Mixing Colors at the Minnesota Fringe 08/08/2011 10:41pm
Editorial
Bombdiggity, under-the-radar (unlisted) performances during opening weekend of the fringe festival.
National APIA (Asian Pacific Islander Americans) Spoken Word Summit is a bi-annual event bringing together APIA Spoken word artists. Every two years, the event is held in a different state. This year, the summit took place in our very own Twin Cities, MN, at The Loft Literary Center and MacPhail Center in Minneapolis, the very same weekend MN Fringe Festival opened. Below are images of the four day event at open mics including tributes to four APIA 1st generation spoken word poets who contributed to the APIA Arts Movement. For more information about the movement and event check out this website http://apiasummit.com/
(All images below are provided by 2011 APIA Summit Committee and organizers)
2011 National APIA Summit attendees and organizers at The Loft Literary Center
Kao Kue, Katie Ka, and Michelle Meyers of Yellow Rage
Performances on Friday evening at the Family Open Mic and Saturday evening's public performance at MacPhail Center
Ami Patel (Los Angeles, Ca.)
Billy Xiong (Saint Paul, MN.)
Beau Sia (Los Angeles, CA.), Baophi (MN ), and Giles Li (Boston, MA), doing a tribute performance to 1st generation artist David Mura
Katie Leo (Twin cities, MN)
Ed Bok Lee (Twin Cities, MN)
Sahra Nguyen (Los Angels, CA)
Eddy Ghana and Stephanie Sajor (Irvine, CA)
The legendary Brenda Wong Aoki (San Fransisco, CA)
The four day event included workshops such as Arts and Activism facilitated by Michelle Meyers (Phildelphia, Pa), Asian American Timeline Exercise "This is the History We Share by Emily Lawsin (Detroit, Mi), Reshaping Realities: An Arts & Activism Workshop and Performances by YaliniDream (Brooklyn, NY), just to name a few; a film screening called, Qhia Dabneeg: Contemporary Hmong Storytelling through Film, presented by Center for Hmong Arts and Talent's Youth and In Progress. A community day, with a bus chartering attendees to visit Cityview Elementary School, the crime scene where an unarmed, 19 year old Fong Lee was shot 8 times by Minneapolis Police officer.
Tributes were also made to 1st generation artists: Brenda Wong Aoki, David Mura, Joe Kadi and Lawson Fusao Unada. Other activities include plenaries and caucuses which were formed at the summit for attendees to have a dialogue and connect with communities in other regions. This year, the Summit also provided a prayer room for attendees who were observing Ramadan.
2011 National APIA Summit attendees and organizers at The Loft Literary Center
Kao Kue, Katie Ka, and Michelle Meyers of Yellow Rage
Performances on Friday evening at the Family Open Mic and Saturday evening's public performance at MacPhail Center
Ami Patel (Los Angeles, Ca.)
Billy Xiong (Saint Paul, MN.)
Beau Sia (Los Angeles, CA.), Baophi (MN ), and Giles Li (Boston, MA), doing a tribute performance to 1st generation artist David Mura
Katie Leo (Twin cities, MN)
Ed Bok Lee (Twin Cities, MN)
Sahra Nguyen (Los Angels, CA)
Eddy Ghana and Stephanie Sajor (Irvine, CA)
The legendary Brenda Wong Aoki (San Fransisco, CA)
The four day event included workshops such as Arts and Activism facilitated by Michelle Meyers (Phildelphia, Pa), Asian American Timeline Exercise "This is the History We Share by Emily Lawsin (Detroit, Mi), Reshaping Realities: An Arts & Activism Workshop and Performances by YaliniDream (Brooklyn, NY), just to name a few; a film screening called, Qhia Dabneeg: Contemporary Hmong Storytelling through Film, presented by Center for Hmong Arts and Talent's Youth and In Progress. A community day, with a bus chartering attendees to visit Cityview Elementary School, the crime scene where an unarmed, 19 year old Fong Lee was shot 8 times by Minneapolis Police officer.
Tributes were also made to 1st generation artists: Brenda Wong Aoki, David Mura, Joe Kadi and Lawson Fusao Unada. Other activities include plenaries and caucuses which were formed at the summit for attendees to have a dialogue and connect with communities in other regions. This year, the Summit also provided a prayer room for attendees who were observing Ramadan.
