If you’re planning on going to the inaugural Taste of Asia today (starting at 4 p.m.) or tomorrow May 1st starting at 11 a.m., here are the event schedules for performers & workshops. There will be three areas: Garden Courtyard, North Stage, and South Stage, plus workshops inside the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Rd. This event runs till 9 p.m. both days. Phone # 520-292-6900. And there will be lots of Asian/Pacific Islander food for sale.

Tucson Sino Choir

GARDEN COURTYARD
Friday
 5:30 – Ryushinkan Dojo
 6:30 – Lim/Hendrix Tai Chi
 7:00 – Tucson Sino Tai Chi
 7:30 – Tucson Sino Martial Arts
Saturday
 11:00 – Southern Arizona Families with Children from China Carnival Asia (games)
 4:45 – J. Kim Martial Arts
 5:30 – Ryushinkan Dojo
 6:30 – Desert Dojo
 7:30 – Chinese Shaolin Center
 8:15 – Great Harmony Tai Chi

NORTH STAGE SCHEDULE
Friday
 6:00 – Chinese YoYo
 7:30 – Tucson Sino Choir
 8:30 – Tucson Sino Taiji
Saturday
 11:30 – Tucson Sino Choir
 12:30 – Vietnamese Alliance of Tucson
 1:30 – Philippine Mabuhay Cultural Foundation
 2:30 – Tucson Sino Martial Arts
 3:00 – Henry Shi, Zhao Chen & Wei Shi
 3:30 – Tucson Chinese School and YoYo
 4:30 – Arirang Korean Dancers
 5:30 – Odaiko Sonora
 6:30 – Arathi School of Dance
 7:30 – Sri Lankan Association

SOUTH STAGE SCHEDULE
Friday
 5:30 – Tucson Chinese School Lion Dance Team
 6:15 – Tucson Sino Martial Arts
 7:00 – Urvashi Dance Academy
 8:00 – Tucson Sino Dance
 8:30 – Leiola Hula Halau
Saturday
 11:15 – Odaiko Sonora
 12:00 – Muso (Japanese shakuhachi & koto)
 1:00 – Summer Thunder
 2:00 – Suzuyuki-Kai
 2:30 – Tucson Chinese School Lion Dance Team
 3:00 – Sound of Thunder
 4:00 – Tucson Sino Taiji
 5:00 – Tucson Sino Dance
 6:00 – Sound of Thunder
 7:00 – Urvashi Dance Academy
 8:00 – Leiola Hula Halau

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE – LIBRARY/CLASSROOMS
Saturday
 Allday – Kids Zone (Classroom B,D,F)
 12:00 – Japanese Tea Ceremony (Classroom A)
 12:30 – Steve Liu Tofu Cooking (Library)
 2:00 – In Search of Shangri-La, Bob and Claire Rogers (Library)
 2:30 – Japanese Tea Ceremony (Classroom A)
 5:00 – Sri Lankan Culture Presentation (Library)
 6:00 – Larry Leung, The Art of Guzheng (Library)

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE – DANCE STUDIO
Friday
 7:30 – Jayateerth Mevundi
Saturday
 10:00-12:00 – Jordan Misner Windriver Tai Chi
 1:00 – Taiko Drum Workshop
 2:30 – Edna Silva Tai Chi
 4:00 – Korean Dance Workshop
 4:30 – Obon Dance Workshop
 5:30 – Great Harmony Tai Chi
 6:30 – Lim/Hendrix Tai Chi
 7:00 – Barry Brownstein Tai Chi

Taste of Asia logo

Civil Rights Leaders Dolores Huerta And Richard Chavez Joined By Famed Musician And Arizona Native Linda Ronstadt To Condemn New Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 29, 2010

CONTACT:

Maria Archuleta, ACLU, (212) 519-7808 or 549-2666; media@aclu.org

Lindsay Nordstrom, ACLU of Arizona, (602) 773-6005

Laura Rodriguez, MALDEF, (310) 956-2425

Grace Chang, MALDEF, (909) 706-5147

Donald Gatlin, MALDEF, (202) 821-7923

Adela de la Torre, NILC, (213) 674-2832

PHOENIX – Today, MALDEF, the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Arizona and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) held a news conference on the House of Representatives Lawn of the Arizona State Capitol Building in Phoenix, Arizona to announce their future legal challenge to Governor Jan Brewer’s recently signed SB1070. In addition, the organizations sought to address misinformation and fears that have been spreading throughout the Latino community across Arizona. MALDEF, ACLU, ACLU of Arizona and NILC leaders were joined by civil rights leaders Dolores Huerta, Richard Chavez and multi-Grammy winning artist and human rights advocate, Linda Ronstadt.

“Today, the three most experienced immigrants’ and civil rights legal organizations nationwide – MALDEF, ACLU and NILC – announce their partnership, together with local Arizona-based counsel, to challenge SB1070 in court,” stated MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz. “The Arizona community can be assured that a vigorous and sophisticated legal challenge will be mounted, in advance of SB1070′s implementation, seeking to prevent this unconstitutional and discriminatory law from ever taking effect.”

“This law will only make the rampant racial profiling of Latinos that is already going on in Arizona much worse,” said Alessandra Soler Meetze, Executive Director of the ACLU of Arizona. “If this law were implemented, citizens would effectively have to carry ‘their papers’ at all times to avoid arrest. It is a low point in modern America when a state law requires police to demand documents from people on the street.”

Linton Joaquin, General Counsel of NILC, added, “This unconstitutional law sends a strong message to all immigrants to have no contact with any law enforcement officer. The inevitable result is not only to make immigrants more vulnerable to crime and exploitation, but also to make the entire community less safe, by aggressively discouraging witnesses and victims from reporting crimes.”

There are a number of serious constitutional problems with the law, the groups say. It violates the supremacy clause by interfering with federal immigration power and authority. The law also unlawfully invites racial profiling against Latinos and other people of color.

“What we are witnessing today is the blatant targeting of an entire American population, Latinos,” stated civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. “We must not give in one inch in Arizona’s effort to blame our community for all the ills of the state or their efforts to run us out. We have worked this land, built and maintained these buildings and sacrificed as much as any other. We must put an end to SB1070.”

“My family, of both German and Mexican heritage, has a long history in Arizona. It has been our diverse and shared history in this state that unites us and makes us stronger,” stated Linda Ronstadt. “What Governor Brewer signed into law last week is a piece of legislation that threatens the very heart of this great state. We must come together and stop SB1070 from pitting neighbor against neighbor to the detriment of us all.”

Alessandra Soler Meetze

Executive Director

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona

P.O. Box 17148

Phoenix, AZ 85011-0148

T: 602-773-6006 (direct)

T: 602-650-1854 ext. 106

F: 602-650-1376

Visit us on the web at: www.acluaz.org

ACLU of Arizona logo

Councilmember Regina Romero would also like to invite the public to a volunteer day on Saturday May 1 on Sentinel Peak Park/”A” Mountain. The event will be a bufflegrass removal/trail building project with the Southwest Conservation Corps youth. Just show up at 9 a.m. (to 12 noon) at the parking lot on top of “A” Mountain. Please RSVP first to Jean Hickman, Community Outreach Coordinator of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) at 520-884-5550, 8 # (Sonoran Desert Office). SCC is a non-profit organization with regional offices in Durango and Salida, Colorado and Tucson that “employs and trains a diverse group of young women and men” and “completes conservation work on public lands.” Bottled water will be provided.

From Mac Hudson, aide to Councilmember Romero:

“We understand that you may have concerns that have come about via an
erroneous email about plans to close down “A” Mountain. This is not true.
Please feel free to call me (Mac) at 520-837-4262 and discuss the improvements
once you’ve had a chance to see them for yourself.

Councilor Romero is very excited about ongoing improvements to Sentinel
Peak Park and “A” Mountain. A community led and public process over the
past few years has created a phase 1 plan for Sentinel Peak Park to
increase safe access and promote nature, culture and history.

It is important to note that under phase 1 there will still be parking
on the east overlook near the “A”. The plans are to have both a pedestrian
area with benches and shade and parking spaces near the “A”.

Phase 1 Improvements include:

Wheelchair Accessible Pathway from top parking lot to East Overlook
(under the “A”)
● Path will be 8′ wide stabilized decomposed granite with
accessible grades
● Two overlook rest areas with seating are included

East Overlook
● Guardrail at existing retaining wall

● Post & Cable Pedestrian Safety Barrier
● Benches (3)
● (2) Crosswalks, painted
● Speed table
● Vehicular signage
● New pavement striping

Shade Structure
● Located near existing parking lot at beginning of new park
pathway

Landscape Improvements
● Passive water harvesting, seeding and buffelgrass removal plan

Interpretative Signage
● Quantity dependent on cost”

For further info or concerns, call the Ward 1 Council Office at 520-791-4040, Council administrative assistant Mac Hudson at 520-837-4262, or read the SENTINEL PEAK REGIONAL NATURAL RESOURCE PARK MASTER PLAN REPORT dated June 2009 here:

http://www.tucsonaz.gov/pdf/sppp09.pdf

See you on top of the mountain!