“I Love You… Not!” open mic

That’s right friends. It’s that time of the year again. Lovers may know it as Valentine’s Day, while the more cynical folk refer to it as Singles’ Awareness Day a.k.a. SAD. Whichever your preference, our annual open mic to celebrate the Hallmark holiday is next Wednesday, February 13th at 7pm in 126 Barrows Hall (UC Berkeley campus). Join {m}aganda and other lovers and haters as we partake in a mind orgy of words, music, and maybe even dancing (if that one dance breaker comes from last year, that would be awesome).

Also, remember to dress in your Sunday best (or clubby best) because we may have a schmancy PHOTO BOOTH this year prior to the open mic. If you’re a hopeless romantic, odds are you may meet your soulmate at the open mic so you should be looking good anyway (as we’re sure you always do).

 

1st Annual Activism Right There Festival

Thanks to over thirty different UC Berkeley student and Bay Area organizations and their amazing capacity to organize a week-long series of events within a month (and over the winter break… wow, right?), UC Berkeley is host to the first ever annual Activism Right There Festival. The festival kicks off at 7pm in Naia Gelateria Lounge (Lower Sproul, UC Berkeley campus) tonight with an Open Mic on Gender and Sexuality, hosted by CalSlam and The Vagina Monologues. And if you can’t make it tonight, fear not! You have the opportunity on Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday to check it out.

And Friday night in Zellerbach should be especially awesome, as it will feature a panel of well-known activists speaking on student activism at UC Berkeley, including: author of Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, Jeff Chang and Bettina Aptheker of the Free Speech Movement.  Following the panel will be a concert with such performers as world reknown spoken word group iLL-Literacy (that’s right, they came to our theme unveiling) and Bay Area hip-hop legends Zion I.

And the best part of this festival? Free Fun!!!

If you’re in the area and have some extra time on your hands this week, we command you to go!

 

This Just In: Barbara Jane Reyes to Perform at Fall Reception!

Above: {m} alumni Aims rockin’ the MC spotlight.

It’s not too late to show your stuff at Maganda’s Fall Reception this Saturday the 17th from 2-5pm in Naia Lounge (on the UC Berkeley Campus)!

Last school year’s Spring Reception was a relaxed, intimate, and vibrant celebration thanks to the genuine warmth of everyone present–whether they were up on stage, showing their artwork, running the show, or chilling on Gelateria Naia’s comfy white leather sofas with a caffe affogato. We love you, Naia.

Anyway, our featured performer for Saturday was just confirmed:

poeta Barbara Jane Reyes will be joining us, along with a great lineup of student performers. You may just be one of them. Woo!

Hope to see you there.

 

{m}20 End-of-Year Reception

You are invited to the 1st {m}aganda

End-of-the-Year Reception

for

{m}aganda issue 20: our activisms
Saturday, November 17, 2-5pm
@ Naia Lounge (Lower Sproul, UCB Campus)

… MUSIC … ART … POETRY … PERFORMANCES

… RAFFLES … GELATO … AND OPEN MIC!

Please join {m}aganda magazine and friends for a final celebration of the work and efforts of contributors, artists, and staff that put together the momentous 20th issue of maganda: our activisms, published in spring 2007.

Enjoy an an afternoon of performances, art displays, raffle prizes, and gelato in an appreciation of all 20 issues of maganda, their contributors, the artists that have transformed the world of pilipino/american literary arts in the last 18 years through and with maganda, and all the staffs that have made maganda possible!

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Maligayang Araw ng mga Patay!

“Araw ng mga Patay” or Day of the Dead is celebrated in the Philippines from November 1-2. During this day, it is tradition to visit the cemeteries to pay homage to the dearly departed. Rather than maintaining a somber and solemn atmosphere, the cemetery becomes an atmosphere of remembrance and merry-making. Friends and family hold festivities and picnics together. Sounds kind of strange, but it’s really a beautiful experience where the large extended Filipino family comes together to catch up and celebrate.

Like people in the States often during Halloween, students come to school in costume. Later, they go door-to-door requesting gifts in exchange for singing a traditional verse about the liberation of holy souls from purgatory into eternal life; their own version of trick-or-treating!

Just a little tidbit on Halloween in the Philippines! Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween, and {m} also wishes everyone an All Saints Day to remember!

photo & post by krizia.