Hope G. Yi '18 (they/them)

The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. The organization is most prominent for CAAMFest, the world’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian film, food, and music programs, at which I began my CAAM journey as a volunteer in May. Little did I know that I would spend this summer not only working with the very people whose tireless efforts make CAAMFest and other watershed moments in API representation possible but also finding community with some of the coolest folks--from artists, activists, organizers, and scholars to bowtie-makers, fellow queers, Burners, karaoke kweens, and even VEGANS--with whom I feel proud to say I share an API identity.

Having grown up very religious, I had been so used to the church being the sole source of Asian community in my life, and as a casualty of colonization, I had and have been harboring a great deal of internalized racism that I have been trying very hard to unlearn. At the onset of my fellowship, I was worried I wasn’t going to be “Asian enough” to work for an Asian-centered organization, but I was excited to learn from and grow with people who look like me and reclaim power in my API identity. Working at CAAM, I was not disappointed. Not only did I get to share space with awesome people who are collectively working towards a mission in which I wholeheartedly believe, but I also got to pick up a couple of valuable life and workplace skills along the way. During the first weeks of my fellowship, I had the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the processes involved in nonprofit development, the coordination of CAAM’s fellowship program, and the meticulous process of digitizing and archiving raw film footage. As an intern, I also got to attend industry networking events and an API Council meeting, where community leaders advocated for more inclusive and accessible mental health resources and practices.

In the last couple weeks of my fellowship, I was lucky enough to work as a production assistant for a CAAM-produced film--directed by Wayne Wang (of “The Joy Luck Club” fame) and produced by Don Young, my first “9-to-5” boss of my dreams; written by Stanford’s very own Professor Chang-rae Lee; starring Justin Chon, Jackie Chung, John Lie, July Kim, Leesa Kim, and finger-licking delicacies by Benu’s Chef Corey Lee; and materialized by a motley crew of industry veterans, students, and burgeoning stars (although everyone was a rockstar in their own right!). I am so grateful for this organization that amplifies Asian voices and tells their narratives in a respectful, authentic, and empowering way and for all the people I met this summer who truly made me feel like I was part of the CAAMily.

Now that it’s been released, I can proudly say the title of the film out loud: “Coming Home Again” made its debut at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2019, and no surprise, Rotten Tomatoes seems to be a fan!