9/22/11 Anniversary of Martial Law and Filipino American Punk Rock, Unplugged

Digma performing at League of Filipino Students "Ring the Alarm" benefit

On this 39th anniversary of Martial Law in the Philippines, hear from the Filipino Community Center’s monthly Talakayan (Discussion).  This month, the FCC put together Remembering Martial Law, Celebrating International Solidarity .  The discussion focuses on the experiences of Filipino organizers and their allies on an exposure trip to the Philippines several weeks ago-allies like Alex Tom from the Chinese Progressive Association, Steve Williams from POWER , and Bounce from the Trust Your Struggle collective. Contributor Marie Choi and R.J. Lozada piece together a montage of reflection.

Video: Trust Your Struggle collective painting a mural, one of their contributions in the exposure trip (Video by Piya Constantino).

Also, tune in to the sonic assault of Filipino America punk band, Digma, in the first live performance on Apex Express in a long, long time.  We’ll listen to their music, and bridge movement building to cultural production.

Community Calendar

• Tomorrow, rub shoulders with San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim as she hosts the opening of the San Francisco Arts Commission’s photo exhibition, The ARTery Project: Photographs of Central Market. Featured photographers include Ian Wang, Vivian Troung, and Monica Roy. The reception on Friday is from 5-7 p.m. with jazz bassist Marcus Shelby playing in the hallway.
• On Saturday, join the progressive community as 518 Valencia Street opens its doors! This center for for popular culture and education is available at low cost to organizations, community members and social movements in the Bay Area, and Apex’s own Ellen Choy is the coordinator. Festivities are from 1-5 p.m. with a brief program honoring the late Eric Quezada at 3 p.m.
• “The Places We Call Home” – on September 29, 7:00 pm a literary event in celebration of the upcoming Filipino American International Book Festival. Authors and poets reading will include: Oscar Bermeo, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, Rashaan Alexis Meneses, Veronica Montes, Barbara Jane Reyes, and Benito M. Vergara, Jr. For more information about the October 1 to October 2, 2011 Filipino American International Book Festival visit http://www.filbookfest.info/
• EastSide Arts Alliance, VietUnity, HOBAK, and Anakbayan East Bay present…Final Fridays Films of Resistance and Solidarity will screen Tony Nguyen’s film Enforcing the Silence next Friday, September 30 at 7pm, at Eastside Cultural Center, right there on 2277 International Blvd., Oakland.  To hear more about Tony’s film, check out Karl Jagbandhansingh’s interview with Tony in our archives.
• International League of Peoples’ Struggle 4th International Assembly and International Festival for People’s Rights & Struggles
  Community Report Back
  Saturday, October 8, 6-8 PM
  Doors open at 5:30pm
  518 Valencia St. (& 16th St.), SF
  This space IS wheelchair accessible
  Hear from guest speakers from Bay Area community organizations who traveled to Manila, Philippines to participate in a week of conferences, assemblies and celebrations with the theme:
  Build a bright future! Mobilize the people to resist exploitation and oppression amidst the protracted global depression, state terrorism and wars of aggression!
  $5 – 10 donation accepted.  No one turned away for lack of funds.
  
• In conjunction with Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts’ gallery exhibition of Carlos Villa’s work,  “Manongs, Some Doors and a Bouquet of Crates,” catch Cinema from the Filipino Diaspora. This screening of three films including Ritual by Carlos Villa, a video slide show from 1980, Super Flip by Celine Parreñas, who will be in attendance, and Serbis, by Brillante Mendoza from the Philippines. The screening is on Sunday, October 2nd at 6 p.m.