Facing Exclusion: Pioneering Activists Harry Hom Dow and Tien Fu Wu

ArtsEmerson in Boston and Chinese Historical Society of New England (CHSNE) presented Facing Exclusion: Pioneering Activists Harry Hom Dow and Tien Fu Wu, a theatrical presentation and conversation livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 18 March at 2 p.m. EST (New York), 1 p.m. CST (Chicago), 12 p.m. MST (Denver), and 11 a.m. PST (Los Angeles).

There will be a performance of Nutzacrackin’ Immigration and Naturalization, which depicts a fictional immigration interrogation during the Chinese Exclusion Act. The original two plays were written by Harry Hom Dow (1904-1985), a Suffolk Law School graduate who became the first Chinese-American to pass the Massachusetts Bar exam in 1929. Christina R. Chan, a local actor, playwright, teaching artist and director, adapted the script for this performance.

Chan will also present a selection from her one-woman play, Unbinding Our Lives, on the lived experience of Tien Fu Wu (1887-1975), a Chinese woman living in San Francisco at the turn of the twentieth-century.

Featured performers include:
Christina R. Chan (Tien Fu Wu), Eric Cheung (Yung), Tim Corbett (Chief Inspector), Alexander Holden (Dow), Sophia Kowvary (Miss French), Danny Mourino (Rosen), and Josh Santora (Mulloy).

A panel and community conversation connecting this history to present day, followed by an audience reflection will close the program. The panel will feature: Christina R. Chan (Artist), Stephanie Fan (Community Leader), and Ragini Shah (Suffolk Law), and moderated by Elisa Choi (MA Asian American Commission & Company One).

Chinese Historical Society of New England
Founded in 1992, the Chinese Historical Society of New England (CHSNE) is the first educational organization dedicated solely to documenting, preserving, and promoting the history and legacy of Chinese immigration in New England. CHSNE is the steward of a sizable collection and archive of relevant materials, including cultural artifacts, oral and printed materials, and other manifestations of Chinese-American legacy. Throughout the year, CHSNE hosts public lectures, art events, community receptions, and walking tours to facilitate engagement in local history.

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.