SAVE THE DATE

Family Day at the Angel Island Immigration Station

Saturday, July 13, 2019

10am - 4pm

>>>> Watch Our Event Promo Here! <<<<

Imagine spending a beautiful day with family and friends at the Angel Island, learning about one man’s fascinating journey from China and the important impact the Immigration Station had on his and other immigrants’ experience into America. Create a magical memory with your family and see the Angel Island Immigration Station in a new perspective by reliving the story of this Chinese immigrant through a 3-D interactive experience for Family Day 2019!

Details to follow. Stay tuned!

Students Discover Immigration History Through Field Trips and Virtual Visits

Understanding immigration is not just historical, but also intensely personal for many students. Today, more than a quarter of all immigrants in the nation, or 11 million people, reside in California and half of all California children have at least one immigrant parent. A visit to the Immigration Station creates a relevant connection for many students.

 AIISF is pleased to have been able to support field trip costs for 400 students during the 2018-2019 school year, thanks to the generosity of AIISF donors at last year’s annual gala.

In addition to those who visited in person, more than 3,000 students made a virtual field trip  this year through California State Parks’ PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers & Students) program . The Immigration Station PORTS program was originally made possible with the support of AIISF, and the organization continues to support ongoing technology and equipment costs. PORTS has made a visit to the Immigration Station possible for more than 12,800  students since the program began, visits that would have otherwise been impossible due to physical distance.

Do you know a teacher whose students would like to visit the Immigration Station? Visit here for more information on field trips, including scholarship support, and the PORTS program.

Award-Winning Writers Discuss Diasporic Literature

On May 1, as our spring community education event, AIISF hosted Chang-rae Lee and Eavan Boland in a conversation about diasporic literature. The goal was to share the history of diaspora at Angel Island and to explore the diasporic experience through the lens of literature.

Before a capacity crowd of over a 100 at Levinthal Hall at Stanford, Professor Boland started the evening with a simple reminder that “emigration” -- leaving behind people and places with which one is so familiar -- is painful. Professor Lee concurred, drawing heavily on his own experience growing up in an immigrant family. He said his family was a unit that functioned normally with his mother taking an active nurturing role, but once outside of that unit, his parents never quite felt comfortable. Through candid insights and touching readings from their writings, Professors Lee and Boland displayed mastery of their art well as their deep personal connection to the diasporic experience.

AIISF prides itself in providing free community educational programs that highlight the relevance of Pacific Coast immigration. However, in order to do so, we rely on the generous support of people like you! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation so that we can continue to bring substantive programs and author events like the one on May 1. Any amount, large or small, will make a difference.