Museum celebrates Chinese American legacy and resilience

When Gay Yuen immigrated from Hong Kong to Los Angeles' Chinatown at the age of six, she dreaded history class. She spoke no English, and her textbooks offered no trace of Chinese like her. Even in high school, American history skipped over the Chinese immigrants who had crossed oceans, built railroads and worked the mines of the 19th century.

Decades later, Yuen serves as the board chair of the Friends of the Chinese American Museum in LA, which seeks to recover those erased stories.

"What I've learned in these 20 years is a history that was never taught in school," she said. "And the longer I stayed with the museum, the more I realized that such a museum is so needed here, locally, statewide and nationally."

Yuen emphasized that CAM's role is not only to document overlooked history but also to "honor those who illuminate the Chinese people and the contributors to making that history in America."

Her own journey from rejecting history to preserving it reflects the museum's work to shine light on the experiences of Chinese Americans and inspire the next generation. That mission was highlighted at its 29th annual Historymaker Awards, where the 2025 honorees were recently announced in LA.

Among them, Brandon Tsay received the Dr Dan S Louie Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award for courageously disarming a shooter, preventing further tragedy shortly after 11 people were killed in Monterey, California in 2023.

"I'm still getting used to this," Tsay said. "But I'm following the legacies of people that came before me and trying to learn from their footsteps."

The Art and Activism Award went to rapper and poet Jason Chu, whose work amplifies Asian American voices. As co-curator of CAM's spoken-word exhibition (Be)Spoken, he brought together pioneers and emerging artists. "Our heroes and our next generation — their voices are in the museum today," Chu said. "This community values and uplifts work that can't be erased."

Other honorees included Pasadena, California firefighter Chien Yu, who received the Heroism in Service Award after losing his own home while saving others during the Eaton fire in January; Tina Chen Craig, a fashion and beauty entrepreneur, who was recognized with the Iconic Impact Award; and Paula Williams Madison, who received the President's Award for her leadership and cross-cultural advocacy.

"They are our leaders and mentors who have advanced our Southern California Chinese American communities and serve as role models for our next generation," said CAM co-founder Munson Kwok. "And they are voices of legacy trailblazers and bridge builders."

One of the most solemn recognitions went to the 1871 Memorial Project, which received the Judge Ronald S W Lew Visionary Award. Lew was the first Chinese American appointed to the federal bench outside of Hawaii. The initiative seeks to memorialize the Chinese Massacre of 1871, when a mob lynched 18 Chinese men and boys in Los Angeles, one of the darkest episodes in the city's history.

Michael Woo, president of the project and the first Asian American elected to LA City Council, explained that the memorial will be an immersive urban landmark across multiple downtown sites. Sculptures inspired by banyan trees, along with interpretive installations, audio tours and augmented reality features, will educate the public about this tragic chapter in LA history.

"The idea of a memorial is not just a statue on a pedestal, but a sequence of sites that keeps the memory alive while creating a unique urban landmark," Woo told China Daily. "It's about raising public awareness, not just about history, but especially at a time when there are authorities who are trying to erase history."

The first site, featuring 18 sculptures to represent the known massacre victims, is expected to open in 2026, with the full project planned for completion in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For Congresswoman Judy Chu, the museum's work carries national significance. "It's shed light on the discrimination that Asian Americans have faced, and it's even more vital to do this now with the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes, xenophobic attacks on immigrants and the rollback of language access for those with limited English proficiency," Chu said.

She noted that without the Chinese American community's efforts, Americans might forget that the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 institutionalized discrimination for six decades, or overlook the contributions of Chinese railroad workers whose labor helped bind the nation's infrastructure and economy.

"It is more critical than ever for institutions like our own Chinese American museum to tell the truth, to tell the real story," she added. "We are the history makers, and that needs to be known."

"History always repeats itself. That's why we have to learn from history, and that's why the museum is very important in educating future generations," said Evans Lam, the museum's honorary chair.

renali@chinadailyusa.com