tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18822808688138715532024-03-10T12:35:00.988-04:00AsianBlackCoA Blasian Community BlogOnicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04270348009583572124noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-34767997061588913272021-05-14T08:38:00.004-04:002024-02-07T08:22:10.406-05:00dusting things off<br>It's been a while huh?<br><br>
Honestly I thought I was finished here. Yet I never deleted the blog. Somehow I guess I knew, there's still so much more to be shared.<br><br>
Lemme just clean up around here a bit. Then we can get back to business!<br><br>
Onicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04270348009583572124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-26006636108512335162013-07-11T20:17:00.003-04:002022-01-15T10:24:47.440-05:00Capture the Spirit of Ramadan International Photography CompetitionHave you heard about the 3rd Annual "Capture the Spirit of Ramadan" International Photography Competition (IRPC)? The competition aims to bring people together from around the world in an effort to counter the negative images of Islam often seen in the media. The competition is open to all photographers, regardless of religion, to capture the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan.<br /><br />
The competition strives to open people's minds and hearts to the good in the Islamic faith. Islamophobia is still rampant in America with the media showing images of terrorism and hatred. By showing images of everyday Americans enjoying Ramadan, viewers will get to see inside of the faith that teaches true devotion through restraint and patience. This serves as a unique form of education through images rather than words.<br />
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IRPC is eager to (1) recruit professional photographers in America, regardless of religion, to submit entries, and (2) widen the viewership of Americans through their 55,000+ strong social media platforms.<br />
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<b>IRPC is a unique international photography competition</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Publishes all online photo entries (that pass the submission criteria for quality and technical expertise, not just selected finalists and winners) daily throughout Ramadan</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Strives to give as much exposure to photographs throughout the year--an incentive for novice photographers</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Hosts an international touring exhibition of the IRPC photography collection (US exhibitions are currently in negotiations with the Arab American National Museum and the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim Christian Understanding at Georgetown University).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Is a non-profit, year-round 100% volunteer initiative</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>About IRPC</b><br />
<br />
IRPC was founded by Basel Almisshal, a professional photographer, in Ramadan 2011. IRPC has seen massive growth in its first two years, and will have an exhibition at The Museum of Islamic Arts in Malaysia during Ramadan 2014.<br />
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IRPC is a unique 30-day visual celebration of Ramadan, which began July 10, 2013. Artists from over 60 countries have shared images to over 3 million viewers in previous years.<br />
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To learn more, visit - www.spiritoframadan.org<br /><br />
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-15717147753719213212013-06-03T14:10:00.001-04:002021-12-30T16:12:14.821-05:00One Drop of Love show & documentary film One Drop of Love is a solo show and documentary film that journey from the U.S. to East & West Africa and from 1790 to the present as a culturally Mixed woman explores the influence of the One Drop Rule on her family and society.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/user/EuphoriaLuv/media/abc/1306/onedropoflove.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt="One Drop of Love show and documentary film" border="0" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abc/1306/onedropoflove.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
One Drop of Love is back in LA for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Fridays June 21st and 28th and Sunday June 30th. <br />
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The June 30th show is a fundraiser for <a href="http://www.mascsite.org/" target="_blank">MASC</a> and a <a href="http://www.lovingday.org/" target="_blank">Loving Day</a> celebration. <br />
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Tickets are on sale now, here: <a href="http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1349" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1349</a> <br />
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More info on the show and documentary: <a href="http://www.onedropoflove.org/" target="_blank">www.onedropoflove.org</a>Onicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04270348009583572124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-59384034166686979642013-06-03T02:03:00.008-04:002021-12-12T17:43:53.453-05:00One Big Hapa Family FilmOne Big Hapa Family explores why a Japanese family married interracially and how this reflects the 95% intermarriage rate for Japanese Canadians in Canada. <br /><br />
<b>About the Film</b><br /><br />
After a family reunion, Japanese-Canadian filmmaker Jeff Chiba Stearns embarks on a journey of self-discovery to find out why everyone in his Japanese-Canadian family married interracially after his grandparents’ generation.<br /><br />
Using a mix of live action and animation, “One Big Hapa Family” explores why 95 percent of Japanese-Canadians--more than any other ethnic group--marry interracially and how their mixed children perceive their unique multiracial identities.<br /><br />
The stories of our generations of a Japanese-Canadian family to come to life through animation by some of Canada’s brightest independent animators, including Louise Johnson, Ben Meinhardt, Todd Ramsay, Kunal Sen, Jonathan Ng, and the filmmaker himself.<br /><br />
“One Big Hapa Family” makes us question: Is interracial mixing the end of multiculturalism as we know it?<br /><br />
To learn more, visit - www.onebighapafamily.com<br /><br />mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-42774493795869888562013-04-20T14:24:00.001-04:002021-05-14T08:13:45.117-04:00Celebrate the Cambodian New Year & Family Day Choul Chhnam Thmei marks the traditional end of the harvest season when Cambodians gather with friends and family to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Season of Cambodia lights up New York City’s cultural landscape in April and May 2013, with more than 125 artists from Cambodia for a major celebration of Cambodian arts, culture, and humanities.<br /><br />
Distinctive works from master and emerging artists and scholars — in ritual, music, visual arts, performance, dance, shadow puppetry, film, and academic forums — will be presented by 30 of New York’s most renowned arts and educational institutions, marking an unprecedented city-wide partnership initiative to celebrate one of the world’s most vibrant and evocative cultures. Season of Cambodia is an initiative of Cambodian Living Arts.<br /><br />
What: Cambodia Family Day <br />
When: April 21, 2013<br />
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm<br />
Where: 725 Park Avenue (at East 70th Street), New York, NY<br /><br />
Learn about Cambodian culture and traditions with music and dance performances, arts and crafts, and New Year games. Part of Season of Cambodia, a festival produced by Cambodian Living Arts.<br /><br />
Part of CelebrASIA NYC (www.celebrasia.org), a collaboration among leading cultural institutions to introduce children to Asian festivals and themes.<br /><br />
To learn more, visit - www.seasonofcambodia.org<br /><br />
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-13885495609336907692013-02-27T09:56:00.003-05:002021-05-14T08:20:20.033-04:00Gathering of Nations Celebrates Native American & Indigenous CulturesThe Gathering of Nations, the world's largest gathering of Native American and indigenous people, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in Albuquerque, N.M. between April 25 and 27, 2013. <br /><br />
Considered the most prominent powwow in North America, it will host tens of thousands of people and more than 700 tribes from throughout the United States, Canada, and around the world honoring three decades of Native American culture and traditions.<br /><br />
The three-day event includes more than 3,000 traditional Native American singers and dancers, more than 800 Native American artisans, dozens of indigenous contemporary musicians and performers, and a wide variety of food vendors. A young Native American woman is also crowned Miss Indian World. Native American and indigenous women representing different tribes and traditions compete in the areas of tribal knowledge, dancing ability, and personality assessment.<br /><br />
The Gathering of Nations is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the release of a new book, "30 Years of Gathering: Gathering of Nations Powwow," and the launch of Gathering of Nations Internet Radio on the iHeartRadio network.<br /><br />
The 30th Annual Gathering of Nations begins on April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel – Albuquerque with the Miss Indian World competition. The powwow kicks off at "The Pit" with the "Grand Entry" at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, April 26, and repeated Friday evening at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, at 12 p.m. (noon) and 6 p.m. The new Miss Indian World will be crowned on Saturday evening during the powwow.<br />
<br />
Powwow tickets cost $17 per day, $34 for a two day pass, or $50 for a two day pass with VIP seating. <br /><br />
For more information, visit www.gatheringofnations.com<br /><br /><br />
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-21197946188934445572013-02-19T19:02:00.000-05:002014-05-11T07:08:28.189-04:00Racism, Freedom and Twitter FightsI LOVE being on various social media sites and especially twitter. There's nothing like the fast pace flow of information and sharing of thoughts. Within 140 characters you can share so much. However you can also get into trouble if you're not careful. Once you post something to the public via a tweet then it's there for anyone to see...and comment on.<br />
<br />
Seems some people don't understand this.<br />
<br />
This week while on my other Twitter account, I saw something and commented on it. A few short tweets later it was implied I was calling people racists. Yup.<br />
<br />
So how did it all start?<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/user/EuphoriaLuv/media/mf/1302/tweetrant.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt="tweet rant" border="0" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/mf/1302/tweetrant.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It started when <span style="color: blue;"><b>@ONCEKids</b></span> received a reply tweet from <span style="color: blue;"><b>@LittleLex7</b></span> that said "Thank you for showing me Asian kids know how to play the cymbals" <br />
<br />
Or something VERY close to this. I can't screen cap the original tweet because it was deleted. But I was able to screen cap the conversation that happened after I replied to that tweet. Good thing I did because soon after accusing me of calling people racist, the tweets were deleted. <br />
<br />
Now there's LOTS of things I can say about how this conversation developed. But this post is long as it is. But for my part, things ended on the same day it started. On March 18. Clearly I was dealing with "younger" people who didn't understand the "social" part of social media. What they tweeted was annoying but I went back to my world of tweeting and on with my life<br />
<br />
Then I received the tweet on March 19 with the word racist....NOW things were beyond annoying and straight out becoming an issue.<br />
<br />
Now I don't normally write rants on my other parenting blog. Or rather, I should say I don't write rants about race issues I face on that blog. No, I keep those rants for here on this blog. There I post about race issues that affect my community and myself as a black women. As a black mother. And as black mother with a half Asian child. Each part of me comes with it's own unique racial issues<br />
<br />
But I'm starting to wonder if I should bring more of that element to The Mommy Factor blog. To that online section of my life. Why? Because I think people only see me in one dimension on that blog. They only see the color of my skin and not who I am and what I stand for. I wonder if they did then problems like this might be averted. OF course I might be wrong. But follow my thought for a minute or two.<br />
<br />
I'm figuring if people knew that I was an advocate for race issues, especially those involving the Asian community, then they wont be so quick to disregard what I say. Especially when I point out something they said about "Asians" is a bit off color. Then my comment would be valid and taken seriously. Then maybe an open dialogue could be started.<br />
<br />
Maybe.<br />
<br />
After nearly 20 years of being a mixed race advocate, I know the importance of dialogue. It's important to speak up and say something. It's important to say it's NOT OK to say certain things just based on a person's race. It's important to hold people accountable for their words whether in real life or online.<br />
<br />
Sadly this way of thinking many people aren't learning. They feel free online and just tweet out all sorts of things. But when someone holds them accountable they get angry. Why? Because they KNOW what they said was wrong but somehow thought they could get away with it. Hmm<br />
<br />
I can't stop people from thinking or tweeting whatever they want. People have free will. Twitter and other social media sites allow free sharing. BUT if I see something in my stream that sounds "off color" then yes I'm pointing it out. That's my social and community role. People need to learn that. And I'll keep showing them.<br />
<h2>
Have you seen someone say something "off color" on twitter, facebook or any social media sites? Did you reply to them or just let it go?</h2>
<h2>
</h2>
Onicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04270348009583572124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-19980204355481452962013-02-06T17:53:00.001-05:002021-05-14T08:23:40.652-04:00Michele Wong McSween “Gordon and Lili” Book & AppHalf Dozen, the toy and book boutique at apple seeds Chelsea, will be hosting a free Chinese New Year event on Sunday, February 24th from 10:30am to 12:00pm. <br /><br />
Where: half dozen: 10 West 25th St, New York, NY 10010<br />
When: Sunday, February 24, 10:30am to 12:00pm<br />
Cost: Free<br /><br />
Apple seeds will have a “create your own snake” art project to celebrate the year of the snake, and will also have the Fun with Animals of the Zodiac wooden puzzles by Clever Duck.<br /><br />
The party will feature a book reading by Michele Wong McSween, author of the “Gordon and Lili” book series, and will have her iPad for the kids to check out her new app “Gordon and Lili: Learn Animals in Mandarin”.<br /><br />
Learn more - www.gordonandlili.com
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-89670136677828446002013-01-30T11:48:00.001-05:002021-05-14T08:26:48.047-04:00NASA Researchers & Tuskegee Airmen Honor Black History MonthA full-scale Mars Curiosity rover model that was featured in President Barack Obama's Inaugural Parade is one of the highlights of a Black History Month celebration, called "Red Tails to Red Planet," at NASA Langley Research Center's official visitors' facility, the Virginia Air & Space Center (VASC).<br />
<br />
Visitors can learn more about Mars and NASA Langley's role in the recent Mars Science Laboratory mission and celebrate past contributions of aerospace pioneers at the VASC on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On hand at the event will be NASA researchers and members of the Tidewater Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen who will share more about the many achievements of the "Red Tails" during World War II.<br />
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The Mars Science Laboratory mission that landed the rover on the "Red Planet" last August comes to life with a number of hands-on exhibits and activities. Participants can drive a Mars rover including one that is made from Robotix, a modular, motorized robot construction system. The challenges of landing on Mars will be explored using a Mars lander egg drop contest, "Drag Race to Mars" activities and a virtual landing experience by way of the "Mars Rover Landing" Xbox 360 video game developed by NASA.<br />
<br />
<b>Schedule:</b><br />
<br />
11 a.m. - Dr. D's Funky Physics show<br />
12 p.m. - Dr. D's Funky Physics show<br />
1 p.m. - Original members of the Tuskegee Airmen will share their personal stories and<br />
original Tuskegee Airman Ezra Hill will sign copies of his book, "The Red Tail Angels: A Story of the Tuskegee Airmen."<br />
2 p.m. - Dr. D's Funky Physics show<br />
<br />
Visitors can learn more about the challenging living conditions on Mars, which can get as cold as -200 degrees Fahrenheit, as they build a Mars habitat. In addition, the super-cold of outer space will be revealed in the hands-on demonstration, "Space Freeze." A solar system twister game will show what the inner planets have in common and participants can become rocket scientists when they build balloon rockets to send to Mars.<br />
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Visitors can also discover more about Orion, NASA's next human spacecraft that will go to the Moon, Mars or even an asteroid. A full-scale test version of NASA's Orion spacecraft is now on permanent display at the Virginia Air & Space Center and offers a glimpse of NASA's next step in human space exploration.<br />
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If Earth-bound thrill rides are more their speed, guests can participate in Dr. D's Funky Physics show, inspired by the twists and turns of roller coasters.<br />
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Students from Hampton University will also be on-hand during the four-hour event with displays and artifacts touching on the historically black college's role in the fields of science, technology and history.<br />
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For more information about NASA's Langley Research Center, visit - www.nasa.gov/langley<br /><br />
To learn more about the Virginia Air & Space Center, visit - www.vasc.org<br /><br />
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-78831061047354075282013-01-23T18:03:00.001-05:002021-05-14T08:35:27.467-04:00Year of the Snake Asian Lunar New Year Stamps at US Post OfficeThe U.S. Postal Service released its 2013 Lunar New Year stamp, featuring firecrackers, paper-cut designs and Chinese calligraphy, to help customers usher in the Year of the Snake.<br /><br />
The Lunar New Year is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan and Mongolian heritage in many parts of the world. In the United States, as elsewhere, the occasion is marked with parades, parties and other special events. This year, Lunar New Year is Sunday, Feb. 10 and the Postal Service issued the limited edition stamp in plenty of time for customers to mail new year's greetings.<br />
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<blockquote>"We are proud to celebrate this special time with our friends in the Asian community," said Nagisa Manabe, chief marketing and sales officer. "With this year's limited edition stamp, we're providing our customers the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of these stamps and use them in their new year's greetings to friends and family."</blockquote><br />
The Postal Service introduced the Celebrating Lunar New Year series in 2008. This is the sixth stamp in that series, which will continue through 2019 with the Years of the Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. Illustrator Kam Mak, an artist who was born in Hong Kong, grew up New York City's Chinatown and now lives in Brooklyn, has designed each stamp in the series and will continue through the remaining six in the 12-year series.<br />
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This year's stamp features one of the primary ways the Lunar New Year holiday is celebrated. For the Year of the Snake, which begins on Feb. 10, the illustration depicts firecrackers commonly used to greet the new year with a bang. Firecrackers are used to scare off evil spirits and welcome a time of renewed hope for the future. Monetary gifts are given to children and others. Lucky foods are eaten — kumquats, for example — and festive lanterns, colored red for luck, are common Lunar New Year decorations.<br />
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The current series builds upon the Postal Service's original Lunar New Year stamp series, which was issued from 1992 through 2003. Two elements from the first series are revived in the current stamps: the intricate paper-cut design and calligraphy motifs.<br />
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View the Lunar New Year Forever stamps on Facebook - www.facebook.com/USPSStamps
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-9755971902776462602013-01-23T04:21:00.002-05:002021-05-14T08:31:49.190-04:00Celebrate Chinese Year of Snake with Las Vegas FestivitiesThis February, Las Vegas resorts will prepare for the Chinese New Year, celebrating Asian culture with showcases of decor, traditional Chinese cuisine and activities to commemorate The Year of the Snake.<br /><br />
<ul><li>The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at Bellagio features a prosperous money tree with oversized gold coins hanging from branches. Live music performances will take place on a Chinese junk boat from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily through March 3.</li>
<li>The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino and The Palazzo Las Vegas will host a unique Year of the Snake display Jan. 14 – Feb. 25. Taking center stage will be a 98-foot long animated blue snake and a giant 38-foot cherry tree.</li>
<li>Chinese New Year in the Desert will host a series of Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean cultural celebrations Feb. 8 – 10 throughout the Fremont Street Experience (FSE), a five-block entertainment complex located in historic downtown Las Vegas, which features Viva Vision.</li>
<li>Traditional dragon and lion dances will kick-off festivities and welcome The Year of the Snake at The Venetian and The Palazzo on Feb. 9 at 3:30 p.m. A dance troop from Cirque du Soleil's show Ka will parade through MGM Grand on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. Firecrackers will light the way as the dragon and lion dance starts on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. at Wynn Las Vegas. The Bellagio hosts its lion and dragon dance at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 12. At Gold Coast Hotel and Casino the Lohan School of Shaolin will dance through the casino at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Feb. 13</li>
<li>Relaxation can be found at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas with three exclusive spa treatments available from Jan 23 to Feb. 28. The world's first Nobu Hotel, Nobu Caesars Palace opens just in time for Chinese New Year celebrations with reservations starting Feb. 4.</li>
</ul><br />
A number of restaurants will prepare specialty menus and dishes for the holiday celebration including Monte Carlo's Dragon Noodle Co. & Sushi Bar, Fleur by Hubert Keller at Mandalay Bay, Rice & Company at Luxor Hotel and Casino, China Poblano by Jose Andres at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, at Beijing Noodle No. 9 at Caesars Palace, MOzen Bistro at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas, Ping Pong Pang and Noodle Exchange at Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, and many more.<br /><br />
ABOUT THE LVCVA<br />
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With 151,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and 10.6 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area.<br /><br />
To learn more, visit www.lasvegas.com<br /><br />
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-13837750129097170312013-01-22T03:46:00.000-05:002013-01-31T06:16:19.584-05:00President Obama's 2nd Inauguration an Opportunity for Native CausesFollowing President Obama's second inauguration this week, the Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) extends its warmest congratulations to the president and urges him to continue his administration's policy of government-to-government consultation on issues which may impact tribal sovereignty. During President Obama's first term, great advances were made on native issues and on behalf of all Native Americans.<br/><blockquote>"Throughout his first four years in office, President Obama has affirmed tribes' undisputed rights of self-governance and self-determination," said Barry Brandon, Executive Director of NAFSA. "President Obama has been a true champion for Indian country and NAFSA looks forward to a continued alliance with the president as he serves out his second term."</blockquote><br/>During his second inaugural address, President Obama stated, "Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life's worst hazards and misfortune. Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society's ills can be cured through government alone."<br/><br/>President Obama's first term in office saw extraordinary advancement of Native Americans' key concerns as well as historic investments in Indian country. Among his many accomplishments on behalf of native populations is the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which included more than $3 billion in direct funding for Indian Country, spurring job creation in tribal communities and assisting the renovation of schools on reservations.<br/><br/>In partnership with tribal nations, NAFSA urges President Obama to continue making critical investments to health and education services, generating jobs, and strengthening tribal economies. Working with tribal leaders, NAFSA will closely monitor President Obama's work on native issues and will contribute to the public dialogue as necessary and appropriate.<br/><br/>About NAFSA<br/>The Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) formed in 2012 to advocate for Native American sovereign rights and enable tribes to offer responsible online lending products. Through the protection of consumer rights and sovereign immunity, NAFSA provides vital services to tribally operated lenders serving the under-banked with better short term financial services, furthering economic development opportunities in Indian Country.<br/><br/>Learn more - <a href="http://www.mynafsa.org" target="_blank">http://www.mynafsa.org</a>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-50080197281579890022013-01-12T04:48:00.000-05:002013-02-03T11:23:00.489-05:00The Korea Society Upcoming Events 2013Here is a highlight of a few upcoming events happening at The Korea Society in 2013.<br/><br/><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abc/1301/?action=view&current=koreansocietyevents.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" alt="The Korea Society Upcoming Events 2013" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abc/1301/koreansocietyevents.jpg" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Join The Korea Society by becoming a member and enjoy discounts, special invitations to events and more. To learn more visit <a href="http://www.koreasociety.org" target="_blank">http://www.koreasociety.org</a>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-36936103924386047752013-01-11T14:00:00.001-05:002021-12-30T17:02:08.292-05:00Stone Soup and Other Stories from Asian Tradition DVDJust in time to celebrate Chinese New Year and learn about some of Asian culture’s best loved tales, Scholastic Storybook Treasures releases <b>STONE SOUP...AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE ASIAN TRADITION DVD</b>. Highlighted by author/illustrator Jon J. Muth’s award-winning take on “Stone Soup”, the new DVD also features three other classic tales, as well as a Read-Along function which highlights the words as they are spoken, allowing young viewers to follow along with the narrators.<br /><br />
“Stone Soup” is a classic folktale about the strength people possess when they work together. The three other stories on the DVD include<br />
<ul><li>The Five Chinese Brothers</li><li>Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China</li><li>Stonecutter</li></ul><br />These colorfully animated adaptations of classic stories feature celebrity narration by B.D. Wong (Law and Order: SVU).<br /><br />The DVD also includes a behind-the-scenes interview with Jon J. Muth, the award-winning author/illustrator of “Stone Soup”, “The Three Questions” and other popular stories for kids. Muth also illustrated cards for Magic: The Gathering.<br /><br />Format: DVD/Single<br />Run time: Approx. 43 mins. + extras<br />Price: $14.95srp<br />Street Date: January 29Onicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04270348009583572124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-21160074377753506342013-01-11T07:46:00.000-05:002013-01-31T06:16:19.566-05:00UK Petition for British Chinese & East Asians in More TV, Film,
Theater & RadioI saw a post about this UK Petition for More British Chinese & East Asians to be seen in the media. I think it's a great idea in need of support.<br/><blockquote>The first recorded Chinese in the UK, Shen Fu Tsong, was a celebrated guest at the court of James II in 1685. The British Chinese/East Asian (BC/EA) community grew during the 20th century & at 1.6% is now the UK's 3rd largest minority.<br/><br/>Art is a mirror to life & everyone needs cultural affirmation. British Chinese/East Asian people are not reflected adequately in mainstream TV, film, theatre or radio, so remain "culturally invisible". This impacts negatively on the British public, who end up with stereotyped misunderstandings of this particular cultural group, eg. always speak with foreign accents or are illegal immigrants selling dodgy dvd's!<br/><br/>British Chinese/East Asian children & young people top every academic poll due to the importance of education in Confucian culture. However, they need positive BC/EA role models to value both sides of their cultural heritage, so they can better assimilate into British culture. Without BC/EA role models, they can sometimes feel culturally isolated, confused and undervalued. What a waste of human potential!<br/><br/>In the age of Obama, it's time for the UK to accelerate it's professed commitment to internationalism and diversity. It's time for positive change.</blockquote><br/>Learn more about the Petition: <a href="http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38249.html" target="_blank">http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38249.html</a>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-58093597231518622872013-01-09T21:15:00.000-05:002013-02-03T11:31:34.410-05:00Asian Man & African Black Woman Traditional Chinese Wedding CeremonyI saw this video in one of the many Asian and black Facebook groups and wanted to share. It show a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony between an Chinese Man and a African Black Woman. It's nice to see.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/krRV_Xh2WkQ" width="400"></iframe><br />
</div><br />
Wonder if there's a video showing a Korean Man and a Black Women traditional wedding ceremony. I'll have to check. Anyway, enjoymixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-19696624491735814292012-12-20T16:47:00.000-05:002013-06-09T14:16:45.044-04:00Hearing Americas Secret Apology to Native AmericansIt's no secret that Native Americans have gotten the rotten end of the deal they made with those first pilgrims and any other Americans since then. Many in their community are still trying to put the pieces together many years after so called "provisions" have been made for them. Many wonder when will America acknowledge the wrong it has done to their people? Will they ever hear American say "We are Sorry"?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/?action=view&current=markcharleswirelesshogan.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Mark Charles Wireless Hogan Public Reading of the US Apology to Native Peoples" border="0" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/markcharleswirelesshogan.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Well according to the article, <a href="http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/19/native-american-apology/?hpt=us_c2" target="_blank">Navajo man wants the nation to hear its official apology</a>, American already has. Seems the <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111hr3326enr/pdf/BILLS-111hr3326enr.pdf" target="_blank">2010 Defense Appropriations Act</a> (PDF) includes an official apology to Native American people. Who knew?! I sure didn't and I bet many Native American didn't either.<br />
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But one man wants to change that. Mark Charles, discovered this apology a year ago and wonders why a more official (and louder) sharing of it hasn't been heard among the Native American people (or any other).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/61Z3xeWI34M" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
Mark recently took things into his own hands and standing in front the Capitol, he read the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.<br />
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Kudos to Mark!<br />
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To read more about Mark and why he felt the public reading was important, visit- <a href="http://www.wirelesshogan.com/" target="_blank">http://www.wirelesshogan.com/</a><br />
<h2><b>Now sound off. Do you think reading this apology will sooth feeling between Native Americans and Americans? Will this make things better or just add fuel to the flame? </b></h2><br />
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mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-34248915518972814872012-12-20T01:14:00.000-05:002013-06-09T14:16:57.950-04:00How to Stop The Racist "Black Pete" & Christmas ConnectionSo it seems the Dutch (and a few Americans) are all <a href="http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/12/opposition-grows-towards-blackface-christmas-character/" target="_blank">riled up over the portrayal of ‘blackface’ white women</a> as “Zwarte Piet” or Black Pete, an elf assistant to Santa who delivers Christmas gifts and sweets to good children.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/?action=view&current=zwartepiet.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Dutch Zwarte Piet or Black Pete" border="0" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/zwartepiet.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The issue? Partly that the image of Black Pete is racist because of the whites in "black face" and slavery tie in. Seems the Dutch aint proud of their owning and selling black slaves history. Hmm.<br />
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So personally I find this an interesting issue because Black Pete is well.....Black.....or really <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors" target="_blank">Moorish </a>which means he had some Muslim African connection. So why change what's the truth about that?!<br />
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I think because Black Pete hasn't (to my limited knowledge of Dutch culture and tradition) been played BY a black person. From all that I've read Black Pete is played by white people dressed in black face. To me THAT is part of the problem and lends itself to being a racist issue.<br />
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While I'm sure some of you will jump and say I'm always seeing/blogging/being paranoid about these things, I wanna point out I'm not the only one blogging about this. A recent post on the blog <a href="http://noblackpete.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">No Black Pete</a> links to others <a href="http://noblackpete.blogspot.com/2012/12/black-pete-bloggers.html" target="_blank">also blogging about Black Pete</a>. So you folks back off me so I can finish my rant.<br />
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As we've seen time and time again, once white people start with the black face and acting out what they think are black characteristics, the proverbial Pandora box is opened. Racist slurs and derogatory comments will fly out. We can't leave white people to gather by themselves without some minority intervention!<br />
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In this case, I think they need to let Black Pete be a REAL black person NOT white women. What are white women doing playing black men any way?! I wont even go there. Anyway, I personally like that idea that White Santa aint getting all the shine for delivering holiday gifts and making kids happy. Santa aint doing all the work by himself ya know. It's way past time that Santa gets some intercultural helpers, don't you think?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/?action=view&current=santaandpetemovie.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Santa and Pete movie" border="0" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/santaandpetemovie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I strongly believe that kids all around the world needs to see holiday and fairy tale characters that are just as diverse as they are! I'm loving the idea (and imagery) behind the movie Santa and Pete. Now you know James Earl Jones won't act in a movie that supports racism. If you haven't see it, check it out and let me know what you think.<br />
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Little black boys (and white boys) needs to see a black adult male doing something good and being celebrated for it. Make black Pete really BLACK I say! Show and tell the truth to the masses of kids and their families this holiday!<br />
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And while we're at it can we find an Asian looking elf or two. I mean come on! Just Saying!<br />
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While I think letting a black person play Black Pete would be a great idea...is it?<br />
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Michelle Mccrary of <a href="http://www.isthatyourchild.com/" target="_blank">Is That Your Child</a>, shared with me the article <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jakewallissimons/100192915/the-racist-outrage-of-christmas-in-holland/" target="_blank">Racist Outrage of Christmas in Holland</a> that highlighted this video.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r2H6SXaWxuo" width="400"></iframe></div><br />
The video shows the other side of the coin that Black Pete is connection to a racist and slavery idealism. Can the Dutch people (and white people in general) let go of this and just enjoy the tradition? Can a black person playing Black Pete not feel linked to slavery and racism?<br />
<h2><b>Now sound off. Do you think Black Pete should be played by a Black person? Can this be just good fun or will it always be just plain racist?</b></h2><br />
mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-60181731340560176992012-12-05T17:03:00.000-05:002013-06-09T14:04:08.162-04:00The Weed, Beer & Mexicans Connection According to Penn State Sorority GirlsSo I saw this post <a href="http://disgrasian.com/2012/12/penn-state-sorority-girls-will-work-for-weed-beer/" target="_blank">Penn State Sorority Girls Will Work For Weed & Beer</a> over on Disgrasian about a Penn State "Mexican themed" sorority costume party.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/?action=view&current=pennsororitymexicanparty.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1212/pennsororitymexicanparty.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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While it's never a good idea to have a party based on racial culture without input from the actual race...it's only gets worse when you compound racial stereotypes with hand written signs like<br />
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<b>Will Mow Lawn for Weed + Beer</b><br />
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and<br />
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<b>I Don't Cut Grass, I Smoke It</b><br />
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*deep sigh*<br />
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Who's proud of having THAT idea?! Do I have to mention that this sorority is mainly all white females? Wonder if any of them is "claiming" some Mexican ancestor so they can argue this was OK...cause you know they're part Mexican or Latina. Somehow that makes being racist easier?<br />
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<h2><b>What do you think of this "Mexican themed" sorority costume party? Just good fun or just plain racist?</b></h2>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-91129424432232147522012-08-13T13:50:00.002-04:002021-12-12T17:47:48.191-05:00Neither Here Nor There Documentary What does it mean to belong, to have a home, to know where you're from? 'Neither Here Nor There' is a 35 minute documentary by Ema Ryan Yamazaki, that explores cultural identity for people who have grown up in places other than their home culture, known as Third Culture Kids.<br /><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/w5Gh_0Fx0B8" width="400"></iframe></div><br /><br />
Through the stories of six subjects, the film investigates the often overlooked effects on adults who had international upbringings, their struggles to fit in and an eternal search to belong.The film is also a self-exploratory journey for the filmmaker, a Japanese-British raised bi-cultural and in an international school system, who now lives in New York. In her last year of college, she attempts to figure out what she is in the context of the world.<br /><br />
Visit the film website: www.neitherherenorthere-thefilm.commixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-39887380143416809012012-07-13T08:18:00.000-04:002013-01-31T06:16:19.456-05:00Join Asian Black Co & Swirl Inc for Blasian Awareness Tweet Chat[tweetmeme source="asianblackco" only_single=false http://www.URL.com]<br/><br/>If you follow me on <a href="http://twitter.com/asianblackco" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AsianBlackCommunity" target="_blank">Facebook</a> you know I promote the blasian community. A lot. It's no secret that I love sharing about the Asian Black Community of families and those with biracial blasian heritage. After all my own son is blasian. Within my community everyone knows what this term means and celebrates it. Outside the community.....<br/><br/><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1207/?action=view&current=blasian.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1207/blasian.jpg" alt="Blasian Awareness" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Well that's another story. So many people outside the mixed race community have never heard of the term blasian. Heck some people inside the mixed race community don't know what the term blasian means. It's not as well known as the term Hapa use to describe those with half asian heritage.<br/><br/>Many times I have to explain, sometimes in detail, that the term blasian is valid and that there is a large and vibrant community. I've been trying to do this for over 10 years. Over 10 years. Am I succeeding in spreading awareness of what it means to be blasian outside the community?<br/><br/>Well this is the topic I'm going to discuss during the next Swirl chat via twitter TODAY<br/><br/>For those who don't know, Swirl is "a national multi-ethnic organization that challenges society's notions of race through community building, education, and action" Plus there really cool and fun people.<br/><br/>Wanna join in? The more the merrier!<br/><br/>WHEN: July 13, 2012 3 pm EST (2 pm CT; 12 pm PT)<br/><br/>WHO TO FOLLOW: @<a href="http://twitter.com/asianblackco" target="_blank">AsianBlackCo </a>and @<a href="http://twitter.com/swirlinc" target="_blank">Swirlinc</a><br/><br/>TOPIC: Spreading Blasian Awareness<br/><br/>HOW TO JOIN: Follow the hashtag <a href="http://tweetchat.com/room/Swirlchat" target="_blank">#Swirlchat</a> and <a href="http://tweetchat.com/room/BlasianAwareness" target="_blank">#BlasianAwareness</a><br/><br/>All are welcome, whether your blasian or not, so hope to see you there! <strong>Leave a comment with your twitter name to let me know you'll be there.</strong><br/><p style="border:thin dotted black;padding:3mm;"><strong>Like this article? Subscribe to the <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/AsianBlackCo">RSS feed</a> or for <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=AsianBlackCo&loc=en_US">email updates</a>!</strong></p>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-42688298192732321622012-07-12T08:39:00.000-04:002013-06-09T09:41:04.294-04:00Painting My Biracial Daughters Toys<blockquote>Recently I was ranting on twitter about the need to paint my son's toys a different color aka race. I figured I was the only mom who would do something like that. Until I received a tweet from Melissa sharing she also did this. Of course I asked her to share her story – Onica, editor</blockquote><br />
There is something special and difficult about raising a child of color. I am honored that my daughter is biracial. I feel that it makes her special. It gives her color, heritage and culture. But there is also an up hill battle that I must fight. Society is not ready to embrace the idea that 'everyone is beautiful regardless of their color'. Instead, they feed us the notion that that only one particular look is right.<br />
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<a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1207/?action=view&current=mariposas.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Painting Mariposas in The Sky" border="0" class="aligncenter" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1207/mariposas.jpg" /></a><br />
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I've taken my sharpie many times to my daughter's books and toys and have given them color. I know that it is vital for her to see herself in these heroes, in these main characters, to build her self esteem.<br />
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Some of my friends call me crazy for doing it. They tell me that I am being over sensitive to these stories but I know that I am doing what is best for my daughter and for her character.<br />
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When I was growing up, there was shame in the color of my skin because I was surrounded by images of people who were not like me. I don't not want to see my daughter go thru the same thing. Even if it means that I have to hide dolls that are given to her by family members that do not look like her, or that I have to give her book characters some color.<br />
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I try my best to look for books and toys that look like my daughter. Who reflect the ideals that I want her to learn but it is hard to control the world. It is hard to control what other people give her. I don't want to seem ungrateful, or unwilling to take the gifts but at the same time I don't want to taint my daughter's perception of what is beautiful.<br />
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I know that if I raise her to believe that she is beautiful, she can conquer anything. And it is my hope that she learns to love herself and where she comes from. Even if I have to give her toys and books a 'little color'<br />
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<i><b>Melissa is a Latina Mommy to a biracial child, a wife in an interracial relationship and a women with a lot of passions: education, activism and more recently health. Melissa says she's a walking contradictions of sorts. She walks a fine line between two worlds and make no excuses when it comes to her views. You can read her blog <a href="http://paintingmariposasinthesky.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Painting Mariposas in The Sky</a> and follow her on twitter as <a href="https://twitter.com/melissalibertad/" target="_blank">@melissalibertad</a></b></i><br />
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mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-5791243473375840102012-07-11T07:03:00.000-04:002013-06-09T14:30:33.811-04:00A Latina Mom's Perspective: Her Sons & the Trayvon Martin Scandal[tweetmeme source="asianblackco" only_single=false http://www.URL.com]<br />
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Recently, I was asked by a very dear friend if I worried my sons would face different life experiences because of their complexions. I wanted to say "No". In fact, I did say "No". However, after giving it some thought I wonder if I gave the right answer.<br />
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<a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1207/?action=view&current=mslatinafamily.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1207/mslatinafamily.jpg" alt="Migdalia Rivera Latina On a Mission" border="0" /></a><br />
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After the Trayvon Martin scandal, race has been featured much more prominently in the media. As a Latina, I consider myself a woman of color, even though I have a light complexion. I am after all Puerto Rican, a race which is part Spaniard, part Taino and part African. As a result, you will find a multitude of hues on the isla/island. It's also not uncommon to find that same multitude within ones own family. Maybe because of this, and the fact that I live in a NYC, one of the largest melting pots, that I never gave it much thought and neither have my sons.<br />
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Yet, now that my oldest is going off to college, my boys and I can't help but broach this topic. My teen's college advisement group was the first to bring up the issue of race and color. They want to ensure the students are prepared for the college transition. As a result, they have students discuss taboo subjects, those that many do not want to speak of, topics which include race and color.<br />
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Hearing about his group discussion reminded me of a conversation I had many years ago with another close friend called Fina. Fina is an Afro-Latina. In college, she noted that she was not accepted by many "lighter" Latinas. She may have shared a language with them, but she believed the color of her skin caused her to be cast out of many Latina cliques. Remembering this conversation saddened me. It also made me re-evaluate a few preconceived notions I had about ethnicity and color.<br />
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I am color blind to my sons' hues. Those within my circle are as well. However, this did not guarantee that they would not encounter discrimination. In fact, I know they will. As minority Latino men they WILL encounter biases. It's a given. I accept that and strove to prepare them for that. What I did not broach before this was the discrimination one, or both of my sons, would encounter, not because of their ethnicity, but because of their complexion. Because in the end, my family and I may be color-blind, but most of the world is not, no matter how vehemently they claim they are.<br />
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Let's talk! Have you ever been judged by your race or complexion? How did you react? Share in the comments!<br />
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<em><strong>Migdalia Rivera, a single mother of two boys, created <a href="http://www.latinaonamission.com" target="_blank">Latina On a Mission</a> to fill a need within the blogosphere for Latinas who have acclimated to the United States culture, yet still hold onto their Latino heritage. You can also find Migdalia tweeting about her love of coffee, fashion and food as <a href="http://twitter.com/MsLatina" target="_blank">@MsLatina</a> on twitter. </strong></em><br />
<p style="border:thin dotted black;padding:3mm;"><strong>Like this article? Subscribe to the <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/AsianBlackCo">RSS feed</a> or for <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=AsianBlackCo&loc=en_US">email updates</a>!</strong></p>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-89545215184584414472012-06-01T14:33:00.000-04:002021-12-12T17:34:58.323-05:00Everyday Heroes For Kids of All Races<br>This week I discovered "The Everyday Heroes" Collection from the company Spark & Spark. You can personalized lunchboxes, place mats, growth charts, and puzzles with your child's name and also....wait for it...your child's race. Well sorta. So far the race options tend to be monracial. Sorry no Asian face child with curly black hair :)<br/>
<a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1206/?action=view&current=EverydayHeroesAzn1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1206/EverydayHeroesAzn1.jpg" alt="Everyday Heroes Collection" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>
But they do have a good selection of skin tones to match a child in a variety of fun career choices. It's good to having a child visualize someone who looks like them, doing a job their interested in doing in the future. With six professions for each gender to choose from, your child is sure to be encouraged to pursue their dreams<br/><br/>
To learn more, visit - www.sparkandspark.com/everyday-heroes/<br/>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1882280868813871553.post-60351201287829991402012-05-15T03:54:00.000-04:002013-01-31T06:16:19.360-05:00WordPress Comment Forced Login Issue Fixed. Sorta[tweetmeme source="asianblackco" only_single=false http://www.URL.com]<br/><br/>I was recently emailed by a reader about not being able to comment on any blog post here. They kept getting the "log in to your WordPress account" message. Umm, that shouldn't be happening. So I looked into it and found out that it has something to do with how <a href="http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/recent-update-to-commenting?replies=4" target="_blank">WordPress is linked to Gravatar</a>. Seems if you use your email to make a Gravatar then WordPress thinks you have any account and wants you to login...even when you don't.<br/><br/><a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1205/?action=view&current=angrylaptop2.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/EuphoriaLuv/abcblog/1205/angrylaptop2.jpg" alt="angry computer user" border="0" /></a><br/><br/>Now I know some of you are ready to riot because you can't leave a comment. No need. To avoid my readers getting that message and allow free commenting, I changed something on the back end of the blog.<br/><br/>So the good news.....you can comment without a login in requirement.<br/><br/>The bad news..... ALL comments need to be moderated now so I don't get trolls leaving me spam or hateful comments. I'm not crazy about this but it's the only work around I found for the craziness WordPress is now doing.<br/><br/>I'm tempted to move back to blogger but I put in to much work on this site already. *sigh*<br/><br/>Anyway, comment away!<br/><br/><p style="border:thin dotted black;padding:3mm;"><strong>Like this article? Subscribe to the <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/AsianBlackCo">RSS feed</a> or for <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=AsianBlackCo&loc=en_US">email updates</a>!</strong></p>mixihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738091331654939356noreply@blogger.com0