Asian Pacific Americanwgbhprojects.s3.amazonaws.com/THEMES/WORLDx#... · Burmese, Cambodian,...

AsianPacific

AmericanHeritage MonthSocial Activity Toolkit

httpworldchannelorgmyapalife

WORLD CHANNEL Asian Pacif ic American Heritage Month Social Activity Toolkit 2httpworldchannelorgmyapalife

With this toolkit WORLD Channel invites you to engage your families communities and organizational constituencies in personal expression historical reflection and the chance to promote the positive contributions of the people and communities that represent you

Use the EASY ACTIVITIES and MEDIA LINKS in this toolkit on your own with friends and family or in your workplace or community space

This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month WORLD invites you to watch and engage with critically important

stories that will be featured in our exclusive series America ReFramed Local USA and Pacific Heartbeat over 40 films and programs in all throughout the month of May

CHECK OUT THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROGRAM GUIDE HERE

WORLD Channel is a 247 full-service multicast channel featuring public televisionrsquos signature non-

fiction documentary science and news programming complemented by original content from emerging

producers You can find WORLD Channel through your local PBS station and can access our programming directly on WORLDCHANNELORG

TWITTERCOMWORLDCHANNEL

FACEBOOKCOMWORLDCHANNEL

YOUTUBECOMWORLDCHANNEL

INSTAGRAMCOMWORLDCHANNEL

MyAPAlife


Coming to World May 2018Each program will be available online via streaming video beginning the day after its TV broadcast premiere Premiere Broadcasts on America ReFramed and Local USA

A col lect ion of f i lms for Asian-Pacif ic American Heritage Month

Kū Kanaka Standing TallPremieres May 7 on WORLD Channelrsquos Local USA httpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodelusa-307-ku-kanaka-stand-tall

Presented in partnership with Pacific Islanders in Communication

Finding KukanPremieres May 8 on WORLD Channelrsquos America ReFramedhttpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodearf-s6-610-finding-kukan

Presented in partnership with the Center for Asian American Media

Random Acts of LegacyPremieres May 15 on WORLD Channelrsquos America ReFramedhttpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodearf-s6-611-random-acts-legacy


Who Is Arthur ChuPremieres May 22 on WORLD Channelrsquos America ReFramedhttpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodearf-s6-612-who-arthur-chu



Other exclusive stories from the Center for Asian American Media and Pacific Islanders in Communication

Pacific Heartbeat Season 7 Continues through Mayhttpworldchannelorgprogramspacific-heartbeat


Resistance at Tule Lake Premieres May 6 on WORLD Channel httpworldchannelorgprogramsepisoderesistance-tule-lake


OtherS T O R I E S

Our May 2018 APA Heritage Month content is proudly presented in partnership with

exclusive


May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage month and WORLD Channel is celebrating with four new films on ldquoAmerica ReFramedrdquo that pay tribute to the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islandersndashndashthen and now

Congress officially designated May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage month in 1990 The month was chosen because it marked two significant anniversaries the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant on May 7 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10 1869 which was built primarily by Chinese immigrants

Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial or ethnic minority in the US ldquoAsian Americanrdquo is defined as one whose ancestral origins are in East Asia Southeast Asia or South Asia According to the 2016 US Census Bureau estimate there are roughly 226 million Asian Americans (alone or in combination with one or more races) who reside within the US

this group represents about 68 of the US population

The largest ethnic subgroups of Asian Americans are East Asian Americans (including Chinese Japanese Korean Mongolian Taiwanese and Tibetan) Southeast Asian Americans (including Burmese Cambodian Filipino Hmong Indonesian Laotian Malaysian Mien Singaporean Thai and Vietnamese) and South Asian Americans (including Bangladeshi Bhutanese Indian Nepalese Pakistani and Sri Lankan)

Pacific Islander is defined as one whose ancestors were the indigenous people of Polynesia Micronesia or Melanesia According to the 2016 US Census Bureau estimate there are roughly 14 million Native HawaiiansPacific Islanders (alone or in combination with one or more races) who reside within the US this group represents about 05 percent of the US population

The largest ethnic subgroups of Pacific Islander Americans are Native Hawaiians Samoans Chamorros Fijians Marshallese and Tongans Native Hawaiians Samoans Tongans and Chamorros have large communities in Hawailsquoi California and Utah with sizable communities in Washington Texas Nevada Oregon and Arkansas Fijians are predominantly based in California American Samoa the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam are US territories while Hawailsquoi is a state

Backgroundon the month of May


Kū Kanaka Standing TallAt 15-years-old Terry ldquoKanalurdquo Young took a dive into shallow waters becoming a quadriplegic in a split second Nonetheless he learned to value the life he lived rather than mourn the life he lost using that insight to offer hope to those dispossessed At the end of his life Kanalu was able to inspire Native Hawaiians to reclaim their sense of worth

NATIONAL PREMIERE May 7 9p ET8p CT on WORLD Channelrsquos Local USASTREAMING Starts May 8

httpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodelusa-307-ku-kanaka-stand-tall


Discussion Questions bull At age 15 Kanalu experiences a trauma

that changes the trajectory of his life Whatlessons can you draw from his experienceand the decisions he made after hisaccident

bull What were you taught about Hawaiianhistory in school Did you feel like nativeHawaiian culture and history were wellrepresented in your education Why orwhy not

bull The Hawaiian Renaissance led to aresurgence in Hawaiian self-identityndashndashevident through the music of that period(as well as dance language and othercultural expression) Have you seen musicor the arts drive other social movements

bull ldquoHawaiians must write their own historyand never stop doing sordquo writes KanaluAs a historian Kanalu uses genealogyto write his own legacy Have you tracedyour own family genealogy If so did itaffect the way you viewed yourself or yourancestors

Activity Watch and share Pacific HeartbeatWatch episodes of season 7 of Pacific Heartbeat on your local PBS station in the month of May httpworldchannelorgprogramspacific-heartbeat Drawing from the films post one inspirational bio or quote each week to your social media to celebrate Asian-American Pacific Heritage month

Examplesbull Bruno Banani became the first and

only Tongan to qualify as a luger at the2014 Winter Olympic Games in SochiMyAPALife

bull Ngoi Pēwhairangi was a prominentteacher of and advocate for Māorilanguage and culture and the composerof many songs She spearheaded theMāori Renaissance in the late 1970s andearly 1980s MyAPALife


Finding KukanFilmmaker Robin Lung documents her 7-year journey investigating the work and legacy of Chinese American visionary Li Ling-Ai the uncredited producer of Kukan A landmark film Kukan showcased Chinarsquos resistance to Japanese occupation during World War II and was one of the first American feature documentary films to receive an Academyreg Award in 1942

NATIONAL PREMIERE May 8 8p ET (East) and 9p PT (West) on WORLD Channelrsquos America ReFramedSTREAMING May 9 ndash June 7

httpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodearf-s6-610-finding-kukan


Discussion Questionsbull The story of Li Ling-Ai and her involvement

in the creation of Kukan touches on theidea of lsquounsung heroesrsquo What does thisterm mean to you Is there an unsung heroin your own family or community If sohow can you keep their legacy alive

bull What stereotypes exist about Asianwomen How did Li Ling-Ai defystereotypes and push boundaries

bull How did Kukan present an image ofChina that was different from the standarddepictions of that time Why was itsignificant

bull How do you think Li Ling-Ai influencedRobin Lung the filmmaker of FindingKukan Do you think it important to haverole models who share your heritage Whyor why not

Activity If This Is True (Representation in Media)You can complete the following exercise

1 On your own note each statement thatis true for you Review them and writereflections How many of the statementswere true for you What do you think thisthese says about media representation ofyour group

2 In a group Have someone volunteer toread the following statements participantsraise your hand for each statement if itis true for you Note how often you raiseyour hand and observe how often othersin your group raise their hands as well

- I have watched at least one showon a major network this week where someone in a starring role looked like me

- I have seen at least five images that look like me in print or online media this week

- The last time I went to a movie someone who looked like me held a starring role in the film

- It is not challenging for me to find positive images that look like me in print or on television

- Actors and actresses who look like me regularly receive accolades and awards for their work

- People who look like me regularly play positive roles in film and television


- I see people who look like me represented in all types of stories (comedy drama horror documentary etchellip)

- I am not surprised when I see someone who looks like me in a starring role

- Growing up at least one of the stars of my favorite shows shared my raceethnicity

- People who look like me are regularly depicted as smart attractive and successful on mainstream television in movies and in other types of media

- People who look like me are regularly involved in all aspects of mainstream media projects (acting producing directing funding)

How many of these statements were true for you If you did this exercise as a group discuss your responses and highlight any similarities or differences

WORLD CHANNEL Asian Pacif ic American Heritage Month Social Activity Toolkit 10


Random Acts of LegacyIn Random Acts of Legacy filmmaker Ali Kazimi finds a rare cache of 16mm home movies spanning from 1936 to 1951 and deftly crafts a story which unfolds with the vintage footage of a family archive Kazimi learns the work was made by Silas Henry Fung It reveals a creative and enterprising Chinese American household in middle America during the Depression years

NATIONAL PREMIERE May 15 8p ET (East) and 9p PT (West) on WORLD Channelrsquos America ReFramedSTREAMING Starts May 16

httpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodearf-s6-611-random-acts-legacy


Discussion Questionsbull What scenes in the Fung family home

videos stood out to you How did theimages support andor contradict yourperceptions of Chinese-Americans at thetime

bull In Random Acts of Legacy capturinghome movies was described as a form ofactivism as it highlighted the lsquonormalcyrsquo ofAsian family life How do you see peopleusing video (or other forms of media)today as a tool for activism

bull The film shows ordinary scenes offamily life juxtaposed with the stories ofextraordinary times including war andracial discrimination How can onersquoshome life and family rituals help to buildresiliency for the outside world

bull Did your family create home videos asyou were growing up If so how doesyour family use them to pass on memoriestoday What about you Do you documentyour present-day memories for futuregenerations

Activity Reimagine a time capsuleIf your ancestors had left a time capsule what would have been in it Choose an ancestor and try to create a snapshot of his or her life If you have objects such as photographs letters recipe cards or diaries make copies and include them in the time capsule

If yoursquore doing this exercise with children or students they can also re-create ldquoartifactsrdquo from the chosen ancestorrsquos lifetime using historical and genealogical facts For example they could

- Use a marriage date and place to make up a wedding invitation

- Create a newspaper page detailing the important events of the time

- Show the trendy fashions that ancestor might have worn

Display the ldquoartifactsrdquo in a scrapbook and share as a video story with family and friends via your favorite social media platform


Who is Arthur ChuWho is Arthur Chu follows 11-time Jeopardy winner Arthur Chu who won almost $300000 by using an unconventional strategy on the game show The national attention led this insurance analyst to amass tens of thousands of fans and haters on Twitter Arthur plans to put his 15 minutes of TV fame to good use and begins a career as both a speaker and writer By addressing topics such as racism and sexism particularly in gaming culture his posture debunks the ldquomodelrdquo Asian American stereotype


httpworldchannelorgprogramsepisodearf-s6-612-who-arthur-chu


Discussion QuestionsHad you heard of Arthur Chu before watching the documentary If so what was your impression of him Did your impression of Chu change after watching the documentary Why or why not

In the film Chu recounts what his father told him as a boy ldquoThis is not your country You can live here but it is not yoursrdquo Can you relate to this perspective Why or why not

Chu encourages Asian Americans to lsquomake culture instead of reacting to culturersquo What does this mean to you Does this idea resonate with you

The relationship between Chursquos grandfather and his father informed how Chursquos father interacted with him as well Certain family dynamics often play out from one generation to another Are there dynamics in your own family that affect how you communicate with one another (positively or negatively)

Activity ldquoIrsquom Asian But Irsquom NothelliprdquoldquoIrsquom Asian But Irsquom Nothelliprdquo is a BuzzFeed video that addresses stereotypes about Asians by showing a diverse range of Asian American young adults talking about Asian identity and stereotypes Watch the short video on YouTube and then do the exercise yourself either individually or in a small group (The video is part of a series there are Latino Muslim and Black examples as well) Try to come up with three statements that represent stereotypes of a group that you are a part of and three statements that describe who you really are

ExamplesIrsquom Asian but Irsquom not good at mathIrsquom Asian but Irsquom not submissiveIrsquom Asian but Irsquom not Chinese

Irsquom Asian and Irsquom an extrovertIrsquom Asian and Irsquom also an LGBT activistIrsquom Asian and Irsquom American

If you are doing the exercise alone take some time to reflect on your responses If you did the exercise in a group share responses with one another and discuss your reactions

If you choose to create your own short video of your statements and post it to your social media account


Additional Questions

(themes across films)bull In Random Acts of Legacy Who Is Arthur Chu and Kū Kanaka Asian-American and Pacific

Islander American protagonists share a common experience of isolation in schoolsndashndashoftenalone singled out and seen as ldquothe otherrdquo Have you ever experienced this type of isolationin school or your community If so what was your reaction

bull How were misrepresentations of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in film media andsociety highlighted in these works How did characters in the films demonstrate resistance tothis misrepresentation What response(s) were you most inspired by

bull In both Finding Kukan and Random Acts of Legacy attempts are made to preserve film (andin turn history) that is in danger of being lost forever In Kū Kanaka much of Hawaiian historyand tradition is not written down existing instead in songs and stories passed down fromone generation to another How are traditions and legacy preserved in your own family orcommunity Have you lost any traditions when elders pass

Resourcesbull Film Preservation Basics

bull Chinese Immigration Library of Congress

bull 10 Books about Asian American Identity

bull The Asian American Experience in America

bull Captive Paradise A History of Hawaii

bull Pacific Islander History

bull Hollywood Has Whitewashed Asian Storiesfor Decades

bull Why On-screen Representation ActuallyMatters

bull Oscar nominees discuss diversity inHollywood amid the OscarsSoWhitebacklash

bull Top 10 Asian Influencers on YouTube

bull Irsquom Asian But Irsquom not

bull Saturday School - podcast


CreditsWritten by

Sara Brissenden Smith and Renee Gasch

Edited byRenee Gasch

Produced by

(c) 2018 WORLD Channel WGBH

In partnership with


With this toolkit WORLD Channel invites you to engage your families communities and organizational constituencies in personal expression historical reflection and the chance to promote the positive contributions of the people and communities that represent you

Use the EASY ACTIVITIES and MEDIA LINKS in this toolkit on your own with friends and family or in your workplace or community space

This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month WORLD invites you to watch and engage with critically important

stories that will be featured in our exclusive series America ReFramed Local USA and Pacific Heartbeat over 40 films and programs in all throughout the month of May

CHECK OUT THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROGRAM GUIDE HERE

WORLD Channel is a 247 full-service multicast channel featuring public televisionrsquos signature non-

fiction documentary science and news programming complemented by original content from emerging

producers You can find WORLD Channel through your local PBS station and can access our programming directly on WORLDCHANNELORG

TWITTERCOMWORLDCHANNEL

FACEBOOKCOMWORLDCHANNEL

YOUTUBECOMWORLDCHANNEL

INSTAGRAMCOMWORLDCHANNEL

MyAPAlife


















OtherS T O R I E S


exclusive




































































































CreditsWritten by



Produced by


In partnership with


















OtherS T O R I E S


exclusive




































































































CreditsWritten by



Produced by


In partnership with




































































































CreditsWritten by



Produced by


In partnership with

Asian Pacific Americanwgbhprojects.s3.amazonaws.com/THEMES/WORLDx#... · Burmese, Cambodian,...

Documents

Transcript of Asian Pacific Americanwgbhprojects.s3.amazonaws.com/THEMES/WORLDx#... · Burmese, Cambodian,...