Category: Uncategorized

Chopsuey Republic! The Republic Cafe sign. Photo by Jean Vengua, taken right after our meeting on 1/14/2015.

ACE just had its first meeting of 2015; we got caught up on the neighborhood news, and began planning our programs. This will be a year of intensive fundraising; we need electricity and plumbing for the Republic Cafe, so we can hold more events there; we also need an office and storage space for our expanding collection.

In the near future, look for us on March 7 in the Founder’s Day celebration at the Salinas Train Station; we are also participating in the upcoming Asian Festival in Salinas Chinatown. Work on collecting, cataloging, and archiving images and objects continues. Expect to see ACE events, pop-ups, and collaborative partnerships throughout the year. We welcome your ideas and participation in fundraising, events, collections, and arts and educational programming!

“Love Will Set Us Free” sign above 39 Soledad St., photo by J. Vengua, taken 1/13/2015

An interesting article from the National Park Service on the preservation and use of historic gas stations. This reminds us of the old Shell gas station that served the Chinatown area for many years. It no longer exists, but here’s a reminder from the ACE archives and the Ahtye family collection:

Coming this Monday December 8, 2014

Come and join the Chinatown Community Learning Center for a special event!

Voices from Soledad Street is a special screening event provided by
California State University Monterey Bay: Oral History Students and Service Learning Institute!

*Light snacks and refreshments will be provided*

WHEN
Monday December 8, 2014
10am-12pm

WHERE
Chinatown Community Learning Center
22 Soledad Street
Salinas, CA 93901

Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller reports that she was “pleasantly surprised to see a strong and diverse coalition of over 20 community groups represented last Saturday” in the 21st Annual Peace and Unity March, a gathering of families and community members in Watsonville who come together to remember loved ones killed by violence in the last year.

Cathy Chavez Miller’s photo of friend Isaac Rodriguez above the JACL banner.

On October 18, ACE held another successful pop-up museum exhibit celebrating Filipino-American History Month at the John Steinbeck Library in Salinas. Thanks to Kristan, Carissa Purnell, and the Library staff for your support! Thanks also to ACE & FANHS members for helping out. We had a great time, looking at objects and images brought by participants, and talking with visitors. Below are some photographs capturing the event:

Kristan Amaral from the J. Steinbeck Library helped us set up the pop-up. In the background are Richard Villegas (L.) and Jess Tabasa (R.)

The John Steinbeck Library staff had their own exhibit of Filipino-authored books.

A section of the exhibit; photo of pinays from the Jean Vengua Collection.

Al Baguio (left), Larry Hirahara checking out the books (right).

Historian Alex Fabros came by for a visit: left to right: Al Baguio, Lowellen Sucgang, Vanessa Bautista, Alex Fabros.

Jess Tabasa (foreground) and Susan Aremas (background), talking with visitors.

ACE members Jess Tabasa (left) and Wellington Lee (right).

The pop-up museum is an informal museum exhibit created by participants who bring objects and images.

Visitor Francisco Garcia.

Jess Tabasa playing Nick Vengua’s ukulele.

Recently, ACE held a pop-up museum at the Salinas Valley Food & Wine Festival in downtown Salinas. The Festival provided us with the space. Henry Gong managed the pop-up. Cathy Chavez-Miller and her husband, Michael brought the tent and tables. Wally Ahtye provided invaluable help and great photos. They had a chance to meet and talk to many people in the festival setting. Thanks, all!

Henry Gong with family photos and a photo of the Republic Cafe from the Wallace Ahtye Collection.

Some family photos from Henry Gong’s collection.

L. to R.: Henry Gong, Cathy Chavez-Miller, Wally Ahtye, Jean Vengua.

Wallace Ahtye.

Photo of El Faro Restaurant (L.) brought by Cathy Chavez Miller, and part of a photo of an earlier Asian Festival in Salinas.

More family photos brought to the pop-up.

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