AIISF Newsletter / May 2023
A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director
Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month AND Jewish American Heritage Month!
Thank you again to everyone who joined us for our 40th Anniversary Gala and Immigrant Heritage Awards, especially our sponsors, donors, and volunteers. It was a massive undertaking to host an after-hours event like this on the island, and we want to sincerely thank the staff at Angel Island State Park, Angel Island Company, and the Red and White Fleet for making the trip out to Angel Island so enjoyable! Check out the pictures that our event photographer Joyce Xi captured at https://joycexiphotography.pixieset.com/aiisfgala/
During the event, we unveiled AIISF’s updated mission, vision, and values. These statements continue the long legacy of AIISF’s efforts to preserve the historic site while also importantly contextualizing our programs and exhibits in alignment with broader community efforts to promote equity and justice. Read about our new mission, vision, and values at https://www.aiisf.org/aiisf-history
Thank you to Claudine Cheng and the APA Heritage Foundation for honoring AIISF with one of this year’s APA Heritage Awards. Former Board President Buck Gee, Senior Manager of Programs and Exhibits Russell Nauman, and I had the opportunity to attend the festive awards ceremony on May 3 followed by an amazing reception inside San Francisco City Hall.
This month we also want to celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of two of our partners. Firstly, brava to Del Sol Quartet for their performance of Huang Ruo’s A Dust in Time and his Angel Island Oratorio as part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art Centennial Festival. And safe travels to the group as they head overseas for the Singapore International Festival of Arts later this month.
Secondly, we want to sincerely thank Susan Moffat and Lisa Wymore - the co-leaders of UC Berkeley’s Future Histories Lab’s Year on Angel Island - and all of the faculty, staff, students, and community members who contributed to this monumental undertaking. Over the past 9 months, they have inspired 40 affiliated courses, over 20 field trips, and multiple presentations and performances to help develop stronger connections between Angel Island Immigration Station and UC Berkeley’s faculty and students.
We have an exciting line-up of programs for you this month and next month, including our first in-person Family Day (on Saturday, June 17th) since the beginning of the pandemic.
With deep appreciation,
Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director
THIS WEDNESDAY!
Author Spotlight Read Aloud with Cathy Linh Che & Kyle Lucia Wu
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
5 pm Pacific / 8 pm Eastern
Register here
Join us for a FREE virtual read-aloud of An Asian American A to Z, a comprehensive and spirited exploration of Asian American history.
Co-authors Cathy Linh Che and Kyle Lucia Wu will take us on a journey through stories of celebration and resistance: the Third World Liberation Front, the Muslim Ban, Japanese American incarceration camps, Padma Lakshmi, Rashida Tlaib, Sunisa Lee, and more.
NEXT MONTH!
In-Person Author Spotlight Discussion with Charles Kamasaki
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
6 pm Pacific
Google Community Space, 188 Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
Register here
Join us for a conversation with Charles Kamasaki, the author of Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die. The book is an insider’s history of how the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and its follow-on Immigration Act of 1990, were shaped, debated, and ultimately passed. Hear more about his experiences in DC and as Senior Advisor at UnidosUS.
Animated Histories: Virtual & In-Person Screenings
API Animated Histories Virtual Watch Party
Thursday, May 25, 2023
5:30 pm Pacific / 8:30 pm Eastern
Register here
API Animated Histories Watch Party on Angel Island
Saturday, May 20, 2023
Showings: 12 pm and 2 pm
No registration required.
Join us for two watch parties of our newly-created animated short videos about Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history. Celebrate APA Heritage Month by learning more about historic figures and events that are unfortunately not always covered in US history classes. We will be hosting facilitated small-group discussions after watching the videos.
These four videos in our API Animated Histories series are partly funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Family Day 2023
Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 11 am to 3:30 pm
Join us for Family Day – a celebration of family, connection, and heritage at the Angel Island Immigration Station!
Our event is perfect for all ages, and we welcome families of all backgrounds to join us. Whether you're fascinated by music and dance or keen to learn more about your family's history, we have something that will pique your interest. From genealogy to hands-on crafts and storytelling, our activities and workshops will provide opportunities to connect, reflect, and appreciate the significance of our family histories.
Tickets are $10 per person, and include the ferry from either Tiburon or San Francisco. Shuttle service will be available for those needing assistance reaching the Immigration Station. During the event, you'll be treated to delicious food from Shef that will highlight the diversity and talent of our communities.
Events from AIISF
AIISF is honored to have received one of this year's APA Heritage Awards from the APA Heritage Foundation.
During the May 3rd ceremony, SF District Attorney David Chiu presented the award to AIISF. In his previous role as a state representative, he helped to secure state funding for the renovation of the site's hospital.
Every year, our friends at the APA Heritage Foundation coordinates resources to support San Francisco’s celebration of AAPI Heritage Month.
The Foundation works with the Asian Art Museum, the Center for Asian American Media and the San Francisco Public Library to compile a Celebration Guide with a list of activities and events in San Francisco .
Introducing : The Vault
The Vault is a growing collection of articles, stories, and resources that explores the US Immigration Station’s history from 1910 to today. Drawing on AIISF’s rich collection of primary source documents, immigrant stories, and cultural landscape reports, the Vault takes a deep dive into special topics related to the site, both past and present.
Visit the Vault to discover posts about the hospital’s renovation and its historic inscriptions, immigrant inspectors, detention data, finding family records at the National Archives, a former resident of Angel Island, the monument at the site, and the colors of the barracks.
Community Events
CAAMFest Presents: UNCONDITIONAL, a film by Richard Lui
Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 2 pm
San Francisco Public Library
Learn more
AIISF Board Member Richard Lui's film UNCONDITIONAL is about three families setting off on journeys of self-discovery, taking on the most emotional topics of our day – physical & mental health.