The 1882 Foundation seeks to broaden public awareness of the history and continuing significance of Chinese Exclusion in the U.S. by encouraging cross-sector collaboration, uncovering and preserving community stories, promoting more inclusive histories in public education.
Meet Our 2024 Fall Interns!
Estella Ye
Estella Ye is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is pursuing the B.A. in Music, concentrating on classical piano performance. Having performed in many recitals and ensembles, it is obvious that playing to an audience is special. Yet, music is recorded and spread through digital media, and not only that, stories can be told in that medium. During her time at Santa Barbara City College, she took a documentary class and has since become interested in how filmmaking can intersect with social justice. As she works for 1882 Foundation, she aspires to more deeply understand the lives of Asian-American immigrants and promote an individual’s story with digital media. In the future, she would like to pay forward the gift of music that her teachers have given her, through teaching, to hone the skill of filmmaking, be it by pursuing projects or working in that world when the opportunity comes up, and to apply herself fully to whichever avenue of work she is in.
Jenny Gong
Jenny Gong is a fourth-year student at the University of California, Riverside, majoring in Political Science with an expected graduation in Spring 2025. As a first-generation immigrant from China to the U.S., Jenny is passionate about bridging cultural gaps and advocating for marginalized communities. This fall, she is excited to work with the 1882 Foundation in the talk story program, assisting with event marketing and promotion and providing input for the literature and arts.
Additionally, her goal in the 1882 foundation project is to raise awareness about the historical injustices Asian Americans face, advocate for policies that promote civil rights and address inequalities in the past and present. Aspiring to become a lawyer, she aims to leverage her education and experiences to empower underrepresented voices. In her free time Jenny can be found volunteering at the hospice. She also enjoys music, playing the piano and watching movies and anime.
Izzy Liu
Izzy Liu is a fourth-year Sociology major, with a focus on Law and Society at UC San Diego. As she grew up surrounded by the stories of immigrants, including her parents’ and grandparents’, she became inspired to pursue a career in immigration law. However, prior to a career in law, she want to learn more about advocacy groups and nonprofits, such as the 1882 Foundation, that serve as voices and resources of education for minority communities. As an intern with the Talk Story program, she looks forward to hearing more about Asian American experiences and understanding how policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act affect people, even generations later. She is excited to learn about the importance of Chinatowns to Asian communities across the US and Canadian borders, on top of the Genealogy event in November and learning about how to trace specifically Asian heritage.