Issue: # 6: May 18, 2007
| Win Prizes and Help Support San Francisco Public Schools by Buying Raffle Tickets | |
 The Asian Heritage Street Celebration is proud to organize the Annual School Raffle Fundraiser in association with the San Francisco Unified School District. Last year's fundraiser raised nearly $10,000 with top selling school Alice Fong Yu Elementary selling almost 500 tickets. This year, 100% of funds raised from ticket sales will be returned back to schools. Raffle prizes include roundtrip airfare tickets anywhere on Southwest Airlines, a Nintendo Wii System, Giants season passes and over 20 other items donated from the community. Raffle tickets can be purchased from students and school groups at participating San Francisco schools and at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration on May 19. Multiple drawings will be held all day at the celebration. |
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| AHSC Honors Artistic Students |
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By Angela Pang  In partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District, the Asian Heritage Street Celebration will once again recognize the accomplishments of K-12 students with an awards ceremony on May 19.Approximately 50 students from 24 schools will be presented with glass plaques designed by Graham Iwao Haynes honoring their work in visual or performing arts. The ceremony will take place at 11a.m. at the Natoma Stage on Sixth Street. Students selected for performing arts will either play instruments, dance or sing. The ceremony is part of the annual SFUSD Student Awards Program that the AHSC has hosted since its inception to recognize the accomplishments of students who are of Asian Pacific Islander heritage in categories not typically celebrated. In the past, students have been honored for community service work, and last year, more than 45 Asian Pacific American school coaches and student athletes were honored. Students from Argonne Year-Round Elementary School, including Warren Liang, Rachel Wong, Jack Wu, Karen Chiem, and Amanda Ng will perform choreography by their teacher Julianne Eng. Francis Scott Key Elementary's Lillian Thai, 6, and sister Yvonne Thai, 9, will both sing Jambalia and Gypsy Royer, while Yvonne plays the guitar. Kayla Tago, 11, from Jose Ortega Elementary School will perform a Samoan dance. "I never thought, not in a billion years, that I would ever receive a glass plaque," said Serena Choi, 10, from Sunset Elementary School. Those honored for visual arts will have their artwork displayed in the SFUSD School Awards booth. Jessica Tang, 15, from City Arts and Technology High School will display an acrylic wood art of a hand coming out of fire with smoke rising from the fingers to spell out "inspire." Spring Valley Science Magnet School's Joanne Chevasuchint has chalk drawings while Victor Mak has a watercolor painting to display. "I think it's wonderful that the AsianWeek Foundation is looking for ways to include the entire community," said Lawton Alternative School Principal Beverly Kong. "That's what building appreciation of diversity is about." "We want to celebrate not just the ethnic diversity of our community, but also the diversity of interests and diversity of talent among Asian Pacific Americans," said Ted Fang of the AsianWeek Foundation. "The most beautiful thing about the School Awards Program is that we get to share that rich diversity not just with each other, but with all residents from around the Bay Area that come to enjoy the Street Celebration," added Fang. |
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| Cleaning Up After the Party is Over |
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By Grace Tzeng Since its involvement with the Asian Heritage Street Celebration for the past two years, the San Francisco Clean City Coalition, a nonprofit organization, has been a driving force in reducing the waste that's produced at this lively and entertaining street festival. This year is the first time that S.F. Clean City Coalition has introduced composting to this annual event. Recycling is treating and reusing materials, making them into new products. Composting involves decomposing organic materials into mulch that can be mixed into soil for planting fruits, vegetables, trees and flowers. There will be 5 recycling and composting stations placed in various locations throughout the street fair, with youth monitors assisting and educating the public on where to put items. Aluminum cans, glass bottles and paper can be recycled. For people who cannot possibly take another bite of their shish kabob, they can leave the food in the compostable bin. Items that would normally have gone into the trash can now be composted.
Instead of scooping up and serving rice on Styrofoam plates to customers, vendors will use compostable paper plates. Fairgoers taking BART, Muni, taxis, or riding with a designated driver, can guzzle down beer and sake in biodegradable cups. Tissues and towels are also compostable. If there is any leftover food, the vendors will compost it. The Coalition, founded in 1991, has done special events cleanup around San Francisco for 4 years. Gia Grant, Executive Director of S.F. Clean City Coalition, says that the partnership with the Department of the Environment and their association working together at the street event is a great way to reduce waste and educate the public at the same time. The organization is dedicated to making San Francisco a greener place to live. At events that would reach 20,000 in attendance, up to 17, 000 pounds of material that would have piled up in the landfills was either composted or recycled and put to good use. They also have admirable community outreach programs where the homeless can receive job training and perform landscaping, graffiti removal, and special event cleanup and recycling, while earning a part-time income. The Clean City Coalition is doing an excellent job to help us respect Mother Earth and live in a pleasant, ecological world, and will make this year's street celebration a sure clean hit. http://www.sfcleancity.com/ | |
| Entertainment spotlights |
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| 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. Pambuan Arnis Filipino Martial Art is a Classical Arnis System from Santa Cruz, Laguna, Philippines. Ama Guro Raffy Pambuan inherited his family's system of Arnis from his father and brought the art with him from the Philippines to the U.S. in 1983. In 1993, he began teaching this art to a small group of students, which he continues to do today.
DJ Mike "Nice" Tao is a third-generation Japanese American from Watsonville. A graduate of San Francisco State University, he has been a part of the music industry since 1993, when he became street team director for San Francisco urban music radio station 106 KMEL. Mike started On Point Marketing in 1998 and is currently associate producer of music content at CNET's Download.com. You can hear Mike DJ'ing at clubs around the Bay Area. www.myspace.com/mikenice23. Tony Ng aka Tone Def began DJing in sixth grade. Tony's career with KMEL began with an internship in 1997 while attending San Francisco State University; today he is the station's promotions coordinator. Tony still deejays and throws parties with the Junkyard Gang. myspace.com/djtonedef415. JayPlus has been in the San Francisco mix since 1987 and can be heard on WiLD 94.9 on Saturday mornings at 3 a.m. A San Francisco native, he is WiLD 94.9's assistant promotions director. Every first Saturday of the month he hosts Esaturdays at Club NV. www.myspace.com/sbcjayplus or www.sbcdjs.com. Asian Improv aRts' mission is to produce artistic works that represent the Asian American experience. With a network of artists, community organizations and activists, AIR has produced cultural events in the Chicago and San Francisco Bay areas. Asian Improv also provides technical assistance, advocacy, production support and mentorship to artists and arts organizations. www.asianimprov.org. In addition to the entertainment, there will be local arts and crafts booths, food, Muay Thai demonstrations, a karaoke competition, anime pavilion, manga, trading cards, video games and J-cars. Asian Pacific American students will be recognized for achievement in visual arts and performing arts, and there will be a school raffle and fundraiser benefiting the San Francisco Unified School District. | |
| Fun Features | |
| By Alisa Tanphanich
S.F. Sword Society Antique Japanese Sword Display With over a hundred members in both the U.S. and Japan, the S.F. Sword Society is devoted to educating people about the art of swords. The Society's bilingual Sensei (teacher) Harunaka Hoshino teaches Karate, Kenjitsu (sword fighting) and Japanese sword history at the Society's dojo on Geneva Ave. in San Francisco. Now a U.S. citizen, Hoshino was born in Japan and has studied swords for over four decades. An expert in sword restoration and a collector for many years, Hoshino is able to read 99 percent of ancient sword inscriptions. The Society's booth at the AHSC will display Japanese swords up to 1,000 years old and offer information on identifying authentic swords, restoring blades and appraising.
Book Signings by Author William Poy Lee, Children's Story Time and Books for Check-Out at the San Francisco Public Library Booth There will also be games, prizes and arts & crafts. William Poy Lee, author of the new book The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to his Toisanese Mother, will be signing books from 11:30-12:30 p.m. In his book, Lee gives a view of the Asian American experience from a mother-son perspective. His complex story of growing up in the housing projects of San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1960s and 70's unfolds in two voices-the author's own and that of his mother-to provide a sense of tradition and culture. Historical Photograph and Artifact Displays
Children's Activities
Other Highlights
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| Sponsor Highlight: California Pacific Medical Center | |
At California Pacific Medical Center we strive to deliver the highest level of personalized, quality care for our patients and community that we are privileged to serve. In this spirit, we are pleased to once again be the presenting sponsors of the third annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration. California Pacific has a long history of reaching out beyond the walls of our hospital to support organizations that meet the needs of Asian Americans in San Francisco. We reach deep into our community to provide education, screening and financial support in some of the city's most underserved areas. The Medical Center has been working actively with the Asian community to address some of the most pressing health disparities including hepatitis B, childhood obesity and access to healthcare. In recognition of our efforts, Asian Perinatal Advocates recently announced that they are honoring California Pacific Medical Center for our commitment to Asian American health. At California Pacific we believe in the power of medicine. Because medicine can transform a body. But going beyond medicine can transform a life. |
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| Fashion Showcase | |
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The latest fashion designs by local and national talents will all be on display at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration. Their work can be seen at the Fashion Showcase booth located near the 7th St. Stage. People can also pick up FREE AsianWeek fashion posters at these booths. At 3:30pm on the Natoma Stage the following collections and works will be on display in the AHSC's first ever fashion show.
Mimeki Mimeki, a designer line of luxury handbags, is making a bold statement in the accessories world. Known for its signature shapes, luxurious leathers and textiles and incredible quality, Mimeki handbags are changing the way women view their everyday handbag. Rochelle Thwaites, an interior designer by trade, is the visionary and designer behind Mimeki. Her awareness of fashion and love for function is transcended into each beautiful handbag that the line offers. "Mimeki is about creating individual style," states Thwaites. "I wanted to give the confident consumer a handbag that was both sophisticated and practical, creating a synergy that makes Mimeki uniquely appealing." http://mimeki.com/ Academy of Art College Students From Seoul, Korea, Su-In Yoon and Mun Soo Kwon will showcase their collections. The inspiration behind Yoon's designs are gothic cathedrals and men's costumes. Kwon's designs are vintage military uniforms. Citizens for the World Philanthropy and art intertwined as Citizens for the World launched its first campaign, The BARE Campaign. The benefit fashion show's goal was to promote awareness about poverty issues affecting Asia. Participants in the benefit show bravely walked on the catwalk with anti-poverty messages that they designed on their jeans. The models bare themselves to recognize the conditions and feelings of poverty. They will be showcasing denim displayed at the BARE Campaign. http://www.citizensfortheworld.org Kasil Jeans One unique aspect of Kasil is its selective, custom tailoring business. Designer, David Lim, gained his tailoring expertise while working for his father's company - High Society Tailoring - a business that since 1968 has catered to a clientele that includes politicians, celebrities and stylists. Lim designs his collection using the practices he has mastered from the teachings of an experienced tailor. Each jean is made to fit and look as if it were a fine tailored garment. With that, he combines his ambition, drive, and attention to detail that gives this collection a strong sense of identity that will continue to evolve into a denim label of authentic style. Fans of Kasil Jeans include Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Aniston, Lucy Liu, Tyra Banks, and Angelina Jolie. Kayo Anime Clothing by Kayo Mistuyama Kayo, a young budding fashion designer infuses the world of Japanese animation into her own line of street wear. Born and raised in Japan, Kayo was inspired by the bold and stylistic look of anime costumes to launch her clothing line kayo - anime street gear in 2002. After having numerous fashion shows in San Francisco and New York, kayo came to represent a new wave of street fashion based on the aesthetic of anime and street culture of electronic dance.
Lolita Kama by Tomy Nguyen Dedicated and founded in July 2006 to make the impossible possible. The establishing of Japanese Fashion Styles - Visual Kei - Gothic Lolita and Jap. Fashion 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 potentioal to build bridges between cultures" to unite friends, interest and the love to Japanese culture for all people from around the world. California Rising California Rising is a provocative new menswear line that is passionate about the planet, deeply concerned with the state of the world and fueled by the power of freedom. California Rising is an socially-environmental-political conscience clothing line. Moreover, California Rising supports philanthropy by donating portions of their profits to non-profits and humanitarian efforts. | |
| Karaoke Contest | |
| By Angela Pang
For those who did not make the cut for American Idol and always dreamed of singing in front of a live audience, you now have your chance at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration karaoke contest! The annual competition will take place from 1p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Contestants will perform one song of their choice and in order to participate, they must sign up before noon on May 19 at the Natoma Stage. The grand prize is a pair of round trip airline tickets anywhere in the U.S. courtesy of Southwest Airlines. Other prizes include cash and restaurant gift certificates donated by Chinatown restaurants: Cathay House, Thai Chef, and Far East Restaurant. Last year almost 20 people participated and Mayor Gavin Newsom even stopped by the Comcast Karaoke Stage to sing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." "The contestants all had a wonderful time and enjoyed singing outdoors versus singing in karaoke clubs," recalls Ed Villa Carlos, organizer of the event. "The fair brought together the various Asian American communities. While walking down the street, I heard Vietnamese, Tagalog, Mandarin, Cantonese." DJ Tony Garcia will co-host the competition with Carlos. Judges Marc da Luz, George Niau, Bonnie Carion, Ava Ochoa and Ross Tom will evaluate contestants on three categories: vocal ability, stage presence, and audience applause. Contestants will have over 5,000 English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Tagalog songs to choose from. Participants are welcome to bring their own karaoke CDs. The competition will conclude with a live performance from two Go Bigg Entertainment rappers. PRIZES: Grand Prize: Pair of Round Trip Southwest Airline Tickets Second Place: $250 Cash Plus $100 Gift Certificate for Cathay House Restaurant Third Place: $150 Cash Plus $50 Gift Cerficate for Thai Chef Restaurant Fourth Place $50 Gift Certificate for Far East Cafe | |
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