A Celebration of Community: LA County Library’s Asian Pacific Resource Center
LA County Library is one of the largest library systems in the country, with 86 branches spanning over 3,000 square miles and within that vast system, there live four gems. LA County Library is home to four cultural resource centers educating, archiving, and serving communities of color: the American Indian, Asian Pacific, Black, and Chicano resource centers.
Yoshitomo Nara - Lost and Found
I’ve always been drawn to the Japanese pop art genre because of the colorful expression of the artists’ wild imaginations. So when I found out that Yoshitomo Nara’s paintings are on exhibit at LACMA, I knew I had to go see them. It turned out to be a trip to the Lost and Found of Forgotten Childhood Dreams.
Model Minority
Rapper/Activist Jason Chu speaks hope and healing in a broken world, blending high energy performances with thoughtfully crafted lyricism.
Most recently, Jason's work has been presented on the National Mall in Washington DC (In America: Remember) and curated in the LA Dept. of Cultural Affairs virtual exhibition Reimagine Public Art: House and Home.
His music has been heard on Warrior (HBO Max), Snowpiercer (TNT), and Wu Assassins (Netflix). He has shared poetry at the Obama White House, been featured in the Chinese American Museum of LA, and presented at the Getty Center, Flushing Town Hall (with Joe Kye), and the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (with Clairobscur Dance). Jason tours extensively, with hundreds of shows across the US and worldwide.
As an expert on AAPI identity and hip-hop culture, Jason has spoken and led workshops at UPenn, Dragon*Con, NYU, Yale, and beyond. He is a contributor to the St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture.
Follow Jason at @jasonchumusic everywhere.
The Race Epidemic
The Race Epidemic is about another outbreak caused by COVID-19. An epidemic of hate based on race against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). With a politicized pandemic sweeping through the country and a former President calling it the Chinese Virus, the rise of attacks and hate against AAPIs is not surprising.
Can naming a virus after an innocent ethnic group cause the outbreak of an epidemic of hate? Or is it something hidden deeper within American society? The film takes a close examination of xenophobia and racism against AAPIs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Race Epidemic is a significant film of our times as innocent AAPIs are being attacked and murdered on the streets. It’s time to act. We can no longer be the silent minority. Our voice will not be silenced.
Far East Deep South
FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH follows Charles Chiu and his family as they travel from California to Mississippi to find the grave of Charles’ father, K.C. Lou. Their search leads to stunning revelations about their family, and they get a crash course on the history of Chinese immigrants in the segregated South. Through encounters with local residents and historians, this Chinese American family not only discovers their family’s important role in the Mississippi Delta, but they also learn about the symbiotic relationship between the Black and Chinese communities during the Jim Crow era.
The film provides a window into the struggles of Chinese immigrants in the American South during the late 1800s to mid-1900s and the discrimination they faced. The Chiu family’s history demonstrates how exclusionary immigration laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 separated their family for generations. This deeply moving and unforgettable story offers a poignant and important perspective on race relations, immigration and American identity.
LA vs Hate to Unveil Anti-Hate Artwork by Asian American Artist
On May 27th, LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis (First District Supervisor) joined the LA County Human Relations Commission, anti-hate activists, and community organizations to unveil a large public art piece. This 10x20 foot graphic novel, designed by renowned local artist Mari Naomi, depicts the history and many contributions of the AAPI community to LA County, the contemporary targeting of AAPI residents due to COVID-related backlash, the journey from hate to healing, and the need for advocacy to ensure solidarity and inclusion for all.
