New York Southeast Asia Network

08/21/2026

Southeast Asian Creatives Gathering | Singapore Global Network

Date: August 23, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET

Type/Location: In Person / Long Island City, NY

RSVP: tinyurl.com/gathering4u2026

08/14/2026

Getsea - A Consortium of Centers for Southeast Asian Studies is accepting applications from early-stage PhD students for four two-year mentoring clusters in Southeast Asian studies.

Each cluster will bring together four to five graduate students for regular virtual meetings, collaborative discussion, research development, and at least one in-person gathering. Selected students will receive a $1,000 award to support travel to the gathering. Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD program and be pre-exam and pre-field research. The opportunity is open to all students of Southeast Asian studies, with priority given to students at U.S. institutions.

2026–2028 Mentoring Clusters
Youth/Gender/Sexuality Activism in Southeast Asia
Mentor: Meredith Weiss, University at Albany, SUNY

Lao Spaces
Mentor: Ian Baird, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Cambodian Cultural & Diasporic Studies
Mentors: Jenna Grant, University of Washington, & Sophea Seng, California State University Long Beach

Literary and Cultural Studies of the Malay Archipelago
Mentor: Nazry Bahrawi, University of Washington

Applications are due October 1, 2026.
Full details on our website.

https://www.nysean.org/blog/getsea-mentoring-important-mainly-because-it-was-sent-directly-to-you-click-to-teach-new-york-university-mail-this-conversation-is-not-important

08/04/2026

Emotional Filipinos: The American Myth of the “Lazy Native” and Islamic Separatism in the Philippines (August 5, 2026) -

Join NYSEAN and Sulo: The Philippine Studies Initiative at NYU for a talk by George B. Radics, senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. Dr. Radics will discuss his new book, Emotional Filipinos The American Myth of the Lazy Native and Islamic Separatism...

08/03/2026

ACTION REQUESTED: Endorsement of Joint Statement of Concern for U.S. Citizen & Academic Min Zin’s Detention in China

We are writing to invite you to endorse an urgent joint statement regarding the wrongful detention in China of Min Zin, a prominent U.S. academic and public intellectual with an impressive range of publications.

If you are comfortable doing so, we would also be grateful if you could forward this appeal to faculty colleagues or your like-minded peers at other institutions.

ABOUT THE STATEMENT

The statement calls on the U.S. State Department to make a wrongful detention determination and for relevant authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Min Zin and facilitate his prompt and safe return to his family and colleagues. The full text of the statement is attached for your review.

The statement, with endorsements, will be published and amplified by our colleagues at Scholars at Risk (SAR) and posted publicly on their website.

HOW TO SIGN

Please confirm your endorsement by sending your name, title, and affiliation by August 10 to the following email: [email protected]

Thank you in advance for your time and solidarity with Min Zin, his family, and his team at the Institute for Strategy and Policy - Myanmar.

https://www.nysean.org/blog/action-requested-endorsement-of-joint-statement-of-concern-for-us-citizen-amp-academic-min-zins-detention-in-china

07/31/2026

Call for Proposals – Council on Thai Studies Annual Meeting 2026

November 6 – 8, 2026 | NIU Center for Southeast Asian Studies

The Council on Thai Studies (COTS) invites students, scholars, and practitioners to attend its 2026 Annual Meeting, which will be hosted by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University (NIU). The meeting will be held in-person at NIU’s Holmes Student Center. COTS 2026 is free and open to the public.

Submit your proposal online no later than August 15, 2026 (July 1, 2026 for those who need an invitation letter to obtain funding or an entry visa). Notifications of acceptance will be sent by August 30, 2026.

Participants should also register for the conference by October 1, 2026.

https://www.nysean.org/blog/council-on-thai-studies-annual-meeting-2026

07/29/2026

Join Asian CineVision for the NYC premiere of the SOUTHEAST ASIAN AMERICAN JOURNEYS documentary series featuring different refugee communities across the United States. This film is part of an in-person shorts-feature combination screening and will be preceded by the short film, SEA SONG.

Date: August 7, 2026 | 6:00 PM ET
Type/Location: In Person / New York, NY

Presented with five chapters, SOUTHEAST ASIAN AMERICAN JOURNEYS follows different refugee communities across the US: The Market is the journey to the Southeast Asian Market in south Philadelphia’s FDR Park. Threads paints a sprawling portrait of indigenous Montagnard refugee community in North Carolina, threading intergenerational history-making. Teb Chaw (Land) is an immersive vignette of Hmong farmers transforming local foodways in a diversified Minnesota. Muoz-Doic Mixtape is an offering of intergenerational storytelling from the Mien community of Portland, Oregon. Between Us follows the multilayered stories of q***r Cambodian and Vietnamese cultural workers in southern California.

NYSEAN is proud to be a Community Partner of AAIFF. NYSEAN members can use the following discount code for 20% off all tickets: AAIFF49_NYSEAN

https://www.nysean.org/events/southeast-asian-american-journeys

07/29/2026

Join Asian CineVision for a screening of SEA SONG directed by An-Phuong Ly. This film is part of an in-person shorts-feature combination screening and will be followed by the documentary series, SOUTHEAST ASIAN AMERICAN STORIES.

Date: August 7, 2026 | 6:00 PM
Type/Location: In Person / New York, NY

SEA SONG follows a group of South Vietnamese men at their 17th OCS naval officer reunion. For over 30 years they’ve convened every two years in a different city across the US. Now, in their 70s and 80s, age and declining health threatens the future of their tradition. The film is a reflection on survival, mortality, and enduring friendship.

NYSEAN is proud to be a Community Partner of AAIFF. NYSEAN members can use the following discount code for 20% off all tickets: AAIFF49_NYSEAN

https://www.nysean.org/events/sea-song

07/29/2026

🌙 East Coast Premiere at Asian CineVision's !

Nisay, an actress haunted by loss, returns to Cambodia and to Thida — a love once forbidden. Bound by the weight of family and society, their passion survives only in memory and performance, until it must fade away.

Some love stories never truly leave us. Don’t miss out on this Cambodian Q***r love story!

🎥 Whisperings of the Moon
🗣️Directed by Lai Yuqing
Producer: Sales: .films

Thank you to our community partner

📅July 31st at 6pm EDT
📍Asia Society

NYSEAN is proud to be a Community Partner of AAIFF. NYSEAN members can use the following discount code for 20% off all tickets: AAIFF49_NYSEAN

https://www.nysean.org/events/whisperings-of-the-moon

07/28/2026

The Asian American International Film Festival is starting off strong as ever with LEVITATING, a mesmerizing coming-of-age story like you’ve never seen before, from award-winning Indonesian filmmaker, Wregas Bhanuteja.

DIRECTOR Wregas Bhanuteja (b. Jakarta, 1992) graduated from Jakarta Institute of Arts in 2014. His short films screened at Berlin, Cannes — where Prenjak won Best Short Film (2016) — and Sundance. His debut feature PHOTOCOPIER (2021) won 12 Citra Awards and was acquired by Netflix. ANDRAGOGY premiered at TIFF 2023, won Best International Feature at Santa Barbara, and released on Netflix in 2024. His third feature, LEVITATING, premiered at Sundance 2026.

LEVITATING introduces us to Latas Village, where people find pleasure in being possessed by spiritual beings through trances. 20-year-old Bayu aspires to become the shaman of a trance party for a different reason; to prevent impending eviction. Along the way, Bayu discovers that ambition alone is not enough to make him a true spirit channeler, or to save the village he calls home.

📅 Catch LEVITATING on July 30th at Asia Society. The screening will be followed by a Q&A!

Featuring , , , , , ,and .

Congratulations to director , producers , , and , along with the entire cast and crew on this remarkable film.

NYSEAN is proud to be a Community Partner of AAIFF. NYSEAN members can use the following discount code for 20% off all tickets: AAIFF49_NYSEAN

https://www.nysean.org/events/levitating-opening-night-screening-reception

07/28/2026

Join Asian CineVision for the highly anticipated 49th Asian American International Film Festival in New York City and virtually from July 30 to August 9! This year's festival features a captivating array of films that delve into themes of love, relationships, grief, and complex emotions.

In addition to a stellar lineup of films, the festival will feature exclusive panels, receptions, and VIP events, providing unique opportunities to connect with industry professionals and fellow film enthusiasts.

Spread the word, mark your calendars, and secure your tickets and passes now at https://aaiff.org/ or follow Asian CineVision to learn more. Don't miss out on this extraordinary cinematic event!

NYSEAN is proud to be a Community Partner of AAIFF. NYSEAN members can use the following discount code for 20% off all tickets: AAIFF49_NYSEAN