Cautiously But Fiercely Optimistic

#AZNxBLM is calling for solidarity between members and allies of our Asian community and the Black Lives Matter movement.

ROCK PAPER RADIO is a dispatch for misfits & unlikely optimists by your favorite hapa haole, beet-pickling, public radio nerd. It’s a weekly email newsletter that shares three curiosities every Thursday - something to hold on to (that’s the ‘rock’), something to read (that’s the ‘paper‘), and something to listen to (you guessed it, that’s the ‘radio’). Themes include but are not limited to: rebel violinists, immortal jellyfish, revolution. Thanks for subscribing and spreading the word.

DRUMROLL PLEASE…After the last two months of rallying, reimagining, and creating, #AZNxBLM’s first round of multimedia artist-activist projects is finally here!

Today, and for the remaining Thursdays in March, we’ll be departing from our usual something to read/something to listen to/something to hold on to format to bring you a new collection of solidarity-inspired projects each week from our crew of 21 artist-activists. Missing our old ways? Check out ROCK PAPER RADIO’s archives here.

If you’re new to our ROCK PAPER RADIO family and you’re wondering what this is all about, here’s our project’s mission:

#AZNxBLM is calling for solidarity and collaboration between members and allies of our Asian community and the Black Lives Matter movement. We are pro-community and anti-racist. We believe in the power of art and the insights of outsiders. We are cautiously but fiercely optimistic.

Thanks in advance for spreading the word. The best way to follow along and to be the first to know when new projects drop is to join us on Instagram @rockpaperradio, and to keep an eye on our landing page here. #AZNxBLM is a project of ROCK PAPER RADIO and The Slants Foundation.

RACE & IDENTITY AT HOME: EXPLORING THE PERKS & PITFALLS OF MULTICULTURAL FAMILY LIFE by Diana Opong & Kristin Leong

Diana Opong is a freelance public radio reporter, host, and producer originally from Ghana, West Africa. Kristin Leong is me. I’m a multimedia producer originally from Honolulu, Hawaii. I’m also the over-scheduled misfit behind ROCK PAPER RADIO and #AZNxBLM.

Race and Identity at Home is a narrated 18-minute audio feature exploring parenting in multicultural families, and the joys and challenges of navigating race and identity with the ones we’re closest to. Written and produced by Diana Opong and Kristin Leong, with editing support from Katy Sewall and Catherine Saint Louis. Sound design and mixing by Diana Opong.

STILL TOGETHER by Sheeba Marie

Sheeba Marie is a singer-songwriter, educator, and creative.

Still Together is an original song and video that centers how we learn to both heal and grieve across different communities. Written and performed by Sheeba Marie. Produced by Tristan Clopet.

PROJECTION by Pauline Scully

Pauline Scully is a Filipina American cinematographer who believes that storytelling has the power to spark real change.

Projection is a 7-minute film exploring unlearning anti-Blackness, colorism in the Asian community, and media representations of race and diversity. Produced by No Ends Media. Directed and written by Pauline Scully.

I SEE YOU by Liz Cartojano & James Riley Mose

Liz Cartojano & James Riley Mose are movement artists and choreographers based in Los Angeles.

I See You is a 5-minute dance film inspired by Liz’s response to the Atlanta spa shooting in March, and James’ grappling with his experience of feeling immobilized during the BLM demonstrations of 2020. Through movement and music, the film explores what it was like for them as an interracial couple facing these reckonings together and apart. Composition and filmmaking by Liz Cartojano and James Riley Mose. Music: Born Tired by Jhené Aiko, Born Tired Instrumental by Kevin Schmitz.

DID YOU WATCH OUR #AZNxBLM TRAILER?!

All the love and high fives to Keri Zierler (who also happens to be my genius wife and ROCK PAPER RADIO’s first subscriber) for producing our very sharp #AZNxBLM trailer.

If I’ve learned anything over the last two months of this nationwide group project it’s that it truly does take a village.

My gratitude to Keri, all of our #AZNxBLM artist-activists, The Slants Foundation and their fearless leader Simon Tam, TED’s Mystery Experiment, and to all of you—my ROCK PAPER RADIO family of misfits and unlikely optimists—is overflowing for real. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

That’s a wrap on issue 41, friends.

See you next Thursday.

K.

You can find ROCK PAPER RADIO on Instagram and Twitter @RockPaperRadio. You can help spread the word about our community of misfits and unlikely optimists by sharing this issue on the social medias with a comment that says AT LAST. #AZNxBLM IS HERE. Or something like that.