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. Being surrounded by our people’s history, in a building preserved from early Chinatown days, curated by fellow Asian Americans, was something that seemed nearly impossible here in Dallas.

Throughout the U.S. (but especially in Dallas), our community’s artifacts are too often left in the hands of non-Asian organizations and institutions. Trophies added to a collection or exotic art presented for the outside gaze.

Our stories are told about and for us, rather than from us. I’m tired of seeing glimpses of our legacy shared by others during May, only to be locked in someone else’s museum or archives until the next year.

My commitment during this #AANHPI heritage month and beyond—along with my brilliant Dallas Asian American Historical Society team—is to move forward with our dream of developing a physical home for Asian American history in Dallas. We’re excited to share more over the coming months as we embark on our first capital campaign.

We know there’s a long road ahead, but if we inherited one thing from our predecessors, it is their will to persevere and create within spaces built to exclude them. Our legacy is here. It’s time to reclaim our place in the city and narrative.