Chinese Historical Society of America

Presenting “Voice & Vision” Annual Gala 2010

Judy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:23:54 +0000

Honoring the spirit, fortitude, and enduring legacy of Chinese Americans, CHSA presents Voice & Vision 2010 GALA.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2010

6 pm Reception & Silent Auction

7 pm Dinner

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL

757 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

HONORING

Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) &

Angel Island Immigration Station Historical Advisory Committee (AIISHAC)

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Bevan Dufty, SF Board of Supervisors

FEATURING
The Paintings of Jake Lee &

Special Exhibit: “Detained at Liberty’s Door”

Black Tie Optional

Tickets are $225 for the general public, $200 for CHSA Members. To RSVP, please contact Lisa Wong at (415) 665-1150 or email lisa@wongway.net. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Judy Hu at (415)391-1188 x107 or judy@chsa.org

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE THROUGH PAYPAL!

Preview of Voice & Vision Gala Auction Items!

Michelle — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:22:03 +0000

A sampling of Silent Auction prizes to be featured at the Voice & Vision Gala on September 11th, include:

LUXURY OVERNIGHT & VACATIONS STAYS at Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, Omni Hotel San Francisco, Hawaiian condo in Oahu, Sorensen’s Resort in the High Sierras; 3-month EXECUTIVE CLUB MEMBERSHIP to the San Francisco Tennis Club; TICKETS to Beach Blanket Babylon & San Francisco Symphony; BOTTLES of Chateau Mouton Rothschild & other high-end wine; LUNCHES with Supervisor David Chiu, Supervisor Carmen Chu, Police Chief George Gascon, and Assessor Recorder Phil Ting!

….& much, much more to come!

Shanghai’s Newest Skyscraper: China’s Tallest & Greenest Giant Presentation

Judy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:20:10 +0000

The USF Center for the Pacific Rim presentation by STEVE WEINDEL, A Principle at Gensler Architect entitled SHANGHAI’S NEWEST SKYSCRAPER: CHINA’S TALLEST & GREENEST GIANT is co-sponsored by CHSA on Wednesday, September 1, 2010, 5:45 pm at the University of San Francisco Main Campus, Fromm Hall (Enter on Parker Street between Golden Gate & Fulton).

The architectural footprint of the San Francisco firm Gensler can be found from Seoul to Shanghai to Singapore, but China has the crown jewel in what locals call the Shanghai Dragon, Gensler’s 21st century environmental masterpiece. Truly a vertical city, the building will contain eight separate neighborhoods each 14 stories tall stacked on top of the other as the building soars skyward above the Pudong skyline.

At the outer perimeter of each floor of these neighborhoods will be city parks complete with trees and rest areas. Rainwater recovery & grey water recycling systems will cut water use by 40 percent; it will also have wind turbines to run the exterior lighting. Cooling & heating, two big energy hogs, will be provided in part through geothermal systems & thermal mass storage, i.e., giant ice machines that will produce ice at night for cooling in the day.

Patrick Hatcher, Ph.D., Kiriyama Distinguished Fellow at the Center for the Pacific Rim, will moderate.

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Reservation recommended. Call (415) 422-6828

Cosponsored by the Chinese Historical Society of America, the USF Environmental/Management Program, China Dialogue.

“Passages: For Lee Ping To,” A Dance and Multi-Media Performance by Lenora Lee

Judy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:20:09 +0000

In association with Asian Improv aRts, CHSA is proud to co-sponsor Lenora Lee’s interdisciplinary work “Passages: For Lee Ping To” on September 24-26, 2010 at Dance Mission Theater, 3316–24th St (at Mission St), San Francisco, CA 94110.

“Passages,” is an interdisciplinary collaborative work between choreographer/dancer Lenora Lee, media designer Olivia Ting, composer/sound designer Francis Wong, lighting designer Patty-Ann Farrell, and dancers Marina Fukushima and Kevin Ho.

It is in homage to Lee’s grandmother on her mother’s side, Lee Ping To, who immigrated through the Angel Island Immigration Station in 1940, the year that the Station was closed.

2010 is the Centennial of the opening of Angel Island Immigration Station. In service between 1910 and 1940, the Station served as a detention center for immigrants to the US from China , Japan , Russia among others, representing a shared experience within our diverse California society.

“Passages: For Lee Ping To” is also co-sponsored by the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation.

Tickets: $14 in advance http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/119451 or call (800) 838-3006, $20 at the door

For more information: http://www.LenoraLeeDance.com, http://www.asianimprov.org, call (415) 908-3636, or email Lenora@asianimprov.org

SF Jazz Festival Presents Jon Jang’s “Angel Voices: Rhapsody on Angel Island Poetry”

Judy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:19:18 +0000

As part of the SF Jazz Festival, CHSA is proud to sponsor Jon Jang’s performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on Sunday, October 24, 2010 at 3 pm

Over his brilliant career, Bay Area based pianist-composer Jon Jang has performed many stimulating and thought-provoking works which often document key points in Chinese history, including The Chinese American Symphony; Island: The Immigrant Suite No. 2; and Tiananmen! This performance is the World Premiere of Angel Voices: Rhapsody On Angel Island Poetry, based upon poems written by Chinese, Japanese and Russian Jewish immigrants who were detained on Angel Island from 1910-40. The work features poet Genny Lim and a chamber jazz ensemble comprised of pipa (Chinese lute), woodwinds and a rhythm section. Min Xiao-Fen, the pipa soloist, spent ten years playing with the Nanjing Traditional Music Orchestra of China. Since moving to the U.S., she has appeared with such notables as Randy Weston, Wadada Leo Smith, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Björk. “Two Flowers on a Stem” is one of Jon Jang’s favorite metaphors and aptly describes his collaboration with Min Xiao-Fen for this exceptional performance.

For more information, please visit: http://www.sfjazz.org/concerts/2010/fall/artists/jang.php

“Pianist/composer Jon Jang has created vital music that combines advanced jazz with vivid memories of his Chinese heritage.” — All Music Guide

“A modern day visionary who draws upon his Asian heritage as a source for inspiration and musical implementation.” — All About Jazz

Detained at Liberty’s Door

Francis — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:41:57 +0000

Detained at Liberty’s Door, CHSA’s newest exhibit traces the formation of the Angel Island Immigration Station and highlights the inspiring story of Mrs. Lee Yoke Suey, the wife of a native-born citizen who was detained for more than 15 months on Angel Island. Only an association with one of California’s most powerful & iconic families secured her freedom.

The Architecture of San Francisco’s Chinatown

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 05:23:58 +0000

The striking architecture of Chinatown is explored from its beginnings in the mid-19^th century through the rebuilding following the Great Earthquake & Fire of 1906 to its presence as one of the country’s most vibrant and enduring neighborhoods.

Featuring an interactive walking tour map, digital images, never-before-seen etchings, and special objects, the exhibit is a thoughtful exploration into San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Main Gallery Exhibit: The Chinese of America, Toward A More Perfect Union

Judy — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:41:59 +0000

This bilingual exhibit tells the history of Chinese Americans in the United States, documented by the large wave of immigration that began in the 19th century to the prolific presence of Chinese in American society today.

Photographs and artifacts focus on the contributions made by Chinese laborers in the development of the fishing, railroad, mining, and agriculture industries in the American West.

The History of the Chinatown YWCA

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:19:28 +0000

In 1916, the National Board organized the first Chinese YWCA in America. From the 1930s to 1980s, the San Francisco YWCA Chinatown served as a social outlet for many Chinese American women in the community with dance lessons, cultural programs, cooking classes, youth activities, and more.

Times changed in the 1960s when the Civil Rights Movement relaxed immigration laws that promoted racial equality and dramatically changed the make-up of the Chinese American community. By the 1980s, the building had become obsolete both in function & in meeting building code requirements. Faced with the high cost of retrofitting the building, the SF Board of Supervisors donated the building to a non-profit, CHSA, to house its museum.