Book Release Party This Friday!

On Friday, August 10th, fans of Asian American spoken word, art and poetry in Minnesota are invited to the exciting and historic release celebration of On The Other Side Of The Eye.

Acclaimed writers reading include award-winning Vietnamese American spoken word artist Bao Phi, Hmong American writer Katie Vang, and acclaimed Filipina American poet and educator Barbara Jane Reyes, author of Gravities of Center and Poeta en San Francisco. This will be the first reading in the Twin Cities for the Bay Area-based Reyes.

Acclaimed poet Oscar Bermeo is also coming!

Hmong American artist and educator Seexeng Lee is displaying his paintings while spoken word artist and scholar Juliana Pegues, author of Immigrant Dictionary, is the MC.

Tyree Campbell, editor and publisher of Sam's Dot Publishing will be in attendance, as will Yuk Ki Lau, who designed the cover for On The Other Side of the Eye.

Editors and authors from Whistling Shade, Tripmaster Monkey, Tales of the Unanticipated, and Northography will be present, as will educators, librarians, writers, artists, students and community builders from across Minnesota. And mom and my aunts and uncles. Thanks, everybody!

This free evening is open to everyone and features snacks and beverages, door prizes, author signings and other entertainment.

Refreshments have been arranged by Mao Vang and Cakes by Fhoua.

A special nod to 18Xeem Magazine, who has sent some great sample issues for our audience, and Eye.D Magazine for sending some nice promotional post-cards to increase the exposure of Hmong American magazines.

This release party for On The Other Side of the Eye is August 10th at the Loft Literary Center at 1011 Washington Avenue South in Minneapolis. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the main program begins at 7 PM until 9 PM.

The Afterparty will take place at the Peking Garden Restaurant on University Avenue starting at 10!

Thanks for all of your support, everybody!

In Memoriam: Nao Ying Yves TongkhuYa (1939-2007)

My deepest sympathies also go to the TongkhuYa family this weekend, for the loss of Yves TongkhuYa.

In the brief time I knew him, he was a fine and friendly figure, an elder with great hopes and a great love for his family. He saw much in his lifetime and had much to teach, and he will be missed.

***

Born on October 18, 1939 in Pha En, in Xieng Khouang province in Laos, Nao Ying Yves TongkhuYa was the son of Cha Ger Tongkhuya and Chee Moua. On July 5th, 1962, he married Yia Yvonne Kue, and had 8 children.

From 1948-1951, he attended his Primary Studies in Nonghet, and then from 1951-1956 attended Primary Studies in the city of Xieng Khouang.

In 1953, he was trained as a Military Radio Operator at the Chinamo base in Vientiane, Laos, and from 1953-1955 was a radio operator attached to French Special Forces Group "Groupement de Commandos Mixtes Aeroportes (GCMA) later renamed Groupement Mixtes D'intervention (GMI) for the northern region of Laos.

From 1956-1960 he attended Teacher Training School at Tafforin, also in Vientiane Laos. And from 1960-1964 was part of the Accounting Staff at the Department of Adult Education at the Laos Ministry of Education.

Yves TongkhuYa went on to become a primary school teacher assigned successively to Samthong, Phou Koum and Buamlong between 1964 to 1969. In 1969, he became the Director and School Principal of the Long Cheng Primary Schools until 1975.

In 1970 he was trained in Science Studies for Primary Schools at Khorat, Thailand, and in 1972 he took time to attend Primary School Supervision training in Vientiane for three months, followed by a six month internship training at Prasamith College, in Bangkok, Thailand.

With the end of the war in Laos in 1975, in 1976, Yves TongkhuYa went on to become part of the security staff at Evry2 Shopping Mall, in a suburb of Paris until 1994.

From 1996-2001, he went on to work as an an assembler of gas piping devices and electronics at Leviton in Tennessee and North Carolina. In his later years, he eventually moved to Minnesota near several of his children.

His service and ceremony were held in the traditional Hmong style from August 3rd to the 6th, 2007 at the Metro Funeral Home at 253 State Street in St. Paul, and he was buried in his uniform at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (1800 Edgerton St.) in Maplewood, Minnesota.

The service was well attended by friends and family members, including former teachers and staff who worked for him when he was their principal.

The TongkhuYa family has extended their deep thanks to everyone who came to support them.

Northography Reading Tonight

For those of you in the Minnesota Area, from http://www.northography.com/:

A reading is scheduled for this Friday, August 3, at Opposable Thumbs Books in NE Minneapolis.

Diana Lundell, who has a new chapbook, and Suzanne Nielsen, who is also coming out with a new book, will read their work. The rest of the program will be our first Open Mic for Northography members.

A sign-up sheet will be available, and time limits will be enforced. For instance, if six people sign up to read, and we only have ½ hour left, then they will each have five minutes to read. If this goes well, they plan for extended Open Mic sessions in the future.

While I won't be in attendance, I will say that these are fine poets and writers with much to share with the world. You can read some great examples of their work in Whistling Shade, as well. (http://www.whistlingshade.com/) Good luck, ladies!

In Memoriam: Mahalia Xiong

My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of 21-year old University of Wisconsin-Green Bay student Mahalia Xiong.

It is always a tragedy to lose a bright young community leader under circumstances such as these. Be at peace, and it is my hope that healing, hope, friendship and community will emerge from all of this in the coming days ahead for everyone.