Learning how to talk the talk in Oman, Indonesia, China

Just a note that Michelle Lee in this article is also a veteran UIC Pyro Paddlers Dragon Boat team member  (2011 + 2012). She's missing this 2013 season because of this opportunity to study in China.

Learning how to talk the talk in Oman, Indonesia, China

Passion for science, social justice

Wendy Guo who is an Asian American Mentor Program mentee turned mentor is spotlighted in UIC News  for winning the Donald and Leah Riddle Prize for Outstanding Graduating Senior.

Passion for science, social justice

UIC Pyro Paddlers (Dragon Boat Team) in the RedEye

Erin Vogel (also a UIC alum) wrote a story about the UIC Pyro Paddlers dragon boat team for the RedEye.

Couple notes, though, about the article:

• Captains are asking prospective paddlers this year about what folks do regularly for exercise. It doesn’t necessarily have to be organized sport/athletics.
• In Chinatown, UIC did place 3rd in their time trial out of 26 teams... they had to beat another team to advance to quarterfinals. We did get eliminated then, and based on our elimination time, we were ranked 7th (not 6th) overall.
• The UIC Pyro Paddlers don’t own a boat, but what captains probably intended was that right now campus support allows for one team (boat) in competition and they would hope for expansion of interest to have a second team (boat) in competition.

UIC dragon-boating team looking for paddlers

Indo-Pak Philly Cheese Steaks on Taylor

On a tip from AARCC's associate director, Jeff Alton, I ordered Philly cheese steak from Philly Stop/Taylor Food Mart (1059 W. Taylor) the other day. (photos next time)

I had stopped in before when they had first opened as just Taylor Food Mart and was intrigued that there was a grill inside a convenience store. I had gotten a gyro sandwich and fries which were very good and nice to have this close to campus (vs. walking a few blocks further in the other direction to Greektown).

Cheese steaks were at the top of their menu but I hadn't given it a thought (though these days, I should remind myself of my own rule order from the top of the menu). Back then their menu seemed to cover all the standards of a typical Chicago grill, but in this case one that is run by a South Asian entrepreneur.

So Jeff had noted that when he had gotten his cheese steaks before that they were prepared with non traditional (at least for Philly) Indian/Pakistani spices. When you order, you are asked whether you would like it spicy and I did. So it came with a mix of spices (I couldn't really pin them down) as well as some seeded grilled jalepenos (not as hot as they could be).

A nice twist, and I'd imagine even if not spicy, would have been a solid cheese steak. Comes in 6" or foot long options with fries/pop combos available. Owner said new menu with their update to Philly Stop/Taylor Food Mart would be coming soon. Call ahead if you don't want to wait: 312-733-1212.

The ASAM Brown Bag Series - Filling the Mind and the Body

Earlier in the semester, on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, Prof. Laura Fugikawa presented an ASAM Brown Bag on "Domestic Containment: A Comparative Analysis of Mid-century Japanese American Resettlement and American Indian Urban Relocation" to mostly Asian American studies faculty, but also some students, GWS faculty, and staff from the Gender and Sexuality Center and AARCC. Prof. Fugikawa's research looks at the connections and similarities between the incarceration of Japanese Americans and the relocation of Native Americans.   

She went on to also explore gender normativity and sexuality. There was a part of her talk where she recounts the observation notes from staff depicting different people's promiscuity or "poor behavior." A significant part of the presentation focused on ideas of citizenship in relation to Japanese Americans and American Indians. Questions such as - what makes a good citizen? who can be a citizen? were explored. This part was very timely in today's organizing around undocumented communities.

After the the presentation, there was time for people to ask questions and eat more tasty food. Prof. Fugikawa received helpful feedback to continue her work and scholarship. I encourage folks to attend future Asian American Studies Brown Bags. For everyone, but specifically students, don't be intimidated as professors read their papers and you hear big words or concepts that you're unfamiliar with. This is what learning is about!

Where are the Asian American staff serving students?

On Thursday, February 28, the UIC Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Asian Americans (CCSAA) held an Asian American Community Forum to bring awareness of various issues significantly affecting not only the Asian American (but all) students, faculty, staff, and alumni at UIC. Approximately 60 people attended with a huge turnout from students.

While there were many issues presented, one particular concerning issue that stood out to me was the severe lack of Asian American staff in student service positions. I've been at UIC for nearly eight years now, and I've always made it a point to connect and build community with other Asian American faculty and staff. When thinking about those I knew - especially in student affairs - I could count them all on two hands.

Elvin Chan of AARCC presents the dismal numbers of
Asian American staff at UIC.

Our Asian American Awareness Month (April) 2013 speaker - Chef Beverly Kim

Our AAAMonth planning committee has chosen Beverly Kim as our speaker on Wednesday, April 10th at 4 p.m. in the Illinois Room (Student Center East). Here's an article about what our homegrown chef has been up to...

Lessons from a 'Top Chef'

"I hereby declare, on oath…"

I started the new semester by coordinating an AARCC service event where UIC students volunteered at a citizenship workshop hosted by the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center (KRCC), the Indo-American Center (IAC), and the Muslim Women Resource Center (MWRC) on January 26th. 
       
This event hit close to home since I became a naturalized citizen through my mother. The students and I attended a training hosted by World Relief on a cold and dreary Thursday night. World Relief employees gave us a quick run-down on how to fill out the N-400 forms, since our main responsibility would be to assist the applicants fill out their own forms at the workshop.
            
Throughout the training and workshop, I could not help but reflect on my own experience of being an immigrant and becoming naturalized. Even though I did not personally fill out the N-400 forms for myself, or go to the immigration interview with my mom, or take the citizenship oath myself – I remember the extremely long process it took for my parents to go from H-1 Visa holders in 1995, to permanent residents, to finally becoming US citizens (dual citizens at that, we are still citizens of India as well).

Interview with AARCC Student Staff Member Stephanie!

At the beginning of AARCC staff meetings, we have an ice breaker.  It's a fun way to connect and get to learn about each other.  One of our ice breakers was to write down a random question.  We had to put the question into a pile, and other staff members chose from the pile.  The purpose? To interview the person you drew and a part of the interview has to ask their question, and if they were comfortable, we would post it to the blog.  This way, our readers would get a sense of who the AARCC staff are!

I wrote, "What was the best day of your life?" and Stephanie, our publications coordinator drew the question.  I conducted a mini interview, and here is how it went!

Japanese American Incarceration vs. Internment

The Japanese American Citizens League have created a handbook that recommends avoiding historically common but euphemistic or inaccurate terms when talking about Japanese American incarceration during World War II.

It explains why the term "internment" should not be used for the majority of Japanese Americans that were held in government facilities and illustrates how "incarceration" should be used instead.

The brief PDF handbook "Power of Words" is available for download at the JACL website.