Category: ACE events

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Virtual Asian Festival

Salinas Chinatown Virtual Asian Festival

ACE’s Virtual Asian Festival is coming up on July 29th, and we couldn’t be more excited. Visit our ACE pop-up and get K-tacos on July 14, 4 – 8 pm at the Salinas Sports complex; then on July 29, order Asian food samplers for take out, pick up at the Salinas Buddhist Temple 4 – 7 pm, and watch our online festival from 7 – 8 pm. Thanks to Basic Lee for the beautiful Festival logo design, Carissa Purnell for flyer design, and to the whole Virtual Festival Committee (Dominic Dursa, Jason Agpaoa, and Chrissy Lau) for their hard work on ACE’s first virtual festival!

TO ORDER: www.bit.ly/salinasACE2021

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Moving Day

We moved in to our new office/gallery space at Moon Gate Plaza! There will be a few more moving days. Thanks to Union Bank (Prunedale) for the furniture donation! And thanks to all who came to help out, including Michael Miller who is not in these pics. Shown in the photos below: Cathy Chavez-Miller, Larry Hirahara, Jason Galinato Agapaoa, Henry Gong, Charlotte Hirahara, and Larry White. Photos: Jean Vengua

There’s still a lot of work to do, and we’ll be calling on volunteers to help out. More recently, we held our first programming meeting. Coming up on July 28/29 is our Virtual Asian Festival.  Among other things, we’ll be serving up sweet & sour chicken, Republic Cafe style, lumpia, teriyaki kabobs, rice, and more for take-out. Check out our ACE Facebook page for updates.

ACE will also resume our pop-up exhibits this year. We’re looking forward to meeting you and sharing stories of Chinatown. 

Moving into Moon Gate Plaza
ACE members check out the old ACE banner.
Asian Cultural Experience, Salinas Chinatown
ACE members temporarily hang up the “new” ACE banner.
Asian Cultural Experience, Salinas Chinatown
Charlotte and Henry take a break on moving day.

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MCGives! – ACE at Moon Gate Plaza

ACE has been accepted into the MCGives! Campaign, which kicked off today, Nov. 12, and runs to Dec. 31st 2020. Our goal is to raise $50,000 to complete interior construction of ACE’s office/gallery space on Soledad and Lake Streets at Moon Gate Plaza by early 2021.

Interior of ACE office space at Moon Gate Plaza, 11/2020
Interior, ACE Office, Suite A, Moon Gate Plaza

Regular staff hours in a stable office space will enable ACE to apply for larger grants that will have more impact for the Chinatown community as part of the ongoing Chinatown Revitalization. Go to montereycountygives.com, click on “Meet Our Nonprofits,” then go to the Arts & Culture category and the Asian Cultural Experience page, to donate to our campaign. At this point, we have received $6,500 (thank you!) towards our goal!

Chinatown kids, 1930s.

Imagine historical and cultural exhibits inside our new space and visible in window displays; imagine lectures, programs, and activities for local kids and families, as well as for visitors and students. We also plan to incorporate a small, historical-themed library where people can learn more about the neighborhood and immigrant history.

Photos from the ACE Archives — waiting for an exhibit.
Corner view of ACE office at Moon Gate Plaza
ACE Office at Moon Gate Plaza, corner view

Completion of the ACE office/gallery construction will help to activate Soledad St. alongside our neighbors on the bottom floor of Moon Gate, which include: the Red Artichoke Café, CSUMB Health Services, the Community Policing office, Urban Arts Collaborative, and Public Space’s art studios and gallery. The residential area of Moon Gate has already reached full occupancy, and residents there will also benefit from these organizations and services.

Eventually (after renovating the Republic Cafe building down the street), we plan to shift headquarters to the future Republic Cafe Cultural Center & Museum (we will be fundraising for purchase of that building with a deadline of Dec. 2021), and when that building has been completed, ACE will move, and Suite A will be available for another worthy business/organization.

We hope you will consider donating to MCGives! for completion of the ACE office/gallery space!

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ACE Right Now

The 13th Annual Asian Festival (previously scheduled for end of April) has been cancelled, with a possibility of rescheduling later this year, pending further information about the coronavirus.

Right now, ACE continues (online) behind the scenes. We are gearing up to hold meetings via ZOOM; we’ll be publishing our first newsletter this month, which will be sent to ACE members, and continuing to make plans for the future, looking forward to the time when we will be able to move into our space at Moon Gate Plaza, and start up our offline projects again.

One of our partners, Dorothy’s Place, has been providing for folks who are unhoused and living in tents/on the streets in Chinatown. Dorothy’s has placed water and 3 washing stations outside their building, they continue to provide meals for takeout, coronavirus information, as well as general health and counseling services. Please consider making a donation to Dorothy’s Place.

Wishing everyone health, safety, and peace.

— ACE

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First Friday: Stories of Salinas Chinatown

Come and visit the Stories of Salinas Chinatown exhibit at the Historic Harvey House at the Salinas Train Station, free, this First Friday, June 7 (5 to 8 pm) and also on Saturday, June 8 (10 to 3 pm)! Snacks and drinks will be provided. The exhibit celebrates the history of Chinatown and its multiple ethnic communities, examines its present, and new plans for its future. The exhibit is open every Sat 10 to 3 pm and every first Friday of the month, May, June and July – 5 to 8 pm.

  • Read first-person accounts of residents who grew up, attended school, and worked in Chinatown; explore the early neighborhood and streets; listen to its sounds, and learn about the cultures that flourished there.
  • Unearthed in 2017, various ceramic shards will be displayed from May 3rd to July 31st. These objects were found during Chinatown’s archaeological monitoring and data recovery for cultural resources during construction of the Haciendas III Housing Project.
  • An exhibit gallery guide created for children and parents in English and Spanish will be available, serving also as a guide for students, grades 3 through 5.

Funded by a generous grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County, the event was created by ACE (Asian Cultural Experience) and the Historic Harvey House, partnering with CSUMB’s School of Social Behavior and Global Studies, and the Service Learning Institute. Check out the photos below taken since we opened the exhibit:

A panel on the first (of two) Chinatowns in Salinas. Photo: J. Vengua.
Dr. Ruben Mendoza discusses the archaeology part of the exhibit to ACE member Kathleen Slattery. Harvey House historian Larry Smith on the right. Photo: J. Vengua.
Page 16 of the artifacts booklet, detailing some of the interesting items in the archaeological part of the exhibit, researched and prepared by CSUMB students. This page features a fragment from an 18th c. Imari charger.
Jaise Thomas, one of CSUMB students who researched and prepared the archaeological exhibit. Photo: J. Vengua.
Close up of fragments of the Austrian art nouveau majolica vase, c. 1880, found in the Japan town archaeological dig. Photo: J. Vengua.
More pages, showing the students at work, from the Artifacts booklet.
Parts of the Japanese and Filipino exhibits. Photo: J. Vengua.
Part of the Chinese exhibit, shown with a lion dancer costume (on a mannekin). Photo: J. Vengua.
ACE members and guests on opening day of the exhibit. Photo: J. Vengua.
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Reflections on Salinas Chinatown

On May 21st, at the John Steinbeck Library, Salinas-area Asian American historians, authors, and artists shared their creative journeys, research, and influences, with
topics reflecting the diverse Asian communities of Salinas.

Great evening of sharing our writing, art, and cultural activism. Thank you, Salinas Public Libraries and ACE! And thanks to participants Gerry Low-Sabado, Larry Hirahara, Wally Ahtye, Kainoa Rocamora, Jean Vengua, and Richard Villegas. Thanks also to Cathy Chavez Miller and Cathy Andrews of Salinas Public Libraries for organizing the event. A high point of the event was when Joseph Frausto of Studio 316 awarded Salinas Union High School Students Kainoa and Xinyu with a scholarship from Main Street Art Studios and MidPen (see photos on Joseph’s Facebook site).

L to R: Gerry Low-Sabado, Kainoa Rocamora, Jean Vengua, Richard Villegas, Larry Hirahara, Wallace Ahtye.
Historian Gerry Low-Sabado speaks about the Monterey Fishing Village and her ancestors.

Richard Villegas, President of FANHS (Filipino American National Historical Society Monterey Bay Area) speaks about the creation of their book, Shadows on Main Street.
ACE member Wallace Ahtye speaks about the Salinas Chinatown neighborhood and its residents.
ACE Co-chair Jean Vengua reads the poem, “Momentum” from her book, Prau.
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Stories of Salinas Chinatown

Left: Geia Benson & her father. Right: Harvey House Board members Jeannie Hori-Garcia and Carlos Mariscal.

On May 3rd, we held the official opening for our Stories of Chinatown exhibit at the Historic Harvey House education center (at the Salinas Train Station) in Salinas. We had a wonderful time chatting with guests about Chinatown’s history. The exhibit will be open every Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every First Friday of each month through May, June, and July, 5 to 8 p.m. We will be open this Saturday, May 18, for Salinas Founders Day, and our docents will be available to discuss the exhibit with visitors.

Front door of the Harvey House about a week before Opening Day.

This ACE exhibit was created in partnership with the Historic Harvey House Education Center, CSUMB Service Learning Institute, and CSUMB’s Archaeology program of the School of Social, Behavioral, & Global Studies, and The Community Foundation for Monterey County. We thank Deborah Silguero for her curation of this process, Larry Smith for both his historical and practical knowledge, and Harvey House Board members for their support.

ACE members emeriti Wally Ahtye, Wellington Lee, and Al Baguio contributed their historical knowledge, memories, and many historical images, along with the ACE project team, consisting of both Board and regular members. Alex Fabros, Jr. (a FANHS member) also contributed text and photographs. Organizations such as the Chinese Association of Salinas, the Buddhist Temple of Salinas, the local branch of the Filipino American National Historical Society, and the Filipino Community Center of Salinas Valley also contributed to the project.

Part of the ACE Project Team, in the early planning process. L. to R: Jean Vengua, Deborah Silguero, Larry Hirahara, Al Baguio, and Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Wellington Lee and Deborah Silguero talk during the planning phase.
Guests chatting in front of the Filipino exhibit.
In the Harvey House mansion; Cheese, fruit, and bread from Star Market; cheese board selection by M.A. Fink. Pastries from Carolina Groyon-Cattani.
More food!
Rocamora Family with Jean Vengua and Henry Gong.
CSUMB students Izabella Edwards and Geia Benson contributed their ideas and creative skills to the exhibit.
Visitors checking out the panels.

Profs. Ruben Mendoza and Jennifer Lucido and their students contributed greatly to the archaeological exhibit. Service Learning Institute students contributed their creative ideas and artistic skills to various parts of the exhibit.

ACE Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller created the panel on Latino businesses in Chinatown.
Upper photo: Amanda Duncan with Jean Vengua. Amanda created an artful display of shards from the archaeological dig and presented it on a panel that simulated the cement environment where they were found.
Mr. Roland Teraji was happy to find his grandparents represented in the Japanese part of the exhibit. ACE Treasurer Larry Hirahara created the Japanese Panels.

“Stories of Chinatown” gave us a chance to tell the larger story of Salinas Chinatown–actually two Chinatowns, the first founded in 1872, and the second in 1893–and to incorporate first-person narratives from residents and business owners in Chinatown.

It was great to have calligrapher Mihoko Dreyer participate on Opening Day, sharing her calligraphy skills with the public. Thank you!
ACE Board member Herb Wong at the front door, next to our Thank You panel.
A photo from the production period: Deborah Silguero (foreground) working with the texts, Geia Benson painting the ACE logo, and Larry Smith checking out the wall for mounting the Chinese panels.

Just as important, we were able to create curriculum materials and hands-on experiences for the 3rd- to 5th-grade primary school students who often tour the Harvey House with their classes. (Thanks to Kathleen Cata Fitzgerald for translating our curriculum materials into Spanish!) The exhibit also encouraged students to think about their own family histories and journeys. We will be posting more photos of the exhibit and its visitors, and hope you will come and visit Stories of Salinas Chinatown!

Japanese and Filipino panels.
More shards researched and partially reconstructed by the archaeology students.
The Chinese Association of Salinas allowed us to use their Lion Dancer outfit for the exhibit.

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ACE/Asian Festival Fundraiser 3/24

YOU ARE INVITED to our ACE/Asian Festival Fundraiser, featuring Aireene Espiritu & The Itch: March 24, 2 to 5 pm, at the Filipino Community Center, 250 Calle Cebu in Salinas. Mike PZ & Assoc. will open with an acoustic performance. Open to all ages: kids are free!

Listen to Aireene Espiritu singing “Going Back Where I Belong” (audio): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiCB_ZucWZg Although we offer discounts for students with ID and persons over 65, please consider donating $20 or more to cover our costs and to benefit ACE and Asian Festival programs. For more information, see the flyer, below.

Aireene Espiritu poster 5_p1

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Aireene Espiritu: ACE/Asian Festival Fundraiser

We’re getting an early start on promoting our ACE / Asian Festival Fundraiser, featuring musician and vocalist Aireene Espiritu and the Itch, March 24, 2018, at the Filipino Community Center, on Calle Cebu St., Salinas, 2 to 5 pm. Check out the poster below for ticketing information. Your purchase of tickets will help support ACE and the Asian Festival programs to promote the history and culture of Salinas Chinatown, and eventually to renovate the Republic Cafe as a museum and cultural center. In the process, you will  enjoy some amazing roots, folk, and blues.

A wonderful musician in her own right, Aireene Espiritu also plays and records with some of the most talented roots and blues musicians in the Bay Area, including Jim Pugh (Little Village Foundation), Christoffer “Kid” Andersen (Greaseland Studios), Brian Judd (Hot Club of SF), and many more. Mike PZ [Mike Perez] and The Associates will open the show, and we’ll have a stompin’ good time! CDs will be available for sale.  Co-sponsored by the Filipino Community Center of Salinas Valley.

Aireene Espiritu poster 5_p1

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Salinas Chinatown 2017 Block Party: Images and Signs

It was wonderful to see many people attending the Chinatown block party. There was lots of great music, booths with free food, clothing, and services to help people transition into housing. Here are some photos of the party as a whole. Thanks again to the City of Salinas, all the different organizations, churches, CSUMB, musicians, and individuals who organized this event and made it successful.

  

Chinatown’s Soledad Street under the “Chop Suey Republic” (Republic Cafe) sign. In the distance, the new, in-process modular housing for Nihonmachi Village can be seen.

Thanks again to Jesus Aguilar and CSUMB’s Digital & Public Art students (in the Visual & Public Arts Dept.) for their signage intervention entitled the “Chinatown Oral Histories Project” in partnership with ACE. Below are some photographs of the signs, placed in context (that is, juxtaposed with the neighborhood’s municipal street signage).

Some of the students holding the signs they made. Students involved included: Laird Aceves-Aseves, Alyssa Arasawa, Evelyn Arias, Diana Bravo, Claudia Castro, Ana Cervantes, Coby Chai, Taylor Coburn, Emily DeCruz, Chelsea Frase, Stephanie Godinez, Xana Goulart, Justin Lupien, Alicia Maduena, Jacqueline Marquez, Justin Marquez, Yollette Merritt, Seamus Noll, Kaitlin Reynolds, Modesty Sams, Martin Tellez, and Beau Thomas.

ACE Members: (left) Wellington Lee, (right)Dom Siababa.

For more information about CSUMB’s VPA program, check out Visual & Public Arts.