The Bay Area's Hub for Asian Pacific American Community Arts Since 1972

Asian Americans Coast to Coast: Honoring Our Literary Ancestors

 

(as part of Reclaiming Our Roots: APA Arts-Activism 1960s–NOW)

 

Saturday, May 23

4:00–8:00 PM

 

Chinese Culture Center

750 Kearny Street, 3rd Floor (cross Washington)

San Francisco, CA 94108

 

A literary reading for the new century! KSW (SF), Kundiman (NYC), and the Twin Cities Ad-Hoc Ancestor Group will be presenting a live interactive experience as we honor together, via simulcast, two Asian American literary giants from each city. Honorees include Al Robles, Jeff Tagami, Fay Chiang, and more! Live readings by Shirley Ancheta, Jason Bayani, Jade Cho, and Caitlyn Clark. New wave jazz sensation, Karl Evangelista, will be performing throughout the night and a political poster exhibition curated by Leon Sun will be on display. (Read artist bios.)

 

This event is free and open to the public. There is a suggested $10 donation at the door. No one turned away for lack of funds.

 

Co-sponsored by the Chinese Culture Center and the API Cultural Center.

 

Related Programs:

• On Memory & Place: Writing Workshop with Tony Robles

• Revisiting Our Roots: Where We've Been, Where We're Going

• Political Poster Online Exhibit

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Artist Bios:

 

Throughout Al Robles’ (1930–2009) years he was a poet, a jazz pianist, a tireless advocate for the Manong generation of Filipinos, and a community leader whose work has been an inspiration to many generations of Asian Pacific Americans in the Bay Area and abroad. His two published works are Looking for Ifugao Mountain (1977) by Children’s Book Press,’and Rappin’ with Ten Thousand Carabaos in the Dark, published (1992) by UCLA Asian American Writers Center.

Jeff Tagami’s (1954–2012) collection of poems, October Light (KSW Press) is a lasting testament to the struggles of Asian agricultural workers in the Central Valley. The book’s exploration of the lives of Filipino farmworkers and their families has made this one of the more important documents of Filipino and Asian immigrant history.

 

Shirley Ancheta co-edited the poetry anthology Without Names (KSW Press), one of the first such collections by Filipino American poets. She works as an instructor at Cabrillo College.

 

Jason Bayani is the author of "Amulet" from Write Bloody Press. He's an MFA grad from Saint Mary's College, a Kundiman fellow, and is currently the program manager for Kearny Street Workshop.

 

Jade Cho is a poet and educator from Oakland, California. Her first collection of poetry, In the Tongue of Ghosts, is forthcoming with Youth Speaks’ First Word Press.

 

Caitlyn Clark burst onto the scene when she became the Youth Speaks Grand Slam Champion at the age of fifteen. Caitlyn recently performed at the Hollywood Bowl in John Legend's tribute to Marvin Gaye.

 

Karl Evangelista ranks among a new wave of creative musicians grounded in jazz. Signal to Noise magazine hails Evangelista as "one of the most original instrumentalists and composers of his generation."