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April is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month on campus

The role of Asian Americans in the 1996 presidential election will be among the topics explored during Yale's annual observation of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

First proclaimed by President George Bush in 1992, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is observed throughout the nation in May, although the campus celebration is held in April. Among the events being planned at Yale are lectures, cultural dinners and shows, and sports tournaments. The events are sponsored by the Yale College Dean's Office, the Asian American Cultural Center and affiliated Asian American student organizations.

A talk titled "Is Asian American Un-American: Fundraising and the Political Involvement of Asian Americans in 1997" will be presented on Wednesday, April 2, by Karen Narasaki '80, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium NAPALC. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C., NAPALC seeks to advance the legal and civil rights of Asian Pacific Americans through litigation, advocacy, public education and public policy development. Ms. Narasaki is also chair of the Compliance/Enforcement Committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and of the National Network Against Anti-Asian Violence. Her talk will be held at 8 p.m. in a location to be announced. It is free and open to the public.

The following are other highlights of the month-long celebration. Unless otherwise indicated, they are free and open to the public.

• A reading of works by poet Sujata Bhatt at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 4, in the Asian American Cultural Center, 295 Crown St. (See Visiting on Campus, page 4.)
• A cultural show and dance, hosted by the Vietnamese American Students Association, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 5. Location to be announced.
• The opening of a show of artworks by Yale students 7-9 p.m. on Monday, April 7, at La Casa Cultural Julia de Burgos -- the Puerto Rican Cultural Center -- 301 Crown St. The show will continue through Friday, April 11.
• The screening of "A Thousand Pieces of Gold," a film about a Chinese-American woman pioneer who lived in the West during the 1800s, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, in Rm. 216 of Street Hall.
• A reading of published works by writers Barbara Tran and Christina Nguyen at a tea being held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, in the Berkeley College master's house, 125 High St.
• An Asian cultural dinner 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at the Asian American Cultural Center. There is a $5 fee.
• A cultural show sponsored by the South Asian Society at 7 p.m. on April 12. Location to be announced.
• "I'm on a Mission from Buddha," a series of sketches about Asian American life by performance artist Lane Nishikawa, at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 14. Location to be announced.
• A reading of works by writer Linh Dinh at a tea being held at 4 p.m. in the Ezra Stiles College master's house, 9 Tower Pkwy.
• The Asian Pacific American Heritage cultural show, 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at a place to be announced.
• The spring term Asian American Cultural Center sports tournament, 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at Payne Whitney Gymnasium, 70 Tower Pkwy.

In addition, each Thursday during the month of April a different film will be screened as part of the Asian American Film Festival. Screenings take place 8:30-10:30 p.m. in Siliflicks -- the basement of Silliman College -- 505 College St.

For more information, call the event co-chairs, Neela Moorty at 436-1955 or Katherine Cheng at 436-1634.