Category: local

Race, Racism, and Relationship: Microaggressions and the Beloved Community

I will be co-teaching a workshop on ‘Race, Racism, and Relationship: Microaggressions and the Beloved Community’ tomorrow at 6pm at First Unitarian Church of Rochester. Will share some clips from The Injured Body: A Film about Racism in America, talk about Claudia Rankine’s work, discuss the inclusion of dance in the film, and the connection b/w oppression and breathing, and much more. Hope you can make it!

this heirloom at city hall

#installing#work from my #art series ‘this #heirloom’ at #cityhall‘s #linkgallery today
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this #exhibition ‘embracing our #heritage’ celebrates APAA’s 10th #anniversary and will be on display may 7 to june 17
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along with my work, art by #japanese american artist rie maywar and #korean american artist jina park will also be on display
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opening reception on may 17 from 5:30 to 7:30pm

Parents turn out in droves to discuss racism in Pittsford schools

“There’s an increase in the inappropriate language and behavior that’s going on in our schools,” parent Sareer Fazili said. “We’re not hearing or seeing any denials of the existence of this behavior.”

Others say the district is tone-deaf.

Parent Jerome Gilles said he was disappointed to see Black History Month projects meant to highlight the accomplishments of prominent African Americans include incorrect information – or depict Caucasians instead.

“I felt it was a missed opportunity for the school to reinforce their commitment to diversity inclusion: also, to educate the kids,” he said. More here.

Concerned parents want to make sure the district is inclusive towards all students.

mimouna at my house

with the terrible news of another attack on a synagogue and the news a couple of days ago that an army vet deliberately drove into a south asian family thinking they were muslim, it can be hard to breathe sometimes.

this evening we celebrated mimouna at my house, a north african tradition according to which muslim neighbors bring bread and desserts to their jewish friends and celebrate the end of passover together. so we american jews and muslims decided to get together. we shared poems and ideas. we ate a lot of bread and sweets. we should have had moroccan mint tea but had chai instead – a pakistani addition 🙂

solidarity is the only place we can ever feel safe.

Countering White Supremacy: Connecting the Dots b/w Anti-Semitism, Anti-Black Racism & Islamophobia

muslim, jewish and black youth activists will be talking about islamophobia, anti-semitism and anti-black racism at the Islamic Center of Rochester on june 9th at 5:30pm. come join us, help us connect the dots, and stay for dinner. registration is needed for this free event. hope to see u then inshallah.

Lessons of the Hour: a review

My review of Lessons of the Hour, a video installation by British artist Isaac Julien, inspired by the life of Frederick Douglass, on view at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester until May 12th.

‘Although I agree that photographs of brutalized bodies, especially when they belong to oppressed communities, dehumanize and normalize further violence, prioritizing sanitized visuals over rougher, less agreeable sounds and images can also be tricky. It takes away a lot of the discomfort that real talk might induce in an audience. It makes art easier to digest, but one has to question its message, its gloss, its commercial invincibility.’ More here.