Friday, February 20, 2009

Food Review: Ebikomaru

Aside from politics, Asian American randomness, Chicago drama, I love talking about food. I've always wanted to do random food reviews because my digital camera has so many pictures that I could essentially have my own collection of food p0rn. One of my goals in doing these reviews is to have an excuse to try food I haven't had before. Primarily food I have not eaten from the Tai Nam Supermarket, located by the Argyle red line station.



Today's snack is the Ebikomaru. I saw this and thought, hmm, shrimp wafers? Is it like the shrimp chips?

Upon closer examination and tastes, my partner and I agreed that while the snack is visually nice, it's taste was sadly blandish in flavor. We wanted it to work, but it didn't in the end. It had a weird light shrimp fishy smelling wafer deal. You know?


Poor Ebikomaru. Stay tuned for another blog post on another random food item from Tai Nam!

JACL Letter To American Girl Brands

JACL Letter To American Girl Brands

February 17, 2009
Ms. Ellen Brothers
President
American Girl Brands
8400 Fairway Place
Middleton, WI 53562-0998

Dear Ms. Brothers:
As the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights and education organization in the United States, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) commends American Girl for its commitment to diversity and for promoting values that strengthen the character of young girls in our nation. However, it has come to our attention from one of our members that the packaging for your World War II doll contains a diorama that includes the headline "Japs bomb Pearl Harbor."

We fully understand the need to promote your series of historical dolls by using photos and images that depict a particular era in our history, but we are concerned by your choice of a headline that uses a racial epithet. The world has changed greatly in the sixty years since World War II. The term "jap" is a racial slur and though its use may have been tolerated during World War II, its use is certainly not tolerated today. You should be aware that the use of that term during the 1940s helped to vilify and demean Japanese Americans and was a factor that led to their forced eviction from their homes and communities on the West Coast, followed by their confinement in concentration camps.

Moreover, we are especially concerned because your product is marketed to young, impressionable children who may come to believe that the use of the term is acceptable. We don't believe there was malicious intent in packaging the dolls with this headline. We would request that you act immediately to repackage the World War II dolls in an appropriate manner removing the headline.

I look forward to your response to our concern.

Sincerely,
William Yoshino
Midwest Director
Japanese American Citizens League

Japanese American Citizens League
Midwest Regional Office
5415 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL
773-728-7170

Bobby Jindal to give GOP Response to President


As stated by CNN, Gov. Bobby Jindal will be giving the GOP response to the President's upcoming speech to Congress.

I think it's great that there are more AsAms around politics, but at the same time, I've read on some of the stances Gov. Jindal has on issues important to me and I'm not a fan of them. This is one of those one handed clapping moments. Yeah. Awkward.

Source

Chicago Filipino Health Volunteer Opportunity - Mtg 2/21 @ 11 AM @ Mercy Family Health Center

Maligayang Bagong Taon! We hope this email finds you well. The
Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) is a
collaborative of community, health professional, and academic leaders
united to address Filipino health issues in the Chicago area. The
mission of FACHIC is to increase awareness of Filipino health
disparities, to engage the community in relevant research, and to
implement health interventions and educational programming to improve
the health status of the Filipino community.

FACHIC is currently recruiting dynamic, compassionate and dedicated
individuals of all backgrounds who would like to contribute to efforts
to improve the health of the Chicago area Filipino and Filipino
American community. Individuals with expertise and experience in
medicine, nursing, public health, social work, education and
translation are a plus but anyone interested in contributing to the
Filipino community is highly encouraged to attend.

FACHIC will be hosting its second annual Volunteer Interest Meeting on
Saturday, February 21, 2009 from 11 AM to 12 PM at a Mercy Family
Health Center, Main Floor Conference Room, located at 2525 S Michigan
Ave, Chicago, IL. Free parking is available in the main lot located
near the intersection of 26th and Michigan accessible by 26th street.
The front door of Mercy Family Health Center is directly across from
the main lot. Please check in at the security desk. A FACHIC
representative will direct you to the conference room.

At the meeting, FACHIC Steering and Advisory Board Members will
discuss the mission and vision of the organization and ways you can
contribute your skills and talents to improve the health of the
Filipino community.

RSVP to the meeting is recommended by email to
filamcommunityhealth@gmail.com. Light refreshments will be served.

If you are interested in getting involved with FACHIC but are unable
to attend the meeting, please contact us at
filamcommunityhealth@gmail.com to be added to our volunteer listserv
and to get more details. FACHIC is also on Facebook! Search under
"FACHIC" and join "FACHIC: Filipino American Community Health
Initiative of Chicago" to join our group!

Please pass on the word and we hope to see you there! Be involved, be
active, empower your community!

Maraming salamat po,

FACHIC Steering Board

Carmela Estrada
JP Jael
Jane Jih

FACHIC Advisory Board

Carmen Estacio
Mike Mendoza
Dan Vicencio

The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC)
is a collaborative of community, health professional, and academic
leaders united to address Filipino health issues in the Chicago area.
The mission of FACHIC is to increase awareness of Filipino health
disparities, to engage the community in relevant research, and to
implement health interventions and educational programming to improve
the health status of the Filipino community.

Hepatitis B Policy Fellowship

Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations

Hepatitis B Policy Fellowship

Deadline to Apply: March 2, 2009

For further questions regarding eligibility or the application process, please contact

hepBfellow@aapcho.org or call 510.272.9536 x 103.

Purpose: The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations

(AAPCHO) is establishing a Hepatitis B Policy Fellowship Program in 2009.

In the United States, an estimated 2 million people are living with chronic hepatitis

B, with a disproportionate impact on the Asian American and Pacific Islander

community. It is thought that over 800,000 Asian Americans in total are living with

the disease, comprising more than 40 percent of all cases in the United States.

Recent studies have found that 10 percent of foreign‐born Asian Americans are

chronically infected with hepatitis B.

Approximately 25 percent of people with chronic hepatitis B develop chronic liver

disease, cirrhosis or primary liver cancer – this is unnecessary and unacceptable

chronic hepatitis B is a treatable disease. Many are unaware of their condition

because hepatitis B can progress without noticeable symptoms. Without awareness,

screening and diagnosis, these people are not receiving treatment that could slow

the disease, and may unintentionally be exposing others to the hepatitis B virus. The

lack of routine screening in Asian American communities in the United States is one

of the main reasons why rates of liver cancer are significantly higher in these

communities compared to other ethnic groups.

Program Description: The fellowship is a year‐long program based in Washington

D.C. and will be awarded to a medical, public health, or policy professional who is

interested in strengthening the collaboration between key stakeholders and the

federal government in order to achieve practical solutions for the disparate impact

of hepatitis B on Asian American and Pacific Islanders. Key goals of the fellowship

will be:

1) To facilitate collaboration among grassroots efforts, health organizations and

governmental entities to advance healthcare policy and practices that are designed

to support effective screening, treatment and prevention initiatives for hepatitis B in

the Asian American and Pacific Islander community; and

2) To inform and support efforts by the Congressional Asian Pacific American

Caucus (CAPAC) members and other Congressional members to adopt a policy

platform and legislative agenda that effectively reduces the prevalence of hepatitis B

and increases care and treatment programs in heavily impacted communities.

Eligibility: All applicants are required to meet the following criteria:

♦ Applicants must be a citizen or legal resident of the United States;

♦ Applicants must be at a mid‐career level with at least five years of

management responsibility;

♦ Applicants must have completed a master's degree or doctorate (or the

equivalent thereof) in health services research, clinical services (including

providers), health administration, health law, health policy or a related

discipline such as economics or political science;

♦ Applicants should have demonstrated expertise in health policy issues,

particularly hepatitis B, and track record of informing health policy through

research, policy analysis or clinical leadership

Selection Criteria and Process: Fellows must be able to participate in the program

from March 2009 through March 2010 and reside / relocate to the Washington DC

metropolitan area. Applications should be submitted to AAPCHO and will be

reviewed by a selection committee. Final selection of the fellow will be made in

February 2009.

A prospective fellow must demonstrate professional experience and competence in

hepatitis B advocacy, financing and/or clinical services. Fellows must also

demonstrate significant interest in public policy and activities of the Legislative

branch and exemplify strong interest in applying hepatitis B field knowledge to

crafting and driving targeted policies to reduce the burden of hepatitis B amongst

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Fellows must be able to work in a fast‐paced

environment with minimal supervision, communicate effectively on a wide variety

of topics and be able to work cooperatively with a diverse group of individuals and

organizations.

Application: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications for the 2009

fellowship is March 2, 2009. Applications should be submitted electronically to

AAPCHO at hepBfellow@aapcho.org and should include the following materials:

♦ A resume or curriculum vitae providing information about educational

background, professional employment and activities, professional

publications and presentations, public policy and legislative experience and

committee and advisory group appointments, particularly when related to

hepatitis B;

♦ A statement of no more than 750 words addressing the applicant's interests

in the fellowship, career goals, contributions the applicant believes he or she

can make as a hepatitis B professional to the legislative process and what the

applicant hopes to learn from the experience;

♦ A list of three professional references from the applicant's previous

institution(s) or organization(s) who can comment on the applicant's ability

to work with the CAPAC and other members of U.S. Congress as a special

legislative liaison.

For further questions regarding eligibility or the application process, please contact

hepBfellow@aapcho.org or call 510.272.9536 x 103.

Compensation: The fellowship stipend will be up to $75,000 per year plus benefits,

including health insurance and dental insurance. The stipend will be based upon

years of advanced experience. A portion of the relocation and transportation costs

may be covered.

About AAPCHO

AAPCHO is a national association representing community health organizations

dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the

health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

in the United States. Since its inception in 1987, AAPCHO has advocated for policies

and programs that improve the provision of health care services that are community

driven, financially affordable, linguistically accessible, and culturally appropriate. As

a unified voice of its membership, AAPCHO shares its collective knowledge and

experiences with policy makers at the national, state, and local levels.

Victoria Tung | Executive Director | Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus | Congressman Michael M. Honda

1713 Longworth HOB | Washington, D.C. 20515 | (w) 202-225-2631 | (f) 202-225-2699

Night at the MOVIES w/Asian Human Services: Colma-The Musical

The Banyan Tree Project @ Asian Human Services will be hosting
another movie night in the city:

We will be showing

COLMA: The musical

Trailer link: http://www.colmafilm.com/trailer-page.html

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 7:00pm-9:00pm

Bridgeview Bank Building – Uptown

It will be a fun and fantastic night, with a discussion to follow.

*please spread the word and tell your friends, family and colleagues*

ATTACHED IS THE FLYER

Sincerely,

William Baciles Tutol, M.A.

HIV/AIDS Prevention Project Coordinator

Asian Human Services

4753 N. Broadway Suite 700

Chicago, IL 60640

wtutol@ahschicago.org

front desk: 773.293.8430

direct: 773.293.8480

fax: 773.561.1396

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Wong Fu Productions: Up In Da Club


For those Asian American video/mv junkies out there, there's Wong Fu Productions. I've been seeing this project pop up in my face on some blogs and well, I got intrigued. I've posted the 1st part of a 4 part comedy about a guy learning how to club aka drink, get jiggy with it while impressing the cute accountant at work. I watched all four and it's been a blast. I've also SEEN these guys in person, they're really nice guys! In the meantime, take a look at part I of an AsAm man, embarking on his journey to be club-savvy.

Wing Luke Asian Museum's 2009 Annual Dinner

NOTE: This event looks so badass because of this guy's picture pose. Makes me wanna go!
Wing Luke Asian Museum's 2009 Annual Dinner & Auction
featuring the Art of Cuisine with emcee Mark Dacascos, Chairman of Iron Chef America

Saturday, April 4, 2009
Bell Harbor International Conference Center
2211 Alaskan Way in Seattle's Pier 66
Tickets: $150-$500. To purchase, call (206) 623.5124 ext. 107.

Taste your way through a selection of art-inspired appetizers created by local chefs, learn about their inspirations and vote for a favorite. Culinary creations will be presented by chefs Gerold Castro of Kawali Grill, Gian Jaswal of India Bistro, Alex Nguyen of Saigon Bistro, Alan Quan of Four Seas, Christina Scholz of ATA Farms, and Rachel Yang of Joule.

Artists featured in the auction include: James Lawrence ArdeƱa, Alfredo Arreguin, Arturo Artorez, Barbara Barnes Allen, Sonja Blomdahl, Romson Bustillo, Virginia Causey, MalPina Chan, Diem Chau, Don de Llamas, Janell de Varona, Marita Dingus, Jack Eng, Catherine Foster, Akiko Graham, Aaliyah Gupta, Amy Hara, Mark Horiuchi, late Paul Horiuchi, Etsuko Ichikawa, Mary Ishii, Louise Kikuchi, Fumiko Kimura, Marilyn Kreft, Bobbie Larson, Alan Lau, Gwendolyn Lee, Cheryll Leo-Gwin, Kathy Liao, Lee Sik Lim, Lolan Lo Cheng, Jane Molnar McCormmach, Benjamin Moore, Saya Moriyasu, Benjamin Muchnick, Maureen Murphy Herward, Mira Nakashima, Jennifer Nerad, Thu Nguyen, Corrine Okada Takara, Nori Okamura, Reid Ozaki, Tommer Peterson, Michael Roco, Michael Ryan, Britt Rynearson, June Sekiguchi, Joby Shimomura, Evert Sodergren, Aki Sogabe, late Robert Sperry, Taiko Suzuki, Teresa Tamura, Gerard Tsutakawa, late Windsor Utley, ZZ Wei, Barry Wong, Rick Wong, Stewart Wong, Junko Yamamoto, and Thomas Zalewski.

All proceeds from the Dinner & Auction will go towards the Wing Luke Asian Museum's operations and programs.

The Wing Luke Asian Museum engages the public in exploring issues related to the culture, art and history of Asian Pacific Americans. A Smithsonian Institution affiliate, the Wing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle's Chinatown-International District is the premier pan-Asian Pacific American museum in the country.

Contact: Joann Natalia Aquino, Public Relations and Marketing Manager, at (206) 623-5124 ext. 106 or jaquino@wingluke.org.

*************************************************
Joann Natalia Aquino
Public Relations and Marketing Manager
Wing Luke Asian Museum
719 South King Street
Seattle, WA 98104
www.wingluke.org
(206) 623.5124 ext. 106
(206) 623.4559 fax
jaquino@wingluke.org

Depaul Asian American Studies Spring 09 Class Offerings

Registration at DePaul starts today. Help spread the word about our Asian
American Studies Spring '09 course offerings.

Thanks,

Camelia Rodriguez
Asian American Studies Program Assistant
DePaul University

GAY OLE JAMBOREE!

GAY OLE JAMBOREE!

A rockin’ rollickin’ welcome to the new LGBTQ Office...
Come mix & mingle with other glbt students & our allies--and see our shiny new digs!
Kick back to the tunes, beats & rhymes with a line-up of Columbia’s own glbt singer-songwriters & poets.
Bring friends and honeys. Or be sassy & solo.

WHEN? March 4, 2009
WHERE? 618 S. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor
TIME? 7:00PM - 9:00PM

It’ll be cozy! It’ll be rockin! It’ll be a jammin’ good time.

And yes, of course, there will be GAY SNAXXX.

Questions? Email us back or call the LGBTQ Office at: 312.369.8594

Love,
The Gay Ole Team
@ the LGBTQ Office of Culture & Community

Blago Blogs?

This Blago business is beginning to be a source of amusement because of all this silliness. So, Blago updated his Facebook AGAIN.

Hey Everyone,

State tuned, we will be unveiling a new web site soon.

We will post info when it is up and running.

Rod and Patti


Oy veye. Let's see how this works out.

Designer Condoms by Alex Wang


Fashion Designer Alex Wang is teaming up with Planned Parenthood to design Proper Attire Condoms.


Ms. Parker likes it. Ms. Wintour, not so much. Lawls.

Source, Source

APA for Progress PAC Launches Glen S. Fukushima Campaign Fellowship and Placement with Judy Chu's Campaign for Congress


APA for Progress PAC Launches Glen S. Fukushima Campaign Fellowship and Placement with Judy Chu's Campaign for Congress

Asian Pacific Americans for Progress PAC (APAP PAC) today announced the launch of its Glen S. Fukushima Campaign Fellowship and the placement of the Fellow with Dr. Judy Chu's campaign for California's 32nd Congressional District, which will be vacant should current Congresswoman Hilda Solis resign to become the U.S. Secretary of Labor.

The campaign fellowship is made possible through a donation by Glen. S. Fukushima, a former Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative for Japan and China at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Executive Office of the President.

APAP PAC is currently accepting applications. Go to http://www.apaforprogress.org/apap-pac to learn more and apply. Applications are due on Feb. 28, 2009, at 11 p.m. Pacific Time.

Mr. Fukushima, a veteran of NCR Corp., AT&T Corp., and Cadence Design Systems, Inc., is a California native, a Fulbright Fellow, and a graduate of Stanford University, Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Law School. He is currently CEO of Airbus Japan.

"With such a competitive race ahead of us, I'm so thankful for a Campaign Fellow from APA for Progress," said Dr. Chu. "The Fellow will play an important role in my efforts to share my experience and vision with the voters of the 32rd Congressional District."

"Judy Chu's entire public service career has been dedicated to improving the lives of her constituents and all Californians," said Curtis Chin, a member of APAP PAC. "As an educator, local school board member, a city councilmember and mayor, an Assemblywoman and now as chair of the California State Board of Equalization, Judy has proven to be a champion of a broad range of causes, including working families, education and government as a force for good."

"Throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, I saw the incredible impact that young activists were making in President Barack Obama's campaign," said Mr. Fukushima. "My support of the APA for Progress Campaign Fellow is one modest way that I can contribute to the ongoing growth and development of a new generation of political leadership."

"APA for Progress PAC would like to express our deep appreciation to Glen Fukushima for his investment in our program to promote young activists," said Chin. "Because of this support, we can not only assist Dr. Judy Chu in her campaign, but also provide an opportunity for a young person to learn about campaigning first-hand."

Asian Pacific Americans for Progress is a national network of progressive Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and allies that organizes educational programs with an affiliated political action committee that endorses candidates and engages in campaign activities. For more information, visit apaforprogress.org.

Disappearing and reappearing

Hi folks! I disappeared from the blogging world for almost a week! I'm sorry! *sad face* I got sick over Valentine's weekend then I got sick again on President's Day. Then work got really busy for me so here I am, finally!! Lots of news going on this week, including more Burris and Miley drama. GEEZZZZZ....