Where are you from? Where are you really from? Join us for this special performance featuring Son of Paper at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, as we come together to celebrate our complex lineage and deep histories as Asian Americans. This event is a unique opportunity to connect with our cultural roots, from San Francisco to Oakland, traditional and contemporary, through the vibrant sounds of Son of Paper’s music.

A part of Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage Series, this will be an unforgettable evening of music, culture, food, and community as we discover where we really come from, and how we are connected as a community from Chinatown to Chinatown. This event will feature guest performances from Guzheng player, Winnie Wong, DRAGON OF THE WEST, DJ Dailo Mac, and Bianca Brown, as well as other fun activities like:

? Free 5 minute photo sessions for registered guests for “Generations of Joy”, a project by Annie’s T Cakes, Oakland Fortune Factory, and Sasha’s House Oakland
? Free snacks and light food provided for the community
? Local vendors
? And a dance party!

Parental Advisory: Please be advised that the performances may contain explicit language alluding to violence and racism. Listener discretion is advised.

ABOUT Son of Paper

A native of San Francisco, Son of Paper (SOP) (he/him) is a songwriter and performing artist that blends Conscious Hip-Hop flows with R&B grooves and East Asian influences, reflecting the rich and diverse cultural heritage of our community.

Son of Paper is a great grandson of a Paper Daughter, a term that describes Chinese people who immigrated to the U.S. by falsely claiming to be the child of Chinese-American citizen, one of the only ways for Asian immigrants to enter the United States during the 83 year period of Chinese Exclusions. Son of Paper makes use of this history and seeks to reckon with Anti-Asian sentiment and racism both towards and within the Asian community. Looking inward, Son of Paper knows he is a product of generations, of combinations and of contradictions. He doesn’t reject this — instead, he embraces it.

FEATURING

Winnie Wong

Winnie Wong was born in Hong Kong and raised in San Francisco, CA. She started her training on the guzheng in 1982 at the age of four under the expertise of guzheng virtuoso, Ms. Weishan Liu. Being from a Chinese immigrant family, guzheng allowed her to stay connected to her roots, but more importantly, share with the community the beauty and importance of diversity.

In 2003, she founded the “China’s Spirit Music Ensemble” to give her growing population of guzheng disciples a “home” to share and develop their skills and understanding for the guzheng, its culture, as well as an outlet to share their musical achievements. On March 28, 2016, “Listen for Life” presented Ms. Wong with the “Musician of the Heart” award for her performances, achievements, and her dedication towards bridging cultures through music and encouraging a new generation of cultural musicians!

DRAGON OF THE WEST

Jason Wu, also known as “Dragon of the West,” is a rapper and producer from San Francisco, California.

Through his intricate rhymes and meticulously crafted instrumentals, he documents his experience as an Asian American immigrant growing up in the United States. He’s been making music since he was in middle school, and uses his music to influence and inspire the future generation of Asian American youth. He draws his inspiration from anime and video games, being that “Dragon of the West” is a reference to Uncle Iroh, a character from the very popular TV series “Avatar: the Last Airbender”.

DJ Dailo Mac

Mackenzee aka DJ Dailo Mac (she/her) has been djing in the Bay Area for over 20+ years and has performed at many venues all over the Bay Area. 

Bianca Brown

A graduate of Oakland School for the Arts, Bianca (BB) Brown has grown up surrounded by music. While at OSA, she was vocally trained in various genres including R&B, musical theater, jazz, and classical music. She took what she learned there and combined it with her natural ear for music to teach herself piano.

BB has performed at various venues around the Bay Area, including Oakland City Hall, The Fox Theater, and at the top of Salesforce Tower. She is currently doing shows with community based organizations around the Bay Area, private events, and Sofar Sounds.

Whether she is singing published music or something she has written herself, BB believes in the power of music to heal and relate to her listeners and uses her music to communicate to the world around her.

ABOUT THE SERIES

“Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage” champions local Asian and Asian Pacific Islander performing artists, with the goal of providing a platform for accomplished local performing artists and exposing our diverse community in the East Bay to compelling, culturally relevant artists and performances that inspire intergenerational and cross-cultural exchange. The performing arts series is supported in part by the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.

Donations are appreciated and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.