Lupus and the Asian Community: A Puzzle to Ponder

Lupus, a chronic, autoimmune illness, occurs more frequently and with more severity in the Asian community than among whites. It can have a widespread effect on one’s body as it may affect different major organs, such as the kidneys, heart, skin, lungs, or central nervous system. A challenge in lupus assessment is that the illness … Read more

Readings from Glacier Lily and Other Poems

Poet/playwright Chungmi Kim will talk about her journey as a Korean American poet/playwright. She will read poems from her second book of poetry, Glacier Lily (Red Hen Press, 2004). Rooted in her bi-cultural experiences, her poems depict many aspects of her life in Korea and America with deep emotion and keen observation. Haunted between the … Read more

7 Continents 9 Lives

Talk Cancelled Fay Chiang, a writer, artist and community/cultural activist, will read excerpts from, 7 Continents 9 Lives, her anthology of poetry spanning four decades of art and life. Fay’s work is complex. Born of anger, it is ultimately optimistic about the importance of the artist as a preserver and perpetuator of culture, and of … Read more

Chinese and Native American Connections

Dr. Wen Jin will provide an analysis of Chinese/American poet-scholars Alex Kuo and Aku Wuwu, with a focus on their poetry, fiction, and critical writings that bring together Native American culture and the cultures of ethnic minorities in contemporary China. Dr. Jin shows the broader implications of the two authors by discussing the ways in … Read more

Living In Between: The Chinese in South Africa

Dr. Yoon Jung Park will discuss Chinese migration to Africa, based on data from the Migration Policy Institute and her current research. Dr. Park will also address: (1) African perceptions of the Chinese in southern Africa (Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe), based on some preliminary survey work and interviews; and (2) mobilizations of anti-Chinese sentiment … Read more

Abductions and The Flood: Poetry by Chiwan Choi

LA-based poet Chiwan Choi will read from and discuss his new poetry collection, Abductions, and also from his debut collection, The Flood. In Abductions, Choi sets out to write poems about aliens. According to Choi, it seemed like the hot thing to do, with zombie poems and such being published. What he ends up with is … Read more