AIISF Newsletter / March 2025
Immigrant women detained on Angel Island sit with Deaconess Katharine Maurer, c1910 - 1919. Source: Library of Congress.
A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director
March is Women’s History Month, so let’s take some time to reflect on the history of the immigration of women and girls connected to Angel Island.
Prior to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the US government passed the Page Act of 1875, effectively restricting the immigration of Chinese and other Asian women out of unfounded concern that they were engaging in “immoral activities.” This made it harder for women to immigrate to the US. Single women travelling alone were often suspected of being sex-workers and faced more aggressive Board of Special Inquiry hearings, with many questions about their sexual histories.
Women were often considered to be LPC (Likely to become a Public Charge), or in other words, someone who was anticipated to be reliant on government assistance. This could serve as justification for denying their entry. Thus, a woman’s likelihood of being allowed to enter the US was often connected to her marital status or family relationships.
Historical records and oral histories remind us of the trauma Asian women endured during medical examinations at Angel Island as they were forced to remove all of their clothes in front of male doctors and in some cases experienced humiliating genital examinations.
These histories are not pleasant to remember, especially for those who endured them, but they should not be forgotten. Nor should we forget the important legacies and contributions of immigrant women. For example, Kala Bagai and her family were detained on Angel Island in 1915, and she later became a community activist in the Indian and Pakistani immigrant community. Chien-Shiung Wu arrived in San Francisco in 1936, and she would go on to be recognized as the “first lady of physics.”
Throughout AIISF’s organizational history, women leaders have been pivotal in the site’s preservation and the organization's growth. We are indebted to Anne Chen, Claudine Cheng, Connie Young Yu, Daphne Kwok, Dien Yuen, Elizabeth Goldstein, Erika Lee, Felicia Lowe, Genny Lim, Gerrye Wong, Heather Fong, Irene Yee Riley, the late Judy Yung, Katherine Toy, Kathy Ko Chin, Kathy Turner, Mina Choo, Nobuko Saito Cleary, Rosemarie Nahm, and so many, many others.
This month, we also pause to celebrate the women leaders currently serving on (1) AIISF’s board: Vice President Win Chang, Secretary Stephanie Isaacson, Treasurer Natalie Huen, Elena Antonetti, Madhuri Jha, Paurvi Bhatt, and Sameen Piracha; (2) AIISF’s staff: Director of Education Danielle Wetmore and Administrative Coordinator Emma Kwok; and (3) Angel Island State Park's staff at the site: Casey Dexter-Lee, Cynthia Pu, and Amy Tanner. Thank you for your leadership and service!
Finally, we say a huge thank you and fond farewell to Darlene Chiu Bryant whose term as Board President and decade of service on AIISF’s board came to a close at the end of February. Please join me in welcoming AIISF’s new Board President Thomas Tolentino, who also serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.
As many of you already know and are already experiences, these are uncertain times. Your support is vital to our ability to continue to protect the site, uplift its stories, and inspire a more inclusive future. Please join us for this year’s Immigrant Heritage Awards Reception on Saturday, April 26; contribute to our Pathways to Immigration Campaign; and/or consider a general donation to support our programming, exhibits, and efforts throughout the year.
Wishing you all reflection, rest, and resilience.
Edward Tepporn
Executive Director
Pathways to Immigration Special Campaign
Through our Pathways to Immigration Special Campaign, you can commemorate your own immigration journey, honor your family’s immigrant heritage, or show your allyship with immigrant communities.
Whether you or your family came through Angel Island or elsewhere and whether you arrived in the US decades ago or days ago, we welcome your name and your support.
Save the Date!
AIISF Immigrant Heritage Award Reception
Saturday, April 26 | 5 pm - 7 pm
China Live Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
Please mark your calendars for our Immigrant Heritage Awards reception.
Each year these awards provide an opportunity to celebrate individuals who are immigrants or of immigrant heritage and who have made significant contributions to our community. We also will be presenting the Spirit of Angel Island Award, which recognizes those whose efforts have been instrumental to preserving the site and uplifting its history.
We need your input and feedback!
AIISF and AISP are currently working to update the permanent exhibits and self-guided tour experiences at the Angel Island Immigration Station. When the museum exhibits were renovated in 2008, the intention was for the site to be experienced as part of docent-guided tours.
For example, in the photo to the left, you'll notice there are no interpretive text panels in this room. However, most visitors are self-guiding themselves through the site. They may miss out on a significant amount of information and context.
Please take 5 minutes to share your feedback and suggestions to inform our efforts to enhance the current exhibits and visitor experience. Thank you
Angel Island Immigration Station Poetry Finder | NEW! Rooms 206 & 207
The AIIS Poetry Finder allows you to explore, read, listen to, and reflect on the experiences of Angel Island’s immigrants from inside the barracks and at home.
AIISF would like to acknowledge the hard work of co-creators and State Park volunteers Sam Louie and Samuel Lee; Angel Island State Park staff; translators Him Mark Lai, Genny Lim, Judy Yung, and Charles Egan; the project's Chinese dialect readers; and our supporters, who made the AIIS Poetry Finder possible.
Now Available on the AIIS Poetry Finder:
Coming next month: Rooms 211 & 213
Upcoming Events
hands on history
March 8 | 11 am - 5 pm
Angel Island Immigration Museum
Click here to learn more
Starting this weekend, the second Saturday of every month will be Hands on History day!
Join us at the Angel Island Immigration Museum (AIIM), once the site's hospital, for arts and crafts related to the history of the island.
These activities are open to anyone who visits AIIM, at no additional cost.
Weekly Community Story Circles
Wednesdays through April 30
6 pm - 7:30 pm | On Zoom
Click here to learn more
Join AIISF Director of Education Danielle Wetmore in weekly Story Circles on Zoom every Wednesday through April 30.
Each week, we will converse about our personal connections to belonging in a space of warmth, strength, empathy, beauty, and community.
Come to 1 session, 10 sessions, or all!
Del Sol Quartet on Angel Island: Women on Angel Island
March 15 | 12 pm - 1 pm
Angel Island Immigration Station
Click here to register
The Del Sol Quartet is returning to Angel Island for Women's History Month!
Join us to learn about women important to the history of Angel Island. Experience music by Shelley Washington, Reena Esmail and Tania León, alongside artwork by Flo Oy Wong and an exhibit curated by Andi Wong.
The performance will be held in the Detention Barracks Museum and included in your $5 admission. Please note that the start time is subject to change.
Angel Island Read-Aloud: Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America
March 20 | 4 pm - 4:30 pm
On Zoom | Click here to learn more
Join us for a fun read-aloud!
We'll be reading Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America by Helen Foster James and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh, as well as answering questions from participants.
The children's book follows 12-year-old Fu Lee as he seeks entry into America as a paper son, hoping to build a better life for himself.
This event is free and open to the public!
Preview Oakland Ballet's Angel Island Project
March 22 & 29 | 12:45 pm
Angel Island Immigration Station
Click here for tickets
Commissioned by the Del Sol Quartet in 2020, Huang Ruo composed Angel Island, an oratorio inspired by poetry at the Angel Island Immigration Station.
Now, the piece has been transformed into a dance work featuring 12 Oakland Ballet Company members and created by 7 AAPI choreographers! It will be presented in May at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland.
Ahead of the May performance, come and experience Oakland Ballet's "An Introduction to the Angel Island Project," on the island itself! This is a ticketed preview event.
Border Surveillance: Places, People, and Technology
April 2 - May 26
Angel Island Immigration Museum
From April to May, discover a new exhibit from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) at the Angel Island Immigration Museum!
EFF staff have traveled along the U.S. - Mexico border to learn from communities on both sides; interview journalists, aid workers and activists; and map and document the technology installed there.
Explore the history of border surveillance, the surveillance technology infrastructure currently in place, and possible future technology deployments such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence.
Community and Partner Events
Asian American Stories Video Contest
Deadline: March 15
Click here to learn more
Asian American Stories is an annual video contest aimed at celebrating the diversity and experiences of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
This year's theme is My Gift to America: uplifting and inspirational stories of Asian Americans and their contributions to society.
The contest has two divisions: Youth (ages 12 - 18) and Adult (ages 19 and older). Prizes include grants for a future production and a trip to Washington, D.C. by United Chinese Americans!
See Joti Singh's Ghadar Geet: Blood and Ink!
March 21 - 23
Eastside Cultural Center
Click here to learn more
Joti Singh will present excerpts of Ghadar Geet: Blood and Ink, plus exciting new material in development with 8 dancers and 4 musicians!
Ghadar Geet: Blood and Ink merges dance, poetry, and live music to chronicle the Bay Area's Ghadar Party, a revolutionary force in India's fight for independence from British rule.
Rooted in Bhangra and Giddha, traditional Punjabi dances embodying both celebration and resistance, Singh intertwines her diverse dance vocabulary to describe the enduring legacy of anti-colonial struggles.
Taken From Their Families at JAMO
January 18 - April 6
Japanese American Museum of Oregon
Click here to learn more
Taken From Their Families: Japanese American Incarceration on Angel Island During World War II is now at JAMO!
The exhibit and connected programs explore the lesser-known history of Angel Island and its role in the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Come learn the stories of 24 individuals who passed through the former immigration center.
America's Field Trip Essay Contest
Deadline: April 16
Click here to learn more
Angel Island Immigration Station is one of the 11 landmarks included in the 2024-2025 America’s Field Trip contest. The contest is part of America250, a nationwide initiative to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
25 first-place awardees from each grade level category and a chaperone will receive airfare and lodging for a 3-day, 2-night trip to a select historical or cultural site of their choice!
Community Resources
Free Citizenship Workshops
The San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative, with the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs, is hosting free citizenship workshops on April 12 and 29.
The April 12 workshop will be at the County Fair Building from 10 am - 2 pm. On April 29, it will be at the San Francisco Public Library from 1 pm - 2:30 pm. Registration is required.
Belonging Beyond Borders
Belonging Beyond Borders is a diverse coalition of concerned educators, parents, students, and community members from across the country.
It aims to end anti-immigrant bullying in schools through raising awareness, individual action, and creating collective impact across members' particular spheres of influence.