Museum exhibit shows activist history in Asian-American community

World Today

Museum exhibit shows activist history in Asian-American community

A new exhibit at the Chinese Museum in Los Angeles is shedding light on a more rebellious side to the Asian community.

CGTN’s May Lee takes a tour.

Steven Wong is curator of the Chinese Museum of LA, but this special exhibit entitled “Roots: Asian American Movements in Los Angeles” is particularly meaningful to him.

“It really defies that whole model minority myth that we are apolitical, that we don’t speak up, that we don’t want to rock the boat. It really showcases that there were Asian Americans early on in the 1960s, 1970s that were really fighting, were vocal, were protesting, were marching, were crying out for revolution,” Wong said.

Asian Americans concerns galvanized the community to protest everything from the Vietnam War, racism and oppression across the board including gender inequality. A 1977 speech for International Working Woman’s Day addressed equal pay, childcare for working mothers, and political representation.