AIIM Update: Grand Opening Festival Postponed |
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Since completing the restoration of the former hospital building in late 2019, we had envisioned a grand opening celebration with hundreds of visitors for the new Angel Island Immigration Museum. Earlier this year, we announced the opening would be held on September 26, but with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and public health safety considerations of bringing large crowds of people together, the grand opening celebration is being postponed to Spring/Summer of 2021.
In the meantime, we are still in the process of completing the installation of exhibits in the AIIM. We recently learned that there will be a slight delay because one of the boats that is used to transfer the materials onto the island is out for inspection. We are hoping that this will not impact the schedule by more than a few weeks. However, this also delays the schedule for the AIIM preview tours we had hoped to conduct in October and November.
We are continuing to work with AIIM Grand Opening Co-Chair Felicia Lowe on a virtual opening event for November 2020. Stay connected with us to receive updates.
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A Message From AIISF's Executive Director |
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Happy September to all of you!
We were very fortunate that there were no fires that directly impacted Angel Island over the past weeks (knock on wood). But, we know that a few of our Angel Island circle of family and friends have lost their home or faced evacuation. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
The smoke from the fire has created hazardous air quality conditions across the Bay Area. Thus, wearing a mask is now doubly important. While dangerous, the air did create the opportunity for some stunning photos on the island. Thank you to Casey Dexter-Lee, 2020 Spirit of Angel Island Honoree, for sharing this photo with us.
Thank you also to those of you have continued to send in contributions and pledge fulfillments in support of AIISF’s 2020 Virtual Gala. If everyone who pledged a donation follows through on their commitment, then we will have raised just over $170,000 for the evening. We deeply appreciate your support through these challenging times!
I’m disappointed to share that we are postponing the Grand Opening Festival (originally scheduled for September 26) for the Angel Island Immigration Museum. With social distancing regulations remaining in place and limited ferry service to Angel Island, we are postponing this event to Spring/Summer 2021.
For now, all of the buildings (except restrooms) on Angel Island remain closed. But when the air quality improves, there is still some beautiful socially-distanced hiking that is possible on Angel Island. Stay updated via the Angel Island State Park website. Currently the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry is the only ferry going out to Angel Island but passenger capacity is reduced to 100 persons per boat and reservations are strongly encouraged. And while on the island, you can rent bikes or grab lunch at the Angel Island Café.
While the café is operating a reduced menu and is not currently serving their hot Cubano sandwich, there are other ways that you can recognize National Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month which runs from September 15 to October 15. If you haven’t done so yet, check out our Tastes of Home virtual exhibition which features several recipes and stories from persons who speak Spanish or identify as Latin American.
Wishing all the best to all of you!
Ed Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director
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Tastes of Home: Celebrating Hispanic/Latin Heritage |
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National Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month is a time for us to pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. From tacos and quesadillas to tres leches cake and margaritas, Latin American food has become integrated into the cuisine of many other Americans. To honor the rich culture and heritage of Hispanic Americas, we welcome you to explore several stories featured in our Tastes of Home exhibition that help highlight the contributions of these chefs and restauranteurs.
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Guadalupe Fuentes is a cook, caterer, health educator, and beloved member of the the Three Sisters Kitchen community. Read more! You can also watch a video of Guadalupe preparing Pork with Red Chile and Nopalitos online.
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Gabriela Alvarez is a Nuyorican chef and entrepreneur based in Brooklyn, New York. You can learn more about Gabriela by visiting here! We are also happy to share Gabriela's Gandules en Escabeche recipe in our Immigrant Roots Potluck.
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Bittersweet Harvest, curated by the Smithsonian, tells the story of Mexican immigration between 1942 and 1964 when an estimated two million men came to the United States on short-term labor contracts. This became known as the bracero program. Both bitter and sweet, the bracero experience tells a story of exploitation but also of opportunity. View the exhibit!
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About Tastes of Home
Tastes of Home: Celebrating Immigrant Cultures Through Food is 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. View Tastes of Home online now until October 31 at www.aiisf.org/tastesofhome.
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Immigrant Voices Spotlight |
Coming from a poor household, of a single mother and 7 siblings, Genaro Estrada decided to make the journey from Tepatitlan, Jalisco for America right before he turned 18 in order to support himself.
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AIISF Welcomes Students Back to School |
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Whether you are a parent, educator, or someone looking to brush up on your Angel Island history, we are happy to present you with a 5-minute video that can be brought into a virtual classroom or your next presentation. Click the image above (or click here) to be redirected to the video.
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Curated by Rosemarie Nahm, OACC presents a virtual exhibit (running Aug 8 - Oct 4) examining the lesser-known history of the Bay Area's early Korean immigrant community. Visit the exhibit now!
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Angel Island Related News |
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AIISF will participate in SF History Days, a city-wide event that will take place September 25 - 27. This year, they will celebrate online and at a few outdoor, socially-distanced experiences like walking tours. Read more: San Francisco History Days 2020
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APIA's Immigrant Voices Activity Book |
On May 7, 2017, the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Biography Project held its 5th Annual APIA Heritage Month community celebration at the San Francisco Main Public Library. The theme focused on the stories of the Asian people who went through Angel Island. Due to a shortage of funding, it took until 2020 to finish this activity book that was intended for distribution at that event. The book is now available through the link here.
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Everyone Has a Story to Tell. Will You Share Yours? |
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We are looking for former Angel Island detainees and descendants who are interested in sharing their story with the public.
We have been approached by a Stanford University professor and author who is currently working on her next book focused on immigration and detention across the decades. She hopes to conduct extensive interviews with an Angel Island detainee to include as one of the four featured profiles in her upcoming book. The focus of the interview would be on the time prior to detention, their experience on Angel Island, and their life after Angel Island.
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