When I was a sophomore in college, I got pulled over for going 90 mph while knocking Anida Yoeu Ali‘s “Excuse Me, ameriKa.” and while I admit that it was extremely geeky to be an outlaw due to poetry (I once also got written up in my dorm for bumping Sage Francis too loud…ughhhhh…) it’s hard to escape the excitement I felt as a young underspoken Asian kid hearing one of his own spit fire for the first time. Since then Anida’s played a huge role in my life, even taking me under her wing in the fateful Chicago summer when I decided to follow in her footsteps and pursue a career as an artist. Some years later, she teams up with Masahiru Sugano to present Mistaken For Muslim, yet another landmark piece. This time she calls attention to post-9/11 anti-Muslim violence – an issue that tragically remains relevant a decade after the fact. As a part of the 1700% Project which entails the poem, video, and an accompanying installation performance, “Mistaken For Muslim” is truly the most gripping piece of visual spoken word I’ve seen in a long time. Check it out above, and if you digit, vote for it for the One Chicago One Nation Film Contest!

If it’s fake, Brilliant Satire. If it’s real *forehead slap.*

Basically, 2 white girls try to convince an Indian girl that she is African and they also try to save her from her heathen religion, Hinduism.

Your Religion is wrong

I’ve had this experience, with white people trying to define my identity and “save me” and I would like to know your feelings on it.

Since we are Spoken word artists, Poetry formed comments would be DOPE, use the clip as inspiration.

note to self, i would like to edit this to input the video to show directly, what script do i need to use?

-Ryan the Lion

I know we had briefly discussed some of the issues in the “Digging for Gold” workshop, so I feel like it may interest some folks to check these documentaries out: Slanted Screen and Yellow Apparel. Slanted Screen is a documentary that focuses on History of Asian Men in Hollywood. It’s not perfect though, as it leaves the women out of the discussion. Yellow Apparel talks about the commodification of Asian culture…

Anyways, check these out for yaselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJwAwH93Yhg (6 part entirety on  YouTube)

yellow apparel: when the coolie becomes cool from Yellow Apparel on Vimeo.

Also, I know I spoke about two books in the Digging for Gold workshop: African Presence in Early Asia by Runoko Rashidi AND Vijay Prashad’s Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting.

Peace,

Sincere Justice

Summit fam goes DEEP, son!  Check out the new video from Blue Scholars, who rocked at the Boston and NYC Summits.  Geologic, along with the Isangmahal Arts Kollective, helped found the Seattle Summit in ’01.  Know history, know self, yadiiiiiiiiig??

This past Thursday Bay09 artists Jennii Le, Brian Yoo, Vinh Hua, and Hollis Wear came by to kick it on my radio spot, The Pretty Buoyant Show on KPFA’s Apex Express.  They KILLED it!!  More videos coming up soon, here’s Jennii with “Heineken & Soju” which she also did at the Community Showcase.

In the meantime, here’s the whole audio clip of the show, which starts off with an interview with Pacific Islander & researcher Migetu Micheal Tuncap about nuclear testing in the Pacific Islands (Thursday was the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing).  The Summit talk starts about half an hour in.

Show playlist:
1. Blue Scholars “HI-808″
2. Jumakae “Cupid’s Arrow”
3. Brian Yoo live performance
4. Jennii Le live performance
5. Vinh Hua live performance
6. CSS “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Spank Rock Remix)”