Announcements – Hyphen Short Story Contest, RAMS Gala, Bowlathon for Abortion Funds

Hyphen Short Story Content – Deadline Extension

Are you an unpublished writer, waiting to be discovered? Think you have what it takes to win a national, pan-Asian American writing competition—the ONLY one of its kind? Here’s your shot at showing off your roots and writing.

Hyphen and The Asian American Writers’ Workshop proudly present the 2010 Asian American Short Story Contest.
Prize: $1,000, publication in Hyphen magazine and the honor of short story of the year.

Now in its third year, the 2010 Asian American Short Story Contest will name 10 finalists and one grand prize-winner who will win a cash prize of $1000 and have the winning story published in an upcoming issue of Hyphen.

Judges for the 2010 contests include renowned Asian American writers:

* Alexander Chee, author of Edinburgh (Picador), and winner of the Whiting award, the Michener Copernicus Prize, the AAWW Lit Award and the Lambda Editor’s Choice Prize

* Jaed Coffin, the author of A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants (Da Capo Press).

Our first contest winner Preeta Samarasan was discovered based on her contest winning story. She went on to write the acclaimed novel Evening is the Whole Day (Houghton Mifflin), which was long-listed for the Orange Prize.

What will your story do for you?

For guidelines and more, visit Hyphen’s site.

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RAMS Gala

About: RAMS, Inc. is a private, non-profit mental health agency that is committed to advocating for and providing community based, culturally-competent, and consumer-guided comprehensive services, with an emphasis on serving Asian & Pacific Islander Americans.

Founded in San Francisco’s Richmond District in 1974, our agency offers comprehensive services that aim to meet the behavioral health, social, vocational, and educational needs of the diverse community of the San Francisco Area with special focus on the Asian & Pacific Islander American and Russian-speaking populations.

Event: RAMS 35th Anniversary and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

A Gala Reception & Celebrity Forum

Changing Reality: The Voices of Asian American TV Stars

Featured Guests:

Winner of Bravo’s Project Runway, Season 2: Fashion Designer, Chloe Dao

Winner of Bravo’s Top Chef, Season 3: Executive Chef, Hung Huynh

Winner of CBS’s Amazing Race, Season 14: Attorney, Victor Jih

Cast Member of MTV’s The Real World, San Francisco: Physician, Pamela Ling

Moderator:

Leland Y. Yee, PhD, Psychologist and California State Senator

May 12, 2010

Hotel Kabuki, 1625 Post Street, San Francisco

5:30 p.m.

Cocktail Reception, includes food, no-host bar, live DJ, and silent auction

7:00 p.m.

Interactive Conversation, celebrity forum

Limited Seating: RSVP by May 1st

$ 125 one ticket

$ 200 two tickets

Multiple ticket rate & sponsorships available

For more event & parking information or to buy tickets online at ramsinc.org, contact Angela Tang at events@ramsinc.org or call (415) 668-5955 ext. 350.

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Bowl-A-Thon/Blogger Bowlathon for Abortion Funds

Welcome to the National Abortion Access Bowl-a-Thon!
Abortion Funds from across the country are raising money to make reproductive rights a reality for women who can’t afford to pay for an abortion — and we need your help.

What is a Bowl-a-Thon? Heck, what’s an abortion Fund?
The Bowl-a-Thon is a nationwide series of local events that allow community members (you!) to captain your own bowling team, participate in a kickass national event – and raise money to help women and girls pay for abortions they couldn’t otherwise afford.

Abortion Funds are local, grassroots groups that work tirelessly to help low-income and disadvantaged women who want an abortion and do not have enough money to pay for it. Abortion Funds help women pay for their abortions, help them buy bus or plane tickets, and even offer women a place to stay when they have to travel for an abortion. Abortion Funds make a difference in women’s lives…and you can join them!

When is the Bowl-a-Thon?
Throughout the month of April. There will be 20 different bowl-a-thons in communities around the country. Find an event in your community, recruit your team, choose a brilliant and punny team name, and start fundraising now!

Why participate in the Bowl-a-Thon?
Because you know that the legal right to abortion is meaningless if you can’t afford to pay for it. Because you’re pissed at the way health care reform has rolled back women’s rights. Because you love being a part of building the movement for social and reproductive justice. Because you’re a crack bowler who wants to strut your stuff. Because you know: friends + abortion rights + rented shoes = the event of a lifetime!

Join us today as we strike down barriers to abortion access!

There is a blog-world component to the Bowl-A-Thon: In addition to blogging, Feministing (with newly minted executive editor Samhita Mukhopadhyay) will also participate with their team, Strike the Patriarchy. Good luck!