Mid-May 2022
"You shall not replace us." "Go back to where you came from."
These two phrases come from the same side of the same coin. Grounded in racism and xenophobia, their intention and impact is exactly identical -- to threaten, to ostracize, and to tell those of us on the receiving end of these comments that we don't belong or are not of equal human value. Our hearts go out to all the families and communities in Buffalo, Dallas, Laguna Woods, and too many other places that have recently experienced hatred and violence.
Our country's history of racism and exclusion is embodied in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the other immigration policies that led to the creation of the former US Immigration Station at Angel Island. The resurgence of these attitudes and acts are solemn reminders of the importance of our work at AIISF to preserve the historic buildings so that current and future generations can learn about this complex history on the site where it happened. And hopefully in doing so, we help inspire a sense of understanding, empathy for one another, and a collective commitment to a future where all communities feel safe and valued.
Our annual fundraiser is one of the primary ways that we raise money to support our efforts throughout the year. Earlier this year, you told us that you were not yet comfortable coming together for an in-person fundraiser. We listened and cancelled our in-person gala dinner originally scheduled for this coming Saturday, May 21 (and in hindsight this was a wise decision given the Bay Area's emergence as a COVID-19 hotspot).
We hope that you'll consider joining us for Eats Meets Wine, our VIP in-home dining experience fundraiser, on June 30. We'll provide more details in the next week or two, but please save the date and help support our efforts to bend our nation's history of exclusion toward a more-inclusive future.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director
Closing Soon! Lighting the Darkness
Lighting the Darkness
On display until May 31, 2022
Explore the 3D virtual exhibit!
For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), 140 LED candles will remain lit inside the Detention Barracks Museum on Angel Island. Each candle represents one year since the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. It is an opportunity to reflect on the historic and ongoing impacts of this and similar exclusionary immigration policies.
Coming Soon! LEGO Brick Model of the Site During WWII
Join us Memorial Day weekend as we install a 4ft by 6ft LEGO brick model in the historic WWII Mess Hall (next to the Detention Barracks Museum) on Angel Island. The model depicts a map of the immigration station site from 1941 to 1946, when it served as a prisoner of war camp and to temporarily detain over 700 Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the West Coast.
Join us on May 28 to help build LEGO "trees" at one of our brick-building stations and finish the installation. Paid admission to the Detention Barracks Museum is required. Once completed, the brick model will be a permanent addition to the Taken From Their Families: Japanese American Incarceration on Angel Island During WWII exhibit.
Brick-Building Day
Saturday, May 28, 2022
11 am - 3:30 pm
We'd like to thank Johannes, Kenny, and Nick of Bay Area Lego Users Group (BAYLUG) for volunteering hundreds of hours over the past 8 months to create this new model for the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and Angel Island State Park.
Partner Events and Other Community Events
San Francisco's Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May 1 - 31, 2022
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.
Projecting Connections: Within These Walls
May 13 - 22, 2022
ArtsEmerson presents Within These Walls, a film featuring dance, memory, music, and poetry inspired by the experiences of those detained at the immigration station. Directed by Tatsu Aoki and produced by Lenora Lee.
CAAMFest
Through May 22, 2022
There are still a few more days to catch the film offerings at CAAMFest! Check out the schedule for this weekend.
PBS's Plague at the Golden Gate
May 24, 2022 (televised premiere)
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. Tune in to learn how Angel Island's quarantine station was involved.