A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director

May is one of our busiest times of the year. AIISF receives numerous requests from groups interested in presentations and guided tours to commemorate Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month. May is also Jewish American Heritage Month and Preservation Month. (AIIS was the cover article in the latest issue of Preservation Magazine!)

Thus, it is appropriate to celebrate that 52-years-ago, CA State Parks Ranger Alexander Weiss “started the engine” to preserve the buildings at the Angel Island Immigration Station—an important site to many people of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.

Tomorrow, May 6, marks the 140th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Former AIISF Executive Director Eddie Wong has organized a coalition of individuals and organizations (including AIISF, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative, API Legal Outreach, and APA Heritage Foundation) for Standing Strong for Inclusion—a series of events recognizing this anniversary.

This Friday evening from 8-10:30 pm, join us at Off the Grid at the Fort Mason for Arts & Culture for “Exclusion/Inclusion”—a large-scale digital art projection about Angel Island by former AIISF Board President Felicia Lowe and Ben Wood. The event is free, but money is required to sample the delicious cuisine from the food trucks.

On May 11th, tune in at 5 pm Pacific / 8 pm Eastern as we partner with the Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation for a virtual discussion. We’ll be comparing and contrasting immigrant experiences on the two islands.

On May 19th, join us at 5 pm Pacific for a virtual roundtable discussion. You can share your thoughts about some initial design concepts for a significant project at the Immigration Station site. We are planning a major renovation of the outdoor terraces, and we’d love to get your input. Email info@aiisf.org with the subject line "AIISF Roundtable" if you would like to participate!

Please keep scrolling to see even more events happening this month.

Finally, on a more somber note, the entire board and staff of AIISF deeply mourn the passing of Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. We had the opportunity to honor Secretary Mineta with our Immigrant Heritage Award on two occasions. We thank him for his leadership and service.

Wishing you health and safety,

Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director

Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Lighting the Darkness
May 1 - May 31, 2022
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For APA Heritage Month, 140 LED candles will remain lit inside the Detention Barracks Museum on Angel Island. Each candle represents one year since the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Virtual Program for Students
Thursday, May 5, 2022, 1 PM
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Join Angel Island State Park and Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation for a live presentation as part of CA State Park's Home Learning Program.

Exclusion/Inclusion
Friday, May 6, 2022, 5 - 10 PM
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Join us at the "Off the Grid" event at Fort Mason. At 8 PM, filmmaker Felicia Lowe and artist Ben Wood will present a site-based video featuring images of Angel Island projected onto the walls of Fort Mason's Building B and the Guard House.

Wreath-Laying at Angel Island
May 7-8, 2022

Visit Angel Island this weekend to see a wreath placed at the Chinese Immigrant Monument to remember and honor those whose lives were impacted by the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Thank you, Lee's Florist and Nursery!

Comparing and Contrasting Immigration Experiences at Angel Island and Ellis Island
Wednesday, May 11, 2022, 5 PM
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Join us for a virtual conversation recognizing Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. Staff from both islands will speak about each immigration station’s history and ongoing preservation efforts.

CyArk's 3D Barracks Tour
On display at CHSA
949 Clay Street in SF's Chinatown

Visit the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) to take a 3D guided tour of Angel Island's Detention Barrack Museum. Casey Dexter-Lee from Angel Island State Park will guide you through 24 points of interest around the U.S. Immigration Station site

Taken From Their Families: Japanese American Incarceration on Angel Island During WWII
On display at the Immigration Station
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Taken From Their Families reveals the lesser-known history of Angel Island. The exhibit explores the events and policies that led to the incarceration of 700 Japanese Americans on Angel Island during the war.

Community Events

San Francisco's Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May 1-31, 2022
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AIISF is proud to serve as a publicity partner again this year with the APA Heritage Foundation, led by former AIISF Board President Claudine Cheng. Check out the link above for a complete listing of events.

Standing Strong: 140 Years After the Chinese Exclusion Act
May 6-7, 2022
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Join us for a series of short films, a reading of 140 names of individuals impacted by the Chinese Exclusion Act, and a procession to honor our ancestors. Bring flowers and photos to place at the community altar.

CAAMFest40
May 12-22, 2022
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CAAMFest40 will bring you the best in Asian and Asian American stories through live virtual film screenings, on-demand screenings, and at San Francisco’s only drive-in theater at Fort Mason.

AIISF is co-sponsoring two films for CAAMFest40. You can purchase discounted tickets for these films using the code aiisffcsl for Free Chol Soo Lee and aiisfpgg for Plague at the Golden Gate.

Free Chol Soo Lee
Thursday, May 12, 2022, 6:30 PM
The Castro Theatre

In 1973, Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee was wrongfully convicted of a gangland murder in San Francisco Chinatown. Ten years later the landmark efforts of the local pan-Asian community helped set him free. Free Chol Soo Lee is directed by Eugene Yi and Julie Ha.

Plague at the Golden Gate
Saturday, May 14, 2022, 12 PM
The Great Star Theater

This special presentation highlights excerpts from Li-Shin Yu’s documentary about the 1900 bubonic plague and its impact on San Francisco’s Chinatown. The excerpt will be followed by a panel discussion.

PBS's Plague at the Golden Gate
May 24, 2022 (televised premiere)
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One hundred years before COVID-19 set off a wave of anti-Asian sentiment, a plague in San Francisco’s Chinatown unleashed a similar furor.