Monthly Newsletter | August 2021 |
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Wednesday & Friday: 9:30am to 2pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am to 5pm
Group visits by appointment only.
Masks are still required for all individuals entering the building regardless of each individual’s vaccination status. We also continue to encourage physical distancing in all our spaces. We will closely monitor the pandemic situation and may extend the reopening to more weekdays in the coming months. We have established protocols to ensure the safely of our visitors, volunteers, and staff.
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| From the Executive Director |
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August is the last month of the Summer Break! Autumn is not far away!
We thank our two wonderful interns, Flora and Furong, who helped our Museum during the summer. We also appreciate the eight student volunteers from IIT for their Day of Undergraduate Service. We wish them the best with their upcoming academic year.
Astronomical autumn 2021 begins on September 22. We will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at Set-In-Stone Gathering Space on September 18, three days before the actual Mid-Autumn Festival (September 21) which is another day before the astronomical autumn. In order to give participants a safer and more pleasant experience, the celebration event this year is divided into two sessions so please register accordingly.
We also have two virtual events in September: “Through the Lens of Arthur Rothstein: Beyond Shanghai” on September 9 is a lecture with photos of WWII Jewish refugee community in Shanghai, China; “A Tale of Three Chinatowns” on September 15 is a documentary screening and webinar discussion. The events are the result of collaboration between CAMOC and other museums. Please register for both to enjoy the content and support our work. More information about the events can be found below.
Our Board Retreat will be held on September 25 when we can refocus on what we want to accomplish in the coming year especially when the shadow of the pandemic is still lingering around. We hope that you could continue to support our work and our mission so that we can create more and more exciting exhibitions and public programming in the future!
Ben Lau
Executive Director
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Culinary Historians of Chicago tour King Joy Lo mini exhibit "Era of Opulence: Chinese Fine Dining"
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This past month, CAMOC was pleased to host a group from the Culinary Historians of Chicago! Our Curator of Collections Riley led a tour focusing on our second-floor mini exhibit, Era of Opulence: Chinese Fine Dining, featuring King Joy Lo. We had a fantastic time bonding over our interests in the rich culinary history of Chicago's Chinatown, as well as providing more historical context to this fascinating period in Chinese restaurant history.
LEFT PHOTO (left to right): Group leader Catherine Lambrecht, Board Member Soo Lon Moy, and Curator of Collections Riley Ren
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"Sailing to Cathay: Maritime Trade Routes to Asia Before & After the Arrival of the Europeans at the Turn of the 16th Century"
Lecture Presented by Andrew Singer
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At the beginning of the month, CAMOC hosted a lecture presented by writer and speaker Andrew Singer. The lecture explored the vibrant maritime trade routes that existed in the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea before and after the arrival of the Europeans in Asia at the turn of the sixteenth century. Maritime trade routes were the global highways of the ancient world carrying commodities, art, ideas, people, and religion between Europe and Asia, with significant societal impacts felt at both ends.
Thank you to those who joined us for the lecture! If you missed it or would like to revisit it, the recording can be found on our YouTube channel - just click on the button below.
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Thank you to our student volunteers from IIT! |
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On their Day of Undergraduate Service, students from the Illinois Institute of Technology took time out of their busy schedules to volunteer at the Museum! They cleaned up our parking lot and sidewalk area, stairways, donor wall, and lobby. ED Ben Lau also gave them a tour of the Museum to familiarize them with our mission. Thank you to our volunteers! We hope they can visit us soon and tell their peers about us. |
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A big thank you to our summer intern Flora Wu!
Flora (she/her/hers) grew up in Chicago’s Chinatown and her parents are from China.
She is currently pursuing her International Baccalaureate Diploma at Curie Metropolitan High School. Flora is not certain about her future major but she would like to learn more about areas in the business field. Her hobbies include exploring new places and going on adventures. Her interests at the moment are photography and making food from different types of cuisines.
We asked Flora what her favorite part of the Museum is:
"My favorite part of the museum is the short video about Chicago in Chinatown held in the theater of the second floor. I enjoy welcoming visitors into our museum and communicating to them about the exhibits that we have on display."
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Through the Lens of Arthur Rothstein: Beyond Shanghai |
Date: Thursday, September 9, 2021
Time: 6:30pm CT
Location: Virtual
Arthur Rothstein, best-known for his Dust Bowl photography during the Great Depression, was the recipient of more than three dozen awards in photography and photojournalism over the course of his career. One of his lesser-known projects included an assignment photographing the Jewish refugee community in Shanghai during World War II, showcased in Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center’s new exhibit, Shanghai: Safe Haven During the Holocaust.
Join us for an illustrated lecture that will place Rothstein’s Shanghai photo essay in the context of his extraordinary 50-year career. The lecture will be presented by Rothstein’s daughter, Dr. Ann Rothstein Segan, and her husband, urban planner and affordable-housing specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Brodie Hefner.
Click on the button below to register. After registering, you will receive an email with information about how to access the program.
The Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC) is a community partner for this event, along Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Chicago, Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute, Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, and Sheerit Hapleitah of Metropolitan Chicago.
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A Tale of Three Chinatowns
Documentary Screening and Discussion
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Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Time: 5 - 6pm CT
Location: Virtual
Specifically examining Chinatowns in three American cities, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Boston, A Tale of Three Chinatowns looks at the forces altering each community and the challenges that go with them. This feature-length documentary presents the current pressing topic of urban development and gentrification through the eyes of those on the frontlines. CAMOC ED Ben Lau will be joining the panel discussion following this documentary screening, hosted by the Chinese American Museum DC.
Documentary Executive Producers, Penny Lee and Lisa Mao will be joined by a panel of representatives from the Chinatown communities highlighted to further explore topics of the film. Moderator, Ted Gong is the Director of the 1882 Foundation located in Washington DC’s Chinatown; a non-profit which broadens public understanding of the history of Chinese in America through programs to preserve oral histories and sites, conduct teacher workshops and curriculum, and build collaborations and best practices among APA museums and public educators. Ben Lau is the Executive Director of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC), the only Chinese American museum in the Midwest serving the community through public programs, exhibitions, and community engagement. Lydia Lowe is Director of the Chinatown Community Land Trust, which works to stabilize Boston Chinatown through community control of land, development without displacement, permanently affordable housing, and shared neighborhood spaces.
Register for this FREE virtual event below. All registrants will receive a Vimeo link to screen the feature film prior to the webinar discussion.
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Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021
Time: 5 - 8pm CT
Location: Set in Stone Gathering Place
641 E. 31st Street, Chicago, IL 60616
Join the Chinese American Museum of Chicago and community partners in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival! This event will feature music, storytelling, seed-planting, lantern-making, mooncakes and more. The Mid-Autumn Festival is family-friendly and all are welcome to participate! The event is FREE, but please register ahead of time by clicking the button below.
Face masks are required for guests over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status.
The 2021 Mid-Autumn Festival event is hosted in partnership with Roots & Routes, Chicago Park District and Night Out in the Parks, the Field Museum, The Nature Conservancy, and the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community.
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In-Person Screening of "WUHAN WUHAN" |
Date: Saturday, October 9, 2021
Time: 2pm CT
Location: CAMOC 4th floor
238 W 23rd St, Chicago, IL 60616
The Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC) and Asian Pop-Up Cinema are excited to host this in-person screening of WUHAN WUHAN, a film by director Yung Chang, on the fourth floor of the Museum.
Synopsis
WUHAN WUHAN is an observational documentary unfolding during February and March of 2020 at the height of the pandemic in Wuhan city, where the coronavirus began. With unprecedented access at the peak of the pandemic lockdown, WUHAN WUHAN goes beyond the statistics and salacious headlines and puts a human experience into the early days of the mysterious virus as Chinese citizens and frontline healthcare workers grappled with an invisible, deadly killer.
The film focuses on five heart-wrenching and endearing stories: a soft-hearted ER doctor and an unflappable ICU nurse from the COVID-19 hospital; a compassionate volunteer psychologist at a temporary hospital; a tenacious mother and son who are COVID-19 patients navigating the byzantine PRC healthcare system; and a volunteer driver for medical workers and his 9-month pregnant wife whose heartfelt story forms the backbone of this film. In a time when the world needs greater cross-cultural understanding, WUHAN WUHAN is an invaluable depiction of a metropolis joining together to overcome a crisis.
About Yung Chang
Yung Chang is the director of Up the Yangtze (2007), China Heavyweight (2012), The Fruit Hunters (2012) and This is Not a Movie (2019). Chang’s films have premiered at international film festivals including Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, and IDFA and have played theatrically in cinemas around the world. His films have been critically-acclaimed, receiving awards in Paris, Milan, Vancouver, San Francisco, the Canadian Genie, Taiwan Golden Horse, Cinema Eye Honors, among others and have been nominated at Sundance, the Independent Spirit Awards and the Emmys. Chang is the recipient of the Don Haig Award, the Yolande and Pierre Perrault Award, and the Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award.
Tickets will be available for purchase soon.
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Becoming a member is a simple and effective way to get involved with the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago. Your membership represents a personal investment in the Museum and ensures the continuation of the wide array of quality exhibitions, programs, and events we bring to the community. In addition, you are affirming the importance of the Museum’s commitment to bring the Chinese-American experience in the Midwest to as many people as possible.
$150 = Free event admission for member & 3 guests for 1 year
$100 = Free event admission for member & 1 guest for 1 year
$60 = Free event admission for member only for 1 year
$30 = Free event admission for seniors & students for 1 year
$500 = Corporate Membership for 1 year (with 10 individual memberships, recognition in program & on plaque)
For Members who support us beyond the basic level, we offer extra recognition and the following benefits:
$250 = Bronze (Honorary Membership)
$500 = Silver (Honorary Membership)
$1,000 = Gold (Lifetime Membership or a small donor brick)
$1,500 = Platinum (Lifetime Membership and a small donor brick)
$5,000 = Diamond (Large donor brick)
$5,500 = Jade (Large donor brick plus Lifetime Membership)
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TOP:
Large Brick
7.5" X 7.5"
LEFT:
Donor Wall in Front Lobby
BOTTOM:
Small Brick
3.5" X 7.5"
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You can read the full list of benefits on our website by clicking the button below. There are also instructions on how to join at the bottom of the page, along with the Membership Form. |
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We are looking for dedicated, reliable, and energetic individuals who would like to experience our historic institution from the inside — as volunteers! We need volunteers for docents, greeters and special events. If you are interested in volunteering for us, please use the button below to visit our related page and download a volunteer form. |
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CAMOC Together Against COVID-19
Special Collection
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An old Chinese saying, 時勢造英雄 (Shíshì zào yīngxióng ), which means a hero is made in the time of misfortune aptly describes how people rally together in the pandemic. During this challenging time we are deeply moved by the proactive steps and incredible acts of generosity and support exhibited by the Chinese Americans. Thousands of individuals and organizations have been raising money, donating personal protective equipment, and providing free meals to those in need, especially to front-line healthcare workers and others. CAMOC is inviting you to help us preserve these heroic moments by sharing the stories to our Together Against Covid-19 Special Collection.
CAMOC started this special collection with the goal of recording the experiences and stories of individuals, families, and organizations during these unprecedented times. The Together Against Covid-19 Collection will include various forms of content, which can be photos, videos, articles, audios, letters, paintings, certificates, or any form you can think of. If you are not sure whether your content fits our collection or you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please send your story to covid19@ccamuseum.org , with the subject Together Against Covid-19 Collection. And please include your contact information , including full name, organization or community if applicable, email, phone number, and mailing address.
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About Us
The mission of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago - Raymond B. & Jean T. Lee Center (CAMOC) is is to advance the appreciation of Chinese American culture through exhibitions, education, and research and to preserve the past, present, and future of Chinese Americans primarily in the Midwest.
The museum building, formerly the Quong Yick Co., is located in Chicago's Chinatown, at 238 West 23rd Street in Chicago. The Museum opened to the public on May 21, 2005. After a devastating fire in September of 2008, the Museum was closed for renovation and reopened in 2010.
CAMOC is governed by the Board of Directors of the Chinatown Museum Foundation (CMF), a 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation located in Chicago, Illinois.
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