This AASRN event is all confirmed! There’s even a PDF flyer + programme (which is sortakinda superceded because there’s been another exciting development but anyway…)!

I’ve been working madly on getting it all set up before I have to disappear and carry out my fieldwork.

The registration deadline isn’t until Monday 27 September (and I’m the contact person), so that aspect should be fine.

Last Friday, I got a tour of the new facilities at the freshly refurbished Museum of Chinese Australian History, where the forum/launch will be held. The Museum’s official ‘re-launching’ is planned for 29 August. The forum will be in a cosy seminar room, and the journal launch will be right next door in the museum exhibition space that houses the “Bridge of Memories” project (for which I did some background research). It’s a perfect segue.

I’m excited by the forum. Not only because we haven’t had an AASRN event for a while and I miss hanging with those folk, but also because it’s something that moves in a slightly different direction than other things we’ve had. It’s connecting US and Australian interests in diasporic Asian cultures more specifically, plus I’ve deliberately kept it informal, with key people presenting. The priorities are sharing perspectives and project news, as well as celebrating the milestone publication of the special “Asian Australia, Asian America: Making Transnational Connections” issue of Amerasia Journal (the journal is now on Facebook, and will be launching a blog soon).

At this point, I should give a shout out to Arnold Pan (Assistant Editor, Amerasia), with whom I’ve been corresponding about co-publicising the special issue and our respective networks/publications. He’s been a delight to work with.

Here’s the funky cover for the special issue of Amerasia (designed by Mary Kao, with artwork [“Australian Born Chinese”] provided by Indigenous-Asian Australian artist Jason Wing):

The special issue table of contents has also just been released. It’s all happening!

Don Nakanishi will be launching the issue on 4 October, and all the guest editors (Jacqueline Lo, Dean Chan, me) will be there.

Also participating in the forum are:

Very much looking forward to this event. I’ll be meeting quite a few people with whom I’ve only had cyber-contact, and also many buddies whose company is inspiring and so much fun. Roll on, October!