Tiffinbox

Inspiring Photographers

ArtWallah

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Something to consider for this year: ArtWallah.

“ArtWallah, Arts Festival of the South Asian Diaspora, is curating work from artists both established and emerging for its sixth annual event. We are currently accepting submissions from artists locally, nationally and abroad for the 2005 festival to be held July 7-10 in Hollywood, CA. All submissions must be postmarked by February 15th, 2005.”

For more information vist the ArtWallah web site or email.

By the way, ArtWallah could also use your financial support. Give!

Filed Under: Art

Jazz: Rez Abbasi

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Via Kiran Ahluwalia

Guitarist Rez Abbasi will be appearing at Joe's Pub in celebration of his fourth CD as a leader, “SnakeCharmer.” This recording, to be released on February 1st, 2005, is the follow up recording to the critically acclaimed “Out Of Body,” of which DownBeat Magazine said, “Out Of Body should reaffirm Abbasi's increasing stature within the modern jazz community, 4 Stars.” Abbasi will be joined at Joe's Pub by Gary Versace on organ, Dan Weiss on drums, Kiran Ahluwalia on Indian vocals, Marc Mommaas on saxophone and Naren Budhakar on tabla and percussion. “Snake Charmer” will be available for the first time at the Joe's Pub performance on January 15!

Making New York his home for the past fifteen years, Rez Abbasi is considered to be one of the foremost modern jazz guitar players in the world. With influences from the Indian sub-continent, Abbasi has developed a unique sound both as a composer and an instrumentalist. Abbasi has honed his skills with performances throughout the world including multiple tours in Europe, Canada, the U.S. and India/Pakistan. He has also performed and/or recorded with many jazz greats including, Grammy winner Ruth Brown, Peter Erskine (Weather Report), as well as Victor Lewis, Kenny Werner, Rick Margitza, Barre Phillips, DD Jackson, Tim Hagans, Marc Johnson, Billy Hart, Michael Formanek, Gary Thomas, Kiran Ahluwalia, Sandip Burman, Tony Malaby and a host of others. “Snake Charmer” is a vivid representation of Rez Abbasi's eclectic influences and experiences.

Abbasi was born in South Asia and at age four relocated with his family to Southern California. Abbasi attended The University of Southern California and the prestigious Manhattan School of Music and further studied in India under master percussionist, Ustad Alla Rakha.

Mother Earth

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Tsunami Varun-3

Varun Vashishtha is a freelance illustrator at the Hindustan Times. He submitted this artwork unsolicited. If you know of other artists interested in showcasing their artwork/tributes on Tiffinbox, I would welcome hearing from them.

To those who have donated through this site, thank you. If you have already donated through other agencies, thank you. If you haven't had a chance to give, please make a difference and drop a fiver. All you need is a PayPal account. All donations will be delivered to a reliable, accountable non-profit working in South Asia.

Filed Under: Art

Hey Mr. DJ, “eff you too!”

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A few years back I got robbed in Philly. So, it's not a city that I look to fondly and I dread hearing it mentioned every time my wife talks about her time at UPENN. Perhaps it is a latent form of post-traumatic stress disorder?

Anyway, now this brouhaha that is brewing over a Philadelphia radio station DJ spitting invectives – racist and misogynistic garbage – at a poor woman in “East India” who was only following a script and doing her job at a call center. If you must listen to this diatribe click here. If you want to skip the download, here is a transcript of that ugly exchange.

Anna, MoorishGirl, Turbanhead and SideAngleSide have all covered this well enough so, please click on those links to find out more.

Parroting their sentiments for raising hell, I say PLEASE use the following information as ammo and dive into action:

Below is the contact information to Power 99 (the radio station)
Station Address:
Power99 WUSL-FM
440 Domino Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19128

General/Business Line: 215.483.8900
Studio Hotlines:
Philly Area & Local: 215.263.6699
Worldwide: 800.669.99FM
Star & Buc: 1-860-247-1041

Programming:
Director of Urban Programming/Program Director: Thea Mitchem
Music Director: Coka Lani
Morning Show Producer: Sonjie DeCaires
News & Public Affairs Director: Loraine Ballard Morrill
Try this number too – 215-482-7936

As Side.Angle.Side says:

paper letters and faxes go much farther than emails which are easier to ignore, so if you haven't already, please write a physical letter. advertising revenue is more important to radio stations than listeners, so i would recommend making mention of a boycott against the station and their advertisers. you may also want to mention in your letter that you will be filing a complaint with the fcc, which you can do by writing to the following address:

federal communications commission
enforcement bureau
investigations & hearing division
445 12th street, sw
washington dc, 20554
fax 866.418.0232

chairman michael k. powell
commissioner kathleen q. abernathy
commissioner michael j. copps
commissioner kevin j. martin
commissioner jonathan s. adelstein

The loss of material goods is one thing. Loss of one's dignity quite another. There is really no two ways about it. Having suffered through several episodes of racial epithets here in the US, I find no humor in one of my own being treated this way. Some on this site say that this is a “crank” call. Fine. Don't come moaning to me when you get your ass whupped over being called a “dirty rat-eater.” It's neither funny nor cool then is it?

Time to step up and set the record straight. These DJ's were wrong, even in jest, to berate the woman. She didn't deserve to be treated that way. She bore no ill-will towards these DJs and quite likely didn't even know that she was unwittingly a participant in their prank, if it was that. A simple question to you folks – would you want your mother, your sister, your wife or your girlfriend to pick up the phone one day and have @$$&%*! like DJ Star and Buc talk to her like that? I think not.

Wise up – Voice up!

Under Her Skin

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Under Her Skin: How Girls Experience Race in America is a book that Pooja Makhijani edited and Seal Press published recently.

The blurb from the publicist reads thus:

“This astounding collection explores racial awakening with a delicate clarity reminiscent of the innocent, yet stark narration of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. Including the perspectives of women of color, white women, and those caught between two worlds, Under Her Skin traces themes related to double lives, fear, envy, lineage, and family, expanding the often painful exploration of difference. Essays include the reflections of a woman whose girlhood is spent deciphering levels of oppression.from her Jewish family's past and internment in Nazi camps to her own spiteful treatment of their African-American maids; brutal memories of ”Beat the Buddha Day,“ – a tradition of schoolyard violence that transfers discrimination from one group to another; and an unexpected contrast in how one childhood racial incident is recalled by two women, both challenging and complicating the notion of ”victim“! The first book of its kind to include the impact of racial awareness on women of all colors, Under Her Skin embodies a vital and unique contribution to the national discussion on race.”

Pooja Makhijani and many of the contributors of Under Her Skin will be reading in New York City, San Francisco, Berkeley, Boston and DC in the months of January, February and March. Check out the complete schedule here.

Pooja Makhijani is an essayist, journalist and writer of children's literature. Her bylines have appeared in in The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Newark Star-Ledger, The Indian Express, Time Out New York, NY ARTS Magazine India Today and Time Out New York Kids among others. Her first picture book, Mama's Saris, is forthcoming from Little, Brown & Company Books for Young Readers. Currently at work on a collection of essays, she lives with her husband in New York City.

Under Her Skin

I do hope you will check this book out and also attend one of the many book readings across the country. Some day I just might tell you about my experiences as an immigrant; this notion of “difference” was pounded into me as an adolescent. I am not terribly sure if it has stuck, though. We all have a variety of positive and negative experiences and somehow we make the choice of clinging to either or both and making the best of it. I would welcome a discussion here on how you have approached this topic. How has your identity been defined? Is it based on “sameness” or “difference”?

Jobs: Photographers

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Via S. Mitra Kalita

These jobs were posted on the YoungJournos.org site. If you are 35 and under in age, you may want to check this site out.

PHOTO/REPORTING INTERN
A photo intern and a reporter intern for The Colorado Statesman, a nonpartisan weekly in Denver. Must be deadline-oriented, able to work at least 20-25 hours/week starting in January and have an interest in covering important assignments at the state Capitol. Excellent opportunity to gain experience at a high level for a team player who is serious about journalism. Please e-mail responses to:
Info@ColoradoStatesman.com. Posted Dec. 22.

PHOTOGRAPHER
Sentinel and Transcript Newspapers (Golden, Colo.)
The Sentinel and Transcript Newspapers, a growing group of suburban Denver weeklies, is seeking an entry-level staff photographer with an eye for pictures that reflect the complexities of our readers' lives with a straightforward perspective. In accordance with the research conducted by the Readership Institute, we value photography that is both personal and visceral. Portfolios should demonstrate the ability to recognize those traits and to create images that connect with our readers.

Other requirements include the flexibility to work weekends and nights; the ability to write accurate and thorough captions; the desire to collaborate with writers, designers and editors; a minimum of an undergraduate degree (journalism preferred) and some newspaper photojournalism experience. Applicants must have their own digital equipment and must be proficient in Photo Mechanic, PhotoShop CS and image downloading and transmitting. Applications should include a cover letter with salary requirements, a résumé with references and portfolio. Digital portfolios need to be Mac compatible. Out-of-state candidates should be aware we do not interview or provide moving expenses.

Send application materials to Mitch Pugh, editor, Sentinel and Transcript Newspapers, 1000 10th St., Golden, CO 80401. No phone calls please. Include an SASE if you want your portfolio returned. Application deadline is Jan. 15. Applicants must be able to start by March 1. Posted Dec. 21.

Please DO NOT contact me about these jobs.

Diamonds

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Via Prashant Kothari

Chidanand Rajghatta's long series on the Gujarati diamond business is a great read; part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4.

Other parts of this series here.

My only lament is that there aren't any photographs. The Times of India resorts to some rather skanky illustration in lieu of an incredibly juicy photo essay. If I had the time and the resources, I would love to track a single diamond, from Africa to India, then from India to Belgium and onwards to New York City.