3/1/12 Honoring Grace Lee Boggs (Part 1), SF Film Fest, &Tree City Legends

Photo from Robin Holland

This week and next week on APEX, we are highlighting one of our favorite movement sheros – Grace Lee Boggs. She will be in town this weekend for a speaking tour around the Bay Area, so we are honoring her and her amazing work with two back-to-back APEX shows. This week, we talk about the history of Grace Lee Boggs and hear clips from some of her powerful speeches from the past.

We also finish our coverage of the SF International Asian American Film Festival, with special film reviews by APEX’s own DJ Bruddah K.

And lastly, you’ll hear a special interview about the widely acclaimed new theatre piece – Tree City Legends. I was able to catch writer Dennis Kim and performer Taiyo Na backstage after one of their first shows. Tree City Legends only has a couple of nights left in SF, so tune in to hear more about it! And you can buy your tickets here.

Hosted by Ellen Choy.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

• Grace Lee Boggs Events:
  • On Revolution: A Conversation Between Grace Lee Boggs and Angela Davis
    Friday, March 2nd
    Pauley Ballroom, UC Berkeley
    Opening ceremony at 4pm
    This event is hosted by the Women of Color Initiative at the UC Berkeley Graduate Assembly, the Ethnic Studies Department at UC Berkeley and is held in conjunction with the 27th Annual Empowering Women of Color Conference. Admission is free and open to the general public.
    For more info: http://ewocc.wordpress.com/grace-lee-boggs-and-angela-davis/
  • Building the Next American Revolution: A Celebration and Tribute to Grace Lee Boggs
    Saturday, March 3rd
    Chinese Culture Center, SF Chinatown
    1pm – Doors Open & Reception | 3pm – Book Signing
    $5-$20 sliding scale, purchase tickets in advance online
    Hosted by Chinese Progressive Association. Co-sponsored by Asian Law Caucus, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Chinese Culture Center, Chinese Community Development Center, Movement Strategy Center, and more.
    More info: www.cpasf.org
• Tree City Legends, a multidisciplinary theater work that melds post-hip hop aesthetics, urban folklore, Korean traditional tales, live music, legend, and parable, opens this week at Intersection for the Arts. 
  Dates: 8 p.m., February 16 – March 3, 2012
  Tickets: $20-$25, www.brownpapertickets.com/event/221342
  Location: Intersection for the Arts, 925 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103

10/27/11 Death of a Player and The Hound, a Live Radio Play

Tonight we feature “Death of a Player” by Pinays Maintaining Sisterhood Through Art at Bindlestiff Studio. Then we have a special treat for you in this pre-Halloween edition of Apex. A duo of depraved tomb raiders digs up more danger than they bargained for in THE HOUND, a classic tale of terror by jazz-age horror icon H.P. Lovecraft, adapted both to radio and the 21st century by playwright Ignacio Zulueta.

We also have THREE pairs of tickets to Brenda Wong Aoki/Mark Izu’s Kabuki Jazz Cabaret at Yoshi’s in San Francisco (see below).

Community Calendar

• Friday, October 28 is the final screening of Rights Fest featuring WHOSE CHILDREN ARE THESE?, a gripping view into the lives of three Muslim teenagers impacted by domestic national security measures and VIVA LA CAUSA, which focuses on the grape strike and boycott led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta in the 1960s. This screening is FREE, but you have to RSVP.
• Catch Brenda Wong Aoki/Mark Izu’s Kabuki Jazz Cabaret at Yoshi’s in San Francisco on Sunday, October 30th. Tickets are $15 adv / $25 door.
• And for all you bike riders out there, there’s the 4th Annual Dia de Los Muertos/P.O.K.E.R. Ride, a gathering of people of color riding out from the Fruitvale BART station on Sunday the 30th at 4 p.m. Come dressed as your favorite fallen s/hero. The ride is 2-3 hours long, but no one is left behind.

And, thank you to all those who pledged during our fall fund drive. If you missed out, KPFA is still accepting pledges securely online.

1/27/11 Bindlestiff Studio’s Wordy Word Wednesday and music group KoTolán

We’ll talk with Allan Manalo of Bindlestiff Studio about their Wednesday night open mic called Wordy Word Wednesdays. Be sure to tune in because we have some breaking news about Bindlestiff staffing!

We’ll also hear from Junko Seki and Otto Granillo, two members of Los Angeles-based music group KoTolán. They’re having their record release party at Yoshi’s Lounge in San Francisco on Wednesday, February 2, 2011.

6/24/10 APA Food Entrepreneurs, Chink Monkey, and LGBT Pride

Sweedeedee Jerkey, Socola Chocolatier, Adobo Hobo, with Nonogirl and Miss Renee

Listen:

The Bay Area is a food-lover’s paradise. Fresh produce is easily accessible, world-class chefs abound, and entrepreneurial foodies have found themselves embraced by adventurous eaters. Thursday night, we’ll hear from Jason Rotairo with Adobo Hobo, a popular food cart; sisters Susan and Wendy Lieu with Sôcôla Chocolatier; and Troy Vadakan with Sweedeedee Jerkey, sold at the SF Underground Farmers Market. Does their heritage influence their product, what is the secret to their success, and where can you find them? Answers to these questions on Apex Express.

Well also hear from Steven Low about his one-man performance, Chink Monkey: a journey into race, gender, and identity, which premiers at the Phoenix Theater on Saturday.

Finally, here’s our list of some LGBT APA events:

• Through July 31: Rehistoricizing Abstract Expressionism in the Bay Area: 1950 to 1970, a visual exhibition that’s part of the National Queer Arts Festival
• Thursday: Shangri-la dance  party at the End Up in San Francisco
• Friday: API Official PRIDE Party is @ Club Dragon (1151 Folsom Street)
• Sunday: Pride march includes API Wellness Center, Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, Lt. Dan Choi, and Helen Zia, among others

3/18/10 Asian American theater and film

Tonight we interview members of Asian American Theater Company about their world premiere of “Macho Bravado.” This play is about a Korean American soldier returning home from fighting abroad, in his quest for love, identity, and masculinity.

We also interview Lewis Kawahara, coordinator of the College of San Mateo Ethnic Studies’ Asian Pacific American Film Festival.

And finally we have Apex producer Robynn Takyama interviewing director Anne Misawa and associate producer Connie M. Florez about their documentary, State of Aloha, currently being screened at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

Listen: