That's the name of a non-profit I started in 2017. Felicia mentioned the name at the very end in the video below. So I thought I should briefly comment on what Kingdom Rice is, especially since the board decided that this party helps fulfill the mission of the non-profit. Thank you Kingdom Rice for funding this party!
First, the name... "rice" culture refers to Asian culture with all its nuances, both ascribed and inherent. e.g, "perpetual foreigner" was acribed to us. But we are inherently a culture that seeks harmony...hence, ask a group of Asians to decide where to eat lunch, and it takes forever, in the name of harmony. "Rice" culture described by "Kingdom" simply means Asians need not go through another culture, like a Western (White) one to access relational connection with others as well as to offer what we have for human flourishing.
"Rice" is an archtype if you will...that if Asians are comfortable in our own skin, aspects of our culture can be a benefit to others. We can then make space to center other cultures and groups, like neurodiverse, vulnerable, and those at the margins. Felicia, as an African-American grandmother can find her story in our Asian-centered story, and serve on the board of a non-profit that centers Asianness. I can make space for all the stories represented at the party with generosity.
I.e, rooting our non-profit in a particular story, in this case, Asian, makes our engagement concrete, and able to welcome others. We also root our non-profit in the shame-reversing narratives of Jesus' life, in so much as he reversed the shame of those who laid down their "armor." This is the kingdom we imagine, where the shame, the displaced, the marginalized are centered. I don't see this in the nationalist Christian movement that's unwilling to name the racism, genocide, and imperialism of our history. The vulnerable heart is willing to name shadow sides in our history as a way to imagine a better future.
Our Vision is simple: We imagine a world where the margins are at the center.
Our Mission is related: We train leaders who can naturally join unfamiliar people together.
The party embodied both this vision. Some of the guests are students from our cohorts where we train people to embody the character needed to be an "unfamiliar people joiner."
See our website by clicking here.
Click on the link to turn to the last page of four: Closing Thoughts, slideshow, and Bohemian Rhapsody