A Message From AIISF's Executive Director
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Hello AIISF Family and Friends,
It has been an intense and emotional couple of weeks for all of us. I have sent condolences to friends whose loved ones are among the 100,000 lives that we have lost to COVID-19 in the US. I have seen the videos documenting the senseless deaths in the Black community. And I have viscerally felt the pain, anger, and frustration of my friends and colleagues. I recognize that in the weeks and months to come, there is an opportunity and an invitation for all of us to engage in important self-reflection. Please take a moment to read AIISF’s statement of allyship with the Black community.
And yet, there have been bright spots. Last month, for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I was thrilled to see Angel Island Immigration Station prominently included in KQED’s Asian Americans series, including interviews with former AIISF Board Member Erika Lee and founding member of the Angel Island Immigration Station Historical Advisory Committee (now AIISF) Connie Young Yu. If you have not had a chance to view it, KQED is streaming it for free until June 23
here
. AIISF was also invited to speak on panel presentations hosted by the American Public Health Association as well as Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation. Among the personal highlights of the month for me was the opportunity to co-lead a home learning program for students of all ages with
AIISF 2020
Spirit of Angel Island Honoree
Casey Dexter-Lee from CA State Parks. Please stay tuned for some upcoming announcements about our rescheduled 2020 Annual Gala.
For the month of June, we shift our attention to recognize Immigrant Heritage Month and LGBTQ Pride Month. Yet, I know that many of us are tired. Tired of social distancing. Tired of bearing witness to the unconscionable deaths of Black men, women, and children. Tired of seeing stories about attacks against Asians and other immigrants. Tired of our own personal experiences of being treated as an "other" or being made to feel like we don't fully belong in this country.
At a time when so many of us are craving comfort and connection, we wanted to offer a “virtual care package” to our AIISF friends and family. I am excited to announce our next virtual exhibition
Tastes of Home: Celebrating Immigrant Cultures Through Food
(opening in mid-July). We hope that this exhibition helps remind us of the importance of food to immigrant communities. Food can offer comfort when we are feeling homesick. It can provide the foundation for building connection when shared with friends and neighbors. It can offer a route to financial stability for many immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners.
In regards to financial stability, 13% of museums worldwide may never reopen after the COVID-19 shutdown, according to new research by UNESCO and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Like many other museums and nonprofit organizations, AIISF depends on your support. Thank you very much to those of you who have continued to donate to AIISF during these challenging times. Please click
here
if you would like to help ensure that Angel Island’s histories and stories continue to be remembered and reflected on.
I hope that this month brings all of you opportunities for reflection, comfort, and connection.
Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director
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Tastes of Home Exhibition Announced
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From “breaking bread” with friends and neighbors to providing a route to financial stability — food has played an important role in the stories of many immigrants from around the world.
Tastes of Home: Celebrating Immigrant Cultures Through Food
(opening July 15, 2020) will be an online exhibition where visitors can feel an increased sense of appreciation and connection to the immigrants in our communities and the foods that sustain them — physically, emotionally, and sometimes economically. Explore how food can be a gateway to sharing and understanding our culture and history.
Tastes of Home
will highlight the stories, dishes, and opportunities that have defined us and our communities. One exhibit gallery will present a collection of recipes that celebrate our immigrant roots. Many of our ancestors brought recipes, along with their hopes and dreams, from their homelands. These recipes have transformed the way America eats. The recipes, taken from public submissions, will underscore the cultural and economic contributions of generations of immigrants.
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Voices of Resilience: Open until June 30, 2020
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Voices of Resilience celebrates the 50th anniversary of the re-discovery of over 200 Chinese poems carved into the walls of the detention barracks at the U.S. Immigration Station at Angel Island. This triggered a set of efforts to preserve the building, ultimately resulting in the designation of the site as a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1997.
The exhibition features a total of 55 poems including 22 historical poems and 33 contemporary poems selected from online submissions from the general public. The contemporary poems include contributions from former Angel Island detainees, their descendants, fourth grade students at Dianne Feinstein Elementary School, and an anthology by the Sato/Bukowski/ Haechler Family.
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AIISF will be participating in the
Tadaima! Virtual Pilgrimage
this year.
This virtual pilgrimage memorializes the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Taidaima! will bring together many of the unique traditions from each site with new content - online exhibits, workshops, performances, lectures, panel discussions, film screenings, a community archive, and more - to create accessible and wide- ranging opportunities for learning, sharing stories, and building community. Register for the pilgrimage
here
.
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This month, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring June
Immigrant Heritage Month
for the state of California.
San Francisco's Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs has launched a public campaign to celebrate the rich history and heritage of San Francisco immigrants by setting up an online survey to collect stories. You can submit your story by visiting the form
here
.
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