BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Oakland Asian Cultural Center - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://oacc.cc X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Oakland Asian Cultural Center REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20270314T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20271107T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250220T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250220T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250116T011202Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250306T184144Z UID:20843-1740076200-1740083400@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"The Camps America Built" - Honoring Day of Remembrance 2025 DESCRIPTION:The Camps America Built – Honoring Day of Remembrance 2025\n  \nThursday\, Feb. 20\, 2025\n6:30 PM\nFREE\nJoin us for the unveiling of The Camps America Built\, an immersive portrait project exploring the resilience of Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in camps during WWII. Since 2022\, photographer and National Geographic Explorer Haruka Sakaguchi has traveled to all 10 camps and photographed over 80 Japanese Americans as they made pilgrimages to their former camps to reflect on this dark chapter in U.S. history. \nThis special event will feature a live presentation introducing the project and a screening of the short documentary Loyal American (2025\, 9 min.)—directed by Haruka and produced by National Geographic Society’s Impact Story Lab. A Q&A with Sakaguchi and the film’s protagonist will follow the screening. \nThis event is co-presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and the National Geographic Society. \nIn addition to an in-person event\, we will be live-streaming this event. To receive the Zoom link\, please register for this event and click the live stream option. We will email you the live stream link the week of the event.  \n*This event was formally titled “Campu: An American Story\,” but it remains the same program despite the title change. We apologize for any confusion. \n\nRegister\n \nMeet the Speakers\n \nHaruka Sakaguchi (b. 1990) is a Japanese documentary photographer based outside of New York City. She was born in Osaka\, Japan and immigrated to the U.S. with her parents when she was three months old. Haruka’s documentary work focuses on cultural identity and intergenerational trauma. Her clients include The New York Times\, National Geographic\, Time Magazine\, ProPublica\, The New Yorker\, Smithsonian Magazine\, BBC News\, Bloomberg Businessweek\, NPR\, Newsweek and The Washington Post among other publications. \n \nHenry Kaku’s (sansei) entire family was deported and sent to Japan after WWII. Although they were born in California\, his family lost their U.S. Citizenship during this time. It was not until 1956 that Henry became a U.S. Citizen at 8 years old\, and his family returned to California. \nHenry is now the Speakers Bureau Chair for the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). URL:https://oacc.cc/event/campuanamericanstory/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Past Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NEW-FLYER.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250301T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250301T153000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20240822T180423Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250308T024424Z UID:19513-1740837600-1740843000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"The Memory of Taste": Book Release Event with Chef Tu David Phu DESCRIPTION:The Memory of Taste Book Release Event with Chef Tu David Phu\n  \nSaturday\, March 1\, 2025 | 2 PM | FREE\nJoin us for a heartfelt community event as Chef Tu David Phu returns to Oakland\, the place where his culinary journey began. In partnership with the Oakland Public Library and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, Chef Tu David Phu will celebrate the release of his new book\, The Memory of Taste\, with an insightful panel discussion centered around diasporic communities and their food\, facilitated by Bryant Terry. Followed by a raffle with exciting prizes\, including five copies of The Memory of Taste. \nThis event is a tribute to the vibrant Oakland community and its profound impact on Chef Tu David Phu’s life and career. Let’s come together to celebrate food\, culture\, and community in the heart of Oakland. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with a local culinary icon and take home a piece of his culinary artistry. \nPurchase your copy of The Memory of Taste signed by Chef Tu David Phu and have a chance to meet him in person. \nEastwind Books of Berkeley will be selling copies of The Memory of Taste at this event\, and the Oakland Public Library will have copies available to check out. \nThis event is co-presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and the Oakland Public Library. \n\n\n\nRegister\n \nMeet Chef Tu David Phu\n \nChef Tu David Phu\, a San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star Chef\, embodies a culinary narrative deeply inspired by his heritage and the resilient spirit of his refugee parents. His journey from his mother’s Oakland garden to the pinnacle of culinary acclaim is a testament to his profound connection to his Vietnamese roots and culinary expertise. A two-time TEDx speaker and Top Chef alumnus\, Chef Phu’s prowess extends beyond the kitchen to impactful storytelling\, notably through his Emmy-nominated PBS film Bloodline. His forthcoming cookbook\, The Memory of Taste\, is eagerly anticipated as a homage to his family’s legacy\, promising a collection of recipes and stories celebrating his birthright and culinary innovation. \nMeet Bryant Terry\n \n*Photo by Carlos Chavarria \nBryant Terry is a multidisciplinary artist\, James Beard Award-winning chef\, publisher\, and author. His work is rooted in ancestral inspiration and encourages people to pursue a more healthful\, just\, and sustainable world. He has authored five highly acclaimed cookbooks\, San Francisco Magazine recognized him as one of the 11 Smartest People in the Bay Area Food Scene and by Fast Company as one of “9 People Who Are Changing the Future of Food.” Regarding his food justice activism\, Terry’s mentor Alice Waters says\, ‘Bryant Terry knows that good food should be an everyday right and not a privilege.’ From 2015 to 2022\, he served as the inaugural Chef-in-Residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco\, where he curated innovative public programming blending food\, farming\, health\, activism\, art\, and culture. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/thememoryoftaste/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Past Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/thumbnail-NEW-DATE-2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250307T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250307T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250207T210449Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T183132Z UID:20947-1741374000-1741381200@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Gumamela: An Intimate Preview. Florante Aguilar with Cascada de Flores and Special Guests Charmaine Clamor\, Jorge Mijangos\, and Greg Kehret DESCRIPTION:Gumamela: An Intimate Preview. Florante Aguilar with Cascada de Flores and Special Guests Charmaine Clamor\, Jorge Mijangos\, and Greg Kehret\n  \nFriday\, March 7\, 2025\n7 PM \nFREE\nJoin us to experience a musical exploration of the Mexican-Filipino connection featuring Florante Aguilar with Cascada de Flores and special guests Charmaine Clamor\, Jorge Mijangos\, and Greg Kehret. \n  \nThe Gumamela project is a collaboration born from the shared passion of Cascada de Flores and Florante Aguilar for the traditional music of their respective homelands\, Mexico and the Philippines. This project celebrates the striking musical parallels that connect the two cultures—an unexpected discovery that began with a chance meeting between these artists. \n \n Register\n \nMore about the Gumamela Project\n\n \nPhoto by Robert Lee \nGumamela\, a hibiscus flower in Tagalog\, flor de jamaica in Mexico\, is an exploration of the musical connection between Mexico and the Philippines as envisioned by Florante Aguilar and the San Francisco Bay Area ensemble Cascada de Flores. \n  \nThe Gumamela project is a collaboration born from the shared passion of Cascada de Flores and Florante Aguilar for the traditional music of their respective homelands\, Mexico and the Philippines. This project celebrates the striking musical parallels that connect the two cultures—an unexpected discovery that began with a chance meeting between these artists. \n  \nThese similarities trace back to the historic Manila Galleon trade\, a Pacific shipping route that linked Manila and Acapulco for over 300 years. Under Spanish colonial rule\, these ships carried not only goods but also culture\, weaving together the musical traditions of two distant lands. Though the trade route has long since ceased\, its cultural impact endures. \n  \nIn Gumamela\, the musicians begin immersed in the songs and danceable rhythms that the cultures share: the serenading Philippine haranas alongside the romantic danzas of Latin American\, jotas\, rondalla\, and kumparsa paired with Mexico’s son and jarabe\, and of course\, the boleros! \n  \nAs the project blossoms\, so does the creativity of its arrangements and the inspiration of its compositions. Like its namesake\, the hibiscus flower (Gumamela in Tagalog)\, the collaboration flourishes into a dynamic album and concert. The music is more than a celebration of shared heritage—it is a living testament to the enduring bonds of two cultures brought together across oceans and centuries. Even today\, it inspires the creativity of its descendants here in the San Francisco Bay Area. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/gumamela-an-intimate-preview/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/thumbnail.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250322T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250322T150000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250207T212331Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T195915Z UID:20948-1742648400-1742655600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong." Book Release Event with Katie Gee Salisbury DESCRIPTION:Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong\n \nBook Release Event with Katie Gee Salisbury\n  \nSaturday\, Mar. 22\, 2025 \n1 PM \nFREE\nSet against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood\, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong celebrates the first Asian American movie star\, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history. Join us on March 22\, 2025\, at 1 PM as we welcome author Katie Gee Salisbury for a book talk and signing highlighting this exciting new biography. \n  \nThis event is presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and Eastwind Books of Berkeley.    \n \n Register\n \nMeet the Author\n \nKatie Gee Salisbury is the author of Not Your China Doll\, a new biography of Anna May Wong\, Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star. Her work has appeared in the New York Times\, Vanity Fair\, The Believer\, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop\, and elsewhere. She was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in 2021 and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” She also writes the newsletter Half-Caste Woman. A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California\, she now lives in Brooklyn.  URL:https://oacc.cc/event/notyourchinadoll/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/thumbnail-2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250411T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250411T213000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250306T190554Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T173148Z UID:21030-1744399800-1744407000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:All Mixed Up! A Mixer Celebrating Multi-Racial Identity DESCRIPTION:All Mixed Up! A Mixer Celebrating Multi-Racial Identity\n  \nFriday\, Apr. 11\, 2025 \n7:30 PM – 9:30 PM\n$20 – $30\nJoin us on Friday\, April 11\, 2025\, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM\, for “All Mixed Up! A Mixer Celebrating Multi-Racial Identity\,” a mixer celebrating the diversity\, creativity\, and unique experiences of multiracial individuals in the AAPI community and beyond. This 21+ event will feature: \n \n A performance by Jamee of the band MICHELLE \n Live DJ sets by DJ Del \n Vendors including two-minute portraits by Oakland-based artist Cristina Edwards\, live tarot reading with Seba\, CLUB CHAZU\, Sugar Cane Apparel\, and more \n Light food from Noor Indian Fusion Kitchen\, Comal\, Gus’s Fried Chicken\, Asian Box\, Sakura Bistro\, Co Nam\, and more \n Drinks\, including our signature cocktail\, a Sake Lychee Martini \n And meaningful conversations centered on multiracial identity  \nWhether you want to connect\, share your story\, or enjoy a fun night out\, “All Mixed Up!” is a space to explore\, celebrate\, and build our multi-racial community. \n  \nThis event is sponsored and facilitated by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) and ASIAN\, Inc.\, in partnership with Mixed Asian Media (MAM)\, Mixed Kids Meet Ups\, Mixed Present\, the Lunar Collective Bay Area\, and ACE Next Gen Bay Area.  \n \nTicket Prices: \n $20 Ticket includes: Access to live music\, vendors\, a Photo Booth\, and light food \n $30 Ticket includes: Access to live music\, vendors\, a Photo Booth\, light food\, and one Sake Lychee Martini. \n \nGet the Party Started Early!Join us next door at Sakura Bistro for our “All Mixed Up” Happy Hour Special before the mixer!  \n 4:30pm – 7:30pm Sushi • Tapas • Beer • Wine • Sake \n \nShow your “All Mixed Up” email confirmation to a Sakura staff member to receive a special discount off drinks and food. Come mix\, mingle\, and enjoy discounted delicious bites and drinks from a small Oakland business — the perfect warm-up before the main event! \n \n Get tickets\n \nMeet the Performers\n \nPhoto by Matt Infante  \nJamee\nJamee is a queer\, Korean-American musician based in New York City. She has been a singer/songwriter in the indie-pop collective MICHELLE for over six years. Jamee has completed ten major tours with MICHELLE\, both nationally and internationally\, including four support tours for major artists such as Mitski\, Arlo Parks\, Still Woozy\, and Gus Dappertons. Jamee has recently launched her solo artist project\, releasing her debut single ‘Unfold’ off of her upcoming EP ‘Crawling Out the Deep End.’ \n \nDJ Del\nOriginally from NYC\, Del is an Oakland based DJ legend. Her original interest in music was sparked by an older brother’s obsession with vinyl\, and a mother who forced her into playing instruments at a young age. DJ Del’s sets are heavy with hip hop\, club music\, baile funk\, tech house\, garage\, hard techno\, and dubstep but are mainly influenced by whatever she got off soundcloud that week.  \n  \nSoundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/inebriatedfelon. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/all-mixed-up-a-mixer-celebrating-multi-racial-identity/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UPDATED-THUMBNAIL.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250419T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250419T140000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250308T004351Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250308T004716Z UID:21081-1745064000-1745071200@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Visible Mending For Stains & Patches DESCRIPTION:VISIBLE MENDING\nFOR STAINS & PATCHES\n\nSaturday\, Apr. 19\, 2025 | \n12 PM – 2 PM\nJoin us for a mending workshop with the Mending Collective to cover stains and holes using stitching and patching. \n• Registration is required. \n• Bring only items that need repair. \n• Translators are available upon\nrequest. \n• Class is free with a refundable $10 deposit. \nThis workshop is supported by Stop Waste. Stop Waste helps Alameda County’s businesses\, residents\, and schools waste less\, recycle properly\, and use water\, energy\, and other resources efficiently. They’re a public agency governed by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority\, the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board\, and the Energy Council. For more information\, please visit Stop Waste’s website: https://www.stopwaste.org/about-stopwaste \n加入我们的修补工作功，探索手工缝纲，这是一种对衣服，纺织品和我们自己进行 光 精心，而舒缓的修补方式，练习缝纲和修 补以遮盖污渍和破洞。\n• 人数限制为20人。\n• 前来我们的中心 进行登记。\n•我们将提供修补工具，但请携带需要 修补的物品。\n• 如果需要翻译，请于开放时间调(周三至周六，十二点至五点) 510-637-0455。 课程是免费的，但我们要求支付10美元，当你参加工作坊时将全数退还。 \n\n\n\nRegister URL:https://oacc.cc/event/visiblemending-2/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/visible-mending-flyer.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250419T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250419T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250305T175246Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T201340Z UID:21018-1745074800-1745082000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage: "The Rebirth of Apsara: Beyond Genocide." A Performance by Charya Burt Cambodian Dance. DESCRIPTION:Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage: The Rebirth of Apsara: Beyond Genocide \n \nA Performance by Charya Burt Cambodian Dance \n  \nSaturday\, Apr. 19\, 2025 \n3 PM \nFREE\nThe Rebirth of Apsara: Beyond Genocide is an adaptive multi-media dance and theatre work observing Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day and the 50th Anniversary of the beginning of the Khmer Rouge Genocide. The piece will honor genocide survivors\, the resilience of the Cambodian spirit\, and how Cambodian arts have been\, and continue to be\, transmitted from generation to generation. \n  \nThe Rebirth of Apsara: Beyond Genocide investigates the relationship between art and war\, exploring how Khmer classical dance\, particularly Apsaras\, fabled female celestial beings\, has embodied the essence of Cambodian culture from ancient mythology to its post-genocide resurrection. \n  \nMirroring her own life’s journey as an artist to explore the impact Apsara has had on both Khmer civilization and Cambodian artists of today\, Charya Burt sets her re-imagined classical dance gestures to music by renowned Cambodian-American composer Chinary Ung and traditional Khmer pin-peat. The performance is all tied together by a live soundscape by Marimba Lumina virtuoso Joel Davel and an engaging video backdrop designed by Hsuan-Kuang Hsieh.  \n  \nJoining Charya’s tour de force performance on stage will be dancer Chakra Sokhomsan and select Bay Area Cambodian community dancers. \n  \nA talkback with the artists and genocide survivors will follow the performance\, moderated by Mory Chhom. \n  \nOACC’s “Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage” Asian American & Pacific Islander performing arts series will provide a platform for local Asian and Asian Pacific Islander culturally relevant artists that inspire intergenerational and cross-cultural exchange. This program series is sponsored by Matson\, the Bank of Marin\, and Dr. Raymond L. Eng. \n \n Register\n \nMeet the Production Team\nCharya Burt: Creator\, Choreographer\, Lead Performer\n\nCharya Burt is an acclaimed master dancer\, choreographer\, vocalist\, and teacher of Classical Cambodian Dance. After the Khmer Rouge genocide\, Burt trained extensively with Cambodia’s foremost surviving dance masters\, eventually joining the dance faculty of Cambodia’s Royal University of Fine Arts. The Rebirth of Apsara\, her recent Hewlett 50 Arts Commission\, premiered in 2024 at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. \n  \nAn inaugural Dance/USA and 2022 Americans for the Arts Johnson Fellow and Isadora Duncan Award recipient for Individual Performance\, Burt has performed her original works nationwide at venues including Jacob’s Pillow\, San Francisco Opera House\, Oregon Shakespeare Festival\, and many others. Her recent choreographic works include Beautiful Dark (2024)\, about the relationship between colorism and perceptions of beauty\, Silenced (2018)\, Of Spirits Intertwined (2018)\, and Heavenly Garden (2016). \n  \nA true culture bearer\, Burt’s mission is to continue preserving and renewing her art form\, elevating the professionalism of community dance groups\, and creating innovative new works firmly rooted in tradition. She is the founding artistic director of Charya Burt Cambodian Dance\, based in the San Francisco North Bay. \nChinary Ung: Composer\n“Louk Kru” Chinary Ung was born in Cambodia and spent his early childhood in Prey Lovea\, a small village surrounded by rice paddies. His first exposure to Western classical music was as a teenager\, and he was so drawn to it that he came to New York in 1964 to study clarinet performance (at the Manhattan School of Music) and\, later\, composition with Chou Wen-Chung at Columbia University. During the Cambodian genocide\, where nearly 2 million people died\, Ung feared that the country would lose its precious musical heritage because the Khmer Rouge regime targeted artists. He devoted himself to learning the neat-ek\, the Cambodian xylophone\, and performing traditional pin peat music (the Cambodian gamelan ensemble) throughout the United States. \nKalean Ung: Writer\nPerformer and playwright Kalean Ung is an award-winning Cambodian-American multi-disciplinary theater artist whose professional career ranges from Shakespeare to experimental theatre to contemporary opera and solo performance. She has performed at The Kirk Douglas Theatre\, Disney Hall\, REDCAT\, and The Getty Villa\, among others\, collaborating with critically acclaimed theatre and opera companies\, including Critical Mass Performance Group\, The LA Philharmonic\, Rogue Artists Ensemble\, Independent Shakespeare Company\, and CalArts’s Center for New Performance. Kalean’s voice acting can be heard as the lead in Denis Do’s award-winning\, animated feature about the Cambodian genocide\, FUNAN. \n  \nFor this adaptation\, additional story development and text by Charya and Rob Burt. \nJoel Davel: Musical Director/Performer\n\nJoel Davel (Musical Director) is an accomplished percussionist whose performances and compositions range from classical to highly experimental. Davel is known for his many appearances in theatrical productions\, for many performance collaborations with composer Paul Dresher and Vân-Ánh Võ and for his 20 year association with electronic music designer Don Buchla. Davel is the music director and composer for dNaga Dance Company and PCB designer for Buchla. He performs on the Marimba Lumina\, an instrument he built and co-designed. Davel holds a Bachelor of Music from Northern Illinois University and MFA from Mills College. \nChakra Sokhomsan: Dancer\n\nBorn and raised to Khmer refugee parents\, Chakra is an activist\, artist\, and educator. The Cambodian community in Chakra’s hometown\, Long Beach\, CA\, helped develop his passion for the arts. He carries over ten years of Khmer Classical Dance training under Prumsodun Ok\, Charya Burt\, Sophiline Cheam Shapiro\, and Reaksmey Lath. Recently\, Chakra graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Dickinson College. He has also worked and performed with Alessio Trevisani\, Sarah Skaggs\, Pilobolus\, the American Dance Festival\, and more. Currently he is a teaching artist with the Modern Apsara Company in Long Beach\, CA. \nRob Burt: Director\n\nRob Burt\, Executive Director of Charya Burt Cambodian Dance\, is a theatre director\, producer\, and educator. A theatre teacher for over 35 years\, he directed and produced over 100 theatrical productions\, many for his award-winning playwriting program at Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa\, California. The school’s 350-seat theater was named in his honor in 2017. From 1990-1992\, Burt taught playwriting at the University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh\, Cambodia\, producing original plays with actors from Cambodia’s National Theatre. Here\, he met his future wife\, Charya\, who was on the university’s dance faculty. In 1993\, he helped Charya establish her U.S. dance company and has been her creative partner ever since. \nCharya Burt Cambodian Dance Company:\nCharya Burt \nChakra Sokhomsan \nHannah Chea \nBaron Lim \nMoragaut Souet Samounn \nSydnee Thy \nMeet the Moderator\n \nMory Chhom is a Cambodian American and a dedicated public health leader with nearly 20 years of experience serving immigrant and underserved communities. Currently serving as the Director of Population-Focused Prevention and Early Intervention\, she oversees culturally and linguistically responsive programs that promote wellness and equity. She serves on the board of the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants and the Editorial Board for Health Promotion Practice.  URL:https://oacc.cc/event/the-rebirth-of-apsara-beyond-genocide/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Charya_Burt_1080x1080_thumb.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250427T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250427T160000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250326T194249Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250326T194416Z UID:21124-1745762400-1745769600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"Silencing the Drum: Religious Racism and Afro-Brazilian Sacred Music\," a Book Talk and Dynamic Presentation with Author Dr. Umi Vaughan. DESCRIPTION:Silencing the Drum: Religious Racism and Afro-Brazilian Sacred Music\, A Book Talk and Dynamic Presentation with Author Dr. Umi Vaughan\n  \nSunday\, Apr. 27\, 2025 \n2 PM \nFREE\nJoin us on Sunday\, April 27\, 2025\, at 2 PM\, for “Silencing the Drum: Religious Racism and Afro-Brazilian Sacred Music\, a Book Talk and Dynamic Presentation with Author Dr. Umi Vaughan.” This talk will cover Brazil’s rich African legacy and troubling current events\, punctuated by live Afro-Brazilian drumming and dance. A Q&A and book signing will follow the presentation. \n \n Register\n \nMeet the Author\n \nUmi Vaughan is an independent artist and scholar who conducts research\, creates photo-based visual art\, performs music and dance\, and publishes work that examines the evolution and meanings of music/dance traditions across the African Diaspora. He holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Michigan and was formerly a professor of Africana Studies at California State University Monterey Bay. He is the author of Carlos Aldama’s Life in Batá: Cuba\, Diaspora\, and the Drum (Indiana University Press) and Rebel Dance\, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba (University of Michigan Press). To learn more\, visit UMIART.ART.  \nDr. Vaughan is proud to share his latest work\, Silencing the Drum: Religious Racism and Afro-Brazilian Sacred Music (co-authored with Dr. Danielle N. Boaz). URL:https://oacc.cc/event/silencing-the-drum-religious-racism-and-afro-brazilian-sacred-music/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Silencing-the-Drum-thumbnail.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250516T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250809T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250409T223815Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250625T180524Z UID:21237-1747396800-1754758800@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Satr-e Rahayi: An Exhibition of Calligraphy Works by Hakim Karimzada DESCRIPTION:Satr-e Rahayi:\nAn Exhibition of Calligraphy Works by Hakim Karimzada\n  \nExhibition available to view May 16\, 2025 – Aug. 9\, 2025\, during OACC’s business hours\n“Satr-e Rahayi” (Line of Liberation) is the title of this solo exhibition showcasing Hakim Karimzada’s latest collection of calligraphy works. The name was chosen because the pieces in this collection represent a fusion of traditional and modern calligraphy. The conventional boundaries and constraints of classical calligraphy have been intentionally broken\, allowing for a freer\, more expressive approach to the art. \nThis sense of freedom opens new realms for artistic exploration\, making the creative process more natural and authentic. It invites the artist’s mind to expand and flow more openly\, enabling the creation of a collection that is spontaneous and deeply emotional. The artist seeks to convey a vivid sense of passion and artistic feeling to the audience through dynamic curves and movements of letters and words. \nIn doing so\, the works not only transmit emotional depth and beauty but also contribute to a broader atmosphere of artistic serenity—one that fosters peace\, friendship\, empathy\, and a shared appreciation of culture. It’s a creative journey that aspires toward well-being\, love\, and a profound respect for the universal value of art in our contemporary world. \nArt\, by its very nature\, belongs to all people\, transcending borders and backgrounds. Every human being has the right to experience and enjoy artistic expression. Hakim is truly delighted that at this moment in time\, in this beautiful space\, he has the opportunity to share a glimpse of life through the lens of beauty and artistic reflection—with those who appreciate and cherish art. \nThis exhibition is available to view during OACC’s business hours (Wed – Sat\, 12 PM – 5 PM). \nAbout the Artist\n \nAbdul Hakim Karimzada\, born in Afghanistan\, is a DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) and master calligrapher with over 30 years of experience in different types of calligraphy and fine writing\, such as traditional and modern scripts. He started calligraphy in the Herat Province of Afghanistan by learning different writing styles\, including Nastaliq\, Kofie\, Naskh\, and Thuluth scripts. He went on to create thousands of works by using these scripts. He also invented a new fine writing called Nilofar over the course of his calligraphy life. \nKarimzada is a senior board member and trainer at the Herat Calligraphy Association.⁠ He has actively participated in various calligraphy exhibitions inside and outside of Afghanistan and many solo exhibitions of his work. He has won numerous awards for his art and the collections of his calligraphy works. \nLearn more about Karimzada’s work at hakimkarimzada.com.⁠ URL:https://oacc.cc/event/satr-e-rahayi/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Current Exhibitions,Featured ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Satr-e-Rahayi-Exhibition-thumbnail-2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250518T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250518T160000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250326T203839Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250513T002001Z UID:21128-1747576800-1747584000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"Daryo’s All-American Diner": An Anti-Asian Hate Play DESCRIPTION:Daryo’s All-American Diner: An Anti-Asian Hate Play\n  \nSunday\, May 18\, 2025\n2 PM\nFREE\nDaryo’s All-American Diner is a full-length play that follows May Daryo\, a struggling 40-something-year-old Asian-American diner co-owner whose life is transformed after a violent attack on her family during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented with natural comedy wit and heartfelt drama\, and set in Fremont\, CA\, Daryo’s All-American Diner explores how something positive and hopeful can come from a traumatic act of violence. \n  \nDaryo’s All-American Diner is written by Conrad A. Panganiban and directed by Mallory Somera\, featuring Joe Cascasan\, Jake Fong\, Jacinta Kaumbulu\, Jamie Nallas\, Mark So\, and earLena Somera. \n \n Register\n \nAbout the Playwright\n \nConrad A. Panganiban (he/him/his) is an award-winning Filipino American playwright representing the San Francisco Bay Area. His plays include Daryo’s All-American Diner\, Welga\, and River’s Message. Conrad’s work has been performed around the world\, including Bindlestiff Studio\, CIRCA Pintig\, and Silliman University in the Philippines. \n  \nAwards include: Best Play of 2023\, Daryo’s All-American Diner (BroadwayWorldAwards Chicago)\, Susan Fairbrook Playwright Fund Awardee (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley)\, 2023 New Voices in Comedy Writing Fellowship (Killing My Lobster)\, and a National Ten-Minute Play Festival Finalist (Actors Theatre of Louisville).  URL:https://oacc.cc/event/daryos-all-american-diner/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DARYOs.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250606T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250606T140000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250529T003050Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250529T004555Z UID:21577-1749211200-1749218400@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Mending Circle DESCRIPTION:Oakland Asian Cultural MENDING CIRCLE\n  \nDate & Time: Friday June 6\, 2025 at 12pmAddress: 388 9th St. Suite 290Oakland\, CA 94607 \nCost: FreeBring: Items that need repair\n  \nJoin us as we start an ongoing Mending Circle on Friday June 6\, 2025 at 12pm. This group will meet on the first Friday of each month and is free to attend. There will be no instructor\, but we will provide basic materials inlcuding thread\, needles\, a sewing machine and some patches will be available. Please bring items that you would like to repair. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/mending-circle/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mending-Circle-Flyer-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250607T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250607T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250511T031215Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T215315Z UID:21473-1749324600-1749330000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:[Cancelled] Celebrate Pride with OACC! DESCRIPTION:Roots\, Water\, Bloom: A Queer Trans Asian Pacific Islander Experience Saturday\, June 7 has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.\n \n \nRoots\, Water\, Bloom: A Queer Trans Asian Pacific Islander Experience\n   \nSaturday\, June 7\n7:30pm – 9:00pm\nTickets: $15\n \n \n \n \n*Masking required for this performance when not actively eating or drinking*\nFeaturing King LOTUS BOY\, Piss E Sissy and DJ Del. \n  \nDrag performances with multimedia video projection\, music\, lip syncing and DJ set. \n  \nKing LOTUS BOY is a transgender\, unapologetically disabled\, neurodivergent\, and chronically illUSTRIOUS\, Chinese-American drag king based in occupied Lisjan Ohlone Land. As an ANTI-disciplinary artist\, LOTUS Boy explores gender fluidity\, accessibility\, sustainability\, joy\, and healing from trauma–through any medium. LOTUS BOY is on the Board of Directors for Oaklash\, the Bay Area’s drag festival\, and the SPM Disability Justice Fund which supports projects led by disabled BIPOC.  \n  \nPiss E Sissy is a proud Indigenous performer\, Kānaka Maoli (Native people of Hawai’i)\, māhū ((Third Gender in Native Hawaiian Culture)\, and drag hottie. Currently based in Huachin\, he brings high energy\, campy\, slutty\, slimy\, and a perversely political act to stages around the Bay area.  \n  \nDJ Del Originally from NYC\, Del is an Oakland based DJ legend. Her original interest in music was sparked by an older brother’s obsession with vinyl\, and a mother who forced her into playing instruments at a young age.  URL:https://oacc.cc/event/celebrate-pride-with-oacc/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pride-2025-flyer.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250614T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250614T150000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250518T195746Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250518T200256Z UID:21539-1749906000-1749913200@oacc.cc SUMMARY:OACC Summer Showcase! DESCRIPTION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center Summer Showcase\n  \nSaturday\, June 14\, 2025\n1:00 – 3:00 PM\nFREE\nOakland Asian Cultural Center invites you to our upcoming Summer Showcase! Our open house will feature 10 free performances and is an opportunity to learn about the classes offered at OACC year-round. Snacks and prizes will also be available.\n\nPerformances include:\n\nShabnam Bellydance School\nDANCE-A-VISION with Carla Service\nMPWRD Collective\nPatty Chu’s Chinese Folk Dance Group\nKkiri Kkiri Samulnori\nAYPAL Building API Community Power\nTaekwondo with Master Sim\nChinese Music Lessons\nToishan Benevolent Association\nJohnny Jang Martial Arts\n\n\n\n\nRegister URL:https://oacc.cc/event/summershowcase/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Summer-Showcase-Flyer-Page1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250621T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250621T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250529T004151Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250530T002107Z UID:21583-1750496400-1750525200@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Changing Perspectives on Japanese American Incarceration DESCRIPTION:CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION\nOakland Asian Cultural Center\nJune 21st & 22nd\n9am – 5pm\, Doors open at 8am\n\nAddress: 388 9th St. Suite 290\nOakland\, CA 94607\nWith speakers:\n• David Inoue\n• Alice Yang\n• Frank Abe\n• Satsuki Ina\n• Andrew Leong\n• Eric Muller\n• Barbara Takei\n• Mike Ishii\n• Nancy Ukai\n• Greg Robinson\n…and many more\n\nCost: Free\n\nRegister URL:https://oacc.cc/event/changing-perspectives-on-japanese-american-incarceration/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2-CP-Conf-NBN-Ad.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250622T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250622T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250529T004707Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250530T002110Z UID:21588-1750582800-1750611600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Changing Perspectives on Japanese American Incarceration - Day 2 DESCRIPTION:CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION\nOakland Asian Cultural Center\nJune 21st & 22nd\n9am – 5pm\, Doors open at 8am\n\nAddress: 388 9th St. Suite 290\nOakland\, CA 94607\nWith speakers:\n• David Inoue\n• Alice Yang\n• Frank Abe\n• Satsuki Ina\n• Andrew Leong\n• Eric Muller\n• Barbara Takei\n• Mike Ishii\n• Nancy Ukai\n• Greg Robinson\n…and many more\n\nCost: Free\n\nRegister URL:https://oacc.cc/event/changing-perspectives-on-japanese-american-incarceration-day-2/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2-CP-Conf-NBN-Ad.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250802T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250802T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250708T090041Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T231934Z UID:21700-1754146800-1754154000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Taking Root: Southeast Asian Stories of Resettlement in Philadelphia film premiere and panel DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, August 23-5 pm\nFREE\nJoin us for the premiere of Taking Root\, a community-organizer produced documentary series. Taking Root amplifies the untold stories of Vietnamese\, Cambodian\, and Laotian refugees who resettled in Philadelphia after the U.S. Wars in Southeast Asia (commonly known as the “Vietnam War”). \n \n \nDirected by Oanh-Nhi Nguyen and co-produced by VietLead\, the series unpacks the refugee experience\, provides critical historical context for Southeast Asians in the U.S.\, explores the intergenerational impacts of the “Vietnam War\,” and calls present and future generations to engage in racial and economic justice. \n \n \nAlthough set in Philadelphia and told through the perspective of 15 Southeast Asian community leaders\, these are universal stories of rebuilding roots after experiencing displacement. Many groups across the U.S. can connect their own lived experiences to these tales. \n \n \nThis event is presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC)\, the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI)\, New Light Wellness\, and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee (APSC)\, and is sponsored by VietLead. \n \n \nThe screening will be followed by a panel discussion with VietLead’s co-executive director\, Lan Dinh. \n \n \nAbout the Panelists \n  \nLan Dinh is the co-executive director of VietLead\, and co-producer of Taking Root. At VietLead\, she helps build leadership and power within Philadelphia’s Vietnamese and Southeast Asian communities through cultural celebration\, youth organizing\, and advocacy against deportation and displacement. Born in a Thai refugee camp and raised in West Philly\, Dinh draws on her lived experience to center healing\, land\, and community in her work. \n \n Register URL:https://oacc.cc/event/taking-root/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Taking-Root-WebPage-Square.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250814T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251101T120000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250724T221909Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251030T164429Z UID:21799-1755172800-1761998400@oacc.cc SUMMARY:She Isn't A Metaphor: An Exhibition of Mixed Media by Nimisha Doongarwal DESCRIPTION:On view: August 14 – November 1 (during OACC open hours)\n\nWednesday–Saturday\, noon–5 pm\nShe Isn’t a Metaphor reimagines mythological women not as symbols or ideals\, but as powerful\, complex women. Drawing from Hindu mythology and other traditions\, this series of mixed media by artist Nimisha Doongarwal challenges how women have been used as symbols—Sita for purity\, Draupadi for sacrifice\, or Medusa for fear—while their own voices have been erased. \nThrough layered collage\, textiles\, and paint\, these figures are brought into the present\, where they speak back. They are not here to uphold expectations. They are here to reclaim space\, tell their truths\, and offer new ways of seeing ourselves. This work isn’t just about the past\, it’s about now. It’s a call to unlearn\, to reimagine\, and to find strength in stories told on our own terms. \nThe work asks the viewer\, “What parts of the past do we still carry? What do we need to let go of in order to become whole?” \nShe Isn’t a Metaphor is for anyone who has felt unseen or unheard. It’s about more than reclaiming the past\, it’s about reimagining the future. These figures aren’t just remembered\, they are rewritten\, reawakened\, and ready to speak for themselves. \nAbout the Artist\n \nNimisha Doongarwal is a San Francisco-based mixed-media artist originally from India. Her work explores identity\, memory\, and migration through layered compositions that blend traditional Indian textiles\, painting\, collage\, and archival imagery. Rooted in South Asian craft and personal experience\, her art challenges fixed notions of identity\, offering instead a space of transformation and resilience. \nNimisha’s work has been exhibited at institutions including the de Young Museum\, the San Francisco International Airport\, and the Museum of Northern California Art. She has been featured in Forbes\, ArtMarket\, Suboart and Sfumato art magazines. \nFind more of Nimisha’s work online at www.nimishart.com or on Instagram @nimishart. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/she-isnt-a-metaphor/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Current Events,Current Exhibitions,Featured ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/She-Isnt-a-Metaphor-1080-x-1080-px.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250816T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250816T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250716T204802Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250721T184440Z UID:21768-1755345600-1755363600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage: Hawaiian Arts and Culture Day DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, August 1612 pm-5 pm\nFREE\n  \nPhoto Credit: Photo by William Lee \n  \nJoin us for a rich celebration of Hawaiian culture with the Kaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center. Learn about Hawaiian culture through performances\, lectures/demonstrations\, and a vendor marketplace. Featured performers will include Kumu Kawika Alfiche\, Steven Kanahe Espaniola\, and Hālau o Keikiali`i. \n  \nSCHEDULE 12 pm: Vendor Marketplace opens12:45-1 pm: Lecture/Demonstration – Hula/Oli (dance/chant)1-1:45 pm: Hālau o Keikiali`I Hula Kahiko (Ancient Hula)1:45-2:15pm: Break2:15-2:30pm: Lecture/Demonstration – `Ukulele/Mele (Hawaiian Songs) 2:30-3:15pm: Steven Espaniola `Ukulele3:15-3:45pm: Break3:45-4pm: Lecture/Demonstration – Lei/Kup`e (Adornments)4-5pm: Hālau o Keikiali`i Hula `Auana (Modern Hula)  \n  \nAbout the Performers \n  \nKumu Hula Kawika Keikiali’ihiwahiwa Alfiche has dedicated 31 years to teaching hula and Hawaiian cultural arts. He is the Kumu Hula of Hālau o Keikiali’i and Director of the Kaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center in South San Francisco and Napa. He is a formal `Uniki of Kumu Rae Kahikilaulani Fonseca\, who is an `uniki of Kumu George L. Naope. He is also a recording artist and composer with four CDs and six DVDs. \n  \nSteven Espaniola was raised in Aliamanu\, Hawai’i\, on the island of O’ahu\, and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Steven is a multi-instrumentalist specializing in ‘ukulele\, Kī Hō’alu (Hawaiian slack key guitar) bass\, and Leo Ki’e Ki’e (Traditional Hawaiian falsetto). In 2007\, Steven’s musical efforts earned him the recognition of “New Artist of the Year” at the Hawai‘i Music Awards. In 2023\, Steven’s original song “Sakura” was a finalist for the prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award in the Hawaiian Music Video category. He was recently featured on the cover of the 2024 Summer issue of Ukulele Magazine\, a publication for which he has been a contributing editor and columnist for several years. \n  \nHālau o Keikiali’i is a Hawaiian cultural and dance group based in South San Francisco. Since 1994\, their goal has been to educate the general public about Hawaiian culture\, its traditional customs\, values\, and protocols. Besides having regularly scheduled classes\, they strive to perpetuate the rich culture of the Hawaiian people through presentations to the general public\, including educational workshops\, performances\, and other cultural events. The hālau is comprised of both men and women\, young and old\, ranging from 5 to 85 years of age\, and presents theatre productions highlighting hula in its many aspects. Following tradition\, they share what they learn with different communities so that everyone can benefit from a better understanding and appreciation of Hawaiian culture.  \n  \nKaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center opened its doors in 2003 to offer classes\, workshops\, performances\, and events for all who wish to learn about Hawaiian Culture\, in all its aspects. In April 2021\, the Center officially expanded with a two-acre retreat center in Napa Valley. The center’s ongoing events include an annual lu`au\, a Hawaiian film festival\, an arts and crafts gallery show\, a kaliko keiki camp\, hula gatherings\, land cultivation\, ‘ukulele classes\, hula classes\, and more.  \n \n Register URL:https://oacc.cc/event/hawaiian-day/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hawaiian-Day-2025-Web-1080x1080-v2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250812T221942Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250822T184819Z UID:21840-1757187000-1757192400@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Celebrating Our HeART-filled Heritage: Ragas in Conversation DESCRIPTION:With Arjun K. Verma\, Anirudh Bharadwaj\, Rohan Krishnamurthy\n  \nSaturday\, September 6\n7:30-9 pm\nFREE\nIndian classical luminaries Arjun K. Verma\, Anirudh Bharadwaj\, and Rohan Krishnamurthy come together in a new collaboration of Carnatic and Hindustani traditions. As Bay Area-based ambassadors of Indian music\, the trio represents ancient Indian lineages at the frontiers of contemporary experimentation.   \n  \nPerformer Bios \n  \nDr. Rohan Krishnamurthy is an Indian-American percussionist\, composer\, educator\, and one of the leading voices of Indian classical and cross-genre music in the South Asian diaspora. Acclaimed as a “musical ambassador” by The Times of India\, he received mridangam training from the legendary maestro\, Sriman. Guruvayur Dorai\, in Chennai. Distinguished as a soloist\, composer\, and collaborator\, Rohan performed with legendary Indian classical musicians and Grammy Award-winning global artists.  \n  \nRohan leads The Alaya Project\, an Indo-jazz-funk collective that has performed at prestigious jazz and global music festivals including SF Jazz\, Joe’s Pub NYC\, and Strathmore DC. The group’s recently released debut album has been praised by Jazziz Magazine\, NPR\, San Francisco Chronicle\, and more. Rohan holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the Eastman School of Music and directs the RohanRhythm Percussion Studio with students from across the globe. Rohan is the recipient of international awards and grants\, including commissions from the San Francisco Arts Commission\, Zellerbach Foundation\, and Goethe Institute (Germany). He has taught at renowned institutions\, and his patented RohanRhythm drum tuning system is available worldwide. \n  \nArjun K. Verma is an Indian-American sitarist and composer. Beginning with his father\, Roop Verma\, and continuing with the legendary Ali Akbar Khan and his son Alam Khan\, Arjun’s meticulous training has imbued him with a rich musicality that encompasses both the profound majesty and the exhilaration of North Indian classical music. Hailed by the New York Times as a “fine sitarist\,” Arjun shares the jewels of his cultural heritage in a manner that is fresh\, modern\, and relevant\, while maintaining a high standard of traditional integrity. \n  \nArjun has performed at international venues including the United Nations\, the Fillmore\, Prague Castle\, and on the NBC TV network\, collaborating with a diverse host of musicians including the London Symphony Orchestra\, Swapan Chaudhuri\, Alam Khan\, Bob Weir (Grateful Dead)\, the St. Louis Symphony\, and GRAMMY-winning pianist and arranger John Beasley. Arjun’s performance repertoire has stretched the limits of the sitar as an instrument\, and his recording and composing work has applied Indian classical music effectively for TV\, opera\, and documentary film. \n  \nArjun is the recipient of a Mosaic America commissioning grant (2020)\, a Creative Work Fund grant (2018—Haas Foundation)\, and a Shenson Fellowship (2007—San Francisco Foundation). \n  \nAnirudh Bharadwaj is a Carnatic flautist based in California. He is a student of Vidwan Delhi Sunderrajan and began his initial training under Srimati Akhila Krishnan and Sriman P.N. Krishnan. Anirudh has also received training in Hindustani classical music from renowned flute maestro Pandit Kailash Sharma of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya\, Delhi. Residing in the Bay Area\, he passionately teaches Carnatic flute and vocal music to students across the United States\, Europe\, and India. \n  \n \n Register URL:https://oacc.cc/event/ragas-conversation/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Ragas-in-Convo-Preview-1080-x-1080-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T160000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250721T061943Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250916T200256Z UID:21777-1758376800-1758384000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: A History of Chinese Life Under American Racial Law (1850s-1960s) DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, September 20\n2-4 pm\nFREE\n  \nJoin us for life stories of Chinese and Chinese Americans who endured racial violence and discrimination as second-class citizens during the 1850s to 1960s.  Ground-breaking authors Michael Luo* and Fae Myenne Ng*\, and Wong Kim Ark’s great-grandson Norman Wong\, share the stories of Chinese lives under American racial laws enacted to exclude\, deport\, and deny their due process of law.  \n  \nFrom the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act to the 1956 Immigration and Naturalization Service’s (INS) Chinese Confession program\, the U.S. government scrutinized and separated families and communities\, conducted raids in Chinese communities\, and hunted for “illegal” paper sons. These stories echo the recent raids and terror enforced today against immigrants from Asia\, Africa\, and Latin America. \n  \nIn Strangers in the Land\, Michael Luo illuminates the stories of racial violence and resistance of Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. Luo writes of early victims of anti-Asian violence\, like Gene Tong\, a Los Angeles herbalist who was dragged from his apartment and hanged by a mob during one of the worst mass lynchings in the country’s history\, and of demagogues like Denis Kearney\, a sandlot orator who became the face of the anti-Chinese movement in the late-1870s. \n  \nFae Myenne Ng’s Orphan Bachelors is a memoir of San Francisco’s Chinatown and of a family building a life in a country bent on their exclusion. She writes\, “exclusion and confession WERE\, the two slamming doors of America … All his life\, my father raged that the Exclusion Act was a brilliant piece of legislation because it was bloodless. He’d intone\, ‘America didn’t have to kill any Chinese; her law assured none would be born.’”’ \n  \nNorman Wong is the great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark. Wong Kim Ark fought a landmark Supreme Court case to claim his right as an American citizen. Writes The Washington Post: “In 1895\, Wong Kim Ark returned from a visit to his family’s ancestral village in Taishan\, in China’s Guangdong province\, and was barred from reentering the United States. His three-year legal battle culminated in the Supreme Court’s ruling that the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment — which protects those born on U.S. soil who are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the government — affirmed his status as an American by birth.”  \n  \nThis event is sponsored by Eastwind Books\, Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, Asian American Research Center (UC Berkeley)\, Center for Race & Gender (UCB)\, Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) East Bay\, Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies (UCB)\, Cal Alumni Association\, Chinese Chapter (UCB); Center for Race\, Immigration\, Citizenship & Equality\, (UC Law SF)\, History Department (UCB). \n  \n* Please note that Michael Luo and Fae Myenne Ng will join the panel virtually online. \n  \nPanelist Bios \n  \nMichael Luo is an executive editor at The New Yorker and writes regularly for the magazine on politics\, religion\, and Asian American issues. He joined The New Yorker in 2016. Before that\, he spent thirteen years at the New York Times\, as a metro reporter\, national correspondent\, and investigative reporter and editor. He is a recipient of a George Polk Award and a Livingston Award for Young Journalists. He is the author of Strangers in the Land: Exclusion\, Belonging\, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America. \n  \nFae Myenne Ng is the author of Orphan Bachelors\, a Memoir\, the bestseller and PEN/Faulkner Fiction finalist Bone\, and the American Book Award winner Steer Toward Rock. She has been the recipient of fellowships from the American Academy of Arts & Letters\, the Guggenheim\, the Lannan Foundation\, the NEA\, the Radcliffe Institute\, and the Rockefeller Foundation. She teaches creative writing and literature in UC Berkeley’s Department of Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies.  \n  \nNorman Wong is the great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark\, who fought a landmark Supreme Court case to claim his right as an American citizen in 1895\, thereby affirming the 14th Amendment’s establishment of birthright citizenship for all born in the United States. Norman lives in the Bay Area\, with his wife\, Maureen and children.  \n \n Register URL:https://oacc.cc/event/chinese-author-panel/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/UPDATED-Chinese-Author-Panel-Web-1080-x-1080-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251004T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251004T163000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250807T182331Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250820T214833Z UID:21818-1759590000-1759595400@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Oakland Ilokana Film Premiere DESCRIPTION:Part of the “Rooted in Chinatown” Series\n \nSaturday\, October 4\n3-5 pm\nFREE\nCelebrate Filipino American History Month at OACC! Join us for the premiere of Oakland Ilokana\, an intergenerational documentary about legacy\, ancestral memory\, and the search for connection. Guided by the stories of her aging grandmother—who was one of the first Filipino American children born in Oakland—a filmmaker embarks on a personal journey to understand her lineage and the histories that shaped her family. \n \nDirected by Elenita Makani O’Malley\, the film weaves personal narrative with broader themes of displacement\, resilience\, and cultural inheritance. It explores what it means to remember and carry forward stories that are often left untold. \n \nOakland Ilokana speaks to universal stories of migration\, survival\, and the invisible threads that tether us across generations\, across place\, and across life itself. \n \nThis event is presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) and the East Bay Community Foundation. Production of the film was additionally supported by the City of San Leandro and Balay Kreative. \n \nAbout the Filmmaker \n \n \nElenita Makani O’Malley is a queer Filipina and Irish American storyteller from the Bay Area. With a background in anthropology\, museums\, and media production\, she uses video to tell stories about ancestral memory\, cultural inheritance\, and the threads that tether us across time and place.  \n \nElenita holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Georgetown University and a Master of Arts in Museum Anthropology from Columbia University. By day\, she works as a science communicator\, crafting videos that demystify complex topics about our planet. Her video work has been featured in exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History\, the California Academy of Sciences\, and more. \n \nLearn more at www.elenitamakani.com or www.instagram.com/elenita.sampaguita. \n \n \n Register URL:https://oacc.cc/event/oakland-ilokana/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Oakland-Ilokana-Preview-1080-x-1080.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251105 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260201 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251028T175531Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T195915Z UID:22574-1762300800-1769903999@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"The Asian Elder Portrait Project:" an Exhibition of Drawings by Luke Sera-Tacorda DESCRIPTION:NOW EXTENDED!\nOn view November 5\, 2025–January 31\, 2026\nFREE\n31 \nThe Asian Elder Portrait Project: The Heart of Chinatown as Seen through the Eyes of a Teen is Luke Sera-Tacorda’s first solo exhibition. Each portrait was drawn with graphite on paper\, using a photograph reference of the subject taken by the artist. \nSociety often chooses not to see the senior citizens who have built and continue to be part of our communities. Collectively\, we often fail to see their individuality or try to relate to them\, and we all lose when those relationships are unformed. The Asian Elder Portrait Project aims to depict the vibrancy and unique qualities of each elder. Each smile line\, glint in a pair of glasses\, and shy expression conveys a unique and intriguing narrative. \nAmerican painter Georgia O’Keeffe (an inspiration to Sera-Tacorda on how to convey mood and emotion through art)\, wrote in 1968\, “When I began to paint flowers\, I was sure nobody would pay attention. So I thought\, I’ll make them big and they’ll pay attention.” Through this project\, Sera-Tacorda aims to magnify the joyous expressions of our elders and show Oakland and the greater Bay Area community why they are worth paying attention to. \n \nAbout the Artist \nLuke Sera-Tacorda is the seventeen-year-old artist behind the Asian Elder Portrait Project. As a child\, his family recalls him doodling on notebooks\, restaurant napkins\, and church bulletins before he could talk. Unlike most young kids with an affinity towards visual art\, though\, drawing fantastical subjects never enticed him. Rather\, before he had the language to describe it\, he found joy in accurately depicting the smaller and unassuming details of everyday life: the subtle interplay of light and shadow\, the dynamics of movement\, the mechanics of perspective\, and most of all\, the emotional quality that drew him to his subjects in the first place. Thus\, after years of experimenting with different forms of art\, realism has proven to be his strongest and preferred form of self-expression. He hopes to continue his creative journey by pursuing architecture in college. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/asian-elder-portrait/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Current Exhibitions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Luke-Sera-Tacorda-1080-x-1080-PREVIEW.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251105T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251105T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20250927T170106Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251104T034601Z UID:22386-1762369200-1762374600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:"Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America" book talk with Jeff Chang DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, November 5\n7-8:30 pm\nFREE\nJoin us for a conversation and book signing with award-winning writer\, critic\, and cultural observer Jeff Chang as he brings fresh insight and humanity to the legendary Bruce Lee in Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America. Jeff will be in conversation with filmmaker Ursula Liang. \n  \nHis new book is not only a sweeping\, intimate biography of a global martial arts icon\, but is also the untold story of the rise of Asian America. \n  \nWater Mirror Echo—a title inspired by Bruce Lee’s own way of moving\, being and responding to the world—reminds us of his core essence. In the hands of author Jeff Chang\, Bruce Lee’s story brims with the personal. Based on in-depth interviews with Lee’s closest intimates\, newly available personal documents\, and featuring dozens of photographs from Lee’s family archive\, Chang reveals the man behind the iconography. Stirringly\, he shows how Lee’s growing fame ushered in something even more enduring—the creation of Asian America. \n  \nThis event is presented in partnership with Eastwind Books. They will be selling copies of Water Mirror Echo at the event. \n  \nAuthor Biography \n  \nJeff Chang is an award-winning writer\, host\, and cultural organizer known for his keen observations on culture\, politics\, the arts\, and music. His first book\, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation\, was named one of the best nonfiction books of the last quarter century. His other books include Who We Be: A Cultural History of Race in Post Civil Rights America)\, and We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes On Race and Resegregation. Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America\, a sweeping cultural biography\, is his newest release. He is also the host of the podcasts Signal Award-winning Edge of Reason\, and KALW’s Notes From the Edge. Born and raised in Honolulu\, Hawai’i of Chinese and Kanaka Maoli descent\, he is a graduate of ‘Iolani School\, the University of California at Berkeley\, and the University of California at Los Angeles. \n  \nModerator Biography \n  \nUrsula Liang (she/her) is an award-winning director and producer with 25 years of experience in storytelling. Her debut feature\, 9-Man (2014)\, was broadcast on public television and called “an absorbing documentary” by The New York Times. Her second film\, Down a Dark Stairwell (2020)\, had its premiere at True/False and was called “the most essential Asian American documentary in decades.” Her latest feature\, Jeanette Lee Vs. (2022)\, is part of ESPN’s acclaimed 30 for 30 series while her most recent short\, Two Strikes (2023)\, aired on the iconic PBS series Frontline. Her work has been supported by ITVS\, Ford Foundation\, Sundance Institute\, Firelight Media\, and the Center for Asian American Media. Before becoming a filmmaker\, Ursula held staff positions at The New York Times Op-Docs\, T: The New York Times Style Magazine\, ESPN The Magazine\, Asia Pacific Forum\, and Hyphen magazine. She has also produced for television\, including UFC Primetime and NBC Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge. Ursula is a member of Film Fatales\, A-DOC\, IDD\, and is the Board Vice President of Brown Girls Doc Mafia. Originally from Newton\, Massachusetts\, she spent two decades in the Bronx\, and currently works from Oakland\, California. \n \n Register URL:https://oacc.cc/event/jeff-chang-bruce-lee/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Jeff-Chang-Bruce-Lee-Book-Launch-Preview-1080-x-1080.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251108T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251108T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251008T150709Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T011128Z UID:22466-1762628400-1762633800@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Arabesque: A Middle Eastern Dance and Music Concert DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, November 8\n7-8:30 pm\nFREE\nJoin critically acclaimed belly dancer Shabnam as she celebrates 20 years of her creative practice with a concert at OACC. She specializes in Orientale Bellydance\, which blends ballet and Middle Eastern Dance. This dynamic approach is contemporary\, yet honors the traditional roots of Middle Eastern Dance—a lineage that is thousands of years old. She will be accompanied by internationally acclaimed musicians Georges Lammam\, Amina Goodyear\, Khader Keileh and Susu Pampanin\, each of whom bring passion and mastery to their practices of traditional Middle Eastern music. \n  \nThis is event is free to attend\, but registration is requested at the link below. \n \n Register\n \nArabesque Belly Dance Master Class \n2:30-4 pm  |  $50  \n  \nThe concert will be preceded by a special master class in belly dance with Shabnam. Learn to capture attention with unique\, dynamic entrances in the classical style but with a twist. No drop-ins will be allowed. Register now for the class at https://www.shabnamdancecompany.com/classes-workshops/p/classicalbellydance \n  \nExhibition: The Mystics of Dreams and Dance \nNovember 5-December 6 \n  \nShabnam’s performance is in conjunction with The Mystics of Dreams and Dance\, an exhibition of Shabnam’s paintings in the OACC hallway. She began drawing and creating artworks as a child\, encouraged by her mom who enrolled her in arts classes at a young age. Her paintings and dance practice explore similar themes\, and bring beauty to the viewer through harmonious palettes of movement. This exhibition will be on display from November 5-December 6.  \n  \nTo purchase\, contact Shabnam at info@artofbellydance.org \nAbout the Artists\n  \nShabnam \nPersian American dance champion Shabnam is one of the world’s most awarded belly dancers. She has performed at renowned stages in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond including Zellerbach Hall\, Novellus Theatre and the Palace of Fine Arts. She is recognized for an approach to Middle Eastern Dance that bridges the artistic and traditional. She is also a instructor and choreographer who holds regular classes at OACC. She performs at special events throughout the Bay Area and Southern California. Find out more about Shabnam at www.artofbellydance.org \n  \nGeorges Lammam \nGeorges Lammam was born in Beirut\, Lebanon\, of Palestinian descent. He is a violinist who exemplifies the Arab style of instrumental improvisation. A recording artist\, composer\, and artistic director for the Georges Lammam Ensemble\, he is also a featured artist in several musical groups including Ancient Future\, Wobbly World\, Shabazz and the Pena Pacha Mama Group. Lammam’s music has supported the work of arts and philanthropic nonprofits that advocate for Palestinians’ rights. He brings Arab arts and cultural heritage to the fore in support of the people and culture of Palestine. \n  \nAmina Goodyear \nAmina Goodyear is a pioneering dancer\, musician\, producer and cultural ambassador who has shaped the landscape of Middle Eastern performing arts in the U.S. for over six decades. Amina founded The Aswan Dancers and co-created ensembles such as the Cairo Cats\, the Arabian Knights and Pasha Band. She is a decades-long member of Aswat and the Georges Lammam Ensemble. Continuing her passion for preserving the traditions of the dance and music by producing dance and music shows\, dance videos and music albums\, she is now currently working with musicians in Egypt to create new arrangements and original compositions.  \n  \nKhader Keileh \nKhader Keileh is of Palestinian and Jordanian descent. He is an in-demand\, nationally recognized keyboardist specializing in the melodies of the Middle East. \n  \nSusu Pampanin \nSusu Pampanin is a world-renowned master percussionist who specializes in Egyptian Classical and Middle Eastern styles. Daughter of prominent San Francisco belly dancer Amina Goodyear\, Pampanin has studied under master drummers Vince Delgado\, George Dabai\, Yousef Mustafa El Effendi\, and Nagib Al Bahri. Within the belly dance community she is especially recognized for her skills in collaborating with belly dancers and troupes\, teaching and performing at many festivals and shows.  URL:https://oacc.cc/event/arabesque/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Arabesque-Preview-1080-x-1080.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251205T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251205T130000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251119T172208Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T173414Z UID:22663-1764936000-1764939600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:December Mending Circle DESCRIPTION:Friday\, December 5\n12 noon–1 pm\nFREE\nDo you have socks that need repair? Are you curious about visible mending? Do you like keeping clothing out of landfills? If you answered yes to any of these\, or just want company while you sew\, join us for our next Mending Circle at OACC on Friday\, Dec 5\, at 12 noon. \nThere will be no instructor\, but we will provide basic materials including thread\, needles\, a sewing machine and some patches. Please bring items that you would like to repair. No registration is necessary. \nFor questions\, email us at classes@oacc.cc URL:https://oacc.cc/event/mending-dec2025/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Mending-Circle-Evergreen-Preview-White-Background.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251205T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251205T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251107T213211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T201421Z UID:22621-1764961200-1764968400@oacc.cc SUMMARY:“The Empathizer" A Documentary About Vietnam Screening and Discussion DESCRIPTION:Friday\, December 5\n7-9 pm\nFREE\nStand-up comedian Fred Le hears the stories of a diverse range of young overseas-born Vietnamese who made their way back to the land that their parents left following the end of the Vietnam War. Le\, who himself spent three years in Vietnam\, conducts a series of interviews with these overseas-born Vietnamese to explore the allure of the motherland and what it means to “return home.” The Empathizer explores identity and the impact of trauma among Việt kiều (overseas-born) who grew up a generation removed from tragic events of the past\, and their desire to experience a country that their parents still mourn. \n  \nThis special community screening at OACC will feature English and Vietnamese subtitles. It will be followed by an in-person Q&A with documentary producer and director Fred Le\, moderated by Professor Caroline Kieu Linh Valverde. For more on the film\, visit www.empathizerdoc.com \n  \nIt is co-presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network\, the Center for Asian American Media\, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum\, and Direct Message. This event is free\, but registration is requested at the link below. \n \n Register\n \n \nAbout the Filmmaker \nFred Le is a stand-up comedian and filmmaker who was born in the Bay Area and currently lives in Los Angeles. After spending three years enjoying life in the country his parents had fled in the aftermath of the Vietnam War\, he began focusing his creative output on exploring his own Việt kiều (overseas-born) identity. He is the co-creator of the all-Vietnamese comedy showcase Embarrassed by Night which continues to tour up and down California since 2022. His debut feature documentary\, The Empathizer\, is currently doing festival rounds after premiering at the Viet Film Fest 2024\, where it was nominated for Best Feature. As a performer\, he has earned invitations to showcase at major festivals such as Treefort\, Boom Chicago! in Amsterdam\, and San Francisco Sketchfest. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/empathizer/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Empathizer-Preview-1080-x-1080-px-2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260109T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260109T130000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251216T062046Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T195717Z UID:22737-1767960000-1767963600@oacc.cc SUMMARY:January Mending Circle DESCRIPTION:Friday\, January 9\n12 noon–1 pm\nFREE\nDo you have socks that need repair? Are you curious about visible mending? Do you like keeping clothing out of landfills? If you answered yes to any of these\, or just want company while you sew\, join us for our next Mending Circle at OACC on Friday\, Jan 9\, at 12 noon. \nThere will be no instructor\, but we will provide basic materials including thread\, needles\, a sewing machine and some patches. Please bring items that you would like to repair. No registration is necessary. \nFor questions\, email us at classes@oacc.cc URL:https://oacc.cc/event/mending-jan2026/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Mending-Circle-Evergreen-Preview-White-Background.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260110T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260110T180000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251212T053126Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T183728Z UID:22709-1768060800-1768068000@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Chinese Couplets: A Film by Felicia Lowe DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, January 10\n4-6 pm\nFREE\nPart memoir\, part history\, part investigation\, Chinese Couplets spans two centuries\, three countries and four generations of women. This intimate story reveals the impact of America’s Chinese Exclusion Acts on filmmaker Felicia Lowe’s family. Lowe offers a nuanced\, engaging approach to the debate that details the multi-generational effects of ethnically motivated immigration policies while imparting a cautionary tale of living with cultural pluralism in the 21st century. \n  \nAfter the screening\, Lowe will moderate a discussion on inheritance and identity. Panelists will include Alana Lowe\, Grant Din\, and Sandy Jiang. Popcorn and light refreshments will be served. \n  \nThis event is co-presented by the Angel Island Immigration Station\, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM)\, and Chinese for Affirmative Action. \n \n Register\n \nABOUT THE PANELISTS \n \nFelicia Lowe \nFelicia Lowe is an award-winning media producer\, director and writer with 50 years of production experience. Her documentaries Chinese Couplets\, Carved in Silence\, Chinatown and China: Land of My Father reveal the unique experiences of Chinese in America while underscoring our common humanity. A past board president of the Angel Island Immigration Foundation and descendant of Angel Island detainees\, she is gratified to have played a role in the preservation and restoration of this important National Historic Landmark. \n \nSandy Jiang \nAs a first-generation immigrant\, Sandy Jiang’s own journey has inspired her passion for storytelling\, community engagement and empowerment. She has dedicated more than 15 years to community service and has spent the past six years working as a community organizer centering and uplifting immigrant and Asian American communities.  \n \nGrant Din \nGrant Din has conducted genealogical research for over 35 years\, and has co-curated a permanent exhibit about Japanese immigrants who were detained on Angel Island as “enemy aliens” during World War II. Grant’s interest in genealogy started when a cousin showed him a family tree showing that he is in the 36th generation of the Gong family (he’s also a 24th generation Owyang). \n \nAlana Lowe \nAlana Lowe developed a deep appreciation for oral history while attaining her B.A. in Race & Ethnicity in American Culture from the University of Michigan. Her recorded interviews with her grandmother were later incorporated into Chinese Couplets. For 20+ years\, Alana has worked in media production and has offered an oral history workshop to guide friends and community members through the process of preparing for and conducting their own interviews.  URL:https://oacc.cc/event/chinese-couplets/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Chinese-Couplets-Preview-1080-x-1080-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260111T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260111T143000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251030T163029Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251216T052106Z UID:22603-1768136400-1768141800@oacc.cc SUMMARY:From Ally to Activated: Breaking Barriers to Community Action DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, January 11\n1-2:30 pm\nFREE\n\nThe Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, in collaboration with Kim Tran (from Desai and Tran Consulting)\, presents: From Ally to Activated: Breaking Barriers to Community Action.\n \n\nIt’s easy to see injustice or harmful behavior—online\, in our communities\, or in politics—and feel unsure about what to do. This workshop focuses on overcoming the personal challenges that prevent us from speaking up and stepping in. \n  \nWhether you’re a parent trying to protect a school\, a neighbor trying to protect the folks next door\, or simply a community member who doesn’t quite know how\, when\, or where to show up\, join us to find some direction and build resilience. \n  \nWhat We Will Cover:  \n  \n\n• Common fears\, doubts\, and social pressures that can keep us silent and stuck in moments that matter\n\n• Figuring out how and where to start\n\n• Juggling time\, fear\, and burnout\n\n\nTogether\, we’ll practice strategies for safely and effectively overcoming personal obstacles so that we can each take meaningful community action. \n  \nEvent is free to the public\, but registration is required. \n\nRegister URL:https://oacc.cc/event/activated/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Redesigned-Get-Activated-FB-1080-x-1080-px-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260125T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260125T160000 DTSTAMP:20260406T160741 CREATED:20251229T212949Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251229T213238Z UID:22767-1769349600-1769356800@oacc.cc SUMMARY:Reparations: A Film by Jon Osaki DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, January 25\n2-4 pm\nFREE\nJoin us for a screening of Reparations\, a documentary by Jon Osaki about the four-century struggle to seek repair and atonement for slavery in the United States. In the film\, Black and Asian Americans reflect on the legacy of slavery\, the inequities that persist\, and the critical role that solidarity between communities has in acknowledging and addressing systemic racism in America. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Jon Osaki\, attorney Donald K. Tamaki\, and Pastor Michael McBride.  \n  \nThis program is part of OACC’s Black and Asian Solidarity programming. It is free to attend\, but registration is requested. \n \n Register\n \nABOUT THE PANELISTS \n \nJon Osaki \n  \nJon Osaki is an award-winning filmmaker who has directed and produced promotional\, educational\, narrative\, and documentary films. His initial interest in film grew from his desire to raise awareness of critical social justice issues he has encountered over this thirty-year career as a youth development activist. Jon’s filmmaking is focused on activism and narrative change through which he has addressed issues such as the targeting of immigrant communities\, reparations for the Black community\, and the model minority myth. His films have been screened on Capitol Hill in Washington DC\, at national policy conferences\, the National Judicial College\, film festivals\, and broadcast nationally. \n \nDonald K. Tamaki \n  \nDonald K. Tamaki is a Senior Counsel at Minami Tamaki LLP\, a past board member of the Glide Foundation\, and the current board president of the San Francisco Japantown Foundation. Tamaki served on the team that reopened the landmark Supreme Court case of Korematsu v. the United States\, which overturned Fred Korematsu’s conviction. \n  \nIn 2021\, Tamaki was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as the only non-Black American on the California Reparations Task Force. The nine-member task force produced the groundbreaking California Reparations Report\, which comprehensively documents the cumulative impact of four centuries of enslavement\, Jim Crow oppression\, and segregation\, and recommends legislative actions to address the resulting harms. \n \nPastor Michael McBride \n  \nPastor Michael McBride is regarded as a national faith leader. He helps connect and support millennials and religious institutions working on racial justice and black liberation. He has served on a number of local and national task forces with the White House and Department of Justice regarding gun violence prevention\, boys and men of color and police-community relationships. In March 2012\, he became the Director for the Lifelines to Healing/LIVE FREE Campaign with Faith In Action\, and is a co-founder of Community Justice Reform Coalition and the National Black Brown Gun Violence Prevention Consortium. A graduate of Duke University’s Divinity School\, Pastor McBride founded The Way Christian Center in West Berkeley\, where he presently serves as the Lead Pastor. URL:https://oacc.cc/event/reparations-film/ LOCATION:Oakland Asian Cultural Center\, 388 9th St. #290\, Oakland\, CA\, 94607\, United States CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://oacc.cc/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Reparations-FB-1080-x-1080-px.png ORGANIZER;CN="Oakland Asian Cultural Center":MAILTO:programs@oacc.cc END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR