Readership’s Hit List » RIOT IN THE SKY

Cop “diamonds & pearls” NOW!

Between vulgar radio lyrics and digital communication, I wonder how much we are losing language. How much has the mechanics of communication drained the visceral out of words? As a writer and Literacy Mentor working with high school teens, too often I find that the younger generations dangerously conflate texting/chatting lingo with the art of writing. With YouTube, Vimeo and video blogging monopolizing on attention spans, I wonder how many hours people still dedicate to reading.

My girl robin suhyung park recently dropped her new chapbook, diamonds & pearls. Over 30 poems for just 10 bones! These are the raw, honest words of a warrior spirit with the softness of a tender heart. In this crazy world, we are all fighters of our own battlefields. We confront new challenges, throw up our guards, run the risk of compromise, break trust, build defense and tear down walls. Sometimes, the greatest battle we grapple with is: love.

diamonds & pearls is a DEFinite on my Readership’s Hit List. Check the sister out on her blog, and cop a hard copy of her new chapbook! No homie bias.

And might I add—the cover ink is freeeeesh!!!

A Planbook to Change THE WORLD. WORD.

Peep this ish!! This is an excellent planning resource from the Education for Liberation Network and NYCORE for folks who are social justice educators.

Check out my homegirl, Ms. Fullon, and other educators sharing comments on the book. Makes me wish I was back in the 12th grade, yadidameeean!!! I got homies in music videos and homies in ed-promo videos. All the right friends in all the right places. No homie bias.

Planning to Change The World: A Planbook for Social Justice Teachers 2010-2011 from Social Justice Planbook on Vimeo.

Readership Hit List: Ken Mochizuki

One of my many goals off my To-Do List in life is to write children’s books about the Asian American experience. Coupled with my goal to further Ethnic Studies research, I want to filter knowledge and revolutionary ideas through different forms of writing—the scholarly, the bloggery and the elementary. Most people don’t get a chance to discover Ethnic Studies until college—if it’s EVEN available on their campus. And with bills like Arizona’s SB 1070 trying to eliminate Ethnic Studies completely, our nation is in danger of wiping out a diversified perspective of American history, which would disallow the voices of ALL to ring freely.

I was happy to discover Ken Mochizuki, an Asian American writer who has created a few books about the Asian American experience already.

This one is about World War II when the United States government incarcerated over 110,000 Japanese Americans (citizens and all) in internment camps.

This one is about the philosophies of Bruce Lee!!

I have lots of ideas for what kinda children’s books I would write about. I want to write one about Vincent Chin, so the lessons from his brutal and race-motivated death will not be forgotten. I also want to write one about when I was younger and I brought Vietnamese left-overs to school for lunch and I was so embarrassed because it made me “different”. I want to make a “touch and feel” book about different types of hair textures (with real human hair!) to show the diversity and beauty of different cultures. And the list goes on. Got a book idea? Hit me!

Howard Gardner: Theory of Multiple Intelligences

I know I’ve been slacking on the bloggy posts lately—sliding by with haikus and sloppy poems from my “30 Poems, 30 Days” pursuit for National Poetry Month. My bad. There’s been a lot of exciting stuff happening. The irony of this personal bloggy bidness is that the more I get wrapped up in, the more I have to update on, but the less time I have to spend on my blog so when my blog is looking dry and boring it probably means I’m out having a bangin’ ass time somewhere. HA! When I get a chance, I’ll try to post updates and reflections from my LA trip last week.

Today, me and a few homies from Artists For Humanity were invited to Harvard to talk about art, entrepreneurship, mentorship and social change. We linked up with the Harvard homie, Howard Gardner. Howard Gardner is best known for his theory of Multiple Intelligences. It’s a challenging theory. Check it out:

Readership’s Hit List:

“Multiple intelligences is an idea that maintains there exist many different types of “intelligences” ascribed to human beings. In response to the question of whether or not measures of intelligence are scientific, Gardner suggests that each individual manifests varying levels of different intelligences, and thus each person has refined in subsequent years.

In 1999 Gardner lists eight intelligences as linguistic, logic-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Gardner believes that each intelligence has a unique biological basis, a distinct course of development, and different expert, or “end-state,” performances. At the same time, he emphasizes that a lengthy process of education is required to transform any raw potential into a mature social role.”

Does this mean some human beings are born to be naturally more inclined to success than others?

Writing Women Back into History

In honor of National Women’s History Month…

Readership’s Hit List:

In her own words:

Check out the National Women’s History Project website here!!!

Chickenheads Get Hella Love!

Readership’s Hit List:

I had the best time with Ruby last night at our all night slumber party. We were going to town with the girl talk. At one point, our conversation hit, “Damn, I shoulda been a chickenhead!” I take pride in the life I lead, I do. I strive to be creative, outspoken and firmly grounded in my values. But shit is not easy—ever. And I’ll admit I have my moments where I question the path I’ve chosen and I consider how much easier it could be if I just didn’t try or think so hard. It’s hard trying to carve this unknown path. It’s hard being a lady with some damn opinions when people don’t want to take me seriously half the time. On top of it all, I’ve been in a butt-face mood all week because I am so damn tired from working hella hours hella days and nights. Independent hustle.

That being said, sometimes I think about how good chickenheads got it. Chickenheads get HELLA LOVE! They get to take take take with a little booty shake. Like damn, SNOOKIE is crazy ballin’ from $10,000 PER club appearance. For what? For being trashy on TV? Can’t I do that? I think I can. Seems easy enough. Call me a hater, whatever. But maybe that’s the problem, it’s too easy.

When it comes down to it, I can never be a chickenhead. Not at this point. There’s no turning back. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself given all the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years. (I can’t even listen to the New Boys!!). Even though the luxury and excitement of a chickenhead is tempting, that lifestyle isn’t self-sustaining. Ever since I was younger, I was so self-conscious of my looks because I wanted to prove myself through my mind and not my body. As I grow, I’m trying to understand the balance between freely expressing my sexuality and not exploiting my body. The problem with chickenheads is that it builds a lifestyle dependent on other people’s luxury. Chickenheads become the object of other people’s wants; they constantly have to be ready to please and satisfy others. I’m not really talking about chickenheads anymore. I’m talking about the healthy choices for women to empower themselves through self-sustaining lifestyles. We’re already living in a man’s world. Do our lives have to be centered around what a man thinks and wants too? I’m not talking about being alone. Independence and loneliness are two very different things. All women want some love! Recenter and refocus on ourselves within. LOVE.

Parry Shen X Secret Identities

This post is inspired by Parry Shen—old homie who I recently heard from this week. Parry Shen and I go way back—back to when pre-pubescent me still had braces. The first time I met him I told him I liked his teeth and he told me he wore braces too and so that made me feel extra giddy. Over the years, it’s been amazing seeing him hustle his passion for acting through an oftentimes bigoted industry (Hollywood). It’s an unbeatable spirit and admirable commitment to one’s dreams. If you don’t know about Parry Shen, you bedda ask somebody!! He is one of the leading Asian American actors to pioneer a career through mainstream and independent media. He starred in Better Luck Tomorrow and featured in shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, MadTV, NCIS: Los Angeles and MORE (click here for filmography list). He just told me that he will be in a BUDWEISER commercial with T-Pain during the Super Bowl this Sunday so WATCH OUT NOW!! No homie bias.

Parry is also one of the editors of the groundbreaking comic book, “Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology”. It officially dropped last April and has been making waves ever since. Like many ethnic minorities, Asian American portrayal in mainstream media capitalizes on gross stereotypes such as the perpetual foreigner, the Chinaman, Dragon Lady, the ninja and the submissive. Major leads in mainstream media aren’t written with Asian American actors in mind (even Avatar the Last Airbender hired an all-white cast) and Asian American actors have a hard time snagging them (just ask Parry about his hustle!). Secret Identities does an amazing job in fusing critical race theories, Asian American history and creative comic book storytelling into an innovative approach to enlightened social consciousness. This book is truly a gem in my collection and undeniable target on my Readership’s Hit List. Get with it.

Communion: The Female Search For Love

Another title for the Readership’s Hit List:

More than just about love from men. Love for ourselves and love for each other.

Click here to get a preview off of Google Books.

(Thanks to Miss P for putting me on)

R.I.P. Howard Zinn

A historian, political activist and visionary, Howard Zinn played a pioneering role in reshaping the consciousness of America. Today, Howard Zinn passed away at age 87. R.I.P.! Click here for full article.

Readership’s Hit List: Slow Food Nation

Description from Amazon:
By now most of us are aware of the threats looming in the food world. The best-selling Fast Food Nation and other recent books have alerted us to such dangers as genetically modified organisms, food-borne diseases, and industrial farming. Now it is time for answers, and Slow Food Nation steps up to the challenge. Here the charismatic leader of the Slow Food movement, Carlo Petrini, outlines many different routes by which we may take back control of our food. The three central principles of the Slow Food plan are these: food must be sustainably produced in ways that are sensitive to the environment, those who produce the food must be fairly treated, and the food must be healthful and delicious. In his travels around the world as ambassador for Slow Food, Petrini has witnessed firsthand the many ways that native peoples are feeding themselves without making use of the harmful methods of the industrial complex. He relates the wisdom to be gleaned from local cultures in such varied places as Mongolia, Chiapas, Sri Lanka, and Puglia. Amidst our crisis, it is critical that Americans look for insight from other cultures around the world and begin to build a new and better way of eating in our communities here.

Adventures of Eggplant: Journey to Justice

Watch this film! I made it when I was in college (Los Angeles). Produced, directed and edited by me! The background story and inspiration is simple: the injustice behind food accessibility in low-income, poor communities. Many supermarkets have divested from South Central because moving to richer neighborhoods was more profitable. South Central food options are primarily from bodegas, liquor stores and fast food joints. Diet and obesity negatively affect the success rate of individuals in school performance, work opportunities and sustaining communities.

My friend D’Juan grew up in Compton all his life. He took me around his hood while I filmed. I asked him,”Is this a good sized eggplant?” He said, “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen or eaten an eggplant in my life!”

Confessions of an Economic Hitman

To all those who made a new year’s resolution to read more, here is one of my FAVORITE books for the READERSHIP’S HIT LIST!! The twisted tales of money, power and fucking over everybody who stands in the way. TRUE STORY and reads like a JAMES BOND MOVIE. You will not be disappointed.

Synopsis:

Economic hit men, John Perkins writes, are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as Empire but one that has taken on terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization.

John Perkins should know — he was an economic hit man for an international consulting firm that worked to convince developing countries to accept enormous loans and to funnel that money to U.S.corporations. Once these countries were saddled with huge debts, the American government and international aid agencies were able to request their pound of flesh in favors, including access to natural resources, military cooperation, and political support.

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is the story of one man’s experiences inside the intrigue, greed, corruption and little-known government and corporate activities that America has been involved in since World War II, and which have dire consequences for the future of democracy and the world.

Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior

Another title for the Readership’s Hit List:

Thanks to Susan, who put Mikey on this book, who then put me on this book. I haven’t even picked it up yet and I’m already excited for the ride. Let’s read and ride together

Bargain Books for my Readership Hit List

I went to the Harvard Bookstore’s bi-annual warehouse sale this weekend. HELLA cheap ass books for a buck and up! I love books. It’s like cracking open a treasure chest of knowledge. Become RICH through reading. Knowledge is power y’all, and the key to mental, spiritual and physical liberation. YEEEEAA. Check out these titles I copped:

Always on a mission to expand my consciousness and understand our universe.

I want to know how to make the magic happen.

I can’t believe someone beat me to putting two of my favorite things together: dinosaurs AND poems? Word.

This is Maurice Sendak’s first pop-up book. I collect pop-up books! They are the shit. Paper mechanics are geniuses.

Honestly, these pop-ups look way better in real life.

Another pop-up book. This one had cool tab pullies and secret flaps. Damn.

I wish I could fly like these birds. But I still stay fly like these birds. Haaaa!

FORT HOOD Up In Our Homes!

Every time there is a shooting in America, every person of color prays the gun man (or woman) isn’t of one’s own race or ethnicity (or religion)…except for white people of course. White people are the only group of citizens who do not become antagonized and vilified by the media when a crime is committed…because I guess it’s just their natural right to be criminals, or millionaires, or football players, or anything else really. It’s part of white privilege, the privilege to be exempt from marginalization and have ownership over everything–from space to identities ….yadidameeeean??

An individual committing an individual’s crime is one thing. But for one individual’s crime to become the focal point for the media to antagonize an entire community is another thing. I can say more, but Vijay Prashad says it way better in his article, Can the Major Speak?

Vijay Prashad is a widely renowned professor, author, journalist and a critical voice in the progressive community. Some of his books include “The Karma of Brown Folk”, “The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World” and “Fat Cats and Running Dogs: The Enron Stage of Capitalism”. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but maybe by it’s title, yadeeeeeg? I didn’t want to copy and paste because that’s just lame. Don’t be a lazy 21st century video drone…READ his article.

But I’m kind of a hater so I judge all the time. By the looks of it, these covers are looking extra fly for the reading pasttime.

masaru emoto: hidden messages in the water

become a BELIEVER! dr. masaru emoto is a researcher who has experimented with words, water and crystallization to affirm one thing: THE POWER OF WORDS TO TRANSFORM OUR MINDS, BODY AND WORLD.

in a nutshell, emoto wrapped good and bad words around capsulated water, spoke positive and negative words to water, played good and crappy music to the water, made prayers/offerings, etc…then crystalized them to discover one pattern: the water crystallized beautifully around positive messages and came out deformed around the negative messages!!! no FN lie!!!!!

here are some examples:

Click his photo to peep his website

NOW LET’S NOT FORGET: Our bodies are 98% WATER! say WHA!

no wonder we retreat to a healing song when we’re love sick. save fortune cookie slips. indulge in the quotables. feel reinvigorated during/after a concert. remind ourselves in the mirror. live by confucious says. for better or for worse, words have the power to transform ourselves.

as for me, i’ve always been a firm believer in the power of positive energy. words are not to be underestimated. every thought, every word spoken, everything written, every proclamation emitted from ourselves is like planting a seed in the universe. if we can transform ourselves through positive energy, we transform our world.

SAY WORD TO THE WORD

i’ve been grinding heavy on my first chapbook (to be released THIS DECEMBER) and shit is a blast! i’m trying to write a new piece everyday for the next two weeks. then design for the last two weeks. i wrote a new poem i’m pretty happy about last night–but ima hold off on sharing it on the bloggy blog. the chapbook will be a mix of old, new, seen and never before seen pieces. uh yes yes yall!!!!!!!

THINGS TO EXPECT IN DECEMBER:

-first chapbook release
-first t-shirt
-new stickers printed
-website update

P.S. to whoever borrowed my emoto book and never returned it…give it back!!

readership's hit list: equations of eternity

introducing the newest addition to my *categories* widget. if you’re looking to impress somebody, title dropping usually works. holla.

current book on my reading rainbow:

won’t lie. one of the more challenging books i’ve read in a while. but challenging in the most neuron-twisting-reality-dissecting-introspective-intergalactic-existentialist-crap kinda way.