Chinese American Women in History Conference 2023

SAVE THE DATE:

“Locating Kinship Across Space and Time”

October 5-7, 2023

Washington DC and virtual

The 1882 Foundation is excited to announce the second Chinese American Women in History conference, to be held in Washington DC this fall. Themed, “Locating Kinship Across Space and Time,” the conference aims to explore how Chinese American women, both as historical subjects and contemporary practitioners of history, have forged interpersonal connections, fostered care, and facilitated community.

This conference is kindly sponsored by the 1882 Foundation, the Chinese American Museum DC, and the Ruth H. Kuo and Rhoda How Memorial Foundation.

We will welcome scholars, filmmakers, creatives, and community members alike to share their work exploring the multifaceted and complex experiences of Chinese American women. Topics include the figures of Soo Yong and Anna May Wong, Chinese Americans in 1900’s mass entertainment, Chinese American Hawai’i-based labor organizer Ah Quon McElrath, and the legacies of Chinese American women filmmakers, with many more subjects still to come.

Set at cultural institutions across Washington DC, the conference utilizes the breadth and depth of the 1882 Foundation’s partnerships with institutions, organizations, and individuals alike pursuing Asian American public history in the District and nationally.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 5 (DAY 1) at the Chinese American Museum DC

Registration | 2:00PM – 5:00PM

Opening Reception | 5:00PM – 7:00PM

Friday, October 6 (DAY 2) at the Charles Sumner School

Breakfast | 8:30AM – 9:00AM

Breaking the silence – the intergenerational impact of exclusion | 9:00AM – 10:15AM

- Screenings: Tracing History and Chinese Couplets (abridged)

Ah Quon McElrath: Hawai’i Labor History | 10:30AM – 11:45AM

- Screenings: AQ the film (clips)

Lunch Keynote Address: Screening “Yellow Fever”: Racist Misogyny in Cinematic Representations of Asian American Women, Dr. Alexa Alice Joubin | 12:00PM – 12:45PM

From Soo Yong to Anna May Wong: the Entertainer | 1:00PM – 2:15PM

- Screenings: Anna Unbound

The Kim Loo Sisters: From Kiddie Revues to the Silver Screen; Ten Times Better | 2:30PM – 3:45PM

- Screenings: The Kim Loo Sisters (clips) and Ten Times Better (clips)

Family | 4:00PM – 5:00PM

Saturday, October 7 (DAY 3 – TWO TRACKS) at National Portrait Gallery and I Street Conference Center

Track 1: Kinship at National Portrait Gallery | 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

Take a guided tour of the “Kinship” exhibit! Participants have the option to take the tour at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. Both tour sessions will be identical. Participants will meet outside the G Street entrance of the National Portrait Gallery.

Track 2: Education Workshop at I Street Conference Center (located in the Venable LLP building)| 11:00AM – 1:00 PM

Education Workshop: Weaving AAPI stories into the American Narrative

A common dilemma for teachers is how to bring little known – but important stories – into their classrooms while ensuring that those lessons have a clear connection to curriculum standards. The Supreme Court case of Gong Lum v. Rice (1927) is one such example.

This two-part workshop will investigate the history of the case, the first challenge to the “separate but equal” doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson, and the major role that Mrs. Lum played in seeking fairness in the education for her daughters. It is a compelling story of courage, pre-Brown v. Board of Education, in the context of the broader struggle for civil rights for all Americans.

The first session will highlight the role of Mrs. Lum and the significance of the case. Adrienne Berard, author of Water Tossing Boulders about the Gong Lum case, will lead off a panel discussion with Esther Kim, Prof. of Education (William and Mary), Deenesh Sohoni, Prof. Asian American Studies (William and Mary), and Stan Lou of the 1882 Foundation who grew up in the Mississippi Delta in the years following Gong Lum v. Rice.

The second session will feature lessons created by Diana Kim and Colin Asher (both students at W&M), and Ting-Yi Oei (1882 Foundation) that further illustrate the ways in which Chinese American and AAPI stories can be effectively integrated into the curriculum.

Venue Directions

The Education Workshop will take place at the I Street Conference Center located in the Venable LLP building at 600 Massachusetts Ave NW. Please enter the building on the Massachusetts Avenue side.

Day 3-Education Workshop Tickets

- For participants who purchased in-person general admission tickets, the Education Workshop is included in the price of the ticket.
- For participants who cannot attend Day 1 and Day 2 conference sessions, but are interested in attending the Education Workshop, a separate ticket is available for only the Day 3 Education Workshop on the CAWH Eventbrite page.

COVID-19 Precautions

In light of COVID-19, please stay home if you are not feeling well. For participants attending in-person, we will provide extra masks (if you would like) and hand sanitizing stations.

Conference Recordings

Select conference sessions will be recorded and made available to attendees and the general public after the conference.