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Guia Rivera hosts
6th Annual Asian Elements Model Search on Saturday, May 24th at 10 p.m.! (Photo
Alberto Trevino, Flyer Design Solsirch)
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NOTE: For more info about the 6th Annual Asian Elements Model Search, visit Guia's MySpace Page
BLOG
Flower Drum Song
Last nite I watched Flower Drum Song for the very first
time. Often, people are often complaining how Hollywood misrepresents Asian
Americans and this specific film Chinese Americans in the San Francisco Bay
Area. But this classic was refreshing. Nancy Kwan and many of the other
characters showed that Asian Americans can still maintain cultural values while
becoming an integral part of the American fabric. Maybe I'm a few years behind.
But the blurb on the DVD case says this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic is
revolutionary, for it shows Asians finding happiness in the American
dream.
Yay! We've got band rehearsal this week. I've got a mentor and
friend; his name is Chris Devins. He travelled to Japan. But hopefully he'll be
back soon. From him, I learn new things all the time. I'm kinda like his
grasshopper, you know? He imparted some wisdom on me regarding working and
dealing with different personality types and issues. He told me of this "Mastery
of Management" theory developed by Taibi Kahler. We have different makeups
according to the Personality Pattern Index. And basically, we can either be
Promoter, Dreamer, Reactor, Rebel, Persister, Workaholic or a combination of
these personalities. And from here, we can figure out what motivates us in
accomplishing work or being successful as a leader or when we play a role in a
group or our profession. Knowing other people's personalities helps to better
understand their needs and their needs for recognition and how different
personalities handle stress as well as what negative reactions to look out for.
This is certainly instrumental I believe in whatever field you're enterting 'cos
we are a social universe, we have to communicate with people. This helps us to
be aware of what makes us tick and why people behave or work a certain way.
Basically creating a better understanding means more harmony and a deeper grasp
on leadership skills. This is some pretty cool information Chris turned me onto.
Man this guy Taibi Kahler who came up with this stuff is a genius! Think of this
next time you're heading a project involving teamwork.
Lately I've been
struggling with issues of male domination. In my boyfriend-girlfriend
relationship, I feel that still my opinions or beliefs as a girl or a woman are
not valued. And so I started looking to women figures to help me find
strength... such as Cleopatra. We forget she was in fact Greek and not Egyptian,
as she is of the Ptolemy dynasty and successors to Alexander the Great's empire.
But she learned the language of her Egyptian people and adopted their religious
customs. Get this, I was watching this biography narrated by Angelica Houston
(she rocks!) and we often forget who Cleopatra is because of the miskewed Roman
image of Cleopatra as a harlot or a vamp -- instead the historical research by
Egyptologist points to Cleopatra as a matro figure and a true and more than
capable and moral ruler in the true sense of the word. She was a master of
strategy and highly intelligent with discipline in tact to realize her political
motives. She was a woman of charm and magnetism because of her spirit and
personality -- and completely opposite of the stripper, bellydance caricature
devised by Octavian's camp. \
Maybe I can't meet Cleopatra in this lifetime. But on my wish list of people I'd
like to meet one day: Deborah Kanafani. She is an American writer and television
producer of Lebanese descent. Her book "Unveiled: How an American Woman Found
Her Way Through Politics, Love and Obedience in the Middle East" really helped
me see the strength in women and peacemakers in the Middle East. I saw a part of
myself in her and I think every woman can relate which is why I think this is a
must-read for all women. She started out a woman who was confident about her
ideas and gradually because of her marriage, felt her sense of individuality and
freedom dwindle at the expense of being in the shadow of her husband, until she
found the courage to divorce him and regain the self-esteem and independence she
had before her difficult marriage with the politician. She had to travel to the
Middle East to be with her two children after her ex-husband just took full
custody of the children against her wishes. Instead of disobeying Islamic law,
Deborah Kanafani found work in Palestine to be with her children despite the
unfair circumstances. 'Hope you'll read the book to find out what happens to her
children... Kanafani ultimately made a difference with her job as a tv producer
in creating programs in the Middle East to support peace efforts and to improve
the social well-being of women in the Middle East. Kanafani is an independent
woman from New York who I'm paraphrasing, expresses that art because of brings
peace and humanity through expression and vision where politics falls short. She
married Marwan Kanafani righthand man and spokesperson for Yassir Arafat, PLO
Leader and Palestinian President. She got to witness history firsthand and on
the inside of a veiled political landscape. She befriended some of the most
legendary female figures of the Middle East in this modern time. Did you know
that Suha Arafat is the one responsible for Arafat's peace signing at the White
House with Clinton? Suha was Arafat's wife. Women are often in the shadows. But
women like Suha's mother Raymonda Tawil show bravery in trying to see both sides
of the Israeli-Palestian conflict. Even if Raymonda was put in a vulnerable
position for having Israeli friends and trying to promote peace. Man if I met
Deborah Kanafani, I'd have so many questions to ask her! So many questions
surround the Middle East, no one really knows what it's really like -- until
they've actually been there. I hope one day I can visit in order to get past the
distorted images I see on corporate media. There's still a lot of good
happening, where the media exxagerates all the bad. Hmmmm...
Even though we graduate from school or
college, I feel it's important to keep up a rich readerly life. And I don't mean
like internet or magazines, but books. I'm not particularly a fan of Dirty South
music, but there's this funny song called "Read a (#$$&%!#@&!#$) book
that's quite direct. I hope to read about more Asian characters who can inspire
women as well. 'Hope someone can suggest some good reads.
I believe it
was May 1st that my friend Magdalena and I marched in the Legalization for
Immigrants March in Chicago. We were chanting in support of legalization for
illegal immigrants. Remember at some point we were all immigrants. I don't want
to vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. I was hoping Hillary Clinton, a
woman would be voted into office. But I feel the more and more I learn, it's a
double-headed dragon. I'm not really into political ideologies, I feel action
and acts of integrity and charity go way above labels such as Democrat,
Republican, Communist, or Capitalist. Humanity, not politics, gets the RIGHT job
done.
Evita Peron was not an elected politician, but she did more for the
people with the support of Juan Peron than the elected officials ever attempted
to do -- she built schools, churches, and really made an impact on the Argentian
people in the short time before she died of illness.
For the most part,
the march and the rally was excellent. There were speeches by all different
nationalities coming together. Mayor Daley made a speech relating his Irish
ancestry to the plight of the Mexican people. I was very proud when a Filipino
spokesperson addressed the crowd in Spanish and taught the crowd the Tagalog
word, Mabuhay, which means "Live!" Some issues that really struck me were the
lack of opportunities illegal high school graduates have. Even if they are
valedictorians, they cannot attend the college or university of their choice,
all because of their lack of 9 numbers of social security. Veterans of the Iraq
war wanted the Army to stop recruiting at the minority high schools in which
illegal Mexican immigrants and other Latinos are given very little choice for
financial opportunities as to their options after high school. Sometimes
recruits are offered legalization, but they never see those papers when they are
killed on the front line of battle. To keep a long story short, I believe the
USA should be open to anyone who is working to create a better life for his/her
family and that opportunity should be available to all. When the Pilgrims landed
on Plymouth Rock, couldn't the native Americans have considered that illegal
immigration? When the Spaniards landed on Florida, were they not invading the
land of the native Americans? Furthermore to prove my point, the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo which ended the Mexican-American War in 1848 ceded Mexican
lands to the US. In other words, Mexicans aren't crossing the border, the border
crossed them. Some of us Asian Americans' great grandparents or grandparents
were probably illegal at some point. For example, Mei Li in the Flower Drum Song
-- the whole movie is centered on her arranged marriage as an illegal Chinese
immigrant in the United States who finds love and a new culture in the film.
Luckily for myself, my father joined the US Navy and I've always been completely
legal. But for the people who aren't, I must inform you that there are families
out there who are being separated by "ice" raids in areas such as Waukegan,
close to where I live in Lake County. The point is we're all here together and
we better make the most of it and welcome everyone who wants to be American that
opportunity. There was one musical group who stood out: Kinto Sol. There are so
many stars out in the media, many of whom are ethnic. Where were they when we
needed their voices at this march? Kinto Sol was there as was Rage Against the
Machine. And many props to their courage and support! P.S. Ricky Martin is in
support of immigrants (: So he rocks!
I've decided to keep this
blog/diary of mine devoid of music promotions stuff, 'cos that's what my myspace
page and migente.
com page is for. (I'm still very new on migente and rarely update it. But
cool.) Instead I've chosen to voice my thoughts and really provide a social
commentary to the world around me. Things that trip out... people looking for
controversy to draw attention to themselves in an egotistical manner when there
are real controversies out there in the world... celebrities or non-celebrities
aka celebrity wannabes who do crazy things and act crazy when there are real
people out there with emotional and mental issues...
