Calendar of Events

This award winning documentary follows the lives of five transgender Pilipino migrant workers who care for elderly, Orthodox Jewish Men in Israel. On their nights off, the five perform in Tel Aviv nightclubs as a drag group called "Paper Dolls". Directed by Tomer Heymann, 80 min, 2005, Israel

Fusing a unique blend of Hip Hop, Reggae, Funk & West African Highlife, the critically-acclaimed Afropolitan fusion band Soulfege has electrified and inspired audiences with driving rhythms, tight harmonies, powerful lyrics and authentic musicianship. The Harvard-educated trio are the founders of "Take Back the Mic," a movement to put meaning back into today's music and to challenge a new generation of youth to speak for themselves.

Arnold August, Professor of Political Science and celebrated author will address critical issues regarding the Cuban electoral system. August will offer an analysis of the most recent election results and their significance both domestically and abroad. This event is co-sponsored by IFCO/Awareness Project, Latin American Networking and Information Committee.

The recent race for democratic nomination revealed interesting details about how presidential candidates are presented to the American people. The party’s front runners, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, were often referred to as the “Woman Candidate” and the “Black Candidate.” Join us for a discussion on what purpose these simplifications serve, and what they are suggesting about race and gender ideologies in the United States today.

protesting in Guatemala. Over two hundred families were violently evicted by over 1,000 police and armed military reserves. At the time, the Massacre at Nueva Linda was the greatest human rights violation since the peace accords were signed in 1996. Since then, there have been countless more violent evictions. Directed by Filiberto Nolasco Gomez, 40 min, 2008, USA.

A child prodigy, Pandit Chitresh Das has become one of the most dynamic and far-reaching artists to have emerged from modern India. A prolific artist, his performance, choreography and evolution of Kathak, classical dance of North India, have influenced the art form world-wide. In this performance Chitresh Das will be joined by a full musical cast from India. Tickets are $5 for students/ $15 general admission. Contact the A.S. Ticket Office at 893-2064.

Documentary filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei considers the epidemic of nose jobs in contemporary Iran, the world leader in rhinoplasty with an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 operations each year. Nose Iranian Style addresses provocative issues of aesthetic gender performance and the pressures of Iranian youth to meet both global and local beauty standards. This event is presented by UCSB Sociology Grad Student Neda Maghbouleh and the Persian Student Group. Directed by Mehrdad Oskouei, 52 min, 2006, Iran.

Two of the music world’s most create bands join forces to rock the stage in Isla Vista’s very own Anisq’oyo’ Park. Mezklah blends alternative rock with touches of reggae, salsa, and cumbia –layered over elements of trip-hop and drum and bass beats, to create and define their own genre of music: Tribal Electronica. Concepto Tambor, an all drum and percussion troupe, blends Afro-Latin grooves, call and response style of singing and chanting combined with rock-and-roll attitude for a raw and energetic performance.

Mo’ Better Blues, starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes and Spike Lee follows a period in the life of fictional Jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam as he navigates through a series of bad decisions and jeopardizes both his personal relationships and brilliant jazz career. Directed by the multitalented Spike Lee, 130 min, 1990, USA.

Made in L.A. exposes the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in L.A. sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a mega-trendy clothing retailer. In intimate verite style, Made in L.A. reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience. Filmmaker Almudena Carracedo will lead a brief Q and A following the film, 70 min, 2007, USA.

Come support emerging writer, performer and soon-to-be grad Peggy Lee, as she takes the stage with her first show. With iron in her mouth and her body as testimony, she unleashes narrative prose and poetry with passionate defiance to deliver heartfelt performances.

Dr. Ingrid Banks will discuss her research on black beauty salon culture based on ethnographic data collected during a 14-month period in multiple cities. Dr. Banks is an Associate Professor of Black Studies at UCSB and received her PhD in Comparative Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley. This event is co-sponsored by the Race, Place, and Power Critical Issues Series.

Legendary kuma hula, Robert Cazimero, talks about his life and work teaching the only all-male hula school in Hawai'i, Halau Na Kamalei, as they prepare to compete in the 2005 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Directed by Lisette Marie Flanary, 56 min, 2006, USA.

Author Laura Pulido traces the roots of third world radicalism in Southern California during the 1960s and 1970s in this wonderfully illustrated comparative study. Focusing on the Black Panther Party, El Centro de Accin Social y Autonomo (CASA), and East Wind, a Japanese American collective, she explores how these groups sought to realize their ideas about race and class, gender relations, and multiracial alliances.

Director Jean-Marie Teno looks into the complexities arising from European colonialism in Africa, paying particular attention to Namibia and Cameroon. Teno illustrates the role of missionaries in colonizing, interviewing modern historians and professors to dig to the bottom of this deeply rooted issue in African history that has shaped the way of life in many formerly colonized nations. Produced and directed by Jean-Marie Teno, 73 minutes, Cameroon, 2004.

The Dialogues feature an evening in which women of color unite to express themselves through political theater, poetry, spoken word, art, music and dance that address the unique challenges and issues of their communities. This event is presented by WORD (Women of Color Revolutionary Dialogues).