Fall 1997

LITERARY

KSW co-sponsored Seeds of Manilatown, a reading organized by the Manilatown Heritage Foundation as part of the I-Hotel commemorative activities. Over 30 poets read at Cameron House, including Janice Mirikitani, Norman Jayo, Presco Tabios, and Oscar Penaranda.

We presented a reading with Aisarema, an LA-based group that publishes diS*Orient Magazine, at Woolf House on September 25. The event featured poets Tony Robles, Elsa E�der, Amy Yuen, Jeff Trinidad (with Ogie Gonzales on nose flute and kulintang), Larry Padua, and Lou Syquia. Giulio Sorro and Al Robles were inspired to read, too. The audience was also able to view our 25th anniversary exhibition.

KSW will curate one hour of the San Francisco Book Festival's Poetry Cafe on November 8, from 12 to 1 pm. Poets Jaime Jacinto, Barbara Reyes, Russell (Gonzaga) with musician Ogie Gonzales, Patty Cachapero, and R. Zamora Linmark will read.

KSW is currently collecting Asian Pacific American recipes for possible inclusion in an oral history cookbook. If you have a favorite family recipe, send it in along with a story about the originator of the recipe, your relation to the cook, or the significance of the dish to you or your culture. The cookbook will be sold as a fundraiser for KSW. Selected entrants will receive 2 copies of the book and a KSW membership. Send in your recipes by January 1st.

PERFORMING ARTS

KSW presented a 3-day performance with Pearl Ubungen Dancers and Musicians at the I-Hotel site on August 8, 9, 10. The production was part of a week-long series of events commemorating of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the I-Hotel. The multi-media dance theater piece, choreographed and performed by Pearl Ubungen Dancers and Musicians, involved many sectors of the Asian American community and attracted large audiences.

Thanks to a grant from the NEA Creating and Presenting Program, we are commissioning Horace Tapscott to compose a new piece for Jon Jang's Pan Asian Arkestra for the 17th Asian American Jazz Festival, which will be held at the Asian Art Museum next May.

VISUAL ARTS

KSW presented our 25th anniversary exhibition at Woolf House Storefronts. The exhibition was shown as part of the TODCO InnerCity Arts Walk, which participated in the Yerba Buena Marketing Alliance�s Gallery Walk on September 4. Part of the 25th anniversary exhibition was also shown briefly at the Westbay Multi-Services Center.

Our California Arts Council artist-in-residence, Leland Wong, is starting another round of screenprinting workshops at South of Market Cultural Center, which also co-sponsors this residency. The new schedule for the classes is as follows: Wednesdays, 4 - 9 pm; Thursdays 1 - 6 pm; Saturdays 11 - 4 pm. The classes are free. Call Leland at 415-673-7082 for more information.

KSW helped to frame and install the artwork of Ed Nathan, who is having a retrospective at ODC Performance Gallery from October 29 through November 23. Proceeds from the sale of Ed�s work will benefit KSW and other organizations.

KSW installed a display of I-Hotel photographs at the Chinatown Community Arts Program. Our I-Hotel photographs were also displayed at the Asian Resource Gallery in Oakland, and at Immigrant Pride Day in San Francisco. (KSW had an information table and sold books at the latter event.)

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Our 25th anniversary dinner took place on Friday, September 12, 6 pm at Wu Kong Restaurant in the Rincon Center, San Francisco. It was a resounding success. Over 180 people were there, including Mayor Willie Brown, Reverend Cecil Williams and other distinguished guests. Our thanks to everyone who helped with this tremendous undertaking. See page 4 and 5 for more details.

Our annual Holiday Open House will be held on Friday, December 5, 1997 at 6 pm. On view will be nature photography by KSW founder Lora Jo Foo. Children's books featuring KSW artists, including the newly-published Just Like Me, will be sold. We will also have door prizes. This is our last party commemorating our 25th year. Come celebrate with us at this free event hosted by KSW's board of directors.