'25 in Review...'26 is NEW!

JANUARY

Annual Oshogatsu Community Feast:

Reawakened and emerging from the lost years of the Pandemic was our annual New Years community feast and home-grown studio “Feast & Festival”. Besides the plentiful and tasty acreage of fantastic Asian food there's a bouquet of performances of original works regaling from our Bay Area’s creative performing artists: Oscar Penaranda and accordionist Shirley Ancheta, Genny Lim (Poetry), Judith May (vocals), Kaala Carmack (Hawaiian Songs), Kirk Waller (Senegalese Kora harp), Eleanor Clement Glass (Storyteller), Don Nguyen (Magician!), Peter & Wendy Horikoshi (Songwriters), Kulintang Gong Music by Yours Truly(me),  Nancy Wang, and Rosalie Alfonso Carmack.  And a medley of Brazilian-Jazz-Standards and more by Giulio Cetto, Xavier and other guests!  Wanna join in on NEXT years fun (coming VERY SOON!)?  Sign up for kitchen crew, sushi making, and stage life too! Seriously THIS EVENT is NOT to be missed!

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FEBRUARY

Taking to the Hills!:Montalvo Residency

The Hills of Saratoga CA… through the Montalvo Artist Residency: Nancy was awarded a creative retreat residency at the Montalvo Arts Center.  Working on the content for our series of ENT folk tales (yes- slow-poke Robert’s illustrations forthcoming!).  Great location with a beautiful location, studio, dinner meals covered… a place to “disappear” and go deep into the creative process.  Among other selected artists were well known API poet, Garrett Hongo, accompanying us with delicious meals and conversations about creative process and Asian American culture!

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MARCH

Red Altar: Keep Raising the Lantern… HIGHER!!!:

Nancy offered several book readings “Red Altar” which boosted many sales of this epic Chinese American historic novel.  Keep in mind as the holidays are fast approaching, “Red Altar” would be nice addition under your Christmas tree as gifts for you, your friends and families.  A great book to cozy up with during the long wintry months!

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APRIL

Feast of Stories: Write On!

ENT offered a writing workshop “Feast of Stories” at Solano College’s Asian American Studies.  it was great to be amongst the college students, exploring writing, personal narratives and ethnic identity.  Using the metaphor of stories around the kitchen table, students explored through their writings, their family roots,  sense of social justice and desire to serve the greater good to higher education. Also it's great to see former UC Davis Asian American studies colleague Shirley Villalon Lewis, who is instrumental in forming the ethnic studies department at the small community college in a remote Solano county, CA.

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MAY

Strong Like Bamboo : Make that TWO!

“Together We Rise” and “Stories of Resilience”,  held at the San Francisco Main library we continued the banner title from last year's events. Part one was a community dialogue, sumptuous meal and presentation by CAIRS, offering information addressing the rise and hates crimes and how to keep safe in our communities.

Also present in the room with representatives from La Raza Community Resource Center, Tsuru for Solidarity (who have been doing human right/ civil actions , and support work for a undocumented detainees). The second event it was a concert multicultural storytellers; Archie Jamjun (Thai Am), Olga Loya (Mexican Am), Eleanor Clement Glass (Afro Filipino Am), Nancy Wang (Chinese Am) and myself (actually as a songster with API social justice songs, written by myself and additionally by Chris Ijima from the “Grain of Sand” Album fame)

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JUNE

The Land Down Under: Our Australian Tour

ENT enjoyed a wonderful Australia tour 2 international storytelling events:  Wollongong & Sydney( conference); meeting and performing with artists from India, Singapore, Korea, indigenous Aborigine from Australia and United States). We were in great company both on and of stage with our international storytelling colleagues (so many more couldn’t name them all!): Lillian Rodrigues Pang, Christine Carlton, Christine Greenough, Jo Henwood, (Aus), Kiran Shah, Dee Palaniswamy (Indian/ Aus), Alton Takiyama Chung, Diane Ferlatte and Adam Booth (USA), of special note- Alton Takiyama Chung (first met two decades ago and in 2005 started as an ENT apprentice. Since then Alton has taken flight as a rising star in the professional storytelling world. Bravo Alton! Oh… by the way.. did I mention the on this trip, both of us got seriously sick (separately) with bronchitis and COVID?!! The show must go on!! YOWZA!!

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JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER

Oodles of Doodles!

Yes, throughout the Summer months with endless hours of drawings, and digital diligence, Robert is has been doodling away at his artwork! His long awaited illustrations are part of the ENT Archive Project, rendering over a dozen new illustrations for the future publication of ENT’s Asian folk tales. Here are some samples…

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OCTOBER

Monterey Chinese “Descendants” Reunion

The story of Chinese Fishing village as mentioned in Nancy’s novel, Red Altar, indeed lives year round!  This summer, Nancy joined team of relatives that organized a reunion event welcoming the Chinese American the Descendants of Monterey Chinese Fishing Village. This multi-generation event heralded descendants from all over the West Coast. With site-specific docent tours on the actual beach location of the early Chinese settlement, interactive social inquiry, and out-door gallery display ancestral “family trees” many generations were able o recount their connections to this historic contribution to California history. The family docents recounted the history of the fishing village and other significant events of the era (Nancy sharing the impact of the 1906 Earthquake impact on the fishing village)

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YEAR ROUND! JANUARY to DEC!

Storytellers in ACTION!

AASIA: For over 5 years, prompted by the national COVID shut down of “live” shows, our API storytelling colleagues formed “Asian American Storytellers in Action” to fill the void (and computer screens) with storytelling programs and community building. This small  network of nationwide storytellers share their stories professional and personal support.  We have even created programs with guest appearances on other festivals (both “live” and online), some addressing such topics as the rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans, discussion about stereotypes, cultural appropriation and our legacies of immigration.  Currently members of our group are in “think tank” planning for presentations  at the2026 national Storytelling network conference in Texas.

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COMING UP in 2026

JAN-MAY 2026:

Three’s Company! Meet the Eth-Noh-Tec ENSEMBLE. We will launch our new year as the unique storytelling duet turns into a trio! Meet Riko Takata, who has been training with Eth-Noh-Tec learning our choreography, our scripts, and now even adding stories of her own! With a strong background and visual arts and movement, this talent weaves nicely into our kinetic storytelling. We are aiming to hit the stages of schools, libraries, and festivals for the coming year, starting with an assertive marketing outreach. For those of you who are organizers for educational events, please contact us, as well as our stories are vibrant, moving (literally), Asian in theme and thought provoking instill positive values before public audiences.