meet the artists and discover the rich artistic heritage of the Philippines.

Dance Pavilion: Festival attendees can catch the rhythm and participate in folk dance demonstrations and workshops. This interactive pavilion will teach traditional folk dances for a memorable cultural experience.

Culinary Pavilion: Celebrating the many flavors of Philippine cuisine, local restaurants are invited to feature their specialty dishes and participate in the 6th annual Adobo Cookoff. Don’t miss the 4th annual Balut Eating Contest!

Heritage Pavilion: A mini Filipino museum displaying Philippine antiques, artifacts and material art from institutions and local collectors, most pieces never displayed in public before. Connect with Filipino history and learn something new about our rich and vibrant past!

Creativity Pavilion: A creative space where children can get hands-on experience learning Filipino arts and crafts activities, traditional games Filipino children play and hear folklores and folktales.

Health Pavilion: Various community organizations will provide useful information, provide awareness, and address the health care issues of our community. Free hepatitis B screenings will also be available.

The Pistahan Parade and Festival would like to invite the public to participate in the festival. Here are ways to get involved:

OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

BE A VENDOR/HAVE A BOOTH
Pistahan is currently looking for arts & crafts, food, community, and corporate booths.

For details contact:
Al Perez, FAAE President
pistahansf@gmail.com
(415) 625-EXPO

PERFORM AT THE PISTAHAN
Musicians, vocalists, dance groups, martial artists, spoken word artists, hosts, comedians, and other entertainers are encouraged to apply. Please send an email to artists.faae@gmail.com providing a brief bio/resume and description of your act.  Please include Web, Facebook, or MySpace links with photos, video and/or audio. “Call for Performers” deadline is Friday, July 2.

SPONSOR THE FESTIVAL
Support THE premiere Bay Area Filipino event.

For details contact:
Al Perez, FAAE President
pistahansf@gmail.com
(415) 625-EXPO

WALK IN THE PARADE
The only major Filipino parade in the West Coast, it is a display of community pride along San Francisco’s main street - Market Street - from the Embarcadero to the Yerba Buena Gardens, the crown jewel of SF’s cultural district. Colorful floats, historical themes and lively community contingents has helped build Pistahan Parade, as THE Filipino counterpart of San Francisco’s great cultural institutions like Chinese New Year Parade, Carnaval, St. Patrick’s Parade, among others. The parade will take place on Saturday Aug. 14.

Get your contingent together and show your Pinoy Pride! Prizes will be awarded to the best contingent, best costume, best choreography and more!

To participate, contact:
Gerard Talampas
gerardtalampas@gmail.com
(415) 218.5664

VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are needed in the weeks leading up to the event, and on the day of. Fill out our short Volunteer Form.

For more info, contact:
Norma Edar, Volunteer Coordinator
edarnorma@yahoo.com

For general information about the 17th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival, please contact:

Genevieve Jopanda, Pistahan Festival Director
genevieve.pistahan@gmail.com
(510) 825-9530

WHAT: Seventeenth Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival

WHERE: Yerba Buena Gardens
San Francisco
Mission between 3rd and 4th Streets

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, Aug 14-15, 2010
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Angela Pang, Pistahan Media Manager
apang@asianweek.com
(415) 321-5894

About the Pistahan Parade and Festival
The Pistahan Parade and Festival was founded in 1994 and has been consistently held in the oval gardens of the Yerba Buena Center. The Filipino American Arts Exposition, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that contributes to the artistic and cultural pride of the Filipino community, organizes the annual event.
http://pistahan.net/

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By Gerrye Wong

Carol Yamaguchi, Jan Yanehiro, Dr. Larry Tseu, artist Caroline Young, Gerrye Wong

No matter how bleak the economic world situation seems to be, there is always a lust for travel getaways and what better way to escape the everyday doldrums and the bleak headlines on the television screens and newspapers.

China is always a special destination, and especially with the Shanghai Expo which opened in May to hordes of visitors and endless lines to enter the China and Saudi Arabia buildings. Sylvia Young and her group from Hawaii along with Hong Kong’s Jennie Lee enjoyed visiting all of the Exposition buildings. George Koo said the unbelievable 4-7 hour waits prohibited him from seeing all that he would have liked to visit at the Expo. Traveling on a Yangtze River tour were Benson and Helen Kwan, Doris and Paul Char and James and Evelyn Gate.  Leading a tour of ladies to Tibet and China’s outpost city of Kashgar was Gloria Hom. Former Lifetime Networks CEO Andrea Wong remarked it was a wondrous trip to see China’s outer regions. Popular and busy China Stix Proprietor Frank Chang has brought in groups to China every month with his popular tours to all parts of the country.  The ever affable Frank leads many of his advertised tours himself, a very definite plus for his travelers.  He will be leading my group of  China lovers on a golf trip to the Shangdong area in September.

I just returned from a marvelously organized Tauck Tour led by the very efficient and personable Peter Pope. We traveled through Israel and Jordan and visited the many Biblical sites one had always read about.  Tauck always puts you in the finest hotels at convenient locations, and sisters Helen Chew and Virginia Bakken enjoyed walking in the newly opened pedestrian street near their David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv.

Our tour took us to King Herod’s Palace in Caesarea, Haifa’s famed Baha’i Shrine and Gardens, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee where w viewed an extraordinary 2000 year old fishing boat dating back to the time of Jesus. We discovered other sites crucial to the history of Christianity cruising on a similar boat.  The city of Jerusalem was indeed a holy city of incredible significance for three of the world’s great religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity.  A visit to the Western Wall was very moving watching visitors and local citizens place their prayers and wishes in the wall’s cracks.  One cannot help but be moved by the strength of history as we joined many Christian pilgrims walking on the Via Dolorosa, along which Jesus carried the cross to the site of his crucifixion.  A magical evening was seeing the story of Jerusalem unfold in breathtaking images projected on the walls of the archaeological ruins of the Citadel, surrounding us in a multi-sensory experience through the realm of modern technological photography.

Day after day we uncovered and discovered  more history in Israel. We traveled to the cliff-top fortress at Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage site built by King Herod between 36 and 31 BC.  We viewed the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were unearthed and saw them later enchrined at the Israel Museum.  We passed through the checkpoint into Palestinian-controlled Bethlehem to tour the Church of Nativity built over what is traditionally thought to be the birthplace of Jesus marked by a silver star on the floor.

A visit to Jordan must include seeing the Pink City of  2000 year old Petra which the ancient Nabataeans carved out of colorful sandstone cliffs.  Now named one of the New Sven Wonders of the World, Petra was almost forgotten for over a thousand years and since it was protected by the cliff of Edom, Petra is one of the best preserved biblical sites in the world.  Tauck Tours provides your Petra visit with a horse, camel and carriage ride for those who found the long walks tiring among the tomb facades, royal tombs, and temples. It was sorely welcomed by Dick and Jeane Wong, our Altours travel agent as well as yours truly although I must admit riding a one hump camel is an experience for the fearless! For history buffs and the adventurous traveler, I highly recommend this Tauck Tour of Israel and Jordan as a trip of a lifetime.

Deciding their vacation wishes were the more serene Hawaiian Islands, the Dr Steven Chew Family of Pleasanton treated grandmother Muriel Kao to a stay in Molokai. Other Bay Area friends  Ken and Faye Gee, Sandy and Ken Joe and Donald and Jeanette Wong, Hampson and Evangeline Lum  reunited as Honolulu neighbors  during their summer sojourns.  Graduations are always happy occasions and Frank and Pearl Lee journeyed to Maine to celebrate at grandson Gabriel Lee’s high school graduation with his parents, the Dr. Marvin Lees.  Competing in the National NRA Action Piston (Bianchi Cup) Championship in Columbia, Missouri was multiple time champion Vera Koo.

EXCITING TIMES IN THE BAY AREA

Gerrye Wong, Evan Lysacek, and Cheryl Burke

One got very starry eyed ogling all of the celebrities who performed at the Kristi Yamaguchi “Dancing the Night Away” fundraising dinner at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco.  Dancing for the guests’ pleasure were her fellow dancing stars from the popular TV show. They included Mark Ballas, Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek, Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer Natalie Coughlin, movie star Jane Seymour, and dancing pros Cheryl Burke, Jonathan Roberts and Chelsie Hightower.

Hosts Don Bleu and Janelle Wang kept the program light and humorous, and a very proficient tongue twisting bububububububu auctioneer captured almost $75,000 from the audience’s wallets for 10 Auction items. Most popular was the Dinner Party for 10 with personal Chef Brian Boitano with Kristi as a fellow guest which Joanna Lin thrillingly outbid everyone for.  A U2 Band Autographed Electric Guitar which included Bono & the Edge signatures was a hot item finally won by Ruth Ma.  Lucky Norman Watts won the large framed Caroline Young painting, and I even won a beautiful gemstone bracelet among the many many raffle prizes up for grabs.  Proceeds to go Kristi’s Always Dream Foundation which in the past has established an Always Dream Play Park in Fremont with equipment for handicapped children, and a summer camp in Hawaii for the underprivileged. Kristi’s sister Lori, brother Brett, parents Carol and Jim Yamaguchi were all there to welcome the over 200 supporters at this successful event.   Good Work, Kristi.  With the money you made at your fantastic event, I am sure you will continue your commitment toward improving opportunities and lives of  disadvantage children.

Kristi Yamaguchi, Jane Seymour, and Joanna Lin

Saw a great musical the other night which I have to share and recommend. The Marvelous Wonderettes is a great show about a high school prom night of 1958 with four women lead performers singing the songs of that era in a very entertaining manner. Second act brings you back to their first 10 year reunion and what has happened to them in the aftermath. San Jose Rep is the presenter so come down to downtown San Jose to enjoy this show in its great Phil and Susan Hammer Theater.  www.sanjoserep.org

Joined a private tour to Angel Island see the new outdoor stone exhibits given by Executive Director Eddie Wong to Lisa See, author of latest book Shanghai Girls. She was accompanied by Autry Museum Trustee David Cartwright, Director John Gary and UCLA Professor Stephem Aron.

Visiting Angel Island (left to right): Eddie Wong, Lisa See, David Cartwright, Stephen Aron, John Gary, Dr. Larry Tseu

Flying in from Honolulu to tour Angel Island for his first time was Dr. Larry Tseu, a very busy man who was being honored as Father of the Year by a long respected Honolulu association group. It was a beautiful sunny day for them to see the new Barracks exhibits, and they were soon joined by a tour group led by the National Park Service.

A group of students of  the Japanese summer camp sponsored by the Buddhist Church took a field trip to Angel Island as part of their studies on the history of Japanese  in America.  Many immigrants from Japan were detained at Angel Island Immigration Station during its years of operation in 1910-1940.

Happy birthday to Congressman Mike Honda (CA-15) who celebrated the 9th anniversary of his 60th birthday (you figure that one out) at a fundraiser at the home of Dr. Tae Yun Kim in Fremont, CA.  Mike has done an admirable job as the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the DNC Vice-Chair and we hail him as a hometown boy we are very proud of.   Thanks for being there always fighting for Asian American causes and the good the community at large.  You are the best!

Mike is being honored at the 2010 Leadership Award Benefit of APALI, Asian Pacific Amrican Leadership Institute at DeAnza College July 2.  Well deserved, and congratulations to him and all of the graduates of this fine leadership training group led by Dr. Michael Chang.

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I don’t know how many Asian Americans watch Glenn Beck besides Michelle Malkin, but I do. On June 23, he went way, way back into union history long before Barack Buddy Andy Stern and SEIU. Way before he showed Americans when “progressive” and “social justice” meant getting rid of Jewish Americans. Most Americans who haven’t been through an Asian American history course don’t know how badly the Chinese were treated in the old American west.

Here’s a part of his television program:

The California Workingman’s Party was born …. in racism. The found their success in the slogan …

The Chinese Must Go!

Labor leader Dennis Kearny incited anti-Chinese sentiments and hit on workers anxiety saying in 1877:

“We intend to try and vote the Chinamen out, to frighten him out, and if this won’t do to kill them ouit. The heathen slaves must leave this coast”

Now remember the “look for the union lable” jingle? One of the first union labels was this sign for cigars, which says in big letters: “MADE BY WHITE MEN, Cigar makers association of the west coast.”

This proclamation spelled it out. Labor wanted the Chinese out, and they were successful thanks to the efforts of the labor party.

In 1880 California banned the importation and use of Chinese labor .

Congress did the same thing with the Exclusion Act of 1882, stopping all Chinese immigration for ten years. But it was renewed and modified so many times the policy actually remained in effect until 1943 and was not completely dropped until the 1960s…
ahem.. when they weren’t racist. (my note, in WWII to recognize that China was an important ally, a quota was adopted … of 50, FIFTY per year, including my parents, and not dropped until the 1965 immigration act which was intened to favor Europeans such as the Irish)

In San Francisco in 1877 Kearny led his Labor Union to the wealthy neighborhoods “A little judicious hanging right here and now will be the best course to pursue with the capitalists and the stock sharps who are all the time robbing us” At another meeting he warned railroad owners to fire all Chinese laborers. “Remember Judge Lynch” (as in Lynch-ing) That’s the labor union.

History repeats itself. Unless you understand history and you stop it.

Here is link to a copy of the program posted on Patriot’s Network

If you appreciate Glenn Beck revisiting this obscure bit of Asian American history, please sent him a note at me@glennbeck.com and encourage him to cover more Asian American topics, as he’s had a number of African American guest speakers and in his studio audiences, but not so many Asians.

Beck also covered the horrendous loss of life due to the planned economy policies of the Chinese communists and Mao that led to mass starvation during the “Great Leap Forward” on his earlier show on the communist holocaust. Liberals aren’t the only ones looking out for Asians, in fact they’re still in business recruiting Asians into radical leftism along with other minorities and signing on to terrorist sympathizer events like the ”Israel Apartheid” week  on campus.

 

 

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By Aaron Glantz, New America Media

SAN FRANCISCO - California’s utility and telecommunications companies are doing hundreds of millions of dollars more business with minority contractors, according to a new report from the Greenlining Institute, a Bay Area think tank.

But the organization says the news is not all good for minority firms. According to Greenlining’s report, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric are lagging behind their competitors. Cable companies , which increasingly compete with regulated telecommunications firms for broadband business , have virtually no minority contracting portfolio at all.

“There are clear industry leaders, there are those who are stuck in the middle of the pack and those who are not even stepping onto the field,” said Greenlining attorney Sam Kang.

According to Greenlining, California’s major utility and telecom firms handed out $341 million more in minority contracts in 2009 than in 2005.

Spending on African American and Latino businesses increased, while spending on Asian American and minority women-owned businesses went down.

Of the companies tracked by Greenlining, Verizon did the greatest amount of contracting with minority-owned businesses at 24 percent, followed by Southern California Gas at 23 percent, and AT&T at 22 percent.

On the other end of the spectrum, Sprint and Cox Communications gave just 8 percent of their contracts to minority-owned firms.

In an interview with New America Media, Greenlining’s Kang singled out PG&E for criticism.

The company placed in the middle of the pack, giving about 15 percent of its contracts to minority businesses.

But among all the firms monitored by Greenlining, the giant utility was the only company to see its volume of contracting to minority businesses decline.

“PG&E is the biggest utility in California and it’s missing a huge opportunity by falling farther and farther behind industry leaders,” Kang said.

“Historically, they’ve always been strategic in reaching out to minority firms,” Kang said, “but lately it seems like their attention is geared toward spending money and time on implementing a $4 billion rate increase over the next three years and shoving smart meters down our throats despite all the complaints.”

Kang also criticized PG&E for cutting back on its minority contracting at the same time it spent more than $35 million on a failed ballot initiative to make it more difficult for municipal utilities to get into the power market.

“We’ve noticed a drop off in their corporate culture,” Kang said.

PG&E spokesperson Fiona Chan gave a different spin.

While the percentage of minority firms getting contracts declined in 2009, she said, the overall volume of dollars increased by $54 million to $500 million.

“PG&E has long viewed supplier diversity as a strategic business advantage because it helps us provide the very best products and services to our customers and supports economic development in the communities that we serve,” Chan said.

PG&E and Greenlining also have different readings of the utility’s willingness to include minority firms in the emerging, alternative energy sector.

Chan said for example, last year PG&E’s renewable sourcing team awarded 30 percent of its Pilot Photovoltaic Project contracting dollars to diverse businesses.

But Kang countered that the pilot project is “very small.”

“We asked PG&E on whether they wanted to incorporate supplier diversity into their $900 million Manzana wind project,” he said. “PG&E declined.”

Ian Kim, who runs the green jobs program at the advocacy organization Green for All says PG&E’s answer is not enough.

“When you’re getting the money of millions of ratepayers the public has a right to hold those businesses to a higher standard,” he said.

“The utilities have a long way to go when it comes to building bridges with the community,” he added.

“It goes way deeper than the surface level” of contracting data,” he said.

One minority-owned company that has gotten work from PG&E is Energy Conservation Options (ECO), an Oakland firm which positions itself as a one-stop solution for companies and building managers seeking to increase their energy efficiency.

Its CEO, Dahlia Moodie, makes a point of hiring from the community in Oakland, especially from chronically unemployed and underemployed segments of the population.

“It was difficult for me to find my way into PG&E, but once I got in I could see that they are being very aggressive in terms of the services that we provide,” she said.

Moodie believes many small, minority companies have difficulty finding work with PG&E for the same reason they have difficulty getting contracts from any large business, or from the government.

“You have to have this incredibly wide range of understanding about how a large bureaucratic organization works,” she said. “It takes a certain set of skills to do that and a lot of people don’t come to small business with those skills.”

When she started ECO in 2008, Moodie said she spent an entire year simply meeting any many people in corporate leadership positions as she could. She needed to make the connections, she said, in order to get her start-up off the ground.

“The problem,” she says, “is that there are very few small and minority businesses that have the skills or resources to do this.”

Aubrey Stone, the director of the California Black Chamber of Commerce says whatever the numbers, his members “are still struggling, and feel like they’re not major participants in the process.”

“I think it’s great that the number of black businesses getting contracts increased, but I don’t see it,” he said. “I don’t see a major increase so I can’t relate to it personally.”

This story first appeared on New America Media:
http://newamericamedia.org/2010/06/utility-giants-face-criticism-on-minority-contracts.php

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SAN FRANCISCO – Togonon Gallery is proud to participate in the 2010 Shanghai Celebrations spearheaded by the Asian Art Museum by presenting a panel discussion on the lives and works of the artists in the exhibition.

Gold Standard: Nine Asian/American Modernist Artists is a selection of vintage paintings and works on paper celebrating the artistic achievements and contribution of Asian/Americans artists in the development of American modernism. The artists include: C.C. Wang, John Way (Wei Letang), Constance Chang (Chang Shangpu), Ruth Asawa, George, Miyasaki, Arthur Okamura, Leo Valledor, Carlos Villa, and Gary Woo. The first three artists originally came from Shanghai; Gary Woo was from Guangzhou, while the rest were born in the US. All of the artists worked in California during the 1960s and 1970s.

Guest curator Dewitt Cheng says, “The title is both symbolic and historical. To monetarists and economists, the gold standard denotes the amount of the precious metal held on reserve to back a nation’s paper currency. West Coast aficionados of art and cultural history might recall that Gold Mountain was the Middle Kingdom’s name for Gold-Rush-era California; they might also remember the golden spike used in 1869 by Central Pacific Railroad Director Leland Stanford to ceremonially complete the transcontinental railroad (which was, incidentally, built by a labor force 50 per cent Chinese). That spike, which now resides in the Cantor Art Center at Stanford University, thus symbolizes the meeting of East and West, and, by extension, the careers of these Asian-American modernists who managed, a generation before multiculturalism, to unite traditional Asian art and western avant-gardism. Negotiating between cultures was no easy task: American critics tended to see the work as Asian, while Asian audiences saw it as American. The artists, predictably, tried to avoid being pigeonholed.

Filipino-American Leo Valledor, immersed in black culture since his San Francisco childhood, disliked being identified by race; similarly, George Tsutakawa (not shown here), when asked to choose between Japanese and American identities, dismissed the question as meaningless: “I am neither; I am both.” We are fortunate that these artists chose the Middle Path between cultures, enriching both, and creating a body of work as lustrous and lasting and global in appeal as the universally prized precious metal.”

About the Curator

DeWitt Cheng is a San Francisco art critic, collector and curator who write for Art Ltd., Artillery, Sculpture, East Bay Express, SquareCylinder.com, VisualArtSource.com, and ArtBusiness.com.

About Togonon Gallery

Established in 1994, Togonon Gallery exhibits artists that represent the dynamic culture of the West Coast as well as international artists. The gallery works with emerging and established artists with a distinguished scope of diversity that encourages a lively dialogue about contemporary life. Our passion is to present exhibitions that will keep the energy alive for the arts. Togonon Gallery is a member of the San Francisco Art Dealers Association (SFADA).

Visit togonongallery.com & www.shanghaicelebration.com

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I found this hilarious piece by aspiring writer Lillian Wu on her Teen Writer’s Haven blog. Enjoy.

By LillianW
If you are like the majority of Asians, your parents are the stereotypical tyrants. You don’t have the faintest clue as to how to live up to their skyscraper standards, and they don’t understand why you’re never trying. Here are some tips on getting along with your Asian parents, and maybe eventually you’ll even understand them.

1. Never Talk Back to Them
Asian parents are infamous for resorting to violence once provoked. When you strip them of their authority (especially in public), they retain respect by humiliating you in return. If you supplement your threats with incoherent cursing, you are asking for a fate worse than death. Even if your parents murder you, everyone will agree that you had it coming.

2. First Apologize, then Reason
It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. You’ll never hear the end of it if they think you haven’t learned. If it really is important enough, wait until time has passed before you bring it up again. Reason with them rationally, and avoid getting heated, or your parents will follow, and then they will win.

Warning: If they go for the whip or whatever weapon they use to teach you a lesson, run! Contrary to popular belief, being obedient at that moment won’t do you any good. When you infuriate Asian parents, they don’t take it well. They lose all reason and will become vicious, more so than they intended. You’ll most likely outrun them, and once they recover, they will have cooled. That’s when you apologize and bring them some tea.

3. Perform the Best of Your Abilities
To Asian parents, as long as you perform well academically, you don’t have to know anything else. They think Americans waste their time on extracurricular activities and would much rather their kids be hermits. To appease your strict parents, perform the best of your abilities. They will witness your efforts and help you discover your talents elsewhere. They will never settle for less.

4. Make Sure They Can Always Find You
Asian parents are very protective of their children and spend half their lives sheltering them. If you leave the house, be prepared to receive frantic calls wondering your whereabouts and who you’re with. Always pick up and reassure them that you are alive and well. Treat them as you would your boy/girlfriend. They have dangerously creative imaginations and will be suspicious if you don’t offer thorough details.

5. Do Not Let them Catch you lying
It is probably best to lie to your parents sometimes, especially when it concerns a failed test. Just be sure not to arouse their suspicions. You will never know privacy again with all their snooping. Just because your parents may not always be around, does not mean you’re free to be reckless. They have probably installed cameras all over the house, claiming it was for feng shui.

6. Give Them Something to Brag About
Asian parents have one hobby they all share: bragging about their children. Mothers are more frequently guilty of this and they love it. It becomes a competition between squabbling mothers eager to prove how her kid is the best. The highest honor goes to the 4.0 students with 2400’s who got into Harvard and M.I.T. and are having a hard time deciding. In Asia, they have never heard of any American school but Harvard and M.I.T. so it is a huge accomplishment. Parents devote their lives to getting their children in.

Be careful if you have absolutely nothing your mother can boast to her friends about. It will only frustrate her more when all the other mothers are describing their superhuman kids. Find a talent soon. Mediocrity does not sit well with Asian parents. Good luck!

a. hu notes - check out the “Date Sexy Asian Singles” and “Asian Dating and Singles Site. Find the Perfect Asian Woman Now! Asian Girls For Marriage ” ads that pop up for keywords in this article. Hardly works for the usual “please support our advertisers” line. Sigh.

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SEATTLE, Washington – The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) recently held its quarterly board meeting in San Francisco, CA and named Pablo Wong to its Board of Directors.

Wong is the Senior Vice President for Market Development for Fidelity National Financial, Inc. He is based out of San Francisco, CA and is currently serving on the board of Episcopal Community Services and a member of the State of California Economy Strategy Panel.

Born in Nicaragua and of Chinese descent, Wong was named one of the most influential Hispanics in the San Francisco Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times in 2005 and received the President’s Award from Ten Bay Area Real Estate Associations. He graduated from The University of Hawaii with a degree in Agricultural Economics and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

David Cohen, an attorney and consultant based in the Los Angeles area, was also named to the Board. He has served as U.S. Representative to the Pacific Community, the President’s Special Representative to the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commissioner on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs. Cohen received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds a joint J.D.-M.B.A. from Penn Law School and the Wharton School.

“David and Pablo will provide strong guidance and expertise from both the legal and real estate fields,” said NAPCA Board President John Q. Duong. “By adding them to the board, NAPCA has strengthened its ability to serve Asian American and Pacific Islander seniors as our organization moves forward and continues to grow. We are excited about these additions to the board and welcome David and Pablo to the NAPCA family.”

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District Attorney Kamala D. Harris has appointed Sharon Woo as the new Chief of Criminal Division at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

She is the first Chinese American woman to hold this prestigious position in the City and County of San Francisco. Currently, Woo is the Managing Attorney of the Narcotics Unit. A graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, she later received her Juris Doctorate  from the University of San Francisco, School of Law.

Before joining the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office in 2000, she spent a decade as a prosecutor at the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office. At one point in her career, she was also a cross-designated federal prosecutor for the Northern District of California at the United States Attorney’s Office.

Woo is a veteran prosecutor who has more than twenty years of experience in prosecuting cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, narcotics, gang violence and robbery.

“Sharon Woo is a talented prosecutor with integrity and keen appreciation for the law” said District Attorney Harris. “She is dedicated to protecting the public, and I am proud to have appointed her to oversee our criminal division.”

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REDWOOD CITY, CA, June 15, 2010 – Not even the schizophrenic June 6 weather of New York that combined extreme heat, intense humidity and a brief but drenching downpour could stop thousands of Filipinos from taking part at the 112th Commemoration of Philippine Independence in New York City.

The highly successful event, which kicked off the TFC Summer Saya sa America festival series, attracted a crowd of 70,000, as estimated by the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), the event organizer and TFC’s local partner.

To start with, following the flag-raising and Independence Mass at the Philippine Consulate General, over 140 marching groups participated in what could be the biggest Filipino parade throughout the entire U.S.  Grand Marshalls Benjamin and Dr. Zenaida Santos, aboard a CAR-abao (a car dressed up to look like a mechanical water buffalo), led organizations from New York and nearby states that included tens of professional groups, Filipino school and youth clubs, service organizations, alumni associations, regional associations, religious organizations, social clubs, fraternities, marching bands, ethnic dancers, government officials and some 16 open cars and trucks.

Bringing up the rear were PIDCI’s officers and pageant beauties and the TFC float that paraded through ecstatic shrieks and chants of “TFC! TFC! TFC!” from the crowd that lined almost the whole stretch of Madison Avenue in Manhattan.  Aboard the TFC float were RP’s pop princess Sarah Geronimo, Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista, veteran singer-stage thespian Carlo Orosa, Citizen Pinoy’s Michael Gurfinkel, Esq. and wife, Millie, famed cosmetic surgeon Dr. Vicki Belo, Barangay USA’s loveable host, Gelo, and the TFC contingent that included parade marchers bearing huge banners of local TFC shows.

PIDCI, in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General of New York, announced the winning participating parade groups (non-sponsors): Most Meaningful Float & Best Performance and Presentation – Waray Community Association of the U.S.A.; Most Meaningful Group – Gawad Kalinga; Best Costume & Liveliest and Entertaining Group – Philippine American Association of Western Connecticut; Best Contingent and Group Attendance – Philippine Forum; and Group From State or City Farthest Away from New York City – Alpha Kappa Rho from the State of Washington.

It was near pandemonium at the TFC and Belo booths when Sarah, Christian and Carlo had their Meet and Greet with the fans who wanted to have their signatures and photos. Meanwhile, Gelo was followed everywhere as he did his Man On The Street interviews, while people swarmed around Atty. Michael Gurfinkel who did a Q&A for Citizen Pinoy at one of the TFC booths.

The parade was so long that it pushed back the start of the Cultural Program.  Giving the Welcome Remarks on stage were 2010 PIDCI President Dr. Bernie dela Merced and 2010 Grand Marshalls Benjamin and Dr. Zenaida Santos.  Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Wilfredo Gaa and New York Philippine Consul General Cecilia Rebong were also on hand to deliver greetings to attendees.

The cultural program, which featured local singers, dancers and musicians, was climaxed by the TFC Celebrity Hour.  Gelo prepped up the crowd, throwing TFC shirts to the audience.  Attorney Gurfinkel and Dr. Belo joked about the New York weather but stressed how much TFC wanted to reach out to all Filipinos in the East Coast.  Christian then came on board, rallying the crowd under the downpour with his romantic renditions of classics from legendary Filipino singer-composer Jose Mari Chan.  Carlo followed with a very challenging and novel version of “The Impossible Dream” from the Broadway musical, “Man of La Mancha”.  For local flavor, TFC debuted TFC Got Showtime, unveiling three locally selected amateur performers: Riana Balahadia who placed third with her Broadway song-and-dance number; Bryan De Leon who placed second playing the guitar and singing an alternative rock tune; and first placer Eric Garzon who performed a traditional gospel/Christian number.  All received plaques and cash prizes.

Then as the sun came back in full force, superstar Sarah thrilled with “Record Breaker”.  She made the crowd swoon with the theme song from her huge box-office starrer, “You Changed My Life”.  Then in keeping with the Independence Day theme, she fully unveiled her vocal prowess with the powerful Philippine Revolution Song of 1986, “Magkaisa” which had people waving flags and their arms in the air.

“Napakalaking pagdiriwang ito ngayon (Today is such a grand celebration),” remarked 2010 PIDCI President Dr. Bernie dela Merced. “This is so successful beyond our expectations.  We are very pleased to have partnered and co-presented this with TFC.  We at PIDCI are most grateful for the support of Filipinos in New York and in other states who trooped to this event to make it the most well-attended holding of this festival to date.”

“To kick off TFC Summer Saya sa America before a crowd of 70,000 is record-breaking and speaks well of the reach of TFC in our U.S. Filipino communities,” said ABS-CBN International Head of Cable & Satellite Jun Del Rosario. “We look forward to being in New York again next year, even as we prepare for our next TFC Summer Saya stop: Fiesta Mo Sa Florida this July 24.”

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On June 11, nine employees from Deloitte signed up to work at Chinatown Community Development Center for the company’s annual Impact Day - a day devoted to volunteering at a local non-profit of their choice.

They spent the morning with senior tenants of Bayside Senior Apartments. They knocked on every door, inviting the tenants to the community room for social activities and lunch. They noted the apartment numbers of the tenants who said they weren’t feeling well and later brought a plate of lunch to them.

After a short exercise session, the tenants were split into 5 groups and the volunteers led a variety of games and puzzles. The morning ended with a game of bingo with prizes provided by the volunteers.

Everyone enjoyed a Chinese lunch together, compliments of Deloitte. Then the volunteers walked to another CCDC property, Clayton Hotel, a SRO building for low-income adults. They cleaned the common kitchens, bathrooms, stairwells and hallways.

One of the participating tenants, Ms. Wong said she had a great time. “We are very thankful to the volunteers from Deloitte. They made us feel that we’re being cared for,” she said. “Their visit is very heartwarming.”

Last year, over 20 Deloitte staff helped paint the hallways and community rooms of Clayton Hotel, one of Chinatown CDC’s properties.

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Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation recently initiated its Centennial Year Celebration in the South Bay with a private luncheon for Silicon Valley movers and shakers in the Asian American community at the Santa Clara Hilton.

Guest Speaker Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren discussed the importance of remembering the unfair discriminatory practices against immigrants during the Angel Island Immigration Station era from 1910-1940. She also informed the over 150 patronage of the current immigration issues and reform her congressional committee will address this year.

California Assemblyman Paul Fong spoke of his own family’s immigrant background as flower growers in Santa Clara Valley. Sponsors of the luncheon event were Glenn Osaka and Ko Nishimura.

In Sacramento, California Fats was the site for a luncheon held on June 6 to inform this community of Angel Island’s Centennial Year Celebrations to commemorate the remembrance of the 1910 opening of Angel Island as an immigration station. Dr. Herbert Yee, Lana Chong and Jerry Fat showed slides while telling the moving story of the struggles their forefathers had in trying to enter America after a long voyage from China with slide presentations to the 100 VIP guests.

The Organization of Chinese Americans as well as the Chinese American Council of Sacramento were in attendance to the program organized by AIISF Director Eddie Wong, Administrative Assistant Grant Din and Julie Phuong, and Board Member Gerrye Wong. Among those pledging their support for the Centennial Wall Program, pledging purchase of a plaque in memory of their families and forefathers were Ken and Lina Fat, Jerry Fat Family, Dr. Herbert and Inez Yee, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Yee, Franklin and Sandra Yee, Dr. Gordon and Merrilee Wong, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Quan, and many others in the audience who shared their own family history of Angel Island detention.

Executive Director Eddie Wong noted that 2010 is the 100th anniversary year of the United States Immigration Station at Angel Island, explaining, “With the cooperation of Angel Island State Park, we are building a Centennial Wall to provide an opportunity for supporters to make a permanent recognition on Angel Island of those who came to build America, from all periods of time, whether or not they passed through Angel Island. This is a time to remember the coming of America of all immigrants, whether it be during the Angel Island 30 years and up to the present time.”

One hundred years ago, on January 21, 1910, over 200 immigrants were shipped from the Chinese Detention Shed located at First and Brannan Street in San Francisco to open the Angel Island Immigration Station. One hundred years later, to commemorate the opening of this National Historic Landmark, a naturalization ceremony of 100 new U.S. citizens was held at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater, organized by the AIISF.

At both Santa Clara and Sacramento events, a graphic diagram of the proposed Centennial Wall was projected on a large screen for all of the Silicon Valley guests to view as AIISF Board Board Member Gerrye Wong explained that individual plaques will be placed on this existing concrete wall which is located in a beautiful setting on the water’s edge near the historic Bell. Wong further explained that the public is invited to celebrate the life of an ancestor, a friend, relative, a new American, or even oneself by purchasing and dedicating a plaque in someone or their family’s honor.

At the Sacramento luncheon Wong ended with the latest news, saying “I have good news to report is that there is alot of money destined for the Centennial Wall remembrance plaques. The bad news is - it is still in your wallets!” Amidst laughter, many in the audience pledged to bring Sacramento support to Angel Island’s Centennial Year Drive.

Contributions of $2500 and above received by December 31, 2010 will be recognized by the individual plaques, and AIISF encourages families to pool resources to recognize and honor their ancestors or companies to recognize founders on this wall. This wall will be in recognition of any and all immigrants who have come to America’s Pacific shores from all parts of the world. It is anticipated that all name plaques on the wall will be placed by Fall 2011.

Contributions to the Centennial Wall will be used to develop a new exhibit on Angel Island and on the AIISF website, called IMMIGRANT VOICES, an interactive, multimedia experience that will tell the stories of many of the people from over 80 nationalities who immigrated through Angel Island and more recent immigrants who have helped build America. Stories will soon be collected to be included in this exhibit and all are encouraged to contact AIISF if you have a relative who passed through Angel Island, or has an interesting immigration story.

All contributions $100 and above received by December 31, 2010 will also be recognized at the immigration station for at least two years and on the website. Those donors $2500 and above will be permanently acknowledged on the Centennial Wall with their own plaque designated as per their instructions to their family or ancestor. There is space on the wall for up to 300 plaques. Over $200,000 in Plaque Pledges and orders have been received in support of this program up to now through these introductory programs. So get your plaque orders in before all the spaces are designated.

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote a greater understanding of Pacific Coast immigration and its role in shaping America’s past, present and future. It raises funds to restore, preserve and interpret the U.S. Immigration Station at Angel Island, a National Historic Landmark. For further information: visit www.aiisf.org or contact 415 262 4429 to learn how you can participate in this Centennial Year commemoration.

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When over two-thirds of the 680 guests on my recent cruise tour in Europe came to the private reception for past Oceania cruisers given by Regatta’s ship’s Captain Vitaliy Silvachynsky, you know this cruise company must be satisfying all those who have become frequent sailors in the past 7 years of operation.

San Francisco’s Don and Jayne Chew led a group of over 30 Bay Area travelers to cruise on the Regatta ship through Spain, Portugal and France last month. Basking and enjoying the sun were Ed and Martha Wong, Ging and Diana Chan. Seen exploring the villages on the well-run ship excursions organized by Destinations Officer Ingrid were Wyman and Alsona Wong, Clarice Fong and Anna Huie and Sharon Gee. Cruise Director Leslie Jon immediately responded to their requests and provided extra after dinner dance time with the ship’s 12 piece band for avid dancers George and Lily Gee, Richard and Lorene Chin, Howard and Pat Seto, Sherwin and Margaret Louie.

When I queried the happy repeat cruisers on why they continue on Oceania small size ships when so many mega liners are coming out, they unanimously said it was the service people who made them feel like one big happy family. Mentioning this to Connie Hammelman, the ship’s Concierge, she nodded, saying, “In my five years with Oceania, and 10 previous years working on Celebrity Line’s big ships, I find that we here can have a more personal relationship with the cruisers. All of us try to know and become close to people so they will look forward to returning to see us again.”

Connie was continually busy helping make post cruise arrangements for guests, including museum tours, hotel and transportation reservations, and even helped worried travelers who were bumped off canceled flights due to the Island volcano. If you had a complaint, compliment or comment – Connie was the gal to talk to.

In spite of the fact we were in Port every day, Cruise Director Leslie Jon had activities going every day, whether it be for the sports minded going to Pilates and Yoga lessons, joining in the ping pong and putting contests, or the intelligentia attending lectures on the history of the area, or competing in the Name That Tune, and Trivia contests. Jon said, “My job of providing entertainment isn’t just for the nightly shows – it’s for having all kinds of activities to entertain people during the day too.”

Jon shared his own entertaining talents, performing a theatrical rendition from “Fiddler on the Roof,” having been a performer on cruise ships since the Love Boat days. What I found unique on the Regatta was a computer room with over a dozen computers for passengers’ use, two specialty restaurants offered to all at no extra fee, no assigned seating, and a library of over 300 DVDs available to take to your room for your leisure time movie pleasure.

Leslie Jon enthusiastically said, “I really love my job on this ship as this company guides us to listen and solve the guests’ requests to go along with Oceania’s philosophy: “Your World Your Way.” The beauty of a small ship is we can react and change to passengers’ requests right away. However, when one lady one cruise ago asked if I could change the next port to a place she wanted to go as she’d been to our port before, I could only stifle my laugh and make a suggestion she stay on board and enjoy the ship facilities instead.”

Echoing Jon’s words were Jason Gelineau, whose ready smile set everyone at ease as he would stop and visit with everyone he passed by. Being in charge of the ship’s facilities, crew and guests is one big job, but one Jason said is a special pleasure with Oceania’s Regatta and its small size intimacy with guests. He said there has been very little turnover with staff, which is indicative they all are happy on the ship, and that attitude spreads to the guests pleasure.

Enjoying the morning buffets on the Terrace were Morgan and Daisy Lee, Han and Elizabeth Wong and Mary Lee. Congenial Food Director Boris was always mingling with the diners on all floors of the many restaurants to make sure everyone was being taken care of and were enjoying the superb food offerings the Cruise Line is noted for. All of the ladies in the group “oohed and aahed” at the Versace dishes we were served on daily in many different beautiful patterns. One Buffet day we even had an Asian lunch with Roast Pig for our enjoyment and pleasure, a nice gesture for the Asian American guests, I thought.

On the last night, Group Travel Agent and Leader Don Chew threw a gala cocktail party in the glass encased top floor Horizons room which, to show the ship’s caring attention, both Leslie Jon and General Manager Jason Gelineau joined in on the festivities with Ken and Rose Chu, Gerry and Pat Hing, Frank and Jennie Lum and the other San Francisco Bay Area happy travelers.

Keeping Calvin and I hopping every day were the wonderful excursions offered by the ship for each port with knowledgeable guides and comfortable busses. In Gibraltar, I fearfully dodged the pesky Barbary apes, saw the Rock of Gibraltar and walked the historic caves once used to fortify the island against invaders. In Andalucia, Spain we visited this sea coast village of white-washed homes. From Portugal ports we traveled along the beautifully serene Portuguese Riviera, visiting charming Sintra and drove to the medieval city of Guimares, Portugal’s first capital with its majestic castle.

Pictured above: Calvin and Gerrye Wong meet Oceania Lines’ Regatta Director Jason Gelineau and Captain Vialiy Silvachynsky

The highlight for me was visiting the architectural marvel and modernistic Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, visiting France’s bustling Bordeaux and its surrounding countryside of endless vineyards, and learning of the history of the area while weaving through the narrow cobblestone streets of quaint Honfleur and Pont Aven. Rouen with its endless pedestrian street of shops satisfied all of the pent-up shopping juices of the travelers who were blissful with the falling Euro rates. Not only were our legs weary from the endless walking, but our eyes were exhausted with the many historic and beautiful sights of this cruise’s itinerary. The testimony to our enthusiasm is that we came home with over 800 pictures on our camera chips!

I brought with me best selling book “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” so when we made port on Guernsey Island, that was especially meaningful to visit where I had read about the hardships the people there faced during WWII with German occupation. For added convenience, Oceania Cruise line offered convenient shuttle services most times to the city centers for those who preferred to see the sites at their own leisurely pace rather than uniform tours.

In January Oceania Cruise Lines is coming out with a larger ship, the Mariner which is offering an enticing itinerary for us West Coast travelers – Miami to San Francisco via the Panama Canal, and return. There are many bargain offerings for this new ship, so act now and choose your 2011 vacation – www.OceaniaCruises.com. If they continue to make the unique enticing bargain offerings of 2 for 1 rates, $1000 gift rebate, complimentary gratuities, and free airfare, I’ll join you – when shall we go?

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Where forty years ago Asian American interracial romance was taboo, today it has become ubiquitous. While commonplace, discussion regarding Asian-American interracial romance is rare. One Asian-American performer examines interracial relationships head-on in his new one-man show, “Chink Monkey: A Journey into Race, Gender and Identity,” premiering at the Phoenix Theater in San Francisco, Saturday June 26, 2010, 7-8pm. For writer and performer, Steven Low, Chink Monkey is the culmination of a six year project.

“When we look at Asian-American interracial romance, we’re opening up a Pandora’s box, “said Steven Low. “It forces us to ask what influences are our identities and our desires?”

Cultural representations of Asian-Americans are a big influence on identity and desire. Steven Low’s repertoire of characters combined with a multi-media presentation creates a provocative and brazenly honest look at these influences. Chink Monkey’s mix of intensity and hilariousness makes for a thought-provoking and entertaining night.

The Phoenix Theater is located at 414 Mason Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, near Powell Street BART. Tickets are $10. For more information visit http://chinkmonkey.wordpress.com/ or contact Steven Low at chinkmonkey@hotmail.com.

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Here’s a different variation on your usual Asian boy violin geek.

This one has racked up 4 million views

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This is Week 42 of AsianWeek’s salute to Chinese American heroes, in strategic partnership with Chinese American Heroes, a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting the contributions of Chinese Americans to America and the world. This week we are going to introduce you to a very unusual organization that promotes Asian Americans, including many Chinese Americans, in politics.

You’ve likely never heard of APAPA. It is the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs organization founded by entrepreneur and visionary C.C. Yin. APAPA’s mission as a non-partisan, educational, non-profit organization is to promote civic responsibility and encourage full participation in our democratic political system.

Since its inception by Yin in 2000, the organization has had a dramatic impact on Asian American, especially Chinese American state level political leaders in California. APAPA’s efforts have been a major factor in the increase of Chinese American political leaders from the low single digits in 2000 to fourteen in 2009. Using advanced organizational techniques, APAPA assists Asian American political aspirants with a large network of donors and sponsors to conduct fundraising events statewide. In the future, APAPA plans to go national. In supporting the successful election of Congresswoman Judy Chu, APAPA has already begun to have a national impact.

Youth are a primary focus of APAPA. Donations from APAPA members fund scholarships and provides invaluable mentoring opportunities for young people who have demonstrated a strong interest in a government leadership careers. A statewide youth leadership conference was held in Southern California in 2009.

Another unique educational venture was the Governor’s Reception initiated in May 2009, in conjunction with celebrating Asian & Pacific Island American Heritage Month. APAPA organized the Joint API Legislative Caucus and met with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to share ideas and learn about his programs. This year, the 2010 Governor’s Reception is scheduled on May 24, 2010.

CAH applauds the non-partisan political initiatives sponsored by APAPA to motivate and support current and future API political leaders and also its programs for voter education. We also applaud philanthropist C. C. Yin who has personally contributed millions of dollars to support APAPA and many Asian American political leaders on a non-partisan basis. Asian Americans are beginning to make major contributions to the political leadership in America, and APAPA is playing a major role in promoting them.

For additional information about Chinese American heroes, please visit the Chinese American Heroes website at www.chineseamericanheroes.org.

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In an effort to strengthen the San Francisco SPCA’s ability to save and protect animals, the organization’s Board of Directors recently announced that Korean American Jennifer Chung will assume the role of board chair and three highly accomplished Bay Area executives will join her on the board.

As the newly appointed board chair, Chung- the first Asian American to assume this position, will be responsible for governing board decisions. She joins the SFSPCA from Genentech, Inc., where she served for five years in product management and marketing roles. Most recently, she served as senior product manager in oncology marketing, where she led the development and execution of marketing initiatives targeting physicians. Chung, graduated from Stanford University, with a B.A. in English and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

“The mission of the SFSPCA has always been very near and dear to my heart, so I couldn’t be happier about using my professional skills to serve as a leader for an organization with so many passionate supporters,” said Chung. “I’m honored to be surrounded by such a talented and experienced board team helping guide the organization.”

Bay Area executives: entrepreneur Ken Fulk of Ken Fulk Design, Inc., Russ Nelson and Jill Nash, senior executives at Salesforce.com and Levi Strauss, respectively, joined the SFSPCA board. Their participation brings additional depth and diverse expertise to the group.

“I speak for all of the board when I say we are thrilled to have Jennifer Chung, Jennifer Scarlett and Jason Walthall lead us through this transition and further our mission of saving and protecting animals,” said Catherine Brown, outgoing SFSPCA board chair who recently completed her three-year term. Brown, who has been a board member since 1997, has been appointed co-vice chair of the board.

According to Chung, the SFSPCA is committed to a comprehensive search to find the right candidate who can most effectively lead the organization long-term, with the ultimate goal of improving the health and welfare of animals and improving relationships with the greater Bay Area animal welfare community.

The San Francisco SPCA is a community-supported, non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving, protecting and providing immediate care for cats and dogs who are homeless, ill or in need of an advocate. The SFSPCA also works long-term to educate the community, reduce the number of unwanted kittens and puppies through spaying and neutering, and improve the quality of life for animals and their human companions. For more information, visit www.sfspca.org.

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Mingle with SF’s young professionals and learn more about Project by Project (PbP), a national volunteer organization focused on issues in the Asian American community. Here’s your chance to drink, network, and meet Project by Project’s core members. Project by Project is proud to announce its 2010 partnership with APA Family Support Services (APA) based in San Francisco.

APA’s mission is to promote healthy families and to prevent child abuse and domestic violence in API communities. APA addresses a variety of Asian immigrant health issues including health disparity, access, awareness, and education through in-home visitation, parent support, mental health services, and community advocacy and development.

Join PbP and APA Family Support Services after work for drinks on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 111 Minna Gallery to:

-Learn about their 2010 campaign and how you can help
-Get involved in their many upcoming volunteer opportunities and events
-Meet their team and network with others interested in non-profits, food, and wine!

To rsvp for the event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128142783881713

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San Francisco, CA - On Saturday, June 19, 2010, the Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC), a non-profit organization based in San Francisco’s Japantown will celebrate its 40th year of Empowering Young People for the Future.

This milestone event will take place at the Japantown Peace Plaza (Post & Buchanan Streets), which will be exclusively tented over for this special occasion. The event will begin at 7pm and continue until midnight. The MCs of the event are Wendy Tokuda, CBS 5, News Anchor and Jeff Mori, Executive Director of Asian American Recovery Services, Inc..

Entertainment will include: Sounds of the 70’s - The Bold Rebels & Lady Red featuring Colette Ikemi, Dance Moves of the 80’s – Funk Beyond Control, R & B Pop Artist, Michelle Martinez & Video Reflections of JCYC from the 1970s to the present.

To purchase tickets go to www.jcyc.org. Visit http://www.jcyc.org for the latest news & events.

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All of you progressive Asian Americas should well be outraged at the unprovoked violence and murder on the high seas commited by Israel against peace ships. I heard all I needed from media icon of 57 years Helen Thomas who just involuntarily “retired” after her viral Youtube video with “The jews should go back home to Germany and Poland”. She confronted Obama’s press secretary with “The initial reaction to the flotilla massacre, deliberate massacre, an international crime, was pitiful… What is this sacrosanct ironclad relationship where a country that deliberately kills people and boycotts every aid.. and abet the boycott?” Well it’s not hard to figure out what side she’s on, is it?

Thomas happens to be the daughter of Christian Arabs who were Lebanese immigrants, not that it colored her viewpoint at all. She’s listed by the Arab American Institute along with other famous Lebanese Americans such as Danny and Marlo “That Girl” Thomas, and Kasey “Scooby Doo” Casem. They aren’t noted for their anti-Israel statements, but Ralph Nader is another who is. Obama’s spin meisters at Media Matters attacked Glenn Beck for pointing out Jodie Evans from Code Pink was in Egypt to deliver “humanitarian aid” to support “Free Gasa” along wth Weather Underground terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn. Obama’s Arab supporters in Chicago are still smarting since Obama dumped them in favor of Jews who gave him much more money. But Jews are finally wondering about Obama’s commitment to Israel when Beck forgot to mention Barack Buddies like Rev. Jeremiah Wright and the disgraced Van Jones have also made famous statements about Israel as the Bad Guys.

The other group flaunting a dove in its crest is the Turkish IHH “Humanitarian Relief Fund”. They are a radical Islamic organization banned by Israel. They are led by Bülent Yildirim who gave a speech in Gaza highlighting unity with Muslim Turkey: “my Palestinian brothers, who are guarded by Allah and the angels – I wish we could …bring Istanbul here to be hit by the bombs instead of you.” Nice. The Danish Research Institute found many links to Al Queda and other global Jihad operatives. So they’re basically terrorists who run humanitarian aid as their day job.
Glenn Beck was reminded of the Rodney King beating video, except it was the “unarmed peace activists and aid workers who are of no threat to Israel” who were doing the beating. The IHH live video of the “attack” carried by al Jazeera clearly showed the commando … using his paintball gun as a shield to protect himself from a savage beating. A counter-terrorism blog illustrated the military critics who thought the raid was bungled because they were simply not prepared for confronting a full-blown intifadah when they were expecting people in a circle singing “give peace a chance”.

In response to the Israeli warning, the good ship Mavi Marmara said that they were unarmed and posed no threat to Israelis. That’s probably why the IDF wasn’t expecting to drop into a party where they get to play pinata where every kid is given a steel pipe for a stick. Also heard in the radio response were the remarks “Shut up, go back to Auschwitz” and “We’re helping Arabs go against the U.S., don’t forget 9/11.” If that doesn’t deserve a Nobel Peace prize, what does?

The IDF showed pictures and videos of the “unarmed” activists using electric saws to create clubs by cutting up ship rails, slingshots and marbles with “Hezbolla” scrawled across the handle, wearing gas masks, face scarfs, and also finding bullet proof vests and night vision rifle scopes, evidently to make sure all of those wheelchairs were safely delivered to crippled people in Gaza. NPR described the 9 victims who were killed as “very religious”. Islamist, political islam religious. But they were not “islamic radicals” since they were delivering “aid”. Many of them recorded martyrdom “goodbye world, hello heaven” videos just like suicide bombers. Turkish newspaper accounts of the death of dual-US citizen Furkan Dogan received comments that praised that he gave his life to Allah at such a young high-school age of 19. His father was happy that he was a martyr in heaven. Others on conservative American blogs compared him to American Taliban Walker Lindh, or surmised he was probably part of the bar room brawl scene tangling with armed soldiers. Bringing pipes and slingshots to a gunfight can hardly result in a good outcome for a 19 year old kid invited to come along by God knows whom. And we’re worried about the Marines rercuiting in high school. The infitada idea was if you don’t have the firepower to match Israeli tanks, throw rocks at them and get martyred by Israeli bullets, winning the global media battle.

Fast-Roping 101

http://www.cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2010/06/fast-roping-101.html

Now Iran has announced they want to send their Navy in to escort their own “peace flotilla”. If you go run a blockade with an aircraft carrier or a rowboat with medical supplies, if it’s Kennedy’s blockade of Cuba, or America’s blockade of Haiphong harbor, or the British blockade of Boston, it’s an act of war, and you can expect somebody to get hurt. Now let’s see, on one side we have a boats full of radical islamist martyr brigades funded by groups who send arms and money to Al Queda calling it a “humanitarian aid” operation. Right. On the other we have Israel who is trying to keep people from smuggling deadly rockets into Gaza and Hamas. I don’t think it should be hard for the Asian Americans who haven’t yet been brainwashed by Marxists in elite American colleges to figure out which side are the good and bad guys.

 

Update: there’s more:

While the usual crowd (pretty much the usual Obama supporters and friends) is still maintaining that Israel took away their cameras that proved it was an unprovoked massacre, the West is largely ignoring the Israeli side, especially the announcement that THERE WAS NO HUMANITARIAN AID on the ship manned largely by terrorist wannabes. Choose wisely when you decide that you are for or against the Flotilla and the Israeli response. One side is for America, freedom and its true allies. The other supports Islamists and their peaceful vision of a world that is no longer  split between “rule under Islam”, or land-at-war-with-Islam.

 

—————————–

no aid supplies on  riot ship

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137997
Published: 06/10/10, 6:33 PM / Last Update: 06/10/10, 7:34 PM
It’s Official: There was No Humanitarian Aid on Mavi Marmara
by Gil Ronen

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed Israel’s representatives the world over that there were never any humanitarian supplies or equipment aboard the Mavi Marmara, where Israeli commandos were ambushed by armed mercenaries posing as peace activists. The commandos opened fire and killed nine of the attackers after three soldiers had been brutalized and temporarily captured.
 
Of the seven flotilla ships that were intercepted by Israel on May 31 and afterward, only four were freight ships, the MFA reported to its embassies and consulates: The Challenger 1 (a small yacht), the Sfendonh (a small passenger boat) and the Mavi Marmara (a passenger ship) did not carry any humanitarian aid, and had only the passengers’ personal belongings

The soldiers reported that the activists had fired on them during the confrontation and that at least two commandos suffered gunshot wounds. After the incident, 9mm bullet casings were found - a kind not used by the naval commandos

Post-operation assessments have the number of hard-core activists involved in the fighting at between 60 and 100. It appears that they were well trained and experienced, especially in view of the arsenal found and code books used to pass on orders from group leaders. Among the rioters, in addition to Turks, were Yemenis, Afghans and one person from Eritrea. All were apparently experienced in hand-to-hand fighting. Some of them did not retreat when shots were fired.

“This was not a disturbance that went awry. It was a planned ambush.”

At one point, the attackers nabbed one commando, wrested away his handgun, and threw him down from the top deck to the lower deck, 30 feet below. The soldier sustained a serious head wound and lost his consciousness.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3896796,00.html
 Only after this injury did Flotilla 13 troops ask for permission to use live fire. The commander approved it: You can go ahead and fire. The soldiers pulled out their handguns and started shooting at the rioters’ legs, a move that ultimately neutralized them. Meanwhile, the rioters started to fire back at the commandoes.

 

“I saw the tip of a rifle sticking out of the stairwell,” one commando said. “He fired at us and we fired back. We didn’t see if we hit him. We looked for him later but couldn’t find him.” Two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds to their knee and stomach

 

 

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