Shipment Sent to Pakistan

Parkas for Pakistan collection effort completed. Two trucks of winter clothing delivered to Hidaya for distribution in Shikarpur and Abottabad.

PK Flood Relief 2010

OAKLAND, California (September 30th, 2010) - The nonprofit East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse (http://creativereuse.org) is joining forces with other nonprofit agencies, including the Hidaya Foundation (http://www.hidaya.org), Friends Of South Asian (http://friendsofsouthasia.org) and St. Vincent de Paul, for an emergency drive to collect warm clothing and blankets that will be shipped to flood victims in Pakistan. The East Bay Depot's "Parkas for Pakistan" program began in 2006 with a successful shipment of a 40 ft. container of relief goods to Pakistan earthquake survivors.

The floods in Pakistan in the summer of 2010 left thousands dead and 20 million homeless. Warm clothing and bedding are desperately needed with winter now approaching.

The collection drive begins Friday, October 1. Donated goods can be dropped off at the East Bay Depot (4695 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland) from 11am-5pm every day through Friday, November 19. Items should be placed in plastic bags and brought to the rear loading dock on Shattuck Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets. We are also seeking voluntary donations of $1 per pound for shipment costs.

The East Bay Depot is a California non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible. The items most urgently needed are:

Winter Coats

Jackets

Sweatshirts

Blankets

Sleeping Bags

Comforters

Children's shoes

Sneakers

Crutches

Braces

Splints

First-Aid Supplies

Backpacks with School Supplies

Tents

Tarps

NO western style clothing (shirts, trousers, skirts, shoes with heels) or clothing in disrepair.

Mission Kashmir, a graphic novel

A graphic novel on the relief effort during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. Intended length is 72 pages. To be published in Urdu, Hindi and English.

Gina Hotta R.I.P

Eulogy for Gina Hotta, KPFA radio producer, activist and pace setter.

I met Gina at the Third I film festival mixer back in 2003. I found her activism to be inspirational and enjoyed her deep knowledge on world music, politics and Asian-American experience. She was as supportive of Film & Arts as she was of crafting stories from visceral experiences. I appeared on her show, Asian Pacific Exchange (APEX) frequently as a commentator on Pakistan's political situation and promoting Third I South Asian Film Festival. In each interview she led with poignant questions while provided deeper context for her audience.

In 2005, we spend some time developing a story on the continued incarceration of U.S.-born 23-year old Hamid Hayat who had allegedly attended a terror-training camp in northeast Pakistan, and his father Umar Hayat. During that time, Gina told me about her own research and family experiences on the Japanese internment during WW II. Her conviction for human rights and social justice were not just personified by her weekly show on APEX but also in her indefatigable passion in giving voice to the Hyphened Asian-American community

She will be dearly missed.

I can't find any archives of her old show, but have a copy of 12/29/2005 show where seh interviewed me about relief work during the 2005 earthquake.

Zalzala Forum

We are having an informational program, at the San Francsico Public library.
To educate people on the cureent relief effort in Pakistan.

Here are the details and the flyer
ZALZALA FORUM
Tuesday March 28th, 2006 6:00 pm
SF Main Library
Latino/Hispanic room
100 larkin Street (at grove)

The Parkas have landed!

Finally. Whew. Thank you for all who helped. It cost a lot of money, but in the end, working with EKTA, FOSA, East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, St Paul De Vincent Society of Oregon, Alliance Lines, ICS agents, UPM International and finally Sungi Development foundation. Waiting for pictures of warm children wearing REI clothing now :)
-----
Further to our e-mail below, the container was custom cleared and moved out of the dry port yesterday March 09, delivered to Sungi dev. In Abbotabad early this morning March 10th., empty container has arrived back in Islamabad and delivered to the designated terminal of Hanjin lines.Our job stands complete, for any further assistance pls. feel free tocontact us.

Bay Area Zindabad!

Yes, Bay area South Asian community rocks. The $3200 needed were collected in three days. The money was wired from Ekta account to St Paul De Vincent society and has been wired to the two clearing agents in Pakistan, ICS and UPM. I have faxed and sent orignal bill of Landing, twice. The shipment lands in Karachi on 20th Feburay.

I will keep you all posted on progress. I am hoping to do a little bit of publicity for St Paul De Vincent and Ekta/Fosa in Pakistan. Any volunteers to coorinate this in Karachi or Islamabad. Send me an email.