Speaker Series: “Finding Cleveland” – Where Far East meets Deep South @ History Park SJ

Starts: April 15, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Ends: April 15, 2018 at 2:30 pm

Location: Firehouse 2nd Floor at History Park, 635 Phelan Ave., San Jose, CA 95112
Admission: Free

Chinese Historical and Cultural Project welcomes LA-based husband-wife filmmakers and music artists Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu, aka Only Won, as they bring their award-winning documentary Finding Cleveland to History Park. The film has been greeted with many sold out audiences across the U.S on their Finding Cleveland Experience national tour. The screening will include Q & A and a musical performance by Larissa Lam and Only Won.

Baldwin Chiu, a Bay Area native, and his wife, Larissa Lam, have been entertaining and educating audiences across the country with their emotional documentary Finding Cleveland, which highlights the overlooked contributions of Chinese immigrants. What starts out as a quest to discover Chiu’s family history leads to a disturbing story of racism facing Chinese immigrants in the segregated, pre-civil rights South amidst the Chinese Exclusion Act. The film documents the resolve of the early Chinese pioneers to overcome the challenges of the time. Finding Cleveland has won Best Documentary awards at the Oxford Film Festival, the Asians on Film Festival and the Sacramento International Film Festival.

Even though the film focuses on the story of the Chinese in the early to mid-1900s, many of the issues facing immigrants and the Chinese still exist today. Finding Cleveland is an eye-opening film that sparks needed conversation about what we can learn from the past to bring more diversity and inclusion into today’s society.

Baldwin Chiu is also a recognized rap artist who performs as Only Won. Larissa Lam is also an award-winning singer/songwriter. She composed the musical score for the film and performs regularly in noted venues across the country.

Also be sure to visit the Chinese American Historical Museum, open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, where you can learn about “Ching Ming,” Spring Remembrance Day.

Parking: Park for free on local streets or use the San Jose city parking lot on Phelan Avenue ($6 fee).

Directions: Exit Highway 280 at 10th St., then go south on 10th St., left on Keyes St., right on Senter Rd., left on Phelan Ave. History Park entrance is ahead on left; visitor parking lot ($6 fee) is straight ahead at end of Phelan Ave.

For more information: http://www.findingcleveland.com