$1 billion in Cali cuts

I've spent just as much time as you have reading and debating the numbers and future of CP3. Let's just make the same effort to be informed about the numbers and future of our own families.

$330 million will be cut from schools, $100 million from workers who care for the elderly and $100 mil from UC/Cal States, on top of the $650 million already cut this year!

Read the LA Times article here: $1 billion in California budget cuts to kick in soon

Pilgrimage screening at RightsFest on 10/27

Pilgrimage will be playing with the feature doc Freedom Riders at the RightsFest Film Festival taking place in San Francisco. The film festival is being sponsored by the Korematsu Institute for Civil Rights and Education and will be part of the Advancing Justice conference taking place at the same time. I'll be there to talk about the film and maybe even jump in on a conference panel.

Save Sessions LA!

It's as simple as this. We all know how important youth programs are, especially in underfunded communities of color. We all know how important the arts can be in shaping the lives of young people, especially when nurtured in safe, positive spaces. So please pay back the people who are doing the work we all want to do but can't make the time for. Save Sessions LA!

Please watch the video and donate:

Moke Action by `Aina Paikai

While shooting in Hawai`i I've been able to work with a group of talented and visionary local filmmakers from `Oiwi TV and Paliku Documentary Films. One of the youngsters on the team is `Aina Paikai. Here is his hilarious short Moke Action:

Write-up on Chris Iijima on apimovement.com

A good write-up about Chris Iijima and A Song For Ourselves on apimovement.com. Read article HERE.

Please support The Park's Finest new restaurant!

This is huge for our community! I've been down with these folks since I was a teenager and their dedication to us can't be matched. Please, please put something down for The Park's Finest! Click here and donate as much as you can. Thanks!

Justin Lin on Wayne Wang

You know what Asian American cinema need? Beef! Let's make it interesting. Personal rivalries, West Coast/ East Coast, Northern Cali/ So Cal, old school/ new school. Speaking of which, Justin Lin just roasted Wayne Wang, but in a very respectful Asian way. Read the whole thing here.

"I’m ready to put my own dream aside to please you. My agent is already calling Amy Tan’s people...Thank you, Wayne. You complete me as an Asian American. I love you, my Tiger Mom!" - Justin Lin

A Song For Ourselves Mixtape is back up

DJ Phatrick's A Song For Ourselves Mixtape is back online to download:

Jake on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jake was in town for the Jimmy Kimmel show on Monday. We got to tag along and cover some of the behind the scenes for the film. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is recorded earlier in the day and therefore not live.

It was fun watching Jake do his thang on national TV.

Blue Scholars - Fou Lee Video

Filthy

Rocky Rivera - Pop Killer Mixtape

Beatrock Music is on fiyah right now! Download Rocky Rivera's new mixtape Pop Killer. Rocky continues to sharpen her art with every new project.

Remembering Loni Ding

Loni Ding would have been 80 today...

Tribute video by Walt Louie:

LA Times Article on Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga

A longtime family friend and personal hero finally gets a little of the shine she deserves. Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga is a real living legend. Read the feature article on her in the LA Times HERE.

Welcome to Cinemetropolis

Blue Scholars decided to drop their new album Cinemetropolis a little early! From concept (they will drop a video/short film for every track) to independent distribution, this album is exactly what Geo and Sabzi have built their careers on, originality and mastery of their craft.

You can taste test all tracks and then cop the album HERE.



Here's the first short film from the album:

A Grain of Sand in Smithsonian Folkways Magazine

Sojin Kim recently wrote an excellent, in-depth article on the legendary A Grain of Sand album by Chris Iijima, Nobuko Miyamoto and Charlie Chin. Progressive Asian American music pretty much starts with this album. In the Smithsonian Folkways Magazine cover story, Sojin provides a background on all three artists as well as the movement that inspired them. A must read! Read it here.

Who is Melissa Roxas?

Please watch and learn about Melissa's story. Her bravery is inspiring and her continued community work deserves the support of all of us.



CLICK HERE to sign an open letter to demand justice for Melissa Roxas.

Winners of the JACCC Power of Community Video Contest

The JACCC recently announced the winners of the Power of Community Video Contest. It's great to see API filmmakers creating spots that promote the importance of community instead of selling product. All three directors have different perspectives about the concept of community and took their own approach to trying to capture it on video.

Hey!

This was pretty cool to see!

PBS Broadcast of Pilgrimage & A Song For Ourselves, May 8-15

Pilgrimage and A Song For Ourselves will be broadcasting together on multiple PBS affiliate stations starting on Mother’s Day, May 8th through the 15th. Two Films by Tadashi Nakamura is the official title of the program. Not every PBS station will be airing the show but it will be broadcasting on 1,104 stations, covering 45% of the country including; San Francisco, Dallas, Boston and New Orleans. Some broadcasts will happen at odd hours of the day so hopefully you made the upgrade to that DVR.

Click to download PDF of cities and dates of all broadcasts

Bows & Grindz

It was the summer of 2000, 6 weeks in Honolulu with 30 other students and I was 20 years old. Alice DJ and Destiny's Child ("Better off Alone" & "Jumpin Jumpin" to be exact) was the knock in the club and Three Plus was the bump in the ride. It was my peak of substance tolerance and student self-righteousness all at the same time.

I was participating in the UCLA/UH Asian American Studies Summer Program. I took classes taught by Dr. Erin Wright and Prof. Rod Labrador which opened my eyes to the crippling effects of settler colonialism in Hawai'i and forced me to reflect on my own privilege as a Japanese American on the island.

11 years later, Prof. Rod and a collective of organizations at UH brought me back to campus to screen my films and run a workshop. It was great, Rod now has some gray hair and I have some facial hair, kinda. Special thanks to Ethnic Studies Student Association of UH.


Cindy and I hit up our favorite food spots but made time in the belly schedule to try some new places. The pork belly bowl at Your Kitchen was pretty amazing:


The fries and dipping sauces lived up to the hype at Hank's. But I would take a $2 dirty dog in LA over their $6 bacon wrapped then deep fried hotdog:


We got our skank on at the Waikiki Shell and got to see Katchafire, Ho'onua and Ooklah The Moc! It was fun but unlike my Birthday Bash experience in '00, we stayed in the old people section.


Hit up the fellas on the North Shore...


The Previas stay rollin on Oahu...

Screening Trilogy at Univ. of Hawai'i on 4/14

8 Clap!

Honored to get a write-up on the UCLA alumni site! Read article HERE.

Japan Memorial at JACCC Plaza

A week following the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, the Little Tokyo community here in LA gathered at the JACCC Plaza to mourn those who lost their lives and support those directly impacted by the tragic events. Here's some footage that I shot and put together from the gathering.

Pilgrimage Screening at Occidental College 3/3

It's gonna be Father/Son night at Occidental College tonight!

Anti-Musilim Hate Rally in Orange County

Like most of you, I run on inspiration. Inspiration to continue the work that is already being done and inspiration to dedicate more of my time and energy to strengthen the progressive movement that has been built. The wave of mass protests and uprisings in the Arab world and the stone-cold strength of the workers and allies in Wisconsin have reminded me that we are indeed living in a definitive moment of our generation. But just as I get empowered by watching thousands scream truth to power, the rage I get when watching something like this is also energizing, and in a way, inspiring.

Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recently posted this video of an anti-Muslim rally at a fundraiser in Orange County on Feb. 13, 2011. To be blunt, the people in this video and the ignorant hate they spit is fucking disgusting. It's a trip to think that the day this video was shot, I was in Chicago participating in a Day of Remembrance event discussing the parallels between the WWII Japanese American experience and today's hateful environment.

VIDEO REMOVED FROM YOUTUBE BUT CAN BE VIEWED HERE

What got me so heated was seeing the faces of the parents walking with their kids. Those images hit home to everyone in a different way but I'm sure they hit hard. Like the people in this video, those who are under constant attack need to know we're here to jump-in and fight with them.

NBA X Oscars

I saw these on gotemcoach.com and thought they were genius!

Youtube Video of the Week: Wisconsin "Budget Repair Bill" Protest

An inspiring video of last weeks protests in Madison, WI by Matthew Wisniewski. Read all the comments this video has been receiving.

Arizona's SB 1611

The details of proposed Arizona bill SB1611 are disgusting:

"The bill, which the state senator called an “omnibus” immigration bill, the Arizona Capitol Times reported, would bar children from K-12 education if they couldn’t produce a U.S.-issued birth certificate or naturalization document. It would forbid undocumented immigrants from driving in the state or accessing public benefits. Folks who are caught driving would face a month of jail time and would have to turn over the car they’re driving."

Read article about SB 1611 in Colorlines HERE.

Slaying The Dragon: Reloaded

If you ever took an Asian American Studies class there's a good chance you've seen Slaying The Dragon. This classic 1986 documentary gets a much needed update and will be shown at the San Francisco Int'l Asian American Film Fest in March.

Screening Trilogy at LMU on Feb. 23rd

I will be screening and discussing all three of my films this week at LMU. I'm excited to screen at the university that I've lived so close to my whole life.

The last time I was at LMU was for my old roommate's graduation. A group of my High School friends and I held up a huge sign that read "CONGRADULATIONS LIZETH!!!" It was not on purpose.

Youtube Video of the Week: Popo no-no spot & Harry Baals

Pants on the ground, pants on the ground. Lookin like a fool with your pants on the ground...


And then we have Harry Baals...

Sportscenter's "Do It For Dylan"

As formulaic and heavy handed as they may be, these tragic stories on ESPN always get me...

Pilgrimage Screenings at DOR in Chicago and Seattle in February

On February 19, 1942, FDR signed Executive Order 9066 which lead to the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans. Feb. 19th is the National Day of Remembrance (DOR) held every year to educate and connect the Japanese American WWII concentration camp experience to present day issues and movements.

I will be showing Pilgrimage and speaking at the DOR events in Chicago and at South Seattle Community College next week.

Chicago Day of Remembrance
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2011 @2p
Chicago History Museum

South Seattle Community College
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011 @ 10a and 1p
Brockey Hall Student Center, Rm. A
South Seattle Community College

Hari Kondabolu's Comedy Central Special on 02/12

Hari Kondabolu's Comedy Central special is airing on Feb. 11th at 11pm. The dude is brilliant. Set your DVR's now...

Netflix Worthy: Shut Up and Sing

I recently saw Barbara Kopple's Shut Up and Sing on the Dixie Chicks, their stand against Bush's invasion of Iraq and the huge backlash it caused from the country music world. I had never really knew the details of what went down but I now have a lot more respect for the band. Well made film.

ESPN article the non-profit, publicly-owned Green Bay Packers

Why I'm rooting hard for Green Bay on Sunday:
The right way? The Green Bay way on espn.com

Youtube Video of the Week: Jan. 25th

This one gave me chicken skin!

Single mom convicted of felony for sending kids to a better school

This such bullshit, single mother Kelley Williams-Bolar of Akron, Ohio was sentenced with a felony for sending her 2 kids to a better school outside their district?! Half of my friends growing up did this in order to go to better, safer schools.

Read more & sign petition HERE.

Egypt 101

Read this blog post on promotingpeace.tumblr if you are like me and really need a basic explanation of what's going on Egypt.

Then watch or read Al Jazeera English to keep up with what is going on.

In solidarity with the people of Egypt and their struggle for freedom!

Netflix Worthy: Valentino: The Last Emperor

A lot friends complain that the movies available on netflix instant are booty. While I wish that all titles were available for streaming, I've still been able to fill my instant queue with tons of films I've been meaning to watch. Valentino: The Last Emperor was one of them.

As foreign as the elitist world of haute couture fashion is to me, I was drawn in by the pressure and high stakes of Valentino's world. The access that the director Matt Tyrnauer got with the icon and the honest interviews from people around him really made the film. The story structure of Valentino's possible retirement and his relationship with partner Giancarlo Giammetti made the film interesting even if you have no interest in fashion.

Discover Nikkei Article

Here's an article (part 1 of 2) on Discover Nikkei about my film Pilgrimage and the connection I try to make with the JA community through my work. I got a chance to sit down and talk with writer Mia Nakaji Monnier at JANM last year and I thought she did an excellent job with article.







Read Part 2 HERE

Jake Shimabukuro EPK

Here's an EPK I made for Jake with footage from the upcoming documentary

Interview for Fancast.com

My blogging skills are the worst! I forgot to post this interview I did for Fancast.com in December. The article was written by Chi-hui Yang, the curator of Comcast's Cinema Asian America. I owe a lot to Chi-hui. As the director of the San Francisco Asian American International Film Festival, he picked my first film, Yellow Brotherhood, to screen at the festival and has been really supportive of my work ever since. It's also because of him that A Song For Ourselves was part of last month's Cinema Asian America line-up.

Read the interview here.

Jake Shimabukuro Feature on NPR

With the release of Jake's new album Peace Love Ukulele this week, NPR kicked off the new year featuring him on Weekend Edition. Listen or read the story here.

Jake Shimabukuro Farmers Insurance Commercial

Jake gettin' that corporate monaaayy! (but still making them more)

Review of A Song For Ourselves in Anthropology Review Database

Here's a recent review of A Song For Ourselves published on the Anthropology Review Database site. Click here to read.

Here's another review posted last year on Educational Media Reviews Online.

If you would like to get A Song For Ourselves into you school's library please contact Third World Majority or Center For Asian American Media.

Beatrock Music Anniversary Show Video

Happy New Year! 2011 looks like it's gonna be another big year for good people making good art (...and wedding vows and babies). Beatrock Music closed out 2010 with 1 year anniversary shows in Long Beach and San Francisco AND announcing two new artists joining the label: Kiwi and Rocky Rivera! Check out the video that Jerome and the rest of the Just Bomin Films crew put together of the SF show: