SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT US Founded in 1973, OCA is a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States. Established in 1979, the OCA-Greater Houston Chapter (OCA-GH) is one of OCA’s 100+ chapters and college affiliates, with a long track record of programs and initiatives that work to advance the four main goals of the OCA mission statement: - to advocate for social justice, equal opportunity, and fair treatment - to promote civic participation, education, and leadership - to advance coalitions and community building, and - to foster cultural heritage OCA-GH is a volunteer-driven organization of community advocates that strives to meet the current and evolving needs of a diverse population through comprehensive programs targeting different life stages and needs of AAPIs. The board members, along with key community volunteer members, work to fundraise, implement programs, and monitor national and local policy positions and initiatives to better advocate for the community. OCA-GH works on local initiatives that empower the AAPI community including leadership training, education workshops, culture, arts, and advocacy aware- ness, legal clinics, internships, scholarships, mentoring, and civic engagement. OCA-GH programs impact the next generation to seek leadership roles. The annual Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival (HAAPIFEST) & Arts Night is an OCA-GH community event which strives to promote and edu- cate the community on AAPI experiences and highlight AAPI talent in the arts. Through the various events encompassing HAAPIFEST, OCA-Greater Houston partners with community organizations to raise awareness of the history and culture of AAPIs. During HAAPIFEST, participants also have the opportunity to meet film directors, screen writers, actors and actresses, and artists. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Friends, Welcome to the 17th Annual Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival! On behalf of our Board of Directors, organization members, and volunteers, I thank you for joining us this year. This event would not have been possible without the many hours of volunteer work by the HAAPIFEST Committee and Volunteers Crew, as well as the support of our sponsors and community partners. OCA-Greater Houston started the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival 17 years ago because we felt film personified ‘edu-tainment’, entertainment that also educated our community on important social issues and highlighted the richness of the AAPI experience. The emotional and visu- al impact of film as an expression of the creativity of individuals is the perfect medium which allows us to appreciate the diversity of the AAPI community and the commonalities we share. As we work to develop leaders of tomor- row, we want to continue cultivating individuals in all science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fields emphasizing the arts and media. We hope you will join us to enjoy this year’s selections of films, and come support Asian American Pacific Islander artists and filmmakers. If it is your first time attending HAAPIFEST, “Welcome!”, and if you are a re- turning visitor, “Welcome back!”. We hope to see you again! Sincerely, HC Chang President, OCA-Greater Houston FESTIVAL DIRECTORS’ MESSAGE Hi! My name is Jessica Kong and on behalf of OCA-Greater Houston and the 2021 Committee, I would like to welcome you to the 17th annual film festival, HAAPIFEST. It is an honor to be the Festival Director again. Of course, everyone imagined we’d be back in person this year, but these are definitely unprecedented times. We are fortunate that our platform allows us to continue our work, even if it is virtual. We have had the privilege of connecting with filmmakers from all over the world, as well as supporting the artists in our own backyard, and we look forward to sharing each of their stories with you this year. Last year was especially difficult...the whole world went on lockdown and even the simplest tasks had their challenges. But if there is one thing our past has taught us, it is that we acknowledge, we adapt, and we rise above it. This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building represent- ing the diverse Asian groups within our city. Like raising a building, we wanted to show that support comes from the ground up, and that despite our differences, we are all built one in the same and looking toward the horizon for a brighter future. OCA offers many programs and resources throughout the year. What makes HAAPIFEST different? Why do we continue our work? The reason we do this festival is because we want other people to understand that Asian stories are not just our stories. They are other communities’ stories as well. So I hope that as you watch these films, you keep an open mind and give yourself to the emotions you feel after watching them. If the subject matter challenges you, then seek answers. If the stories move you, follow where they take you. So take this journey with us and please enjoy the festival. WELCOME TO HAAPIFEST! In solidarity, Director Jessica Kong 2021 HAAPIFEST COMMITTEE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR JESSICA KONG INTERNS FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALBERT TINAY, ANGEL HUANG DEBBIE CHEN Q&A TEAM SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER/Q&A TECHNICAL COORDINATOR JACK MORILLO, JESSICA MARIA DURAN SUN, MARK CHOI, LYNN KAWARATANI, KIRSTEN STRAYER A/V MANAGER EUGENE LEE GRAPHIC ARTIST BANANMILK PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE KENT TONG, REN TEA, PROGRAM BOOKLET DESIGNER STEPHANIE CARD, DAVID MATUSCHAK, ALMA NGUYEN LEE ZAVALA, ABBY TRINO, AUDREY PAN OUR JUDGES & ARTIST JUDGE LUIS CHEN Luis M. Chen was born in Taiwan. As a teenager, he immigrated to Paraguay, relocated to San Jose, California, and joined the United States Army. He served two years of active duty in San Antonio, Texas, thereafter, he joined the Army Reserves back home in California. He then moved to Honolu- lu, Hawaii and joined the Queen Emma Hawaiian Civic Club Choir. Luis settled in Houston and this began Luis’ interest and involvement with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation and promotion. In 2016, Luis created a foodie meet- up event known as the Chinatown Crawl. In 2017, Luis started his career at Comcast and he and a few colleagues founded the Asian Pacific American (APA) ERG Houston Chapter for Comcast. He also serves on the Board of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA). Since the CoVid-19 pandemic ceased all in-person activities, Luis learned new ways to promote AAPI culture and diversity, by pivoting to virtual events. JUDGE AARTI PATEL Aarti Patel is an incoming freshman at Univer- sity of Southern California where she will be studying set design at the Massman Theater School of Dramatic Arts. She has created a short documentary film about the Sugar Land 95 where she understood the power of story- telling and the impact it can have on the com- munity. Aarti hopes to one day create her own stories through art direction in film, television, and music. OUR JUDGES & ARTIST JUDGE KRISHNA NARRA Krishna Narra is an actor/filmmaker who has been with HAAPIFEST for the past year years, both as a judge and as an emcee. He loves APA narratives and is highly passionate about sharing our stories. He is currently the co-host of the podcast NRI-Not Really Indian and is currently working on producing a pilot pitch short film called “To All The Girls I Loved Before.” ARTIST BANANMILK Hi, I’m Sara, aka @bananmilk_. I’m a Junior High student, and I love to make art and animations. I wish to become a successful digital artist, and to inspire others with my art work. FESTIVAL THEMES MAIN THEME: RAISING COMMUNITIES This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building representing the diverse Asian groups within our city. Like raising a building, we wanted to show that support comes from the ground up, and that despite our differences, we are all built one in the same and looking toward the horizon for a brighter future. SUBTHEMES THURSDAY JUNE 3: RAISING AWARENESS This past year has challenged each of us on both an individual and collective level. With the world slowly opening back up, it is time for us to work together and raise awareness to some of the lowlights that occurred during the pandem- ic - national healthcare supply shortage, gun violence, and anti-Asian discrimi- nation. By acknowledging them, we can then move forward and provide realistic solutions toward combating them. FRIDAY JUNE 4: RAISING YOUTH Not everyone is ready to start a family. Children constantly need affirmation at every stage in their life, which often come from the guardians that raise them. Until they grow to an age where they can manage themselves, it is up to the adults in their lives to protect them and preserve their livelihood. SATURDAY JUNE 5: RAISING VOICES Words are very powerful weapons...therefore, we must choose our words care- fully and execute them with purpose. Spoken with enough precision, they can be used to tear down as much as lift up. Recorded, they can leave a lasting im- pression. As language evolves, the legacy behind them remains intact as a blueprint of reason. FESTIVAL THEMES SUBTHEMES This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used SATURDAY JUNE 5: RAISING PARENTS Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building representing the diverse AsianIt is our groups responsibility within our city.