“Art challenges passive culture” is a quote by renowned artist Nicolas Bourriaud. It is a quote that struck me many years ago and affirmed my love and study of the arts. It truly embodies an arts nonprofit dear to my heart, Kearny Street Workshop.
Kearny Street Workshop is the oldest multidisciplinary Asian Pacific American arts organization in the United States. KSW was founded on racial, social, and economic injustices dealt by the Asian Pacific American community in the 1970s. This monumental historical precedence carries through in our values for equity, representation, and visibility through the arts today.
Join us tonight at 7 p.m. for our annual end-of-the-year virtual celebration honoring our community artists, allies, and greater community. We honor you. We thank you.
And through our silent auction, bid on your own commissioned portraits like the ones below by gifted artist Nina Asay or the Diving Coloring Book by brilliant design artist Christine Joy Ferrer. The unique art and gifts for yourself or that special someone is plentiful.
It’s a win, win! Attain a masterpiece for your home that I guarantee your guests will gush over. Then subsequently share how you won it at a silent auction fundraiser, which helps to sustain an incomparable arts nonprofit.
Community, thank you for coming through! It is because of you we surpassed our fundraising goal for five deserving women warriors!
Your donations are in the works. We are assembling each women warrior’s care packages, and they will be delivered to them by no later than early January 2021. These care packages will contain monetary gift cards to help with essential needs and individualized items for their well-being and the well-being of their families. Additionally, your gift for your donation is also in the works and should arrive by early January 2021 too.
We are only as strong as our community and this campaign couldn’t be more indicative. Your encouraging words pierce deeply, especially in 2020.
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“You each are so deserving of this and so much more.” -Diana
“Thank you for sharing your stories and allowing us to give back a little. May our Lord watch over your families with love and protection!” -Jennie
“Sending love and blessings to all of you.” – Chayla
“Thank you for all that you do to make the world a kinder place.” -Laurie
“I love the work you are doing, keep shining.” -Erica
“Wonderful way to honor women!” -Anonymous
“By Queens, For Queens! Love what you’re continuing to do to uplift and inspire womxn.” -Stephanie
“Supporting our most inspiring, fearless, brilliant, and beautiful Queens! -Allyson
“Who run the world?!” – Abigail
“Women of the Resistance” mural by Lucia Gonzalez Ippolito at Balmy Alley in the Mission district of San Francisco. Photo by me.
Charlotte, you go girl! This is a momentous holiday season for 11 year-old Charlotte Nebres and for Asian Americans and African Americans. Charlotte is the first Filipina American and African American ballerina lead (playing heroine Marie) in New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Finally.
Representation is consequential. It has conscious and subconscious, explicit and implicit effects, especially, for those that can identify with the lack of it.
“I saw her perform and she was just so inspiring and so beautiful,” Charlotte, 11, said. “When I saw someone who looked like me onstage, I thought, that’s amazing. She [Misty Copeland] was representing me and all the people like me.”
I too remember. I remember my vivid awestruck when I saw Asian American actor Dante Basco as Rufio in the movie Hook. He was the first person I saw on TV and in film that resembled me. For people of color to see individuals like them in positions of visibility, power, and success, it is incredibly validating for our identities, confidence, aspirations and affirming that we matter. We do matter. Charlotte you matter.
Dante Basco as Rufio in Hook
Not only was Rufio a main character but a fearless leader.
Actress Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, the first Asian American and woman of color lead role in Star Wars. Photo courtesy of Screen Rant.
Rose Tico later removed from the original Star Wars merchandise designs.
2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang. Photo: Jeff Neira, Walt Disney Television.
Additionally, in every article I have read about Charlotte Nebres, the titles and body text consistently say “first black” ballet lead and neglect to say she is also the first Asian American ballet lead. Too often Asian American Pacific Islanders are left out, forgotten, a footnote or an afterthought; yet Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the U.S. Asian Americans are more than the harmful stereotypes: other, outsider, quiet, invisible, passive, meek, subservient, the model minority, good at math, terrible drivers. The list is endless.
Despite it all, Charlotte, you are positively challenging the misconceptions and false narratives of Asian Americans and African Americans. Thank you for overcoming the odds. Thank you for being the first. Your success is everyone’s success.
Charlotte Nebres. Photo courtesy of Heather Sten, The New York Times.
