Hello AACP Newsletter Readers

Wow, are we tired. I don’t want to use this as an excuse for getting this newsletter out so late, but the APAHE (Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education) Conference this year was truly one of the largest and most successful APAHE conferences that we can recall. It was really great to be back at this conference for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

For those that are getting this newsletter for the first time, thank you for subscribing. If you subscribed after seeing us at the APAHE Conference, it was nice meeting you. Thank you very much for dropping by our tables and for your continued interests in following us. We hope you enjoy our newsletters and we look forwards to getting your feedback and continued support.

For our new subscribers, a quick explanation on why you might be reading the April newsletter in May – we produce only eleven newsletters each year. We normally start the year with the newsletters coming out towards the beginning of the month and slowly it drifts towards the end of the month as our work load increases during the year. So I usually jokingly say that I am working on Hawaii Time if I’m a few hours into the next month (relative to our local Pacific Time).

At the APAHE conference, we met a few people that said that they may be interested in volunteering or interning with AACP. Please follow-up with us – we’d love to have your support and help.For the rest of our readers, if you or anyone that you know is interested in helping, we’d love to hear from you too.

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To those that have not heard, Eastwind Books of Berkeley has closed its doors this month. I remember the bookstore even before Harvey and Beatrice Dong took over the store in 1996. I swear it used to be on Shattuck Avenue, a few doors over from the McDonalds and next to the Missing Link Bike shop, but I can’t find anyone that can remember that far back to confirm this :).

Thank you Harvey, Bea, and your workers for your years of service. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to drop by your store before it closed to say hi and maybe pick up some of your inventory :). We hope that we can still get some of your wonderful books that you publish sometime and that we may see you at some conferences and events in the future.

They say that when someone passes away, it’s as if a library was lost. I suppose when a bookstore closes, it’s as if someone has passed away. Our condolences to all of those you served.

AACP promises to hold down the fort with one of the last AAPI bookstores in the Bay Area for as long as we can. Although such promises are hard to keep, only through the dedicated AACP supporters will we be able to tell. So please stick with us everyone.

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On the subject of loss, we have another article on Florence and Mas Hongo this month. This one covers some of the history of AACP too and is written by Susan Tanioka, our current longest serving board member. Please read “Memories of Florence and Mas Hongo.”

For our other article, we have an interview with Oliver Chin and Phil Amara, authors of the new book “More Awesome Asian Americans: 20 Citizens Who Energized America.” This is the second volume in their “Awesome Asian Americans” series. Their books are a wonderful match to kick off May’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Speaking of which, we have a featured books selection filled with books that we hope you’ll find interesting reads for AAPI Heritage Month. Please check it out.

Note, one of the books is not truly for AAPI Heritage month. “Two at the Top: A Shared Dream of Everest” is about Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. We’ve included it because May 29 will be the 70th anniversary of their climb of Mount Everest and because it’s written by Uma Krishnaswami, an Indian American author.

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An update on the memorial service for Florence and Mas – it will still take place on June 24, but the time and location has changed. The time will now be 11am at Sneider & Sullivan & O’Connell’s Funeral Home in San Mateo (977 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA 94402). We hope to have even more details in our next newsletter.

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Thank you to authors Oliver Chin and Phil Amara for doing an interview for our newsletter. Thank you Oliver and author Stan Yogi for coming to sign books at the APAHE conference.

Thank you Angela and Cliff for helping at the APAHE conference. I couldn’t have done it without your help and company.

Thank you Susan, Mina, and Philip for your help with the newsletter.

Have a wonderful spring and continue to take care everyone.