Change is Coming

So much has gone on in the past couple of weeks I don't know even know where to beginning to share. I do know that I need to be more discipline in prioritizing my time. I can't keep letting things get into my way of writing and connecting with folks. I need to set aside time for reading and writing. My creative flow had stopped, but change is coming.

Some highlights of the past couple of weeks are going to the youth summit, Asian Law Caucus Gala, the second annual Asian Youth Cultural Festival, Nancy Pelosi's reception, speaking to youth at Greater Mission Consortium Youth Center, meeting/dinner with friends in Asian Prisoners Support Committee, visiting a school with Jane Kim, using my first power point in a presentation to an all Asian youth audience in CYC, seeing my friend Pablo for the first time in the free world, cherry picking, and eating dinner with my big sister and brother.

Yes, there's always work and pleasure.

Catching Up on the Blog

Wow. I can't believe that my last blog was twelve days ago. Where did the time go?

I wanted to write earlier, but I have bad wireless connection. Somehow the local area wireless network is almost always unplugged. I'm glad I got connection tonight.

So much has happened since the last time I worte I don't even know where to start. I guess I have to share my thoughts on the first Mother's Day with you. Since I knew that it'd be difficult for me to get a RSVP in a Chinese restaurant on Mother's Day, I decided to treat my Mom to dinner a day ahead. I invited Mom and the rest of the family for the celebration of Mother's Day. I gave Mom a dozen red roses and a greeting card. Everyone had a good time.

On Mother's Day, my Dad and I were able to spend some quality together. We sat under the trees in the front yard of a house to eat lunch. Dad shared his side of the family history with me, something I never knew. We reminsenced about my childhood and his days in the military. Later on we went swimming in a pool. It's the first time I've been in the pool in twenty years. At some point I felt like it's more like a Father's Day than Mother's Day.

I want to give a brief recap of what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks.

I went to Palo Alto High and spoke to about 350 students.

I did my book reading in Eastwind book store in Berkeley.

I attended the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration in the War Memorial
Opera building.

I spoke at Balboa High and did presetations at Galieo High on anti violence and anti gang.

I went to bowling with my co-workers.

I went to Civil Center High to talk with a teacher about the struggles and challenges teachers faced.

I volunteered to clean up Delores Park in the Mission District and helped set up the Immigration Resource Fair in Portsmouth Square in San Francisco.

I testified in city hall's budget committee public hearings on passing supplemental funding for youth, low income families, LGBTQ communities and senoir citizens and the need for affordable wireless network for all San Franciscians.

I went jogging around Lake Merritt with friends.

As you can see, I've been keeping myself busy. When I was in prison there's not enough time in a day for me to do all the things I wanted to do. Nothing has change since I've been out in the free world. I'm grateful that I'm able to cherish my freedom.

Stop the Racist haters

Dear All:

If you haven't heard, on April 20th the radio show "Dog House Prank Calls" air on WFNY(92.3 Free FM) around 11am ET. The host JV(Jeff Vandergrift) and Elvis(Dan Lay)who are from Bay Area placed a prank call to a Chinese resturant using racist and sexist derogretory terms to order food. The Chinese community are outraged by their unacceptable actions.

Please consider signing a petition to that demands the firing of two New York DJs and their producers. They need to be held accountable for their vicious behavior. Please see press release for detailed information and sign on before OCA's meeting on Friday with CBS.



http://www.ocanational.org/petition.html

KPFA Tour

For many years I listened to programs on KPFA radio station FM 94.1, but I have never been to the station until today. Helen Zia and I went to KPFA station to do an interview with Weyland who hosts Hardknock radio. We were talking about the book Other: an Asian & Pacific Islander Prisoners' Anthology. There will be a book reading on Saturday, May 5th at 3:30pm at the Berkeley Eastwind bookstore.

After the interview Weyland gave me a quick tour of KPFA. I was able to meet some hosts of different shows that I've heard so much on the radio. It was when I went into the music storage room that I felt like a kid being in a candy store. There's probably thousands of CDs on the shelves. I wish I can have a copy of all the CDs.

It's a privilege for me to be in a place where all the alternative news and programs are produced. I hope I'll be able to visit the station more often or maybe even do a monthly segment on one of the shows. We'll see.