Thanks for subscribing to my list - I promise not to spam you and provide information that will hopefully be helpful and thoughtful for you.  And please read to the end - I have a special request to help a friend and colleague, as well as a reminder to get on the Bone Marrow Donor registry.

This quarter has been busy on the blogging front.  Identity, art, psychology and culture intersected on my Memoirs of a Superfan blog for the Center for Asian American Media.  This is my eighth year blogging/writing for the annual Asian American film festival (now called CAAMFest).  Highlights include an article about the new Jeremy Lin documentary (http://caamfest.com/2013/2013/memoirs-of-a-superfan-vol-8-3-jeremy-lin-and-the-power-of-cultural-intention/) and personal reflections on South Asian films, India and post-9-11 backlash against South Asians (http://caamfest.com/2013/2013/memoirs-of-a-superfan-vol-8-5-i-remember-midnight/).  You can see all those blog posts at http://caamfest.com/2013/category/memoirs-of-a-superfan/.

I've been blogging for Psychology Today as well, at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-pacific-heart .  You can find the link there for my top posts in the last year - my second year of blogging - and also my most recent post, about "Yellow Fever" and the stereotypes that Asian American men and women face (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-pacific-heart/201304/yellow-fever-the-exotification-asian-women).

I've started an online book club, and we're making our way through Andrew Solomon's FAR FROM THE TREE (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-pacific-heart/201303/pacific-heart-book-club-1st-beat) - this is an incredible read, and the in-person discussion group will be meeting on April 14th in San Francisco.  Email me if you're interested in joining us for a discussion of the first few chapters.

HELP FUND A GREAT PROJECT:

At the film festival, I saw a great short film by Joyce Wu, which was the first 10 minutes of a feature portraying the struggles of an aspiring actress facing racism and parental expectations.  I think this project has enormous potential, and strongly encourage you to help fund it.  Any amount will help.  Just go to http://www.seedandspark.com/studio/real-mikado for details.  If you'd like to see the short, go to:

BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRY:  Stanford Psychologist Nalini Ambady has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant.  These days, you can get on the donor registry with a simple cheek swab.  If you go to http://marrow.org/Join/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx?promo_code=MatchNalini and enter the promo code "nalini" they will expedite your testing kit.  This is an easy way to potentially save a life, as there are a lot of people in need, and donating marrow is practically as easy as a blood draw.

Thanks for reading - and please stay tuned!  I'm working on some longer writing projects which will hopefully see the light of day soon.  I'm particularly interested right now in ideas of how communities are built and sustained in modern America, and what's in the way.  If you have any particular insights about this, please send me a note.

With best wishes,

Ravi Chandra, M.D.