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Photo by Kristin Kouke
Every 4th of July, we celebrate what Alexis de Tocqueville observed in the early 19th Century: the birth of America’s improbable and fascinating experiment in democratic life. On July 4th, 2014, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center presents an experiment in cultural democracy – the first crowdsourced gallery of the Asian Pacific American experience around the world as lived on one day.
The day was May 10, 2014, the 145th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railway. The Transcontinental Railway was an unprecedented national project that relied heavily on Chinese labor, but whose Asian history was excluded from its visual documentation in the iconic picture of the Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory, Utah taken on May 10, 1869. This crowdsourced experiment is motivated by this exclusion.
The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center issued a call to populate the online world with Asian Pacific American representations of life on a day when Asian Pacific American experiences were historically spectral. On May 10, 2014, over 500 people joined the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center for A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America by capturing over 2,000 photos and videos throughout the course of a single day. Works were submitted from everywhere – throughout the United States and from around the world. This exhibit features a small selection of the work and remains an experiment in envisioning the Asian Pacific America experience as a vast and complex identity, with a history that grows richer and more complicated with each new day.
Last year, the National Park Service launched a special study to identify Asian American and Pacific Islander places, peoples and cultures in the American landscape. As one of the speakers, I got up and sang a verse from This Land Is Your Land. The last time I sang in public I was in the 5th grade. At this inaugural event, I hoped to underscore the invisibility of places in this land where people who look like us once walked, lived and contributed to the building of America.
In my mind’s eye, a day in the life of Asian Pacific America begins in Nueva España, where Chinese barbers cut the hair of Spanish conquistadores in the 1600s; in Louisiana, where Manilamen harvested shrimp in the 1700s; in Oahu, where Queen Liliʻuokalani reigned over the Hawai’ian Kingdom in the 1800s. Or on the battlefields of the Civil War, where hundreds of Pacific Islander and Asian men fought in uniforms of blue or gray. And in the 20th Century, when new waves of AAPIs strove to break out of exclusion, to unfurl their wings in this democracy.
In this new millennium, AAPIs are seizing the lens of history, in stark contrast to the days when the railroad workers were barred from the camera view, to be erased from the proud tracks they had carved through the sheer granite of the Rockies.
On May 10, 2014 nearly twenty million Asian American and Pacific Islanders started the day from every corner of this vast country and beyond to the far reaches of the globe where they are Yanks abroad. Our “Breakfasts of Champions” are as down home as pho and naan, dim sum and kimchee, poi and samosas, adobo and sushi — or as “exotic” as Spam and green tea lattes. We spend the day at home and in schools, factories, labs, farms, courtrooms, kitchens, hospitals, offices, prisons, hotels, businesses. . . in other words, everywhere in America.
Reflected through our lenses is the irrepressible dynamism and spirit that AAPIs bring to the heart of this land — as ordinary yet extraordinary Americans.
Of thee I sing.
Eddie Wong is a longtime Asian American media activist. He was a founder of Visual Communications, the nation’s first Asian American media production company, and served as the executive director of the National Asian American Telecommunications Association/Center for Asian American Media between 1996 and 2006. He has directed and produced several documentary films and worked as a photographer and editor.
Adriel Luis is a self-taught musician, poet, curator, coder, and visual artist who believes imagination is key to transforming cultural paradigms. Originally from the California Bay Area and recently living in New York City and Beijing, Adriel is currently based in Washington DC as the Curator of Digital and Emerging Media at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Adriel frequently travels to different parts of Asia with particular interest in how digital space shapes global communities, and how varying levels of freedom of expression channel artistic political imagination.
Amber McClure is the Digital Engagement Manager at Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), a national nonprofit media arts organization based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. Prior to joining PIC in 2010, Ms. McClure worked for over five years as a multimedia project manager with various Hawaiʻi youth and community groups. Born and raised on Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, she received her BA in Cultural Anthropology/Japanese from Western Washington University and MA in Visual Anthropology from Goldsmiths, University of London.
Melissa Bisagni is the Film and Video Programmer in the Media Initiatives Department at the National Museum of the American Indian. She is also an actress and production designer, known for Loves Her Gun (2013), Alone at Last (2006) and Medicine for Melancholy (2008).
Currently a Curator at the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Masum Momaya has 20 years of experience working for women’s rights, gender, race and class equality and social justice. Her curatorial portfolio includes two online multimedia, multilingual exhibitions; a community-based exhibition at a local museum; a solo artist exhibition; and a commissioned multiple artist, themed exhibition. “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation,” Dr. Momaya’s current Smithsonian exhibition, opened February 27, 2014 and will show through August 16, 2015 at the National Museum of Natural History.
Lawrence-Minh Bùi Davis is Initiative Coordinator of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and currently oversees the Smithsonian Asian-Latino Project. Founding director of the Washington, DC-based literary arts nonprofit The Asian American Literary Review, he serves as co-editor-in-chief of its critically acclaimed literary journal. Since 2006 he has taught Asian American literature, Asian American film, and mixed race studies for the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Maryland.
The works submitted are from every region of the U.S. and several other countries. The variety of genres and subjects reaffirms the diversity of Asian Pacific American lives. The works selected by the curators is just a fraction of all that was submitted, and all the works are available for viewing. See the bottom of the homepage for links to Flickr and Instagram sites for “A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America.”
The following are short descriptions of the contributors, who responded to our request for information. Thank you again for making “A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America” such an interesting display of our lives.
Bruce Akizuki, Oakland, CA – Bruce is a community photographer and activist for over 35 years. He founded Community Images, a community based photography program. Visit his blogs Dark Energi and Japan Music Corner.
Alan Alabastro, Seattle, WA – Alan is a cultural photographer, specializing in Arts and Entertainment. His career in photography was completely unintentional as he was only trying to get good photos of his talented children on stage. But his images captured the attention of Pacific NW ballet, Seattle Opera, and Seattle Symphony and he quickly transitioned from a Sales Engineer to a full-time photographer in 2010. Visit AlabastroPhoto.com
Kevin Minh Allen, Seattle, WA – Kevin Minh Allen was born Nguyễn Đức Minh on December 5, 1973 near Sài Gòn, Vietnam to a Vietnamese mother and American father who remain unknown to him. He was adopted by a couple from Rochester, NY and grew up in Webster, NY. He now lives in Seattle, WA. Visit archaeologyofthemind.tumblr.com/
Alissa H. Altmann, Honolulu, HI – Alissa was raised on a farm in upstate NY where her father helped to cultivate her love of photography, while artistic expression through various mediums was inspired by her mother. Currently researching agriculture, food policy and food security at the University of Hawaii’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Alissa’s work explores the relationships of people with farms, food and the culinary world; relationships that transcend the boundaries of culture and geography. In addition, Alissa is passionate about people and the story of their lives, where street photography serves as a favored exploratory platform.
Aerie Bahng, Chicago, IL – Aerie is a freelance editor and writer who lives in the Chicago area with her husband and two daughters. She blogs about parenting, adoption, and Korean culture at chicagonow.com/my-spirited-girl.
Vic Valbuena Bareng, SF, CA – Upon finishing Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines (UP)Diliman, he moved to San Francisco, CA and began working for the SF Chronicle. He has also freelanced and contributed to the San Jose Mercury News, Salon.com, New AmericaMedia.org, and GMA News Online. Visit vvbphoto.com
Rouzanna Berberian, Monrovia, CA – Rouzanna is a visual artist and an MFA Candidate in Painting at the Calif. State University, Los Angeles. She teaches photography at South Pasadena High School. See her work at flickr.com/photos/31156010@N08
Amanda Wilson Bergado, SF, CA – Amanda is a Chinese American of mixed heritage and lives with her Filipino American/mixed heritage husband and two rambunctious boys. “The photos that I submitted were really just taken casually, at the end of a normal day with my boys,” added Amanda.
Marissa Katarina Bergmann, SF, CA –Marissa Katarina Bergmann( Aimari ) is an emerging artist and visual storyteller with an intent to connect, heal, and empower. She received her BA in Visual and Media Studies, Documentary Studies, and Photography at Duke University. Marissa is currently making work that explores ephemerality and honors her Japanese and German heritage. Visit aimari.com
Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, SF, CA – Sita is an interdisciplinary artist and educator born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles to Indian and Japanese Colombian parents. She holds a B.A. in Studio Art from Scripps College and an M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Art from California College of the Arts and an M.A. in Visual and Critical Studies. She is a lecturer at UC Merced and has taught at RayKo Photo Center in San Francisco. Visit sitabhaumik.com
Paula Bock, Seattle, WA – Paula photographed her 88 year old father on a one-day cruise. She documented his day and hard-working Holland American cruise workers. She joined the project after being inspired by the APA photographers’ presentation at the Wing Luke Museum.
Ravi Chandra, M.D., SF, CA – Ravi is a psychiatrist and writer in San Francisco. View his blogs at RaviChandraMD.com
Janet Lew Carr, Milwaukee, WI – Janet is a retired board certified art therapist and registered nurse; and, worked primarily in community creative arts and healthcare settings as program director, supervisor, gallery curator, educator and artist-in-residence. She is one of nine children born to Chinese Immigrants and raised in L.A. post-WWII. Her own family with five Eurasian children settled in WDC-WI-NY-CA, and are part of a global diaspora. Visit flickr.com/photos/123627533@N07/
Joe Chan, Sacramento, CA – Joe photographs all subjects from portraits to fine art throughout Northern California. Much of his eclectic work can be seen here: flickr.com/photos/joechanphotos/.
Desmond Centro, Honolulu, HI – Desmond is an actor, model and photographer.
Gaye Chan – Gaye is a co-founder of Eating in Public – an anti-capitalism project nudging a little space outside of the commodity system to recreate the commons. Visit nomoola.com
Jasmine Chan, Washington,D.C. – Jasmine Chan is a global marketing and PR professional currently based in the Washington DC area. Born near Boston, she has spent time in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New York and London. In her spare time, she enjoys APA advocacy and updating her food blog, Jasmine Chan Eats. She has degrees from New York University and the London School of Economics.
Leonard Chan, SF Bay Area – Leonard is an independent computer consultant who devotes his time with the nonprofit Asian American Curriculum Project (AACP). At ACCP, he does IT work, publishing projects’ design and development, and sales. His interest in photography stems fro his work in publishing and history.
Norval Chan, Sacramento, CA – Norval volunteers as the event photographer with the Asian Community Center. He retired in 2012, bought a DSLR camera, and has taken photography classes from McKay Photography in El Dorado Hills, CA.
Lia Chang, New York, NY – Lia is an actor, an internationally published and exhibited photographer and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She is the recipient of the Asian American Journalists Association 2001 National Award for New Media. Visit liachangphotography.com
Peter Chanthanakone, Iowa City, IA – Peter’s parents were Lao refugees and he was born in Canada. Peter is an animation professor at the University of Iowa. His professional photography can be seen at rizingzun.com
Edward Cheng, New York, NY – Edward is a native New Yorker, freelance computer programmer and seasoned globetrotting backpacker. For the past decade, he has been documenting life on Eldridge Street where he was born and still lives. Edward is a teaching assistant at the International Center of Photography and regularly assists for darkroom masters Steve Anchell, Brian Young and Chuck Kelton. Visit ewah.com
Sally Famarin Chisom, Sacramento, CA – Sally is a member of the Asian Community Center Senior Services and has been a life-long photographer beginning at age 12. Visit flickr.com/photos/sallychisom/.
Alan S. Chin, New York, NY – Born and raised in New York City, Alan has been a photojournalist since 1996 and covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East. He contributes regularly to the New York Times, Newsweek, Esquire and Time magazine. Visit alanschin.com
Susan Chinsen, Boston, MA – Susan is the establishing Director of the Boston Asian American Film Festival and Managing Director at the Chinese Historical Society of New England. She and college sweetheart, Samson Lee, are active in the Boston area hoping to make a difference for the next generation of Asian Americans.
¿claro que si!, Brooklyn, NY – Claro is a Brooklyn-based theatre artist and filmmaker who views art-making as means to further community building, cross-cultural exchange, and the honoring of local cultures & heritage. He is also a proud NYC arts-based educator. Visit claro-que-si.com
Lenore Chinn, SF, CA – Lenore focuses on the depiction of a wide spectrum of people in all their diversity and color. Portraiture is at the core of her visual art practice whether it is painting or photography. Her goal is to capture image and document cultural landscapes from a painter’s point of view. Visit lenorechinn.com
SuJ’n Chon, Seattle, WA – SuJ’n is a writer, photographer, multidisciplinary artist, and community activist. She is co-founder of IDEA Odyssey, a non-profit visual artist collective devoted to working with artists whose work focuses on diversity, culture, and identity. Most recently, she presented photographic work in the “Sense of Place” exhibit at Seattle City Hall. Visit novumlux.com
Lisa Chu, M.D., is a musician, bodyworker, life coach, and visual artist based in northern California. After receiving her M.D., she has been a partner-track professional in the venture capital industry, the founder of her own violin school in Silicon Valley, and an improvisational violinist in her own acoustic rock duo. She is passionate about encouraging creativity, risk-taking, and breaking the boundaries of expectations among fellow Bad Asian Daughters (and Sons). See her work at http://5050art.wordpress.com, http://chinesemelodrama.com, http://badasiandaughter.com, and http://themusicwithinus.com.
Carina A. del Rosario, Seattle, WA – Carina is a visual artist, writer and arts educator. Her fine art and documentary photographic work has been displayed in galleries, museums and public spaces, and is in the collections of King County 4Culture and the Kent Arts Commission. Visit cadelrosario.com
Jessi Devera, Honolulu, HI – Jessi is an explorative storyteller. Her works in multimedia are frequently provocative and range from photography, sculpture and print. She is also involved in historical documentation and lends her craft to local non-profits and community endeavors. Visit interislandterminal.org/exhibitions/current/sapa/
Grant Din, Oakland, CA – Grant Din is a descendant of Angel Island Immigrants including a paper son. He is community relations director at the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and he and his family live in Oakland, CA. Grant has been interested in Asian American history ever since his mother told him about the segregated school she attended in the Sacramento River Delta.
Mike Fong, SF, CA – Mike is a San Francisco-based photographer. The submitted photo features his wife, Deborah Moy, teaching her mother how to fold Chinese pot stickers or Jiaoze.
Reiko Fujii, SF, CA – Reiko is a multimedia artist. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from John F. Kennedy University, Berkeley, CA. She has exhibited extensively in the SF Bay Area and Riverside, CA. She performed, wearing her Glass Ancestral Kimono, at the Corning Museum of Glass, NY. Visit reikofujii.com.
Christopher G. Feraro, San Diego, CA – Chris is a 2nd generation Filipino American who graduated from San Diego State University in 1999 with a graphic design degree. He volunteers his time to document community events such as FilAm Fest, the Asian Cultural Fest, and Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Faire. Visit flickr.com/search?sort=relevance&text=Christopher%20G.%20Feraro
Chris Fujimoto, SF, CA – Chris learned photography from Leland Wong at the original Kearny Street Workshop at the original International Hotel in Manilatown back in the early 1970s. Chris does extensive video documentation as can be seen in his coverage of the May 10, 2014 Golden Spike Ceremony. Visit facebook.com/chris.fujimoto.5?fref=ts
Curt Fukuda, San Jose, CA – Curt is currently contracting with KMVT, teaching video and photography. Curt and his collaborators are finishing a history book on San Jose Japantown. The book will be published in late fall 2014 by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. Visit smithfu.com
Shannon Gee, Seattle, WA – Shannon has produced documentaries on such varied subjects as the history of vaudeville, Asian garment workers, NYC firefighters and the Heart Mountain internment camp draft resisters. She works at the Seattle Channel, where she heads a documentary series about the diverse communities in Seattle. She recently completed a film about Gene Viernes and Silme Domingo, two Filipino American fishing cannery union leaders who were murdered in 1981 for their activism work. Visit seattlechannel.org/communitystories and vimeo.com/geezlouisemedia
Elie Cayanyab Gitlin, Washington,D.C. – Elie is focused on educational technology, learner/educator happiness, communities, and civic engagement. Also cats. More online at ellegitlin.com
Susan Hayase, San Jose, CA – Susan is a long time community activist in San Jose Japantown, working with the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee and the NCRR during the redress movement and performing taiko during the 1980s in the San Jose Taiko Group. Visit flickr.com/photos/124475300@N03.
Jay Hernandez, Honolulu, HI – “Video production became my passion since attending a class in high school. I’ve done a ton of projects that helped diversify my talents as a filmmaker,” says Jay Hernandez. He was raised in Kalihi, Honolulu. Visit vimeo.com/hernandezjay
Bruce Hirayama, LA, CA – Bruce has mostly done landscapes on black and white film. He finds photography to be complementary to his career as a scientist at UCLA as both activities require one to focus on what is important, in the data or the scene, and interpret it in a creative way.
Steve Hom, SF, CA – Steve Hom grew up in the 60’s/70’s as a community activist and is now counting his 1447 days until retirement. He spends his off time learning Tai Qi and making instructional DVDs for his teacher.
YK Hong, Brooklyn, NY – YK is a US-born, Korea-raised, Brooklyn-based artist, activist, author who addresses issues of migration, race, identity, sexuality, consumption and mindfulness in her artwork. She frequently travels around the country giving talks on anti-oppression and creativity.Visit ykhong.com
Bob Hsiang, SF, CA – Bob has been a professional photographer since the 1970s when he was a photojournalist in NYC and San Francisco. His specialty work gravitates toward portraiture, special events, performance and studio work. Today he maintains a studio in San Francisco and often volunteers for non-profit groups when he is not shooting for corporate or individual clients. Visit bobhsiangphoto.com
Junru Huang, Chicago, IL – Junru is a photojournalist with the Chicago Tribune. She has a B.A. in journalism from Renmin University of China in Beijing and completed a six-month photojournalism internship with The Hutchinson News in Hutchinson, Kansas. She was also the managing editor of Mei, a magazine about Chinese American women in New York City. Visit junru.me
Kin Man Hui, San Antonio, TX – Kin Man Hui has been a photojournalist for nearly two decades in San Antonio. He was born in Hong Kong and has lived his entire adult life in San Antonio. His work has taken him around the country and the world. One of his memorable assignments took him to Vietnam documenting U.S. veterans and their efforts to rebuild the war-torn country. Hui covers a variety of sporting events and general assignments for the San Antonio Express-News.
Wing Young Huie, Minneapolis, MN – Wing Young Huie’s many photographic projects document the dizzying socioeconomic and cultural realities of American society, much of it centered on his home state of Minnesota. His public installations—Frogtown (1995), Lake Street USA (2000) and The University Avenue Project (2010)—transformed major Twin Cities’ thoroughfares into epic photo galleries. Visit wingyounghuie.com.
Connie Huynh, Albuquerque, NM – Connie loves bikes, motorcycles, hiking, dogs, knitting, crocheting, baking, eating green chile bacon breakfast burritos, gazing at beautiful sunsets, and in general lazing around on her computer. She works at the University of New Mexico doing IT support for the anesthesiology department in the school of medicine. In the evenings she and her partner and their dog concoct plans for their next adventure.
Christy Ishimine, LA, CA – Christy is a third generation Japanese American Los Angeleno, photographer and designer. After obtaining a degree in architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture, she pursued a career in architecture, interior design and historic architectural residential restoration. She and David Osako have privately published six pictorial books about people, culture or dance. She is an active member of the Little Tokyo Historical Society and the Okinawa Association of America. Visit rafu.com/2012/a-view-unseen/christy-ishimine.
Peter Jew, SF Bay area – Peter grew up in the East Bay and currently lives on the Peninsula. During the day, he creates videos for a corporation. He is currently working on a documentary about growing up in Oakland Chinatown.
Gary Jio, San Jose, CA – Gary is a Sansei, born and raised in San Jose, CA. He attended Cal in the 70’s and got involved there in the Asian American Movement and developed an interest in photography. It is now his life-long hobby. He volunteers to shoot community events.
Christine Toy Johnson, New York, NY – Christine is an award-winning writer, actor, filmmaker and advocate for inclusion based in NYC. Proud member: Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, AEA, SAG-AFTRA, AAPAC, Asian American Composers & Lyricists Project (founder), BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop (alum). Recipient of the 2013 Rosetta LeNoire Award. Visit christinetoyjohnson.com.
Rita Kaku, Kaneohe, HI – Rita lives in Kaneohe, Hawaii and shoots photos for a hobby. As a second generation Chinese grandmother, she lovse seeing the joy on childrens’ faces when they experience new things. She learned about this exhibit from a fellow member in the Eyes of Hawaii Photography club.
Elaine Kim, Oakland, CA – Elaine is a professor of Asian American studies at U.C. Berkeley. She writes on topics such as visual arts, race relations, Korean literature, and feminism. Elaine also wrote and directed the documentary film, Slaying the Dragon Reloaded: Asian Women in Hollywood and Beyond (2011).
Cliff Kimura, Maui, Hawaii – Cliff has been taking photographs since 1970 working in film and digital. His photos have been exhibited at the Pacific New Media Photo Exhibition. He currently enjoys street photography. Visit flickr.com/photos/ctkhi.
Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum, Oak Park, IL – Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum is a mom, fundraising consultant, and a lover of the arts and its power for social change. Growing up as a refugee – not seeing images of herself in books, the mainstream – she joins projects that offer a glimpse into the Lao American experience, ensuring her own kids experience just the opposite.
Norman Ko, San Diego, CA – Norman is a CBC (Chinese Born Canadian) and naturalized US citizen and lives in San Diego. He is an electrical engineer working in the field of wireless networks and his interests include travel, running, architecture, street art and eating. The donut shop in his picture belongs to his Cambodian in-laws. More of my photography can be found at flickr.com/normanko.”
Kristin Kouke, Honolulu, HI – Kristin’s interest in filmmaking started as a small child, and her interest in cinematography began as soon as she picked up a camera of her own. In May 2013, she traveled to the Cook Islands as director of photography for the award-winning short film Little Girl’s War Cry (dir. Erin Lau), one of only six film crews from around the world chosen to participate in the FILM RARO filmmaker’s paradise challenge. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Academy for Creative Media. This fall, she will continue her studies at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts graduate program. Visit vimeo.com/kkouke.
Duane Kubo, Soquel, CA – Duane is one of the founders of Visual Communications in Los Angeles, and he was dean emeritus from De Anza College’s Intercultural/International Studies Division. He is currently organizing J-Town Community TV in San Jose’s Japantown.
Lucien Kubo, Soquel, CA – Lucien is a third-generation Japanese American who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the sixties. She was active in both San Francisco and Los Angeles Japanese communities, fighting for human rights. Years later, many of these experiences have inspired and become an integral part of her artwork. She works with recycled and found materials, various papers, paint, and encaustics to create collage and assemblage.
Joan C. Lacey, Brookline, MA – Joan is an ardent, amateur photographer. She lives in Brookline with her husband, two teenage children, two cats, and a Pekingese. She is one of eight children born to immigrants from Toisan, China.
Amy Lam, South SF, CA – Amy Lam is a graphic and web designer at the Chinese Historical Society of America. Prior to CHSA, Amy worked for exhibit designer Gordon Chun. She has volunteered with Kearny Street Workshop, Locus Arts and Hyphen Magazine. Amy lives in South San Francisco with her husband Mark Nagales and son Aidan.
Keith Lee, Los Altos, CA – Keith Lee began photographing for his high school newspaper and yearbook. While attending college, he became interested in documenting political activist movements for social change. Although a self-taught photographer, he felt there was more to learn. With degrees in art and photography, he now teaches photography at Foothill College.
Mido Lee, SF, CA – Mido is a professional photographer. She holds an MA in photography from Edinburgh College of Arts and an MFA in photography from the SF Art Institute. Visit midoleeproduction.com
Naomi Lee, SF Bay Area – Naomi is a painter and fiber sculpture artist. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from U.C. Berkeley. She was active in the redress campaign and lobbied Congress for the passing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which legislated a national apology and redress for Japanese Americans who were interned during WW II in U.S. concentration camps. Visit NaomiLeeGallery.com
O.C. Lee, LA, CA – O.C. Lee is a registered professional civil engineer and photojournalist in Southern California. He does pro bono photography for major APA non-profits and political fundraising events in Los Angeles area. His photos have often been used in local printed media and national publications to promote the APA causes. Visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1534358713&sk=photos.
Pam Tau Lee, SF, CA – Pamela Tau Lee is a third generation Chinese American living in San Francisco with husband Ben and son Dennis. Her Chinatown roots influenced her lifelong work for social, economic and environmental justice. Retired from education and public health, she is a caregiver to her parents, a Taijiquan student and a community activist.
Stuart Lee, SF Bay Area – Stuart is a Project Manager/Consultant for construction development projects, including hospitals and medical offices, corporate high rises, airport facilities, and historic landmarks. He holds a BS, Conservation of Natural Resources, Urban Planning, UC Berkeley. He resides in Marin County with wife and Sparky, the dog. He and Naomi have two sons pursuing their dreams in L.A.
Todd Lee, Boston, MA – Todd cites Ansel Adams , who said “A good photograph is knowing where to stand,” as a source of inspiration. He specializes in fashion and event photography. Based in Boston, his work has been published in the two local dailies, the area’s largest monthlies, and several fashion magazines that nurture emerging creative. Visit toddleephotography.smugmug.com
Chris Lock, Huntington Beach,CA – Chris is a fourth-generation Japanese and Chinese-American. After college, he packed his bag to work in Japan. His dad handed him an old Nikon Nikkormat camera and said, “See what you can do with this.” He teaches multiple subjects to sixth graders, and ends every school year with a photography project. “See what you can do with this,” hetells them, and they begin their journey.
Walt Louie, LA, CA – Walt was born and raised in SF Chinatown, the son of an immigrant who came by way of Angel Island. Walt’s interest in the visual medium started at an early age taking pictures of Chinatown. He worked his way up from producing/directing to become an editor. Walt currently works in LA and teaches postproduction at Santa Monica College. See Walt’s video on artist/photographer Leland Wong and the Nihonmachi Street Fair at vimeo.com/95016307.
Jeanie Low, SF, CA – Jeanie is a genealogy expert and award-winning quilt artist. She authored “China Connection: Finding Ancestral Roots in America” and is the Communication Co-Chair of SONA (Save OUR National Archives). Her quilt work has been juried into and displayed at the Pacific International Quilt Festival. In 2014, she will be teaching fabric craft workshops and presenting “The Evolving Chinese Dress, 1909-1973: Cheong Sam/Qipao,” lecture/workshop at various SF Public Libraries.
Steve Low, SF, CA – Steve retired from the San Francisco Environmental Health department.. He has lived by Golden Gate Park for the past 37 years. He spends time at the Stonestown YMCA practicing tai chi. At other times, he can be found riding a road bike in Golden Gate Park.
Felicia Lowe, SF, CA – Felicia Lowe is an award-wining independent television producer, director, and writer with more than 30 years of production experience. Her current film, Chinese Couplets, is in post-production. Lowe received an EMMY for Best Cultural Documentary for Chinatown: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco, a PBS documentary. A descendant of Angel Island detainees, she has been actively involved in the preservation of the Angel Island Immigration Station. Visit lowedownproductions.com
Grace Hwang Lynch, SF, CA – Grace Hwang Lynch is a freelance writer, editor and photographer. A former television news reporter, she still spends her days driving around in a van and waiting for things to happen. In the meantime, she blogs about Asian fusion family and food at HapaMama.com. Her work has also been published on PBS Parents, Blog Her, and Salon.
Jaygee Macapugay, New York, NY – Jaygee is an actress. She played the title role of Imelda Marcos in the East Coast premiere of Imelda: A New Musical at the Julia Miles Theatre (a co-production with East-West Players). She has an extensive list of theatrical credits. Visit jaygeemacapugay.com
Eric W. Mah, Wilmette, IL – Born and raised in the Chicago, Eric is a product of the Chicago Public School system. Educated as an electrical engineer, he is president of Gim Electric, an electrical contractor. When not working, he spends time with his family and enjoys woodworking, beekeeping and photography and currently resides in Wilmette with his wife Barbara.
Trinh Mai, Orange County, California – Trinh teaches painting and drawing to Vietnamese seniors through the Bower’s Museum’s Treasures Program. Raised in the SF Bay Area, Trinh moved to Orange County three years ago to become a resident at the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association. Examples of her artwork can be found at trinhmai.com
Leonardo March, Boston, MA – Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Leonardo emigrated as a young lad to San Juan Puerto Rico, where he learned of the sweet and warmth hearted ways of the Caribbean. He currently lives in Boston where he is wondering where will he emigrate next. He is a graphic designer who gets a kick out of photographing other human beings. Visit leonardomarch.com
Christen Hepuakoamana’a Marquez, Honolulu and Brooklyn – Christen holds a BFA in Film and Video from New York University’s Tisch School of the Art. As a producer and director, her work has screened at the Sundance Film Festival Gen-Y studio and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Her PBS documentary E Haku Inoa: To Weave a Name aired in spring 2014. Visit itvs.org/films/haku-inoa
Colette Masunaga, Washington,D.C. and Kona, HI – Colette Masunaga was born and raised in South Kona, on the island of Hawai`i. She spent her childhood picking coffee on her family’s fourth generation coffee farm and recently graduated from the University of California, Davis. Colette has served as a White House intern and currently works in the Office of Representative Colleen Hanabusa in Washington, D.C.
Claire Meyler, Oakland, CA – Daughter of a Filipina immigrant and a Kansas farm boy, Claire was born and raised in LA. A non-profit professional by day, Claire spends her free time in creative pursuits: illustration, painting, writing, clothes making, and dabbling in photography. She lives in Oakland with her small family and several animals. Her website (mostly featuring my drawings) is clairemeyler.com/.
Ming Mur-Ray, Oakland, CA – Ming Mur-Ray, a multidisciplinary artist, has exhibited her work in numerous national and international museums and galleries. Her work is socially and engaged, addressing issues of identity, censorship, and people with disabilities. Her recent work focuses on documentary filmmaking. She was born in Hong Kong, currently lives and works in Oakland, California. Visit mingmur-ray.com
James Nagareda, San Jose, CA – James “Jim” Nagareda is the owner of award-winning Nagareda Studio and co-owner of Beard Papas in Cupertino and Nikkei Traditions and Jimbos in San Jose Japantown. He attended UC Santa Barbara and San Jose State University where he holds a BS in Molecular Biology and minor in Genetics. Jim’s interest in photography started in high school. Visit nagredastudio.com
Laurie Nakakura, LA, CA – Laurie’s interest in photography stems from being a fine arts major at the University of Southern California. She learned of the A Day APA project through the documentary photography workshop taught by Robert A . Nakamura at the Japanese American National Museum. Visit flickr.com/photos/124133351@N02/with/14406903903
Robert A. Nakamura, LA, CA – Robert is a distinguished filmmaker and teacher. In 1970, he co-founded Visual Communications, the oldest community-based Asian Pacific American media arts organization in the U.S. He taught filmmaking at UCLA and founded the UCLA Center for EthnoCommunications in 1996. He and his wife Karen Ishizuka created the Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center at the Japanese American National Museum. For a list of films and other achievements, visit wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Nakamura
Kim Oanh Nguyen, Portland, OR – Born in Laos, Kim immigrated with her family to the United States when she was seven years old. Kim graduated from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and has spent over two decades as a freelance photojournalist for several regional newspapers and national magazines. She recently spent two months overseas documenting key figures in five SE Asian countries which were instrumental in creating change towards Freedom of Speech within their own countries. When she’s not traveling for editorial assignments, she spends her time photographing professional headshots and company cultures. Visit photosbykim.com
Tammy Nguyen, Rome, Italy – Tammy is a senior at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. She is a Vietnamese American born and raised in the Pacific North West, and she is majoring in American Ethnic Studies. She aspires to make a difference in the lives of ethnic communities, while also pursuing her passion for photography and travel. She is spending her spring quarter studying in Rome, Italy.
Jason Nou, SF, CA – James always had a fascination with the imagination. He acquired a range of skill and experiences from creative to technical in the fields of theatre, film, and photography. His goal is to direct feature films. Visit revelcade.com
Lia Odette, Toronto, Canada – Lia is pursuing a double major in physics and film at the University of Toronto. Both passions are driven by her need to discover the extraordinariness in ostensibly “ordinary” things and reveal that the world and the stories that it offers are highly underrated.
Aryani Ong, Washington, D.C. – Aryani is an attorney. She was formerly a staff attorney with the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium.
David Osako, LA, CA – David has published several pictorial books, including “Leaning Toward Light,” which can be viewed online at flickr.com/photos/dosako/sets/72157622457624206. He also created two short documentary videos through Visual Communication’s Digital Histories video-making program: “Living Time Capsule: Little Tokyo Arts & Gifts” and “Chicky Meets Cat Lady With a Beard.”
Choppy Oshiro, SF, CA – Choppy is from Hawaii and lives in San Francisco. With a passion for creating art around community/social justice issues, she served on the board of directors of Kearny Street Workshop and currently provides graphic art and photojournalism services to the California Nurses Association. Her cut-paper art is inspired by Japanese textile stencils. Visit creativehotlist.com/coshiro2
Sonya Paclob, York, PA – Sonya is an energetic and innovative documentary video producer with the visionary execution of a photojournalist. Her passion is to produce compelling visual stories and explore in-depth data and graphic design. She is a Chips Quinn Scholar and Ohio University Visual Communications College graduate. Currently, she is a multimedia journalist with the York Daily Record in Pennsylvania. Visit sonyapaclob.com
Henry Pan, SF, CA – Henry was born and raised in San Francisco to immigrant Chinese parents. Over time, he became fascinated with the demographic change in the neighborhood he grew up in, and seeks to document that change as much as possible.
Chamath Perera, St.Paul, MN – Chamath tells stories through documentary film, writing and photography. His film, With Robe and Bowl had it’s broadcast and online premiere in 2013. The Nile and the Mississippi will premiere in the summer of 2014. Chamath coaches leaders and teams and also counsels non-profit organizations on fund development. Visit youtube.com/watch?v=gHTLUDHhpDsE and youtube.com/watch?v=WJSd3c7ojiE.
Krysada Panusith Phousiri – Krysada, better known as “Binly,” is a Lao-American artist and engineer. He was born in Laos and immigrated with his family to America in 1989. Binly travels to various cities to compete in National/International Breaking competitions while pushing his Snap Pilots Photography project in different cities. Visit snappilots.com
Daniel Quan, Oakland, CA – Daniel melds his creative drive with his interest in culture, history, and preservation to tell stories and create immersive experiences about peoples and places. He is an architect, interpretive planner, exhibit designer, and graphic artist who heads the consulting firm Daniel Quan Design. Visit flickr.com/photos/danq49 and danielquandesign.com
Rick Rocamora, Oakland, CA – Rick is an award-winning social documentary photographer. His work is published and exhibited worldwide. He is the author of Filipino WWII Solders – America’s Second-Class Veterans. His work is part of the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Visit flickr.com/photos/rick_rocamora.
Chansoda Roun, Connecticut – Chansoda is a designer and photographer who resides in Connecticut. She is a first generation Cambodian-American born in a Thai refugee camp after her parents escaped the Khmer Rouge. She also runs Khmer Collective, a site dedicated to survivors of the Cambodian Genocide and the generations after. Visit chansoda.com .
Ryan Scott, Hadley, MA – Ryan is an avid photography hobbyist. He has loved photography ever since his father gave him his Pentax K1000 when he was in elementary school. Ryan lives in Hadley, MA with his wife Naoko and two children, Kouji and Yuuki. Visit .flickr.com/photos/rpscott123/
Jeff Yukikazu Serra, San Jose, CA – Jeff is a 24 year old, fourth generation Japanese American, who was raised in San Jose, CA. After graduating from San Diego State University, he moved back to San Jose and purchased his first DSLR in 2012. Since then he’s been slowly building his portfolio. Visit yukikazauphotography.smugmug.com/
James Shih, SF, CA – James studied Economics and Theatre at UC San Diego and filmmaking at City College of San Francisco. James is a Producer on Fight Life, a Mixed Martial Arts documentary and is Co-Producer on sci-fi feature Advantageous, which is about a mother and daughter surviving in the year 2041. James has also made short, award-winning films. Visit jamesyshih.com
Judy Shintani, SF, CA – Judy is the Narrator of Culture. The unspoken compels her to create. Shinatani’s art depicts family stories, honors history, showcases women’s issues, earth concerns, and offers viewers ways to participate and become art collaborators. She works with found and organic objects, video, and words. Visit judyshntani.com/sculpture.html
Veronica Sese, SF, CA – Veronica currently works at the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco. She has taken photos since 2006 when she was a sophomore in high school and worked on the school yearbook. Her emphasis on taking “action shots” informed the way she approaches taking photos, Visit que-onda.tumblr.com.”
Jon Shimizu, Honolulu, HI – Although Jon is an architect by training, he has been intrigued with photography since childhood and recently rekindled a deeper interest through classes at Pacific New Media in Honolulu. Jon’s primary interest is in social documentary photography and is currently working on a personal project dealing with aging in place.
Dennis Sikhanthat, Seattle, WA – Dennis currently serve as Assistant Director and photographer for Kinnaly Seattle (www.kinnaly.net), a Lao cultural arts organization whose work is aimed at preserving Lao culture through the arts. The photos he submitted were from a parade in Seattle’s Chinatown honoring Buddha’s birthday. Dennis does nature and landscape photography and specialize in portrait and event photography. Visit KhomPhotography.com.
James Sobredo, Stockton, CA – James is an Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, Asian American Studies Program, at California State University in Sacramento. He has a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in Ethnic Studies. A multimedia documentarian and social documentary photographer for 20 years, his graphics, photographs and articles have appeared in The New York Times, Asian Week and magazines such as Filipinas and Pacific. An avid long-distance backpacker and mountaineer, Sobredo is also a practioner of Vispassana Buddhism. Visit flickr.com/photos/drsobredo/
Dao Strom & Kyle MacDonald, Portland, OR – The photograph of seeking bird self, banh it towers quy nhon Vietnam (submitted via Instagram) is part of a project called “We Were Meant To Be A Gentle People” by author/musician/artist Dao Strom in collaboration with photographer/filmmaker Kyle MacDonald. The project is comprised of two “geographies” – East and West. Visit theseaandthemother.com/releases/west-in-progress.
Leon Sun, SF, CA – Leon is a portrait and news/editorial photographer. He also works in oil painting, serigraphy, drawing and graphic design. While most of his work has been integrated with social activism, he currently explores spiritual themes common to Chinese and Native American cultures. His work may be viewed at leonsunartist.com.
Sharon Suzuki-Martinez, Arizona – Sharon (Okinawan-Japanese American) grew up in Hawaii and now lives with her husband in Arizona where she created/curates the website, The Poet’s Playlist. She isthe author of a book of poetry, The Way of All Flux (New Rivers Press, 2012). View her blog (and more photos) at Sharon Planet.
Tracy Takano, Honolulu, HI – Tracy was born on a sugar plantation on the island of Maui and now works for the organization representing workers in sugar and many other industries – the International Longshore & Warehouse Union. He lives in Hawai’i with his family.
Lydia Tanji, Berkeley, CA – Lydia is an independent performing arts professional. She has won national acclaim for her work as a costume designer, wardrobe supervisor, and set designer. In 35 years as a costume designer for theater, films, dance, documentaries, circus, and performance art, she has worked with many Asian American media artists including: Emiko Omori, Philip Gotanda, Wayne Wang, Steve Okazaki, Felicia Lowe, Phyllis Look, Brenda Wong Aoki and Mark Izu, Kenny Endo, David Henry Hwang, Chay Yew, Mako, Amy Hill, Nobuko Miyamoto, John Lone, Momoko Iko, and Sachiko Nakamura.
Lee Ann Teylan, Boston, MA – Lee Ann is a Filipina-American freelance photographer based out of Boston. She is also the event program staff and a performer with The Genki Spark, a multi-generational, pan-Asian women’s arts and advocacy organization that uses Japanese taiko drumming, personal stories, and creativity to build community, develop leadership, and advocate respect for all.
Caroline Nguyen Ticarro-Parker – Caroline Nguyen Ticarro-Parker balances being a mother, speaker, and founder of an international NGO, Catalyst Foundation. Catalyst Foundation works with families in Vietnam to develop holistic, sustainable community programs to fight human trafficking. In the U.S., Catalyst coordinates cultural programs for families that adopted children from Vietnam. Visit catalystfoundation.org
Cynthia Tom, SF, CA – Cynthia is a visual artist/community activist/arts organizer, founder and director of A Place of her Own, an arts & healing residency. She is also Asian American Women’s Artists Association Board President. Cultural surrealism, intuitive and powerful are words often used to describe Cynthia’s paintings and mixed media installations. She lectures on her work, issues related to women, feminism and Asian American women in the arts. Visit cynthiatom.com.
Pacino Triunfo, SF, CA – Paciano is a graduate of Academy of Art College with a BFA in Motion Picture Production and has been freelancing in the industry for the last 18 years. Photography has always been his passion. It all stemmed from his dad bringing back cameras from overseas while deployed in the Navy. Paciano’s street photography has been featured in several group shows as well solo shows at San Francisco’s Hotel des Arts. Visit his photo blog at paciano.tumblr.com
Lucy Truong, San Gabriel Valley, CA – Lucy is a communications professional and UC San Diego alumna living in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County. Born and raised in “the SGV,” Lucy enjoys shooting concert photography during her spare time. She would give up boba forever in exchange for racial and economic justice. Visit cargocollective.com/lucytruong.
Misa Tupou/projexart, Honolulu, HI – Misa directs short films and appears on camera as well. In theatre, he works with mask, physical theatre and devised theatre. Misa speaks on Pacific Islanders in Theatre and Film in New Zealand, and is the co-founder of Aotearoa New Zealand Film Festival. He’s the O’ahu Fringe Festival organizer. Visit projexart.wordpress.com
Julie Thi Underhill, San Francisco Bay Area – Julie is a photographer, filmmaker, visual artist, poet, essayist, historian, and performer. As a mixed-race daughter of the war in Việt Nam, she inherited an abiding concern for the consequences of not only that war but also other wars with high civilian casualties. She is director of the biennial San Francisco Global Vietnamese Film Festival and on the advisory board for diaCRITICS, a blog covering the arts, culture, and politics of the Vietnamese at home and in the diaspora, after serving as its managing editor for three years (2010-2013). Visit jthiunderhill.com
Mary Adams Urashima, Huntington Beach, CA – Mary is a former journalist, with thirty years in media, governmental and public affairs. She authors two local history blogs, Historic Wintersburg and Historic Huntington Beach, and chairs the community effort to preserve the property known as “Historic Wintersburg.” An advocate for historic preservation, Mary writes with a goal of furthering the understanding of America’s diverse history and cultures.Visit flickr.com/photos/101066274@N04/
Jacob Ira A. Vijandre, Simi Valley, CA – Jacob specializes in self-portraits. The photos he submitted were from an event called “Tuklas: Discover the Indigenous Culture of Filipinos” that was held at the Croatian Cultural Center in San Pedro, CA. Visit flickr.com/photos/jacobira/
Jocelyn “Joz” Wang –Joz is a digital entrepreneur creating spaces for under-represented voices. She is Editor-in-chief/CEO of the popular 8Asians.com, which features original, diverse commentary. In 2011, she acquired the Metblogs Network and runs the entire international network—consisting of over 50 sites worldwide— as its Publisher/CEO.
Nancy Wang, SF, CA – Drawing on her background in modern dance, ethnic dance, theater and playwriting, Nancy co-scripts and sculptures Eth-Noh-Tec’s synchronistic and seamless tandem movements. Nancy is also a practicing psychotherapist and brings to her performances a strong belief and a community activism that provides her art of storytelling with the goal of making a difference in people’s lives. Visit ethnohtec.org
Anna Clara Wong, Oakland, CA – Anna Clara is a first generation Chinese American, born in Hong Kong. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1969. Khrystalphoenix is her Chinese name translated. She is proud of had Chinese heritage, Catholic belief, 34 years of marriage, 4 kids, and a grandson.
Brian Wong, Boston, MA – Brian is a native of New England and is always seeking out new cultural experiences through travel, food, and relationships. He enjoys photography as a break from his job in the healthcare industry and is proud to be a part of this exhibition.
Dean Wong, Seattle, WA – Dean is a writer and photographer who has documented life in the Asian Pacific Islander and International District Chinatown community for over 30 years. He was a key member of the International Examiner staff, and his photography has been exhibited in museums, libraries, community institutions as well as the Sea-Tac International Airport.
Donna May Wong, Marietta, GA – Donna earned a B.A. in Fine Arts at U.C.L.A. specializing in painting and printmaking. After a career in teaching and multicultural student programming, Donna now enjoys time with family, yoga, and art installation projects in Marietta, Georgia. She is currently Vice President of the Asian Pacific American Historical Society in the South. Visit flickr.com/photos/124149025@N04/
Edwin K. Wong, New York, NY – Edwin is an advocate for Asian Americans. He is an Asian American Film Lab board member. He established the Fordham Asian Business Network while completing his MBA and Fordham Fridays (alumni networking) as an alum. At SUNY Buffalo, he created the curriculum and taught their first Asian American Studies course. Visit flickr.com/photos/itsedwinwong/
Leland Wong, SF, CA – Leland began photographing seriously in 1968 while a junior in high school at a crucial time when the civil rights movement, urban riots, the Vietnam war, strikes on college campuses and social issues were being addressed in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Wong studied photography at San Francisco State University where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree. Leland’s photographic and artworks have been widely publicized and exhibited. He has taught workshops in the community and worked with various community arts organizations. He is currently an artist in residence at the Chinese Historical Society of America. Visit facebook.com/pages/Leland-Wong-Photography/104977622922255
Maggie Wong, Oakland, CA – Maggie is an interdisciplinary artist who primarily works in expanded forms of sculpture. She received a BA from Sarah Lawrence College where she focused in studio art. Her sculpture, “Ingredients for Making Pecan Pie” was displayed in the Eating Cultures exhibition in San Francisco in May 2014. She now lives and works in her native city, Oakland, CA. Visit maggiewong.info
Rick Wong, Seattle, WA – Rick is a veteran commercial/industrial photographer who now teaches and conducts Photoshop classes, digital photography workshops, and leads photo EdVenture tours for Seattle Central Community College. Visit rickwong.com
Steven Wong, LA, CA – Steven is the Interim Executive Director and Curator at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles. He holds a BA in Art and a MA in Asian American Studies, both from UCLA and a MFA in Art from UC Santa Barbara.
Wilton Wong, SF, CA – Wilton has spent the past four years of retirement from teaching pursuing his interest in photography. “In the 1960’s a 35mm camera was the tool of choice,” said Wilton. “The growth to medium format, 4X5 and Digital has sparked many experiments as I continue the lifelong learning process.” Visit wiltonwong.net
Bryan Thao Worra, Twin Cities, MN – An award-winning Laotian American writer, Bryan works actively to support Laotian, Hmong and Southeast Asian American artists. He is recognized by the Loft Literary Center, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the National Endowment for the Arts. He is an active professional member of the Horror Writer Association and the Science Fiction Poetry Association.
Chi Chi Wu, Boston, MA – Chi Chi is an attorney in the Boston area. She is active in several APA and civic organizations. She works for the National Consumer Law Center and was traveling to Washington,DC for work on May 10, 2014.
An Rong Xu, New York, NY – An Rong is a documentary photographer, filmmaker and sensitive artist from New York City. View his work at AnRongXu.com and @Anrizzy.
Renee Ya, Silicon Valley, CA – Renee is a first generation Hmong American currently working in the video game industry in the Silicon Valley in California. When she isn’t making games, she likes to write cultural pieces, go on photo walks, and eat spicy food. Visit reneeya.com
Linda Yamaguchi, SF Bay Area – Lina is a graphic designer and proud mama of two hapa kepani sons in the Bay Area.
Stephen Yang, New York, NY – Stephen’s photography has appeared in the New York Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, and the Washington Post. He specializes in reportage and portraiture. After studying American Literature at Hampshire College, Stephen moved to Shanghai for three years where he began his career as a photojournalist. Aside from covering breaking news, he enjoys photographing food. Visit stephenyangphoto.com.
Kenny Sui-Fung Yim, Boston, MA – Kenny is a first generation Chinese American and a graduate of Williams College. He currently lives in Boston and works as an ESOL teacher at the Asian American Civic Association. Visit ksfyim.wordpress.com
Helen Zia, Oakland, CA – Helen Zia is the award-winning author of “Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People.” She was a Fulbright Scholar and former executive editor of Ms. Magazine. She is a featured speaker on LGBT issues and was married to Lia Shigemura in one of San Francisco’s first same-sex weddings.
Many people and organizations gave generously of themselves to bring “A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America” to life.
We wish to thank Eddie Wong for proposing this project to us and for countless hours spent contacting photographers, community organizations, APA arts organizations and museums, and media organizations. He pushed the project along from beginning to end as the guest curator.
We wish to thank Lizzie Chen, Wing Young Huie, Junru Huang, Corky Lee, Pete Pin, Rick Rocamora, Na’alehu Anthonym, Carina del Rosario and Julie Thi Underhill for generously donating the use of their photographs in our promotional efforts. We especially thank Corky Lee for urging us to select May 10 as the project date and for suggesting photographers to us.
Helen Zia’s words introduce “A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America” with such elegance and passion. Thank you for framing our exhibit in such an inspiring fashion.
To our friends in Honolulu, the Pacific Islanders in Communication, mahalo. You helped us spread the word far and wide.
Several museums and individuals helped us by sponsoring documentary photography workshops, which led many people to join us on May 10, 2014. We wish to thank Asian Cine Vision, the Asian American Resource Workshop, Chinese Historical Society of America, the Chinese Historical Society of New England, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, the Japanese American National Museum, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and the Wing Luke Museum. We appreciate the many hours of work by Bruce Akikuzki, Alan Alabastro, Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, Mitsuko Brooks, Cassie Chinn, Susan Chinsen, Lenore Chin, Chuong Chong, Carina del Rosario, John Esaki, Sara Francini, Curt Fukuda, Bob Hsiang, Duane Kubo, Corky Lee, Todd Lee, Rod Mar, James Nagareda, Lesley Qin, Robert Nakamura, James Sobredo, Leon Sun, Julie Thi Underhill, Eddie Wong, Laura Ming Wong, Leland Wong, Tamiko Wong, Rick Wong, John Woo, An Rong Xu, and Stephen A. Yang.
To our friends at Flickr, thank you for the brilliant display of the over 2,000 images and videos submitted by more than 500 makers.
