Hope Chinese Charter School invites the community to join us for a 5 part film & discussion series during AAPI Heritage Month featuring the documentary series, Asian Americans. Each Saturday, we will screen one episode to learn about AAPI history and discuss themes of heritage and identity with local leaders in the AAPI community.
Location: Hope Chinese Charter School Cafeteria
3500 SW 104th Ave
Beaverton, OR 97005
About ‘Asian Americans’
Asian Americans is a five-episode film series spanning 150 years of immigration, racial politics, international relations and cultural innovation. Each episode is one hour in length, casting a new lens on the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played in shaping the nation’s story.
Companion resources for educators.
Schedule
Each Saturday in May, from Noon to 2:00 PM, we will screen one episode from the film series and follow up with group discussion.
- May 3rd | Episode 1: Breaking Ground
- May 10th | Episode 2: A Question of Loyalty
- May 17th | Episode 3: Good Americans
- May 24th | Episode 4: Generation Rising
- May 31st | Episode 5: Breaking Through
Speakers
Linda Tamura, Ed.D.
Linda Tamura is the Co-Editor-in-Chief at The Oregon Encyclopedia and Prof. Emerita of Education and Willamette University. She has actively worked to preserve Japanese American history through co-coordinating the campaign in the Oregon Senate for the dedication of Oregon Nisei Veterans WWII Memorial Highway and serving on the advisory board of the National Veterans Network. Tamura has also authored two books incorporating her lived experience as a Sansei (3rd generation Japanese American) daughter of a World War II veteran and an “orchard kid” raised in Hood River, Oregon. Learn More.
Leialoha Kaʻula
Leialoha Kaʻula is the Executive Director of KALO Hawaiian Civic Club of Oregon & SW Washington and the founder and Kumu at Ka Lei Haliʻa O Ka Lokelani, a hula school in Aloha/Hillsboro that educates on Hawaiian culture and language. Ka’ula is an inspiring educator who grew up with deep roots in Hawaiian culture. As a recipient of the Bank of Hawaiʻi Century Scholarship and Princess Pauahi Foundation Scholars, she followed her dream of higher education in the Pacific Northwest after high school. Learn More.
Edward Kimmi
Dr. Edward Kimmi serves as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea in Northern Oregon and the Council President for the City of Beaverton. He is also an immigrant and refugee of war. Kimmi has a long history of service as a healthcare practitioner and community organizer, having served as the President of the Korean Society of Oregon and as a founding member of Beaverton’s Diversity Advisory Board. Learn More.
Tya Ping
Tya Ping serves on the Board of Directors at Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District. As a Cambodian-American, Ping was the first API woman to be elected to the THPRD Board in 2019. She is also a HCCS parent, health care provider, and long time community volunteer. Ping has served on the Beaverton City Library Advisory Board and the Washington County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Kai Hang Cheang
Dr. Cheang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and affiliate faculty with the Institute for Asian Studies at Portland State University. Kai’s work explores Asian and Asian American literature and visual cultures from queer, trans, and feminist perspectives. Kai’s writing has appeared in GLQ, Feminist Formations, and Hong Kong Studies, among other field-leading academic journals.
Kristen Wong
Kristen Wong is a Human Resources practitioner with a long history of community service which includes supporting the Oregon Buddhist Temple, SOLVE, and the Ronald McDonald House. She is also a HCCS parent who currently leads the Green Team Club and served on the DEIB Committee for three years. Wong has a passion for cross-cultural relationship dynamics and has spent her career supporting leaders through conflicts and helping with resolutions.
Ping Khaw
Ping Khaw is the Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce of Oregon (APCO) with extensive experience supporting businesses and government agencies with effectively engaging immigrants and communities of color. Khaw was born in Malaysia and immigrated to Portland in 1990. She has served on the board of API Forward Foundation, Oregon Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs and as a state adviser for the US Civil Right Commission.
Lyllian Nguyen
Lyllian Nguyen is a dynamic leader, storyteller, and advocate for cultural preservation. As the President of the Oregon Vietnamese American Cultural Center (OVACC), she plays a key role in expanding resources, securing funding, and creating impactful programs that serve the Vietnamese American community. Lyllian is also an Associate Producer of A Fragile Flower, a groundbreaking film that has played in theaters across the U.S., Vietnam, and India, earning 18 film festival awards.
Stephen Pham
Educator, org development specialist, and equity strategist, partnering with orgs to grow talent, operationalize strategy, and deepen impact. His 13+ years of experience include heading nonprofit operations and DEI, overseeing collective action initiatives, and leading innovation for a national school network. Pham holds a B.S. from UCLA and is based in Portland, Oregon.
Host: Jade Henness
Each week, discussion will be moderated by our host, Jade Henness. Henness is the president of the Asian Heritage Association in Yamhill County, Oregon and regularly presents on Asian American history. As a 5th generation Chinese American, Henness enjoys bringing history to life by sharing recovered pieces of her own family’s history. In addition, Henness is the Development Director at Hope Chinese Charter School with two children enrolled.
