It’s interesting that the current Republican Vice President nominee’s opinion of his fellow Americans is so low that he thinks we require a very personal, individualized genetic interest in a future generation in order to have interest in the future of our own country.  In other words, he appears to believe if an American can’t be guaranteed their personal genetic material has been passed on, they will have no loyalty to their homeland.  He inexplicably doubled down on that, calling out women and cat owners without offspring as particularly terrible for the future of democracy.  In reality, many Americans, now and throughout history, show a vested interest in our country – to the point of risking and giving their lives and limbs for it – and an interest in the welfare of others, whether or not we gain individual benefit from it.  Americans can and do act selflessly for others, whether or not those others are their genetic offspring.  Allow me to give a few examples:
 
Sally Ride, the pioneering NASA astronaut who contributed significantly to the advancement of science and education for future generations had no children.
 
Civil rights activists Rosa Parks and Dorothy Irene Height worked tirelessly to ensure equality for others and had no children.
 
Physician Margaret Chung, who lobbied for the creation of the U.S. Naval Women’s Reserve and served as a front line surgeon during the Sino-Japanese War, saving lives and serving her country, had no children.
 
I could go on and on, however, instead, scroll down to the 1st link under References, below, for a fun resource filled with fabulous (and childless) movers and shakers.  
 
So, to the Republican Vice President nominee’s castigation of childless women, particularly those with cats, c’mon.  And, anyway, what’s with James’ hating of cats?  Especially coming after Kristi’s story about shooting her puppy dead in a gravel pit…anti-kitten, anti-puppy.  What’re they going to hate on next?  Rainbows?!
 
Oh…
 
Wait…
 






Fun References:

https://millennialemma.com/gallery-of-inspiring-women-without-children/

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/politics/kfile-jd-vance-history-disparaging-people-without-kids/index.html
 
https://www.nps.gov/people/dr-margaret-mom-chung.htm
 
https://blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/02/young-rosa-parks/
 
https://naacp.org/articles/remembering-dr-dorothy-irene-height
 

For the last 12 years, it has been my honor and privilege to give welcoming remarks at the launch of the Film Lab's 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition, which empowers underrepresented filmmakers.  This year's remarks are here:

​Welcome to the Film Lab’s  20th Annual 72 Hour Shootout.  It’s incredible to think this competition has been going strong for two decades, although the fact that it has managed to stay so relevant means the problems to was created to solve haven’t yet been solved.  I was thinking about this and why the Shootout is still so important at an event I was at not too long ago - an induction ceremony for the women’s hall of fame.  One of the speakers mentioned students were asked to name inventors.  They rattled off the names of white men.  When asked if they could name women, they were stumped. Women of color?  Crickets.  In actuality, there are so many women inventors, from Dr. Patricia Bath, a Black woman, who was the pioneer of laser cataract surgery, to Anna Williams, who discovered how to produce the antitoxin for diphtheria.  Have any of you heard of Patricia Bath or Anna Williams?  And there are so many more.  Unseen.  Unsung. Underrepresented people who, throughout history, have accomplished great things and yet are nearly invisible from mainstream recognition.  Our ignorance of this multitude of names and accomplishments lays out in stark terms the near complete and total erasure of the accomplishments of underrepresented groups in our society from mainstream media.  So, what are we going to do about it?  There are two schools of thought at opposite ends of the spectrum.  Some people will tell you to break down the doors and to take your seat at the table by force, demanding whatever you can get without apology.  Others will say no, you need to work ten times as hard and “beat them at their own game.”  However, neither of these two schools of thought are really what the Film Lab or the 72 Hour Shootout stand for and I’d like to tell you a personal story to illustrate why.  Two of my grandparents were born into affluent banking families in Shanghai, China.  As was the custom at that time for wealthy families, they went to college overseas.  My grandparents came to tour the country as wealthy tourists and then to study, one at Columbia and one at NYU.  Then, the Communist Revolution happened and their families in China were divested of their money and property.  Some were imprisoned, some died, some fled the country.  My grandmother’s father got a message out to her, saying it wasn’t safe and, under no circumstances, to come home.  Like the opposite of a fairy tale, my privileged grandparents found themselves suddenly impoverished and without anything but the clothes they had packed and each other.  My grandfather, with his banking background and his finance studies, got a job on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and did very well until, one day, his boss went to him and said, “Hey, Andy.  I’m sorry but we have to take you off the floor; you’ll have to work in the back.”  Stunned, my grandfather asked why and how he could possibly do his job off the floor.  “It’s not me, Andy,” his boss replied.  “I know you’re great.  It’s the other guys.  They don’t want to see a Chinese on the floor.”  Now, this was the 1940’s and my grandfather could have just doubled down and worked ten times as hard to beat them at their own game or tried to fight it through force though, certainly at that time, he likely would not have succeeded, and bash the doors down, as it were, but he did neither of those things.  He stood up very straight and quit his job on the spot, saying he would not work where he was not respected.  He knew his worth.  He walked out with his head high and never returned.  He knew his worth.  Now, it might have seemed like he lost because he took another, much less prestigious job – albeit one without obvious racism – but he was still a brilliant player on the market and now he had only himself and his family to work for and he did very well for them.  He changed the rules of the game, created his own game.  He made his own house with his own door and to hell with everyone else’s.  He knew his worth.  I tell you this to remind you that these storied institutions and awards – from the New York Stock Exchange to the Oscars -  are only as valuable and important as we the people make them.  The game is only as valid as the legitimacy given it by the players.  Worth isn’t stomping in and grabbing everything you can; demanding without earning.  Worth is understanding who you are, what you can do and having the courage to do it.  Worth is sharing your power with others who lack it.  If you’ve watched the Shootout films from the two decades, you’ll see filmmakers from nearly every ancestry, sexuality, gender, and religion imaginable.  That is because we are all about forging cross racial coalitions to rise together, recognizing the struggles of other underrepresented groups.  We recognize if one person or one group is not equal, then none of us are.  We can either support one another and rise together or we can become B-level oppressors, which is boring.  And nobody wants to be boring.  As you look through our library of films, you will also see the most represented group in our society – maybe our world – white men.  And they are welcome, too.  The men supporting and working on the Shootout films understand the concept that  Peggy McIntosh, a feminist activist, articulated when she explained that, as a white person who is born into power and privilege by virtue of her skin, she had a moral imperative to use her “unearned power to give power, to share power” with others not born to it.  THAT is worth.  And, taking us full circle, back to the Film Lab and the 72 Hour Shootout, this is our means of searching out and amplifying the perspectives of all of you – and us – who have been silenced by the mainstream.  Erased from the history books like those inventors we talked about earlier.  Yes, you can win network mentorships and screen tests through the 72 Hour Shootout, which can get you a very valuable seat at the existing table.  You can also bypass the table and make your own door, your own house, your own story.  And we, at the Film Lab, will amplify it.  We will shout your stories from the rooftops.  We will recognize your worth.  The fact you are here, ready not just to compete, but ready to collaborate and to share in a collective creative power, means YOU already recognize your worth.  And that, my friends, is everything.  Thank you and good luck.

​https://youtu.be/MmQ76iN3KSE

Above link to The Real Deal: https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2022/01/07/stefan-soloviev-terrifies-his-nannies-insider-2/

I've been doing a study of creation myths and I wanted to share some of takeaways that really piqued my interest. I'm reading African creation myths right now and it's striking how many correlate the "fall" or the separation between human and divine as a result of human cruelty to the planet itself, created by and a gift from the divine, and/or to non-human animals, created and beloved by the divine. For example, The Yao (Mozambique) creation, or origin, stories tell the tale of people's "progress" in controlling their environment and hunting the other animals from the perspective of the creator and the rest of nature "as destructive and cruel. Having violated the sacred harmony of the world [by hunting and setting things on fire], people force God to retreat to the sky." Likewise, the Barotse (Lozi) people of Zambia's tale tells "of a harmonious and sacred beginning when the creator Nyambi lived on earth with his wife and made all things. Because of man's transgression - he murdered other creatures [antelope, etc.] - Nyambi first banished him from his sacred realm; later he forgave his errant creature and presented him with land to till, but [man] reverted to his old [killing] ways. Finally, in despair, Nyambi retreated from the world." (Primal Myths/Creating The World, Barbara C. Sproul).

There are many more. Origin myths are fascinating because they present structures for absolute values for societies and cultures. The origin myths stressing harmony with the earth and the other living beings on it are obviously very different from some of the more Western origin myths, which suggest the earth and non-human animals are there intentionally to be pillaged and despoiled by humans. The various pillars of judgment imposed by creation myths are not universal but they virtually all address both creation and a "fall" from grace. Stroul describes this so beautifully when she explains:

What happens as a result of this fall is "crushing: people perceive themselves as only relative, dependent and conditioned - as beings under the constant threat of not being and meaninglessness. They are cut off from any recognition of themselves as participants in the Holy, which transcends the created opposition of being and not being. And the world is understood similarly. Uprooted from its absolute ground, the world waits for its destruction as societies wait for revolution and individuals for death. Everything is meaningless and vacuous and essentially unreal. "God," as the current expression goes, "is dead." The myths attempt to correct this misperception. They serve as a response ...[]...and urge their followers to stand again on firmer ground, on the absolute which was and is always present, which they have temporarily forgotten."

-Barbara C. Sproul

In light of the Chinese Lunar New Year now being the Year of the Wood Dragon, in which earth and stability are emphasized and kindness and compassion stressed as the ways to avoid the tumultuous nature of some of the more negative predictions for the year, this seems particularly on point.  People often think of the Dragon sign as powerful and aggressive, but an important Dragon trait is also kindness.

Now, in studying these creation myths and listening to people talk about the meaning of a Wood Dragon Year, I see this idea of kindness being re-emphasized again and again.  I’m not sure to whom to attribute this quote but it’s something like, "what is our purpose, but to love?"
 
I agree.  To love.  And, if we are lucky, to be loved in return.

It was my honor to once again give opening remarks for the launch of the Film Lab's 19th annual 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition.  This year, we are privileged and challenged to tackle the question of addressing collective trauma without causing yet more trauma.  Remarks below or watch/listen here.

Hello everyone and welcome to Film Lab’s 2023 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition Launch Party, hosted by Maze 32.   Thank you all for being here.  I’m going to give you a little hint as to the theme of this year’s Shootout, which Andy will announce at 8 and upon which all the films must be based.  I’m going to start with a personal passion.  If you ever look me up, you’ll find in just a few moments that I am an animal lover and a proponent of the humane treatment of animals, both in terms of supporting legislation protecting them from abuse to making personal choices like not eating them or wearing them.  It is important to me personally to make protect those creatures who cannot protect themselves and I belong to several animal welfare organizations, including one that shares news and action items to help animals. On its face, this has nothing to do with Film Lab or the 72 Hour Shootout, where we focus on racial and gender parity in film and TV, with special emphasis on Asian Americans and building cross racial coalitions to combat all forms of racism.  However, early this year, the two worlds collided in a way.  Film Lab had commissioned a project called DiscrimiNATION to raise awareness about the anti-Asian violence that swept our country post-COVID, resulting in a series of heartbreaking stories.  One of the animal welfare groups I belonged to started deluging my inbox with grisly and barbaric animal abuse videos, including those of live animals being cut up while they screamed in agony.  The videos certainly raised awareness but they also gave me nightmares and made me feel helpless.   Also early in 2023, the nation was riveted by a new situation of police brutality against a young black man named Tyre Nichols.  A video of the brutal beating, during which he cried for his mother and which resulted in his death, began to circulate online.  As part of Film Lab’s commitment to fight all racism, our social media team shared news about his murder to raise awareness and we shared the mind numbing video of that horrible beating.  However, some psychologists started to go public advising people NOT to watch the video.  One explained, “It is important to bear witness and to acknowledge what happened, but that doesn’t mean an obligation to watch the video itself,” … there are ways to lift the spirit, the name and the incident without sharing the trauma.”  All of these violent videos, these violent stories, shared for the best possible reasons – to shock us into awareness and galvanize us to take action – carry a great risk when used too much.  They can desensitize us into antipathy, numb us into inaction ... and they can make us feel angry and powerless.  And there is nothing more dangerous than people who feel angry and powerless.  There is nothing we can do to help the immediate victim in any of these tapes.  We may also become so desensitized or traumatized that we are unwilling or unable to take those important actions or even redirect our anger at those who shared the video with us.  So, there’s the million dollar question and the question we will ask the filmmakers of this year’s 72 Hour Shootout – you – to address, at least on some level, in this year’s theme:  how do we make people aware of the magnitude of the problem of, for example, racial trauma based a thousand daily micro-aggressions, without desensitizing them?  How do we motivate people to positive, constructive ACTION  without causing yet more trauma?  How do we create transformation based on the need and desire for peace, without fear?  Don’t worry.  You have until 8pm to figure that out.  Now, I’m going to introduce you to the fearless leader of this year’s Shootout who is going to answer your last minute questions, take away your fears and announce the all-important theme.  

When Dogs Can Fly….
 
I have been flying with my pup, Gudger, since I adopted him at 4 months (almost 9 years now), including international travel, so he is very accustomed to it.  However, I learned the hard way that not every dog likes to travel by air after enthusiastically telling a woman to take her dog on a flight only to have her call me, screaming that her dog got terrified, defecated on the plane and in baggage claim several times and also vomited.  Ummm.  Oops?  My friends who have seen my dog travel always ask me how to get their dogs comfortable with it and, since lots of folks are traveling for the holidays and lots of folks have pups they’d love to travel with, I figured I’d go ahead and put all the advice I have in one blog post:
 
1. CALL YOUR AIRLINE WELL IN ADVANCE AND CHECK THE REQUIREMENTS OF BOTH YOUR AIRLINE AND YOUR DESTINATION 

Do not wait until the last minute.  Call your airline well in advance of your travel to confirm all their requirements for travel with a pup (or whatever non-human animal).  If you’re traveling outside the continental United States, you need to also research your destination’s requirements for pups – vaccines and so forth.  For example, In Hawaii, you will need to arrange for a vet to meet you at the gate to do a  health check, as well as provide specific evidence showing your pup does not have rabies and is vaccinated against rabies.  Hawaii is the only state in the United States that is free of rabies and they’re not keen on changing that, for obvious reasons, so all dogs and cats entering the state must follow import rabies quarantine requirements.  It should go without saying, but do not be an entitled jerk when you make these calls.  Traveling with your pup is an awesome privilege and a little courtesy goes a long way.
 
2. PLAN FOR YOUR PUP’S SIZE 

Pups under 25 lbs are generally permitted on board for most airlines, however, as per #1, above, always check with your airline - because the rules keep changing - to be sure what their specifications are.  In general, as long as the pup has a soft carrying case that can squeeze under the seat in front of you, life is good.  I’ve never heard of any airline requiring a special or certified carrier unless the dog is going in cargo, however, again, ask the airline.  
 
3.  PLAN FOR YOUR PUP’S INDIVIDUAL TEMPERAMENT (AND BLADDER CAPACITY)            

Save yourself a lot of woe by being prepared to address issues before they arise.  Questions you need to be able to answer and know how to deal with:

How old is your pup and has she ever flown before?

Is the pup used to carriers?

How is the pup in the car?  Any upset tummy issues?

How long can the pup hold her bladder?  A six-hour flight plus wait time and security can be a lot.  It’s definitely do-able but you want to know how long she can comfortably hold it (emphasis on “comfortably”).  LAX, LaGuardia and JFK all have doggie bathrooms.  Check the terminal map beforehand so you know where they are in relation to your gate.  More important for departure than arrival city.  Worst case scenario, you can pop a doggie diaper on the pup. 

4.  PUPS WHO ARE NEW TO TRAVEL – PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

For those pups who are new to travel, I highly recommend practicing a LOT beforehand.  Unless you have a private plane (in which case you don’t even need to read this blog post), practice flights are not likely to happen but take him on a drive to your closest airport (yes, I’m serious) with a friend and have one person circle the airport while the other person takes him for a walk in the terminal. Is he ok with the crowds and the bags?  Comfort him if not and give him treats so he sees the airport as a fun experience.  See if you can get him to use the airport’s doggie restroom.  Gudger doesn’t like to pee inside so it took a lot of time before he agreed to pee in a doggie bathroom.  
 
Also try taking your pup on a bus if you can.  Any access to a subway would also be helpful.  You could try a long car ride with him in a carrier on the floor in the back seat to simulate the experience a little and see how he does.   Ditto for a train ride.
 
You basically want the pup to feel safe and ok in frenetic, crowded places with lots of strangers and big bags being wheeled all over the place.  The practice beforehand is well worth the time so there are no surprises on the actual travel day and so you are calm and know what to expect and the pup has fun and feels safe and happy.  If his first experience is a happy one, he will be easy to travel with going forward.  If he is calm and well behaved, everyone will love him and that will make everyone’s travel happier! 
 
5.  BE NICE AND HAVE EMPATHY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SCARED OF OR ALLERGIC TO DOGS 

Be prepared for fellow travelers who are allergic to dogs (or scared of them) and aggravated that you have one on the plane.  I always Allerpet-D Gudger before any flight and I bring the bottle of Allerpet with me, both to reapply if necessary and to show people who see my dog and then speak up and tell me they have allergies.  If anyone says anything to me, I am always nice and I (truthfully) say I have allergies too and I understand, which is why I always make sure to neutralize his dander before a flight.  I show them the Allerpet and explain how it works and we usually become BFFs after that.  Keep in mind that some people are allergic to a dog's saliva so do NOT let your dog lick anyone.  Allerpet can only help with allergies to dander, not saliva.  

If anyone is frightened, do not shove your pup in their face and say, “Why are you freaked out?!  My dog is great!”  You could ask to switch seats if you're seated next to someone afraid of your pup, and, if that’s not possible, say you understand and not to worry and then put your pup safely under the seat and keep him or her out of sight.  We all have our fears, whether rational or not, and it's not cool (or helpful) to tell someone else their terror is illegitimate, even if you think it is.
 
Again, it should go without saying, but traveling with your pup is a privilege and it’s important to keep everyone’s happiness in mind - fellow passengers, flight staff, you, and of course the pup him or herself.
 
6.  A NOTE ABOUT SERVICE DOGS AND COSTS 

Last but not least, some airlines charge a pet fee but generally still require the dog go under the seat in front of you.  Check with your airline and pay the fee in advance so there are no problems on the day of travel.
 
If your dog is an ESA, most airlines have stopped offering any special treatment.  Ask them and see.  
 
If your dog is an actual service animal (and DOT will check and verify it’s legit - do not fake it) he travels for free.  Gudger got certified and it took well over a year of intense training and testing. It is well worth it to do this legitimately.  The dog will need to show he provides an actual service to an actual person who needs the service.  A lot of people try to fake or short cut this and that’s a terrible idea for everyone.  
 
***
I hope this helps!  It can feel overwhelming but it’s really worth it to get your pup to a place where s/he is a good little traveler because it is super fun to travel with your dog as long as they’re used to it. 

Traveling as a vegan can be a really fun opportunity to explore local farms and try new fruits and vegetables. I traveled to Konamand have several tips for my fellow #vegan friends traveling in the area:

1. Rent a place with a kitchen, especially if you're traveling with a group of family/friends. You can visit the local groceries and, in Kona, there are several beautiful farms with fruits and veggies and you can obtain fresh, local produce and cook it yourself! Heaven! 

2. Go off menu. Every restaurant I went to, even those where nearly every item on the menu had an animal product ingredient, was more than happy to venture off menu upon request. At
HāLani, for example, I asked for an oat milk latte and a vegetable omelette without the eggs at breakfast. It didn't so much as raise an eyebrow and I received a delightful plate of lightly sautéed fresh veggies and a rich and creamy oat milk latte. At dinner, the waiter there informed me the chef could turn almost any entree vegan by substituting tofu for the animal protein, which we tried out to great success.

3. Stay on menu. CanoeHouse, an open-air eatery at the Mauna Lanai Bay offers Kahuku corn 'ribs,' edamame, blistered shishito peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, and an incredible maitake mushroom dinner dish (which I highly recommend), in addition to panoramic ocean views.

4. Explore the local farms and stores for the freshest and most unique local produce. I tried wild berries I'd never seen or heard of before and had some of the most amazing papaya. Macadamia nuts are also fresh and local here, along with many, many other delicious plant-based goodies.

5. Check out the vegan restaurants! Herbivores (75-5722 Hanama Place , Kailua Kona, Hawaii) is amazing and is only one of several really fun, #CrueltyFree, #PlantBased dining options. For more: https://www.happycow.net/north.../usa/hawaii/kailua_kona/
​
Explore and discover! Have fun and get creative! #HerbivoreInHawaii

Healthy, Compassionate Seafood?  Yes!  It’s A Thing!
 
Giving up seafood can be an incredibly difficult part of going vegan – sushi!  Crab dip!  Lobster with butter!  Is it gone forever?  Luckily, the answer is no!  There are amazing plant-based options for seafood lovers.  The plant kingdom is miraculous in its ability to mimic the tastes and textures found in the animal world – you just have to know where to look.  Some favorites:
 
Want CRABCAKES?  Get LION’S MANE MUSHROOMS!
Lion’s mane mushrooms not only have an impressive array of health benefits; they mimic the texture and consistency of crabmeat.  They can be used in lieu of crab for everything from vegan crab dip to vegan crabcakes with delicious abandon!  Some examples:  
Crabcakes Recipe: https://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2021/03/lions-mane-mushroom-recipes-crab-cakes.html
Crab Dip Recipe: https://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/recipes/2070562/lions-mane-mushroom-mornay
**Another favorite crab dip recipe - a decadent one perfect for a fancy cocktail party - is at the very end of this blog post!  Scroll down. **
 
Want SCALLOPS?  Get TRUMPET MUSHROOMS!
The stems of trumpet mushroom, cut into slices, not only look just like scallops, they taste like them, too.  You’ll get all the taste without killing anyone and you’ll get a way healthier dish.  Win!  Plus, for anyone who has over cooked a deceased scallop into a rubbery mess, you can relax with trumpet mushrooms.  They can handle way longer cooking times with aplomb.
 
I like to chop garlic and put it in a bowl with white wine and vegan butter or olive oil, dulse, and crushed black pepper and then pop in the sliced trumpet mushroom stems and soak them overnight and then pan fry them the next day.  If you're feeling really indulgent, you can even wrap them in vegan bacon.  I like the vegan bacon from Herbivorous Butcher or Upton's Naturals (available at Whole Foods).  There are many other recipes and options.  Here is one:
 
Scallops Recipe:  https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/vegan-mushroom-scallops
 
Want SUSHI?  Get yourself some veggies, fruits, rice, and seaweed wrapper!
Vegan sushi is now at many restaurants and you can make your own, too!  Here are recipes for everything from spicy tuna rolls to dynamite rolls:
 
https://chooseveg.com/blog/9-vegan-sushi-recipes-so-you-can-finally/

​Want OCTOPUS?  Get DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS!
Dried shiitake mushrooms can replicate the chewy texture of octopus without slaughtering one of these amazingly intelligent and creative creatures (have you seen My Octopus Teacher?  If not, stop!  Go see it right now!  It's on Netflix).

You just need to google "vegan octopus recipes" for a ton of options, but here is my all-time favorite:
https://flouredframe.com/vegan-takoyaki/

Want SQUID (CALAMARI)?  Get OYSTER MUSHROOMS!
Oyster mushrooms can make you some mouth-watering cruelty-free calamari.  Here's my favorite recipe:
https://www.dailyvegan.recipes/2020/11/03/vegan-calamari-with-spicy-chipotle-aioli/

Want CEVICHE?  Get some AVOCADO, some JICAMA - the options are endless!
Ceviche has many variations you can play with.  The marinade is, in my experience, the most important part.  Here's one of my favorite recipes, which takes only 20 minutes (!) and focuses on the lime and avocado components:
https://www.holajalapeno.com/vegan-ceviche/

Now, for the stuff that’s hard to make yourself, there are great options for buying plant-based tuna, salmon, shrimp, and other seafood dishes.  Some of my favorites:
 
WANT LOBSTER?  Buy it online from May Wah or NoPigNeva:
​
​https://nopigneva.com/shop/seafood/vegan-lobster/?fbclid=IwAR3r3BlPRqdrJqH5afcFox5HM6ELCU_T7G1xjarEARWsfYHlJBJEHzLW95U
 
I’ll just quote from their website:
“Vegan lobster ready for your homemade lobster roll. Just add lemon juice, hearts of palm, and a dash of Old Bay for the summer favorite you’ve been dreaming about. No animal products whatsoever, just a little taste of Maine without a trip to the ocean.”
 
Want CAVIAR?
Caviart makes both black and orange plant-based caviar delicacies from seaweed which means no whales or other animals were butchered AND you get all the many health benefits of seaweed.  You can buy this incredibleness at specialty stores or online.  It's even on Amazon:  
https://www.amazon.com/Caviart-Award-winning-VEGAN-Caviar-Seaweed/dp/B00XBOA3QS
See also: https://caviart.com/products/

Want FISH, SHRIMP,  FISH STICKS, FISH FILLET, TUNA, SALMON, ETC.?
One word for online ordering: NOPIGNEVA!  Check out all their plant-based seafood options at https://nopigneva.com/product-category/seafood/
 
For in-store shopping, both Sophie’s Kitchen and Good Catch have wonderful vegan seafood options as well.
 
https://www.sophieskitchen.com/
 
https://goodcatchfoods.com/

"Crab" Dip - The Fancy Version
As promised above, a cocktail party favorite fancy version of crab dip that you can make in 20 minutes (yes, truly!):
1.  Combine 1 cup of raw cashews, 2 cups water, 1/2 a fresh squeezed lemon,  1 T chickpea miso, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast in your blender and blend until it's a creamy dip.  
2.  In a saute pan, heat a little olive or avocado oil  and add a clove or two (to taste) of chopped garlic and about 1/2 cup minced shallots and sauté for 5 minutes.  While it's sautéing, take 16 oz Lion's Mane mushrooms and tear them into bite-some morsels - this is your "crab."  Pop the Lion's Mane mushrooms (if you're lucky enough to have access to Smallhold Lion's Mane mushrooms, these are what I use) along with 2 T of flour (I use cassava flour but you can really use any flour) into the pan and sauté another 5 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup of a good dry, white wine (like your favorite Pinot Grigio) and an optional T of good sherry and sauté a final 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and pour in the blended dip you made first, very slowly, while stirring.  The mixture should be thick and a little chunky.  Pour it into a pretty serving bowl and garnish with a bit of parsley or green onions or both!  You can season with salt or dulse and pepper, as well, if you like.  You can also add vegan bacon bits.  My favorite for melt-in-your-mouth are Foreal Foods coconut bacon, however, there are many, MANY vegan coconut bacon bits that are all wonderful.
 
Happy eating!  Let me know if I missed your favorite seafood dish!  I'll add it in!  :)

This year, it was again my privilege to give welcoming remarks to the filmmakers of the annual 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition, a 3-day filmmaking extravaganza that aims to promote and support underrepresented voices in the entertainment industry.  Every year, the competition focuses on a theme and, this year, we looked at words and why they matter so very much.  Here is a copy of the remarks on the topic and if you'd like to watch, just click here!
***
Thanks and welcome filmmakers!  Every year we at the Film Lab choose a couple of themes to focus on for the Shootout.  This year we delved into what it means to be “essential” or “integral to” a society and how words can impact that perception of belonging.  The impact of simple words can have a dramatic impact on groups within a society.  An obvious example we’ve all seen is how the use of phrases like “Kung flu” and the “Chinese Virus” have influenced anti-Asian hate crimes across the country from beatings to stabbings to shootings.  Conversely, we’ve seen how phrases like “Black Lives Matter” and “Stop Asian Hate” have galvanized people to come together to support equality and inspired people to find empathy for others.  In looking at words in our language and how we use them, we were struck by the prevalence of what I call a language of domination or subjugation in our common vernacular.  That’s a mouthful.  What do I mean by that?  We often hear the phrases “kill it,” “slay it,” “crush it.”  We’re all familiar with the idea of coming, seeing and conquering.  That was what Columbus did, right?  And he’s such a role model?  So, is it a good thing?  This quest for domination, even at the expense of others, written into our very slang? 
 
Essentially, what we’re seeing is a use of our language that values destruction over construction and – as we all should know by now – words matter.
 
Rather than crushing, killing, slaying, or conquering (your films), what about creating?  Collaborating?  Learning? Building? 
 
Instead of hunting, slaughtering and domination (over your cast and crew), what about cooperating?  Nurturing?  Stewardship?  
 
What if we were to re-frame the foundation of our own narrative as constructive rather than destructive?  As one of casual kindness instead of casual cruelty?  What if we were to place value on the positives instead of the negatives? This year’s theme will invite you to do just that.
 
One last thing we touched upon in thinking what it means to be essential in a society – to truly belong – is also who our heroes are, how a hero is defined, whether a hero is valued or essential.  Going back to words and phrases, we also often hear the phrase “Don’t be a hero” (take care of yourself), which ties into this  language of domination, in a sense, by encouraging a self-centered, rather than a compassionate, outlook.  We challenge you to think about words and phrases and how you use them.  Think about it critically.  And we ask, that, for just 72 hours, you be heroes, take risks, be bold, and be courageous with your films.  After all, if you’re not, then what’s the point?  Most of all, though, have fun!  So, good luck.  Go create some game-changing films.  No pressure or anything.

youtu.be/e_H1IbF9aQI

​Every year around this time I start receiving my SAG screeners, stock up on my beloved Cado mint chip ice cream and start movie watching!  This year, I moved beyond the screeners to investigate films that I thought were truly special and, while I am no critic, thought it would be fun to share with you a shortlist of my favorites:
 
     1.     The More Than Frybread Movie

I do not know how I missed the More Than Frybread movie before. I was looking for a fun, contemporary movie over the #Thanksgiving break that had a Native American dominated cast and this one came up. It is freakin' hysterical. I laughed so hard I nearly cried. The only caveat I have is that afterwards I ate, like, a loaf of bread (not to mention several pints of Cado) because the movie makes you kind of hungry.  You'll understand when you watch it.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pto1xNsk98o
 
     2.     Woman at War

This is an amazing film I missed when it first came out but finally saw: Woman At War.  I am ashamed to say this is the first Icelandic-Ukrainian movie I've seen and now I know I should check out more. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, the lead actor, is AMAZING. This is another one of those fabulous films like A Call To Spy, more on that below, in which a woman leads with absolute perfection and we get the privilege of seeing the story through a lens breathtakingly different from the typical Hollywood basic vanilla. I never thought I'd see a comedy tackle such a serious issue (issues, really) in this kind of refreshing, dazzling way.  A must see.   https://www.womanatwarfilm.com/

     3.     Gunda

Gunda is my #1 favorite documentary of the year.  It is gorgeously shot – a treat for the eyes – and takes us all into another’s world, which is really the point of entertainment media, right?  To be able to see something we perhaps never before imagined from a perspective we may never before have imagined either.  By turns, hysterically funny and devastatingly heartbreaking, this is one of those never-to-be-forgotten films.  https://thevore.com/film/97041/
https://www.gunda.movie

     4.     A Call to Spy
 
I have read a lot of books about WWII and I was nervous about A Call To Spy but it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved it. Bravo Radhika Apte, Sarah Megan Thomas and all the amazing cast and crew! It was so refreshing to see a movie about women spies that was about their minds, souls and actual spy craft, not about falling in love with some man or getting saved by some man.  https://youtu.be/3qpXI6n6Ea0

And from the SAG screeners:

1. Minari

As someone who spent a part of my childhood in the rural (ish) Midwest, as virtually the only non-white American in my school, it was refreshing to see another non-white American family in a similarly rural homogenous town.  The film was very realistic, authentic and genuine.  There isn’t  much malice or racism in this film, though there is ignorance and kindness.  It’s a refreshingly fun dive into an aspect of American life not often seen in mainstream media.

     2.     Nomadland
Nomadland, like Gunda, allowed me a glimpse of a life very different from my own.  It was a breathtakingly visceral mix of grief and freedom. Chloé Zhao and Frances McDormand are a powerhouse duo. I've decided I am going to be in a film with them. They don't know that yet....but I am sure they'll be cool with it. #Inspiration
www.WatchNomadland.com

     3.     Promising Young Woman
Saw my SAG Screener for Promising Young Woman and, after all I’d hoped for as a huge fan of writer/director Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve), I was not disappointed. For all of – I think many – of us who have experienced or witnessed something similar to what our protagonist or her best friend did, this film will hit a very raw nerve. For all the surreal shots and candy colors, it is very, very real. The long, silent scream for help echoes so many we have been ignoring for way too long. And the end was one I’d never, ever expected.  https://youtu.be/7i5kiFDunk8
 
If you’re looking to kick back, relax, and have some popcorn (or Cado mint chip), these films are a wonderful way to spend an evening in.  If you watch, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on my picks!

White supremacists claim theirs is a master race, better by far than any far.  White supremacist groups have embraced violence against non-whites or whites who don't conform to their ideologies to such an extent that the FBI has issued numerous warnings about their plans for "killing minorities, particularly African-Americans and Jews" and their "toxic blend of ideology, dangerous rhetoric and embrace of violence has made [them] a top priority for the agency [the FBI]." (NYT, FBI, FN. 1)

​The funny thing about white supremacy, though, is that it comes from a place of absolute inferiority.  If one genuinely believes that his race is so vastly superior to all others, then the "lesser" races are no threat to him.  They are but grains of sand before a great and mighty ocean or ants before a lion - nothing to be concerned about; nothing to waste time plotting against.  The ocean does not destroy the sand anymore than the lion concerns herself with annihilating ants.  It is only because the white supremacist actually knows that he is no ocean and no lion and because he believes, deep down, in his inferiority that he perceives the other races as a threat and therefore seeks to do all within his power to weaken and harm them.  The white supremacist seeks to disempower those not like him because he is afraid of his weakness, perceives threats everywhere and does not have the ability to compete without an extreme and unfair advantage, which is what he concerns himself with trying to obtain.

FN. 1: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/us/white-supremacy-the-base.htmlFBI danger white supremacy

https://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/confronting-white-supremacy

It's hard to believe, however, for eight years now I have been privileged to give welcoming remarks at the Film Lab's annual 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition launch party.  The competition helps bring exposure, mentorship and exhibition opportunities to filmmakers from groups traditionally underrepresented in mainstream media, with a focus on Asian Americans.  This year, the competition added an additional award category for LGBTQ filmmakers.   Here is a copy of my welcome to this year's filmmakers:

Hello from the virtual 72 Hour Shootout Launch Party red carpet!  It’s my pleasure to welcome you to the launch of our 16th 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition!
 
Throughout the history of our country, our stories – and by “our,” I mean groups frequently underrepresented, marginalized or ignored by mainstream entertainment media like Asian Americans and others of color – our stories have often been erased or re-framed by the dominant majority.  Our history, if told at all, has been told through a lens not our own, one that is ofttimes distorted or altogether false.
 
During times of crisis/pandemic, like this, the narrative can become even more polarizing and dangerous.  We at the Film Lab knew that now, particularly, the stories of traditionally underrepresented Americans need to be amplified and so, despite everything, the 72 Hour Shootout goes on – albeit as it never has before: with extremely enhanced safety guidelines and as the 1st ever #IsolationEdition.  Times are challenging and the Shootout’s new parameters are challenging, however, for 16 years now, incredible filmmakers like you have risen to the challenge to use your art to effectuate positive social change.  I have no doubt in your ability to do so again.  Good luck!

Watch the program here

Press Release here
 

This one will give you a ton of Vitamin A, antioxidants and is soothing on the tummy - boo yah!  

You Will Need:
4 carrots (the regular-sized ones; not baby carrots)*
1/3 cup raisins**
1 3/4 cup millet flour***
3 T chia seeds mixed with 9 T water
Pinch of vanilla powder
2/3 cup molasses, maple syrup OR monk fruit powder****
Pinch ground ginger
Pinch cloves
Pinch cinnamon
1 3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t lemon juice

Directions:
All you need to do is toss the ingredients in a blender in the order they're listed above and bend them until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a 9" loaf pan that you've lightly greased with a little bit of olive or avocado oil.  

Put it in the (pre-heated) oven at 350 F for 35 - 40 minutes.  Let it cool for 10 - 15 minutes before digging in or frosting.  See below for a note on frosting.  You can garnish the cake with frosting and/or some ribbons of carrot from the peeler and a sprinkle of nuts, such as walnuts (high in Omegas),  if you like them!

Note:  If you'd like to do a traditional cream cheese frosting, just mix a container of Kite Hill's almond milk cream cheese with 1/2 cup of plain almond milk yogurt and a few spoonfuls of monk fruit extract to taste.  You can also add a pinch of vanilla powder.

Ingredients notes:
*Carrots: good source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants
**Raisins:  raisins can aid digestion, boost iron levels, and keep your bones strong.
***You can use other flours, however, I chose millet because it's gluten free, wonderful for people with a lot of sensitivities, anti-inflammatory, rich in minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium as well as essential vitamins like folate, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and Vitamins B6, C, E, and K.
****In choosing between these 3 sweeteners, they all have different benefits.  The molasses (use blackstrap, unsulphured) is full of antioxidants, calcium and iron and the maple syrup has more minerals and antioxidants than honey while having fewer calories (than honey), however, both molasses and maple syrup have, well, calories, so they should be used in moderation.  If you really want to keep the calories low, opt for monk fruit, which has 0 calories.  You could try Stevia for 0 calories as well, although, when I tried this recipe with Stevia, it had a bit of an aftertaste that I didn't love.  Experiment and see what suits you best.

As pretty much everyone knows, the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping most of us in our homes, physically distancing ourselves from others.  As an actor, being in isolation has been challenging.  I have, like so many other artists, lost work.  I have friends worried they won’t be able to buy food or pay next month’s rent. While I have little to offer as far as getting more income, I have been able to figure out ways to create and to use my skillset to give back to the community right now.  

I’ve begun volunteering to do voiceover to read news for the blind and disabled, which I am able to record from my home studio. Not only does this keep me in practice, it helps others who might otherwise have difficulty accessing this information.  I’ve also been hard at work with my production team creating PSAs and other COVID-19 related content to try to help inform (and even amuse!) the greater community while we streamline systems to allow us to film, edit and score these pieces even while in isolation from one another.  I’m not alone in these efforts!  As part of some of the work I have been doing, I was introduced to an incredible woman named Angela Chan who started the Cre8sian Project, which is aimed at highlighting the accomplishments of Asians in the Arts, as well as Asian females in the arts.  She kindly agreed to an interview and I think her words will inspire you:

1.  In a short paragraph, please tell us a little about yourself, your background and your work.
 
I am a music director, pianist, writer, composer, lyricist, and vocal coach! I grew up as a classically trained competition pianist. I competed for years growing up until my piano teacher had a stroke when I was a sophomore in high school. At the time I was in concert band, marching band, and was starting to get into jazz band, so I sort of strayed away from classical music for a bit. When I was a senior, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life. I didn't really want to be a classical pianist, but I wasn't good enough at jazz to major in it, so I went back to classical to get into college and got into the University of North Texas as a classical piano major. It wasn't until my second year of college that I discovered musical theater. I had never been exposed to theater much growing up, but once I did my first show, I knew there was something special about it! I loved every aspect of musical theater, so I delved into it as much as I could! After graduating from college I was fortunate enough to go out on tour with a bunch of broadway shows, "South Pacific," "The Sound of Music," "Cats," and "Phantom of the Opera," and have performed in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico! In 2006 I moved to Las Vegas, where I was fortunate enough to play in a bunch of the broadway shows on the Strip; "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular," "Lion King," "Spamalot," and "Jersey Boys," to name a few, as well as work for Cirque du Soleil, The Las Vegas Philharmonic, and the Nevada Ballet Theatre! In 2011 I co-wrote a musical called "Legacy of the Tiger Mother." It was my first foray into writing, but I ended up self producing it and it played in theater festivals in New York, the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Adelaide, Australia, and the San Francisco Fringe Festival, where we won a "Best of the Fringe" award! Since then I've composed music and/or lyrics for 3 more shows. I am also heavily involved in a non profit called Positively Arts, which uses the arts to empower, educate, inspire, and heal. I help them with vocal coaching students who can't afford to take lessons, give masterclasses, and perform for their two big performances every year: Arts in Action and Get Launched, which is a mentorship program that pairs students with professional performers! In addition to this I also became a Notary Public and a registered wedding officiant in Clark County, so I can marry anyone that wants to get married! (I have even married people in a t rex costume! lol). Currently I am the Assistant Bandleader/Keyboard 1 at "Le Reve The Dream" at Wynn Las Vegas and I do a lot of vocal coaching and audition prep for actors and singers. My newest project, The Cre8sian Project, has been an idea that's been floating around my head until last year, when I made the decision to make this idea a reality. As I developed it, I knew I wanted it to be centered around showcasing the strengths of Asians and Asian females in particular, and over the course of the last year the characters and the ideas developed as we went along, and the result is The Cre8sian Project, which is aimed at highlighting the accomplishments of Asians in the Arts, as well as Asian females in our industry, with a portion of the proceeds  benefitting non profits who promote Asians in the arts and arts education programs!
 
2.  What are the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of your work and why? 
 
Some of the things I find most challenging are having to work with inefficient processes. I spend a lot of time prepping for every job I do to make sure that when the time comes to execute work, I've made it as efficient as possible, foreseen problems that can arise and navigated around them, so when I'm working in an environment where I can see a lot of inefficiency going on, or time being wasted, it's really hard for me to sit back when I know I'm not in charge and can see solutions to the chaos! On the other hand, I love volunteering with Positively Arts and getting my fellow musicians at Le Reve involved with their events! It's always super rewarding to be able to share our love and knowledge of music with students who are enthusiastic and who truly love and benefit from these experiences! There is nothing better (for me) than to help a student find their "voice" for the first time!
 
3.  How do race and/or gender and/or diversity play into your work?
 
I don't know if race has really played much into my work (other than there aren't very many Asian musicians in the musical theater world), but I sometimes feel like gender has worked against me sometimes. It's very difficult for a women to compete for Musical Director positions in the theater world. Not a lot have done it, and you have to be really up your game at least 200% to stay in the game.
 
4.  What are the best and worst things that have happened to you, within the context of race or gender issues in the arts or just generally, and what did you learn from them?
 
I've never been good at learning languages, and I think in the context of race, I've always felt some condescension from Chinese people (in particular) because I didn't learn to speak Chinese. My grandmother was from a small village in China and her dialect isn't widely spoken, so when I was going to Chinese school as a small child, my struggles were very real trying to learn a language everyone else already knew. I remember going to the wrong class one day, and the teacher was speaking Chinese very rapidly. She saw the deer in headlights look on my face and asked me a question in Chinese. When it was obvious I had no idea what she said, she very loudly said in front of the class "You know nothing! Go back to the beginner class!" I gathered my things and went to the bathroom and cried until it was time for my parents to pick me up. I had so many experiences like that at Chinese schools that I eventually begged my dad not to make me go anymore. I had to cry to him for 3 hours straight before he agreed that I could stay home and study with him. I think because of this I struggled a little more with proudly identifying as an Asian because I was treated so badly. It was hard to find Asian Americans that were like me where I grew up; Chinese kids that only spoke English. I know that look well when an Asian person asks me if I speak Chinese, and the disappointed look when I tell them that I don't speak Chinese, except now I can just shrug and say "at least I play the piano," and laugh it off. 

 
5.  If you could share a single sentence of advice or insight for others, particularly those in arts or in the entertainment business, what would it be?
 
Never stop learning, never stop trying and make sure if you want to be in this business, that you truly love your craft. The second you decide you already know enough is the day your downfall starts. And without love, all of this becomes just work.
 
6.  Do you think artists have an obligation to create diverse and/or morally and socially conscious content?  Is art always a form of activism?  Should it be?  Why or why not?
 
I don't know if we necessarily have an obligation to create socially conscious content. I think that a lot of interesting content comes from the clash between the morally conscious against the immorally conscious. I don't always think art is a form of activism, unless you make it, and sometimes it turns out that way without you meaning for it to. For me, art is about storytelling. How do we tell the story to make it relevant? How do we make it relatable. Sometimes there isn't a purpose for it that aligns with an activist strategy, although sometimes they do. And our content is always our opinion, our take on how we view things. I think it depends on where our individual fights are taking us.

7.  What is the most sage lesson you have learned that can translate into advice for others?
 
Learn from your mistakes. And learn from other's mistakes too. It cuts down on so much wasted time when you already know something doesn't work so you can spend more time focusing on other better solutions.
 
8.  Does your advice change at all if I ask you to focus on women and/or minority filmmakers?  If so, why and how.
 
I don't think it does. I think forming a strategy is so important, but definitely applicable to everyone.

9.  What is the single most fun moment you've experienced in your work (and you create female Asian superheroes so there have got to be a lot of fun moments!) ?
 
Hm, this is a tough one! lol I always try to have fun whenever I'm at work, so I'm always happy to do silly things like show up in a trex costume, or play a little musical joke while we're having to vamp if we have technical issues during a show! During a production of The Music Man I was conducting, the percussionist was a well known joker and was always trying to "get" us during the show. He had a train whistle he played at one point during the show, and he always blew it as hard as he could until he doubled over because he had no air left. So one day I secretly passed around sharpies and cardboard to all the musicians in the pit and asked them to write a "rating number" on it, and when he went to play his train whistle that show, he came back up for air and saw everyone holding up their ratings signs at him and laughing!! lol 
 
10.  What is the single most obnoxious moment you've experienced in the arts industry?
 
Is there ever really just one? I don't know that I can answer this question without getting in trouble . . . lol 
 
11.  What lies ahead for you?
 
Who knows where this crazy world will take me! I hope to keep growing as a performer and teacher, and keep bringing the arts to children of all ages! But I'm also not opposed to completely changing directions and having a totally different life. I supposed that's the beauty of living in an unpredictable world!
 
12.  What does the phrase "Ethical Is Beautiful Be Beautiful" mean to you and your work, if anything?
 
To me that phrase means to always do right by everyone. I always try to treat everyone I work with respect and let them know how much I appreciate them. Kindness is always free, but it's one of the greatest tools a leader can utilize. Even through the worst of situations (kind of like the state of the world we live in now), people, if they're treated right, will still have the strength to follow a good leader, one they feel sees and hears them, and knows their worth. I think it means always having people's best interests at heart, because then people never feel cheated by you, and with that you can create a strong trust among your peers.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONNECT WITH ANGELA:
 
www.AngelaChanMusic.com
www.TheCre8sianProject.com
www.TigerMotherTheMusical.com