Lots to see and do this month, so let’s get to it!

As always, I’ll continue to update this post throughout the month. Send your events to info@sapac.org or leave a comment here.

Matthew Hull @ University of Chicago
Thursday, February 2 @ 4:30pm

Hull, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, discusses “Paper, Databases, and the Ontology of Land Holdings in South Asia” for U of C’s South Asia Seminar series.

Sharmili Majmudar @ Goodman Theatre
Monday, February 6 @ 7:00pm

Majmudar, executive director of Rape Victim Advocates, joins other activists and scholars for a conversation exploring sexual violence and its relation to race, gender, sexuality, poverty, immigration, and community. The special event is part of the theater’s Context series and serves as a companion to its current production of David Mamet’s Race.

SAADA Community Forum @ Roosevelt University
Tuesday, February 7 @ 5:30pm

The South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) hosts a community forum to discuss how to document, preserve, and provide access to South Asian American history. MasterChef Suzy Singh will also be on hand serving samosas.

Matteo Pistono @ Loyola University Museum of Art
Tuesday, February 7 @ 6:00pm

Author and photographer Pistono presents “Tibetan Pilgrimage: In the Shadow of the Buddha,” an illustrated journey across Tibet.

Intro to SAADA @ University of Chicago
Wednesday, February 8 @ 4:30pm

The South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) documents and preserves the history of the South Asian American community through an online digital archive. Co-founders Samip Mallick (a SAPAC member) and Michelle Caswell will demonstrate use of the archive and showcase items in the archive that help uncover hidden narratives from South Asian American history.

Joy Brennan @ University of Chicago
Thursday, February 9 @ 4:30pm

Brennan, a PhD candidate in the university’s Divinity School, discusses “Dharmas and Being in Mind-only Buddhist Thought” for the Theory and Practice in South Asia program.

Eboo Patel @ Chicago Cultural Center
Thursday, February 9 @ 6:00pm

Interfaith Youth Core’s Eboo Patel joins author, minister, and scholar Dr. Martin Marty, in a discussion of what faith and literature have to say about the wonder of death while the Richard Harris Collection, Morbid Curiosity, is on display.

Venus @ Greenhouse Theater
Friday, February 10 – Sunday, February 19

The Theatre School at DePaul University presents a production of Venus directed by MFA candidate Reshmi Hazra as part of its New Directors series.

Jassie Gift and Vijay Jacob @ University of Chicago
Monday, February 13 – Friday, February 17

The university’s South Asian Sound Interventions (SASI) series presents a series of events on South Indian film songs with film music director and playback singer Jassie Gift and keyboardist Vijay Jacob. Monday & Tuesday: Two workshops on cinematic song crafting. Wednesday: South Indian film screening. Thursday: Symposium on song and dance in South Indian cinema. Friday: Performance.

Junaid Rana @ Northwestern University
Wednesday, February 15 @ 4:00pm

SAPAC alum Rana, associate professor in Asian American Studies at UIUC and author of Terrifying Muslims: Race and Labor in the South Asian Diaspora, gives a lecture titled “Pakistani Brooklyn: Where You At?” for Northwestern’s Asian American Studies program.

Rajeev Kinra @ University of Chicago
Thursday, February 16 @ 4:30pm

Kinra, assistant professor at Northwestern University, discusses “Civility and its Discontents: The Use and (More Often) Abuse of Mughal Letters” for U of C’s South Asia Seminar series.

“My Asian Mom” Auditions @ Act One Studios
Sunday, February 19 @ 2:00pm

A-Squared Theatre Workshop holds a casting call for its original sketch dramedy show and is especially seeking South Asian actors.

Pierre-Julien Harter @ University of Chicago
Thursday, February 23 @ 4:30pm

Harter, a PhD candidate in the university’s Divinity School, discusses “Epistemological and soteriological considerations about the Path of Vision (darśanamārga) in the Buddhist path as elaborated in the literature of the Abhisamayākāra” for the Theory and Practice in South Asia program.

Dr. Seema Kumbhat @ Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Friday, February 24 @ 7:30am

Kumbhat, Medical Director, Medical Devices, Hospira, and Emerging Leader, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, discusses “Medical Innovation in a World of Rapidly Changing Markets” at a breakfast hosted by the Council.

Guest blogger Ravi resides in Chicago and is a co-founder and blogger for Dharma Deen Alliance. He has also written articles for other magazines such as Clamor and Hinduism Today.

When it comes to South Asia we’re given a continual stream of news stories about communalism and sectarian violence or tension between Hindus and Muslims. Mobs in Gujarat attacking each other, violence in Mumbai, and a slew of rhetoric from both sides that seek to inflame tensions. This focus on intolerance from mainstream news sources also further miseducates the public and contributes to increasing divisions.

What if, instead of always providing undeserving exposure to nationalists, terrorists, and hate mongers wrapped in fanaticism, we focused on cooperation between these two communities that are supposedly hostile to each other? What if you read about practitioners who follow the real tenets of Islam and Hinduism by aiding each other and living in peace? Does that sound too far-fetched or hard to imagine?

Read the story of Hindus in Gujarat who helped reconstruct a Sufi shrine? Heard of the Muslims in Kerala who allow their mosque to serve as a temporary mandir to Hindus traveling on pilgrimage? How about the Hindus who helped Muslims break fast by sharing their food after their homes were destroyed in flood-hit Bihar? Maybe you didn’t know that Muslim artists in Kashmir helped renovate a decaying temple or that there are communities where Hindus and Muslims celebrate Eid and Navratri together.

This is where the idea of Dharma Deen Alliance came from: a website that to aims to restore some balance to all the negativity surrounding Hindu-Muslim relations. Why should all the fanatics and people uneducated on their religions’ canon monopolize all the publicity? Dharma Deen is a blog run by both a Muslim and a Hindu seeker. Not only will we present news stories on interfaith unity, we’ll discuss in depth the tenets, concepts, and laws of our respective spiritual paths. And unlike the extremists whose intention is to foster division, we’ll back up our call for harmony by directly quoting our scriptures, our prophets and avatars, and the saints who were steeped in both traditions.

Visit us on the web for weekly posts or subscribe by email to our blog @ www.dharmadeen.com.

Extra: Check out this video on Malerkotla, a shining example of communal harmony.

Check out this new blog that was posted to the SAPAC listserv: http://dharmadeen.com. It aims to counter the misconception that Hinduism and Islam cannot co-exist.

More on the project, from its founders Azeem and Ravi:

WHAT IS DHARMA DEEN ALLIANCE?

The word “dharma” is Sanskrit and “deen” Arabic.

Both loosely defined mean “righteousness” or “path”–specifically the spiritual path. A true devotee’s goal is following this path–not wasting time on petty issues, not rivalry about which religion is superior, not bothering with extremist ideology, or seeking converts. A devout Hindu must follow dharma, while a devout Muslim must follow deen. Dharma-Deen Alliance is a blog run by two aspirants on their respective paths to Higher Truth, and it will explore scriptural law, proper living, and devotional love.

In addition, Dharma Deen Alliance will counter the misconception that Hinduism and Islam can’t co-exist together. Because of our South Asian backgrounds we’re especially bothered by the consistent focus in the news about violence between Hindus and Muslims. We’ll post news stories ignored by the media documenting unity between both communities. Working and living together peacefully with no quarrel, taking care of each other’s temples and mosques, and celebrating holidays and festivals side by side. And we’ll honor the lives of saints and seekers who worked to reconcile both faiths such as Shirdi Sai Baba, Guru Nanak, Kabir, Ramakrishna, and numerous others.

Read the authors’ purpose statements here:
Azeem: http://dharmadeen.com/about/purpose-statement-by-azeem/
Ravi: http://dharmadeen.com/about/purpose-statement-by-ravi/

Anida Yoeu Ali is a Chicago-based artist, activist and performer. Anida is completing her graduate work at the School of the Art Institute. Her recent installation, “1700 % Project: Otherance,” focuses on hate crimes against Muslims, Arabs and those perceived to be either Muslim or Arab.  From the website description: “The project challenges monolithic stereotypes of a ‘Muslim’ identity while acknowledging the significance of historical persecution.” The number 1700 represents “the exponential percentage increase of hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims and those perceived to be Arab or Muslim since the events of September 11, 2001.”

Anida’s installation was vandalized this week. The phrase “Kill All Arabs” was highlighted from the exhibit. The Chicago Police are currently investigating the incident, and the Council on American Islamic Relations is working with Anida in addressing this act of hate.

Chicago Public Radio  featured Anida as part of its Islamic Reform series last week, and interviewed her today to discuss the vandalism attack.

In response to the vandalism, Anida has sent out a public invitation to take a stand together as a community against this hateful attack:  “Transform Defacement into Defiance,” this Saturday, May 15 at 12:30 pm at the installation, Sullivan Galleries, 33 S. State Street, 7th floor. The closing performance is on Friday, May 21 at 4:30 pm. The galleries are open to the public Tuesday- Saturday, from 11am-6pm.

And, come see Anida perform at Takin’ it to the Streets, an Urban International Festival which will be held on Saturday, June 19, 2010 in Marquette Park.

Please bring your friends this Saturday, May 15 and/or next Friday, May 21 to show your support. Spread the word!

Additional media clips can be found on the 1700% News section.

UIC’s Pakistani Student Organization brings writer and television producer Kamran Pasha to campus for a talk about Muslims in Hollywood.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
5:00 – 7:00pm
University of Illinois at Chicago
Student Center East, 3rd floor, White Oak Room A
750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607