Shira Laucharoen

Cambodian bangsokol stage performance to promote healing from loss khmer rouge

Arts December 18, 2020 0

Cambodian “Bangsokol” virtual festival conveys healing message

“Bangsokol” refers to a piece of cloth removed from the corpses of the dead by Buddhist monks, during a ritual to bring peace to the deceased. A Khmer word coming from the Pali “pamsukula,” the bangsokol is part of a Cambodian ceremony that prepares the body for the next life. From December 11-20, ArtsEmerson and Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) have teamed up to create “Arts & Healing: Bangsokol Virtual Festival,” inspired by the multidisciplinary production “Bangsokol: A Requiem for Cambodia.” […]

In classroom, AACA teacher virtually helps immigrants educated abroad find jobs

Education December 18, 2020 0

Educated abroad, foreign-trained professionals see employment obstacles

Foreign-trained professionals living in the United States often face systemic and policy barriers that inhibit them from realizing their full potential and applying their skills in the workforce. While many may have high degrees that they earned in their home countries, their educational background is often not recognized when they come to the United States. According to a report from World Education Services, IMPRINT, and George Mason University, immigrants who earned a degree only abroad were less likely to achieve […]

Front Page December 4, 2020 0

Shen Wei’s “Painting in Motion” captures animation of the spirit

Fusing the disciplines of choreography, paint, film, and dance, artist Shen Wei’s new works will debut in the United States with his exhibit “Painting in Motion,” opening at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on December 3. The program, which is the first North American exhibition to draw together Shen’s creations across these various media, carries the viewer along a journey of light, motion, and time, illuminating the ethereal realms the artist has brought to life. Many of Shen’s recent paintings […]

Front Page November 20, 2020 0

Immigrants view banks with skepticism and fear

Particularly among those who have newly arrived in the United States, many immigrated individuals choose not to use banks and are wary of financial institutions for several reasons. Cultural barriers may deter them from employing these services, while past negative experiences in their home countries also cause immigrant residents to exercise caution. Financial literacy programs and efforts from banks to become more accessible have been encouraging for this population, but many are still hesitant to open an account. Language challenges […]

Arts November 6, 2020 0

Boston Asian American Film Festival 2020 navigates uncertain times

While reflecting a tumultuous year, fraught with conflict and tension, the Boston Asian American Film Festival projected a message of unity, with screenings running virtually from October 21 – 25, and with selected films available until November 1. Touching on issues such as the devastation wrought by the coronavirus, deportations, and the downfall of democracy in the Philippines, the festival, now in its 12th year, addresses current conditions felt through the Asian American community. In spite of the uncertainty of […]

Arts November 6, 2020 0

“#SinceYallWantMeToBeWhite” playreading unravels racism

Asian American Theatre Artists of Boston and Pao Arts Center collaborated to present a new, virtual theater piece called “#SinceYallWantMeToBeWhite,” which was read aloud on October 23. The production, written by Quentin Nguyen-duy and Serenity S’rae, examined how Black and Asian Americans experience racism in the United States. Told through the popular mediums Zoom and Tik Tok, the character-driven play followed a conversation between two individuals: Korena, a Black high school student, played by S’rae, and Ms. Lu, an Asian […]

Arts October 16, 2020 0

Roxbury International Film Festival holds first virtual screenings, celebrating artists of color

The Roxbury International Film Festival, now in its 22nd year, held its first virtual film festival, from September 30 through October 5. It is currently New England’s largest film festival celebrating people of color from around the globe, and this year’s festival featured three movies directed by artists of Asian background. The films “The Little Goddess,” “Furthest From,” and “A Knight’s Tour” were respectively directed by Gauri Adelkar, Kyung Sok Kim, and Marvin Choi. According to a press statement from […]

Arts October 16, 2020 0

Youth share stories of anti-Asian racism during virtual discussion

Youth speakers shared their stories of encountering anti-Asian racism in their lives at a discussion session held on September 8. The talk, “Breaking the Silence on Asian Racism,” was sponsored by Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. (QARI) and the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMASS Boston). Students Yongshi Xu, Justin Chan, Annie Lu, and Aaron Huang voiced their experiences, while Dr. Carolyn Wong, a research associate from UMASS Boston, facilitated. Xu, a senior at The Woodward School for Girls, began the conversation […]

Inside the fight to end deportations of Southeast Asian immigrants

When Saray Im received a letter in the mail saying that he would have to be detained and deported by the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, he was speechless. He had received a similar notice in March 2019, when he had reported to the detention center in Burlington, and he dreaded having to relive that experience. If he was deported, he wondered, how would he help pay his family’s rent and support his wife and children? The morning of […]

“Keep Saray Home” film chronicles deportation struggles of South East Asians

“You get deported, you feel like you lost. You don’t know what to do. You feel like you left something behind. It’s a horrible feeling, being deported.” So narrates Thy Chea, a Cambodian refugee, who had lived in Lowell with his family, before he was deported by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. The camera cuts to scenes of strife in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Chea was sent to stay there for eighteen months, until his case was […]

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