Hip, smart Asian-American
Star-Bulletin
girls, speak out!Asian-American teen-age girls are invited to speak out -- through words or art -- about their perceptions of gender, sexual orientation, class, place of birth, childhood, family, skin color, religion and politics in a new anthology, "Yell-Oh Girls!"
The anthology intends to be a celebration of forward-thinking Asian-American teen girl writers and illustrators. After all, says author Vickie Nam, who is spearheading the effort, they are the women warriors of the next millennium.
"The newest generation of young American Asian teens are not only hip, they're smart," said Nam. "Girls I've worked with are doing extraordinary things -- writing zines, starting their own businesses, designing web sites, organizing activist efforts, and so much more," she said. "They're only 16, and their bookshelves are lined with works by multicultural and women writers like Maxine Hong Kingston and Toni Morrison and feminist theorists Audre Lorde and Gloria Steinem.
"They're writing research papers on Japanese Internment camps and images of women in advertising. And, I am impressed at how well they use their knowledge to anchor their spoken or written arguments on any number of issues."
Yet, Nam says, the girls "are both master critics and slaves to the status quo at once ... constantly monitoring and critiquing themselves as if from an outsider's point of view."
The anthology seeks to discover the point at which the other voice -- the one controlled by the influences of others -- take over.
Send writings, art work (cartoons, photography, fine art), and poetry by Aug. 31. The main topics are identity, family, love and romance, dreams and pop culture, but publishers say "don't let these limit the scope of your writing."
Send submissions to: Vickie Nam, c/o Yell-Oh Girls!, P.O. Box 557, New York, NY 10028.
For more information, call Jennifer at 988-3335.
Hawaii's Bamboo Ridge and Hybolics are also putting out a call for young "per-formance readers" for an upcoming event.
The groups' flyer reads in part, "Who is us? ... Dey say we lazy. Dey say we aimless. Dey say we undachieve. No let dem define us."
They're looking for Gen-Xers to send in a demo video or audio cassette of original poems, stories, songs, dances, plays, or whatevahs. Hard copies will not be accepted.
Submit entries, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope and cover letter with phone number to: Bamboo Ridge Press, P.O. Box 61781, Honolulu, HI 96839-1781 by Sept. 13. For more information, call Bamboo Ridge at 626-1481.
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