Another AALDEF Internship opportunity! Not overkill.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is the first organization on the East Coast to protect and promote the legal rights of Asian Americans through litigation, legal advocacy, and community education. For more information about AALDEF, please visit our website at www.aaldef.org.

Description of Summer Internship Program:

The summer program is ten weeks, from approximately June 1^st through August 7^th. Interns work full-time and are supervised by attorneys in specific program areas. Summer interns attend weekly brown bag lectures on a range of public interest legal topics along with interns from other legal defense funds and civil rights groups. AALDEF also provides trainings in housing law, naturalization procedures, and immigration law. The position is unpaid. However, in previous years many AALDEF interns have been successful at securing independent funding. Academic credit can be arranged.

The Hmong American Writers’ Circle (HAWC) in association with Heyday Books will publish an anthology of literary writing focused on the Hmong American experience, specifically on the connection to the Central Valley, its land and people. A section of the anthology will include original artwork/photography.

April 1, 2009 to August 31, 2009

Guidelines:
• Topics: experiences involving Hmong/Hmong Americans in the Central Valley
• Accepted genres: poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, plays
• Format: Microsoft Word, size 12, Times New Roman font (should you be sending pieces that require you to vary sizes and font styles, please email your concerns prior to submitting, to:
HawcSubmissions@gmail.com)
• Previously published pieces accepted (please ensure you have rights to reprint)
• Simultaneous submissions accepted
• Publication in this anthology is not limited to only Hmong American writers
• Pieces written in Hmong accompanied with an English translation are welcomed

Submissions:
• Submissions in multiple genres welcomed
• 3-5 poems, 1-3 pieces of fiction, 1-3 pieces of creative non-fiction, or 1-3 plays
• Only email submissions accepted, please send your submissions to: HawcSubmissions@gmail.com
• Include a cover letter discussing your background (include any experiences as or with Hmong/Hmong Americans in the Central Valley), and literary accomplishments or publication (if applicable); cover letters should include name, address, phone number and email

Contact Information: HawcSubmissions@gmail.com

So...this image is not uploading correctly. But, anyways: NYU is throwing a closing ceremony for their AHM (Asian Heritage Month) today! It'll be down at the Kimmel Center of NYU at 6:30pm. Food will be served...for free! Performers will be Ill-Literacy, Heather Park, and Phyllis Hetjian, with Brian Jian emceeing. Go check it out.

Join TASA, KSA, AAA, and APAAM for an epic semi-formal party next Monday (May 4th) after the last day of classes! Known last year as "Fornicasian," the party planners have decided to continue with the tradition of sexual innuendo, naming this year's event "V Spot." Check out the Facebook event for details. Admission is $30 for a wild night of mayhem and an open bar from 11pm-1am. Venue is "Amber" at 27th and 3rd, a 10-15 minute walk from Penn Station. We'll bring the dranks, you bring the party. Email AAA (aaa@columbia.org) if you would like to reserve a spot!

This Friday, May 1st, (sadly) marks the end of Columbia's celebration of APAAM 2009. The closing ceremonies will be held on the Barnard College quad at 7pm. (The rain location is Lewis Parlor.) Dinner will be served, and featured artists include El Gambina, Danny Katz, Kevin Nadal, and John Flor-Sisante. Photo contest winners will also be announced. (There was a photo contest?!)

Anyways, it's been real, folks. APAAM 2009 has featured many interesting discussions and wonderful collaborative events, so congrats APAAM board! My personal faves were "Who is Asian American?" and the screening of Corinne Manabat's Excuse My Gangsta Ways. Hope everyone had fun!

This weekend marked a monumental occasion in Columbia AAA's history: the first ever high school student conference! Named Crossroads 2009, it served to educate and empower today's high school youth by providing them with information and discussions about various salient Asian American issues in today's society.