foundasian.org

Singing has been the light of Zhang Jiahuan’s life. She has given over 100 concerts in 10 countries and cities to shed light on Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). But at 17 years old, Zhang Jiahuan’s congenital SMA became so severe that she needed surgery in order to survive. SMA causes the spine to become more and more curved and eventually causes respiratory distress for patients.

On January 7, 2008, Stanford doctors performed the life saving surgery for Zhang Jiahuan. Hopefully, the surgery will extend her life for 8 more years. But the surgery costs $200,000. Zhang Jiahuan is selling CDs of her favorite songs in order to defray costs.

*If you would like to learn more about SMA or Zhang Jiahuan*, see: www.sunnysinger.com. A clip of her music is also available on the website.

*If you wish to make a donation,* please make your check payable to:

Stanford Hospital and Clinic
Memo: For Zhang Jiahuan, Acc#20563953
Send to: Attn: Christina Li
International Medical Services
300 Pasteur Drive, Room H1111
Stanford, CA 94305

The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) at the University of California, Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law will Friday, Jan. 25, hold a fundraiser for their inaugural Dale Minami Boalt Alumni Fellowship, named after the prominent attorney and Boalt Hall alumnus.

Speakers at the event include Boalt Hall’s Dean Christopher Edley, Jr. and Assistant Dean for Student Services Victoria Ortiz, Asian American Bar Association president Edwin Prather, San Francisco school board member Jane Kim and Bingham McCutchen partner Charlene “Chuck” Shimada. The 7 p.m. sold-out dinner will be at the Empress of China, 838 Grant Avenue, in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

The Minami Fellowship (www.apalsa-boalt.org/Fellowship) will support outstanding Asian American students who commit to working in the public interest sector after graduation.  Boalt Hall’s APALSA is the largest student-run organization at the school and largest APALSA chapter in the nation, has been funding public interest fellowships since the 1990s. The group is expanding its fundraising efforts to achieve the goals of endowing the fellowship and increasing the award amount.

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California outreach follows successful ‘get-out-the-caucus’ effort in Nevada

APA for Progress, a national organization of Asian American Pacific Islander progressives, today announced a series of video public service announcements that will air on YouTube.com in an effort to raise awareness of the February 5 primary election among AAPIs in California.

The videos, directed by film directors and activists Eric Byler (“Charlotte Sometimes” and “Tre”) and Annabel Park, will debut in late-January. Byler and Park are members of APA for Progress’s national board of directors.

The California outreach follows the organization’s successful efforts to promote AAPI participation in Las Vegas the weekend of that Nevada’s primary caucuses.

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The awesome Jet Li is looking for a new personal assistant.

“As you know, I’m have left my current position with Jet, however, I am helping him through the transition until we find a new assistant,” said Jason Lin in an email that reached me through a listserv. “It’s a very unique time to be working with Jet not only because his films keep getting bigger (with Forbidden Kingdom and Mummy 3 releasing later this year) but also he is deeply involved in philanthropy. … I will continue to work with Jet on his foundation but we need someone to carry on the full-time job in the role of the assistant.”

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UPDATE 1/20: UNDOING is making it’s final US theatrical run at The Imaginasian Center in Los Angeles starting January 25! Cast and crew will be on-hand for various receptions/parties being planed for the opening weekend, as well as Q+A sessions at selected evening screenings. Scheduled to appear are director Chris Chan Lee, actors Sung Kang, Russell Wong, Tom Bower, Leonardo Nam, Jose Zuniga, Julia Ling, and many others. This is our Los Angeles homecoming, and we hope you all come out!

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UPDATE 1/18: Thanks to Angelica Jongco and Jenn Fang for working the blog at nv.apaforobama.com. They’re posting terrific audio updates and photos!

More 30 Asian American artists, filmmakers and activists, including actress Kelly Hu, Yul Kwon, Eric Byler and Annabel Park will converge this weekend in Las Vegas to support Barack Obama and promote Asian Pacific American participation in Saturday’s historic Nevada Caucus.

Primarily connected through networks like YouTube and Facebook, this newly formed online community will see members from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and the San Francisco Bay Area meet in person for the first time. “We created a Facebook event page called ‘Vegas and Obama, Baby!’ and within hours people starting signing up to join us,” said Byler. “We are especially looking forward to meeting Asian American artists and community leaders from Las Vegas and taking this opportunity to grow our network.”

The filmmakers will be creating videos about Obama and documenting campaign activities and events for the group’s YouTube channel: www.YouTube.com/UnitedForObama (which has already posted videos featuring Ms. Hu and Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar).

Also see http://nv.apaforobama.com

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Come toast with a mixed drink at the Hyphen Magazine Hybrid issue release party on Friday, February 1, from 9 p.m. at 111 Minna at, where else, 111 Minna Street in SOMA. RSVP on Facebook or Going.

Throw down your krumpin’ moves before your friend upstages you with her Bhangra skills as their DJs spin mashed up beats late into the night. Enjoy some mixed musical messages by Cast of Thousands, Goh Nakamura and Aesthetics Crew. But most of all, simply just join us as we celebrate our latest release,the Hybrid issue.

LIVECast of Thousands, Aesthetics Crew, Goh Nakamura are performing with beats by Malicious Lee, DJ Psani, DJ Franchise and Modest Mark.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the magazine to check out our stories on feminist porn, South Asian hip hop, rising Asian American fashion designers and much more of the art, literature and cultural reviews you can’t live without.

Event is 21+ and $10 ($20 with subscription at 50 percent off. Enter the raffle and win a Nintendo Wii!

Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and the Visitacion Valley Boys and Girls Club will host a community brunch on Saturday, January 19, from 11 a.m. to bring together local families representing the diversity of Visitacion Valley to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Asian and Pacific American, African American, and Latino parents and children are invited get to know one another, dialogue about their concerns affecting the community, and see possibilities for building multiracial collaborations. Two programs will take place: one for the parents featuring keynote speaker Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, a video discussion of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and training on voter rights; and another one for the children featuring a book reading and art assignment. Parents and children will come together at the end for an exercise that highlights the value and strength in working together as one community.

Sponsored by CAA and the Visitacion Valley Boys and Girls Club, the brunch will feature: keynote speaker Sophie Maxwell, a San Francisco Supervisor whose district includes Visitacion Valley; Vincent Pan, CAA Executive Director; and Shalom Kimble, Program Manager for the Boys and Girls Club will moderate.

Asian and Pacific American, African American, and Latino families are invited to attend.

“Many of the civil rights we possess today would not have been possible if not for the courage and persistence of Dr. King,” stated CAA executive director Vincent Pan.  “His struggles and sacrifice created a lasting positive impact for all of us. For recent immigrants and younger people, it may be common to associate Dr. King with the holiday, and not the civil rights movement. We want to link a better understanding of civil rights with Dr. King’s legacy, and strengthen current struggles against racism and violence.