USAAF 2020 x KSW Presents : Aria Aber & Monica Sok

On Saturday, June 13, as part of API Cultural Center of San Francisco's United States of Asian America Festival, KSW Presents Aria Aber, author of Hard Damages (University of Nebraska Press, 2019), and Monica Sok, author of A Nail the Evening Hangs On (Copper Canyon Press. 2020). Award-winning poets and children of refugees, their books explore the impact of inherited wars—Aber, through interrogating historical and personal implications of Afghan American relations, and Sok, through myth- and memory-making of Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge regime.

As an Asian American community, many of us come together bearing the scars of violence, but our kinship ties are not based in this violence. Instead, they are based in love and recognition, in knowing the way our histories are informed by US imperialism and Cold War-era regimes. Our kinship is built on offering one another the lifelines we need to persist and thrive—because of this violence, despite this violence.

Opening the reading will be a special musical performance by APAture 2017 featured artist, Kohinoorgasm!

Event will screen on OVEE, link will be sent before 6/13.

NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS. Email info@kearnystreet.org and we'll take care of you.

Message from our curators, Michelle Lin and Kazumi Chin

We recognize that like us, you are working hard to protest and fight for Black Lives Matter and the abolition of policing and white supremacy. We do not wish to take the spotlight away from this vital and important work. Additionally, we recognize that as federal and municipal governance calls upon US military to enact violence on those fighting for Black lives, there are important parallels to be made across many communities of color. We condemn US militarism and state violence in all forms. We stand with immigrants, with refugees, and with Black lives. Abolish the police. Black lives matter.

Additionally, please donate and help out our local communities!

We want to highlight two Bay Area organizations playing a key role in our local protests. Anti Police-Terror Project (https://www.antipoliceterrorproject.org) has been organizing Oakland protests and are also offering bail funds for Black and Brown folks detained in the Bay Area. The Bay Area Anti Repression Community Bail Fund (https://antirepressionbayarea.com), since the Occupy movement, has provided bail funds for those arrested at actions. Please support our Bay Area Black Lives Matter protests.