50 Years of Gratitude: Renewing and Igniting the KSW Spirit

We at Kearny Street Workshop are incredibly grateful and inspired by your support and love during our 50th Anniversary Gala last Saturday. It was a moving, once-in-a-lifetime event that brought together our organization’s artists and organizers across generations to celebrate KSW’s impactful history and dream towards our collective futures. 

“We all have so many stories, so many ways in which KSW has fed us. And when we think about guiding KSW into the future, we return to your stories, your words, your art.”

– Mihee Kim, Co-Director, Gala Opening Remarks

What an immense honor it was to be given the opportunity to return to and uplift your art at the gala. The incredible Francis Wong and his band opened our program with a jazz performance, calling us back to KSW's roots in starting the country’s very first Asian American Jazz Festival (founded by George Leong and Paul Yamazaki in 1981 and curated by Mark Izu for almost two decades). K-Ming Chang performed a poem centering love, queer love, that traversed borders toward some kind of home and “someplace safe.” Long-time KSW artist Leland Wong nourished us by making fresh dumplings, bringing back his KSW Dumpling Wars team’s award-winning recipe. Former APAture Coordinators from the early 2000s, Herna Cruz-Louie and Scott Louie, served up their home crafted brews and cocktails. Charlene Tan led us all in activity dreaming up wishes for our community which we wove into a 2-story tall tapestry. And KSW co-founder Jim Dong, gathered us together for a toast to our last 50 years, and for an infinite more. 

This is just to name a few inspiring artists who joined us for the evening. Within the SF Mint courtyard there were so many more, from KSW founding artists, to organizers through the years, to the APAture festival planning committee today. We thank each and every one of you for making KSW what it is, and for your continual support and belief in the organization’s work.

Photo Credit: Ron Fernandez

More photos on our Flickr here

KSW is a special space, site, and movement built entirely by our community’s incredible and generous artists, organizers, and allies across 50 years. KSW is all of us, all our art. It is a radical act of joy and empowerment to come together with the purpose of celebrating this, and to take our future into our own hands.

With your support, we raised an incredible $55,346 for To Imagine is to Exist, KSW’s 50th Anniversary Gala.

In addition, we raised another $55,000 throughout the year through individual donations which, at a total of $110,000, vastly exceeded our goal of raising $50,000 this year. 

Even through times of immense challenges, hardships, rage, and fear, our mission for our stories to be heard (and deeply listened to) continues to persist, endure, and catalyze the changes we want for our futures. As Co-Directors Jason Bayani and Mihee Kim shared during the night: “It’s through our art and imagination, through leaning into our hidden stories, and empowering each other’s creativity that we can create the world we want and deserve to live in.”

Thank you everyone for believing in our vision and supporting our Asian Pacific American artists. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Sincerely,

Jason, Mihee, and Michelle

KSW Staff

Board of Directors

Your guidance, expertise, hard work and care have carried KSW through the last few years: Paul Ocampo, Robynn Takayama, Lawrence Liu, Jen Chu, Jayo Miko Macasaquit, Joshua Wheeler, Irene Gutierrez, Jenny Ton, Nina Asay, Cristiana Baik, Amanda Chaudhary

Sponsors

Thank you deeply to these sponsors who made Saturday's wonderful event possible: Hanson Bridgett LLP, Asian Art Museum, SOMA Pilipinas, Quiet Lightning, Bindlestiff, APICC, USF, LinkedIn, Asian Law Caucus, St Mary's, AAWAA, Zand Gee, Debbie and Billy Gong, Glynis Nakahara, Allan and Joyce Juan Manalo, Jen Chu, Jamie Mancini, Jayo Miko Macasaquit, Ellen Oh, Lawrence Tom, Robynn Takayama, Cristiana Baik, Paul Ocampo, Jason Bayani

Donors & Supporters

To our monthly supporters: Chester Thai, Mikkel Snyder, Cristel Fiel, Nicole Guintu, Lisa Hsia, Jenifer Wofford, Ravi Chandra, Lucie Pereira, Joyce Juan-Manalo, Rosalynn Khor, Colin Kimzey - thank you for your consistent support. 

Our gratitude goes to the plethora of donors who have supported the KSW50 festivities including the Gala: Michael Cheng, Darrah Kimzey, Iris Law, Joshua Icban, Kevin Chen, Renee Ya, Shirley Huey, Jenny Qi, ClarizeYale Revadavia, Atsushi Murase, Jenny Qi, David Dea, Ernest Mark, Eda Leong, Henry & Priscilla Der Betty Kano, Tanya Tyau, Evangeline Bayani, Weston Teruya, Jeffrey Leong, Steven Chin, Audrey Brown, Samantha Chanse, Amy Liu, Hoi Leung, Rachel Lastimosa, Karthikraman Sethuraman, Anna Bunting, Shizue Seigel, Zilka Joseph, Charles A. Higueras, Kristina Wong, Mike Yochum and Priscilla Aratani, Zand Gee, Jenny Leung, Kimberley Acebo Arteche, Chen Chen, Gabriel  Geleerd, Virginia R. Cerenio, Lenore Chinn, Marya Krogstad, Diana  Li, Katherine Ray, Bryan Lau, Eric Sit, Ravi Chandra, Mihee Kim, Gerry  Chow, Sabina Chen. Mark Flores, Nancy  Hom, Jean Chen, Wong Wong, Michelle  Johnstone, Paula Mirando, Colin Park, Jason Bayani, Christina Accomando, Xinyi Huang, Allen Hom, Nguyen Nguyen, Jane Trieu, Melissa  Nop, Allyson  Tintiangco, Katherine Schaff, Robert Luna, Stella  del Rosario, Carmela Gaspar, Gene Yang, Patricia Wakida, Helen Ma, Eric Hamilton, Joseph Yeh, Jiayun Fang, Ravi Chandra, Christine Wong Yap,  Aurora Saria, Alden Hayashi, Oliver Mok, Maricha Dagcuta, April Elkjer, Vinay Patel. 

And to the Board of Directors who commit a meaningful gift to KSW throughout the year, every year, on top of their volunteering. You are truly a wonderful gift to KSW. Lastly to the many cash donors and raffle ticket purchasers at the Gala on Saturday itself, thank you all.

In-Kind Donors and Vendors

Your meaningful contributions helped us host a dynamic evening: NBC Universal, Scott Louie, Herna Cruz-Louie, Viridian, Kultivate Labs, NPU Staff: Shannon, Dar, James, Alexis, Project by Project’s host of volunteers and supporters, especially Rory Zia for his support facilitating, and Lucy Zhu who managed the catering outreach to the generous and delicious catering for the event: Liang’s Village, Farmhouse Thai, Hula Hoops. We also wish to thank the volunteer chefs and establishments for an unforgettable menu: Bhoonma, Ube Way Ritual with OM France, Marahuyo Confections, Leland Wong. And to Koreana Plaza for their generous food donations.

Many thanks to the following who donated gifts for our raffle: Colin Kimzey, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Somar Bar and Lounge, Blick Art Materials, Center for Asian American Media, City Arts & Lectures, Contemporary Jewish Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Green Apple Books, Oakland Museum of California, SFMOMA, Alcatraz City Cruises, Children’s Creativity Museum, Conservatory of Flowers, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, Niles Canyon Railway, Oakland Zoo, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Tech Rocks!, Walt Disney Family Museum, BATS Improv, Marin Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Roxie Theater, SFFILM, The New Parkway, Berkeley Symphony, Dashe Cellars, DeLoach Vineyards, Mission Bowling Club, Refuge, SFJAZZ, SPARK Social SF, Barry’s Bootcamp (Marina Studio), Big 5 Sporting Goods, Dogpatch Boulders, FITNESS SF.

Auction Artists

Thank you to our visual artist donors, whose beautiful work raised $6,300: Anh Bui, Bob Hsiang, Colin Kimzey, Erina Alejo, Hellen Jo, Jenifer Wofford, Jim Dong, Kevin Chen, Kiana Honarmand, Kim Acebo Arteche, Kristi Chan, Madeleine Pellegren, Maya Fuji, Miko Lee, Nancy Hom, Sun Park, Weston Teruya, 

And to Paloma Concordia and Amy Lam who offered healing and strategic services for artists, 

And to our many writers from KSW current and former staff, and from our literary program KSW Presents who donated their illustrious books: Muriel Leung, Chen Chen, Dena Rod, Preeti Vangani, Michelle Penaloza, Jade Cho, Jenny Qi, Christine No, Mimi Lok, Vanessa Hua, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Jason Bayani, Michelle Lin, Jadie Jang, Sam Chanse, K-Ming Chang, Innosanto Nagara, R Zamora Linmark, Meng Jin, R.O. Kwon, Genny Lim, Janice Sapigao, Gustavo Barahona-López, Lee Herrick.

Featured Artists

Thank you to Charlene Tan, K-Ming Chang, the Francis Wong Special Ensemble (Francis Wong, Karl Evangelista, Deszon X. Claiborne), and DJ Lady Sha for a wonderful evening of entertainment, poetry, and art.

Volunteers

 We couldn’t have pulled off this gala without the dedication, energy, and support of our wonderful volunteers: Alex Wu, Amber Lee, Carter Yee, Charlene Tan, Connor Carroll, Dawn Angelicca Barcelona, Diana Fu, Evelyn Zhong, Forrest McGarvey, Helen Ma, Hing Potter, Irene Gutierrez, Ivan Zhao, Ivy Chen, Jeff Yee, Jennifer Liu, Jennifer Yu, Jess Phan, Jessica Zhou, Jingyu Li, JN Fang, Kenjo Wong, Kenneth Ruan, Kim Arteche, Kit Chan, Li Wang, Lucy Zhu , Marlene Yee, Megan Smith, Mike De Vera, Muriel Leung, Paula Mirando, Preeti Vangani, Quang Cao, Rita Huang, Robert Fox, Ron Fernandez, Shen Yoon, Sidney Aung, Simon Tran, Terence Hua, Tommy McClain, Tracy Pan, Vanesa O'Hanlon, and Wesley Wang.

Graphic Designers

Thank you to Innosanto Nagara for designing a wonderful logo and title, Steve Belale for making our print and image assets look so good, and Robin Castel for her expert web design!

A Note on COVID Safety

Thank you to everyone who tested at our event, and took free tests home. It’s up to us to keep our communities safe!

Some of the iHealth COVID-19 tests distributed by local health equity nonprofit Safer Together at Saturday's 50th gala have a recent expiration date. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has indefinitely extended the expiration dates for all iHealth tests and all FDA authorized over-the-counter COVID-19 antigen tests. Yes, you can still use these tests as long as the control line appears 15 minutes from self-testing. If the control line is missing, the test is no longer valid.

Information on how to perform the iHealth tests, self-report your test results, and more information about CDPH's extension of expiration dates are in the info sheet attached.

For additional testing, please visit Safer Together's community test sites. Test site locations, hours, and details are at: safer-together.org/find-care.

Get Ready for APAture 2022!

Our renewal gala is just one event uplifting 50 years of our work. Up next, we’re diving into planning for our APAture festival, this year themed around our organizing principle of “Autonomy.” Our General Planning Committee is just getting started on their visioning for APAture, and you can join the team! 

 Submissions are now open to present your work.