multiracial multiethnic multicultural keynote speaker producer educator
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Diversity Mystery Theater with Detective Mel Anin, Episode 2. Fighting diversity and race crimes since 1990. In this episode, attendees learn how to create and use diversity assessments, generate relevant data analytics and write diversity reports that can improve organizational structures and eliminate bias - all in the context of mock film noir.
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Presented the first virtual episode of my updated worksop series Diversity Mystery Theater with Detective Mel Anin! In each film noir style episode, the audience helps the detective solve a diversity related crime while learning terminology and gaining tools to address systemic issues in their communities. Infused with visual storytelling, intrigue, music and humor! We created this program in the 1990s and through the years it was performed live in person. Today it's a virtual webinar experience with advanced polling technology for responsive data collection.
https://entertainingdiversity.com/diversity-mystery-theater |
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I absolutely loved facilitating my workshop "I'm So Hip Hop!" in Newport, RI at the New England Resident Service Coordinators (NERSC) Annual Conference (6th year facilitating). Social workers, nurses, educators, counselors and others, connected through storytelling, rhythm and teamwork. They wrote, rehearsed and performed stories about issues youth in their communities deal with. We recorded their performances, and the edited version will be available for participants to share with their communities. Downloadable material for participants to use when creating similar programs are available!
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Presented Culture Surfing: The TCK Survival Quest, an interactive, instant data-providing program addressing the complexities of the TCK (Third Culture Kid) experience at Lewis & Clark College, Portland Oregon. I have never had the opportunity to spend a full day with such a deeply committed group of administrators, mentors, psychiatrists, nurses, professors and students who help International students navigate adjusting to life in the US and other countries. My lively, fun and interactive show and smart-phone driven polling showed deficits and solutions to helping TCK students survive the rigors of college and the US. All participants will be receiving a copy of my "TCK Illustrated Survival Manual".
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Received a wax-stamped and handwritten thank you letter from an audience member. I’m so humbled and moved by this. Of course now I have to practice my penmanship and respond!
I receive so many letters, e-mails and social media accolades, and I’m truly humbled by that. But a letter like this relating to the vulnerability and humility we have in these troubling times, is a message that we must continue. Doing good work was always my mission, no matter the platform or genre. Because in the end, the connections we make in our daily interactions speak volumes about the ways in which we live our lives. Identity is a fluid and component in our cultural DNA. Tell me your story. Share your experiences and let’s find collective ways to heal. |
What a great pleasure it was to host a discussion at the Boston Public Library at the annual Boston Book Festival! The young authors of this book are talented, well spoken, and intelligent future leaders. The book has gone international and is used in every state in the US. Their teacher and mentor Jessica Lander helped them create a groundbreaking young perspective on diversity in one of the most diverse cities in the US, Lowell MA. So proud of all of you!
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Successful engagement at Massachusetts General Hospital's Stand Against Racism event! My interactive, Film Noir skit-based problem-solving activities with audience polling event was standing-room-only! Private Diversity Detective, Mel Anin takes the audience on a tour of racism, unconscious bias and microaggressions, and gets them to engage in real-time sleuthing! More to come this year at MGH!
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What an honor to receive a letter from my favorite State Representative and good friend Paul McMurtry, congratulating us for our Telly Award-winning video. We're always striving to improve the world through the arts!
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Over 1.5 Million views in 10 days!
This is our parody of the BBC Live Interview that was interrupted by the professor's kids. Many people assume the woman in the video is his nanny, yet she's his wife. We explore our conscious and unconscious biases and assumptions as to who is family. International discussions on Facebook and YouTube in response to our release of this video have been very insightful. youtu.be/7RvyNP_RSN0 |
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Always fantastic to present and attend Clark University TCK/Global Nomads Conference. This years topic is “Navigating the World with Evolving Identities” Especially awesome is that this is my alma mater and the university where I teach! I’m so proud of my students! A Global Nomad or Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person of any age or nationality who has lived a significant part of his/her developmental years in one or more countries outside his/her passport country because of a parent’s occupation. Typically, global nomads share a unique cultural heritage.
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Woah! Just won my third Telly Award, category: Social in General Public and Activism. Our short film, A-Woke got front page Huffington Post, and over 65,000 combined Facebook and YouTube views. We made reference to Asian-American identity and Asian consciousness. Hollywood stereotypes of Asians, the whitewashing of Asian representation in the media and racist attacks are fought with peaceful demonstration and intelligence. https://youtu.be/0FEv6mLJ_E0
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I am very fortunate to be Co-Producer, Co-Director, Director of Photography and Editor for our next Asian-topic short film with Co-Producer, Director, Michael Tow. Thank you everyone for your tireless collaboration, talent and humor. Starring: Michael Tow, Jane Staab, Paul Widegren, Jade Schuyler, Quinn Schuyler, Tamara Harper and Conlon Doran. Crew: Paul Schuyler (Associate Director, Assistant DP; and Conlon Doran, Production Assistant. Details coming soon!
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Presented "State of Us: Know The Community, Know The State", a diversity & inclusion seminar at the Massachusetts State House to Representatives, legislators and staff, with my friend Representative Paul McMurtry. The packed room was committed to becoming stakeholders in making positive changes toward inclusion within the State House, but more importantly with the communities they serve. This was an introductory program. My intentions going forward are to help the State figure out best ways to connect with sub-communities, particularly communities of color and the underserved.
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Asian power. Asian-American identity. Asian consciousness. Hollywood stereotypes of Asians, the whitewashing of Asian representation in the media and racist attacks are fought with peaceful demonstration and intelligence. With Co-Producer Michael Tow and a great cast and crew, we created a Mannequin Challenge video in less than four days. Within two weeks of completion, the video received over 55,000 views on YouTube and Facebook. The video was featured on the front page on Huffington Post and was shared by celebrities such as blogger Angry Asian Man and Hip Hop mega stars, Far East Movement.
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Very honored to have had spent the afternoon with international film director Gurinder Chadha. She is one of a handful of female directors in the world, and focuses on cross-cultural stories and strong women. Although her most famous movie is Bend It Like Bekham, she is prolific and disruptive and does not drop herself into the Hollywood mold. I brought my class to ask questions for my innovative media course at Clark University. What a treat! Ms. Chadha spoke eloquently and powerfully about the need for content creators to own their story and speak from the heart. Particularly what I connected with was her grip on stories within cross-cultural, race and religious contexts. Thank you Ms. Chadha - you are inspirational!
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Was honored to Skype live with a crowded room full of high school students at Santa Fe High School, Whittier Union High School District, California. We talked about race, culture, recent flood of social media covering police brutality, immigration and my new books on race and culture. Thank you for your great questions! I look forward to meeting you all in person!
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Had an AWESOME time keynoting and presenting game show I created called What Are You Anyway?! at the 2016 Clark University TCK conference in conjunction with The Big Mix! Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a term used to refer to children who were raised in a culture outside of their parents' culture, or two or more cultures, for a significant part of their development years. I'm always empowered to be surrounded by and connected to others who have had similar experiences. As a Clark grad and professor, it was a perfect day.
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Honored to have been keynote speaker, MLK Convocation at University of Michigan, to a rockin' packed audience of over 1,000. Presented Other: The New Normal. Book signing and pre-sales followed. This was part of the 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance, Human Differences Make a Difference.
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Had an awesome time keynoting to a packed house at University of Rhode Island, for The Power of Humor Colloquium. Followed by our signature You've Crossed The Line comedy competition show, with comedians Deb Farrar-Parkman, Raj Sivaraman, Wes Hazard and Sam Ike. Live audience polls, reflecting on context of the humor, and powerful data collected. Great discussion too!
Photos curtesy of The University of Rhode Island, Nora Lewis. |
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TEDx talk.
Race: Human The Un-Science of Race Categories Presented at Clark University, Worcester, MA In a world divided by race, do we as people really understand what this construct, “Race” really means? This talk breaks down the racial categories and gets us wondering, can we move past these categories? |