Archive for the “Arts and Culture” Category

Title: Echoes of Vietnam, an inspiring evening of poetry and memoir
Location: Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz

The event will feature readings from the acclaimed poet Hoang Hung and Andrew Pham reading from his award-winning memoirs, and many others.

Tickets: Reading: $5-10 suggested donation (No one turned away.)  Reading and Reception: $20-40 suggested donation. For more information, email kimmahler@iplsf.com or call 408 480 1828. Advance tickets can be purchased at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/232242


Following a recent trip to Vietnam Santa Cruz poet Ellen Bass was introduced to Hoang Hung, whose work has been translated into English and published in many U.S literary magazines. Hung’s work has been repressed in Vietnam because he has written, in part, about his experiences imprisoned in re-education camps after the Vietnam-American war.

Following a writing residency in Chicago Hoang Hung will travel to Santa Cruz to read from his newer poetry that highlights his experience with Buddhist meditation. Bass says, ‘ ‘The community’s support is overwhelming. I am grateful that so many individuals and organizations have voiced their appreciation for the opportunity to hear this deeply moving and eloquent poet.

Along with Hoang Hung, will be award-winning poets Paul Hoover, Nguyen Do, and Ellen Bass who have translated some of Hoang Hung’s poems and will also read from their own work. Dick Guthrie will read from his memoir in progress and Mike Abkin will present drawings by Vietnamese children from Speak Peace.

Hosted by The International Poetry Library of SF and Innovent Transmedia, the event is co-sponsored by the Resource Center for Nonviolence, Poetry Santa Cruz, the National Peace Academy and the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network. Hoang Hung’s arrival will be an introduction to the Vietnamese International Poetry Festival in San Francisco in April.

Hoàng Hung became one of the most valued poets of the “anti-American-War” generation in 1960’s. He has been a symbol of the spirit of renewal in contemporary Vietnamese poetry. His work includes six volumes of poetry and translation, including his latest book, Hanh Trinh (My Journey), 2006, which won the prestigious Poetry Award of the Hanoi Writers’ Association. His poems have been published in translation in France, the US, and other countries.

Andrew X. Pham is a writer and journalist whose award winning books include, Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam (1999), The Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars (2008), and Last Night I Dreamed of Peace (2008), a translation of Dr. Thuy Tram’s diary that was written during the Vietnam War. His current book, A Culinary Odyssey: My Cookbook Diary of Travels, Flavors, and Memories of Southeast Asia, will be published in March 2012.

Paul Hoover has published numerous volumes of poetry, the most recent being Desolation : Souvenir (2012). With Nguyen Do, he edited and translated the anthology, Black Dog, Black Night: Contemporary Vietnamese Poetry (2008) and Beyond the Court Gate: Poems of Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), published in 2010. He has won the Frederick Bock Award and the Jerome J. Shestack Award. Professor of Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, he edited Postmodern American Poetry (1994), a second edition of which will appear in 2013.

Nguyen Do’s poetry collections include The Fish Wharf and The Autumn Evening (1988,) The Empty Space (1991,) and New Darkness (2009.) With Paul Hoover, he edited and translated Black Dog, Black : Contemporary Vietnamese Poetry (2008), Beyond the Court Gate (2010) 12 3 poetry of Thanh Thao (2008) and Returning to Con Son poetry of Nguyen Trai (2009.) With Hoang Hung he edited and translated Selected Poetry of Allen Ginsberg (forthcoming). The recipient of a grant from The Poetry Foundation “for his contribution to poetry of the world,” Nguyen Do now lives in San Francisco.

Ellen Bass\’s poetry books include The Human Line, named a Notable Book of 2007 by the San Francisco Chronicle and Mules of Love, which won the Lambda Literary Award. In 1973 she co-edited with Florence Howe the first major anthology of poetry by women, No More Masks! and she co-authored The Courage to Heal which has been translated into 12 languages. Among her awards for poetry are a Pushcart Prize, New Letters Prize, Larry Levis Prize from Missouri Review, and the Pablo Neruda Prize. She teaches in the MFA program at Pacific University.

Books and chapbooks will be available for sale.

Following a writing residency in Chicago Hoang Hung will travel to Santa Cruz to read from his newer poetry that highlights his experience with Buddhist meditation. Bass says, ‘ ‘The community’s support is overwhelming. I am grateful that so many individuals and organizations have voiced their appreciation for the opportunity to hear this deeply moving and eloquent poet.

Along with Hoang Hung, will be award-winning poets Paul Hoover, Nguyen Do, and Ellen Bass who have translated some of Hoang Hung’s poems and will also read from their own work. Dick Guthrie will read from his memoir in progress and Mike Abkin will present drawings by Vietnamese children from Speak Peace.

Hosted by The International Poetry Library of SF and Innovent Transmedia, the event is co-sponsored by the Resource Center for Nonviolence, Poetry Santa Cruz, the National Peace Academy and the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network. Hoang Hung’s arrival will be an introduction to the Vietnamese International Poetry Festival in San Francisco in April.

Hoàng Hung became one of the most valued poets of the “anti-American-War” generation in 1960’s. He has been a symbol of the spirit of renewal in contemporary Vietnamese poetry. His work includes six volumes of poetry and translation, including his latest book, Hanh Trinh (My Journey), 2006, which won the prestigious Poetry Award of the Hanoi Writers’ Association. His poems have been published in translation in France, the US, and other countries.

Andrew X. Pham is a writer and journalist whose award winning books include, Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam (1999), The Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars (2008), and Last Night I Dreamed of Peace (2008), a translation of Dr. Thuy Tram’s diary that was written during the Vietnam War. His current book, A Culinary Odyssey: My Cookbook Diary of Travels, Flavors, and Memories of Southeast Asia, will be published in March 2012.

Paul Hoover has published numerous volumes of poetry, the most recent being Desolation : Souvenir (2012). With Nguyen Do, he edited and translated the anthology, Black Dog, Black Night: Contemporary Vietnamese Poetry (2008) and Beyond the Court Gate: Poems of Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), published in 2010. He has won the Frederick Bock Award and the Jerome J. Shestack Award. Professor of Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, he edited Postmodern American Poetry (1994), a second edition of which will appear in 2013.

Nguyen Do’s poetry collections include The Fish Wharf and The Autumn Evening (1988,) The Empty Space (1991,) and New Darkness (2009.) With Paul Hoover, he edited and translated Black Dog, Black : Contemporary Vietnamese Poetry (2008), Beyond the Court Gate (2010) 12 3 poetry of Thanh Thao (2008) and Returning to Con Son poetry of Nguyen Trai (2009.) With Hoang Hung he edited and translated Selected Poetry of Allen Ginsberg (forthcoming). The recipient of a grant from The Poetry Foundation “for his contribution to poetry of the world,” Nguyen Do now lives in San Francisco.

Ellen Bass\’s poetry books include The Human Line, named a Notable Book of 2007 by the San Francisco Chronicle and Mules of Love, which won the Lambda Literary Award. In 1973 she co-edited with Florence Howe the first major anthology of poetry by women, No More Masks! and she co-authored The Courage to Heal which has been translated into 12 languages. Among her awards for poetry are a Pushcart Prize, New Letters Prize, Larry Levis Prize from Missouri Review, and the Pablo Neruda Prize. She teaches in the MFA program at Pacific University.

Books and chapbooks will be available for sale.

Comments Comments Off

Title: Occupation Art: Untold Stories, Eyewitness Accounts
Location: Pacific Grove Art Center, 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, CA
Description: Occupation Art: Untold Stories, Eyewitness Accounts featuring  Nora Barrows-Friedman & others and video featuring artist Suzanne Klotz. SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2-4 p.m. Come starting at 1:00 to see the exhibits!. Pacific Grove Art Center, 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, CA. Nora Barrows-Friedman is a staff editor and reporter with The Electronic Intifada. She has been regularly reporting from occupied Palestine since 2004, and worked with youth in broadcasting and photographic arts at the Ibdaa Cultural Center in the Dheishah Refugee Camp in the West Bank for several years. .
Start Time: 1:00 -see the exhibits; 2-4 Presentation
Date: 2012-03-04

Comments Comments Off

People for a Nuclear Free Future REUNION*

*Santa Cruz People for a Nuclear Free Future was/is a member of the statewide Abalone Alliance.

Were you there at Diablo Canyon protesting the building of a nuclear power plant thirty plus years ago? Well then, it is time for a look back and a look forward.

POTLUCK PICNIC, Sunday, August 7, 2011, 12 noon

Brommer St. Park at Brommer & 30th Ave., Santa Cruz

Download a PNFF Reunion flier

An Indybay link with more info.

Comments Comments Off

On Saturday December 18th at 7pm come hear David Swanson on War Is A Lie,  a presentation on his new book  AND a Poetry Slam Open Mic with featured local poets.

A benefit for the Youth Empowerment Program of the Resource Center for Nonviolence

Featuring a book talk by antiwar and impeachment activist David Swanson, author of the new runaway bestseller War Is A Lie. Plus! Slam Poetry from an assortment of poets from across our community and poetry open mike! You’re invited to perform a poem (less than 5 minutes, please) on the theme “War Is A Lie”

Saturday, December 18
7:00 p.m.
Unity Temple
407 Broadway @ Ocean, Santa Cruz
Requested Donation: $5 and up. Donation of $25 includes signed copy of War Is A Lie
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Info: 831-423-1626 x103 or emily@velvetrevolution.us

Event tickets available at the door only.

-Plus –

Join David Swanson for an delicious dinner at India Joze before the event!

Tickets are $60 (2 for $100) and include:

*Special meal with David Swanson, prepared by Jozseph Schultz of India Joze

*Admission and preferred seating for evening event

*Signed copy of War Is A Lie

Note: Only 15 tickets are being made available for the dinner. We expect all to be sold in advance. For dinner package tickets call 831-423-1626

Dinner at 5:00 pm December 18th at India Joze, 418 Front Street, Santa Cruz

—————————-

Facebook Event Link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112019045533913&num_event_invites=0#!/event.php?eid=112019045533913

A PDF downloadable poster for the SC event!
warisalie.santacruz.12-18-2010

David Swanson is the author of “War Is A Lie” and “Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union.” He was one of the lead strategists of the movement to impeach Bush, and founder of the website AfterDowningStreet.org. He blogs at http://davidswanson.org and http://warisacrime.org Info:http://davidswanson.org/warisalie

Event co-sponsored by:

RCNV Youth Empowerment Program http://www.rcnv.org

Watsonville Brown Berets http://www.brownberets.info

Velvet Revolution http://www.velvetrevolution.us

G.I. Rights Hotline of the Central Coast http://www.girightshotline.org

“You don’t believe in war, but can you articulate your reasons? What if someone challenges your position? Can you defend it? Suppose someone told you that spending for the military is good for the economy? What if they agreed that war is generally bad – but there are exceptions, such as the ‘good war’ against Hitler and Japan, or even the ‘war on terror’? How about the notion that war makes us more secure? David Swanson’s new book, War Is A Lie, provides answers to these questions and more. In 336 pages, he debunks every argument you’ve heard used to justify, glorify, instigate, promote, prolong, and expand war.” — Kim Carlyle, War Crimes Times.

“In ‘War is a Lie’ David Swanson carves himself a monumental task: to prove the truth of this in every historical instance for which background is available. He accomplishes his task, with a weight of evidence which can only be described as devastating. Swanson sets forth a deceptively simple yet provocative thesis: War is never the only choice, and always the worst one.” — Ralph Lopez.

Comments Comments Off

WHO: The Santa Cruz Peace Chorale
WHAT: “BUILDING BRIDGES: A Concert for Peace & Justice”
TYPE OF EVENT: Choral music, community chorus, classical, folk, world music
WHEN: Saturday, May 15, 2010, 7:30 pm — doors open at 7:00
WHERE: Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 2402 Cabrillo College Drive, Soquel, CA
TICKETS: Available at the door; $10-20. No one turned away.
MORE INFO: 831-818-1722
On Saturday, May 15th, 2010, at 7:30 pm, the Santa Cruz Peace Chorale will present
Building Bridges, a concert in honor of those who work for peace & justice worldwide.
This event will take place at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, located at 2402 Cabrillo
College Drive in Soquel. *
Now in its 8th season, the Santa Cruz Peace Chorale has been widely recognized as
a community treasure along the Central Coast. A past recipient of a Cultural Council
of Santa Cruz County grant and the subject of a recent Community T.V. documentary,
the Peace Chorale has also been honored by folk singer Pete Seeger’s personal
contributions to their repertoire.
In these times of war and the fanning of the flames of hatred & violence, Building
Bridges, the Chorale’s annual fundraiser concert, features songs that celebrate the
many global efforts to span differences and promote peace & understanding. In keeping
with this theme, this year’s music spans styles from Bach to rock, from Japanese to
South African, from Broadway musical to Croatian harmony, and more! The Santa Cruz
Peace Chorale invites you to an inspiring evening of music and, of course, to their now-
traditional “Organic Strawberry Shortcake Social” after the show.
Doors open at 7:00 pm. There is a requested donation of $10-20 at the door to benefit
the work of the Chorale. No one turned away. For more information, please call 831-
818-1722.
* Concert location info: just off the Park Ave. exit to Hwy 1, adjacent to Montessori
Winston Campus (turn LEFT onto Cabrillo College Drive, in the opposite direction of
Cabrillo College).

Comments Comments Off