Blacklava News

I Will Not Love You Long Time Tri Blend Tank Top

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 02:15:44 GMT

I Will Not Love You Long Time Tri Blend Raceback Tank Top

I Will Not Love You Long Time Tri Blend T Shirt

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 02:13:11 GMT

I Will Not Love You Long Time Tri Blend T Shirt

Fomato Preparing Sushi Birthday Card

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:32:14 GMT

Fomato Preparing Sushi Birthday Card

Fomato Le Dentiste Birthday Card

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:23:35 GMT

Fomato Le Dentiste Birthday Card

Fomato Ramen Birthday Card

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:20:37 GMT

Fomato Ramen Birthday Card

FOMATOB54

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:17:46 GMT

Fomato Potatoes Birthday Card

Fomato A Celebration of Meat Birthday Card

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:13:32 GMT

Fomato Celebration of Meat Birthday Card

Dreams of the Diaspora Chapbook - Frances Kai Wang

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:59:29 GMT

Dreams of the Diaspora began as a multimedia conversation of photographs, prose poetry, spoken word, and soundscape, in which two voices—an Asian American child of immigrants and an Asian immigrant—explore their very different experiences of both America and the diaspora. Both voices ache with alienation as they wander the globe, yearning for both the future and the past, independence and belonging. As writer Frances Kai-Hwa Wang and photographer Jyoti Omi Chowdhury explore their mutual fascination with landscape, light, space, identity, and the human spirit, this has become a conversation about identity, stereotypes, courage, risk, and who we can become in the space of the beloved. This chapbook is 40 pages long, and features the photography of Jyoti Omi Chowdhury alongside the prose poems and creative nonfiction pieces of Frances Kai-Hwa Wang. Included in the collection are "'Did you eat? means...I love you," inspired by the Blacklava T-shirt of the same name, "Tsundere Pride or You Are So Prickly!" commissioned by the Asian American Women's Artists Association "Navigating the underCurrents" activist poetry reading curated by May-lee Chai, and "Dreams of the Diaspora" which is also a multimedia art installation at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Indian American Heritage Project H1B visa online and travelling art installation. The cover is designed with antique dingbats, hand pressed by a 150 year old printing press, with a hand-sewn binding by the author. What people are saying about "Dreams of the Diaspora" chapbook: The speaker in these poems was born “in the slipstream of the diaspora” and even while using humor, the desires explored here feel elemental and slightly dangerous, like touching the blue tongue of a flame at its hottest point. Born of the latent desire of a lover in the absence of a beloved, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang’s poems are compelling testimonials to living and loving in the 21st century while inhabiting a body of color. —Ravi Shankar, founder of Drunken Boat and author/editor of eight books/chapbooks of poetry, including W.W. Norton's Language for a New Century “Where are you from? No, where are you really from?” This pertinent question is at the heart of this multi-form exploration of diasporic experiences in Dreams of the Diaspora by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, where she weaves together themes of lostness, desire, search, self knowledge, history and heartache with eloquence and elegance, and does so with an honesty that is as hard-hitting as it is moving. We hurtle along with her words and the stories that the remarkable accompanying photographs by Jyoti Omi Chowdhury tell, and we begin to reexamine in new ways our own experiences of diaspora with its complex interconnected and disconnected worlds. —Zilka Joseph, author of Lands I Live In and What Dread What is so appealing about Frances Kai-Hwa Wang's writing is the smooth blend of the sensory and sensual with a sharp social and cultural critique, the personal and familial with the historical antecedents of communities in which she has her origins. Her awareness of Asian-American issues burns like a steady flame and flares up or simmers as the occasion demands. Her erotic longings are spiced with a dash of humor. She is open to experiment in multimedia formats and content. This is an activist’s collection bristling with literary energy. —Saleem Peeradina, author of Slow Dance I feel at home when reading Dreams of the Diaspora. Home is where my nostalgic and hopeful heart belongs. Omi and Frances describe their homes beautifully. —Lac Su, author of the memoir I Love Yous Are for White People

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Where the Lava Meets the Sea

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 06:07:08 GMT

Where the Lava Meets the Sea--Asian Pacific American Postcards from Hawai‘i A Collection of Essays, Prose Poems, and Short Short Stories by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang First Printing, January 2013 “Where the Lava Meets the Sea—Asian Pacific American Postcards from Hawai‘i makes me so homesick! I long to partake in the fusion of Asian and Pacific Islander ceremonies, cultures and customs that Frances Kai-Hwa Wang describes so eloquently. Her book of lean yet rich prose reveals her true kama‘aina spirit. Sweet like sugar cane, poignant like the tales of her immigrant characters, and sacred like the ancestors of Kanaka Maoli who lived in Hawai‘i first, Wang’s essays will move you.” —Yayoi Lena Winfrey, writer/director Watermelon Sushi “I’ve never been to Hawai‘i, but now thanks to Frances Kai-Hwa Wang’s lovely collection, I feel I’ve made the journey. Through her beautiful descriptions, I too have traveled to the Monkey King’s waterfall, visited the teahouse made of longing, prayed the Golden Chain of Love, trod on the black sands of Kalapana and the white sands of Maui, and sat with the Uncles playing ukulele and singing songs of love.” —May-lee Chai, author of Hapa Girl and The Girl from Purple Mountain. “Where the Lava Meets the Sea—Asian Pacific American Postcards from Hawai‘i, in the vein of Maxine Hong Kingston’s essays in Hawai‘i One Summer, enters into the complexity of Asian America’s romance with the mythical racial “promised land” of Hawai‘i. The pain and longing of life on the continent meets the wondrous, dynamic world of Hawaii’s Puna Coast.” —Dr. Susan Najita, Associate Professor in the Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies Program in the Department of American Culture and the Department of English, University of Michigan Far from where the tourists go and passing for local, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang and her children go to Hawai‘i every summer to visit grandparents and explore the Big Island’s natural wonders, many cultures, and interesting characters. Where the Lava Meets the Sea—Asian Pacific American Postcards from Hawai‘i is a collection of essays, prose poems, and short short stories through which they search for home in Hawai‘i, and they discover an Asian Pacific American sense of belonging, one that does not simply allow them to belong, but one that presumes they belong. franceskaihwawang.com franceskaihwawang.blogspot.com fkwang888@gmail.com.

Samurai Holiday Party Invitation Card by Fomato

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:46:03 GMT

Samurai Holiday Party Invitation Card by Fomato (yes, this card is really $11.95. Emmie from Fomato tells me she used a samurai sword to round the corners of this card.)

Hibakusha Animated Documentary Drama DVD

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 22:45:16 GMT

Hibakusha Animated Documentary Drama DVD “HIBAKUSHA” is an animated documentary/drama featuring Kaz Suyeishi, a 57 year old Japanese woman, who recalls her most vivid and horrific experiences as a 17 year old Hiroshima student during the morning of August 6, 1945 when the atomic bomb dropped on her hometown. This film is inspired to bring awareness to the Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings in hopes that nothing like this will ever happen again and over time, show tremendous forgiveness after these terrible incidents occurred. This project will commemorate the 66th Anniversary of the bombings and is dedicated to the Association of Hiroshima & Nagasaki A-bomb Survivors. ALL REGION DVD / 45 mins. / 2012 / UNRATED Special Features - Chapter Select - Exclusive Bonus Footage

SALE - $10.00 off Barack Unisex T Shirt

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/10/2012

Barack Unisex T-Shirt

SALE - $10.00 off Barack Women's TShirt

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/10/2012

Black Barack Shirt

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Imaginary Affairs Chapbook

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 21:20:55 GMT

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Imaginary Affairs Chapbook Imaginary Affairs—Postcards from an Imagined Life by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang is a collection of prose poems and short short stories which wanders, dreamy and droll, across the landscapes of Ann Arbor, Berkeley, Kathmandu, Hawaii, and Asian America, wrestling with ache and desire, searching for the moment, but the moment is ever fragile. Nice details about the book: The chapbook is 55 pages, with 30 prose poems, made with all sorts of old fashioned bookmaking techniques, hand pressed cover, hand-sewn binding, antique fonts and dingbats. “If I had a lost love—imaginary or real—I would want Frances to be mine. Her writing is heartfelt, eloquent, and nostalgic all at once. Frances possesses the ability to reach deep within the soul to speak on her heart's behalf—no matter how tormented, broken, and hopeful it may be. You will get what it is she is sharing.” —Lac Su, author of I Love Yous Are for White People (HarperCollins, 2009) “With echoes of Sei Shonagon and Li Bai, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang has created a contemporary pillow book of sensual longing, heartache, erotic impulse, and wry wit. Her book is to be savored like dark chocolate on a moonlit night.” —May-lee Chai, author of Hapa Girl and Dragon Chica “Imaginary Affairs is a must-read for any woman who has experienced unfulfilled love and heartache. Through a series of vignettes and short poems, Frances Kai Hwa Wang finds beauty and hope in the most unlikely of places in her search for love and desire. Her words of yearning will speak to your heart.” —Dr. Kate Agathon, Curator, CommUNITY and ImaginAsian Identity and Experience in Contemporary Asian Pacific America Art Exhibit

Good Asian Driver Drifting T shirt

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:46:22 GMT

Good Asian Driver Drifting by Blacklava A Super THIN and stretchy T made of 3.2 oz. 65% polyester / 35% cotton 40/1's fine knit jersey.

SALE - $6.00 off The Francis Kim Band The Orange Concern CD

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

The Francis Kim Band "The Orange Concern"CD

SALE - $8.00 off Got Poi Women's TShirt

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

Got Poi? Women's T-Shirt

Printed on American Apparel Made in the US Sweatshop Free T-Shirts

SALE - $2.00 off On History Grapefruits and Crickets Book

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

Biography

Stephen Bor was born in Seattle, Washington and raised in British Columbia,
Washington, and Oregon. He first performed spoken word poetry to avoid
flunking out of Chinese school (he flunked out), and began performing spoken
word (in English) in March of 2002. In the fall of 2002, he helped found The
101 Project Arts Collective with Hanalei Ramos and Hang Le. He was named the
most inspirational poet at the ACUI college national poetry slam in 2003 and
2004. He looks up to the Asian American artist community for inspiration and
encouragement.

Stephen is a Sociology and Public Policy major at Rice University in
Houston, Texas. He has worked with OCA, a nationwide Asian Pacific American
civil rights organization, and founded the Rice University Asian Pacific
Americans for Social Action club, and is currently an Officer Candidate in
the United States Coast Guard. He hopes to visit your refrigerator one day.

www.stephenbor.net

SALE - $5.00 off Born in Chinese presents Compilasian CD

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

Born in Chinese presents "Compilasian"CD

SALE - $2.00 off The Francis Kim Band Nobody Loves You CD

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

The Francis Kim Band "Nobody Loves You" CD

SALE - $5.00 off Kent Wong Sweatshop Slaves Book

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

Kent Wong Sweatshop Slaves

SALE - $5.00 off Dawen American Me CD

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

Dawen American Me CD

16 Tracks

Available for immediate shipping.

Dawen is a soul/r&b singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. His music fuses the grooves of funk, soul, and r&b mixed with heartfelt and socio-conscious lyrics that appeals to both the emotions and intellect.

As a singer-songwriter, Dawen hopes his music will further the dialogue on racism and social injustice in American society.

Website: www.dawen.us
Twitter: _dawen_
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dawenmusic
Myspace: www.myspace.com/dawen

SALE - $10.00 off Roots Unisex T Shirt

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sale ends 11/30/2011

Philip Vera Cruz, a revolutionary Filipino worker, was a founding member and vice president of the United Farm Workers union. He led some of America’s most spectacular labor movement activities in Hawaii and in the fields and canneries of the Pacific Coast that laid the groundwork for the UFW.

Grace Lee Boggs, a daughter of Chinese immigrants, was an activist involved with tenant organizing, black power movements, and founding member of Detroit Asian Political Alliance.

Yuri Kochiyama is a grassroots civil rights activist who involved herself in a range of issues from international political prisoner rights, nuclear disarmament to Japanese redress for World War II internment.

If can, can. If no can, STILL CAN . - T Shirt

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:14:54 GMT

If can, can. If no can, STILL CAN. - T Shirt The most unstoppable Hawaiian T-Shirt ever! Guaranteed that if you wear this shirt, amazing things will happen! Thanks Thomas for the idea!

signaling - poetry by Traci Kato-Kiriyama

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:17:33 GMT

signaling - a collection of poetry by Traci Kato-Kiriyama signaling Is about a particular time and space in the world for a womyn in love with place, people, and the process of digging for the truth underneath our multiple identities. It is about challenging, seeking and drawing out the fighters, the warriors, the artists. It is about processing through death and loss and relationships of the closest kind. signaling is a debut collection of poetry by traci kato-kiriyama, a multi-disciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, who performs, writes, teaches, facilitates and organizes in various corners of the world. It is about musings, dreams, desires, and fantasy.

Hapa Papa Unisex T Shirt

Tue, 31 May 2011 19:05:09 GMT

Hapa Papa Unisex T-Shirt by Blacklava A dual purpose shirt for Papas who are Hapas and Papas of Hapas. Enjoy! Printed on American Apparel 100 Cotton Unisex T-shirts.

DEAL - $4.00 off Hapa Papa Unisex T Shirt

Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Deal Expires Jun 7 2011 11:59PM PST

Hapa Papa Unisex T Shirt by Blacklava

DEAL - $8.00 off WRINKLES a comedy at East West Players (TICKETS)

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Deal Expires Mar 3 2011 11:59PM PST

ATTN: Use Coupon code "EWPSHIPPING" to remove shipping cost from cart for orders under $30.

WRINKLES (TICKETS)
A comedy By Paul Kikuchi
Directed by Jeff Liu

Grandpa Harry's got a big secret! Unbeknownst to his daughter and grandson, 73 year-old Nisei Harry Fukutani is an internet sensation. But to view his work, you'd have to turn off the parental filter and have a valid credit card. A sticky comedy about sex, lies, and Tiger Balm. This play was developed in East West Players' David Henry Hwang Writers Institute.

Generous Support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players

In association with Keiro Senior HealthCare

February 10 - March 13, 2011

Featuring: Sab Shimono, Amy Hill, Elizabeth Ho, Ki Hong Lee, Scott Keiji Takeda, Lisa Dring

Tickets on sale now!
$22 on Wednesday and Thursday performances only for fans of Blacklava!

Performance Run:
February 10 - March 13, 2011
Wednesdays - Saturdays @ 8:00 p.m.
Sundays @ 2:00 p.m.

All performances held at:
East West Players
The David Henry Hwang Theater
120 Judge John Aiso Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
More info at www.eastwestplayers.org or call 213-625-7000.

Note: All ticket purchases from blacklava.net will be forwarded to East West Players’ Will Call list. Seating will be conducted on the day of the performance.

DEAL - $2.00 off Day of Independence DVD by Cedar Grove Productions

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Deal Expires Feb 27 2011 11:59PM PST

Day of Independence DVD

The creators of Visas and Virtue (1997 Academy Award Winner, Best Live Action Short Film) have embarked on a new journey - the production of Independence Day. This dramatic film, set in a Japanese American internment camp during the World War II, explores one family's experience and examines the sacrifices and triumphs of those who endured and survived through preserverence, courage, and the all-American game of baseball. During World War II, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, ordering the forced removal and incarceration of all people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. These people, most of whom were American citizens, were taken from their homes and sent to "relocation" camps in desolate, isloated areas. These camps were surrounded by barb wire and guard towers. There were no charges, nor due process. The internment of 120,000 innocent people was a dark moment in the history of this country.

Day of Independence DVD by Cedar Grove Productions

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:55:54 GMT

Day of Independence DVD

The creators of Visas and Virtue (1997 Academy Award Winner, Best Live Action Short Film) have embarked on a new journey - the production of Independence Day. This dramatic film, set in a Japanese American internment camp during the World War II, explores one family's experience and examines the sacrifices and triumphs of those who endured and survived through preserverence, courage, and the all-American game of baseball. During World War II, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, ordering the forced removal and incarceration of all people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. These people, most of whom were American citizens, were taken from their homes and sent to "relocation" camps in desolate, isloated areas. These camps were surrounded by barb wire and guard towers. There were no charges, nor due process. The internment of 120,000 innocent people was a dark moment in the history of this country.

I Speak English T-Shirt Unisex

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 23:50:00 GMT

I Speak English Unisex T NOTE: Out of stock on Navy Shirts. Asphalt colored shirt with white print is now available!!

TAIKOPROJECT Surrounding Suns CD

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:31:15 GMT

TAIKOPROJECT Surrounding Suns CD

In celebration of TAIKOPROJECT's 10th Anniversary, "Surrounding Suns" is a compilation of new songs and new renditions of the favorites featuring taiko, hip-hop rhythms, beatboxing, Japanese koto, Japanese bamboo flutes, and marimba.

Secret Asian Man Bruce Unisex T Shirt BROWN

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:08:24 GMT

Secret Asian Man Bruce Unisex T by Tak Toyoshima 100% Fine Jersey cotton construction. Durable rib neckband. The softest, smoothest, best-looking T-shirt available anywhere.

I'm Going to Blog About You T Shirt by Angry Asian

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:57:14 GMT

"I'm Going to Blog About You" T Shirt by Angry Asian Man It's a new shirt by AngryAsianMan and he's making it easier than ever to let your friends, co-workers, pets, and 91 year old grandma know exactly what your intentions are as you quietly sit in the room, not saying a word... listening... absorbing... making little mental notes for that special Monday morning blog edition. They have been warned. Available in both Unisex and Women's Sizes Tri-Blend (50% Polyester / 25% Cotton / 25% Rayon) construction Polyester retains shape and elasticity; Cotton lends both comfort and durability; addition of Rayon makes for a unique texture and drapes against the body for a slimming look. Durable rib neckband. Form-fitting

Ninja Wins Women's T Shirt by 8Asians.com

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:07:59 GMT

Ninja Wins Women's T Shirt by 8Asians.com The people at 8Asians.com came up with a T shirt that will let everyone around you know who you side with in this epic Pirates vs Ninja feud. Wear with Ninja pride!

Ninja Wins Unisex T Shirt by 8Asians.com

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:01:10 GMT

Ninja Wins Unisex T Shirt by 8Asian.com The people at 8Asians.com came up with a T shirt that will let everyone around you know who you side with in this epic Pirates vs Ninja feud. Wear with Ninja pride!

Korean Drama Queen Women's T Shirt by Blacklava

Wed, 26 May 2010 01:07:25 GMT

Korean Drama Queen Women's T Shirt by Blacklava

Foreign Film Birthday Card by Fomato

Fri, 21 May 2010 02:16:34 GMT

Foreign Film Birthday Card by Fomato

Illegal What it Looks Like in 2010 T Shirt

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:27:56 GMT

Illegal What it Looks Like in 2010 T Shirt by Blacklava

Note: The video that I attached is by the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors. Greg, the guy on the right, actually suggested the "What it looks like in 2010" line that you see on the t-shirt. Thanks Greg! www.18mmw.com

What does an illegal immigrant look like anyways? (shrug)

Black vintage type ink printed on a American Apparel Tri-Blend (50% Polyester / 25% Cotton / 25% Rayon) Non-Sweatshop Made in the US Track T.

Side thought: When Arizona signed it's new Immigration Law, a thought came to mind. It revolved around how seemingly black and white this issue can be to people. I have to admit, if I were to look at the idea of being here “illegally” it seems like laws are clearly drawn and therefore an immigration bill like this could be viewed as a way to help police this. Simple right? But of course things are not black and white like we think they are. An example… I recently viewed this documentary on YouTube by Michael Pollen, author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and he spoke about how the USA dumps their excess corn supplies into Mexico which effectively puts MILLIONS of farmers out of business. That was certainly an eye opener to me. The food that WE grow, consume, and indirectly benefit from, by sales to other countries, has a negative economic impact on those counties so close to us, like Mexico. Their loss is our gain. If people lose their jobs, of course they are going to go where there is opportunity. I would do the same. Because I eat these foods, I am contributor. And because I’m benefiting, the LEAST I could do is think a little more critically about the things the my laziness wants to simplify. I’m sure my commentary here is just touching ONE of the MANY issues that revolve around immigration laws but I just wanted to share a different view point that I had recently gained.

Angry Asian America T Shirt by AngryAsianMancom

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:19:44 GMT

Angry Asian America T-Shirt by AngryAsianMan.com Shirt color: Heather Grey Ink Color: Darkish Blueish Printed on American Apparel, made in US , Non-Sweatshop shirts.

Korean Drama Queen Tank Top by Blacklava

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:47:59 GMT

Korean Drama Queen Tank Top by Blacklava For a couple of years now my mom has been suggesting that I make a shirt about one of her favorite past times... watching Korean Dramas. I've always dismissed the idea until recently when she brought it up yet again! After letting it stew in my brain for a few minutes and hearing her tell me a few more stories about how her, my aunties, and cousins got together to watch these hot episode.... well, an idea kinda popped into my head. Enjoy the Korean Drama Queen Tank Top. Thanks Nga and Steve from ChannelAPA.com for helping me late last night with putting this idea together. Black Ink printed on American Apparel Made in the USA Non-Sweatshop 2x1 100% Cotton Tank Top.

Tracing Steps Chapbook by Narinda Heng

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:51:35 GMT

Tracing Steps is a collection of prose and poetry by Khmer-American writer and organizer Narinda Heng. The chapbook is an exploration of her experience of "home" and family, from Southern California to Cambodia. 48 pages. - An excerpt: "mangos" Ten years old, playing hide-and-go-seek, I ran into my grandmother’s closet. I stepped into the darkness breathless and giggling, baffled when my feet sank into soft, smooth somethings. More intent on hiding, I ignored the sticky juice between my toes, tucked myself behind the itchy woolen sweaters, and waited. The closet door slid open and I was found out. The light revealed a box of mangos, many of them crushed. I was petulantly unapologetic about the destruction– why were they in the closet anyway? I think of those mangos and my grandmother, her hunched, arthritic back, and the plates of freshly sliced mango she would place in front of me. They were my favorite and everyone knows fruit ripens faster in the dark. -- Her online notebook is longcoolhallway.wordpress.com, where she began writing as a participant in The Writers Workshop (theundeniables.org). *FREE GROUND SHIPPING*

Blacklava Mon T Shirt by Blacklava

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:55:37 GMT

Blacklava Mon T Shirt by Blacklava “kuroi” - black “yougan” - lava. Mon are Japanese family crests signifying membership to a specific clan or organization. They are commonly emblazoned on traditional clothing as a distinguishing feature. The “kuruma,” or “wheel,” is commonly referenced as a symbol of continual rebirth and endless opportunity. We offer this design as an indication of continual learning, which is the origin of Blacklava.