Asian America The Beautiful

As the nation celebrates July 4th and the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in partnership with the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), AJSOCAL put together a moving slideshow celebrating the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community’s presence and contributions across 250 years of the nation’s story.

At a time when immigrant and AAPI contributions to American life need to be seen and celebrated, this is a joyous way to honor our histories with dignity and pride and to do so in our own voice. The project features personal photographs shared with AJSOCAL by community members, partners, legislators, and leaders. The images celebrate ancestral and immigrant stories across generations: family celebrations, community gatherings, and everyday scenes. All of which honor the rich, layered, and deeply American stories of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

The projection runs from July 2 through July 5, sunset to sunrise, on the Pavilion at JANM. Admission is FREE. The multi-night exterior projection can be seen from the main entrance of the museum.

Thank you to JANM’s Democracy Center for partnering with us to bring this project to Little Tokyo, and to the California Community Foundation for generously providing projection technology.

If you are unable to view the projection at JANM, Asian America the Beautiful is available for viewing below.

VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SUBMITTED PHOTOS