My Korean mother told me that when I was born and she was holding me, she “wanted to hold me until (she) died.” I think maybe a piece of her did perish when the social worker took me from her arms. But the other death came when my Korean father forbid her…
Reclaiming the legacy of Asian Americans in Dallas
📷 Dallas Union Depot, (ca.1885-1935) at the junction of Houston & Texas Central and Texas & Pacific Railroads, Dallas Public Library, History & Texana Archives
With no major river or seaport, it is sometimes said that Dallas had no reason to exist. That is, until the Houston & Texas Central (H&TC) Railroad was completed. On July 16, 1872, a ceremonial train arrived in Dallas to celebrate the state’s first major rail line. According to the Museum of…
Legacy Building
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Seattle with my team members to present at the Association for Asian American Studies Conference. Denise and I ended up switching to a red-eye flight, so we could spend more time exploring Seattle’s Chinatown. Visiting the Wing Luke Museum moved me to literal tears….
Dallas City Council Meeting – 2.14.24
Happy Lunar New Year. My name is Stephanie Drenka, executive director of the Dallas Asian American Historical Society. I serve on the Historic and Cultural Preservation Stakeholder Steering Committee, appointed by the City Manager. As such, I recently attended a panel event entitled “Becoming a City that Remembers,” where a council member…
This is 38.
“you are a miracle. act like it. don’t waste it.” (adrienne maree brown)
Dallas City Council Meeting – 1.10.24
Good morning. My name is Stephanie Drenka, co-founder and executive director of the Dallas Asian American Historical Society. Those of you familiar with the city’s racial equity plan might have seen my name on the “Women influence historical events” timeline on page 21. In this plan, mayor, you said that “our goal…