A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director

The past few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind for the AIISF team, and there are many individuals and groups we would like to say thank you to.

First, congratulations to our 2024 awardees Assemblymember Phil Ting, Jose Antonio Vargas, the late Him Mark Lai, and Genny Lim! Thank you to all of our sponsors, guests, volunteers, performers, and vendors who helped to make our 2024 Gala and Immigrant Heritage Awards a smashing success. Check out some photos from the event HERE.

Last month, we also had the opportunity to host a delegation of congressional staffers at the site to raise their familiarity with the history of Angel Island Immigration Station and its current-day relevance. Thank you to the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus for co-sponsoring this special visit. 

A double round of thanks goes to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Last month, a team of PG&E volunteers helped clear out the pathway along where the Julia Morgan-designed employee cottages were once located. In the 4.5 years that I've worked at AIISF, I had never before seen this trail so clean and clear. And with PG&E’s generous support, we are able to help sponsor free – and more frequent – shuttle service between the dock and the immigration station every Saturday and Sunday during the month of May.

Last week, we hosted an energetic group from T-Mobile, coordinated by their APAN ERG. I had the pleasure of leading the group on a guided tour of the site. Afterwards, the group surprised me with a check from the T-Mobile Foundation for $20,000! They capped off their time on the island by rolling up their sleeves and helping to sweep, mop, dust, and pull weeds across the site.  

This month we celebrate Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. We are a proud community sponsor of the APA Heritage Foundation’s month-long calendar of activities. We will also be involved in sessions related to both heritage months at the Council of American Jewish Museum’s Annual Conference and the Association of American Museum’s Annual Meeting.

Please welcome to our newest Board Member Elena Antonetti! Born and raised in the Ukraine, she currently serves as inhouse counsel with a Fortune 500 company in Hartford, Connecticut. You can read more about Elena and our other board members HERE.

Finally, for those of who you live in New York, join us for our May 30th Meet and Greet Reception at 30 Rock, co-hosted by NBCUniversal’s Asian Pacific Americans ERG Group (see details below). Or come see me on May 31 at the Museum of Chinese In America for a presentation I’ll be giving on Angel Island’s history.

With deep appreciation,

Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director

Lincoln Summer Nights

Thursday, May 9 | 5pm - 8pm | Lincoln Rec Center (Oakland)

Starting May 9th we’ll be joining Lincoln Summer Nights, a fun and free community event hosted in Lincoln Square Park.

We’ll be doing a variety of activities related to the island's history and the stories of the people who came through the immigration station. There will be performances and a wide variety of other community organizations coming as well so don’t miss out!

Lincoln Summer Nights will happen every second Thursday from 5pm-8pm starting May 9th and ending October 10th.

Tiburon Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Festival

Saturday, May 18 | 2 - 4 pm | Zelinsky Park (Tiburon)

Join us at Zelinsky Park in Tiburon for a day filled with cultural celebrations, delicious food, traditional performances, and so much more. Immerse yourself in the rich heritage of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through art, music, and dance.

This in-person event is free to attend.

Book Talk & Pop-Up

Saturday, May 25 | 12 - 3 pm | CCC Auditorium (San Francisco)

In celebration of APA Heritage Month in May and the upcoming Pride Month, join AIISF for a book talk and pop-up activation featuring Curtis Chin, author of "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant" hosted by the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.

Chin's memoir about coming of age and coming out traces the author's journey through 1980's Detroit as he navigated rising xenophobia, the AIDS epidemic, and the Reagan Revolution to find his voice as a writer and activist — all set against the backdrop of his family's popular Chinese restaurant.

Meet and Greet Reception

Thursday, May 30 | 6 - 8 pm | 30 Rockefeller Plaza (NYC)

Close out the month with our first NYC friendraiser at 30 Rock! Co-hosted by NBCUniversal's Asian and Pacific Americans ERG. Tickets are free but advanced registration is required.

Del Sol Quartet on Angel Island

Saturday, June 15 | 11:30 am and 1:30 pm

We are thrilled to welcome the Del Sol Quartet back to Angel Island on Saturday, June 15th. They will be performing American Postcards - Picture Brides by Takuma Itoh.

There will be two performances: one at 11:30 am and one at 2:30 pm.

$10 tickets include reserved seating for the show and free admission to the Detention Barracks Museum.

Community Events

AAPI Heritage Month Celebration Guide

Lights, camera, action! The celebration guide from the APA Heritage Foundation is your ticket to Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month activities in SF. Discover films, events, and more as the community celebrates its culture on apasf.org.

CAAMFest 2024

May 9 - 19 | San Francisco and Oakland

The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is holding its annual CAAMFest from May 9-19 in San Francisco and Oakland. This year's festival will include over 35 programs that will spotlight film, food, music, and ideas.

The Opening Night film screening will take place on May 9th at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre—followed by the Gala at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. CAAMFest is also unveiling an expanded Industry Hub at Four One Nine Gallery in San Francisco, hosting three days of programs for filmmakers, creatives, and community leaders.

Taken From Their Families at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose

March 28 - June 23 | Opening Reception March 30 at 10 am

AIISF's travelling exhibit Taken From Their Families: Japanese American Incarceration on Angel Island During World War II is on view at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose from March 28 to June 23, 2024.

Join us on Angel Island for Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month and enjoy free weekend shuttle rides to the Immigration Station. Tickets are being generously underwritten by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and AIISF during the entire month of May.

After arriving by ferry, proceed to the Angel Island Cafe. Look for signs showing you where to board the next available shuttle. No reservations are required but seating is limited. Rides are first come, first served. Click here for walking directions from the ferry to the shuttle.