Family Style Open Mic: Spring 2012

Hosted by spoken word duo Yellow Rage (Michelle Myers & Catzie Vilayphonh), Asian Arts Initiative's monthly open mic series invites the sharing of stories, song, dance, poetry among Asian Americans and extended "family" from all communities and cultures.

This season's open mic dates features some amazing performers this season. Don't forget to come early for the popular pre-show reception with food generously donated by local restaurants. The pre-show reception is FREE for all open mic guests! Want to take the stage? Sign up in advance for a 5-minute open mic spot! Please sign up at least 2 days in advance of the event if you wish to receive confirmation of your open mic spot.

 Family Style Open Mic
Third Fridays of the month
 Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine Street
General Admission*: $5-10 Sliding Scale

Larry Hama, a veteran comic book writer and artist as well as an actor and musician. Hama is best known for his work for Marvel Comics's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O'Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon. Larry will share his insiders view of the comics industry, discuss his experiences working on comics such as Marvel's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series and give us his uncensored take on the state of comics today

Dakshina / Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company is a leading DC-based company with trademark programming featuring Bharata Natyam (classical Indian dance), and Modern dance side-by-side. The company combines the arts with social justice issues both by incorporating the themes into our work and via partnerships with local community centers and schools. As part of a weeklong residency in Philadelphia, hosted by Asian Arts Initiative, Dakshina will treat the Family Style audience to a preview of their feature length matinee performance on Saturday March 17 at Haverford College's Marshall Auditorium in Roberts Hall. Stay tuned for more information about this FREE performance!

Mystery Guest in April!

Robert Karimi is an interdisciplinary playwright, multimedia humorist, activist, and poet and the artistic director of kaotic good productions. A San Francisco Bay Area native and son of Iranian and Guatemalan parents, Karimi's work has been featured from Alaska to Australia. A National Poetry Slam Champion, and Def Poetry Jam performer, his works include self (the remix), The Cooking Show con Karimi y Comrades, Shaving time, and the Approximate Value of a Foot Bubbler. Karimi's awards include a National Poetry Slam Championship, an Alliance of Artists' Communities Midwestern Voices & Visions Award, a Verve Spoken Word Grant, and a Kohler Arts/Industry residency.

For more information: visit www.asianartsinitiative.org

Possible speculative literature markets for Lao American writers

For Lao American writers seeking places to submit science fiction, fantasy, horror and other stories and poems to, consider some of the following magazines. Some pay, some do not. Naturally, of those who do pay, some pay well, and others barely provide enough for a cup of cyber-coffee and bus ride home.

But all of the ones listed below are still currently or will be accepting writing in the future.  Some may be more receptive to stories that have overtly Lao or Southeast Asian American elements to them, but this is the sort of thing one finds out only by applying.

Remember, do your research and read a few issues ahead of time to get a feeling for whether or not your work would be a good fit with them. Don't send science fiction splatterpunk short stories to a journal that only accepts fantasy poetry, for example.

As always, caveat scriptor. Most have been vetted for reliability and good terms regarding their publishing rights and professionalism, but one should do their research on others writers experiences with them when one can. Most of these should provide interesting opportunities and good homes for many of your works.

Good luck!

1. 365 Tomorrows http://www.365tomorrows.com/  
2. Albedo  http://www.albedo1.com/index.html
3. Allegory http://www.allegoryezine.com/  
4. Analog http://analogsf.com/0611/issue_11.shtml  
5. Andromeda Spaceways http://www.andromedaspaceways.com/  
6. AntipodeanSF http://www.antisf.com/  
7. Aoife's Kiss http://samsdotpublishing.com/aoife/main.htm  
8. Apex http://apex-magazine.com
9. Aphelion http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/  
10. Asimovs http://www.asimovs.com/  
11. Aurealis http://aurealis.com.au/  
12. Bewildering Stories http://www.bewilderingstories.com/  
13. Big Pulp http://www.bigpulp.com/  
14. Brain Harvest http://www.brainharvestmag.com/  
15. Chizine http://chizine.com/  
16. Digital Dragon Magazine http://www.digitaldragonmagazine.com   /  
17. Electriic Velocipede http://www.spacewesterns.com/  
18. Emg-Zine http://emg-zine.com/  
19. Everyday Weirdness http://everydayweirdness.com/  
20. Expanded Horizons http://www.expandedhorizons.net
21. Fabulist http://www.the-fabulist.org/yarns/  
22. Fantastic Metropolis http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/  
23. Fantasy and Science Fiction http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/  
24. FlashShot http://www.gwthomas.org/flashshotindex.htm  
25. Future Fire http://www.futurefire.net/  
26. Goblin Fruit http://www.goblinfruit.net
27. Grantville Gazette http://www.grantvillegazette.com/  
28. Ideomacer http://www.ideomancer.com/  
29. Indian Science Fiction & Fantasy http://www.indianscifi.com/  
30. Innsmouth Free Press http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com
31. Jupiter Science Fiction http://www.jupitersf.co.uk/  
32. Kaleidotrope http://www.kaleidotrope.net/  
33. Kissed by Venus http://kissedbyvenus.ca/  
34. Leading Edge Magazine http://www.leadingedgemagazine.com/  
35. Lightspeed Magazine http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com
36. Locus Magazine http://www.locusmag.com/    
37. Luna Cat http://www.lunacat.net/  
38. M-Brand SF http://mbranesf2.blogspot.com/  
39. Morpheus Tales http://www.morpheustales.com/  
40. Neo-Opsis http://www.neo-opsis.ca/  
41. New Bedlam http://www.newbedlam.com/  
42. On Spec http://www.onspec.ca/  
43. Pigasus http://www.pigasuspress.co.uk/  
44. Polu Texni http://www.polutexni.com/  
45. Polyphony http://wheatlandpress.com/polyphony/index.html  
46. Presto Strange-O http://prestostrangeo.wordpress.com/  
47. Quantum Muse http://www.quantummuse.com/  
48. Raven Electrick http://www.ravenelectrick.com/  
49. Raygun Revival http://www.raygunrevival.com/  
50. Reflections Edge http://www.reflectionsedge.com / 
51. Residential Aliens http://residentialaliens.blogspot.com/  
52. Revolution Science Fiction http://revolutionsf.com/  
53. Scifi Space http://www.scifispace.com/  
54. SF Reviews http://www.sfreviews.net/  
55. SFrevu http://www.sfrevu.com/  
56. SF Worlds http://www.sf-worlds.com/  
57. Shimmer http://www.shimmerzine.com/  
58. Silver Thought http://www.silverthought.com/  
59. Some Fantastic http://www.somefantastic.us/  
60. Space and Time http://spaceandtimemagazine.com/wp/  
61. Space Squid http://www.spacesquid.com/  
62. Starburst http://www.visimag.com/starburst/  
63. Strange Horizons http://www.strangehorizons.com/  
64. Surprising Stories http://surprisingstories.dcwi.com   
65. Tales of the Unanticipated http://www.totu-ink.com  
66. Tangent Online http://www.tangentonline.com/  
67. Ticonderoga http://ticonderogaonline.org/  
68. Tiny Globule  http://www.thetinyglobule.net
69. Titles Goes Here http://www.title-goes-here.com/  
70. TTA http://www.ttapress.com/  
71. Vestal Review http://www.vestalreview.net/  
72. Zone http://www.zone-sf.com/   

If you have additional journals to suggest, please let us know!

Refugee Nation in the Examiner

At the Examiner.com, Refugee Nation was profiled recently: 

"On January 29, the Los Angeles Theatre Center presented a free reading of the play “Refugee Nation” by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng at their annual Playwright Festival followed by a Question and Answer session. “Refugee Nation” is an examination of what it is to be a refugee in America focusing on the Asian Community of Lao..."

You can read the full article here: http://www.examiner.com/performing-arts-in-los-angeles/refugee-nation-tales-of-us-and-lao-review

Kundiman Poetry Prize Deadline: March 1st

The deadline for the 2012 Kundiman Prize is coming on March 1st.

The Kundiman Poetry Prize is dedicated to publishing exceptional work by Asian American poets.

The winner receives $1,000, book publication with Alice James Books and a New York City feature reading.

Alice James Books is a cooperative poetry press with a mission is to seek out and publish the best contemporary poetry by both established and beginning poets, with particular emphasis on involving poets in the publishing process.

 In August 2004, Kundiman presented its inaugural Asian American Poetry Retreat at The University of Virginia. This annual retreat was created by poets Sarah Gambito and Joseph O. Legaspi. Through their own experiences as writing students and poets, both recognized the need for a nurturing and yet rigorous space for emerging Asian American poets: such a space would facilitate creation of new work, create mentoring relationships with established Asian American poets, and address challenges that uniquely affect Asian American poets.

 Kundiman sees poetry not only as vehicle for cultural expression but also as an instrument for political dialogue and self-empowerment. They recognize the need to create an Asian American poetic community, and, at the same time, engender a commitment among poets to give back to their own communities. You can learn more about them at www.kundiman.org

Be sure to check out the competition!

Lao American Speculative Arts Anthology update

A big thanks to everyone who got their entries in on time! We appreciate the extraordinary response!

For this volume of Lao American speculative art, we will be including some stunning visual art, poetry, short stories and play exceprts from Lao American artists from across the US.

We're still expecting a few last minute submissions but it looks like we will have over 200 pages of Lao American approaches to science fiction, fantasy, horror and the myths and legends of our past.

Many contributors are already award-winning, nationally-recognized artists, and werecevied work from some new and emerging voices, too. Among those already accepted for the anthology:

Poems by Thavisouk Phrasavath, Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning director of the film Nerakhoon.

Visual art by Mali Kouanchao, Vongduane Manivong, Sompaseuth Choulanmany, and Sayon Syprasoeuth.

Writing by Catzie of Yellow Rage, Ova Saopeng of 'Refugee Nation' and 'Lao as a Second Language,' Chanida Phaengdara Potter of the blog Little Laos on the Prairie, and Anchalee P. Roberts.

Play excerpts from editor Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay, author of No Regrets.

Other submissions are currently being reviewed and tweaked, but it's looking very good and this anthology will constitute the first anthology of Lao American writers and artists since the last SatJaDham collection in 2001.

We extended the deadline one last time because many of us were tied up by school, work and holidays when the initial call for submissions went out. That, and let's face it, Laocrastination got the better of some of us.

If you know any Lao American artists and writers who would be interested in this project, let us know. But this is the absolute last call. The deadline is March 1st.