On May 8, sophomores gathered in the CPAC during Academy for a guest speaker presentation by Chinese Bay Area filmmaker Josh Chuck. A fourth-generation resident based in San Francisco Chinatown, Chuck enriched students regarding his co-directed documentary: Chinatown Rising. Through his own words as well as film clips, Chuck discussed the history of Chinatown, including the people’s struggles and achievements accompanied by 1960s Chinatown clips and photos produced by Chuck’s father.
“We learned about how the civil rights movements in Chinatown affected everybody and how Ethnic Studies became a thing because of those civil rights movements,” said sophomore Annabel Inezo when recounting the presentation. “…It was really interesting to see how people lived and how so much has changed.” With a focus on young Chinatown residents and their activism, Chinatown Rising recounts how these activists reshaped their communities.
When asked about the most interesting part of the film, sophomore Throyden Yavuzer-Judd said, “I’d definitely say the different interview segments with people who actually went to these protests and were hurt badly because of the police brutality present at these protests of activism… it shows that this country is not as “sunshine and rainbows” as people think it is, so it kind of opened your eyes because [it’s like] ‘did you really know about this event before?’”
Students who attended the presentation enthused over how Chuck’s presentation gave them personal insight into a diverse perspective outside the classroom. “I think it’s important to get multiple perspectives so that you can get rid of bias,” said sophomore Oliver Rothey. “If you have multiple perspectives, you can infer your own opinion.”
Sophomore students furthermore connected the presentation to their Ethnic Studies curriculum and class time learning. “Last week we were learning about the civil rights movement, specifically Martin Luther King and Malcolm X [as well as] a lot of people… that are shown in the Chinatown Rising,” Inzeo said. Inzeo furthermore connected the pattern she noticed between civil rights movements and youth activism.
“If you only get a few perspectives in your own life- say you just get perspective from a white person… you would only think about how this would affect white people. You may know it in your mind, but you wouldn’t understand it,” reflected Yavuzer-Judd post-presentation. “…[When someone like] Josh comes and speaks about Chinese activism and all the struggles people went through, it opens an entirely new perspective and allows you to look at things from another angle.”
