The non-profit grassroots movement Kollaboration will celebrate its 15th anniversary with its annual Kollaboration Star talent showcase at the Wilshire Ebell Theater on November 15th. Kollaboration has become the leading platform for underrepresented Asian-American entertainers in mainstream entertainment.
Comedian and Kollaboration cofounder Paul “PK” Kim commented on entertainment as a medium for promoting racial and social equality: “Art is one of the most powerful forces against discrimination and bigotry. When people come together and listen to those who are expressing themselves in a real way, it empowers the community and society as a whole.”
Kollaboration’s goal is to promote Asian American entertainers—musicians, comedians, actors, dancers, etc—on a national scale, allowing them to demonstrate their talents and passions to all audiences, regardless of skin color or gender. The organization does this through community outreach programs, increased publicity, networking opportunities, and talent competitions.
Some reputable participants from past Kollaboration events include Far East Movement, Quest Crew, Jeremy Lin, Steven Yeun, Kina Grannis, David So, and Dumbfoundead. However, even with these success stories, most APA entertainers have not appealed to non-Asian markets. This year’s Kollaboration Star has been geared to push APA entertainers out of solely Asian markets and into the upper echelons of the American entertainment industry.
Kollaboration LA 2014′s winners, The Primaries. (Kollaboration LA)
Kollaboration Star will feature one finalist from six participating chapters—all winners of their respective cities’ competitions—who will contend for a grand prize of $10,000 and connections to reputable entertainment executives and artists. The finalists are Paul Kay from Chicago, Ang & Glo from Detroit, The Primaries from Los Angeles, Sung Lee from New York, JETT from Seattle, and Paradise from Washington DC. From beatboxers to R&B/Soul collectives, this year’s eclectic collection of finalists should appeal to all music enthusiasts.
Tickets can be purchased at: http://kollabstar2014.eventbrite.com/?aff=efbevent.
For more information on Kollaboration Star, please visit www.kollaboration.org/star or www.facebook.com/kollaboration.
Kpop Buddy
About the Ebell Theater:
The Ebell of Los Angeles is a social and philanthropic jewel in Los Angeles’ crown. The Ebell Club is an educational and philanthropic organization founded by women in 1894. The historic Ebell Clubhouse and Wilshire Ebell Theatre was built in 1927 and is designated an Official American Treasure.For more information on the Ebell Theater, please visit www.ebellla.org.
