Civil rights activist Helen Zia invites you to celebrate May by joining in the National AAPI Week of Service from May 24th – 31st! Watch her video and search for various service opportunities and events for you to contribute to the AAPI community this month. Look for opportunities to serve here. (This message goes with Kal Penn Announcing USAService.org)
National AAPI Week of Service Message from Helen Zia
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Chinese American director Justin Lin learned his trade form the UCLA Film School. The film that put him on the map was “Better Luck Tomorrow”. This film made waves at The Sundance Film Festival when a member of the audience asked how Justin & co. could “make a film as so empty and amoral for Asian Americans and for Americans”. Movie critic Roger Ebert stepped up and defended the film. In 2002, Justin made it on Variety Magazine’s “Ten Directors to Watch”. From independent films, he jumped into Hollywood films. His first studio picture was Annapolis, which was greeted with mixed reviews, but found an audience in DVDs. His next film was “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” which took in almost $160 million worldwide. This was an amazing feat considering this was a whole new cast from the original “The Fast and the Furious”. Drifting became the “in” thing. Justin Lin went back to indie flix by directing the hilarious “Finishing the Game: The Search for a New Bruce Lee”. Currently, Justin Lin is filming “The Fast and the Furious 4”
Watch this short documentary “BUILDING A JOURNEY: FROM BETTER LUCK TOMORROW TO FINISHING THE GAME” – Part 1 of 3:
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Part 2 of 3:
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Part 3 of 3:
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Johnny Damon was born in Kansas. His mother, Yome, is Thai and his father, Jimmy, is a Caucasian American of Croatian and Irish descent. He was an Army brat most of his childhood and eventually settled in Orlando, Florida for his senior year of high school. He was rated the top high school prospect in the country by Baseball America, named to USA Today’s High School All-America team, and selected as Florida Gatorade Player of the Year.
Straight from high school, Johnny Damon was drafted in the first round by the Kansas City Royals in 1992. After stint with the Royals and Athletics, he landed with the Boston Red Sox. In 2004, Damon was instrumental in helping the Boston Red Sox win their first championship in 86 years. (He hit a grand slam against the Yankees in the ALCS.) He caught a lot of flack from Boston fans when he signed with the Yankees in 2005.
Boston Red Sox Johnny Damon
New York Yankees Johnny Damon
During the 2004 post-season, Johnny Damon was compared to looking like Jesus.
After being with New York for three seasons now, most people know Johnny Damon as one of the leaders of the Yankees. However, away from baseball, the outfielder is an active leader in the Thai community, trying to get more Asian athletes involved in the sport. Even though he’s not generally thought of as an Asian athlete, he takes pride in being an Asian American role model.
Watch Johnny Damon in this special report:
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THE 18 MIGHTY MOUNTAIN WARRIORS grew out of a comedy ensemble called the New Godzilla Theater in residence at Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco from 1993-1994. Since its premiere production, In Deep Shabu Shabu, in September 1994, the group has written and produced a dozen feature shows, performed numerous workshop productions and benefit one-night stands around the greater Bay Area, and toured nationally and internationally at colleges, universities, arts festivals and theatrical venues. The group is also known for its various “performances” at bars and clubs in San Francisco’s Japantown and Tenderloin districts. Over the years, the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors have established themselves as a new force in Asian Pacific Islander American arts. They’ve been touted as the “Asian American version of In Living Color,” were picked as the “Smash Hit” of the 1996 Hong Kong Fringe Arts Festival (the second largest in the world after the Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and were said to have “blown any episode of SNL out of the water in the past decade.” They wield their unique brand of comedy–culled from influences ranging from Monty Python’s Flying Circus to In Living Color to Culture Clash to Hong Kong slapstick comedies and action movies–both to entertain and to provoke thought about the issues that affect Asian Pacific Islander Americans. However, the cross-over appeal to non-Asian Pacific Islander American audiences is very strong as well, because the group approaches issues in a non-didactic manner and believes that laughter knows no cultural boundaries.
As artists and activists, the group seeks to explore and articulate images of Asian Pacific Islander Americans alternative to what has been perpetuated in the mainstream media. One of the group’s strategies is to push the envelope as comedic performers in both style and content, as well as to break down prevailing stereotypes and promote more positive images. Much of the group’ s impact lies in its lack of hesitation in lambasting the Asian American community itself as well. Almost all the faces of Asian America are represented, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Filipino backgrounds, allowing the group to represent a wide range of cultures and perspectives.
The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors are:
* Harold S. Byun
* Valiant Chow
* Rhoda Gravador
* Rania Ho
* Michael Chih Ming Hornbuckle
* Todd Nakagawa
* Greg Watanabe
* Pearl Wong
* Peter J. Wong
Watch the latest 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors video:
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James Hong has been in over 450 feature movies and TV shows. Versatility has been James Hong’s trademark throughout his career as an actor and entertainer for over 50 years. He’s played all kinds of roles from good guys to bad guys to ancient old men. He has entertained millions as Lo Pan in “Big Trouble in Little China”, the voice of Chi Fu in “Mulan”, and appeared opposite popular stars like Harrison Ford in “Blade Runner” and Jack Nicholson in “Chinatown” and “The Two Jakes”. His television credentials include Kung-Fu (both past and present), Hawaii 5-0, Seinfeld, Chicago Hope, and many more.
Born in Minneapolis and “becoming too Americanized,” Hong was sent by his father to Hong Kong for a Chinese elementary education. He returned to the United States shortly before the outbreak of World War II and entered school in Minneapolis at the age of ten without knowing a word of English. He somehow caught up, and in college he studied civil engineering to please his parents. He started at the University of Minnesota and ultimately graduated from the University of Southern California.
His engineering career did not last very long. His first stint in show business was performing in a nightclub comedy duo with his partner, Don Parker. His flair for comedy led to a spot as a contestant on “You Bet Your Life,” where his impersonation of host Groucho Marx earned him a contract at a popular San Francisco club, Forbidden City. Soon after he worked nonstop in television and film.
However, James Hong has been frustrated with the lack of diversity in his roles.
In 1965, he and several fellow Asian actors established the East West Players, a theatre company in Los Angeles designed to give voice to the Asian Pacific-American community. According to the Asian American theater company, about 75% of Asian American performers in action living in Los Angeles have worked at East West Players. Ideally, James Hong would like to play some doctors or head businessmen or lawyers.
James Hong has paved the way for many Asian American actors. Although the roles he were not his ideal roles, he continues to look for more ways to expand the opportunities of Asian American actors including producing, directing, and starring in the feature film “Just Dance”, which will feature his daughter, actor April Hong.
Conversation with James Hong Part 1
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Conversation with James Hong Part 2
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The Far*East Movement (FM) was formed by emcees: Kev Nish (Kevin Nishimura), Prohgress (James Roh), and J-Splif (Jae Choung). The three childhood friends found their love for music fresh out of high school and created recognition for the group in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene through energetic live shows and a strong Internet presence.
Forming Catch Music Group with manager Carl Choi in 2004, the group has since been developed into a rising force destined for World recognition. The group has achievements on an independent level that some major label groups could only dream to attain. Far East Movement has embarked on 2 World Tours (including the USA, South America, Canada, & Asia). Their music has been featured on “CSI,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and Justin Lin’s “Finishing the Game.”
Currently, Far East Movement is working on their sophomore album “Animal” slated for release in 2008. The album includes guest appearances by platinum selling artists Lil Rob and Baby Bash. Recently, they also collobrated with the Korean popstar Se7en on his upcoming English album.
If you are in the NorCal area (San Francisco & Sacramento), look for FM performing in your area.
05/16/2008 11:30 AM – Foothill High School Rally
Foothill High School
Sacramento, California
Descrīption:email 4cthepower@gmail.com for info
05/16/2008 02:30 PM – 4C the Power Place;
Follow-up for Hip Hop Music, Spoken Word and Singing Workshops
Grant High School
Sacramento, California
Descrīption:email 4cthepower@gmail.com for info
05/16/2008 10:00 PM – UC DAVIS – AAAFF After Party
UC DAVIS
DAVIS, California
Descrīption:email 4cthepower@gmail.com for show info and tickets. Host – DDK
5/17/2008 07:00 PM – Stanford University Manzanita Dining Hall
– Stanford Hmong Student Union & 4C the Power
661 Escondido Rd.
Stanford, California
Descrīption:email 4cthepower@gmail.com for show info and tickets
Watch this interview with Far East Movement:
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Watch this Far East Movement’s music video Round Round:
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