ASIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL OF SAN DIEGO: A NEW SYMBOL OF ASIAN UNITY HAS ARRIVED

It is sadly obvious that throughout the United States, Asian American communities are segmented, where the various Asian American ethnicities in the country don’t necessarily see themselves as a single entity as compared to the African-American and Hispanic communities. The existing mentality is that many Asian Americans identify with the country they are from and the language their parents spoke, rather than seeing themselves as American brothers and sisters.

One of the passions that the SDAFF firmly stands upon, as set forth by our fearless leader and SDAFF founder Lee Ann Kim, is to invoke Asian film to be a symbol of unity among Asian Americans. Therefore, it stands to reason that many of the champions of the SDAFF’s cause are heavily involved in our city’s debut Asian Cultural Festival of San Diego, a fresh regalia of Asian and Asian American wholeness that celebrates the culture, ethnicities and good folks from Asia and the Pacific Islands.

SDAFF alumni such as Brian Thai, Edward Shaffer, Jeanette Di Pinza, Jimmy Lee, Mark Gadia, Pamela Hyunh, Paula Le, Ruriko Sato and Terry Matsuoka, as well as other dedicated brother and sister advocates of Asian unity like Chris Feraro, Cynthia Francisco, Dennis-Michael Broussard, JR Melchor, Megia Chou and Richie Edquid, have feverishly strived to successfully launch the first Asian Cultural Festival in San Diego.

Its maiden flight will land on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at the NTC Park at Liberty Station (located at Cushing and Roosevelt Roads) and is San Diego’s official celebration for Asian Pacific-American Heritage Month.

With the official opening ceremony beginning at the festival’s Main Stage at 11:00 am, the rest of the morning and the whole afternoon into early evening will feature a wide array of music, singing and dancing entertainment.

There is also a Martial Arts and Cultural Stage that begins separate programming at 11:20 am that will not only highlight additional singing and dancing delights but will also shine with martial arts energy and light via the Kung Fu San Soo school of Chula Vista, the Migoto Judo Dojo and the world famous Jing Institute of Chinese Martial Arts and Culture, taiji (tai chi) home of Jing Jing Evans, an eight-time Grand Champion of the coveted USA Wushu-Kungfu Federation competition.

During the break times between all of this free family-friendly dynamic entertainment, or if you are just in a walk-talk n’ browse mood, take a moment to submerge yourself in cooking demos, games and of course Asian food. Yummmmm.

For those of you with health issues, stop by the Vivalachi booth to experience the ancient art of Qi Healing and learn about how real Qigong can help you overcome serious illness and disease.

The booth will also be giving free Qi readings and will also welcome you to take the Food Challenge (they’ll instantly tell you if your are lactose, carbohydrate or gluten intolerant) and the Aches and Pain Challenge (they’ll get rid of most minor or nagging aches and pains within minutes).

Of course, come visit the SDAFF booth, find out about what more we do and how you can help to be a part of the Asian Film Foundation, the Asian Film Festival and the Asian cinema scene.

The festival is being presented by the Mabuhay Alliance, a nonprofit organization with a vision of a prosperous and thriving community where minority groups contribute to sustainability of the local economy.

Title sponsors include Barona Resort & Casino, the City of San Diego and Copao, and media sponsors such the San Diego Tribune, Asian Journal, Asia, Asian Reader and Yelp, have all banded together in honor of the Asian Cultural Festival, as a Shakespearean Band of Brothers to support San Diego’s various Asian communities under the umbrella of peace, cooperation and unity.

The world should be so lucky.

Perhaps in time it will, but for now we as San Diegans can support part of this world by partaking in San Diego’s Asian Cultural Festival and take a bite out of racism, chew on how lucky we are to live in a free society and digest that it is cultural diversity that is the strength and not a weakness of our country.

For more information on the ACF please go to www.asianculturalfestivalsd.com.