Around the World: Short Documentary of Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, Excerpt of 'Crazy Rich Asians' Author Kevin Kwan's New Novel, and More
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Asia Society at Home
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Each week, we'll share a variety of videos, articles, webcasts, and more from around the web — all curated by Asia Society Texas Center staff to reflect the broad interests and goals of our mission. On Tuesdays, immerse yourself in music, dance, and more by innovative performing artists.
Read: Excerpt from Kevin Kwan's New Novel Sex and Vanity
Take a sneak peek into the newest work by Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan! Moving between summer playgrounds of privilege, peppered with decadent food and extravagant fashion, Sex and Vanity is a truly modern love story, a daring homage to A Room with a View, and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures. Blink and you'll miss it, but Houston is mentioned in the excerpt.
Read the excerpt »
Purchase the book (release date: June 30) »
100 Years of Science Fiction in the Islamic World
Join Dr. Aurangzeb Ahmad for a conversation about the history of science fiction that has emerged from the Islamic world over the last 100 years. From examples of early 20th century feminist science fiction in the Bengali language to Sufi utopias, science fiction in the Islamic world has always been about the fears and aspirations for the future, but the writings also tell a story about the current day. Dr. Ahmad will explore these themes while also discussing the transformative power of science fiction to imagine possible Muslim futures.
View the conversation live on Tuesday, June 30, 3–4 p.m. Central. The event is free but requires preregistration.
View: Short Documentary First Street North
The winner of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas in 2019, this documentary short was created by a Japanese calligrapher and dancer living in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Find out more about this small but historic location as Kuniharu Yoshida documents his experiences in Little Tokyo, a long-lasting Japanese American community in downtown L.A., slowly disappearing due to redevelopment.
Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and United Airlines, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsor of Education & Outreach; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.
About Asia Society at Home
We are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.