Return of the J-Cars

By Muy Yam They're back and they're better than ever! After taking a hiatus from last year's Asian Heritage Street Celebration due to lack of space, J-cars will once again be on display at this year's 3rd Annual AHSC on May 19 in San Francisco's SOMA district. Sponsored by jdmtheory, which stands for Japanese Domestic Market, about 50 Japanese cars will be displayed on Howard Street, including models like the Infiniti G35, the Nissan 240SX and 350Z, the Honda S2000, as well as Honda Civics and Acura Integras. Founded in July of 2003, jdmtheory is currently an online warehouse based out of South San Francisco. The store specializes in anything related to Japanese car street culture, and sells car parts and accessories, as well as clothing. Geoff Gabriel, jdmtheory's founder, prides himself in carrying only original Japanese manufactures. "I don't sell any replica stuff, no knock-off parts. They aren't tested properly and aren't safe," he said. "I always sell the original stuff." Most recently featured at this year's San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown, Gabriel says that the purpose of displaying J-cars is to give back to the community. "I've always been supportive of the Asian cultural events, especially in the Bay Area," he said. "If you have a car collection, you're proud of it. I want to have something for the enthusiast, by the enthusiast. Jdmtheory may be displaying cars, but don't call it a car show. "We call it the J-car gathering," said Gabriel. "I try to stay away from the word 'show', because we're more casual, more laidback and we're not commercialized, it's not corporate." Jdmtheory plans to open a store on Post Street in Japantown in mid June. A joint project with Fatlace, a hip-hop culture website, Gabriel says that high-end car parts that are still exclusively sold in Japan will be available in the new store. "We'll also have the newest kicks and high-end Japanese streetwear," he said. For more information on this year's AHSC, go to www.asianfairsf.com.

Entertainment Spotlights

The Third Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration will feature an exciting and diverse entertainment line-up on May 19 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Howard between 5th and 7th streets in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood. Jin The Emcee is an incredible lyricist who first made his mark in hip hop when he came out of nowhere to become the "Freestyle Friday Champ" on BET's 106 and Park. Jin's new album, ABC (American Born Chinese), featuring Cantonese rhymes, is a musical biography of what it's like to grow up in America, while staying true to his Chinese cultural heritage. http://www.theemcee.com/ Comedian Rex Navarrete has performed across the nation at colleges and community events, becoming a household name among Filipino Americans.  In 1998, Navarrete released his first comedy CD, Badly Browned, followed by Husky Boy in 1999.  Both have become bestsellers on the Classified Records label. http://www.rexnavarrete.com/ The Poong-mul Ma-dang Nodootdol, a professional youth percussion music group, was established in 1998 in Incheon, South Korea's fourth largest city. It is dedicated to expanding Korean Traditional Percussion Music all over the world. This month, sponsored by the Korean Cultural Center of San Francisco, Nodootdol is performing at Bay Area schools and festivals. http://www.nodootdol.com Youth R&B band Those Kids ranges in age from 6 to 14. Consisting of sisters Caite and Ciara, their brother Daric and cousin Kiana, Those Kids are proud of their San Francisco roots. http://www.myspace.com/thosekids916

Sponsor highlight: Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo is once again proud to sponsor the Asian Heritage Street Celebration. Wells Fargo has been serving the Asian community for more than 155 years. Wells Fargo, California's oldest and largest financial services company, is one of the first California companies to serve Chinese customers in their native languages, and published a directory of Chinese-owned businesses in San Francisco in 1871.  Wells Fargo's strong commitment to the Asian community continues today. Last year, the San Francisco Business Times named Wells Fargo the Bay Area's top corporate giver for the fifth consecutive year. The company donated more than $13 million dollars to Bay Area nonprofit organizations in 2006, and many of those nonprofits serve the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hmong, Korean, Vietnamese and Asian-Indian community. Most recently, Wells Fargo celebrated the achievements of 10 Bay Area Asian nonprofits by donating $25,000 to help support the organizations. Wells Fargo continues to support organizations that work hard to make a difference in our communities. Wells Fargo has also been recognized by DiversityInc Magazine as a "Top 10 Company for Asian Americans."  This national ranking acknowledges Wells Fargo's exemplary accomplishments in recruiting, retaining and promoting Asian Americans in the company.  Today, Wells Fargo continues to serve the Asian community in the language of their choice.  In Asian communities, Wells Fargo stores are designed to ensure Asian customers feel at home - from the art, in-language signs and bilingual staff to help our customers' diverse needs.  Callers to Wells Fargo's customer service phone line can speak with bankers in Mandarin and Cantonese (1-800-288-2288). In addition, the transaction screens on Wells Fargo's ATMs are available in Chinese, Hmong, Korean and Vietnamese. (Pictured: Wells Fargo Chinatown Store Manager Derek Fong teaches local children about the significance of "hong bao"- the red envelope given during Chinese New Year.)

Sponsor highlight: Southwest Airlines

Throughout the year and during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, celebrates and embraces the Asian Pacific Islander community.  With operations in California, Texas and New York, Southwest Airlines serves the growing Asian population.   "At Southwest Airlines, connecting with our passengers starts before they take their first flight," said Shirley Manan, Southwest Airlines' San Francisco Marketing Manager.   "We want the Asian community to see us as more than an airline but as part of the family." Southwest's involvement in the Asian community focuses on cultural and educational initiatives.  For more than 12 years, the airline has sponsored the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade.  Southwest loves a celebration, especially one that brings families together.  The successful Lunar New Year partnership was recently extended across California, where Southwest is the sponsor of the LA18 Lunar New Year Parade and Festival in Pasadena, and the Vietnamese Spring Festival and Parade in San Jose.  Southwest also sponsors the San Francisco International Film Festival, the VC Film Fest Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, San Diego Asian Film Festival, and the New York City Asian American Film Festival. Along with celebrating cultural events, Southwest is committed to furthering the educational opportunities of Asian youth.  As the official airline of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), Southwest is flying the scholarship recipients and their parents to the awards ceremony in New York City.  Additionally, two lucky students will be honored with a pair of complimentary roundtrip tickets, which can be used to fly home from college to visit their family during the year. "We know the importance of family in the Asian community, and we want to keep students connected to those who matter most," Manan said.  "As a family of 32,000 plus employees, we want to make sure we take care of yours."      With our convenient schedules and low fares, we think keeping those connections are even easier on Southwest Airlines.  For more than 35 years, Southwest Airlines has been reuniting families and friends for the important events in their lives.  In California, Southwest has been taking its customers across the nation for 25 years.  Southwest began serving the State of California in 1982, and today, in California alone, Southwest serves nine cities, from San Diego to our return to San Francisco, and has an aircraft in its fleet dedicated to the employees and customers of the Golden State.

Sponsor highlight: CBS 5/The CW Bay Area

CBS 5/The CW Bay Area are proud continuing sponsors of the Asian Heritage Street Celebration for the third consecutive year since its inception. As television stations, we value diversity on-air, through the stories we cover in our newscasts, in our programs we broadcast both locally and nationally, and through the community events and organizations we sponsor.  CBS 5, as the 49th station nationwide to go on the air, the first in Northern California, and the fourth in California, has a long history of serving the diverse populations of California. And through our websites, cbs5.com and cwbayarea.com, our reach is much wider.  Our original programming and public affair shows like Eye on the Bay and Bay Sunday on CBS 5, and Bay Area Focus with Susan Sikora on The CW Bay Area, are frequently populated by guests from the various Asian communities.  We honor and celebrate ethnic diversity on a daily basis and also host an annual Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration to further celebrate and cement our commitment and connection to the Asian communities. And last, but not least, our Asian anchors and reporters. Lisa Chan, Sharon Chin, Sherry Hu, Sydnie Kohara, Sue Kwon, Rick Quan, Wendy Tokuda, Thuy Vu and Linda Yee have emceed and spoken at countless events throughout the year serving the Asian communities and beyond.

Muay Thai Kickboxing at AHSC

By Angela Pang Kick! Punch! Fight! Attendees of this year's Asian Heritage Street Celebration are in for a treat, because for the first time ever, the fair will feature a Muay Thai Kickboxing Ring, in which 20-40 live fights will take place. The event is free. Kru Sam Phimsoutham and World Muay Thai Team USA are organizing the kickboxing matches and event, which they have dubbed KAE-OS - a martial arts extravaganza. Up to 15 schools will participate, giving audiences the chance to watch great fighters from all over the Bay Area. KAE-OS will give students-turned-fighters the opportunity to test their skills in the ring using styles such as Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Sanshou, submission fighting, boxing and more. Muay Thai, translated into English as Thai Boxing, is the national sport of Thailand and is a martial art with origins in the ancient battlefield tactics of the Siamese (or Thai) army. Prior to the start of the first round, both fighters perform the Wai Kru, a pre-ritual dance which pays respect to their teachers and this is typically accompanied by traditional Thai music, incorporating the Ching (cymbal), Klong khaek (tom-tom) and Pee Java (Thai reed pipe). In Muay Thai participants use fists, elbows, shins, feet and knees to strike their opponent. Top Bay Area schools including Cung Le Martial Arts, George Tsutui's Universal Martial Arts, Fight and Fitness, Unlimited Kickboxing, Shamrock Martial Arts, Fairtex, Nor-Cal Fighting Alliance, Cesar Gracie Academy, Ralph Gracie Academy, Conditioning and Competition, Pacific Ring Sports, AKA and Prach Muay Thai are all expected to participate. http://www.worldteamusa.com/ Key Terminology Nak Muay - A Muay Thai fighter. Nak Su - Thai word for Muay Thai warrior (in Muay Thai term) Kru - Instructor or trainer. Ajarn - Master or instructor (more advanced than kru). Wai khru ram muay - Pre-fight ritual dance. Pra Jiad - A type of armband worn by Muay Thai fighters. Mong Kon - Headgear worn by Muay Thai fighters. Krang Ruang - A Pra Jiad that has special meaning to the person wearing it. It could be anything from a piece of their father's hair to a swath from their mother's sarong. Puang Malai - Floral wreaths that are given to a fighter before a fight by friends or fans. They look somewhat like the Hawaiian Lei. www.wikipedia.org

Vendor Highlights

Lolita Kisama Founded in 2006, this company combines Japanese fashion styles: Visual Kei, Gothic Lolita and Jap with their unique designs in the United States, Europe and other foreign countries. As an international business with branches in many countries, Lolita Kisama describes themselves as "the ones who have the potential to build bridges between cultures, to unite friends, interest and the love to Japanese culture for all people from around the world." AT&T AT&T has proudly served Asian and Asian American communities in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than a century. AT&T provides customer service in six popular Asian languages - Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tagalog and Korean - and was rated one of the top 10 corporate employers for Asian Americans by DiversityInc. In 2006, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation contributed more than $3.3 million to a variety of community organizations serving Asian and Asian American communities. Visit the AT&T booth at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration for information about the best choices for TV, broadband, home phone and wireless services. The most complete provider for the way you live. Little Buddha Baby As first-time parents, we were eager to continue our Asian cultural traditions with our daughter. However, we had difficulty in finding how to continue these traditions as well as understanding the reasons behind them. Little Buddha Baby was born to bridge this gap and be a helpful source for information about Asian children traditions, as well as for unique, Asian-inspired products for babies, toddlers and their moms and dads. This year, we will be showcasing our adorable Year of the Pig onesies/tees, Asian bilingual dolls, books, and other Asian-style clothing and accessories. Stop by for a visit! www.littlebuddhababy.com Asian American Donor Program Asian American Donor Program (AADP), as part of the National Thanks Mom campaign, will be having a Marrow Donor Registration Drive at the AHSC! Yul Kwon, winner of Survivor: Cook Islands and AADP spokesperson, will make an appearance at the booth. Anyone wishing to learn more about marrow donation, signing up to be a donor or updating information is heartily encouraged to stop by. Registration involves a simple cheek swab and is FREE for everyone. There is a critical need for ethnic minority participation, especially among the Asian and Pacific Islander communities, to help give all patients a chance. www.aadp.org ABC Language Exchange ABC Language Exchange is one of San Francisco's most popular foreign language schools. We provide many classes in a variety of Asian languages as well as in many other languages. We teach Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, Tagalog, Thai and more. We only work with experienced, professional language instructors who know how to teach in a lively and effective manner. Our small group classes or one-on-one lessons focus on attaining practical language skills that can be used in the real world. Takara Sake Sake, the renowned alcoholic beverage from Japan, employs the art of brewing rice, water and koji mold spores to achieve a variety of tantalizing tastes and aromas. Sake's 2000 plus year-old history makes it an integral part in Japanese culture. Ranging in uses from marriage ceremonies and Sumo wrestling events to nights of fine dining and everyday home cooking, Sake touches the lives of all Japanese in one way or another. Takara has continuously played a vital role in not only maintaining the age-old tradition of Sake-making, but also reinventing the art form such that each new generation discovers its timeless appeal. When Takara first brought its main brand, Sho Chiku Bai, to the American market, the various Asian and Asian-American communities were the first and most important customers. Nevertheless, many Americans, including 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Asian-Americans, knew very little about Sake. So, Takara took it upon itself to educate America about this traditional Japanese beverage. The educational campaign covered interviews in newspapers, magazines and TV spots. It attracted Asian students of viticulture and factory management from UC Davis and UC Berkeley. It also lead to the creation of the Takara Sake USA tasting room and America's one and only Sake museum at Takara's Berkeley plant, which features sake-making artifacts and the Art of Sake-Making video. Now that Takara Sake has made a name for itself that spans cultural and international borders, we remain grateful to Asian and Asian-American communities without which we would not have achieved the success that we have. The Asian Heritage Street Fair is a fantastic opportunity for Takara to be present among the communities that made it all possible as well as pass on the ancient tradition of Sake so that appreciation for it will continue well into the future.