WSU Asian American and Pacific Islander Awareness Month

PULLMAN, Wash. — Asian American and Pacific Islander Awareness Month activities
continue at Washington State University with an April 6 showing of the film “Lieweila.”
The film begins at 7 p.m. in Todd Hall, Room 276. According to organizers, it is story of the
Refalawasch, an ancient Micronesian culture colonized more than 150 years ago by Spain, and
subsequently by Germany, Japan, and now by the United States as part of the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands.
The film and all activities during the month are open to the public, said Esther Louie of
WSU’s Student Activities and Recreational Sports office. All events are free, unless noted.
On April 8 at 7 p.m. in Butch’s Den in the Compton Union Building, “revision *5” will feature
“i was born with 2 tongues,” an ensemble of performing Asian American poets from Chicago.
The event will include the fifth annual audience open microphone. Those planning to use the
microphone are asked to sign up in the Den by 6:30 p.m. on the day of the event. Free coffee and
hot chocolate will be provided by the Associated Students of WSU Coffeehouse, event
co-sponsor.
The fifth annual Washington State Filipino American Student Alliance Conference will be
held April 9-11 at various campus locations. Conference theme is “Brown Millennium:
Continuing the Legacy.” Those attending the conference will include alliance members from
WSU, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, Seattle University and
Seattle Central Community College. Also included may be students from other colleges, high
schools and community groups.
Conference highlights include a presentation about the impact of I-200 by David Della,
executive director, Washington Commission on the Status of Asian Pacific Americans; a
presentation about life as a Seattle community Filipino American activist by Bob Santos, the
Northwest/Alaska representative for the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and
a Filipino veterans’ update.
The conference will also include a discussion about domestic violence in the Filipino
American community, led by Therese Topasna of the Asian and Pacific Islander Women and
Family Safety Center of Seattle; and a community organizing workshop, led by Darlene Lombos
of Portland. Also, the conference will include a workshop, dealing with challenges and strategies
of working with university systems to implement Filipino American studies, and a Filipino
Americans in the arts discussion. There will be a panel of WSU, UW, WWU, and SU alumni
discussing community involvement after graduation. The “isangmahal arts kollective” of Seattle
and comedian Rex Navarette from San Francisco will perform.
A showing of the film “Spirits Rising” begins 7 p.m. April 13 in Todd Hall, Room 276. It
includes the story of Corazon Aquino’s “People Power” revolution in the Republic of the
Philippines. She served as Philippines president (1986-92), after the country’s president,
Ferdinand Marcos, went into exile in Hawaii in 1986. Aquino first stepped into the political scene
in 1983 when her husband, Benigno Aquino Jr., was killed by soldiers loyal to Marcos.
Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people in the Asian American and Pacific
Islander community will be the subject of “Brown & Out,” a 7 p.m. April 14 program in the
Compton Union Building, Room B-19.
The Los Angeles-based Asian American performing theatre ensemble “hereandnow” will
perform at 8 p.m. on April 15 in the Compton Union Building Auditorium.
“Pride of the Pacific,” the annual Hawaii Club luau, begins at 5:30 p.m on April 17 at
Pullman’s Lincoln Middle School. Tickets cost $14 each for adults and $7 for children under 12.
Advance purchase of tickets is suggested. For ticket information, contact the Asian American
and Pacific Islander Student Center, 509/335-1986.
The Sundance Film Festival award winner, “My America, or Honk if You Love Buddha,” will
be shown at 7 p.m. April 20 in Todd Hall, Room 276. In the film, Renee Tajima-Peña drives
coast-to-coast to seek what it means to be Asian American in the U.S. today. One of her stops is
Seattle, where she visits with “The Seoul Brothers,” Korean American brothers Michael and
Raphael Park, sons of Korean immigrants.
A gender workshop, “Good Asian Girls Don’t Holler,” will be held 7 p.m. April 22 the
Compton Union Building’s Butch’s Den.
The final event for WSU Asian American and Pacific Islander Awareness Month will be a
banquet featuring an address by WSU graduate and former athlete stand out Jack Thompson, a
Seattle-area businessman. It starts at 5:30 p.m. April 24 in CUB, Rooms 208-216. Coming from
Burien’s Evergreen High School to WSU, Thompson became a nationally known quarterback for
the WSU Cougar football team. He was nicknamed the “Throwin’ Samoan,” a reference to both
his accurate throwing arm and his heritage. Tickets are $12 each. Call Holly Nakamoto at
509/335-1986, for ticket information.
Sponsors of the events include WSU’s Multicultural Student Services; the Asian American
and Pacific Islander Student Center; the School of Music and Theatre Arts; the office of the
Provost and Academic Vice President; the President’s Office; the Student Advising and Learning
Center; Student Affairs; Human Relations and Resources; the Center for Human Rights;
International Programs; Mitamitag O Samoa; the Filipino American Student Association; the
Association of Pacific and Asian Women; the Micronesian Student Association; the Asian
Pacific American Graduate and Professional Students Association; the Student’s Book
Corporation; the Colleges of Agriculture and Home Economics, Business and Economics,
Education, Liberal Arts, and Veterinary Medicine; and the departments of Zoology, Biology,
Sociology, English, and History.
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