Joseph and Betty Wong Make Major Pledge at Capital Kickoff

By Munson Kwok

In a press luncheon surprise before Lantern Festival 2003, long-time Museum supporters Joseph and Betty Wong announced their donation of a building to CAM, valued in excess of $300,000. For this generosity, Museum Gallery 1, “Journeys,” will be designated the Joseph and Betty Wong Gallery, under the new Building Sponsorship Program.

Newly appointed Capital Campaign Chair Carol Baca proudly announced that donations of the day took the 2003 Campaign past the $760,000 mark, halfway toward the $1.5 million goal.

Adding to the ongoing excitement was Campaign member Dr. Stanley Toy’s presentation of a $25,000 donation from l’Elegance Perfume.

“This has got to be CAM’s three ring circus,” declared MC Munson Kwok, as the focus swung from Campaign to Historymakers to the Festival and as he welcomed State Sen. Gilbert Cedillo to the platform.

Sen. Cedillo will be a Historymaker honoree on Sunday, September 21, 2003 for supporting Los Angeles’ rich culture and heritage and for helping CAM. Sen. Cedillo stressed a favorite theme to promote and develop the diverse cultures that so enrich California.

Chair Baca introduced her Historymakers team of prominent community leaders and distributed the beautiful CAM marketing brochures.

Quick tours of the Museum building complex were given. Dr. Kwok conducted the highly interested Sen. Cedillo and TV crews; Historian Jean Bruce Poole led Sheriff Lee Baca. Then gong playing by Sheriff Baca led everyone to the Lantern Festival Opening.

Lighting the Way

By Linh Duong

On a picture-perfect Saturday, under a sweeping canopy of vibrant red lanterns, the Chinese American Museum celebrated the Year of the Ram with its second annual Lantern Festival 2003: Lighting the Way at the plaza of El Pueblo Historical Monument on February 22, 2003.

Offered free to the public, an excited crowd of 15,000 visitors showed up throughout the day to participate in the Festival’s fanfare of live musical, dance and martial arts performances as well a variety of arts and crafts booths designed to teach the history, traditions and customs of this popular Chinese holiday. A joyful lantern parade, marched by families and musicians signaled the day’s end, but not before everyone was treated to a charming Chinese Shadow Puppet Show.

Since its phenomenal debut in 2002, Lantern Festival 2003 marks a triumphant return to this traditional holiday celebration in Los Angeles’ Old Chinatown.

The well-matched emcee team of KSCI-TV’s Mr. Thomas Kao and USC student Adriana Navarro kept the day’s momentum while fun arts and crafts booths welcomed in curious visitors to try their hands at lantern making, Chinese calligraphy, knotting and opera face painting, Spanish and Chinese paper cutting, Origami folding and kite building.

Storytelling enchanted crowds of both children and adults and a lantern contest inspired kids in grades 1through 6 to submit their lantern creations.

Brand new to this year’s program was the presentation of a Tea-Drinking Ceremony and a Feng Shui instructor to help the public explore two of the most time-honored Chinese traditions.

Generous grants from the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Mr. Bing Liu of Evergreen Publishing & Stationary, KSCI-TV, the gracious hosting by El Pueblo Historical Monument and the time and expertise of over 140 volunteers (a remarkable spike from last year’s figures) helped to make Lantern Festival 2003 a highly successful event shared by our community and our visiting city neighbors.

Executive Director: Suellen Cheng

Assistant Curator: Sonia Mak

Administrative Director: Jan Wang

Educator: Geneva Tien-Witzleben

Outreach Coordinator: Jing Chiou Liou

Public Relations Associate: Linh Duong

Administrative Assistant: Betty Liu

Curatorial Assistant: Kristinne Uy

The Search is On!

We continue to search for artifacts relating to the Chinese American experience from 1850 to present for the Museum’s opening exhibit.

Items needed include posters of major community events, personal memorabilia that immigrants brought with them to America, boarding passes, tools, toys, crate labels, programs of Chinese operas, and announcements of major celebrations.

Even the simplest personal effects such as shaving kits, combs, period jewelry, lockets, photos, immigration documents, diaries, and period clothing are important in telling our stories.

If you think items from your family heirloom could add to the museum collection, please contact Sonia Mak at (213) 626-5240. Your contribution will certainly be appreciated by the museum visitors and generations to come.

Special Thanks to Donors

The Chinese American Museum has recently collected over 100 reels of old home movies from Jim Fong, Robert and Edith Jung, Richard Lem, Irvin R. Lai, and Pamela Tom who selflessly shared the precious images of their families. These films have been preserved and transferred to digital video tapes with a generous grant from the John Randolph and Dora Haynes Foundation. The museum’s new acquisitions also include invaluable artifacts donated by Gim Fong, Bill Jong, David and Yukie Lee, Hing Lee, Holly Lee, Bing Liu, Henry Leong, Ruth Lung, Judge Delbert Wong, Charles Choy Wong, John Yee, and the late Jerry Jann. We are deeply grateful for their generous contributions to the museum project.

Over a hundred artists will invite art enthusiasts into their homes for a open studio tour to view their work and loft-style living at The Brewery, one of the largest artist colonies. This event is free of charge to the public.

The Brewery is located on N. Main Street at the 5 Freeway near Downtown Los Angeles. For more information, please call 323.342.0717 or visit www.breweryart.org.