Thursday January 27th -- Raleigh

Old Hearts for New Lungs Benefit featuring Mondega

The Old Hearts for New Lungs Benefit Show will donate proceeds to Corey Gradin, a 14-year-old with cystic fibrosis in need of a double lung transplant and a new pancreas. With live performances by rapper Mondega, Sonit, Chedda Chap, and more. More info here.  

9:30 pm

The Black Flower

517 W Peace St, Raleigh NC

Thursday January 27th -- NYC

Holiday Happy Hour Hangover

The Action Council of the Coalition for Asian American Children & Families (CACF) invites you to Holiday Hangover Happy Hour 2. Raffle prizes, free food for early birds, and drink specials all night! The Action Council also has a year of events planned for 2011 -- be the first to hear about them. All proceeds go to CACF, the nation's only pan-Asian children's rights organization. More info here.

6:30 to 9:30 pm

Professor Thom’s Loft

219 Second Ave, New York

$10 suggested minimum donation

Thursday January 27th -- Washington DC

SAALT 10th Anniversary Celebration

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) celebrates 10 years of policy advocacy, community outreach and mobilization, and leadership development with a special reception with artists DJ Rekha and Suphala. Proceeds will help support SAALT's future work. Wine and appetizers included.

6:30 to 10 pm

Carnegie Institution for Science

1530 P St, Washington DC

$75-$100; tickets here

Thursday January 27th -- Oakland

Oakland Book Project Student Readings

Students of Oakland Book Project's after school classes at Oakland Unity High School, Arise High School, East Oakland School of the Arts, and College Preparatory and Architecture Academy will read work created during their fall semester creative writing classes. Music and refreshments will be provided.

6 to 8 pm

Oakland Public Library Main

West Auditorium

125 14th St, Oakland

Friday January 28th -- Oakland

Retrofit Republic Trunk Sale + Book Launch

Join Retrofit Republic for its first trunk sale of the season, and the world premiere of their Spring 2011 Video Look Book: The Cues and Mishaps of Social Interaction, directed by Ryan Michael Louie. The event will also include Retrofit Republic vintage apparel and accessories, drink specials, music spun by Somar's in house DJ, and free giveaways/prizes. More info here.

6 to 9 pm

Somar Bar

1727 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

FREE

Saturday January 29th -- NYC

Rana Dasgupta Reading

Author Rana Dasgupta, named one of Britain's Top 20 Writers Under 40, will read from his new novel Solo, followed by a conversation with film critic and writer Sukhdev Sandhu and author and artist Naeem Mohaiemen. More info here.

6:30 pm 

Asian American Writers' Workshop

112 W 27th St, 6th floor, New York

$5 suggested donation

Sunday January 30th -- California

Fred Korematsu Day Celeration

January 30th marks the first annual Fred Korematsu Day in California, the first day in US history named after an Asian American. The Fred Korematsu Day Bill, signed into California law in September 2010, honors an American civil rights hero from Oakland, CA, who resisted the government's incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. A celebration at the UC Berkeley campus will include speakers such as Jesse Jackson, poet Beau Sia, daughter Karen Korematsu, and elected officials. More info here.

2 to 5 pm

Wheeler Auditorium

UC Berkeley Campus

$25 general / $15 teachers, nonprofit employees & seniors / $5 students

Tuesday February 1st -- NYC

Maxine Hong Kingston Lunar New Year Benefit

The Asian American Writers' Workshop celebrates the Lunar New Year and its 20th Anniversary by featuring Maxine Hong Kingston's new memoir, I Love a Broad Margin to My Life. More info here.

6 to 10 pm

Chambers Fine Arts

522 W 19th St, New York

$15 - 250 (dinner with the author); tickets here

                                                          Opportunities

Call for Applications - -Southeast Asian American Leadership & Advocacy Training

The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) is pleased to announce its Thirteenth Annual Southeast Asian American Leadership & Advocacy Training. This year, SEARAC will be convening in two locations:

New Orleans, LA: May 22-24, 2011
Washington, DC: July 17-19, 2011

The trainings will provide a forum where Southeast Asian American community leaders will participate in four days of activities that include leadership strategizing, collaborative networking, advocacy education, and relationship building with decision makers on issues that are specific to the Southeast Asian community. SEARAC will cover the majority of travel and lodging costs for participants residing outside of the training locations. Rresidents of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region are encouraged to apply for and will be given greater consideration for the New Orleans training location. More info and application here. Application deadline for the New Orleans training: March 20, 2011. Deadline for Washington, DC training: May 1, 2011.