Chinese American Museum to Open in Nation’s Capital

By Jennie L. Ilustre

 

Another tourist attraction and landmark, a state-of-the-art Chinese American Museum, will soon rise in the nation’s capital. The target date for the opening is early 2020, according to Chinese American Museum Executive Director David Uy.

 

“We anticipate that the public museum will open in 1-1/2 to 2 years,” Uy said in an interview. “Select programs and events will begin after our announcement of the project,” scheduled after a formal launch on November 8 in D.C.

 

Uy pointed out the significance of the project, as noted in its brochure: “The Chinese American story is an American story. It’s time to make the Chinese American story accessible to the nearly 22 million annual visitors to Washington, D.C.”

 

“For nearly 200 years, Chinese in America have made great sacrifices, overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges, and played a critical role in our country’s success,” the project leaders underscored in the brochure. “From hardship and perseverance to ingenuity and leadership, the Chinese American experience is a story about American resilience and fortitude.”

 

The leaders said the Chinese American Museum in Washington, D.C. (CAMDC) “is a bold undertaking to establish a new, national museum to preserve, exhibit, and lead a meaningful dialogue about the Chinese American experience – its history, culture, and contributions to our country and the world.”

 

Elaborating on the project, Chinese American Museum Executive Director Uy pointed out: “The museum’s contents are still to be determined by our curatorial and collections process. But we expect the museum to focus on the early history of Chinese in America, Chinese-American culture, the confluence of Chinese and American histories, and contemporary Chinese-Americans, traditions, and issues.”

 

Museum Site

Uy said the building is located at 16th Street and M Street NW, adjacent to The Jefferson Hotel. The five-story, 1907 Beaux-Arts style mansion has been undergoing renovations to update and modernize the building for museum use “to accommodate exhibitions of historical and contemporary artifacts and interpretations, Chinese American art, cultural and educational events, and interactive multimedia experiences.”

 

The site was chosen for three reasons: 1) the architectural quality of the building; 2) proximity to mainstream tourism traffic, and 3) usable square footage as a public space. The building sits on 9,000 square feet of choice real estate. Total cost for the whole project is still to be determined.

 

The idea for the national museum was born in early 2017. Uy said the Chinese American Museum organization plans to develop the museum in a collaborative approach, drawing on and amplifying efforts from a wide variety of historical and cultural experts from around the country and abroad. These include academic historians, authors, and other Chinese American and Asian American museums and organizations.

 

Uy said, “As we develop a state-of-the art museum, we will be collecting artifacts, histories, and materials from private collectors – donated and loaned – peer museums, and historical organizations.”  People interested in getting updates or in supporting the effort are urged to visit the website at www.chineseamericanmuseum.org for more information.

 

‘Let’s build it together’

The project’s leaders have issued a rallying message, “Let’s build it together.” Supporters can help in three ways: Partner, support and connect.

 

Partner: The Chinese American Museum in Washington, D.C. is working closely with other Chinese American museums, cultural groups, and academic institutions. Interested organizations can contact together@chineseamericanmuseum.org

 

Support: Tax-deductible contributions, regardless of size will help: 1) Transform the facility into a state-of-the-art museum and cultural center; 2) recruit leading experts and staff, and volunteers, and 3) grow and conserve the collection, loaned artifacts and content. Visit the website,  www.chineseamericanmuseum.org or call 202-838-3180.

 

Connect: Keep the conversation going through Facebook @chineseamericanmuseumdc, or simply email together@chineseamerican

museum.org to receive updates on opportunities, events, and exhibits.

 

CAMDC Mission and Vision

The Chinese American Museum in Washington, D.C. (CAMDC) noted in its website that it advances the understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of the Chinese American experience “by highlighting shared cultural exchanges and stories of the spirit, resilience, and contributions of Chinese Americans throughout our past, present, and future.”

 

CAMDC emphasized that its vision is to be a knowledge leader that builds a community around a continual dialogue “illustrating how Chinese Americans, their culture, contributions, and potential are an all-important part of the American fabric.”

 

CAMDC Board of Directors

 

Philip Qiu, Chair

Philip Qiu is an entrepreneur based in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Los Angeles. In 2016, Qiu and his family established the Philip Qiu and Family Foundation to support education programs in the U.S. with a particular focus on music and art education for students with special needs.  Mr. Qiu was one of the original founders of the Chinese American Museum Foundation in 2017.

 

Neil Chen

Neil Chen is an entrepreneur from Canada and co-founder of the Chinese American Museum Foundation. In 2014, he established the Chinese Overseas Foundation, a Hong Kong- based nonprofit that works with local governments to build schools and provide educational opportunities in impoverished regions.

 

Ambassador Michael Ussery

Former U.S. Ambassador Michael Ussery has led major investments, business development and humanitarian projects in East Europe, Asia, and the Mid-East. He is a founder of numerous companies and non-profit organizations. Today he serves as Vice Chairman of Kima Communications and as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the CalErin Group. He co-founded Hellas Investment Management, focused on hospitality and real estate investments in Greece. In the field of international higher education, he is President of CAUA, planning and organizing American universities overseas. Previously, he was Chairman and President of the Coordinating Council for International Universities that planned the American University of Afghanistan.

 

Academic Advisory Board

Chair: Phylis Lan Lin, PhD

Dr. Lan Lin is Professor Emerita and Former Associate Vice President for International Partnerships, University of Indianapolis; Curator, Au Ho-nine Museum, University of Indianapolis; Professor, PhD OD & MBA Programs & Director, Center for Research and Planning, Assumption University, Thailand; and Honorary President, Everbright Film Arts Academy, Ningbo, China. Professor Lin holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Missouri–Columbia, concentrated in medical sociology, complex organization, and sociology of occupations and professions, which she received in 1972.

 

She taught at Missouri Southeast State University in 1972 and has been teaching at the University of Indianapolis since 1973. In her 46 years teaching and research in higher education, Dr. Lin has held administrative positions, acting as the Chair of the Department of the Social Sciences from 1978 to 1985. She was the co-founder of the Graduate Applied Sociology Program and the Director of Applied Sociology in the late 1990s for five years. Among her leadership roles, Dr. Lin has organized and chaired numerous international conferences. She was honored in August 2015 among the “Living Legends of Indiana’s Chinese-American Community” for her contributions to education and international cooperation.

 

 

 

Museum Team

Jenny Liu, Vice President

Jenny Liu was one of the first visionaries for the museum project. Prior to a career in international consulting, she was an award-winning film editor originally from Shanghai. Before working with the Chinese American Museum in D.C., she had been a native of Indianapolis, Indiana for nearly three decades.

 

Ms. Liu brings in-depth leadership experience, having worked for Chinese and American consulting companies helping to advance Sino-American joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. and China. Her more than 30 years of international dealings include roles with Emmis Broadcasting Company, Nanocarbon Technology, International Cultural Exchange Services, WWW International Corp., and Elite Education Service, where she developed international student exchange programs. Ms. Liu is also the Vice President of the Philip Qiu and Family Foundation in the U.S., a nonprofit organization focusing on helping disabled children through art and musical therapies and education in public and private schools in the U.S.

 

David Uy, Executive Director

David Uy is a marketing, public relations, and development veteran with experience in national nonprofit management, communications, and relationship- building.  His role at the museum draws on his work in creative and strategic marketing and public relations, nonprofit and corporate strategy, exhibit and event design, speechwriting, and campaign development.

 

Before joining CAMDC, David served in leadership roles in several award-winning advertising and public relations firms. He was Vice President of Marketing and Development for the legal technology company, CDS, Communications Director for The Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network. He served as the principal of the public relations agency, Brand Bureau, for twelve years.

 

David has worked with and advised numerous organizations including The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Personal Care Products Council, Coastal States Organization, Washington Revels, Quality of Life Plus, Johns Hopkins University, Fannie Mae, The National Zoo, Sprint, The Wall Street Journal, Big Brothers Big Sisters, U.S. Department of Energy, Bon Secours, and HCA Healthcare. David holds an MBA in Marketing Strategy and a BA in Fine Arts and Art History from The College of William and Mary. He is a first generation American-born Chinese with family originating in Xiamen, China and the Philippines.

 

Katie Lee, Museum Assistant

Katie Lee is a rising museum professional with substantial experience in marketing, curatorial, and education disciplines. Her work includes roles at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Barnes Foundation and MoMA PS1. She holds a Masters’ degree in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University and a Bachelors’ degree in Art History from Villanova University.

 

Phyllis Hecht, Museum Advisor

Phyllis Hecht is founding director of the Johns Hopkins University Master of Arts in Museum Studies program. She has taught at Johns Hopkins University since 2005 and her research focuses on best practices and innovative use of technology in the museum field. She co-edited “The Digital Museum: A Think Guide,” an anthology on museums and technology.

 

She has published papers and participated in international panels on topics of museums and technology, building online community, and current practices in digital curation. Phyllis has more than 25 years of museum experience, and prior to Johns Hopkins University, worked at the National Gallery of the Art in Washington, D.C., as manager of the museum’s website and as an award-winning designer of print and web publications. In 2012, she was the recipient of a research grant from The Benjamin and Rhea Yeung Center for Collaborative China Studies to form partnerships between museum professionals, educators, and students in the U.S. and China.

 

Ms. Hecht received a B.S. in Journalism and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Maryland and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Museum Education from George Washington University.