Monthly Newsletter | JULY 2020
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New Museum hours
8/1/2020 - 8/31/2020
Tue-Fri: 10 am to 2 pm
Sat-Sun: 11 am to 3 pm
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From the Executive Director
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I hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th holiday!
Since we reopened on July 1, visitors started coming in albeit at a slower than expected pace. The concern COVID-19 pandemic created still lingers around, and will not completely go away anytime soon. The visitors who came were very satisfied with our reopening protocols which they knew would help protect them as well as our staff. They were also very happy when they received small gifts from us as a gesture of thanking them for their visit.
Our first visitor since reopening was actually an international student from Columbia, South America, who graduated at a university in Illinois in May. He visited Chicago Chinatown and our Museum before returning to his home country.
Many museums or arts and cultural organizations are going virtual with their exhibitions and public programming, CAMOC is no exception. We decided to move our upcoming screenings, talk stories, our popular Mid-Autumn Fest as well as our annual fundraiser to virtual platforms. Please stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
Please consider making a donation or becoming a member of CAMOC because our work needs your support. Your donation, no matter how small, can make a difference!
Ben Lau
Executive Director
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SinoVision, a US-based Chinese television network, visits CAMOC on July 1 to cover our reopening day. The video includes interviews with our Executive Director Ben Lau, staff member Grace Li, and volunteer Sophia Liang. The staff is excited to welcome visitors once again, and they discuss the precautions the museum is taking to safely reopen to the public in Phase 4. See the full video
here.
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CAMOC's First Visitor Since Reopening
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Mr. Torres, who is the first visitor to CAMOC since it reopens on July 1, receives a bag of small gifts from Executive Director Ben Lau.
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Chicago-based Free Spirit Media interviews Executive Director Ben Lau about the museum's recent efforts to connect with the community. Having closed down in mid-March, the museum has been offering a
v
irtual tour of our current exhibition Attic Treasures II. The feature also covers the Together Against COVID-19 Special Collection. See the full article
here.
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CAMOC Together Against COVID-19 Special Collection
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An old Chinese saying, 時勢造英雄 (Shíshì zào yīngxióng ), which means a hero is made in the time of misfortune aptly describes how people rally together in the pandemic. During this challenging time we are deeply moved by the proactive steps and incredible acts of generosity and support exhibited by the Chinese Americans. Thousands of individuals and organizations have been raising money, donating personal protective equipment, and providing free meals to those in need, especially to front-line healthcare workers and others.
CAMOC is inviting you to help us preserve these heroic moments by sharing the stories to our
Together Against Covid-19 Special Collection.
CAMOC started this special collection with the goal of recording the experiences and stories of individuals, families, and organizations during these unprecedented times. The
Together Against Covid-19 Collection will include various forms of content, which can be photos, videos, articles, audios, letters, paintings, certificates, or any form you can think of. If you are not sure whether your content fits our collection or you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please send your story to
covid19@ccamuseum.org
, with the subject
Together Against Covid-19 Collection
. And please include your contact information , including full name, organization or community if applicable, email, phone number, and mailing address.
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Welcome our new staff -
Caroline Lee Liu
Caroline is joining the museum as a Guest Services Associate. Originally from the SF Bay Area, she moved to Chicago to pursue an undergraduate degree in studio art and art history. She graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2019.
Caroline is a visual artist who makes drawings, photographs, and quilts that investigate cyclical time and the everyday. Check out her artworks
here. When you see her at the front desk, don't forget to introduce yourself and say hello!
We asked Caroline what her favorite part about working at the Museum is:
"I love getting to know the people in my community more, as well as their histories! I am excited to put my education to work and contribute to the Museum in any way that I can."
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New Exhibition in Preparation
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Eating bitterness:
Stories of Chinese American Cuisine (opening Date TBD)
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Through waves of Chinese immigrants beginning with California’s gold rush pioneers, Chinese American cuisine continuously transformed itself up to modern times where it is now becoming more authentic and reflects a variety of regional styles. Come explore this fascinating history, experience our restaurateur stories and cooking demonstrations, and examine the complex history of Chicago Chinese American restaurants.
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TBD
Asian Pop-Up Cinema is held seasonally in the spring and in the fall. We are excited to have another screening again in October.
Movie Summary:
A group of four telecommunications employees at Pegasus Broadband, headlined by Francis Ng in his most charming role in recent memory, begrudgingly join the company dragon boat team hoping such a pledge of loyalty will keep them immune from encroaching layoffs. Under the tutelage of the pretty young no-nonsense coach, Dorothy (Jennifer Yu) they learn not just how to really race, but also to confront their own impending mid-life crises. From nagging families and infidelity to unrequited love and elusive Andy Lau concert tickets, myriad demons are exorcised as our bungling protagonists overcome the odds and take charge in this life-affirming comedy-drama.
Stay tuned. We will send the tickets registration link once available.
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[Postponed to 12/16/2020] TALK STORIES
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Wed, December 16, 2020
7:00 PM
Talk Stories: An Asian American/Asia Diaspora Storytelling Show will return to the Chinese American Museum of Chicago on Wednesday December 16.
Talk Stories showcases storytellers of Asian identities and backgrounds through different storytelling medium, including personal narrative, music/dance, and improv comedy. We include both performers as well as community members in storytelling to reflect upon their experiences as Asian Americans as well as members of the Asian diaspora.
We will send the tickets registration link once available.
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We are looking for dedicated, reliable, and energetic individuals who would like to experience our historic institution from the inside — as volunteers! We need volunteers for docents, greeters and special events. If you are interested in volunteering for us, please use the button below to visit our related page and download a volunteer form:
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About Us
The mission of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago - Raymond B. & Jean T. Lee Center (CAMOC) is is to advance the appreciation of Chinese American culture through exhibitions, education, and research and to preserve the past, present, and future of Chinese Americans primarily in the Midwest.
The museum building, formerly the Quong Yick Co., is located in Chicago's Chinatown, at 238 West 23rd Street in Chicago. The Museum opened to the public on May 21, 2005. After a devastating fire in September of 2008, the Museum was closed for renovation and reopened in 2010.
CAMOC is governed by the Board of Directors of the Chinatown Museum Foundation (CMF), a 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation located in Chicago, Illinois.
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