Nani Sahra Walker's documentary Other Nature (2010) follows several Nepalese activists in their fight to include LGBTQ rights under Nepal's new democracy. In 2008, after transitioning out of centuries of monarchy, Nepal was the most recent nation to become a federal republic, which included an effort to write a constitution incorporating the needs of its citizens. While Nepal's Supreme Court has been the first in the world to recognize "third gender" (a category originated by advocates in Nepal's LGBTQ movement), implementation by the government, as well as societal attitudes, have been slow on the uptake. 

Wednesday July 14th and Tuesday July 14th -- NYC

YO GIRL! Solo Show

Natalie Kim's one-woman show YO GIRL!, about growing up Korean in white suburbia with multiple mothers, will be previewing in advance of its showing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August.

7/14 & 7/20 at 7 pm

59East59 Street Theatre, Theatre C

59 E 59th St, New York

$15; tickets here

Thursday July 15th -- Berkeley

Go! Ohana

Wednesday June 30th -- Los Angeles

Disaster Preparedness and Immigrant Communities

The Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) and Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) will discuss their newly released report that shows city and county government agencies are ill-prepared to serve Asian and Latino limited English speakers in a disaster.

10 to 11 am

APALC Community Room

1145 Wilshire Blvd, 1st floor, Los Angeles

FREE

Thursday June 17th -- NYC

Asian American Women's Health Symposium

This year's Asian American Women's Health Symposium is titled: "Rising to the Challenges of Being a Woman", and is designed to help community healthcare providers learn more about issues affecting Asian American women living in New York City. Topics will include suicide, culture and communication, and HIV/AIDS. More info here.

8:30 am to 5 pm

25 W 43rd St, 18th fl, New York

Thursday June 3rd -- San Francisco

MATCHA: The Shanghai Dress

Wednesday May 19th -- Oakland

A Village Called Versailles Screening

Wednesday May 5th -- NYC

Nomi Network Spring Cocktail and Awards Ceremony

Tuesday April 20th to Sunday April 25th -- Los Angeles

Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)

The Eighth Annual IFFLA features a rich mix of programs designed to build and support the growing interest in Indian film, as well as supporting filmmakers of Indian descent in career development, as they navigate the studio system in Hollywood. Tickets and schedule info here.

Arclight Hollywood

6360 West Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles

Saturday April 10th -- San Francisco

International Lao New Year Festival

Promoting and welcoming unity, diversity, and cultural heritage, the International Lao New Year Festival is one of the largest Southeast Asian American festivals in the country. With cultural performances, a Miss Lao International pageant, and an evening gala. More info here.

10 am to 5pm (Evening Gala 7 pm to 1 am)

Wednesday March 24th -- NYC

7 Continents 9 Lives: Intersecting Identities and Communities

Thursday March 11th

Live Chat and performance with Dawen and Macy Gray

R&B musician Dawen will be streaming live on the web on U-Stream with Macy Gray.  Dawen will perform some covers, take audience questions for Macy, and giveaway some CDs.

7 to 8:30 pm PST

Tune into live U-STREAM here

Thursday March 11th to Sunday March 21st -- Bay Area

Friday February 26th -- San Francisco

Laugh for Lives Benefit

Laugh for Lives is a comedy benefit for the Asian American Donor Program, which works to increase awareness about the need for API  marrow/stem cell donors for the national marrow registry. Featuring comedians Dat Phan, Air Tabigue, Kevin Shea, and Justin Rivera.

7 pm
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
2301 Lyons St, San Francisco
$ 20 door / $ 15 pre-sale tix here 

Thursday February 17th -- San Francisco

MATCHA Year of the Tiger

The Asian American Art Museum presents its monthly mixer MATCHA, celebrating the year of the tiger. Event includes a martial arts demonstration from Shaolin Temple USA, the exhibit Shanghai, and soup dumplings. Music spun by DJ Friendly Traveler. More info here.

5 to 9 pm
Asian American Art Museum
200 Larkin St, San Francisco
$ 10

Thursday February 4th -- San Jose

South Bay First Thursdays: Rebuilding Trust Between Community and SJPD

Have you ever wanted to make a complaint about the police, but didn't know where to turn? South Bay First Thursdays presents an interactive community forum highlighting the role and responsibility of the Independent Police Auditor. With panelists Anne Im of Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI),  Daniel Katz, Assistant Chief of Police -- City of San Jose, Richard Konda of Asian Law Alliance, and Shivaun Nurre, IPA Deputy Director of San Jose.

6:30 to 9 pm
AACI
2400 Moorpark Ave, Suite 210, San Jose

Wednesday January 20th -- Mount Vernon, Iowa

Poetry with Patrick Rosal

Award-winning poet Patrick Rosal will read from and discuss his works at Cornell College. A Fulbright grant winner, Rosal is the author of two full-length poetry collections: Uprock Headspin Scramble and Dive and My American Kundiman.

7:30 pm
Shaw Conference Room
Cornell College Commons
600 1st St, SW Mount Vernon, Iowa
FREE

guest-blog by Dawen, originally published by Bi-Coastal Bitchin'

Not a whole lot shakin' this week due to the holidays, but here's a couple events coming up after the New Year. Merry Merry!

Monday January 4th -- Santa Clara

Jeremy Lin "Homecoming" Game

Catch Palo Alto's Jeremy Lin -- who has a real shot at the NBA -- during a rare homecoming appearance to the Bay Area. Lin's team Harvard Crimson will play the Santa Clara Broncos in the NCAA Division.

7 pm
Leavey Center Arena
Santa Clara University
$ 8.88 and up; ticket specials here

Feeling that consumer fatigue? Afraid of amassing a closet-full of unwanted presents doomed to a downward spiral of serial re-gifting? Consider diverting your dollars from stuff to substance by donating to a worthy charity. This Hyphen gift guide presents a diversity of nonprofits serving APIs and people of color: from youth organizing to music education to anti-trafficking, we're sure you'll find something worthy of your generosity.

East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC)

EBAYC works
with low-wealth youth of all ethnicities (although primarily Asian) in Oakland's San Antonio
neighborhood, as well as their parents and schools, to
inspire young folks to be leaders and builders of a just and
compassionate multicultural society. EBAYC provides long-term case
management to foster school re-entry, service access, employment, and
skill development. Donate here.

Wednesday December 2nd -- Philadelphia

National Cambodian American Town Hall Meeting on Diabetes

Community members are invited to join the National Cambodian American Health Initiative and the National Cambodian American Diabetes Project for a town hall meeting to strategize around diabetes prevention and management in the Cambodian American community.

1 to 4 pm
Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia
5412 North 5th St

Tuesday November 17th -- Nationwide

visualizAsian.com with Lac Su

visualizAsian.com -- as part of their AAPI Empowerment Series -- will be presenting an interview with Lac Su, author of the powerful new memoir I Love Yous Are for White People, about Su's refugee upbringing in Los Angeles. Also an executive for a global think tank and a father, painter, and photographer, Su is organizing the upcoming BANANA API Bloggers Roundtable. Participants will have a chance to submit questions for Lac prior or during the interview.

6 pm PST / 7 pm Mountain / 8pm Central / 9 pm Eastern
Phone or webcast -- registration here.
FREE

When I first saw the heading for this entry on Jezebel, I immediately thought: Oh great, another
book/seminar/workshop on how to attract Asian chicks by some skeezy bloated white guy or Asian girl with serious internalized racim issues.

But, Surprise! Racism (and the homonymerific English language) is so creative, and totally outmaneuvered my entrenched, stereotypical expectations.

Wednesday November 4th -- San Francisco

David Chang Speaks Out

Chef David Chang -- of Momofuko fame -- will join a panel discussion on food, art, and anything goes. He'll be joined by Momofuku cookbook co-author Peter Meehan, Chris Cosentino, and Meadowood chef Chris Kostow.

7 pm
Cafe du Nord
2170 Market St, San Francisco
FREE
RSVP to events(at)7x7(dot)com with "Changtastic" in subject line.

Hyphen is a media sponsor for the highly anticipated and award-winning (Best Documentary, Charlotte Film Festival) film 9500 Liberty, by Eric Byler (Charlotte Sometimes, Americanese) and Annabel Park. The film will be making its San Francisco premiere on October 29th. The documentary centers on Prince William County, Virginia as a battleground for America's immigration debate after elected officials adopt a 287g policy requiring police to question anyone they have "probable cause " to suspect is an undocumented immigrant. The film reveals the tactics and reactions of anti-immigrant groups, residents, and the online community, as well as the harmful social and economic impacts of this immigration policy. Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos, will introduce the premiere. Screening followed by Q & A with the filmmakers.

Thursday October 29
Cocktail reception
6 to 7 pm
Screening and filmmaker Q & A
7 to 9 pm
Sundance Kabuki Theater
1881 Post Street, San Francisco
$ 10 screening / $ 25 screening + reception; tickets here (funds will support broad film distribution)

Tuesday October 13th to Sunday October 18th -- NYC

National Asian American Theater Festival (NAATF)

Meet the many faces of Asian American Theater at the Second Annual NAATF, featuring 17 new scripts, panels, musicals, dance, and other theater forms. Complete info and tickets here.

Opening Night Party with performances of various new short plays:
10/13
9:30 to 11:30 pm
The Bubble Lounge
228 West Broadway, NYC
$25