KUCI: Subversity

1st March on Washington, D.C. for Lesbian & Gay Rights: 20th Anniversary; CIA Recruiters at UCI Take a walk down memory lane with a look back at the first national gay march during our October 22, 1999 show. Listen to some of the speakers (incl. Allen Ginsberg), and hear show host Dan Tsang talk about the first march thru Chinatown that morning 20 years ago. Hear him read talks by Audre Lorde and other activists. Preceded by news updates, including a report on CIA recruiters spying on students at UCI in 1999the previous Wednesday.

War & High Crimes Our December 22, 1998 show on the Pre-Christmas Bombing of Iraq featured interviews with former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark; Rania Masri, coordinator of the Iraq Action Coalition; and Hussein Ishbi, media coordinator of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). We also discussed the Progressive Librarians Guild's open letter to then-President Bill Clinton over the bombing. Converted from RealAudio to mp3.

Iris Chang, journalist-turned-author, talks in 2003 with interviewer Daniel C. Tsang about writing her new book, The Chinese in America (Viking, 2003), on Subversity Show 10 June 2003 on KUCI. She is best known for her earlier book, The Rape of Nanking. She died in 2004.

On our December 20, 2000 show, we talked with William J. Duiker on his new biography on Ho Chi Minh. Utilizing national archives in various countries, his portrait of Ho is complex and shatters many myths.

Evans Chan is a New York-based Hong Konger who returned to his native city to make arguably the best and most comprehensive documentary on developments during the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, when thousands of activists occupied three areas of Hong Kong for several months in 2014. He is interviewed by show host Daniel C. Tsang in Hong Kong.

Community Art specialist Samson Wong talks about the history of Garden Streams' work with established and budding artists while they were refugees held in Hong Kong detention camps for refugees from Vietnam, awaiting screening for resettlement, and what happened to the artwork. Interviewed by show host Daniel C. Tsang on 6 November 2017 in Ma On Shan, Hong Kong. Interview copyright c Daniel C. Tsang 2017.

Despite a potential prison term for his role in the Occupy Central with Love and Peace civil disobedience, HKU Law Prof. Benny Tai continues to speak out. In an interview conducted 19 October 2017 at his law school office, Tai addresses legal issues such as retroactivity and double jeopardy as well as what he will do should he get sent to prison. He is interviewed by show host Daniel C. Tsang. Copyright c Daniel C. Tsang.

Hong Kong Indigenous leader Ray Wong speaks out on Hong Kong's future, despite facing a likely long prison term. The interview, conducted on 16 October 2017, took place at the HKI's Hong Kong headquarters. Show host Daniel C. Tsang interviewed Wong in Cantonese, the language of Hong Kong.

Transplanted New Yorker is founding editor of New Bloom, an online magazine from Taipei offering radical perspectives on Taiwan and Asian Pacific. Show host Daniel C. Tsang on November 14, 2016 interviewed him in Taipei. Aired 21 July 2017.

Localist Edward Leung discusses his radicalization in Hong Kong protests and how he identified as a Hong Kong person. Interviewed on 6 June 2016 at University of Hong Kong for KUCI Subversity Online by Show Host Daniel C. Tsang.

One could say that Eddy Zheng (left) made something of himself despite being incarcerated at San Quentin prison for 19 years plus another two in immigration detention. The Cantonese immigrant from Guangzhou, China, was only 19 when he waved a gun and participated in a home invasion... Interview with director Ben Wang, subject Eddy zheng and composer Scott "Chops" Jung

Boiling Point is an explosive drama about racism on campus, done intelligently and sparking discussion on race relations around campuses. Audio is of a March 1, 2016 discussion after screening of the 2015 film. Aired on KUCI Subversity Online March 3, 2016.

Political Cartoonist Zunar, whose pointed drawings target corruption and injustice in Malaysia, faces a combined 43 years' imprisonment in a trial for seditious tweets slated to begin next week in Kuala Lumpur. The tweets lampooned the decision to jail opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on sodomy charges. Zunar was in Irvine as guest speaker on a UCI Law School panel of cartoonists at the Free Expression conference. Interview conducted 23 January 2016 in Irvine, California.

Repeat airing of our KUCI Subversity Show 1999 January 19 interview with poet and performance artist Justin Chin. Interviewer: Daniel C. Tsang

ProPublica Journalist A.C. Thompson discusses his PBS Frontline documentary "Terror in Little Saigon" and his reportage on the history of intimidation and murder of Vietnamese American journalists in the 1980s. Interviewer is Daniel C. Tsang, host of Subversity Show. Copyright Daniel C. Tsang c 2015

Benny Tai, the Hong Kong University Law Professor who co-founded Occupy Central, spoke 28 April 2015 to a graduate political seminar (Solinger) at University of California, Irvine. Here's his reflections on the protests in Hong Kong that grabbed world attention in Fall, 2014.

Brazil is often portrayed in film for its flamboyant, colorful and musical extravagance. Taking a decidedly different stance are queer directors (a couple) Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon, who have written and directed this exquisite portrayal of teen sexual awakening in "Seashore." KUCI Subversity Online interviewed the two directors 31 July 2015 about their latest film. Show host is Daniel C. Tsang.

Director Matthew Torne talks about his documentary on Joshua Wong and Ma Jai, teen activists in Hong Kong against National Education. He is interviewed by show host Daniel C. Tsang.

Historian Ngo Vinh Long recalls his long comradeship with David Truong and the efforts of the national security state in setting up the latter for prosecution in an effort to sabotage the Paris peace talks settling the Vietnam War. Interviewed by Subversity Online host Daniel C. Tsang ? 2014

Director Hieu Tran's short, Squared, screening at the 2014 Vietnamese Film Festival, addresses sexual expectations and prejudices and challenges conventional wisdom about sexual practices, endowment size and sexual enjoyment of Queer Asian males. He is interviewed by Subversity Show host Daniel C. Tsang.

Queer activists the world over will find this new documentary about coming out refreshingly different. Instead of the typical coming out story from a gay or lesbian teenager or adult, Fan Popo's latest film, "Mama Rainbow," focuses rather on mothers of gay males or lesbians - and how they have become advocates for their offspring. Interviewer: Daniel C. Tsang.

Nicholas Wrathall, director of "Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia," discusses his documentary on the public intellectual that spans Gore Vidal's privileged upbringing to his historical fiction and provocative essays challenging the state, while speaking truth to power. He is interviewed by host Daniel C. Tsang for KUCI Subversity Online.

A captivating documentary, "Big Joy", captures the pansexuality and poetic and cinematic genius of James Broughton, whose involvement in the San Francisco Renaissance predated the period of the Beats. Subversity Online interviews co-director Stephen Silha, a first-time filmmaker, on the life and impact of the affectionate and fairy-like poet, who continued writing into the end of his life in his eighties. In his senior years, Broughton is also engaged in a long relationship with another, younger man. Silha discusses in the interview why he made this film and their use of archival footage, as well as where the Broughton archives are located.

In the best of times, committed relationships across geographic and political boundaries are daunting and hard to realize. Israel-born director Michael Mayer has put on the silver screen (at Outfest Los Angeles 2013) a daring gay love story, "Out in the Dark," involving a Palestinian Birzeit University psych student, Nimr (played by Nicholas Jacob) and attorney Roy (played by noted Israeli actor Michael Aloni). Mayer is interviewed by show host Daniel C. Tsang.

One of the hardest things to do in life is to forgive hateful acts, especially perpetrated by someone on yourself. Documentary filmmaker Jason Cohen's "Facing Fear", featured at the 2013 Outfest Los Angeles, offers convincing evidence that reconciliation and forgiveness are still options even for a gay-bashing victim (Matthew Boger) and his then-neoNazi perpetrator (Tim Zaal). On Subversity Online, host Daniel C. Tsang talked with today Cohen about his film and explore the issues of forgiveness and hatred.

Chinese democracy activist Wang Dan spoke on May 25, 2006 at UC Irvine on "Rethinking the Past and Looking to the Future of China." He was a key student leader at the Tienanmen protests in 1989. This show first aired on KUCI on the Subversity Show on June 19, 2006.

A group of surfers in search of the "perfect wave" encounter political dissidence and state genocide in Papua New Guinea and teach villagers to surf. This Subversity Online interview is with director, writer and producer of "Isolated", Justin LePera. Interviewer is Daniel C. Tsang.

Blasting across the U.S. and into Asia is $upercaptalist, an independently produced drama that is intelligently written, exquisitely acted, fast-moving and fun to watch. It depicts a smart Asian American Cornell graduate and newly minted hedge fund trader, Conner Lee (played by Derek Ting) sent to Hong Kong to orchestrate the downfall of a major Hong Kong shipping conglomerate. Interview 30 August 2012 with Derek Ting by Daniel C. Tsang for Subversity Online edition.

British journalist and author Ben White discusses the dark realities facing Palestinians behind Israel's facade of a democratic state. He spoke 7 May 2012 at University of California, Irvine, during "Palestine Liberation Week" - sponsored by UCI's Muslim Student Union.

Friends, family and colleagues of noted University of California economist Julius Margolis recall his lifelong dedication to the field of economics, his founding of Global Peace and Conflict Studies at UCI and his subsequent transformation from Julie to Jules the artist. Also his battles with UC administration that led to the development of University Hills. Audio of memorial reception 16 May 2012 at UC Irvine.

Audio of speakers at the Larry Howard Memorial Reception at University of California, Irvine held on 16 May 2012. Various family members, colleagues and friends celebrate Social Sciences Lecturer Larry Howard's life-long connection to UCI and commitment to making the world a better place. Copyright c 2012

Documentary Filmmaker S. Leo Chiang talks about his latest film, Mr. Cao Goes to Washington, about the politics of Republican Joseph Cao, who in a stunning upset, was elected Congressman in a Democratic, Black-majority district in Louisiana, but failed to keep his seat. Chiang explores Mr. Cao's journey. The interviewer: Daniel C. Tsang, Subversity Show Online host. Copyright c 2012

Vietnamese American feature film director Mye Hoang discusses her tumultuous relationship in Viette (2012) which she wrote and directed and appeared in. Her powerful memoir covers her initial love affair at 17 with a white, older man (20) and the subsequent falling apart of the relationship, with no help from her immigrant family. Interviewed by Daniel C. Tsang, host of this online edition of Subversity.

60s activist, former California State Senator Tom Hayden spoke about Economic Democracy and Alternative Futures at University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, 29 November 2011 at 7 pm at Humanities Gateway, Room 1030. Presenter: The Chican@/Latin@ Graduate Student Collective.

Cal State University Fullerton Historian Arthur A. Hansen talks about the often hidden history of Orange County, California, Nikkei in World War II as a lecture at the CSUF Nikkei Heritage Museum 19 October 2011. Permission granted to post audio on Subversity show site and make it freely available.

In this special online edition of Subversity, we bring you the first day of the Occupy Orange County, including rally speakers.

Orange County's French Vietnamese filmmaker Stephane Gauger on his new hip hop film set in contemporary Saigon, "Saigon Electric". This is a special online edition of KUCI's Subversity program hosted by Daniel C. Tsang.

In an inspirational speech Olympic twice-gold medalist Greg Louganis, of Samoan/Swedish heritage, and a UCI drama alumnus, Friday 10 June 2011 addressed graduating seniors at UCI's Arts School graduation (the event also included graduates from the Physical Sciences). Louganis, who was HIV-positive when he won the two golds in diving in the 1988 Olympics, said he is proof HIV/AIDS is no longer a "death sentence." He exhorted UCI's graduating students in the Arts and in Physical Sciences to be imaginative {"to explore your imagination") and have trust in fellow human beings, even though he himself was at times overly trusting of others ("I'd rather trust... than be cynical"). The UCI drama alumnus said this was his first graduation he ever attended.

Former Guide features editor Bill Andriette, who has written on sex panics, critiques the report on Catholic priests and sex for ignoring research on youths who did not regard sexual relationships with priests as "abuse." He is interviewed by Subversity host Daniel C. Tsang

The issue of sex with altar boy (and girls) by Catholic priests has saturated the media, but what does the research tell us? Subversity host Daniel C. Tsang talks with UCI alumna and criminologist Karen Terry about the 143-page report that her research team at John Jay College just submitted to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Her key finding in The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010: Only 5% of the priests were "pedophiles" (sex with pre-pubescents), with the majority of the cases relating to sex with pubescent or adolescent boys.

The UC Irvine Libraries celebrate the history of Irvine, California with an exhibit, Irvine: the Vision, the Plan, the Promise, curated by UCI librarian Yvonne Wilson, opening later this week (Wednesday May 11) at Langson Library on the UCI campus. On the 9 May 2011 edition of KUCI's Subversity, we talk with a speaker slated for the exhibit opening, Irvine council member and long-time politician Larry Agran (pictured), about the City of Irvine and his perspective on issues of "town and gown" over the years. Agran also made an unsuccessful bid to run for President in 1992.

We talk with Byron Q, the director of Bang Bang, a film about gang life. Bryon Q studied under renowned French New Wave director Jean-Pierre Gorin at UCSD and this is his debut film. It features Justin (Thai Ngo), trapped in the gang lifestyle, and his rich Taiwanese best friend Charlie (David Huynh), in the film's strongest role. The multi-ethnic cast brings additional realism to the film. The ever youthful looking Huynh (actually a Vietnamese from Canada) was the focus of a Subversity interview back in 2007. We also talk with Act Up and Riot Grrl activist turned director Billie Rain about his new film, Heart Breaks Open, featuring queer activist and poet Jesus (Maximillan Davis) whose life implodes when he finds out he is HIV-positive. Set in Seattle, the film shows how Jesus comes to rely on his friends as he struggles to make sense of his predicament.

A bold new documentary dares to address something only whispered about in the Vietnamese diasporic communities in North America -- the existence, especially in the 1980s, of a violent group of thugs -- masquerading as "freedom fighters". Enforcing the Silence director Tony Nguyen, himself having been a youth advocate in Washington D.C. and San Francisco, in resurrecting the shortened life of Vietnamese immigrant activist and journalist/editor Lam Trong Duong, pays tribute to those in the Vietnamese diasporic communities that were anti-war and progressive. Lam Doung founded the first Vietnamese youth center in America (Vietnamese Youth Development Center), and published a progressive Vietnamese-language newspaper, Cai Dinh Lang, that reprinted stories from Hanoi. That he supported Ho Chi Minh -- he was an early immigrant in 1971, prior to the fall of Saigon, and he attended Oberlin High on a American Field Service exchange and later stayed to attend Oberlin College -- may have led to his murder in 1981 at the young age of 27. Note: This particular show was an Internet edition only, interview recorded at KUCI studios on 25 April 2011 beginning around 5:30 p.m.

If ever there is a list of the top films that address the underside of Los Angeles, Mun Chee Yong's Where the Road Meets the Sun will surely be on that chart. A multicultural cast interact in various languages (mainly English) as they seek to survive on the rough streets of urbanized Los Angeles. Not a documentary by any means, Mun Chee Yong's script casts four men whose lives intersect at a decrepit hotel as they live from day to day, job to job...

We aired the 10 April 2011 Vietnamese International Film Festival Filmmakers' Panel Discussion on "Expanding the Audience Base" that took place at UC Irvine. Panelists were: Anderson Le, director of programming at the Hawaii International Film Festival; Ann Le, with international division of Universal Pictures; Charlie Nguyen, director of The Rebel; Fool for Love; James Nguyen, director/writer, Birdemic: Shock and Terror; Jenni Trang Le, Assistant Director, Bi, Don't Be Afraid, and of Clash; Khoa Do, Director/Writer, Footy Legends, Mother Fish; Le Thanh Son, director/writer, Clash, and Nguyen Nu Nhu Khue, producer with HK Films in Vietnam.

He's a Viet Kieu filmmaker with conscience. Hailing from Australia, and emerging as one of the most exciting new filmmakers from the Vietnamese diaspora, Khoa Do presented "Mother Fish," his dramatic and creative take on the boat people's exodus to the West at the 5th Vietnamese International Film Festival ongoing at various venues in Southern California, including UC Irvine. As he discusses in the interview, he made this film to counter anti-refugee prejudice in Australia against a current wave of boat people from more current wars. For the second half of Subversity, we air Making Contact's report on the Toxic Truth about Nail Salons. It focuses on the health effects of prolonged chemical exposure on the salon workers and the move toward "greener" salons.

With more countries in the Middle East erupting in protest, we return again to a focus on one of those, Yemen, whose president seems tottering on the verge of quitting. Who are the protesters? And were the pro-U.S. regime to fall, what comes after? On this evening's edition of Subversity, a KUCI public affairs program, we talk with William Picard of the Yemen Peace Project again about those questions and analyze recent developments, some horrific, some encouraging.

An enterprising Asian Studies undergraduate class at McGill University in Montreal has an intriguing mission: Create an experimental radio program to document social change in Asia and the Asian diaspora by interviewing activists, scholars and the like. Samantha Chrisanthus, who studies Political Science and Women??s Studies at McGill University, interviews Dan Tsang about his work in libraries and radio stations, as well as his efforts to document and archive injustice and harm. Sam begins by asking Dan how Subversity started and what led him to radio...

In his short tenure of less than a year heading UC Irvine Libraries, Interim University Librarian Gerald Ray Lowell has managed to uplift library morale and flatten the administrative structure so that more people have been involved in making decisions that affect those of us who work here. He has also taken an important stab at streamlining the academic review process for librarians. This interview with Gerald Lowell -- Jerry as he was known to us -- is being aired today, his last day of work at UC Irvine. He looks back at his extensive career in librarianship and reflects on his life's work. Interviewer is Daniel C. Tsang, show host.