March 12 | 21st Annual Asian Pacific Islander Issues Conference

21st Annual Asian Pacific Islander Issues Conference
Pauley Ballroom, MLK Student Union l UC Berkeley
March 12, 2011, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00p.m
Register now at www.apiicon.webs.com

The Asian Pacific Islander Issues Conference (APIICON) is a free student-run conference that was born out of a need to highlight the experiences of the API community on and beyond the Berkeley campus. It encourages students, faculty, and members of the community to reject the established norms and modes of thinking. Doing so, they critically question the status of Asian Pacific Islanders in contemporary American society. The ultimate goal of this conference is to educate, empower, and organize our communities on API issues.

This is Our Home: Strengthening Our Foundations and Connecting Our Communities

This year’s theme, “This Is Our Home: Strengthening Our Foundations and Connecting Our Communities,” is about coming together and challenging our notions of home– the way we navigate it, imagine it, or even deconstruct it.  It aims to explore how “home” has evolved from colonial histories to present day struggles, but dares us to create the spaces we need for our future. The conference provides room to discuss how these spaces could be developed through conscious choice and collective action. Despite the rich differences and varied struggles within  different API communities, we are still one. We are all invested in sustaining, improving, and developing our collective home.
This year, we will have two special speakers: Jean Quan, the first ever Asian American female mayor of Oakland and Jane Kim, a community organizer and current Supervisor representing District 6 of SF’s Board of Supervisors! Entertainment also includes performances by spoken word artist, Matt Blesse, and singer, Yer Yang!

We are ALSO looking for volunteers! Volunteering for APIICON includes a short training session and responsibilities such as registering attendees, setting up, directing attendees to workshops, and ensuring that the programming runs smoothly. In addition to working with students and community members, you’ll get a first-hand, backstage look at the topics, speakers, and planning of our conference. Volunteers must be available to attend a short training on Sunday March 6 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, location TBA. Sign up at tinyurl.com/apiicon2011vol or direct all questions to Cecilia Tran at ctran1023@gmail.com.

To register and find more details/updated information, please visit our website at www.apiicon.webs.com
Also, don’t forget to check out the Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies Spoken Word event featuring Beau Sia, Kelly Tsai, and Bao Phi!
Time: 7:00 – 8:30pm
Location: Multicultural Community Center (@Heller Lounge)
What: Free event! More information at here.