Odessa Chen and Alice Tong Join Hep B Free Campaign

Asian Week - A night on the town with music, dinner, and friends, a benefit for SF Hep B Free 

Two beautiful up and coming Asian Pacific American female musicians - Odessa Chen and Alice Tong, have joined the San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign to help promote awareness about the impact of the hepatitis b virus (HBV) on Asian Pacific Americans.  The two will be performing at “An Unexpected Encounter: A night on the town filled with music, dinner & friends” on Friday Aug. 21, from 6 to 9pm at Jillians, located at 101 4th St., inside the San Francisco Metreon. 

Attendees will enjoy a scrumptious 3-course meal featuring chicken picatta, spaghetti and sausage, or vegetable skewers, enjoy amazing musical performances, and learn about hepatitis B. Tickets are $45 per person. All proceeds will benefit S.F. Hep B Free - a citywide campaign to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B free city in the nation. 

“The fact that 1 in 10 Asians is infected, is alarming.  As an Asian American, I want to do what I can to help raise awareness of this disease, and am happy to use my music to do so,” says Odessa Chen, a guitarist and vocalist whose work has appeared in independent films, compilations, and on radio stations. “This will be fun event, and is not to be missed!” 

Guests will be in for a treat, as Chen plans to perform for the first time, “Giving Up the Ghosts,” a love song from an upcoming album.  

HBV is the greatest health disparity between Asians and non-Asians. One in 10 Asians are chronically infected with hepatitis B and of those who are infected, 25% will die prematurely from liver disease.  80% of liver cancer worldwide is caused by chronic HBV infection. Hepatitis B is not only vaccine preventable, but it also has effective treatments that can slow or prevent liver damage caused by the disease.

“With both my father and grandmother being survivors of hepatitis B, this is an issue that is both personal to me and too widespread to be overlooked in our community as Asian Americans,” says Alice Tong, whose music has been in independent films, including “American Fusion” which won the Audience Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival.  “I really admire the work SF Hep B Free is doing to educate our community and am looking forward to being able to contribute to this important cause on Aug. 21st.”

The event is being organized by vive, a new Asian Pacific American events company. 

For sponsorship opportunities email steven@vivesf.com

Tickets can be purchased at www.vivesf.com.                                                               

What: An Unexpected Encounter: A night on the town with music, dinner, and friends, a benefit for SF Hep B Free 

When: Friday, Aug. 21, 6pm to 9pm

Where: Jillians, 101 4th St., inside the San Francisco Metreon                    

Cost: $45

(Source: Asianweek)