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Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour for LGBT Children
Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour
Comes to Boston on Saturday, September 24,
To Bring Families Together and Save Lives

Workshop to Take Place at Old Oak Dojo in Jamaica Plain, 12:00-3:00 pm,
to Help Asian Parents Support their LGBT Children

To offer guidance and support to the parents of LGBT Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (API) children, The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) continues its Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour, launched this past May. These unique workshops are taking place in major American cities throughout the year.

The Boston workshop, locally hosted by The Queer Asian Pacific-Islander Alliance (QAPA), the Massachusetts Area South Asian Lambda Association (MASALA), and The Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), will be presented in Jamaica Plain on Saturday, September 24, from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 pm at Old Oak Dojo, located at 14 Chestnut Place, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. To RSVP in advance, visit bit.ly/rsvpfamilyacceptanceand select “Boston” in the drop-down menu.

The parents who will speak at the workshop are:
- Clara Yoon: Proud Korean mother of a transgender, bisexual son, living in New York City. She is the founder of API Project of PFLAG NYC that provides support for LGBTQ individuals and families of Asian heritage and addresses culture-specific needs of the API community. She also serves on the board of PFLAG NYC chapter. Clara is passionate about supporting and advocating for LGBTQ youths specifically to prevent bullying, suicide and homelessness. She also believes in the importance of improving LGBTQ equality in homelands and faith groups to create better acceptance to LGBTQ individuals within the API communities.
- Aya Yabe: A mother of a married gay daughter, Aya is a member of PFLAG NYC API Rainbow Parents (ARP) and is involved with community outreach efforts. She is pledged to increasing the visibility of Asian parents of LGBTQ+ children in society. She is originally from Japan, where she has strong ties with the country’s LGBTQ community. In New York City, Aya volunteers as a Japanese language interpreter-translator for NPOs/students who visit from Japan to learn about LGBTQ activism. With Clara Yoon, the founder of ARP, Aya was invited to sit on a panel for a discussion on coming out, organized by Nijiiro Diversity, one of the prominent Japanese LGBT NPOs during 2016 Tokyo Rainbow Pride Week.
- Tejan Oza: The mother of a queer daughter named Tina, Tejan has navigated a long journey to embrace her child, due to internalized pressures and beliefs originating from certain Indian communities. After attending NQAPIA’s parent institute in Chicago, Tejan has committed to becoming her daughter’s greatest ally. Tejan lives in North Andover, MA, and works as an accountant at AT&T. Tina is currently studying at UPenn for her Masters in Nursing with midwifery. Tejan’s son Jay is a teacher in Lawrence, MA.
- Neelam Jethwani: The mother of a married gay son, Neelam began her journey of acceptance while still living in India. She is passionate about human rights and fairness and actively works for the rights of female domestic workers in India through her non-profit organization. Despite her work, Neelam was only able to find love for her son and son-in-law after going through a unique journey that was not just personal, but also societal and legal, in a country that still criminalizes homosexual acts.
The Boston workshop will be moderated by Glenn Magpantay, Executive Director of NQAPIA. It will offer culturally appropriate peer-support and practical steps to empower API parents to support their LGBT children in the coming-out process. The workshop will be offered in English.

“Though many LGBT Asians are out in the community, they go back into the closet in their families, fearful of coming out to parents and dishonoring them,” said Glenn Magpantay, Executive Director of NQAPIA. “The result is self-loathing, depression and suicide. Our Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour gives parents the tools to break down the closet door for their children, by offering unconditional love and acceptance. These workshops will strengthen families and save lives.”

The parents appearing at the workshops are involved in NQAPIA’s landmark Asian Family Acceptance Campaign, a series of emotionally-moving TV ads entitled “Family Is Still Family.” The ads ran throughout the month of June nationally. Additional workshops will be held through the end of 2016.

The Queer Asian Pacific-Islander Alliance (QAPA) is the oldest Asian queer organization in the United States. QAPA is committed to providing a supportive social, political, and educational environment for LGBTQ AAPIs in the Boston and New England area.

Massachusetts Area South Asian Lambda Association (MASALA) is a volunteer-led community organization focused on supporting and engaging the South Asian queer community on a broad range of topics through events and community forums.

The Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) is an intergenerational social justice nonprofit that promotes Asian American identity while addressing contemporary issues affecting our communities.

The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is a federation of LGBTQ Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander organizations. NQAPIA seeks to build the capacity of local LGBT API organizations, invigorate grassroots organizing, develop leadership, and challenge homophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant bias. NQAPIA is an independent non-profit organization.

The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is on the Web atNQAPIA.org. On Facebook at facebook.com/NQAPIA and on Twitter at @NQAPIA.
September 21, 2016
Top Club Soccer Teams in Massachusetts
How do the club soccer teams in Newton stack up against the best soccer teams in Massachusetts? The season is not that far along, but here are the rankings:

U16 Girls Soccer Massachusetts
1. NEFC ELITE U14 GIRLS
2. SOUTH SHORE SELECT U16 AP
3. MASS CITY F.C. PREMIERSHIP
4. NEFC – BREAKERS 2001 NS ELITE
5. NEFC – BREAKERS 2001 NPL
U15 Girls Soccer Massachusetts
1. NEFC ELITE U13 GIRLS
2. SOUTH SHORE SELECT U15 AP
3. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 2002
4. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS 2002 ECNL
5. FCUSA COASTAL 2002 IMPACT GIRLS
U14 Girls Soccer Massachusetts
1. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 2003
2. SOUTH SHORE SELECT U14 AP
3. AZTEC SOCCER GIRLS 03 NPL
4. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS 2003 ECNL
5. SPIRIT OF LIVERPOOL 2003 G ELITE
U16 Boys Soccer Massachusetts
1. GPS-MA NPL 2001 BOYS
2. FCUSA COASTAL 2001 IMPACT BOYS
3. NEFC BOYS 2001 NPL
4. LIVERPOOL FC MA NPL 01
5. FC BOSTON BOLTS 2001 EAST ELITE
U15 Boys Soccer Massachusetts
1. GPS MA NPL 2002 BOYS
2. VALEO FC NPL 02 JUVENTUS
3. FC BOSTON BOLTS 2002 NPL
4. FC STARS NPL 02
5. WESTERN UNITED PIONEERS FC BOYS 02 NPL
U14 Boys Soccer Massachusetts
1. NEFC BOYS 2003 NPL
2. GPS MA NPL 2003 BOYS
3. VALEO FC 03 NPL BARCELONA
4. WESTERN UNITED PIONEERS FC BOYS 03 NPL
5. FC BOSTON BOLTS 2003 NPL
Knights Futbol Club is a development-first youth soccer and futsal club serving Brookline, Newton, and the Greater Boston area since 2022. We’re affiliated with NECSL, MYSA, and the Massachusetts Futsal Association, and currently field teams for players U6 through U16.

p.s. Other soccer posts:

Why Full Ride Scholarships Are Rare (in soccer)

How To Get An Athletic Scholarship

Top 10 Life Skills Kids Need Before College
September 21, 2016
Newton Wellesley Hospital Lecture Series

September 20, 2016
Newtonville Village Day and Jazz Festival

Coming Sunday Sept 25th… Newtonville Village Day and Jazz Festival featuring a Fantastic Lineup on the main stage with Newton North High School Jazz Ensemble opening up; Vocalist Isabel Stover; The Gravel Project – organ jazz at it’s best: International Touring artists The Revolutionary Snake Ensemble; and closing with the NEJazz Festival AllStars with some special guests… this all starts at 12 noon and wraps up a little before 5pm.

Tons of vendor booths, roaming train rides for the kids; food and drink from the local restaurants… located on Walnut Street in between Washington and Cabot Streets.

Don’t miss Stephen Bourassa, Jordan Gravel, Leo Colon, Rich Labedz, Aaron Gratzmiller, Brian Eggleston, Ed Harlow,Isabel Stover, Santiago Hernandez, Ken Field and Steve Conahan at Newtonville Village Day & Jazz Festival.

Fun for the whole family! Free to the Public.

September 20, 2016

Family Book Event

SAVE THE DATE – TUESDAY OCT. 18, 2016

5th Annual UOD Family Book Event

Featuring The War That Saved My Life

with author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

This award-winning midddle grade children’s book is a story of triumph against all odds by a girl with a physical disability, set during World War II.

Join Understanding Our Differences for a conversation with the author, Q&A, and book signing.

At Newton South High School Auditorium, 140 Brandeis Road, Newton Centre, MA. Program will begin at 7:00 PM.

Help support programs for the community like our annual Family Book Event with your tax-deductible donation by June 30th. We thank you!

Donate Now

September 1, 2016

MA: Bottom 10 States with Bullying Problems
2016’s States with the Biggest Bullying Problems

To identify the states where bullying is most pervasive, WalletHub’s analysts compared 45 states and the District of Columbia across 17 key metrics, ranging from “bullying-incident rate” to “truancy costs for schools” to “percentage of high school students bullied online.”

Bullying Prevalence & Prevention in Massachusetts (1=Biggest, 23=Avg.):
- 40^th – % of High School Students Bullied on School Property
- 40^th – % of High School Students Bullied Online
- 37^th – % of High School Students Involved in Physical Fight at School
- 42^nd – % of High School Students Who Missed School Out of Fear of Being Bullied
- 39^th – % of High School Students Who Attempted Suicide
- 21^st – Student-to-Counselor Ratio
- 46^th – Number of Psychologists per Capita
Worst States for Kids Being Bullied:

1 Michigan

2 Louisiana

3 West Virginia

4 Montana

5 Arkansas

6 Texas

7 Idaho

8 Alabama

9 South Carolina

10 Alaska

Massachusetts is #46.

For the full report, please visit here.
August 28, 2016
Historic Newton Sept Events

SEPTEMBER

Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

COMMUNITY WEEKEND AT HISTORIC NEWTON

Newton residents are invited to enjoy free admission to our museums. At the Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street, and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue. Information: 617-796-1450.

Sunday, September 11, 2:00 PM

HISTORIC NEWTON WALKS

KENNARD PARK SCULPTURE TRAIL

In the early 20^th century, Kennard Park was a gentleman’s estate planted with fruit trees and shrubs designed to attract a variety of birds. The park and conservation land are now owned by the City of Newton. This fall, Friends of Kennard Park have created the new outdoor Kennard Park Sculpture Trail. Join curator Allison Newsome, an internationally known sculptor, for a walk along this trail to see how artists used the landscape and its history to create site-specific work. Meet in the parking lot at 246 Dudley Road. Suggested donation, $10.  Information: 617-796-1450.

Sunday, September 18, 2:00 PM

HISTORIC NEWTON WALKS

A STROLL THROUGH 300 YEARS IN CHESTNUT HILL

Originally settled by a few farmers in the 1650s, Chestnut Hill retains buildings and structures from each phase of its history. Starting at the 1868 Chestnut Hill Chapel, John Wyman, chair of the Chestnut Hill Historic District Commission since its establishment in 1992, leads a walk down Suffolk Road. Observe one of the oldest houses in Newton (built around 1700), as well as the late 19th and early 20th century architect-designed houses and gardens that followed the introduction of commuter rail service to Chestnut Hill. Wyman will describe how the establishment of the Chestnut Hill Historic District in 1992 has encouraged the preservation of historic structures. The tour ends at Mrs. Hammond’s 10-acre English style garden and Houghton Garden, now owned by the City of Newton. Meet at the Chestnut Hill School parking lot, 428 Hammond Street. Suggested donation, $10.  Information: 617-796-1450.

Sunday, September 25, 2:00 PM

HISTORIC NEWTON WALKS

NEWTON CEMETERY: AN EARLY PUBLIC PARK

Did you know that the land that Newton Cemetery occupies now was once used for pharmaceutical and leather factories? Learn about how that industrial land was developed as part of the garden cemetery movement, and why it’s important as a green space today. Follow Katy Hax Holmes of the Newton Department of Planning and Development on a walk through Newton Cemetery, featuring some of the cemetery’s most notable “residents.” Uneven terrain; wear sturdy walking shoes. Meet in front of the chapel just inside the main gate, 791 Walnut St, Newton Centre. Parking is available in the parking lot to the left of the chapel. Suggested donation, $10.  Information: 617-796-1450.

Sunday, September 25, Noon-5 PM

HISTORIC NEWTON AT NEWTONVILLE DAY

Come by the Historic Newton booth at Newtonville Day to view slides through a stereoscope, play a ball and cup game, and learn more about Historic Newton programs for all ages. Free. On Walnut Street between Newtonville Ave. and Washington Park. Information: 617-796-1450.

Thursday, September 29, 7:30 PM

HISTORY BOOK CLUB

Join us for a discussion of The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War by David Halberstam. The author recreates trench warfare and also explores the decisions that world and military leaders made during the conflict, which lasted from 1950-53. The book club is free and open to all. At the Jackson Homestead, 527 Washington Street,617-796-1450.

Sunday, October 2, Noon – 4 PM

ANNUAL HOMESTEAD HAYFEST

Come celebrate the harvest season at the Homestead Hayfest, a hands-on family festival that celebrates 19th century family life. Try your hand at dyeing cloth with vegetable dyes, butter making, cider pressing, and candle dipping. Jump into a burlap sack for a race or play the hoop-tossing game of graces. Enjoy a day of old-fashioned fun. Free. At the Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington St, Newton. Information: 617-796-1450.

August 27, 2016
Hamiltunes Boston at the Mosesian

The Arsenal Center for the Arts presents Hamiltunes Boston at the Mosesian, a singalong experience of the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, on Monday, September 12 and Tuesday, September 13 in the Charles Mosesian Theater in The Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown.

Sing on stage by signing up for a vocal slot and be a part of the experience! Tickets and vocal signups open on August 16th. If you don’t want to sing on stage, anyone may sing from the audience at any time, including when soloists are onstage.

The Monday, September 12 event is for attendees ages 12 and up and their families. Minors should be accompanied by an adult. Doors will open at 6 pm and the event will begin at 6:30 pm.

The Tuesday, September 13 event is for attendees 18 and up. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the event will begin at 7 pm.

Costumes are encouraged, but prop weapons are not permitted. Concessions will be available for purchase at both evenings’ events. There is a $10 suggested donation at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the WCT Tuition Assistance Fund. Limited tickets may be available at the event, but pre-registration is preferred.

For more information, visit www.arsenalarts.org or call 617-923-0100.

August 26, 2016
Top Superfoods for the Breast Cancer Fighter

For people fighting a disease like breast cancer, proper nutrients can mean the difference between a successful battle and a more difficult one. There are several super foods that can help you stay nourished during treatment and may even help prevent cancer. This infographic is from Cure Diva.

August 25, 2016
10 Classics to Read When the World Seems Too Bleak
By Sally Allen

If you’ve checked the news recently … maybe you wish you hadn’t. These are anxiety-provoking times, overwhelming and draining times; times that make it seem four horsemen may just be galloping ever closer on the not-so-distant horizon.

Since I learned how to read, books have been where I’ve turned for consolation, hope, and a clarifying dose of perspective. Lately, my solace seems to come from classic literature. Classics remind me how resilient humans are, how much beauty exists in the world. They remind me of the cyclical nature of human history. They illuminate all that humans have survived—insane rulers, endless wars of all kinds, devastating plagues, more devastating plagues … yet another devastating plague. We have survived it before, and we can survive it all over again.
1. The Iliad by Homer (maybe)
That this poem, set in the 10th year of the Trojan War, has survived thousands of years provides hope in itself. Gruesome battle scenes play counterpoint to moments of grace, as when a Greek and a Trojan honor their past friendship by refusing to strike each other down. Woven throughout the poem are timeless snapshots familiar in any time and place – the pleasure of a cozy sleep, a satisfying meal, children at play.
1. Antigone by Sophocles
In Sophocles’ tragedy, conflicting duties between Antigone and Creon lead to, well, tragedy. As the play progresses, our loyalty shifts according to who is telling the story and how. By the end, we understand that the deepest impediment to reaching consensus isn’t Antigone and Creon’s incompatible loyalties but their pride and refusal to engage with each other.
1. Plutarch’s Lives by Plurtarch
Plutarch’s collection of biographies of famed Greeks and Romans is quite the tome. But the biographies don’t demand to be read cover to cover. Readers can dip into them as they might a recipe book, in this case, a recipe for recognizing that our little planet has survived millennia of turbulence. As a starting point, I recommend Spartan Lycurgus and Athenian Solon.
1. Beowulf by Unknown
The poem begins with a young Beowulf presenting himself to Danish king Hrothgar. A monster called Grendel threatens to destroy Hrothgar’s kingdom, and Beowulf offers to fight the beast. He wins, but his labors are far from over. Until our time has passed away, the poem seems to suggest, the next beast forever lies in wait.
1. The Decameron by Boccaccio
This collection of tales dates to the mid-14th century and features a frame narrative readers won’t envy: A group of men and women fleeing the Black Death who hole up together in Florence. They wile away the hours swapping stories that run the gamut, from bawdy to funny to moral.
1. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Like Boccaccio, Chaucer wraps a frame narrative around a collection of stories that fall along a broad continuum. Here, it’s pilgrims headed to Canterbury and Thomas Beckett’s shrine. The pilgrims represent a range of classes and occupations, which creates moments of tension as well as connection.
1. Macbeth by William Shakespeare
After Macbeth hears a prophecy that, he believes, predicts he’ll become King of Scotland, he hastens to bring that prophecy to fruition: With his wife’s encouragement, he kills the King of Scotland. His act of murder leads to a downward spiral of paranoia and violence until he meets the same end. Apparently, there is nothing terribly new about power-obsessed madness…
1. Frankenstein; or Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
When we need help reconciling ourselves with humanity’s imperfection, with all that is unknowable, Shelley’s novels makes excellent company. Budding scientist Victor Frankenstein becomes obsessed with solving the riddle of human existence. The thrill of success lasts approximately 4.7 seconds before things go horribly wrong, and then go worse from there.
1. A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley
Uttley’s moving story reminds us that even when we cannot change outcomes, there is power in witnessing. Young Penelope travels from the 1930s back to the late 16th century, where she becomes embroiled in a plot to save Mary, Queen of Scots. The plot, however, is doomed to fail, and Penelope is powerless to change it. All she can do is listen and provide comfort.
1. Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost
When all else fails, I find comfort reading Frost’s gentle poem. It captures a simple but painful truth culled from his observations of the physical world: Nature is cyclical. The moment of perfect beauty inevitably dies away. And that is precisely what enables it to be reborn.

Sally Allen is an award-winning author who holds a PhD in English Education from New York University, with an emphasis in writing and rhetoric, and an MA in English Language and Literature. She has taught writing and literature at New York University and Fairfield University, and is the recipient of New York University’s Willy Gorrissen Award for Dedication and Skill in the Academic Development of Student Writing. Currently, Allen is a faculty member at Post University where she teaches literature, writing, and communications. She is the founder of Books, Ink at HamletHub, a website dedicated to Connecticut books news, where her writing has earned her three Connecticut Press Club awards.

Unlocking Worlds (Griffins Wharf, 2015) can be purchased from Amazon and other booksellers nationwide. More information about Sally Allen can be found at www.sallyallenbooks.com, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
August 24, 2016

1	Michigan
2	Louisiana
3	West Virginia
4	Montana
5	Arkansas
6	Texas
7	Idaho
8	Alabama
9	South Carolina
10	Alaska