Refugenius: Crime, Love, Politics

Hip Hop and Activism in Alaska! Busting Bad Doods With Ed Lin and Bryan!
Sometime between the season of spring and winter, I found time to do shows, publish a chapbook, and travel to Alaska. Let's work backwards, shall we?

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In the months of September and October I found myself in the land of Palin. Because I am mad patriotic the Anchorage Urban League invited me to perform and wax poetic about the importance of politics with youth -- primarily Southeast Asian communities -- for their Our Time 2008 workshops and the Remix the Vote Hip Hop Activism Summit. In the span of my one week stay, I visited temples, high schools, and the University of Anchorage performing my
poetry, giving mini lectures, doing Q&As, and hyped up kids to register to vote.

*photo credit Oscar Avellaneda

I was blessed enough to have kicked it all week with artists: Hueman Prophets (DC), Invincible (Detroit), and Troy Nkrumah (Nat'l Hip Hop Political Convention Chair by way of Nevada).
All the cats representing NYC: Toofly (world famous graffiti artist), Blitz the Ambassador, George Martinez (US Hip Hop Ambassador) and wifey Sylara.

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In August writers, artists, and fans gathered at Amazon Bookstore (Mpls.) to celebrate the one year anniversary of Bryan Thao Worra's book, On The Other Side of the Eye. I was fortunate to have shared the mic with artists, Katie Ka Vang and Brandon Lacy Campos.

*photo credit Bryan Thao Worra

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July's Crime and Love reading featured award winning novelist Ed Lin with author Bryan Thao Worra and myself. Ed was on tour promoting his latest book, This Is A Bust. That night I debuted my first chapbook, No Regrets, which contains a number of poems from almost a decade of writing.