By Bhante Sumitta |
Dhamma USA is organizing this special venture to benefit the many enthusiastic learners of Buddhism relating to contemporary other issues. Every Thursday, at 6:00 pm, some guest speakers from around the world will share a Special Guest Lectures on various topics related to Buddhism and Life in general every Thursday through Dhamma USA YouTube channel and Facebook page & other social media Groups. We welcome the lay Buddhist scholars and practitioners around the world as resource persons to join us in this wholesome venture.
Join us through our social media network on every Thursday at 6:00 PM Pacific Time.
Dharma & Creativity
Noel Alumit | Associate Editor – Lion’s Roar | Buddhist Chaplain | Multidisciplinary Artist | Bestselling Author
Lecture 1 6 | December 29, 2022 |
Date: Thursday / Friday
Time:
6:00 PM PST (Thursday)
9:00 PM EST (Thursday)
7:30 AM IST for India & Sri Lanka (Friday)
10:00 AM Malaysia/Singapore (Friday)
9:00 AM Thailand/Indonesia (Friday)
December 29, 2022 @6:00 PM (PST)
Noel Alumit, is an associate editor in Lion’s Roar, bestselling author, Buddhist Chaplain, Multidisciplinary Artist
Curriculum Vitae
BFA, Drama
University of Southern California
Master of Divinity, Buddhist Chaplaincy
University of the West
(Ordained in 2015 through the International Center of Chinese Buddhist Culture and Education)
W OR K H I S TOR Y
Employment
Associate Editor | Lion’s Roar
- Write, develop and edit content on Asian American Buddhism
Adjunct Professor | University of the West
- Taught undergraduate courses “Religion, Science and Society” and “Buddhism in American Literature”
Communications Officer | The Williams Institute/UCLA Law School
- Developed, maintained and distributed research findings dealing with sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) and its intersection with race, immigration and religion Managed relations between scholars and reporters from hundreds of publications including the New York Times, Reuters, NPR, the Associated Press, and many others
Technical Writer, Office of Research and Faculty Affairs | USC Rossier School of Education
- Coordinated a lecture series for the department and speakers for Rossier classes dealing with race and SOGI
- Developed or edited book length manuscripts illuminating disparities in education among girls and people of color
Executive Editor, 21st Century Scholar
- Edited, wrote, and coordinated press material exploring progressive themes in education
- Served on the Staff Advancement Committee (SAC), a body to improve the professional development of staff
Commissioner | California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs
- Appointed to advise the Governor and Legislature on effectively responding to views, needs, and concerns of the state’s diverse Asian and Pacific Islander American communities.
- Facilitated town halls and gatherings
Program Manager/Communications Specialist | Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT) Health Center
- Managed a six-figure federal grant focusing on community Capacity Building & Training (CBT), worked with community organizations to integrate topics of equity and inclusion into their programs
- Produced symposiums informing communities on how to better run their nonprofits
- Planned, coordinated and promoted events, including fundraisers, cultural programs, press conferences, health fairs especially dealing with low-income communities
- Developed and maintained relationships with key community members from diverse backgrounds, assessing needs and goals
- Managed public relations and marketing efforts, including working with consultants, drafting or disseminating press material, updating Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest
Community Organizer | Art | Global Health Center – World Arts and Culture, UCLA
- Coordinated and planned art events locally and internationally addressing HIV stigma, poverty and sexuality
- Worked with students and volunteers, developing their awareness and knowledge on the creative process and global health matters
Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT)
- Program Coordinator | Coordinated several projects/contracts to educate immigrants and people of color on HIV/AIDS
- Writing | Developed written content for agency brochures and materials; Wrote and edited training curriculums and manuals
- Prevention Case Manager | Worked one-on-one with HIV negative individuals to maintain their status; Conducted outreach, communicating complex ideas on AIDS, immigration, gender, sexuality, and self-care
- Events Coordinator | Organized community and social events with other organizations; Media liaison; Conducted focus groups and needs assessments; Led behavior modification workshops; Facilitated rap/support groups; Coordinated special events, raising HIV awareness and agency visibility; Supervised three staff members and four consultants; Founding Member of the HIV Prevention Planning Council, developing prevention guidelines for Los Angeles County; served on planning body for county wide syphilis campaign.
Skylight Bookstore
- Event Host | Worked with store staff and authors to present readings and interviews for this well-respected indie store. Note-worthy authors involved with store events include James Ellroy, Russell Banks, Jeanette Winterson, Amiri Baraka, Joyce Carol Oates, Christina Garcia, John Waters, Rick Moody
- Developed and maintained community and press lists
East West Players
- Developed press releases and worked with media, garnering interviews and reviews for the nation’s first Asian American Theatre Company; Developed marketing plan for theatrical season and individual shows, raising season subscription base by 32%; Recruited companies to advertise in company programs and newsletter.
Los Angeles Free Clinic
- Educated incarcerated and homeless youth on HIV
Various theatres, Los Angeles
- House managed, creating a positive pre/post show environment for audience
W R I TI N G
Collection of Short Stories
- Music Heard in Hi-Fi (Forthcoming) 2023
Novels
- Talking to the Moon
- Letters to Montgomery Clift
Short Fiction
- Positive Effects of Yoga
- Brandon
- Talking to the Moon, Excerpt
- Machismo
- Music Heard in Hi-Fi
- Laconic Messages of Love
- Laconic Messages of Love
- Guest List Girls, A Short Story
- 1431 Sanborn Avenue #9
- The Dreams that Made Delya Arraya-Cavanaugh Weep, A Short Story
- This is How You Say, I Love You: A Novella
- Tito Abalez on the Brink of Manhood
- Selena on the Wall
- A Zero’s Tale, a short story
Non-fiction
- List of non-fiction (details below)
Playwright
- *Master of the (miss) Universe, a solo effort
- **The Rice Room: Scenes from a Bar, a one-man show
- Mr. and Mrs. Laquesta Go Dancing, a one-act
- Feast Day
- Mr. and Mrs. Laquesta Go Dancing, a one-act
Published Plays
- The Rice Room: Scenes from a Bar
- Mr. and Mrs. Laquesta Go Dancing
- The Rice Room: Scenes from a Bar
Literary Curator
- Promising Reading Series
- LGBT Reading Program
Blogger
- Contributor
- Associate Editor
Editor
- Executive Editor
- Guest Editor
Columnist
- From the trenches Profiles on AIDS activist
Teaching Assignments
Write Effort: Creative Writing Through a Buddhist Lens Stories Make Us Real, Intro. to Writing
Selected Guest Lectures & Talks
- Adjunct Instructor, “Introduction to Fiction Writing”
- Filipino American Literature
- What is Gender?
- What is Diversity?
- World AIDS Day, A Meditation on Impermanence, Groundlessness and Reincarnation
- The Purpose of Gregorian Chant?
- Event Planning and Activism
- Intro. to Fiction Writing
- Letters to Montgomery Clift: A Discussion on Culture and Creativity
- Talking to the Moon: Filipino Indigenous Culture
- Talking to the Moon: A Discussion on the Creative Process
- How to do a Good Reading
- Talking to the Moon: Filipino Indigenous Culture, Beauty and Power Conference
- Letters to Montgomery Clift: A Discussion on the Creative Process
- Letters to Montgomery Clift: A Discussion on the Creative Process
- Letters to Montgomery Clift: A Discussion on the Creative Process
Selected Panels & Readings
- Memoir: An Exploration of Queer Identity, LA Times Festival of Books
- Memoir: Queer Coming-of-Age, LA Times Festival of Books
- Cute Filipinos on a Saturday Night, Pasadena Litfest
- In Conversation with Alexander Chee, PEN Center USA West
- Shaking the Tree, A Story Telling Salon
- Filipino American Art, Cal-State Fullerton
- Three Generations – Three Pinoy Writers, PEN Center USA West
- The Writer is also a Citizen, Japanese American National Museum
- Filipino American Writing, Echo Park Library
- The Philippines is in the Heart, PEN Center USA West
- Talking to the Moon, Idyllwild Reading Series
- Homo-Centric, Stories Bookstore
- An Evening with Noel Alumit, USC
- Queer Rebels, West Hollywood Book Fair
- Growing Up in Historic Filipinotown, Remy’s Art Gallery
- RADAR Reading, San Francisco Public Library
- In Conversation With Armistead Maupin, ALOUD Series,
- Los Angeles Public Library-Central Branch
- Asian Pacific Bookfest, Japanese American National Museum
- Writers Toolbox, PEN Center USA West
- West Hollywood Book Fair
- Cal State Northridge, Northridge CA 2002
- Los Angeles Public Library-Central Branch, Los Angeles CA 2002
- San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco CA 2002
- Los Angeles Book Fair, Los Angeles CA 2002
Grants & Fellowships
- COLA Fellowship for Master Artists
- RADAR Writing Fellowship
- Poets and Writers’ Workshop/Readings Program 2006
- Poets and Writers’ Workshop/Readings Program 2004
- Poets and Writers’ Workshop/Readings Program 2003
- Community Access Scholarship; UCLA 1999
- Emerging Voices Fellowship; PEN Center USA West
Arts | Group Shows
- Art is in Bloom, LA Artcore, Curated by Pranay Reddy
- Photos of DTLA Proud, Studio 50, Curated by Kathy Gallegos
- The Culture of Communication, Casa0101, Curated by Margaret Garcia
- Future Studio Gallery, We Love LA: Please Make it Better
- Curated by Amy Inouye, Los Angeles
- Margaret Garcia Studio, curated by Margaret Garcia, Los Angeles
- Coming Together, Papillian Institute of the Arts Gallery, Los Angeles
P E R F OR M ANC E & A C TI NG
Film
- Smok’d, Mikamil Productions
- Red Surf, Baltic Productions
- Who’s Different, S-L Productions 1986
Theoter
- Beyond Our Outward Guise, Pasadena Playhouse
- Family Affair, a Staged Reading, East West Players
- The Rice Room: Scenes from a Bar (Excerpt), W. Hollywood Book Fair
- Master of the (miss) Universe, a solo effort; Various theatres
- The Rice Room: Scenes from a Bar, a one-man show; Various theatres
- Whos’s Afraid of Edward Albee?, Glaxa Studios 2001
- Treasure in the House, Highways Performance Space 2001
- Hollywood Honeymoon, Celebration Theatre 1997
- The Beach Project, Highways Performance Space 1996
- *A Language of Their Own, Celebration Theatre 1995
- An Eskimo in the Desert, Highways Performance Space 1994
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum 1990
- As Is, University of Southern California 1989
- Nicholas Nickelby, University of Southern California 1988
- Hamlet, University of Southern California 1987
- Pullman Car Hiawatha, University of Southern California 1986
- Christmas in Camp II, East West Players 1985
- LA Weekly Award
Voice Over
- Captain Planet, DIC Productions
Commercials
- Pepsi
- CBS Promotional
Volunteer
- Meditation Facilitator, LA Artcore
- Meditation Facilitator, Meditation Coalition
- Media Training, APAIT
- Commissioner, California Commission on API Affairs
- Steering Committee, API Equality-LA
- Advisory Board, The UCLA Art | Global Health Center 2009-2012
- Advisory Board, Healthy Young Men Study, Childrens Hospital 2005-2013
- Asian Pacific Mentoring Program, USC APASS
- Asian Pacific Islander Writers Congress
- Founding Member, API Equality-LA
- Freedom to Write, PEN Center USA West
- Choir, St. Basils Church 1990-1992
- Chris Brownlie Hospice
Membership
- Screen Actors Guild
- PEN Center USA West
Ongoing Education
- Contemporary LA Art
- Building an Online Audience
- Photography 1
- Grant Writing Workshop
- Travel Writing Seminar
- Instructor: Jack Adler
- Creative Writing Workshop
- Instructor: Benjamin Weissman
- Novel Writing Workshop
- Instructor: Tara Ison
- Novel Writing Intensive
- Instructor: Phyllis Gebauer
- Interview and Research Techniques
- Instructor: Linda Marsa
- Master Class: Fiction Writing
- Instructor: Mona Simpson
- Editing Workshop
- Instructor: Judith Searle
- The Art of the Personal Essay
- Instructor: Hope Edelman
- David Henry Hwang Writers Institute
- Instructor: Paula Cismar
- Introduction to Fiction Writing
- Instructor: Ayofemi Folayan
H ONOR S, A W A R D S & DIS TI N CTI ON S
- City of Los Angeles “Congratulations” Certificate
- Lotus Scholarship
- James Duggins Mid-Career Prize
- Teamplayer of the Quarter
- Ten Year Community Service Award
- Out 100
- Community Access Scholarship
- Creative Nonfiction Finalist
- Emerging Voices Fellowship
Event Date:
December 29, 2022 (Thursday)
Time:
6:00 PM PST (Thursday)
9:00 PM EST (Thursday)
6:30 AM IST for India & Sri Lanka (Friday)
9:00 AM Malaysia/Singapore (Friday)
8:00 AM Indonesia (Friday)
Platforms to Join:
Dhamma USA YouTube Channel
Dhamma USA Facebook Page
Dhamma USA Facebook Group | Buddhist Youth Federation
Dhamma USA Facebook Group | Dhamma Global
Dhamma USA Facebook Group | Early Buddhist Discussion & Forum
Dhamma USA Twitter
Dhamma USA Linkedin
For More Info:
email Dhamma USA | info@dhammausa.com
