NetSAP
DC Weekly Newsletter
May 30, 2006
Here are the highlights of NetSAP DC’s activities for this week.
In The News...
The benefits of membership are growing every day. To learn about the many advantages to NetSAP membership, click here. Details about these and other NetSAP events can be found on our Events Calendar.
SPORTS COMMITTEE: Side-Out Foundation Volleyball Tournament, June 3 & 4, 2006
BOOK CLUB: Ved Metha’s THE RED LETTERS, Thursday, June 8, 2006, 7:00 pm
CULTURAL COMMITTEE: African Elites in India, Saturday, June 10, 2006, 2:00 pm
SPORTS COMMITTEE: Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America DC Guts and Glory Walk, Sunday, June 11, 2006, 9:00 am
CHARITY BALL PLANNING COMMITTEE: Meeting, Wednesday, May 31, 2006, 6:30 pm
SALTAF’06 COMMITTEE: Planning Meeting, Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 7:00pm
MEMBERSHIP: Become a NetSAP-DC Member Today!
(1) DESI-UMD: Indian & Jewish American Young Professionals & Students Networking Reception and Dinner, Tuesday, May 30, 2006, 6:00 pm
(2) APIA Vote DC Coalition: DC Mayoral Forum for the API Community, Thursday, June 1, 2006, 6:30 pm
(3) Dhoonya Dance School: Bhangra Workout Course, June 4, 2006 – July 30, 2006
(4) SAALT: Taxi Dreams, Monday, June 5, 2006, 6:30 pm
SPORTS COMMITTEE: Side-Out Foundation Volleyball Tournament, June 3 & 4, 2006
Join NetSAP members and help raise money for the Side-Out Foundation 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament being held in Reston, VA. Last year, it is through support such as this that the Foundation was able to distribute over $15,000 to INOVA Cancer services research division. We are trying to form a team for this event so please RSVP by contacting the email addresses below before you register!
DATE: June 3 & 4, 2006
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: Reston, Virginia - Side-Out Tournament website
RSVP and CONTACT info: Email sports@netsap.org for more information. Further information will be given after RSVP.
BOOK CLUB: Ved Metha’s THE RED LETTERS, Thursday, June 8, 2006, 7:00 pm
DATE: June 8, 2006
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Tamara Bhalla's sister's place, 2910 S 13th Rd., Apt 102Arlington, VA 22204, Phone: 703-785-0541 or 703-310-6358
METRO: Courthouse (not walking distance; may require short taxi ride)
PARKING: Street parking and parking lot behind the apt. complex
RSVP: Email tbhalla@umich.edu. PLEASE RSVP AT LEAST 3 days prior to the event to accommodate for seating and meal count. They will probably order pizzas and need a number.
For all enquiries about current reading list, past reading list and other general information on the Book club please reference new members to www.netsap.org under committee and Book club.
CULTURAL COMMITTEE: African Elites in India, Saturday, June 10, 2006, 2:00 pm
History books are replete with the stories of African kings ruling their own continent. But few books relay the history of sub-Saharan Africans gaining positions of power and status on the continent of India.
Sub-Saharan Africans have a longstanding and distinguished presence in India, where they are most commonly known as Habshis or Sidis. Habshi is the Arabic for Abyssinian or Ethiopian, and Sidi is apparently derived from the Arabic sayyidi, "my lord." In 1996, the authoritative Anthropological Survey of India reported sizeable communities of African ancestry in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in southern India, Gujarat in the west, and the metropolises of Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
The lavishly illustrated book focuses not only on the little-known group of elite sub-Saharan African-Indian merchants, soldiers, nobles, statesmen, and rulers who attained prominence in India in the fifteenth to twentieth centuries but also on Africans who served at the courts of Indian monarchs as servants, slaves, eunuchs, or concubines. Several paintings from the Freer and Sackler collection will be featured in the lecture.
On June 10th, at the Freer Gallery of Art, Kenneth Robbins, renowned South Asian scholar and author, and John McLeod, chair of the history department at the University of Louisville and a specialist in South Asian history, discuss their new book African Elites in India: Habshi Amarat.
DATE: Saturday, June 10, 2006
TIME: 2:00 p.m.
COST: Free
LOCATION: Freer Gallery of Art (Meyer Auditorium): Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW
METRO: Smithsonian (Orange/Blue Lines)
PARKING: Street parking available
RSVP: Please RSVP the Cultural Committee if you are interested in attending this event by June 7th so that they may give a head count to the event coordinator. Email Soumya Andani or Binita Naik at cultural@netsap.org.
SPORTS COMMITTEE: Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America DC Guts and Glory Walk, Sunday, June 11, 2006, 9:00 am
Join the NetSAP team and help raise money for research to eradicate IBD at the 16th Annual Guts & Glory Walk to be held at the Tidal Basin Trail, Washington, DC. The walk starts at 9:00am following the trail around the Tidal Basin, past the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson Monuments and paddleboats ending back at the Sylvan Theater. You can either donate or better yet, PARTICIPATE!!
DATE: Sunday, June 11, 2006
TIME: 9:00 am
LOCATION: Tidal Basin trail, Washington DC - visit the CCFA/NetSAP team page!
PARKING: There is plenty of street parking in East Potomac Park plus various parking lots.
METRO: Smithsonian or L’Enfant Plaza stops
RSVP: Email sports@netsap.org for more information. Do not register yet! Further information will be given after RSVP. Please direct all inquiries to Sonya Mazumdar at sports@netsap.org for further info.
Nominate a Leader: At NetSAP DC's upcoming Charity Gala on Saturday July 22nd at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, we plan to honor 3-4 young, dynamic South Asian leaders in the greater Washington DC metro area. The only set criteria are that the leader is under 40 years of age and based in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia. If you would like to nominate someone, please send an e-mail to vp@netsap.org with their name and a brief bio and we will follow up with you. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday June 14th.
CHARITY BALL PLANNING COMMITTEE: Meeting – Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 6:30 pm
We have decided on a new upscale venue and need your help on the planning committee!
We are looking for people to help in all aspects of planning including:
- Sponsorship: Approaching targeted sponsors, preparing/researching material for sponsors, finding additional potential sponsors
- Entertainment: For this upscale event, we will need to think about classy entertainment options that are within our budget
- Logistics: Communicating with potential charities, supporting finances, creating a marketing plan, and helping to fill in the gaps to ensure another successful event.
If you are interested please email pr@netsap.org or liaison@netsap.org and specify how you would like to be involved or attend our meeting on Wednesday, May 31, 2006.
DATE: Wednesday, May 31, 2006
TIME: 6:30 pm
LOCATION: Cosi, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington D.C. 20036. (Corner of 20th and M.)
METRO: Farragut North or Dupont Circle (Red Line) or Farragut West (Blue/Orange Lines)
PARKING: Street Parking or Parking Garages in the area.
RSVP: Email pr@netsap.org or liaison@netsap.org to RSVP, for questions or for additional information.
SALTAF’06 COMMITTEE: Planning Meeting, Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 7:00pm
The SALTAF Committee is responsible for planning and coordinating all details involved with the phenomenally successful South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival. This is an annual event hosted at the Smithsonian and it features prominent South Asian writers, filmmakers and artists and draws hundreds of South Asians from across the East Coast to DC each fall. SALTAF provides authors, filmmakers, literary and theatre professionals the opportunity to interact with their audience. Bibliophiles, cinema fans and young professionals can explore the creative process with professional artists and discover outlets for their own creative aspirations. SALTAF celebrates the achievements of South Asians in the literature and arts and it has become one of NetSAP DC's most recognized and renowned flagship events.
We are still looking for volunteers to work on our website and flyers / promotional material. Please email saltaf@netsap.org for more information.
DATE: Wednesday, May 31, 2006
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Caribou Coffee, 1800 M St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036. (Corner of 18th and M.)
METRO: Farragut North or Dupont Circle (Red Line) or Farragut West (Blue/Orange Lines)
PARKING: Street Parking or Parking Garages in the area.
RSVP/Questions: AN RSVP IS REQUIRED FOR THIS MEETING. Please email Dina Khemlani at saltaf@netsap.org if you plan to attend. Contact Dina Khemlani at saltaf@netsap.org if you have any questions.
Please note that the events below are listed as a service to our members. The views expressed in the following activities and by the groups listed below are not shared or endorsed by NetSAP DC.
For Additional Details About These Events, Please Visit our Online Calendar at www.netsap.org
(1) DESI-UMD: Indian & Jewish American Young Professionals & Students Networking Reception and Dinner, Tuesday, May 30, 2006, 6:00 pm
Please join us for a unique first of its kind Indian & Jewish American Young Professionals / Students Networking reception and Dinner co-sponsored by the Embassy of Israel, The American Jewish Committee and DESI, the Indian Students Group from the University of Maryland, College Park. The reception will take place on Tuesday, May 30th, 2006 at the Jerusalem Hall of the Israel Embassy at 6:00pm. For directions please visit: http://www.israelemb.org/directions.html
The topic will be Indian-Jewish American partnership in the US as a catalyst for further strengthening India-Israel-US relations.
Mr. Martin Flex, Minister (Domestic Political Affairs), Mr. Vikram Misri, Counselor (Political), Embassy of India, Mr. Jason Isaacson, Director, AJC and Mr. Nissim B Reuben, Program Officer on Indian-Jewish American relations will be addressing the gathering. A short film on India's rich Jewish film will be shown.
If you are interested in attending this event please RSVP to info@desiumd.org with the following information: a) Your full name; b) Date of Birth; c) Place of Birth
(2) APIA Vote DC Coalition: DC Mayoral Forum for the API Community, Thursday, June 1, 2006, 6:30 pm
The forum will be a chance for mayoral candidates and the Asian community to discuss issues of language access, education, and healthcare, among others.
DATE: Thursday, June 1, 2006
TIME: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
LOCATION: 1500 Harvard Street, NW, (corner of 16th & Harvard), Washington, DC 20009
CONTACT: For more information, call (202) 223-9170 or email dc_coalition@apiavote.org or contact Donna Ortega at dortega@caab.org or visit www.caab.org.
(3) Dhoonya Dance School: Bhangra Workout Course, June 4, 2006 – July 30, 2006
Looking for a fun and highly energetic workout? Or simply to learn some basic Bhangra steps to use at the next Bhangra party or South Asian wedding? We have something for you!
BHANGRA BEATS, a dance-inspired workout for men and women, beginners and beyond!
The Dhoonya Dance School proudly announces its first offering of an 8-week Bhangra workout course intended for adult Bhangra enthusiasts of all ages. Bhangra has come a long way from the century-old dance performed in the northern regions of South Asia to celebrate the coming of spring. It is now practiced and performed around the world with many distinct styles and rhythms. The Dhoonya Bhangra Beats Workout Class will start off with basic steps and progress to a coordinated routine. The instructors welcome people of all skill levels and look forward to not only giving you a full body workout, but also instilling in you the rhythm of Dhoonya Dance!!
Instructors: Dhoonya Dance Bhangra Instructors - Amit Kapoor and Jay Patel!
Level: Beginner (for MEN and WOMEN of all ages)
When: Sundays 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm, June 4th - July 30th (holiday on Sunday, July 2nd)
Where: Dhoonya Mclean Studio, 1340 Old Chain Bridge Road, Mclean,VA
Join the session: $130 Register online at: www.dhoonyadance.com or email info@dhoonyadance class to reserve your spot and pay by check or in-person!
(Register early spaces are filling quickly!)
Drop-in rate: $20 per class (bring a friend to class!)
(4) SAALT: Taxi Dreams, Monday, June 5, 2006, 6:30 pm
SAALT convened a documentary screening event last December in DC featuring "Whose Children Are These" which highlights the stories of South Asian children affected by Special Registration policies. A panel of speakers followed the documentary screening which raised awareness of the work going on across the country. Continuing the re-focus series, SAALT is aimed at raising awareness of working class, marginalized communities, and those who are under-privileged. We are asking individuals who would like to get involved to attend a meeting on June 5th at 6:30 pm to view the documentary "Taxi Dreams" which tells the stories of taxi cab workers from various countries. Following the documentary viewing, there will be a discussion of next steps toward planning the event this summer. Please visit www.saalt.org or contact Arefa Vohra at arefa@saalt.org for more information.
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Do you have ideas, suggestions or questions? E-mail: info@netsap.org
