By Gerrye Wong, CHCP Co-Founder and Trustee

Chinese Historical and Cultural Project welcomed the Year of the Rabbit in fine fashion with its annual membership dinner, which was free for all paid members.

Nearly 140 gathered to celebrate together and witness the swearing in of the Board of Directors for 2023 led by Dr. Arthur Low, Advisory Board Liaison and former CHCP president. Newly sworn in were Directors Dr. Arthur Jue, Elizabeth Lee and Mike Mak, and Co-Treasurer Bill Shu.  

California State Assemblyman Evan Low performed the swearing in of Advisory Board members. New Advisory Board members included: Michael Chan, Daniel Jue, Kelly Kwong, Sharon Lai, and Lielani Rich. It’s always being said that whatever is worthwhile “takes a village” and true to form, CHCP is led by a dedicated group of over 50 Board and Advisory Board members overseeing the membership of 300.

Keeping all of the audience members happy was the awarding of over 20 door prizes of orchid plants and Trader Joe gift cards. Attendees had a chance to view highlights of the 35th Anniversary Gala, which occurred last September 2022, thanks to Advisory Board member Steve Gilbert.

Before dinner, attendees were delighted to find a bright red voile bag which contained the commemorative Anna May Wong quarter, issued in 2022 as one of the American women coin series. Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American actress to appear in Hollywood movies beginning in the 1920s. 

Assemblyman Evan Low presented a framed California proclamation to President Dave Yick and CHCP for its fine community work in preserving and presenting Chinese American history for the past three decades through its activities and Chinese American Historical Museum. NBC reporter Robert Handa applauded CHCP for its continuing service to the community.

Lions Michael and Macy Mak Chan gifted everyone present that evening with a crystal display miniature teapot set with 4 cups to wish everyone a Happy New Year and invite them all to join their Silicon Valley Cyber Lions Club.  

Student Docent Cultural Ambassadors led the audience in singing Chinese New Year to close this eventful program.

Pictured in the photos below from left to right are: Director/SDCAP Chair Brenda Hee Wong, Advisory Board member Pinki Fung, "Money God," and Co-Founder/Trustee Gerrye Wong; Trustee Debbie Gong-Guy, Trustee Anita Kwock, and Co-Vice President of Marketing Edith Gong; new Board member Dr. Arthur Jue and Co-Treasurer Jonathan Wong; Barbara Johnson and Bill Schroh, jr. from History San Jose.

CHCP SDCAP (Student Docent Cultural Ambassador Program) members and CHCP Board members gathered at a social to celebrate the new year. They enjoyed ice cream and other goodies, plus the "Far East Deep South" documentary film was shown.

CHCP shared Chinese winter solstice traditions and children's holiday crafts at the Chinese American Historical Museum (CAHM) for History Park's Children's Heritage Holiday event on December 17, 2022.

The Chinese American Museum DC (CAMDC) hosted a webinar with a distinguished panel who talked about some of the Chinese American men and women who have served our nation and their great American stories.

The panel consisted of Montgomery “Monty” Hom (Founder and Executive Producer of the Chinese American GI Project), Connie Yu (CHCP Advisory Board Member/Historian), and Wilem Wong (retired New York City Police Sergeant with over 34 years of service in the United States Army Reserve). 

CHCP was a Gold Sponsor for Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN)’s "Expand Our Dream" Fundraising Gala. CHCP attendees at the Gala included (left to right):  CHCP Advisory Board Member/FCSN Board of Directors Co-Chair James Chiao, CHCP Trustee/Co-Founder Gerrye Wong, CHCP Member/FCSN Director of Volunteer Support Linmei Chiao, CHCP Director Brenda Hee Wong, CHCP Advisory Board Member Nathan Louie, and CHCP VP of Education Chris Jochim.

At History Park's Children's Halloween Haunt, CHCP hosted Halloween Bat and Spider games, and shared Chinese culture about Bats and Spiders.

A new article in the Annual Review of Anthropology, “Race and Racism in Archaeologies of Chinese American Communities,” by co-authors Kelly Fong, Laura Ng, Jocelyn Lee, Veronica Peterson, and Barbara Voss, has just been published. Barbara Voss is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Stanford University and a CHCP Advisory Board Member.

Annual Review of Anthropology is one of the top-ranked journals in the discipline. The articles selected by its editorial board often become foundational to the next generation of scholarship.

This article provides a critical review of current research and charts future directions for antiracist Chinese diaspora archaeologies. Notably, this is the first such review article in which the majority of the authors are Chinese American.

The article draws examples from the Market Street Chinatown and other studies that CHCP has been involved in, to highlight best practices for antiracist and intersectional interventions in archaeology.

Read the article here: http://www.annualreviews.org/eprint/I35GDXAICU24NE4BYKNY/full/10.1146/annurev-anthro-041320-014548

An Orientation / Training class was held for CHCP's Student Docent Cultural Ambassador Program (SDCAP) at History Park San Jose. Visit our Volunteer page for information about this rewarding program for high school / college students and their parents.

Chinese Historical and Cultural Project co-founder Gerrye Wong and Paul Gee, a pioneering Napa Valley winemaker, model Imperial Mandarin robes from the collection of Nathan Louie at the CHCP’s 35th anniversary celebration on Sept. 17, 2022 in San Jose. (Joanne Chan/Chinese Historical and Cultural Project)

The following is an excerpt from the 09/23/22 San Jose Mercury News:

By Sal Pizarro, Bay Area News Group

The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project got its start when San Jose city officials contacted leaders in the Chinese community after artifacts from a 19th century Chinatown were found during construction of the Fairmont Hotel in 1986. Last Saturday, the group was back in downtown San Jose to celebrate its 35th anniversary with a crowd of 650 people at the Marriott hotel.

Gerrye Wong, co-founder and a trustee of the group, introduced the event’s honorees: Buck Gee, brothers Arthur and Daniel Jue, Patrick Kwok, Michael Chan, Chenming and Margaret Hu, and the Bay Area Chrysanthemum Growers Association.

“This was the first opportunity for the Chinese community to join together during COVID times to support the 35 years of service the CHCP has done to spread Chinese American history to the valley” said Wong, joined by co-chair Debbie Gong-Guy. Assemblyman Evan Low brought a state proclamation and Dr. Paul Gee presented the event chairs with bottles from his private collection of Bouchaine wine from his 100-year-old Napa Valley vineyard.

The event was highlighted by a showcase of Chinese fashions, including ornate Mandarin robes, from the collections of Nathan Louie and Sunny Chen, with 30 models representing various organizations including Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, Silicon Valley Lions Club and CATS. And the auction got lively with emcee Dion Lim and former U.S. Rep. Mike Honda vying for dinners hosted by celebrity chef Martin Yan and a visit to the famous “Flintstone House” in Hillsborough going to eager bidder Eleanor Yick.

The Chinese Historical and Cultural Project held its 35^th anniversary in fine style, gathering over 600 supporters and friends to help with a fundraising goal to expand services and activities in their Chinese American Historical Museum and at other events.  The following leading Chinese Americans were honored at the Gala for their philanthropy and service to non-profit organizations and their communities: Buck Gee, brothers Arthur and Daniel Jue, Patrick Kwok, Michael Chan, Chenming and Margaret Hu, and the Bay Area Chrysanthemum Growers Association.

ABC News anchor Dion Lim and NBC Bay Area News reporter Robert Handa did fantastic jobs serving as the Gala's emcees. Dr. Paul Gee presented the Gala Chairs with bottles from his private collection of Bouchaine wine from his 100-year-old Napa Valley vineyard.

Gala Chairs accepted a state commendation from Assemblyman Evan Low and Jade Sponsors of the Gala received Caroline Young prints.

Entertainment was provided in the lobby by the Dream Achievers Combo from Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN), and Hoong the Dragon made an appearance manned by CHCP's Student Docent Cultural Ambassadors.

Over 30 models walked the runway in a lively fashion show of Imperial Chinese Robes and beautiful Chinese women’s dresses.

Juliette Leong, a multi-talented 6-year-old prodigy, amazed the audience as she played the Seitz Concerto on the violin at the Gala.

Watch a short video of highlights from CHCP's 35th Anniversary Gala below: