simple living

My school's version of simple living, or living intentionally, has commenced. Bryce and I facilitated the first family gathering and meals will begin after the holiday weekend. I believe this will be an interesting and very relational semester. As we continue, I will be sure to update our status.

angry Asians

Article featured in New Demographic e-newletters:

Why are Asian-Americans so damn angry all the time?

I was thrilled to be a part of a panel discussion about Asian-American media activism at the Museum of Chinese in the Americas (MoCA) in New York City on July 23rd titled "WHY SO ANGRY ???"

We discussed some of the major media incidents of the last ten years, including Miss Saigon, Hot 97's Tsunami Song, Rosie O'Donnell, and Kenneth Eng.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jeff Yang moderated the discussion. The panelists included Andrew Hsiao (WBAI, New Press), Albert Lim (Fallout Central), Beau Sia (Def Jam Poet), Minya Oh aka Miss Info (HOT 97 FM), and Phil Yu (AngryAsianMan.com).

One of the main points I made during the discussion was that we need to ask ourselves where the impulse to protest is coming from.

Are you opposed to the Long Duk Dong caricature because as an anti-racist you believe all racist stereotypes are demeaning and dehumanizing? Or are you opposed to it because it is personally inconvenient to you? e.g., makes it harder for you to get laid.

Are you opposed to the "me love you long time" stereotype because it is racist and sexist? Or are you opposed to it because it personally inconveniences you? e.g., makes every man think you will give it up for "one dollah one dollah!"

If you're Asian-American and you are moved to protest an offensive Asian-American stereotype because of your anti-racist beliefs, then you should be just as likely to protest an equally offensive African-American, or Latino, or Arab-American stereotype.

But I just don't see a whole lot of that coming out of the Asian-American community (or any other communities, for that matter). Which makes me think that for many people, activism is not truly about anti-racism or anti-sexism, but more about consolidating their own power base in society.

I hope that more people will take up no. 3 of New Demographic's core beliefs:

We go beyond the concerns of the specific community to which we belong and recognize that when one group is discriminated against, it is an affront to us all.

For more about the panel, check out Kai Chang's write-up on Zuky.net.

comic

thoughts? comments? emotions?

The Vine House

At the end of the street where I live this summer is the Vine House. It serves as a ministry to the homeless on our side of the city, the Westside. On Monday and Wednesday, people can come for a time of fellowship and breakfast. It's a good ministry and I enjoy volunterring. The woman who is in charge of the Vine House and I have had some great conversations about the mindset of the homeless. If I get the chance to go to LA, I'd like to visit the Dream Center and see what services they offer the homeless as well.

adoption

The resident directors of a dorm at school are in the process of adopting a little boy and little girl. Currently, they are overseas going through the paperwork. Mateo has spent the last few days with them and I am so excited for them! Here's a link to their blogspot: children are a gift from God...powell adoption

So You Want to Be a Writer

by charles bukowski

if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.

don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.

Yellow Rage

one word: Wow!

Def Poetry Jam

Youth for Christ

I arrived yesterday in California and have been trying to settle in. As of June 1st, there will be six women living in the Youth for Christ mission house. Supper last night was eaten at a Mexican restaurant with Tana, Kenny, and Marvin. Marvin will be my supervisor for the summer and Kenny is his wingman. Kenny and I are attending UYWI National Conference this weekend (UYWI stands for Urban Youth Workers Institute). From the information on the website, this conference is going to be amazing!! The variety of workshops is incredible and though tired from travel yesterday, I am ready to learn.

God,
I continue to commit this summer to you. Through all my doubts and intellectual struggles, I know you have something great planned for this summer. I am ready to be a part of it. At the conference this weekend, I commit every moment to you. Teach me what it is I need to learn, what it is that you need me to learn. May this summer by a time of stretching in which you grow me to become a more passionate, people loving, grace giving, incarnational version of you.

freedom of speech

While speaking with friends who write for the school newspaper, the discussion of censorship arose. Because it is a school-sponsored newspaper, opinions or views that could reflect negatively on the school are not heard. I am tempted to start a one page underground bulletin which highlights student written work about anything and everything. The bulletin would contain a short intro paragraph and the rest of the articles could be found online. The major obstacle would be finding authors who would commit to writing on a consistent basis.....

Displace Me 2007

It was amazing in the "open your eyes and see reality" sense of the word amazing. To spend a night sleeping in cardboard huts with about 5,000 other people boggles my mind. My little cardboard hut was graciously attached to that of the basketball girls (Rachel and Dani), Danielle, and Laura. It was great to have people who let me be a part of their little group. The evening was spent through simulation exercises. Did you know that women ages 18-22 must walk with jugs on their heads a length of two miles to retrieve water? And that men gather the food for the family? Just some interesting facts...for those interested in activism, Schools 4 Schools is a great way to become involved with Invisible Children.