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Black Coral : A Daughter’s Apology To Her Asian Island Mother

BlackCoralCover11

“Why the title Black Coral? “Locating my family has been like finding Black Coral. Black Coral lies deep within the coral gardens of the tropical deep waters and sea. It is exotic and rare, most precious in color above all other varieties, and often threatened by harvesters wanting to exploit it. Black Coral is often found embedded within the warm waters of the Philippines, the Caribbean and Africa—Black Coral grows in caves under ledges where light is dim; it thrives in the darkness. It grows like trees up from the ocean floor as precious as ivory and pearl.””

Find out more about author C.D. Holmes Miller and her book on her website http://cdholmesmiller.com.

 

View Artist Laura Kina’s Work in New Delhi, India (11/8/13)

Press Release

CARE Package c/o New Delhi, India

Curated by Ombretta Agró Andruff in collaboration with the artists 

Opening Reception: Friday, November 8th, 2013. 6:30pm onwards

India International Centre
Annex Art Gallery, Lodhi Estate
40, Max Mueller Marg
New Delhi, India 110003
http://iicdelhi.nic.in/

Follow the project on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carepackageart

IIC is thrilled to announce its upcoming exhibition, CARE Package c/o New Delhi, India, with an opening reception onNovember 8th, 2013. The show runs from November 7–15, 2013.

Inspired by the concept of “CARE Package”, the exhibition brings together five international women artists from Asia or of Asian descent, touching venues in North America as well as Asia. The exhibition debuted in the USA at Twelve Gates Gallery in Philadelphia (October 2012) and is traveling next to IIC, New Delhi before going on to Phnom Penh, Cambodia [the city named in the title changes according to the hosting location].

A rich tradition exists throughout Asian countries of gift packages exchanged as social contract and, while unwritten, they embody strong cultural, social, political and economic codings. In North America, care packages are associated with gifts sent from loved ones to their children and youth who are away from home (usually off to camp, college, or the military). Historically the CARE package was the unit of aid at the core of the food relief effort developed in 1945 by the USA-based humanitarian CARE organization and was sent to a large number of Europeans at risk of starvation in the wake of World War II. It soon became an icon of American generosity and global leadership.

In an era where the concept of “American generosity and global leadership” is a far cry from its meaning during the post-war years and very much up for debate, the participating artists tell stories that grew out of their own personal history and cultural heritage to tackle issues of nationhood, race, gender, religion, and economic exploitation on a world scale, in the context of emergent global capitalism.

Storytelling and a deep interest in history and untold stories is a shared strategy amongst this newly formed collective of interdisciplinary women artists who have historical and contemporary links to disparate geographies such as India, Pakistan, Japan, Cambodia, Canada and the USA. In a grass roots diplomatic effort, they are collaborating with an Italian, New York/ Miami-based curator to conduct a trans-cultural dialogue between their works, their countries of origin, and the intersections and migrations between.

Artists: Shelly Bahl (born in Benares, living between New York and Toronto); Shelly Jyoti (Born in Rohtak, living in New Delhi); Laura Kina (born in Riverside, CA, to an Okinawan father and Basque/Anglo mother, and living in Chicago); Saira Wasim (born in Lahore, living in California); and Cambodian-American Anida Yoeu Ali (born in Battambang, Cambodia, raised in Chicago, currently living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia).

For more information, contact curator Ombretta Agro’ in Miami ombretta@ombrettaagro.com
Or in New Delhi, contact artist Shelly Jyoti shellyjyoti12@yahoo.com
Tel: 91 9582252062

This New Delhi exhibition is organized by India International Centre.

Growing Up Mixed in San Francisco

Julie is scheduled to publish her book Growing Up Mixed in SanFrancisco by the end of 2014. Julie believes positive words, thoughts and actions leads to success.  Those are the things she can control and she chooses to have a positive response to situation, challenges and obstacles she faces.

Find out more about her story through her book and read her blog posts on her website http://www.juliegramlich.com/about-me/

 

Black and Latino

This mini-documentary, assigned in the Mixed Race Experiences course at Arizona State University, speaks to being mixed Black/Latino in America.  Actors, singers, and journalists share their story on topics of language, skin tone, hair, and familial pressures (i.e. Laz Alonso, Tatyana Ali, Gina Torres, Judy Reyes, Christina Milian, Soledad O’Brien and more).  They also speak about difficulties they have had in being cast due to their mixed heritage.

Black and Latino

http://www.mun2.tv/watch/shorts/black-and-latino

 

Many Wonderful Quotes to Ponder: Coming Out as Biracial

From medium.com/human-parts/c25d6ae8f2af

From medium.com/human-parts/c25d6ae8f2af

We’re very moved by this new blogpost written by Stephanie Georgopulos (Twitter handle: @omgstephlol)

Some quotes to pique your interest in clicking the link below and joining the conversation:

“Even with my white skin, I didn’t know the white experience entirely. I didn’t know it because when people use that poisonous n-word, I instantly think of my mother—and how people have used that word to hurt her simply for lack of time and effort. I think about the things my parents sacrificed to be together, things bigger than letters can spell…When #shitblackmomssay trended on Twitter, I laughed. I was on the inside of something, for once.

“[Being biracial is] witnessing one of the most exciting conversations about race since the civil rights movement, and wondering whether you’re the white voice that should shut up and listen, or the black voice that should speak out, or the mixed voice that should ???.”

Click here for the rest of this insightful post: https://medium.com/human-parts/c25d6ae8f2af

From medium.com/human-parts/c25d6ae8f2af

Kickstarter: New Children’s Book About Diversity

An author of a new children’s book filled out our ‘promote your story link’ to promote her Kickstarter campaign for a new children’s book. Let us know if you have any projects you’d like us to promote!

From their Kickstarter Campaign page (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/453478160/a-friend-can-be)

“A Friend Can Be” is a book inspired by years of preschool teaching and by a “three round” motherhood experience. While most books about friendship are geared towards older children, ” A Friend Can Be” is written in a way that even a very young child can understand. The language of the book is clear and simple and the illustrations feature familiar landmarks in Atlanta that captivate an older audience as well as the young children. Crafted for children roughly from 2 to 6-years-old, “A Friend Can Be” is written and illustrated to include all kinds of kids, all kinds of places, and all kinds of people in general. Written by an Early Childhood and Special Ed teacher with over 12 years experience Ana Hazanov, and designed and illustrated by amazingly creative artist Gregory Lee, this books reflects years of expertise and many days (and nights) of creative labor.

 

Aaron Samuels: Yarmulkes & Fitted Caps

from amazon.com

from amazon.com

Aaron is another performer that we got to meet at the 2012 Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival. His spoken word piece left the audience mesmerized. We are certain that this collection of poetry will have the same powerful impact on you.

From the Amazon website: Aaron Samuels, raised in Providence, Rhode Island by a Jewish mother and a Black father, is a Cave Canem Fellow and a nationally acclaimed performer. In this ground-breaking collection of poems, Samuels examines the beauty and contradictions of his own mixed identity with gut-wrenching narratives, humor, and passionate verve.

Here’s the Amazon link to purchase the book: http://www.amazon.com/Yarmulkes-Fitted-Caps-Aaron-Samuels/dp/1938912381

New Book for Grandmothers with Multiracial Families

Grandmothering: Real Life in Real Families is a new book by Becky Sarah (Child Development Specialist, midwife and childbirth educator, Public Health Director for the City of Chelsea, MA and, most importantly, Grandmother).  The book offers practical advice to women whose grandchildren’s worlds are very different from the ones they themselves grew up in. The section on Multiracial Families includes references to Loving v. Virginia, the one-drop rule, and why stating that you’re “Colorblind” is not helpful to young children (or anyone, for that matter). Mixed Roots Stories is also very proud to be included as a resource. Take a moment to read the synopsis and reviews on Amazon, and if you enjoy it as much as we do – add it to your collection and to your gift-giving list. http://www.amazon.com/Grandmothering-Real-Life-Families/dp/0989791807/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381004049&sr=8-1&keywords=grandmothering