On June 24, 2009, Daly City’s Kalayaan School for Equity was honored to host Geo Logic of Seattle’s hip-hop duo Blue Scholars (aka Prometheus Brown) as he presented his unique take on Filipino Films in his presentation, “The Resistance of Philippine Cinema”. Based on overwhelming participant requests, we will be screening three films discussed in that presentation along with special video introductions of each film by Geo Logic. Each film screening is free, but space is limited, so come early.

Friday July 10
Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros)
2005 | Director: Auraeus Solito | Starring: Nathan Lopez, Ping Medina, JR Valentin

Maxi (Nathan Lopez) is a 12-year-old effeminate gay boy living in the slums with his father and brothers who are petty thieves. The story revolves around the conflict between Maxi’s love for handsome young police officer Victor (J. R. Valentin), and his family’s illegal livelihood. Neo-realist in orientation, the film is a tale of lost innocence and redemption amidst the poverty of Manila’s slums.

Friday July 17
Himala (Miracle)
1982 | Director: Ismael Bernal | Starring: Nora Aunor

Ismael Bernal and Nora Aunor’s 1982 classic movie, deemed CNN’s Best Film of All Time in the Asia Pacific, tells the story of a girl who claims to have been chosen by the Virgin Mary as the messenger of good faith in a town who is convinced that its lack of water is the result of an unfortunate curse.

Friday July 24
Sakay
1993 | Director: Raymond Red | Starring: Julio Diaz, Tetchie Agbayani, Pen Medina

Raymond Red’s dramatization of the life of Macario Sakay, a Filipino
revolutionary general who led the anti-colonial Republika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic) against the U.S. Military during the often overlooked Philippine-American War.

Where: Liwanag Kultural Center (222 Lausanne Ave., Daly City, 94014)
When: Doors at 6:30; Program at 6:45
Cost: FREE

For more info, contact KSE.

Daly City’s KALAYAAN SCHOOL FOR EQUITY proudly welcomes Seattle, WA hip-hop icon and cultural critic, Geologic aka Prometheus Brown, as he shares his overview of Philippine Cinema. Special emphasis is placed on films and filmmakers who have used the artistic medium as a tool to address the socio-political conditions of the country. Geologic will share many examples of Philippine cinema as sites of resistance and lead participants in discussions regarding the history and present state of Filipinos in the film industry.

Film clips screened include the works of Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Kidlat Tahimik, Lamberto Avellana, Mike De Leon, Auraeus Solito, Brillante Mendoza, Laurice Guillen, Marilou Diaz-Abaya and several others.

This presentation kicks off the KALAYAAN SCHOOL FOR EQUITY’S summer workshop series offering the local community free programming to explore Filipino community issues, history, artistic traditions, and culture.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Space is limited at the Liwanag Kultural Center!!! We’re talking a very intimate (40) workshop here. Due to the response, we are asking that people RSVP to this event on Facebook or by emailing LKCrobledomaderazo@gmail.com to reserve a spot. Alternatively, you can leave a message at (650) 641-2891 x573, but be sure to leave a number we can call you back at, in case we’ve already gone over the limit…no phone number, no valid RSVP, sorry. It’s first come, first serve. We’ll honor RSVPs only until 6:45pm, after which we’ll seat people in order of arrival if there’s space. We won’t go over capacity. So RSVP folks! And if you do, show up before 6:45 to save your spot. Thanks!!!

UPDATE! The guest list is now closed. If you really want to try to attend, you can show up. If RSVP’s aren’t there by 6:45, we’ll let others in in their place. Sorry, but we’re a small center who cannot go over capacity for any reason. Thanks for understanding.

For more information on Geo Logic and his musings on film and pop culture, please visit his blog, Prometheus Brown.

Lately it seems that there has been a lingering question amongst our kababayan as to whether or not undocumented community members should participate in the upcoming Census 2010. There have been those from similar immigrant communities calling for an outright boycott of the Census, but, aside from it being a sign of the level of frustration felt by undocumented immigrants, it’s really difficult for KSE to see the sense in not participating.

Let’s face it, living as an undocumented immigrant is scary enough, but post-9/11 politics have made things even harder. As it stands, there is currently no path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, so, in addition to the constant fear of deportation and the psychological issues that come with a constant feeling of being socially outcast, now there is an even stronger ambivalence about the sort of future one can build in this country. Put simply, one can work as hard as they can in school or work (or both), but as of right now there’s no guarantee that one’s diligent educational and employment self-development, achievements overall and contribution to the US economy will be rewarded with a change in status; there’s always the chance that you might be deported.

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As a member of NAFCON (National Alliance for Filipino Concerns), we would like to congratulate the Sentosa Nurses, Philippine Forum NYC, and NAFCON for the recent court victory staying the criminal prosecution of the Avalon 11. The Avalon 11, a group of 10 former Sentosa nurses and their lawyer, were accused of endangering the safety of their patients when they left the job on the grounds of illegal recruitment and conspiring to paralyze hospital operations of New York’s Avalon Gardens Hospital. The details of the case were covered by The Manila Times.

Attention Daly City youth! If you’re 18 and under and want to learn Popping and Locking, come by every Tuesday from 7:00pm-8:30pm to dance at the Pop/Lock Movement classes. Kalayaan School for Equity has teamed up with renowned dance crew GroovMekanex to offer these fun classes completely free to local youth. Feel free to contact KSE for more information.

NOTES:
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
Please bring bottled water (Alternatively, there is a water fountain and bottled water is available for purchase.).
Location: Liwanag Kultural Center, 222 Lausanne Ave, Daly City, CA

Hi everyone! Kamusta, mga kasama? We’ve finally got a skeleton website up to let the world know about everything we’ve got going on here at the Kalayaan School for Equity. We’re creeping up on the end of the school year, but stay tuned for the end-of-year and summer programming we’ve got planned. Check back regularly to stay in the loop!