KPFA - APEX Express

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – November 14, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – November 7, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – October 31, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Important Links: Queer Hmong Intersectional Pride Instagram Hmong Innovating Politics Instagram Hmong Innovating Politics Website Transcript: Cheryl: Good evening, everyone. You are tuned in to APEX Express. I’m your host, Cheryl Truong and tonight is an AACRE night. What is AACRE might be asking. Comprised of 11 grassroots, social justice groups, the Asian Americans for civil rights and Equality Network– AACRE– leverages the power of its network to focus on longterm movement building and support for Asian Americans committed to the fight for social justice. Speaking of AACRE groups. APEX Express is proud to be apart of the AACRE Network. Joining us for tonight’s show from Yokuts also known as Fresno, california is my special, big hearted friend Shai Chang from Hmong Innovating Politics. Also known as HIP. Shai, do you mind introducing yourself? Who are you, who are your people, and where do you come from? Shai Chang: Yes, thank you so much for having me on the show. My name is Shai pronouns are they and them. I’m located in Yokuts Valley, currently in Fresno, California. I’m actually working with Hmong Innovating Politics located both in Sacramento and Fresno. I’m in the Fresno. And officially, just recently in October, I got my name title changed to be the Trans and Queer Fresno Community Organizer. So I am so ecstatic to be doing the trans and queer work in the Central Valley, yeah, born and raised in Fresno, Hmong, Southeast Asian, and really, actually I was born in a house. The rest of my siblings were born in the hospital. We were actually, the reason why was because we were trying to go to the hospital and my dad was like, Oh, wait for me, wait for me, wait for me, and couldn’t wait any longer. Cheryl: And then you just popped out. You couldn’t wait any longer. Did your dad make it in time? Shai Chang: I think my dad made it in time, but only in time for us to come out. Cheryl: I didn’t know that about you, Shai, that you were a home birth. How many siblings do you have? Shai Chang: I have five other siblings. We were all born one year apart. Honestly, like, growing up, I really loved the idea of, Oh, we’re all born one year apart. It’s so nice. My siblings were so close. And now I’m looking back, Oh my gosh, my mom. Oh Cheryl: my gosh. are any of your siblings also trans or queer? Shai Chang: No, um, one of them is queer, but, the rest of my family is, actually very progressive and a great ally to me. So I’ve been very privileged and blessed. Cheryl: Do you think that’s a common Hmong queer experience to have supportive and progressive parents? Shai Chang: so I’m not actually out to my parents or my grandparents or my uncles or some of my aunts. I am out to my siblings and so I think it’s very interesting and I’m still grappling along with that as well. I think there is internal work to be done. It’s that both I think it’s, this is a reality of some things. It’s that outside of the community, I’m queer and trans and at home, I’m very much having to play a role. My dad is a shaman and so he does do, they do come from a lot more like traditional values and conservative values. And at the same time, they are progressive on things. I think that they understand racial issues. But not gender issues. So you can wear, for example, I would say like my aunt, she it’s like progressive and the most conservative ways, so it’s like. Oh yeah, I’m totally okay that you’re gay, Shai, but if my kids wore earrings, that’s too feminine. Cheryl: Thanks for sharing that shy. It’s sounds like you’ve had to navigate a lot of different spaces, also expectations. I’m curious, what was it like growing up queer in Fresno? Shai Chang: I think that it has really shaped me because I feel like I came into my queerness and my transness so...

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – October 17, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Return is the theme for APEX Express as Host Miko Lee talks with artists from APAture, Kearny Street Workshops annual celebration of emerging artists from the Bay Area. Miko also speaks with exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law about the new documentary film “Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law.” Special Thanks to Jose Ng for insight into the Hong Kong movement for democracy. For more information about the subjects in tonight’s show: APAture, KSW – October 13 to November 9th venues throughout the Bay Area Jalena Keane-Lee and her film: Standing Above the Clouds playing October 12 Mill Valley Film Festival October 22 Roxie Cinema – APAture Ian Santillano playing October 13, DNA Lounge – APAture Kim Requesto performing November 3, Joe Goode Anex – APAture Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law playing on POV Return Show Transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It’s time to get on board the Apex Express. Miko Lee: [00:00:38] Welcome to Apex Express. I’m your host Miko Lee and tonight our subject is return, which is the theme of the 25th annual APAture Kearny Street Workshop Annual Festival. It’s running October 13th through November 9th, and there’s going to be six showcases in venues across San Francisco. We’re going to put a link in our show notes at kpfa.com backslash program apex. We’re going to hear from three of the featured artists; filmmaker, Jalena Keane-Lee, dancer, Kim Requesto, and musician, Ian Santillano. Then we speak with someone who cannot return to his Homeland, exiled Hong Kong activist, Nathan Law. First off, we’re going to check in with my usual co-host as PowerLeeGirls and my always daughter, filmmaker Jalena Keane-Lee. Good evening and welcome to Apex Express. Tonight On Apex Express, we’re talking with my daughter, Jalena Keane-Lee, and usual co host, but tonight we’re going to be talking with Jalena as a filmmaker. Welcome, Jalena, to Apex Express as a guest. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:01:48] Thank you so much for having me. Miko Lee: [00:01:50] And I would like to talk with you about APAture, Kearny Street Workshop’s annual festival. This year, you’re one of several artists that are getting a showcase. The theme for this year is around Return. Can you tell us what return means to you and what you will be presenting at APAture? Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:02:11] Yes, so the theme for Kearny Street Workshop’s APAture festival this year is Return and I am the featured artist for the film showcase, which is such an honor and I’m really excited about that. And I’ve screened previous work there in the past—short films, but it was really yeah, such an honor and privilege to be asked to be the featured artist this year. And I’ll be playing my first feature documentary, which is called Standing Above the Clouds. And it follows native Hawai’ian mother-daughter activists that are standing to protect their sacred mountain called Mauna Kea from the building of a massive 30 meter telescope. And the film chronicles intergenerational healing and how to build and sustain a movement. And so I hope people come to see it and it will also be playing with a series of short films from other Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers. And the film showcase is October 22nd at 6 PM at the Roxy Theater in the Mission. To me, the theme of return, it’s, it reminds me a lot of, I think last year’s theme too, which I think was homecoming. And just thinking about, you know, returning to yourself, returning to your ancestors, returning to your sacred land. Standing Above the Clouds is all about the movement to protect Mauna Kea, which is one of the most sacred places in all of Oceania. And...

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – October 3, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode of APEX Express is preempted for a fall 2024 fund drive special. The post Special Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode of APEX Express is preempted by a fall 2024 fund drive special. The post Special Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

Today’s episode of APEX Express is preempted by a 2024 election special, hosted by Mitch Jeserich. The post Special Fall Fund Drive Programming appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – September 5, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Host Miko Lee speaks with playwright Naomi Iizuka and graphic novelist/activist Eddie Ahn. For more information about the show’s guests: the MAGIC THEATRE and PLAY ON SHAKESPEARE present: Richard II A new translated version by NAOMI IIZUKA from William Shakespeare August 21 -September 8, 2024 Tickets available here. Eddie Ahns Advocate SHOW TRANSCRIPT Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It’s time to get on board the Apex Express. Miko: [00:00:34] Good evening. Welcome to Apex Express. This is your host, Miko Lee. And tonight we’re going to talk about retelling stories. So join us as you hop along the Apex Express. Welcome one and all to Apex Express. This is your host, Miko Lee. And tonight we’re talking about retelling stories. I had the opportunity to speak to two artists. One is the playwright, Naomi Iizuka and the second is the activist artists graphic novelist Eddie Ahn. So first up, take a listen to my interview with playwright, Naomi Iizuka. Before we recorded the interview, I actually had a chance to talk with Naomi and we worked together many moons ago. We actually were calculating based on our children’s ages. We work together in theater at Berkeley rep. And it is amazing to see Naomi retelling, so many stories in so many different cultures and genres. And here we talk about her experience rewriting Richard II which I had a chance to see at the magic theater. It has some absolutely amazing production values, and I encourage you all to go check it out. We’ll put a link to the show in our show notes. So check out my interview with Naomi Iizuka. Welcome Naomi Iizuka to Apex Express. We’re so excited to have the award winning playwright whose adaptation of Richard II opens at the Magic Theatre August 23rd and runs through September 8th. Welcome Naomi. Naomi Iizuka: [00:02:30] Oh, thank you so much. I’m so happy to be here and so honored. Miko Lee: [00:02:34] Well, we’re honored to have you. I want to start with my big question, which I adapted from the amazing poet Chinaka Hodges, which is who are your people and where do you come from? Naomi Iizuka: [00:02:46] That’s a beautiful question. I think that my people are adventurous and iconoclastic, and that means that they come from many different places, geographically and also spiritually and artistically. I definitely feel an affinity for the Bay Area. it was the first place I really. Came to in my sort of adult life and I feel a great affinity for theater people and theater artists. we are, I think, a community of artists that come from, you know, all sorts of traditions and we make this evanescent event. And I think there’s something really beautiful in that. Miko Lee: [00:03:31] Ooh, evanescent event. I really like that. That sounds so pretty. I’m wondering what legacy you carry with you from your people. Naomi Iizuka: [00:03:40] I think, an awareness of history, an awareness of Mystery sort of just beyond your peripheral vision that there are stories that haven’t been told that there are tremors and voices just underneath the surface of the every day And a real curiosity about that, and I think that that cuts across a lot of, people in my life who actually are not only in theater, you know, people who are, attorneys and in academia and scientists. I mean, just, I think, I think it’s, a kind of an adventurous, um, curiosity. I think that that is what I’ve inherited. Miko Lee: [00:04:18] Oh, thank you for sharing that. I’m wondering if that lends itself to the fact that you’ve adapted a number of classics. We’re going to be talking about Richard III, but I know you also did a version of Hamlet that was...

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Important Resources QTViet Cafe website Instagram Facebook Register for QTViet Cafe’s 8 Year Anniversary Bilingual Letter for a Free Palestine (English/Viet) Transcript Cheryl Truong: Good evening! You were currently tuned in to APEX Express. I’m your host Cheryl Truong, and tonight is an AACRE night. What is AACRE, you might be asking. Comprised of 11 grassroots, social justice groups, the Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality Network — AACRE — leverages the power of its network to focus on long-term movement building and support for Asian Americans committed to social justice. Speaking of AACRE groups, APEX Express is proud to be a part of the AACRE network. Tonight. We have some special guests from a collective near and dear to my heart. Hải Võ and Jean Jean Phạm from QTViệt Cafe. QTViệt Cafe is a project of Asian refugees United, which is one of the 11 Asian American social justice groups within the AACRE network. Hải, do you want to kick us off by introducing yourself? And QTViệt Cafe? Hai Vo: Co chào mọi người! Hi everyone. Thanks Cheryl for inviting QTViệt Cafe to be here today. My name is Hải. I go by my name. It means ocean in Việt. And just so excited to be here today. , I’m part of the Queer Trans Việt Cafe Collective. We are a cultural organizing hub by and for queer and trans Việt folks for our freedom and liberation. And we do that through the creative arts, ancestral life ways, and, connecting intergenerationally with our parents, our elders, families, and friends. We’ll be celebrating eight years, and I’ve been a part of it in the beginning when Mơ asked me to help advise and start the project. What started out as an idea to essentially really bring us together and meet other queer and trans Việt people, and with a little bit of SEED funding from the Impact Hub and Youth Impact Hub Oakland project and fellowship, we’ve been able to not just grow our numbers, but also really more importantly, My healing and then our collective healing. Just so grateful to be here. And I’m just so excited that Jean, you can join us. Jean is just amazing all around, such a thoughtful intuitive person, designer, friend, just all around beauty of an artist. Thank you for introducing me to the world of visual art and just so many things that you’ve just been exploring over the years. So, yeah, I’ll pass it over. Jean Pham: Oh my god, thanks Hải. That’s honestly too generous. And thanks for inviting us here, Cheryl. That’s really awesome that we have this opportunity to share about QTViệt Cafe and our work. My name is Jean. I use they/ them pronouns. I’ve been a part of of QTViệt Cafe since 2018 when I first moved here to the Bay Area and honestly was looking for queer and trans Việt Namese community, which although I grew up in Orange County, I have always found it very difficult to relate and find other QTViets I’ve been a part of the various programming and events that QTViệt has put on, including our Healers and Artists cohort. I think my role in QTViệt Cafe is honestly to just , go with the flow. I try to make myself available as much as I can. I try to help with designing things. A big cornerstone of QTViệt Cafe is repairing our connection with our ancestral and cultural heritage in a way that still celebrates and maintains our queerness and transness at the forefront. A lot of this I found has been through the culinary arts, which to me was a big point of growth. Literally using taste and smell to connect us with memory and feeling and healing. QTViệt Cafe is honestly such a special place here. It started in Oakland here in the East Bay, but we have members all across the Bay Area and even outwards in different states and locales. So it’s been a pretty amazing journey to see how vast the QTViet Cafe network...

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – August 15, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – August 8, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight we present our sister podcast Continental Shifts. Hosts Gabriel and Estella speak with Tavae Samuelu. Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It’s time to get on board the Apex Express. Swati Rayasam: [00:00:35] Good evening, everyone. You’re listening to APEX Express Thursday nights at 7 PM. My name is Swati Rayasam and I’m the special editor for this episode. Tonight, we’re wrapping up the podcast continental shifts created by bi-coastal educators, Gabriel Anthony Tanglao and Estella Owoimaha-Church who embark on a voyage in search of self, culture and the ancestors. Last time we featured the concept’s podcast, Gabe and Estella, talked with union leader and educator Yan Yii about creating culturally relevant classrooms, the importance and emotional toll of teachers being a social safety net for marginalized students, and the ever-growing union presence in education. Tonight. They’re talking to Tavae Samuelu about what it will take to organize across ethnic groups, specifically Pacific Islander and Asian communities, beyond ethnic or national lines. And what future we’re visioning for when the US empire falls. If this is your first touch into the conshifts podcast, I strongly recommend diving into the apex archives on kpfa.org. Backslash programs, backslash apex express to check out the previous episodes. And also to check out the podcast on ConShift’s site at continentalshifts.podbean.com or anywhere podcasts are found. But for now, let’s get to the show. Tavae Samuelu: [00:02:05] When Toni Morrison talks about Invisible Man and asked this question of like invisible to who? Like, what do I care if whiteness sees me? Also know I come across folks who are like, I say API cause I was taught that that was inclusive. And I was like, I bet you a PI didn’t tell you that [laughs]. Gabriel Tanglao: [00:02:27] What will it take to organize across ethnic groups, specifically Pacific Islander and Asian communities. In this episode, we rap with the amazing Tavae Samuelu to strategize ways we might organize AAPI folks across and beyond ethnic or national lines. Estella Owoimaha-Church: [00:02:48] What up, what up? Tālofa lava, o lo’u igoa o Estella. My pronouns are she/her/hers, sis, uso. Gabriel Tanglao: [00:02:53] What’s good, family? This is Gabriel, kumusta? Pronouns he/him. Estella Owoimaha-Church: [00:02:56] Tavae Samuelu is the daughter of a pastor from Leo Lumoenga and a nurse from Salemoa in Samoa as the executive director of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, she’s a passionate advocate for Pacific Islanders and is committed to liberation for all. Tavae was born, raised, and currently resides on Tongva territory. She credits her time on unceded Ohlone land for her political consciousness. During the pandemic, she has learned that her most important title is Auntie Vae. I had the pleasure of meeting Tavae at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Conference in Vegas a couple of years ago when I sat in on her workshop related to organizing Pacific Islander communities. It was, and I’m sure I’ve told her this by now, one of the first times in my life I have ever felt seen as a Samoan woman. Uso, thank you so much for joining us today. Please go ahead and take a few minutes to further introduce yourself to our listeners. Tavae Samuelu: [00:03:57] Thank you, Stella. I’ve heard you say that before and it always makes me tear up [laughs]. That’s also probably the most rewarding aspect of this job, of this community work, to be able to hear from people that they feel seen and validated. By, you know, by what we do and what, by what we put out there in the...

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – July 25, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – July 18, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Important Resources: APSC 4 Action Toolkit Asian Prisoner Support Committee Website | Instagram Purchase Arrival: Freedom Writings of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Transcript: Cheryl: Good evening! You were currently tuned in to APEX Express. I’m your host Cheryl Truong, and tonight is an AACRE night. What is AACRE, you might be asking. Comprised of 11 grassroots, social justicegroups, the Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality Network — AACRE — leverages the power of its network to focus on long-term movement building and support for Asian Americans committed to social justice. Speaking of AACRE groups, APEX Express is proud to be a part of the AACRE network. Tonight. I have the incredible honor to introduce you all to some very special friends of mine, members of the Asian Prisoner Support Committee APSC, which is also one of the 11 groups with the AACRE network. These individuals are among the most incredible people I’ve had the privilege to know. And tonight we’ll be delving it to their stories and the important initiative that they’re leading which is called #PardonAPSC4? Their journey is not only one of immense resilience and courage, but also a Testament to the importance of community care and how community based approaches keep us safe way more than surveillance institutions or police ever will. So join us as they share their stories and also stick around to learn more about APSC’s newest anthology, Arrival: freedom, writings of Asian and Pacific Islanders, where you can actually find some of their art and writings in physical form. So to start here with us, are Maria, Peejay, Bun, and Ke who put the four in APSC4. Peejay, do you mind kicking us all off with what the #PardonAPSC4 for campaign is all about? Peejay: So APSC 4 are staff members at APSC and we all do different work at A PSC but our primary is helping our community. In general, fighting deportation, helping folks come home and reintegrate to society and supporting them with other needs that they may have, right? Mainly just to become successful citizen and. APSC4, despite our work, we all have backgrounds in incarceration, we’re impacted, which means we’re also at risk for deportation. And the campaign is born out of a desire to keep us home to fight our own deportation. And so we need the Governor Newsom to actually issue a pardon so that we can continue to do this work and stay with our family. Because otherwise, they would eventually, deport us. And as immigration is a very hard thing to deal with, and there’s not a lot of options, especially with folks with convictions. And pardonness for us is like mainly the only thing that can help us stay home. And APS v4 mainly is to, it’s a campaign to ask community members to support us, that mean elected official, that mean community members that you know, family members, anyone who’s willing to support us, and basically uplift our campaign as well as reach out to elected and to Governor Newsom and encourage him to pardon us so that we can stay home and do this work. Cheryl: Thanks Peejay. You’re literally hearing about the campaign directly from the people who are leading the way. So we know about APSC 4. We’ve heard a little bit about their campaign. But I also want you all to know about the people within APSC 4. And this is very in theme, especially with APSC’s upcoming anthology Arrival, which captures stories of Asian American Pacific Islander individuals inside prisons, or who have been detained by ICE or have been recently released from ICE or prisons and as well as stories from impacted family members. So until you all get your hands on that, which is available for purchase now at Eastwind Books of Berkeley Berkeley. Which you can get at asiabookcenter.com. I would love to...

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. The post APEX Express – July 4, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.