We skiied, we boarded, we drank, and we formed alliances in the tribe by the campfire.
Needless to say, good times were had at the 1st Annual Nakayoshi Ski Trip on February 27-March 1. But it didnt come without its flaws and next year we will be better prepared with lodging, organizing and (what emily calls) "structured fun".
THANK YOU to all 27 of you fun people that attended. Shout out to Berkeley NSU for joining in the group ticket rate (otherwise we would all be less $22) and for sharing in the festivities Saturday night.
Bummed that you missed out OR cant wait to hang out with us again? Not to worry- the Social Committee (atsushi, matt & ali) are now furiously planning a super fun summer Nakayoshi camping trip! More news to come.
On Sunday, March 22, Nakayoshi will yet again be flexing a little of its volunteer muscle over in San Francisco's Japantown, this time in support of Nihonmachi Little Friends, a Japanese, bilingual and multicultural childcare organization committed to providing quality and affordable childcare services. Join us as we help raise funds for this vital community organization through a one-of-a-kind event: a tofu matsuri.
Actually, a "Tofu Dessert Competition and Festival," to be exact. Organized by the Nichi Bei Times and held at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California (1840 Sutter Street), this extravaganza will run from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and include a tofu dessert competition, a tofu nutritionist talk show, tofu games, and a tofu haiku contest. That's a lot of tofu.
Nakayoshi is looking for volunteers to pitch in for one or more shifts (and anyone who covers all three gets lunch): 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Set up 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Event support 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Clean up
Hit us up on Facebook or in the comments to let us know you're in.
Or, if you'd rather attend the festival as a regular guest, you can do so for $10 online or $12 at the door. Bring the little ones, too -- they get in free if they're 3 and under.
When I found out that Gary Locke was nominated to be Secretary of Commerce, I felt a weird sensation wash over me. With every APA blog post, every APIAA organization press release, and every APA podcast singing praises upon the Governor, my heart sunk. The reality is that I may be the only one in this small APA blogosphere who hesitates to happily welcome a third Asian American to President Obama's cabinet--I'm so torn.
It's a dilemma because in truth, I am actually happy that Governor Locke may become the nation's second APA Secretary of Commerce. He was a solid Governor of the State of Washington and a committed social progressive. Governor Locke is also committed to his APA roots--from his 1997 speech to the AAJA:
"And we have to remember that America belongs to all of us - not just to those whose families have been here longest, or to those who have connections, or to those who never suffered the indignity of slavery, exclusion, or defeat."
I also have no problems with a Governor who worked within the constraints of a Republican "no new taxes" policy as a centrist.
I may have a problem with the Governor's response to George W. Bush's State of the Union address when he enthusiastically connects Saddam Hussein to WMD's, but I see a role model in someone who can say:
"We will fight to protect a woman's right to choose and we will fight for affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity in our schools and our workplaces. Above all, we will demand that this government advance our common purpose and not pander to narrow special interests."
on national TV.
So where's the beef?
It comes down to this: Like President Obama, Governor Gary Locke supports free trade.
As a card carrying member of the DLC, Governor Locke's trade policies fall firmly in line with the status quo. The Wall Street Journal (ugh) profiles Locke as a supporter of NAFTA and China's entry into the WTO.
Why is this a problem? A 4-point answer.
Progressives don't support free trade because Progressives don't support a 6 year old child earning 14 cents an hour, working 16 hours a day, enduring 110 degrees heat in a sweatshop in Burma.
Progressives don't support free trade because Progressives hate it when a laid-off American auto worker holds back tears to tell his daughter that she can't go to college. He has no job, but the corporation has a new manufacturing plant in Mexico.
The biggest problem is that the Office of the Secretary of Commerce is directly involved in executing the administration's trade policies, which are no doubt those of the free trade kind.
I have great respect for Governor Locke's character, work ethic, and progressive social agenda. Not to mention an incredible life story. I would have loved to see him as the Attorney General or a high-level member in the Justice Department. Maybe even as a Vice President. Hell, I would have donated triple the money I gave to Obama if it was Locke who was up against John McCain. (Although, Locke probably wouldn't have my vote during the primaries, if I could vote in a Democratic Primary.)
But this is the reality of things. The bottom line in Progressives Trade Policies 101 is fair trade over free trade.
Governor Locke is a great APA. He's surely no Elaine Chao. In fact, it's probably a mistake for me to mention those two on the same line of text. But he's not the one Progressives need in the Office of the Secretary of Commerce. Even though I, as an Asian American, desperately want him there.
More great stuff coming up in connection to the SFIAAFF. A big thanks goes out to Keith Kamisugi and the rest of the folks with Hapihour.org, who are hosting a free happy hour reception on Saturday, March 14 at 6:30pm at A5 Steak Lounge in SF for Tad Nakamura and his new film, "A Song for Ourselves." Make sure to RSVP on Facebook or evite.com for your chance to meed Tad Nakamura! Hope you guys can make it!
Dale Minami, Yuri Kochiyama, Audee Kochiyama Holman, Marjorie Fujiki, Diane Matsuda, Eddie Wong and Keith Kamisugi invite you to join us for a special happy hour on Saturday, March 14, from 6:30 p.m. at the new A5 Steak Lounge, 244 Jackson St., San Francisco, to celebrate Tad Nakamura’s, A SONG FOR OURSELVES, a moving tribute to pioneering singer and activist Chris Iijima. RSVP on Facebook or evite.com.
In the film, colleagues, friends and family reminisce about his life and commitment to peace and justice, from his early days in New York to his final years in Hawai’i.
Director Tad Nakamura will join us that evening. His previous film, YELLOW BROTHERHOOD, was awarded Best Documentary Short at the San Diego Asian Film Festival and has also been screened in numerous film festivals around the country.
The event takes place at the new A5 STEAK LOUNGE, a sleeker, more modern version of a steakhouse, blending the vibe of a cocktail lounge with an old-school steak palace. Special thanks to Steve Chen for having us that night.
The event is free with no-host bar. Food will be available for order in the lounge. The film is showing during the 27th Annual San Francisco Asian American Film Festival in mid-March.
Read a review of the film on BeyondChron.com. ------------------------
Along with so much of the good stuff going on that you might want to check out at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival this month, here's a plug for the movie "White on Rice". Friend of Nakayoshi Tim Koide worked on some of the music in the score of the film, and has let us in on a reception prior to the screening at the festival where you'll get a chance to meet director Dave Boyle and some of the cast as well! Speaking of the SFIAAFF, have you guys signed up to volunteer with Nakayoshi yet?
Here's a little on the film:
White on Rice takes a comedic look at a Japanese immigrant family coming to terms with romance, parenting and middle age as they adjust to American culture. Director Dave Boyle’s second feature stars Hiroshi Watanabe (Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima), Japanese pop singer Nae, and James Kyson Lee (Heroes).
Below is a link to a reception being held at the Kabuki Theatre on March 17th at 5:30 pm for the World Premier of "White on Rice". The event is free but requires registration to attend. If you are free, please join us and register for the reception at: http://www.iyemonchaevents.com/ . For more info on the SFIAAFF, go to: http://festival.asianamericanmedia.org/
Nakayoshi is finally expanding our online presence and working diligently on launching http://www.nakayoshi.org/ on April 1st, 2009!
Bringing Nakayoshi Member Misono Yokoyama Allen onboard as our very own Webmaster, she is working diligently on building a website that is informative and resourceful for Young Professionals interested in being part of Nakayoshi.
Make sure to check back on April 1st, 2009 to see the brand new site and take a look around! We'll have the most recent event updates, Nakayoshi Core Profiles, videos and picture albums from past events, and more...
until then..
check out a sneak peak of Nakayoshi's new homepage
Let us know what you think! We're looking for feedback, so if you feel like you love it or maybe somethings missing, leave us a comment! We're waiting to hear from you!
Buy your tickets now to see the San Francisco premiere of Tokyo Sonata with Nakayoshi on Friday, March 13th at 6:45 pm at the Sundance Kabuki Theaters!
The director Kiyoshi Kurosawa himself will be at the screening to answer any questions and for a discussion on the film. Tickets to most San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) movies sell out, so reserve your seat early with Nakayoshi!
To purchase tickets, send an email to emily.leach@gmail.com with the # of tickets. Tickets are $10 each. We only have 15 seats total and will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
Please be prepared to arrive 15 minutes early to guarantee your seat (that would be at 6:30, folks). Since these shows do sell-out any open seats have their tickets released back to the rush line for purchasing.
Winner of the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's latest film finds the filmmaker departing from the supernatural terrain of his recent string of horror films to present a piercing, devastating family drama. Like Yasujiro Ozu and Mikio Naruse, whose influences are evident in both style and theme, Kurosawa examines a modern Japanese family against the backdrop of a changing world, in this case a crumbling social fabric and an uncertain geopolitical landscape.
Check out the film's official website in Japanese or English.
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Don't forget you can also sign up to volunteer with Nakayoshi at the SFIAAFF!
For any questions, please email nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com.
Needless to say, good times were had at the 1st Annual Nakayoshi Ski Trip on February 27-March 1. But it didnt come without its flaws and next year we will be better prepared with lodging, organizing and (what emily calls) "structured fun". 
