In 1940, 42 years after Wong Kim Ark v. United States, Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco to Chinese opera travelers. His birthright citizenship status allowed him to work, study, and pursue the arts freely in America as an adult, embracing “West Coast counterculture and mesh[ing] it with the Asian worldviews and philosophies that reared him.”
Bruce Lee went on to transform the cultural consciousness of Asian America. In his new book, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, acclaimed author Jeff Chang (Can’t Stop Won’t Stop) draws on thousands of newly available personal documents to tell Lee’s story in fresh and powerful ways.
Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) is proud to co-sponsor a special meet-and-greet with Jeff Chang, hosted with the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) in San Francisco’s Chinatown, where Bruce Lee was born!
One Family: VIP Reception
🗓️When: Saturday, October 4, 10:00am to 12:00pm
📍Where: 965 Clay St, San Francisco
🎟️Tickets: $40-$80. Proceeds will go towards CHSA’s Bruce Lee statue project.
And the celebration doesn’t end there. After the book talk, join CAA, CHSA, and On Waverly for a free, family-friendly block party on Waverly Place (between Clay and Washington Sts.) from 1:00-4:00pm! The One Family Block Party will feature:
- Musical performances by rappers Stunnaman02 and Unlearn the World and the SF Hip Hop Foundation
- DJ sets by DJ Qbert, DJ Kendo, and DJ Agana
- Martial arts demonstrations
- Pop-up art
- Opportunities to get involved with local orgs like CAA
A very special panel discussion about martials arts as an expression of resistance to empire and affirmation of cultural heritage featuring Dr. Bernard James Remollino and Jeff Chang.
