Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

This is a really heartwarming story from Minneapolis’ MinnPost about an Asian American community that doesn’t get a lot of attention in the national media. This young Lao-American woman is making good on a promise to her grandma in Laos, and moving back there to make it a better place. She’s going to help combat sex trafficking and empower the women who are most vulnerable to it. Thouni Seneyakone is joining the ranks of Asian Americans changing the way that Minnesota thinks about its immigrant population. In 2011 Minnesota was represented at the Miss USA pageant by Lao-American Nitaya Panemalaythong. In such a short time, the first generation of the Lao and Hmong communities in the Twin Cities have come  a long way to create opportunities for their children and families. Despite the demise of the American Dream, these two communities are still pushing their young people forward – past the racial tension, income inequality, and prejudice they still encounter. Read about her story here.  
Continue reading
This is a really heartwarming story from Minneapolis’ MinnPost about an Asian American community that doesn’t get a lot of attention in the national media. This young Lao-American woman is making good on a promise to her grandma in Laos, and moving back there to make it a better place. She’s going to help combat sex trafficking and empower the women who are most vulnerable to it. Thouni Seneyakone is joining the ranks of Asian Americans changing the way that Minnesota thinks about its immigrant population. In 2011 Minnesota was represented at the Miss USA pageant by Lao-American Nitaya Panemalaythong. In such a short time, the first generation of the Lao and Hmong communities in the Twin Cities have come  a long way to create opportunities for their children and families. Despite the demise of the American Dream, these two communities are still pushing their young people forward – past the racial tension, income inequality, and prejudice they still encounter. Read about her story here.  
Continue reading
Miss Minnesota is Nitaya Panemalaythong. She is Laotian American and will be battling for Miss USA. At 26, she’s the oldest contestant and entered because she was going back to school and yes, being a Miss Minnesota has to help with scholarships. Congrats. (Savage Pacer – Nitaya Panemalaythong)
Continue reading
  The Minneapolis Institute of the Arts is featuring a show called Edo Pop “Edo Pop: The Graphic Impact of Japanese Prints” which begins tomorrow, the 30th and continues through January 8th, 2012. The show features 160 images from the masters including some remixes including Yoshitomo Nara’s piece above. The collection is from donors and is part of a 3000 print collection. It sounds like a lot, but other museums have tens of thousands. The curator, Matthew Welch dropped some words for (salon.com – Edopop) He explains Ukiyo-e, which is what these prints are. “There was a novelist in Japan called Asai Ryoi, and he published a book in 1661 called the “Ukiyo monogatari,” or “Tales of the Floating World.” His use of “ukiyo” in the title was a wordplay.”
Continue reading