Kids’ Storytime

Join the Chinese American Museum and Ms. Rita from the Los Angeles Public Library’s Chinatown branch for this month’s Kids’ Storytime feature on Thursday, June 25, at 4pm PDT. Ms. Rita will be reading Action Jasmine by Kristen Mai Giang and illustrated by A.N. Kang.  

These books are suitable for ages 3-9, though we welcome children of all ages with parental supervision! 

This program is hosted virtually on Zoom. Register today at camla.org/storytime.

“Kids’ Storytime featuring Asian American Authors” is hosted in partnership with the Chinatown Branch Library.  

About the book:

Action Jasmine tells the story of Jasmine, a girl who prefers to blend into the background. While other kids play, she peeks from the sidelines and hides behind her big glasses, too shy and too scared to join in. But at night, when her grandpa reads to her, she dreams of adventure and brings a bold new character to life in her art—Action Jasmine! Action Jasmine isn’t anything like the real Jasmine. Action Jasmine isn’t scared. She’s brave, daring, and always saves the day. So when Grandpa invites Jasmine on an adventure to the park, she’s determined to go, even if she’s petrified inside. And when she spots a young boy playing alone, Jasmine faces a moment of truth: maybe she has a little Action Jasmine in her after all. Action Jasmine is a vivid celebration of imagination, play, and the quiet bravery of trying something new, as it follows a shy girl who discovers the superhero that’s been inside her all along.

About the author:

Kristen Mai Giang is a children’s book author whose work celebrates and uplifts AAPI voices through heartfelt, universal stories. Born in Vietnam, ethnically Chinese, and raised in the multicultural community of San Gabriel, California, Giang writes picture books that explore topics of immigration, family, courage, and connection. Her titles include Action Jasmine, The Rise (and Fall) of Jackie Chan, Ginger and Chrysanthemum, and Last Flight, the last of which shares her own family’s historic escape from Saigon in 1975. Her work has been recognized by the Junior Library Guild, CALA, NCSS-CBC, and Bank Street Books. Giang also creates Emmy Award-winning interactive content for young audiences, and has developed experiences for Disney, PBS Kids Sprout, and Mattel. She now produces content for Tinkercast, including its National Science Foundation-funded K-5 learning platform, TinkerClass

About the illustrator:

A.N. Kang, also known as Anna Kang, is an author-illustrator born and raised in Korea. She emigrated to the USA at the age of 18 where she began her career designing giftware, jewelry, home décor, greeting cards, and large-scale holiday installations across New York City. After studying Illustration at Moore College of Art & Design and the Rhode Island School of Design, Kang spent two decades in the design world before her side project, The Very Fluffy Kitty, Papillon, was published by Disney-Hyperion in 2016. Since then, she has worked as a children’s book author and illustrator, creating titles such as My Big Bad Monster, Celebrate You!, and The Squirrel Family Tree. Grateful to spend her days drawing and storytelling, Kang continues to craft whimsical, heartfelt books for young readers.

Holy Shiitake! A Wok Star is Born ft. Katie Chin

Experience an unforgettable evening with the Chinese American Museum on Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 PM at the historic Pico House (424 N. Main St.) for Holy Shiitake! A Wok Star is Born, a hilarious and heartfelt one‑woman show starring celebrity chef Katie Chin. Join us for an hour of laughter, inspiration, and deliciously told tales.

**Doors will open at 6:30 pm and a short reception will follow the show. Tickets begin at $25 and are available for purchase at camla.org/holyshiitake.

About the Show:
Holy Shiitake! A Wok Star is Born, written by Katie Chin and produced by Paul Hemstreet, chronicles Chef Katie Chin’s life as a Chinese American girl in 1970s Minneapolis. Her mother, Leeann Chin, is a seamstress turned restaurateur who inspires a young Katie to embark on her own culinary journey. Be captivated by her unique blend of humor, storytelling, and culinary expertise. Prepare to be entertained as she shares her personal journey of becoming a Wok Star and conquering the culinary world.

About Katie Chin:
Celebrity chef Katie Chin is an award-winning cookbook author, caterer, playwright, and Culinary Ambassador to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. After growing up in the kitchens of her mother Leeann Chin’s celebrated Minneapolis restaurants, she left a career in film and TV marketing to return to food, eventually co‑hosting the PBS series Double Happiness and authoring five cookbooks.

Commemorating Vincent Chin

Join us for Commemorating Vincent Chin on Tuesday, June 23, from 7 PM to 8 PM at the Rosemead Community Recreational Center (3936 Muscatel Ave, Rosemead). The Chinese American Museum annually dedicates this evening in honor of the life and legacy of Vincent Chin, whose senseless murder in 1982 became a pivotal moment that galvanized the Asian American civil rights movement. This commemoration allows for the reflection of racial inequality and discrimination that continues to persist in today’s highly polarized social climate, just as it did decades before.  

The evening’s program will include special remarks from Frank Wu, President of Queens College, and will conclude with a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Vincent Chin.  

Interested attendees can rsvp for free at camla.org/commemoratingvc.

More about the tragic murder of Vincent Chin:   

On June 23, 1982, Vincent Chin was violently beaten to death by two white men, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, in a racially motivated attack. The tragedy occurred against the backdrop of economic downturn in the United States. Auto companies laid off many American laborers, who directed their anger and blame towards the Japanese auto industry. Vincent Chin’s assailants, Ebens and Nitz, never served jail time and walked free with minimal fines for the senseless murder. The verdict of Chin’s murder trial was perceived as a gross miscarriage of justice and highlighted racial inequities within the American legal system. In response, the Asian American community joined together to mobilize widespread advocacy for justice and underline issues of racial violence and discrimination.