AIISF Newsletter / March 2022
A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director
What is happening now in Ukraine is heart-wrenching, and I know I join all of you in keeping the people of Ukraine in our thoughts and prayers. Ukraine’s refugees are part of the long list of those who came to the U.S. to escape war, violence, and persecution. During the years the Angel Island Immigration Station was open, Koreans, Jews, and Mexicans were some of the groups who sought refuge in our country. In the '70s, the U.S. saw increased numbers of Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Hmong refugees. More recently, people from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Central America are among the largest groups of refugees coming to the U.S.
Imagine only having 10 minutes or less to cram a lifetime of memories and possessions into a bag or suitcase. What would you bring with you? What might you be forced to leave behind? How might you look into the faces of friends and family so every detail might be forever etched into your memory? What would you want to tell them if you thought you'd never see them again?
The decision to leave your homeland not knowing if you'll ever have the opportunity to return is a decision that is never made lightly. Let’s all hope that none of us ever find ourselves in that difficult position. And may this hope inform a rational, humane, and equitable approach to how we—as a nation, community, and individuals—treat refugees from around the world who come to the U.S. in search of safety.
Wishing you hope and safety,
Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director
March Program: Angel Island and A-Files
Angel Island and A-Files: How to Research and Access
AIISF's Zoom Program with Jeanie Low
March 8, 2022 | 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST
Free via Zoom
Register Here
Jeanie will help you determine whether you should file a FOIA request with USCIS and/or search NARA to receive a copy of an Angel Island and/or an A-File for your family.
About Jeanie Low
Jeanie is a member of Save Our National Archives (SONA), which successfully advocated that A-Files be designated a permanent historic collection. Since 1993, she has given over 40 genealogical presentations on researching Chinese Americans. Her parents immigrated through Angel Island with “paper names. They underwent the “Confession Program” to clear their status and reclaimed their family name. She is the author of China Connection: Finding Ancestral Roots for Chinese in America. She is also a fiber artist.
Plan Your Visit to Angel Island
Start planning your next trip to the Angel Island Immigration Station. Explore two museums and 14.3-acres of outdoor exhibits in heart of San Francisco Bay. CLICK HERE
Community Events
A Wisp of a Woman: Poems from the Heart. Time with Poet, Flo Oy Wong
March 12, 2022 | 2 pm PST | Free
Register Here
Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS) welcomes Flo Oy Wong, esteemed poet, artist, and educator, for a special virtual program on Saturday, March 12, from 2pm - 3pm PST. She will poetically share her reflections of family and community.