Film Screening: To Climb a Gold Mountain

Wednesday, May 11, 6:30 pm

Crowell Public Library is very fortunate to present a special screening of To Climb a Gold Mountain, a new cultural and educational film that tells the stories of four women of Asian descent who lived in America from the 1850s to the present day. The women came from different backgrounds and lived dramatically different lives. Some of the women featured in the film, such as Anna May Wong, have reached success and fame. Still others, like Sing Ye, a prostitute who lived in the 1800s and fought for freedom, are all but forgotten. Each woman’s story represents a distinct theme of struggle and triumph, and ushers in the succeeding story leading up to the present time. Through these stories, the film tracks the progression, evolution and legacy of the immigrants in America as they integrate into the fabric of America.
In the 1800s, the Chinese called America Gam Saan. It meant “Gold Mountain” and bespoke a myth of treasures waiting for any poor immigrant willing to sweat blood and tears. But for the poor women and men arriving on these shores, it was anything but. To Climb a Gold Mountain relates this 160-year narrative through the stories and voices of a set of particularly iconic women, representing distinct stages and themes in a compelling and dramatic tale. The film’s producers have received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition related to the film, a Golden Award from The World Film Festival, and Best Feature Documentary from the LA Film Festival of Hollywood. In addition PBS has picked the TV version of the film for broadcasting.
The film has a running time of 73 minutes and will be presented by the executive producer and director, Alex Azmi who will discuss the making of the film and answer questions. Dr. Azmi is a filmmaker who is interested in documentaries that deal with social and cultural issues. His most current project is called “Man and Machine,” and is about the impact of technologies on the lives of ordinary people.

Come to Crowell Public Library on Wednesday, May 11th at 6:30 p.m. for a fascinating look into Asian cultural history.

The Importance of Planning Ahead - What To Do When a Loved One Passes

Thursday May 5th 7:00 p.m.

Life is a cycle with a beginning and an end. Most people prepare for many months when anticipating a birth, but not the same care is given to the other end of the spectrum, death. In this one hour program, attendees will learn about the responsibilities of the survivor when a passing occurs. These are pertinent responsibilities dealing directly with the passing and the necessary, immediate actions. SOPHIA CHAN will walk through a helpful check list for a part of life that is not easy for anyone, but real. In a passing there are some one hundred decisions to be made, and pertinent ones will be specifically addressed in this program. Just like preparing for the beginning of life, there are responsibilities and tasks that can be taken care of ahead of time, reducing the stress and sense of being overwhelmed at an emotional time. The attendees will learn how to eliminate the hassles of paperwork and finding missing information, how to make sure the deceased’s wishes will be carried out, how to lessen the financial burden, minimize disputes between well-meaning relatives, and win the family’s appreciation. There will be an open forum for the audience to ask questions.

A certified Chinese-English translator, Sophia Chan has been helping families to properly plan for the final life event for nearly a decade. As the Regional Manager for the non-profit organization Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Sophia helps families understand advance planning at various speaking engagements, in-house seminars, and family consultations. Sophia has an added perspective as a minister, and helps families to cope with life after a loved one has passed. Her passion is helping people, and she is happiest when educating families about the “61 Responsibilities of the Survivor.”

Come to Crowell Public Library on Thursday, May 5th at 7:00 p.m. and learn how to prepare for the inevitable.

Don Westenhaver: Alexander’s Lighthouse

Wednesday May 4th 7:00 p.m.

In 92 AD, Alexandria, Egypt was the height of civilization at that time. It included the famous Library, Museum, and Lighthouse. While lesser known than Rome, it was the unchallenged pinnacle of Western intellectual achievement. A melting pot of Egyptians, Greeks, Jews, and Romans, it frequently boiled over into violence. Alexander’s Lighthouse is the story of a team of young engineers who invent the most powerful weapon in the world for the Romans who rule Egypt. When rebels steal the weapon, the team is caught between the Romans and the rebel forces who threaten to overthrow the hated Roman occupiers. The Friends of Crowell Public Library’s popular Meet the Authors series continues with the appearance of Don Westenhaver, author of this captivating historical novel on Wednesday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m.

Midway through the writing of Alexander’s Lighthouse, Westenhaver and his wife decided to visit Egypt to gather research, with a few days scheduled in Alexandria. They were due to leave on February 11, but the Arab Spring erupted at the end of January. They were glued to their TV watching demonstrators filling Cairo’s Tahrir Square and the streets of Alexandria. The Egyptian revolution Don was writing about in 92 AD was actually happening before his eyes.

Don Westenhaver lives in Southern California and is halfway through a fifth novel, another story that makes history come alive. He combines well-known historical people, fictional characters, an intense plot, and vivid sensory descriptions to insert readers into a different time and place and make them feel at home there. He has found people display the same faults and virtues no matter what part of the earth and which century they inhabit. Don is a member of the Southern California Writers Association and the Military Writers Society of America.
Come to Crowell Library and learn more about this author on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, the authors keep coming to Crowell Public Library!

Meet the Author: Steven G. Jackson

Wednesday April 20th 7:00 p.m.


The Friends of Crowell Public Library’s Meet the Authors series continues with Steven G. Jackson and his debut novel, a gritty thriller entitled The Zeus Payload. Young tech genius Nick King is approached by CIA agents to create a cyber weapon that can infiltrate any computer system without being detected. He quickly learns that his creation, which he names the Zeus Payload, is being actively sought by undesirable groups that want to use the program to destroy the United States: rogue CIA agents, neo-Nazis, Al Qaeda, and Mexican drug lords. The chase is on. The Zeus Payload is the first of a trilogy, so stay tuned for more thrills by this author.

Steven Jackson spent his first career as an engineering and technology director in the defense business at Hughes Aircraft Company and Raytheon. The Zeus Payload, blends both sides of Jackson’s brain, leveraging a broad understanding of software, engineering, national defense, and the intelligence services, presenting a geo-political story of covert operations and conspiracies. Jackson’s book provides just enough technology to be accurate and feasible without overpowering good storytelling. Currently at work on several thrillers, he also writes comedy in shorter formats and had his stage play, "Fade to Crazy," performed in 2015. He holds a Master of Professional Writing degree from the University of Southern California, and lives in Southern California. He currently serves as Vice President of the Southern California Writers Association.

Come to Crowell Library and learn more about this versatile author on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library’s Barth Community. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, the authors keep coming to Crowell Public Library!

LA Opera Talk: La Boheme

SUNDAY, April 17th 2:00 p.m.
La Boheme: the heartbreaking story of opera's most famous young lovers

It's Christmas in Paris as the quintessential bohemian love story comes to life: a candle flickers out on Christmas Eve, tentative hands meet in the dark, and a rapturous duet soars under the moonlight… this is Puccini’s La Boheme. The opera is a collection of vignettes portraying six young bohemians living in the Latin Quarter of Paris in the 1840s.
Inspired by Henri Murger's novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème, La Boheme inspired the award-winning Broadway musical Rent.

Guided by an L.A. Opera Community Educator, at Crowell Library you will follow this heartbreaking story of a poet who discovers true love with a beautiful, fragile seamstress, and a painter and vivacious cabaret singer who rediscover their on-again, off-again passion. Surrounded by the evocative rooftops, cafés and garrets of Paris, these lively bohemians and their companions experience exhilarating joy and irretrievable loss.
Opera is not just magnificent music, dance and theater with astounding sets on a beautiful stage. An opera can sweep you away to foreign lands, take you back in time, dazzle you with pageantry and bring history to life. It is literature, social studies, cultural diversity, multiple languages and most of all, it is exciting! Opera has something for everyone.

This introduction to opera at Crowell Public Library is free. After hearing excerpts from this production, you’ll undoubtedly be inspired to make a trip to the Los Angeles Music Center for a real opera experience. Come explore the world of opera through LA Opera’s education programs.

Clifford Clinton, Clifton’s Cafeteria & Fighting Corruption in Los Angeles

MONDAY, April 11th @ 7:00 p.m.

In the new biography Clifton's and Clifford Clinton: A Cafeteria and a Crusader, author Edmond Clinton III tells a riveting story of greed, corruption and humanity. His grandfather, Clifford Clinton, opened the first Clifton's Cafeteria in 1931 at 618 S. Olive Street with his last $2000 and 2,500 recipes. In 1930s Los Angeles, it was a respite for weary souls during the Great Depression and a haven for the rest of the city as well; a place that became a family tradition and a place to gather one’s thoughts, be they political or spiritual.

At the same time, Los Angeles was teeming with vice and corruption and Clifford Clinton went after it. A deeply religious man, Clinton felt it was his moral obligation to tackle these issues head-on. He believed that public servants should, at the very least, tell the truth. In his attempt to clean up Los Angeles, he made some powerful enemies: the chief of police, the district attorney, and the mayor, for starters. While on a grand jury, Clinton formed the Citizen's Vice Investigating Committee to continue his crusade, and initiated a soon-to-be-citywide campaign to successfully recall Mayor Frank L. Shaw.

This would seem to be the definitive biography of the man who changed Los Angeles for the good. And with the reopening this year of the Clifton’s Cafeteria on 6th Street, the history is even more relevant. The book includes dozens of vintage images and shared recollections from Clifford Clinton's never-published memoir. Clifton's and Clifford Clinton: A Cafeteria and a Crusader is a must-read for all Angelinos fascinated by their city’s history. Come meet author Edmond Clinton on Monday, April 11th in the Library’s Barth Community Room at 7:00 p.m. and hear some fascinating insights about his crusading grandfather.

Author Edmond J. Clinton III is the eldest grandson of Clifford Clinton. He was born in Los Angeles and raised there and in San Marino, attending Huntington Middle School & San Marino High. He worked at Clifton's Cafeteria as a teenager making a whopping ninety-five cents an hour. A graduate of Occidental College and USC Medical School, Clinton is now an internist and has been on staff at Huntington Memorial Hospital since 1978. He lives in La Cañada Flintridge.

Medicare 101 Workshop

Wednesday, April 6 – 7:00 p.m.

Whether one is approaching age 65 or is already receiving Medicare benefits, attending this free educational seminar at Crowell Public Library, will be most beneficial. This hour of Medicare 101 will cover the basic rules, regulations and time frames seniors need to know. An independent broker working in Pasadena, John Dickey will present an audio-visual program on the many aspects of Medicare and will answer all questions. He will serve as a free resource and advocate, now and at any time in the future, to help people find the Medicare information they need. John’s guidance, and advocacy on behalf of seniors is always totally independent of any insurance company and is governed by CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services).
When the time comes to choose a Medicare plan, reviewing all of the options can be overwhelming. This "Medicare Made Clear" meeting will offer tools and resources that make it easier to understand and apply all of the basic rules of Medicare, plus attendees will receive a free Medicare Clarity guide book to keep for future reference. Learn the rules of Medicare, the available elections and options, how to avoid penalties, and what Parts A, B, C, D, and E are.

John Dickey has given numerous presentations throughout San Gabriel Valley on Medicare, including Arcadia, Altadena and Monrovia. He frequently attends insurance training seminars and classes to stay current on all government regulations and available plan options. He is a fully licensed certified Health Insurance Planner, has an MBA, and has lived in San Gabriel Valley for 20 years.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get all your questions on Medicare answered.