On June 12th, Betty Yu hosted an outdoor story gathering event for “We Were Here: Unmasking Yellow Peril'' a participatory media project by Betty Yu , hosted by Flushing Town Hall in Flushing, Queens.
The event was sponsored and In collaboration with Asian American Arts Alliance (A4)
Photos by: Seungjae Seo and Betty Yu
“We Were Here: Unmasking Yellow Peril'' is a multimedia project inviting Asian-Americans to participate in reclaiming, and reasserting our own narratives, through telling our families’ stories of immigration, labor, discrimination, and resilience.
In the wake of the deaths of multiple Asian women massage workers in Georgia on March 16th 2021, the American public has suddenly turned their focus to the rise of anti-Asian violence. We all know this racialized and gendered violence didn’t just start with the pandemic.
Asian Americans were invited to come and have their stories recorded by video, photography or audio. Participants were encouraged to bring family archives, photographs, ephemera, and other heirlooms that they want recorded along with their story.
These recorded stories, images and art will be shared at a free outdoor projection screening on Sunday, June 27th in Flushing, Queens.
The family friendly event featured artmaking activities, free gift giveaways, and light snacks.