AIISF Newsletter / January 2021
A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director
I hope that everyone had a happy holiday season. As much as I was ready to see last year come to a close, 2020 threw a final few curveballs our way.
First, all of us at AIISF are still shocked and deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of longtime AIISF trailblazer Judy Yung. Judy’s research and advocacy were crucial to documenting and preserving Angel Island’s history, poems, and the personal journeys of many who passed through its doors.
Secondly, if approved, Blue & Gold Fleet’s application to end their San Francisco ferry service to Angel Island would make it more difficult for those who don’t have vehicles or anyone who relies on public transit to visit Angel Island. Thank you to the almost 300 people who have submitted a public comment to the CA Public Utilities Commission. After reading through these comments, it is quite clear that Angel Island is a site that holds a deep, emotional, and personal connection for so many of us.
I also want to share a friendly reminder that our friends at the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry (shown in the picture above) are a separate family-run business. Departing from Tiburon, they are currently the only ferry that will take you to Angel Island. Roundtrip tickets are only $15 for adults, and parking in Tiburon is considerably less expensive than in San Francisco. They will be temporarily suspending ferry service from January 19 to February 12, for required annual inspections. So perhaps consider taking advantage of the dry weather this 3-day holiday weekend for some outdoor hiking on Angel Island. Please note that all of the buildings at the Angel Island Immigration Station are still closed to the public.
Finally, your collective generosity helped AIISF end the year on a positive note. We understand this past year has been challenging for so many of our friends and family. We are deeply appreciative of your support in 2020 and for our year-end campaign. I am very thankful to share that you helped us to surpass our fundraising goal by $20,000! Your support is crucial to ensuring that we can continue our efforts to preserve and uplift the former U.S. Immigration Station, Angel Island’s history. Please take a few moments to read through all the contributions on our Virtual Tribute Wall that were made in honor or in memory of members of our extended AIISF family and community.
Best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2021!
Ed Tepporn
Executive Director, AIISF
Remembering Judy Yung
The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, the Asian American community, and the broader community have all experienced a tremendous loss with Judy Yung’s unexpected passing last month. Born and raised in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Judy’s immigrant parents were former Angel Island detainees. Her connection to this immigrant heritage fueled decades of invaluable work to preserve, document, and amplify Angel Island’s poems, histories, and stories as well as to advance Asian American studies, research, and library science.
In 1980, Judy and her mentor Him Mark Lai co-authored Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island 1910-1940 with Genny Lim. A second edition was released in 2014. Together with Erika Lee, she co-authored Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America which many regard as one of the landmark books on the immigration histories of multiple groups through Angel Island.
Beyond Angel Island, Judy served as the first Chinese-speaking head librarian at San Francisco’s Chinatown Branch Library, created Oakland’s Asian Community Library, and organized the first courses in Asian American Studies at UC Santa Cruz. While Judy had many accomplishments and achievements, her kindness and character are also an important part of the legacy she leaves behind.
AIISF Co-Founder and Former Board Member Felicia Lowe shared, “It's difficult to ‘summarize’ my thoughts about Judy as she was a woman of many dimensions and especially because our professional relationship evolved into a friendship that began 40 years ago. We met after the publication of ‘Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940,’ when I proposed to make ‘Carved in Silence.’ In her open, enthusiastic manner, she was willing to share the depth and breadth of her knowledge, transcripts of interviews, contacts, and always willing to read drafts of scripts, look at rough cuts, to ensure the historical accuracy of all my films. There are untold numbers of individuals and organizations that benefited from her generosity including the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation.”
“As a buddy, I'd pick up handy tips, like how to re-heat a char sui bao, ‘put some water on a paper towel, wrap the bao and microwave for 40 seconds!’ And then, there was the time she announced, 'I'm marrying your ex-boyfriend's uncle!’ It was an accurate teaser of her husband, Eddie Fung. Our latest collaboration was the Gold Mountain, Chinese Californians exhibit in which she wrote the wall text, and I with a creative team produced the videos. She, as always, handed over her research. Judy had a big heart and head. She will be sorely missed, but I'm comforted by her legacy of works and memories of her warmth, spirit and kindness.”
Please join us in taking a few moments to remember and reflect on Judy’s life and legacy. All of us at AIISF send our deepest condolences to Judy’s family, friends, and colleagues.
“As we search for a way to fix the broken immigration system, we would do well to heed the lessons of Angel Island – of the tragic consequences to individuals, families, and communities when our immigration policies do not live up to our ideals as a nation of immigrants with liberty and justice for all.” – Judy Yung
Judy Yung's family members have created a Memorial Page to honor her life and legacy.
Proposed Ferry Service Change: Submit a Comment
In late 2020, Blue and Gold Fleet submitted a request to permanently stop their ferry service between San Francisco and Angel Island. It is estimated that half the visitors who go to Angel Island have taken the Blue and Gold Ferry. The CA Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to make its decision soon.
Please consider submitting a public comment and tell the CA Public Utilities Commission that "It is important to have direct ferry service from San Francisco to Angel Island." You can do so at https://apps.cpuc.ca.gov/apex/f?p=401:65:0:ADDPC:NO:::
Reflections 2020: Katherine Toy and Kathy Ko Chin
Katherine Toy
Kathy Ko Chin
We are continuing to reflect on the moments that we are thankful for and show gratitude to the people, causes, and organizations that are important to us. We asked friends of AIISF to share their favorite memory of the immigration station or their time as part of AIISF's staff and board. Through these videos, we hope their messages bring a renewed sense of appreciation for the work your donations have helped support over the years.
Enjoy these reflections from AIISF's first Executive Director Katherine Toy and former Board President Kathy Ko Chin!
111 Years of History
On January 21, 1910, the Angel Island Immigration Station was officially put into operation by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor.
Although it was only in operation for 30 years, it left an indelible mark on generations of immigrants–many of whom remember the stories of hope and sorrow felt by the family members who were detained there over 80 years ago.
In 2010, President Barack Obama commemorated the 100th Anniversary of the station by declaring January 21st "National Angel Island Day." We choose to celebrate this day each year to honor the history of the site as well as the thousands of immigrants whose American journey began there.