Tag: New York City

Juneteenth 2022

I hope we take a moment to acknowledge the meaning of Juneteenth, the holiday to commemorate the day that the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. A lot of events are going on this weekend, and with the observed holiday on June 20, 2022, if you haven’t been on the look out and planned ahead.

I have heard that Juneteenth can be viewed as a prelude to July 4. I’m of the view that celebrating is all nice and good, but we can and should learn from history and try to do better.

So many great resources, like documentaries and books and so on – but so little time…! Anyway, feel free to check out the following:

“Juneteenth, explained,” by Fabiola Cineas, Vox, updated June 17, 2021, to explain the history and meaning of Juneteenth.

For an illuminating discussion, check out a re-broadcast on June 17, 2022, on NPR’s Fresh Air of Terry Gross’s interview with historian/law professor Annette Gordon-Reed regarding Juneteenth and Gordon-Reed’s personal perspective as a native of Texas and descendant of enslaved persons (originally broadcasted on May 25, 2021).

Juneteenth at New York Public Library.

“Learn About & Celebrate Juneteenth,” posted by Beatrice Alvarez, June 15, 2022, regarding PBS coverage from various PBS stations across the country.

The local NYC PBS station, WNET (Channel 13), has some great materials and interviews for Juneteenth, posted by Christina Knight, June 14, 2022.

Per the reporting by Brigid Bergin, Gothamist/WNYC, June 19, 2022, New York City will have various commemorations on Sunday for the holiday and Monday, the observed day.

Here’s to keep learning and keep striving for true justice and equality. — ssw15.

(cross-posted to sswslitinmotion.tumblr.com)

Memorial Day 2022, or How AAPI Heritage Month 2022 is Winding Down

Hope you’re having a meaningful Memorial Day. Take a moment to remember those who died in service for us and this country. And may we honor them by doing better ourselves for each other.

Meanwhile, AAPI Heritage Month 2022 is zooming by like a blink of an eye. We had parades (see here for the previous link about the info) and we have at least one museum exhibit (see the Museum of New York‘s ongoing exhibit of the work of Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya on “Raise Your Voice.”

We are still in a pandemic. We are still struggling with the perpetual perceptions of being foreign in our own country. Plus, AAPI Heritage Month is Mental Health Awareness Month, so I suggest checking out A Brief But Spectacular Take by Christine Catipon, as a feature of the PBS NewsHour. Catipon, a clinical psychologist at the University of California, Irvine Counseling Center, has a succinct take on being Filipina and overcoming shame and teaching that self-care is important. Worth a watch/listen.

I meant to check out the link to Barnes & Noble’s post, April 28, 2022, regarding episodes from its podcast Poured Over regarding AAPI literature. But, it’s worth checking out all-year round (and for us at triscribe, AAPI Heritage is a year-round thing anyway).

For AAPI Heritage Month, Short Wave, an NPR podcast, explores the life of Chien-Shiung Wu: a physicist, Chinese immigrant, a woman, a wife, mother, grandmother, mentor. She should not be forgotten. The episodes are worth a listen. Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here.

Also, last but not least, check out FC’s post, from April 2022 – but still timely because FC, as triscribe founder, is our AAPI Heritage inspiration for all he has done for the AAPI legal community in bringing us – law students and practitioners – altogether.

As it says under the title of triscribe – “We’re still here!” Until next time… — ssw15

AAPI Heritage Month 2022

If you’re up in Manhattan, today, Saturday, May 14, 2022, was Japan Day, with a Japan Day Parade up at Central Park West/81st St to 68th St., with George Takei as a Grand Marshal.

Plus, tomorrow, Sunday, May 15, 2022, is the city’s first AAPI Heritage Parade. See more info over at Time Out New York.

It feels a bit last minute, since it was announced on May 11, 2022 (I linked to the Gothamist piece about the announcement) and the cynic in me feels like we can have better ways to fight AAPI hate. But, visibility is a way to deal with hate.

Our own local Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) is seeking people to join the contingent to march for the parade. RSVP asap if you want to join us, by registering over at the AABANY website. – ssw15

(cross-posted to sswslitinmotion.tumblr.com)