OCA Greater Cleveland (OCAGC) was awarded $15,000 from The Cleveland Foundation’s Minority Arts and Education Fund to produce a video documentary in 2020 on Chinese in AsiaTown to commemorate the 150th years of Chinese in Cleveland, Ohio.
The grant will help OCAGC to implement the process in creating a 70-minute documentary that will highlight the history of Cleveland’s AsiaTown through the perceptive of Cleveland historians, community leaders, business owners, and residents. Cleveland’s AsiaTown is a business and residential community on the east side of Cleveland with a high concentration of immigrants and citizens of Asian descent. By the 1920’s many of the Chinese began settling and building businesses around Rockwell Avenue and East 22th which is now considered AsiaTown. By the 1950’s Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese groups began migrating to Cleveland. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the midtown region (of which Asiatown is a large portion) has a self-identified Asian population of 39 percent, well above the national and state average.
OCAGC’s Vice President of Communication, Johnny Wu will spearhead the production of the documentary along with our members and affiliates. Through our partnerships, with various institutions and the community, we are able to commence the pre-production of this significant documentary in highlighting the diverse ethnic groups that make Cleveland great.
“We are honored to have this opportunity to produce a documentary on Cleveland’s Chinese immigrant community about their history, culture, and economic growth that lead to what has grown and become our AsiaTown today,” said OCAGC President, Lisa Wong. “The history will be told and recorded so future generations can look back and treasure our stories while moving forward for a better future for our community.”
A video documentary undertaking is not an easy task, it takes months of research as well as networking with key partners, conducting interviews, obtaining licensing and etc. “While all parties involved will be volunteering their time to help make this a reality,” said Johnny Wu, “additional funds will be needed to help enhance the visual production, which includes travel, studio, rental, and other bare minimum costs, we will need additional support.”
The majority of the documentary will be filmed within Cleveland’s AsiaTown community. For information about the documentary and how you can help or contribute, visit www.ocagc.org.
The OCA Greater Cleveland Chapter serves the continually growing Asian Pacific American community of Northeast Ohio and works to promote cultural heritage, active participation in civic and community affairs, securing justice, and equal treatment and equal opportunity for all Americans of Asian Pacific Islander descent.
