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• AAS Video Contest (thru Mar 31)

  • Start
    January 15, 2025
  • End
    March 31, 2025
  • Location
    Online

  

  The Asian American Stories (AAS) 2025 Video Contest is now open. The 2025 theme, "My Gift to America," should showcase uplifting and inspirational stories of Asian Americans and their contributions to society.

  DETAILS: 

  • Contestants are to submit, in English, a video of less than one minute and an accompanying essay of less than 150 words.
  • Share your story with millions.
  • Engage with acclaimed filmmakers & influential community leaders.
  • Get a ticket (worth $150) to the award ceremony. 
  • Win up to $5000 in prizes or grants for your future production.
  • Win a sponsored trip to Washington D.C.
  • Attend UCA National Conference and present your video to thousands.
  • First 20 submissions will receive AAS T-shirt.
  • Deadline for submission: extended to March 31st
  • Award Ceremony: May 1st in Milpitas

  TWO DIVISIONS:

  • Youth Contestants (aged 12-18)
  • Adult Contestants (aged 19 and above)

  LEARN MORE

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• CHCP Traveling Exhibit @ ACCC (thru Apr 25)

  • Start
    February 24, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM (PST)
  • End
    April 25, 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM (PST)
  • Location
    Avenidas Chinese Community Center, 4000 Middlefield Rd, Bldg H5, Palo Alto, CA 94303

  

  CHCP’s traveling exhibit, Pioneering the Valley: The Chinese American Legacy in Santa Clara Valley, is a 14-panel color display depicting the history and contributions of the Chinese in Santa Clara Valley through photographs and text.
  

  Visit CHCP's traveling exhibit on display at the Avenidas Chinese Community Center (ACCC) in Palo Alto thru April 25th. For questions, call 650-289-5409.

  Corporations, community centers, schools, and other organizations are welcome to reserve the traveling exhibit to display for free. Contact Chris Jochim at info@chcp.org.

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• Ching Ming

  • When
    April 04, 2025

  

  Ching Ming takes place on the 15th day after the spring equinox, which falls on April 4 for 2025.

  Ching Ming, Grave Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese celebration honoring ancestors. This custom is observed as a traditional and cultural ritual rather than a religious practice. For this occasion, families visit the cemeteries of their ancestors to pay their respects with offerings of flowers, incense, imitation paper money, and food. They also sweep and clean the gravesite.

  Join CHCP on April 5, 2025 for the Ching Ming ceremony at the Historic Chinese American Cemetery in San Jose and witness how Ching Ming unfolds in a picnic-like atmosphere, observed as a time for happy communion with ancestors rather than a somber occasion.

  For more details: Visit our Ching Ming page (part of our Virtual Library).

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• SBHCACC/CHCP Ching Ming Ceremony

  • When
    April 05, 2025
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Historic Chinese American Cemetery, 300-A Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125

  

  Join the South Bay Historic Chinese American Cemetery Corporation (SBHCACC) and CHCP for the Ching Ming ceremony on April 5th at the Historic Chinese American Cemetery in San Jose.

  Come to experience this Chinese ritual that will respect and honor the Chinese pioneers of the Santa Clara Valley. The Ching Ming ceremony is a traditional and cultural ritual and is observed in a picnic-like atmosphere, as a time for happy communion with ancestors.

  CHCP will be participating in this event, to include presenting paper ingots for ceremonial offerings and taking part in reading the names of those buried there.

  For more information and to RSVP:  2025 Ching Ming Jie

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• CAH Museum Open

  • When
    April 05, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 3:30 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Chinese American Historical Museum, 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose, CA 95112

  The Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM) is housed in the Ng Shing Gung building, which is part of History Park, located in Kelley Park, San Jose.

  Admission: Free

  For more information (including parking, directions, slideshow, and virtual tour): visit our Museum page.

  
  

   

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• Great Star Theater's Centennial Celebration

  • When
    April 05, 2025
  •  
    2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Great Star Theater, 636 jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

  

  The Great Star Theater is celebrating its 100th anniversary as the oldest Chinese theater in the U.S. The Great Star is a magical center of culture, art, and tradition in the heart of Chinatown. As the only remaining theater in San Francisco Chinatown, it offers a community space for live entertainment, film, private events, community celebrations, and workshops.

  To keep this spirit alive, join celebrity guests Daniel Wu (吳彥祖) and Ben Fong-Torres as well as San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie as they come together in the heart of Chinatown to celebrate an institution that has touched so many lives for a century.

  Event Highlights & Schedule

  2:00 PM – Opening Ceremony (Main Entrance on Jackson St. Free to public)
  Kick off the celebration with a special ceremony honoring the Great Star’s rich history.

  ️3:00 PM – Doors Open for the Main Event
  Step inside and take in the magic of our historic theater.

  3:00 PM – VIP Backstage Meet-and-Greet
  Exclusive for VIP ticket holders: Meet Daniel Wu (吳彥祖) and Ben Fong-Torres for a behind-the-scenes experience.

  3:50 PM – Main Event Begins Onstage

  • Live Entertainment – Enjoy a showcase of Chinese Opera, Martial Arts, Guzheng music and contemporary circus.
  • Fireside Chat – Daniel Wu (吳彥祖) and Ben Fong-Torres will share personal stories, career insights, and their impact on the community.

  Dress Code: Chinatown-festive attire encouraged.

  For more information/tickets/donate, visit Great Star Theater.

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• 1882 Foundation Talk Story: In Conversation with Stehanie Chou

  • When
    April 08, 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Online (via Zoom)

  

  Join the 1882 Foundation for "In Conversation with Stephanie Chou: Saxophonist, Singer, Composer, Mathematician" on Tuesday, April 8, from 7:00-8:00pm ET (4:00-5:00pm PT).

  As part of their Talk Story Series, Stephanie will share her story of how she has invented a style of music to reflect her identity: Chinese American. Her music is a blend of traditional Chinese with Western Jazz and pop to create a unique whirlwind of sounds. She has three albums: Prime Knot, Asymptote, and Comfort Girl (studio recording being released in 2025). Her newest album, Comfort Girl, shares stories of Asian women who were abducted into sexual slavery during WWII.

  Stephanie’s work is a wonderful fusion of East and West, and the present and past. She is a prime example of how art has changed (and will continue to change) in this increasingly interconnected world.

  This Talk Story will be moderated by Yilin Zhang and Lauren Eng, advisor and associate to 1882. 

  REGISTER HERE

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• Seminar: Writing Family History with Artificial Intelligence (thru June 22)

  • Start
    April 09, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM (PDT)
  • End
    June 22, 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Various Bay Area Libraries

  

  Various Bay Area libraries will be hosting a FREE seminar on the subject of Writing Family History with Artificial Intelligence. All sessions are in-person.

  Location/Date/Time

  • Santa Clara Library, 2635 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, Feb 1, 1 - 3 pm
  • Cupertino Library, 10800 Torre Ave, Cupertino, Mar 1, 11 am - 1 pm
  • El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave, El Cerrito, Mar 8, 11 am - 1 pm
  • San Leandro Library, 300 Estudillo Ave, San Leandro, Mar 22, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
  • Atherton, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Ln, Atherton, Apr 9, 11 am - 1 pm
  • San Carlos, 610 Elm St, San Carlos, Apr 16, 11 am - 1 pm
  • Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley, Jun 22, 2 - 4 pm

  Summary

  • Hands-on Writing Family History with AI Workshop
  • Blend of theory, demonstration, and practical application
  • Explore storytelling fundamentals and AI-generated narratives
  • Learn to use AI as a writing coach and create personalized stories
  • Share family anecdotes and insights with fellow participants 
  • Discover where to publish family stories online – FREE

  Explore the fusion of storytelling and artificial intelligence at this Writing Family History with AI Workshop. This interactive session merges theory, demonstrations, and sharing for a dynamic learning experience. Learn storytelling fundamentals, from traditional tales to AI-generated narratives. Discover how AI can enhance your writing process and create captivating stories. Dive into movie-making techniques and unleash your storytelling prowess through personalized videos. Bring your creativity and laptop, and craft your own AI-assisted family stories. Share and connect with fellow participants, exchanging family anecdotes and insights. No prior experience necessary, just bring your creativity and curiosity, plus an internet-ready laptop with a word processor.

  About The Speaker: Ron Chan

  Ron is a seasoned lecturer on family history documentation principles, captivating audiences worldwide at Genealogy Workshops and libraries. As a published genealogy author, he has a passion for storytelling, teaching innovative methods to breathe life into ancestral tales. Ron is the Founder of the Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group, dedicated to preserving ancestral stories. He is also Co-Founder of the Chinese American GI Project to honor veterans' legacies and a CHCP Advisory Board Member working on CHCP's Oral History Project.

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• CAH Museum Open (during Eggstravaganza)

  • When
    April 12, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 3:30 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Chinese American Historical Museum, 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose, CA 95112

  

  The Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM) is housed in the Ng Shing Gung building, which is part of History Park, located in Kelley Park, San Jose.

  The Museum will be open during History San Jose's Eggstravaganza.

  ADMISSION: While the Museum is free, you must pay for admission to History Park for the Eggstravaganza. Information and tickets can be found here.

  For more Museum information (including parking, directions, slideshow, and virtual tour): visit our Museum page.

  
  

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• CHSA Film Screening: Ten Times Better

  • When
    April 12, 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    CHSA Museum, 965 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108

  

  The Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) is proud to present this very special screening of Ten Times Better for the first time in San Francisco Chinatown. 

  Ten Times Better spotlights the life of George Lee, an 88-year-old blackjack dealer in Las Vegas who holds an unheralded place in ballet and Broadway history. As a teenage refugee from Shanghai, he originated the "Tea" dance in George Balanchine's 1954 premiere of The Nutcracker, before Gene Kelly convinced him to join the cast of Flower Drum Song. The film is a tale of talent and perseverance in the face of hardship, and a reminder of the extraordinary stories behind the nameless faces all around us.

  This one-of-a-kind presentation includes a film screening and very special meet-and-greet session with director Jennifer Lin. Complimentary dim sum and refreshments and access to museum exhibits are included with admission.

  ADMISSION: $20 / $15 for CHSA members

  FOR TICKETS

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• CAH Museum Open

  • When
    April 19, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 3:30 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Chinese American Historical Museum, 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose, CA 95112

  The Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM) is housed in the Ng Shing Gung building, which is part of History Park, located in Kelley Park, San Jose.

  Admission: Free
  

  For more information (including parking, directions, slideshow, and virtual tour): visit our Museum page.

   

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• CAH Museum Open (during Printers' Fair)

  • When
    April 26, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 3:30 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Chinese American Historical Museum, 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose, CA 95112

  

  The Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM) is housed in the Ng Shing Gung building, which is part of History Park, located in Kelley Park, San Jose.

  The Museum will be open during the Bay Area Printers' Fair from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm. The Printers' Fair runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

  ADMISSION: Free

  For Printers' Fair details: Printers’ Guild – SF Bay Area Printers’ Fair & Wayzgoose

  For more Museum information (including parking, directions, slideshow, and virtual tour): visit our Museum page.

  
  

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• Seminar: My China Roots and the Chinese American Experience (thru June 24)

  • Start
    April 27, 2025
  •  
    2:00 PM (PDT)
  • End
    June 24, 2025
  •  
    12:30 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Various Bay Area Libraries

  

  Various Bay Area libraries will be hosting a FREE seminar on the subject: My China Roots and the Chinese American Experience. All sessions are in-person.

  Location/Date/Time

  • Burlingame Library, 480 Primrose Rd, Burlingame, CA, April 27, 2 – 4 pm
  • Foster City Library, 1000 E Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA, May 1, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
  • Brisbane Library, 163 Visitacion Ave, Brisbane, CA, May 4, 2 pm – 4 pm
  • Half Moon Bay Library, 620 Correas St, Half Moon Bay, CA, May 8, 5 – 7 pm
  • Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Ln, Atherton, CA, May 16, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
  • Millbrae Library, 1 Library Ave, Millbrae, CA, June 24, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

  What you will learn

  • Research tools and resources to discover your China roots
  • Oral histories of a Chinese American family’s struggles
  • How 150 generations of family genealogy was found 
  • ChiAm checklist of online, live and local genealogy groups
  • Interviews from Angel Island Immigration National Archives 
  • Experience a visit to a Chinese ancestral village

  Abstract  

  This multimedia session offers key resources to help you find and explore your China roots and access Chinese American research tools. Showcased are the struggles and assimilation of a Chinese American immigrant family through oral histories of hardship, poverty, segregation, discrimination, and a city’s formal apology—80 years in the making—came to life. Unsure of where your ancestral village is in China and how to find your jiapu (ancestral lineage book)? Learn how 150 generations of family genealogy was documented in China. You’ll receive a checklist of research resources – where to ask live and virtual questions, and details on attending a paid three-day Chinese American Genealogy Conference or joining the free Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group. Can’t read Chinese? No problem using a Chinese to English translation tool. Discover how the National Archives in San Bruno can help uncover your Chinese ancestors’ interviews at the Angel Island Immigration Station, where 175,000 Chinese immigrants entered the U.S. between 1910 and 1940.

  About The Speaker: Ron Chan

  Ron is a seasoned lecturer on family history documentation best practices, captivating audiences worldwide at genealogy workshops and libraries across the San Francisco Bay Area. As a published genealogy author, he has a passion for storytelling and teaches innovative technologies to bring ancestral tales to life. Ron is the Founder and Executive Director of the Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group, dedicated to preserving ancestral stories. He is also a Co-Founder of the Chinese American GI Project, ensuring that veterans’ legacies are not lost, forgotten, or ignored. As a CHCP Advisory Board Member, Ron is a contributor to CHCP's Oral History Project. Ron shares with you how to capture and share family struggles of the past so future generations can embrace, remember, and learn from those who came before.

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• Seminar: Digitize & Document Your Family History (thru Sept 20)

  • Start
    May 03, 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM (PDT)
  • End
    September 20, 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM (PDT)
  • Location
    Various Bay Area Libraries

  

  Various Bay Area libraries will be hosting a FREE seminar on the subject: Digitize & Document Your Family History. All sessions are in-person.

  Location/Date/Time

  • Gilroy Library, 350 W. Sixth St, Gilroy, Feb 15, 1 - 3 pm (Note Date Change)
  • San Leandro Library, 300 Estudillo Ave, San Leandro, Feb 22, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
  • Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Ln, Atherton, Mar 12, 11 am – 1 pm
  • San Carlos Library, 610 Elm St, San Carlos, Mar 19, 11 am – 1 pm
  • Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave, Oakland, Mar 29, 1 – 3 pm
  • Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak St, Alameda, May 3, 1 - 3 pm
  • Palo Alto Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd, Palo Alto, May 10, 1 - 3 pm
  • San Mateo Library, 55 W 3rd Ave, San Mateo, Jul 12, 1 – 3 pm
  • Santa Clara Library, 2635 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, Sept 20, 1 – 3 pm

  Summary

  • Utilize AI for oral history, scanning, photo restoration, and management
  • Explore case studies for weaving family sagas with multimedia
  • Discover free resources and best practices for legacy preservation
  • Learn tools for creating a digital family heritage library

  Dive into a realm where physical artifacts meet virtual storytelling. This session immerses you in the art of utilizing artificial intelligence for oral history creation, scanning, photo restoration, photo management, movie making and storytelling. Explore real-life case studies illustrating how to intricately weave your family’s saga using multimedia methodologies. Discover invaluable free resources and best practices to preserve your family’s legacy. By session end, you’ll learn about tools and techniques to create a digital family heritage library, that will be a timeless treasure for generations to come.

  About The Speaker: Ron Chan

  Ron is a seasoned lecturer on family history documentation principles, captivating audiences worldwide at Genealogy Workshops and libraries. As a published genealogy author, he has a passion for storytelling, teaching innovative methods to breathe life into ancestral tales. Ron is the Founder of the Bay Area Chinese Genealogy Group, dedicated to preserving ancestral stories. He is also Co-Founder of the Chinese American GI Project to honor veterans' legacies and a CHCP Advisory Board Member working on CHCP's Oral History Project.

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