For Immediate Release Contact: Esther Kaplan 617-635-3245 2 Jamaica Plain Artists Receive Artists/Humanists Fellowships May 24, 2002: On May 16th at a reception at the Parkman House, Boston, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) and Co-Chairs Jeremy Alliger, (resident of Jamaica Plain) and Betty Hillmon, of the Boston Cultural Council (BCC) presented 2002 Artists/Humanist Fellowships to Christina Bechstein and Judy Tso, residents of Jamaica Plain. This year, the city selected nine fellows who will receive a $2,000 stipend, a public presentation of their work, and technical assistance from the Office of Cultural Affairs during the year.

" Humorous performance art is a vehicle for my passion to end all oppression of human beings, to end racism, discrimination, prejudice and hate", says Judy Tso. Her works explore the struggle of being an Asian American growing up in Kentucky and her need to express the pain and suffering of being misunderstood and feeling like an outsider. In a work called "Modern Battles of the American Mulan", (Mulan was a famous courageous Chinese female warrior who disguised herself as a man). By sharing stories with other Asian American woman Tso has created a collaborative piece called, Bobby Pins Up Your Nose; a story of women putting bobby pins or clothespins on their noses in a vain attempt to squeeze or reshape their noses. Tso performs for the Asian American and main- stream communities as she confronts issues of race, ethnicity, identity and the commonality we share as human beings. "The arts are a celebration, not just of creativity and self expression but of the joy of living," said Mayor Menino. "In these tough fiscal times, it's important that we continue to support the arts to the best of our ability so that Boston continues to be a mecca of cultural diversity. I congratulate all of our new Artists/Humanist Fellows and I encourage them to continue their celebration of life." This yearÕs recipients of Boston Artists/Humanist Fellowships were chosen by a peer review panel because of the quality of their creative work, their dedication over time, their community-building efforts within their cultural field, and their outreach to the public-at-large. The 10-member Boston Cultural Council, appointed by Mayor Thomas Menino, made the final decisions based on applications and letters of reference.