C3: FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH

FREE PROGRAM

This artist conversation will be hosted via Zoom. Click here to RSVP.

FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH: Race, Immigration, and Empowering the Future

Let’s get deep with FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH director Larissa Lam to discuss her documentary about family separation, remembering your elders, and the often ignored history of Asian Americans in the United States. Featured guests include Larissa Lam, Baldwin Chiu, and Ted Gong. Moderated by Paula Madison.

Co-presented with Community Partners: Chinese American Museum

Larissa Lam made her directorial debut with the award-winning short FINDING CLEVELAND and was part of the Smithsonian’s History Film Forum Emerging Filmmakers Lab. Lam is also an award-winning singer-songwriter whose song, “I Feel Alive” won the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Dance Song. Lam has written music for shows like THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW. Lam is passionate about empowering and inspiring others through film, music and speaking engagements. A dynamic speaker, she has spoken on diversity in media, the Asian American experience among other topics at TEDx, Leadercast and numerous universities such as Yale, UCLA and MIT. Lam hails from Diamond Bar, CA and is a proud UCLA Bruin.

Baldwin Chiu and his family are the subjects of FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH and he teamed up with his wife, Larissa Lam, to produce the film. His family’s story has been featured on NBC News, PBS and NPR. He is a graduate of the ACT One film producing program and previously produced the award-winning documentary short FINDING CLEVELAND. In addition to being a producer, Chiu is a rapper and beatboxer known by his MC name, Only Won and has gained recognition for his viral videos like “Cantonese Boy.” Additionally, Chiu has been a speaker on numerous panels addressing race, immigration, and Asian American representation in the media.

Ted Gong is a former U.S. Foreign Service Officer who worked on policies, laws and operations related to visas, border security,immigration, refugees, citizenship, and consular services. He served in U.S. Embassies and Consulates in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Taipei, Manila, and Sydney. He is the Founder-Director of the 1882 Project Foundation, a non-profit organization that broadens public understanding of the history of Chinese in America. Ted is President of the DC Lodge of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance and National Vice President for Policy, a founding member of the Fairfax County Asian American Oral History Project, and organizer of monthly Talk Story Events held in Chinatown Washington DC. 

Paula Williams Madison is Chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC, a division of Williams Group Holdings LLC, a Chicago-based investment company. She spent 22 years with NBC Universal and was most recently the Executive Vice President of Diversity as well as a Vice President of the General Electric Company. Madison is executive producer, and subject of, FINDING SAMUEL LOWE: FROM HARLEM TO CHINA, a compelling documentary that chronicles her journey to her maternal grandfather’s homeland in China and the reconnection of her family with his 300 descendants. Honored for corporate leadership and community outreach, Madison was named one of the “75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America” by Black Enterprise Magazine in 2005 and was included in Ebony magazine’s “Power 100.” She is Vice President of the Los Angeles Police Commission. On the occasion of the 2013 Centennial Anniversary of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Madison was inducted as a member of Honorary Centennial Six, a great career achievement. A native of Harlem, she and her husband reside in Los Angeles. 

Preceded By

FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH

Directed by Larissa Lam

A Chinese American family’s search for their roots leads them to Mississippi, where they stumble upon surprising revelations and uncover their racially complex history in America.