EXHIBITIONS______VISIT______COLLECTIONS______SUPPORT rrrrrrrr CONTACT

Since March 6, we have been open to public on weekends (Saturdays & Sundays) with slightly shortened hours from 10:30am to 3:30pm. Group visits by appointment only. We will closely monitor the pandemic situation and may extend the reopening to some weekdays in the coming months. We have established protocols to ensure the safely of our visitors, volunteers and staff.

As Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month comes to a close, various individuals and organizations in the AAPI community are still voicing concerns over systemic anti-Asian racism and hate, and calling for a future of mutual understanding, continued healing and solidarity. CAMOC is proud to play a role in such a voice.

Not only did we launch four virtual events and a vigorous social media campaign with postings of different themes each week in May, we also participated in a virtual roundtable event hosted by Saint Louis University to address the issues of anti-Asian racism and violence as well as a townhall meeting hosted by ABC7 to explore diverse Asian communities in Chicago. More importantly, CAMOC joined forces with other AAPI organizations to support the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (TEAACH) Act which will add Asian American history to Illinois School Code.

There is a Chinese chengyu or idiom called “眾志成城” (zhòng zhì chéng chéng) meaning our wills unite like a fortress. Our united voice was heard by the legislators. The TEAACH Act passed the Illinois House on April 14 with a bipartisan vote of 98-13, and then the Senate on May 25 with a vote of 57-0! Because the bill was amended slightly in the Senate, it needs to be voted on again in the House in what's called a concurrence vote.

CAMOC also co-sponsored a number of important AAPI events in Chicago Chinatown: “We Love Chinatown” on May 16, “Proud to be Asian” on May 22, and “Solidarity against AAPI Hate” rally at the Chinese American Veterans Memorial on May 31. We believe that if all of us can do our part in promoting a just and inclusive society, systemic racism and hate will eventually fade away. We are all in this together!

Last but not least, let us pay tribute to a great hero and leader, Bernie Wong, who devoted her whole life serving the immigrant and AAPI community. Hundreds of people said goodbye to her at her memorial service and funeral mass that showed how much she was loved and respected.

Ben Lau

Executive Director

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Our Stories Your Museum on May 29! Our Associate Board, Board of Directors, and staff shared personal stories about their heritage and hopes for the future. They educated viewers about the TEAACH Act and how to fight anti-Asian racism. Programming also included an inside look at the Collections department, recent events at the Museum, and CAMOC's history and recovery since the fire.

If you were not able to join us or would like to re-watch the video, please click on the link below. It is available for viewing on our YouTube channel. Thank you for your support and for making this AAPI Heritage Month a special one!

ED Ben Lau joined ABC7 Eyewitness News to share the Museum's mission, current exhibitions, and participation in Chinatown's May 22 event Proud to Be Asian. The channel's Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month series spotlights the communities' news, contributions, and much more. To watch the coverage, please click on the button below.

CAMOC's new mini exhibition "Era of Opulence: Chinese Fine Dining" was featured on NBC5. Reporter Vi Nguyen talked with Immediate Past President and Chair of Exhibitions Committee Soo Lon Moy about the first Chinese restaurants in Chicago and how the industry has changed over the decades. The mini exhibition opened on March 24, 2021, and will be up for viewing until September 26, 2021.

The "We Love Chinatown" event on May 16 drew people from across the city to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month and support Chinatown businesses. ED Ben Lau spoke to the crowd and promoted CAMOC's May 26 event "Our Stories Your Museum." Thank you for continuing to support our community!

(Photos courtesy of Ying Fu)

(Right to left) Ed Ben Lau, Immediate Past President Soo Lon Moy, Life Director Dr. Kim K. Tee, and volunteer Viable Shum manned a CAMOC table at the "Proud to Be Asian" event on May 22 in Chinatown Square. They shared information about the Museum's events and programming with the public. Thank you for celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with us!

Paper Cutting Arts Workshop (剪纸 / Jian Zhi)

with Lucy P. Liu

Our last event of the month was this Paper Cutting Arts Workshop (剪纸 / Jian Zhi) with CAMOC Artist-in-Residence Lucy P. Liu. Co-hosted by the Chicago History Museum, this event reached CHM members, as well as CAMOC's community. Lucy shared her background as a Chinese paper-cutting artist and specific skills and techniques. Thank you to all who joined us for the event, and stay tuned for more workshops from Lucy!

$150 = Free event admission for member & 3 guests for 1 year

$100 = Free event admission for member & 1 guest for 1 year

$60 = Free event admission for member only for 1 year

$30 = Free event admission for seniors & students for 1 year

$500 = Corporate Membership for 1 year (with 10 individual memberships, recognition in program & on plaque)

$250 = Bronze (Honorary Membership)

$500 = Silver (Honorary Membership)

$1,000 = Gold (Lifetime Membership or a small donor brick)

$1,500 = Platinum (Lifetime Membership and a small donor brick)

$5,000 = Diamond (Large donor brick)

$5,500 = Jade (Large donor brick plus Lifetime Membership)

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.