22 10 805 https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/1396aff50948940dece39b1fb745a099.jpg 1ebb3b1e89023becb357575bca0690eb Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Demonstration in solidarity with Asian communities Description An account of the resource A multiracial coalition of protestors marches down a street, demonstrating solidarity with Asian communities. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Helen Stec Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_914 Anti-Asian Violence and Representations Demonstration Racial Justice Committee Solidarity Work https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/58fa963603eddf3b03e04bf7d28d573e.jpg f8817b79922b73c69b53486dd7fa1cd1 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Protest against film Rising Sun in Times Square (New York City) Description An account of the resource This photographs shows a crowded scene in front of a movie theater. On its marquee, adorned in red block letters, is a title: RISING SUN. On the street, members of CAAAV hold signs as tourists pass by, reading “Japanese men sleeping with white women! Get the lynch mob,”<a>[1]</a> and other images depict the sign “Gangsters, businessmen & waiters – we demand better roles for Asian actors.”<a>[2]</a> This protest was one of many. Asian-American activists had been vocal about their problems with Rising Sun – citing its use of caricaturized depictions of Asian people and the way it promoted violence against them – and groups across the country had organized demonstrations for its premier in 1993.<a>[3]</a> Asian representation in film has long been lacking. Asian characters make up only 1% of leading roles, and when they do appear they often embody harmful stereotypes.<a>[4]</a> Asian men in particular are frequently portrayed as emasculated and sexless or, in the case of Rising Sun, as predatory businessmen with criminal connections.<a>[5]</a> Many of these harmful tropes stem from the racist and xenophobic fear, originating in the 1870s, that Asian immigration constituted a threat to the white Western world. This fear, often known as the idea of “Yellow Peril,” was particularly obvious in the pervasive anxiety that Asian men might corrupt white women.<a>[6]</a>   Rising Sun stokes these twin fears. It tells the story of police investigating the death of a white female escort, whose body was discovered in the offices of a powerful Japanese company.<a>[7]</a> As stated, both the fears of Asian people gaining power in the (white) American business world and of Asian men taking advantage of defenseless white women are baseless and rooted in historical xenophobia. Despite this, Rising Sun portrays them with no nuance or criticism. That CAAAV and other activist groups organized demonstrations against Rising Sun is unsurprising, given the material consequences that arise when these racist ideas are promoted in popular media. Not only do they take root in people’s imaginations – people who may “have little contact with Asian and Pacific Americans,” and on whom “the impact of films, television, and print is likely to be profound” – but they also foster real-life violence.<a>[8]</a> Backlash against the film cited this point. Michael Ishii, chairman of the New York Coalition Against Rising Sun, noted that “The message is that it’s okay to attack Asians, and that it’s a patriotic thing to do.”<a>[9]</a> Even Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, a Japanese American actor with a prominent role in the film, stated, “I’ve played a lot of stereotypes…But the angst from all the violence, and the fear that we as Asians feel everyday leaving our door in America wondering whether we’re going to come home, all that kind of angst is being dumped on Rising Sun.”<a>[10]</a> The signs that the CAAAV members hold in these photographs decry the state of Asian representation in Hollywood, although the “better roles for Asian actors” have largely failed to materialize in the nearly three decades since this protest.<a>[11]</a> What’s more, the signs also echo the sentiments of Ishii and Tagawa, particularly in the evocative reference to “the lynch mob” that can form when non-Asian people perceive Asians as a threat to their power or their civilization. The fact that this threat of violence remains a problem even now highlights that there is still a need to push for equal representation in media to this day. Notes <a>[1]</a> “Protest against film Rising Sun in Times Square (New York City),” CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities Digital Archive, accessed March 18, 2021, http://maggie.hosting.nyu.edu/caaav/admin/items/show/1091 <a>[2]</a> “Better Roles for Asian Actors,” CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities Digital Archive, accessed March 18, 2021, http://maggie.hosting.nyu.edu/caaav/admin/items/show/1042 <a>[3]</a> Nisid Hajari, “’Rising Sun’ Stirs Controversy,” EW.com (Entertainment Weekly, August 6, 1993), https://ew.com/article/1993/08/06/rising-sun-stirs-controversy/. <a>[4]</a> Thessaly La Force, “Why Do Asian-Americans Remain Largely Unseen in Film and Television?,” The New York Times (The New York Times, November 6, 2018), https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/t-magazine/asian-american-actors-representation.html. <a>[5]</a> Jennifer Richards, “Portrayals of Asians in Film and Television: Get Started,” Ithaca College Library (Ithaca College), accessed March 18, 2021, https://libguides.ithaca.edu/c.php?g=861718&p=6175738. <a>[6]</a> Teresa A. Mok, “Getting the Message: Media Images and Stereotypes and Their Effect on Asian Americans,” Cultural Diversity & Mental Health 4 (3) http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.nyu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edo&AN=31159946&site=eds-live. <a>[7]</a> “Rising Sun,” IMDb (IMDb.com, July 30, 1993), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107969/. <a>[8]</a> Stanley Sue and James K. Morishima, The Mental Health of Asian Americans, Jossey-Bass, 1982. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.nyu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=68339687&site=eds-live. <a>[9]</a> Hajari, “’Rising Sun’ Stirs Controversy.” <a>[10]</a> Hajari, “’Rising Sun’ Stirs Controversy.” <a>[11]</a> La Force, “Why Do Asian-Americans Remain Largely Unseen in Film and Television?,” The New York Times, November 6, 2018. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1993 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jubilee Marshall This post was completed as coursework for HIST-GA 3901 Community Archives, taught by Maggie Schreiner, in the Archives and Public History MA program at New York University. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1557 "Rising Sun" Anti-Asian Violence and Representations Demonstration Solidarity Work https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/c38db7ff3c7087444b3d7d9cbd01db42.jpg 920f22d60425496c2cdcacc42347400f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Chinatown (New York City) apartment building Description An account of the resource Picture of an apartment building at 123 Baxter Street in Chinatown (Manhattan). A sign on the building reads "DOWNTOWN DEFINED [...] www.123baxterstreet.com." Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 2000-2020 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Helen Stec Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1996 Chinatown Chinatown Tenants Union Tenant Advocacy https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/84aa6ec9a7f685dab87149aa853594f5.jpg 616362e152209430a3fbbf321e9c8450 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Speaker at CAAAV event Description An account of the resource A young man holds a microphone and reads from a paper at a CAAAV event. Streamers and balloons hang from the ceiling above him. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Helen Stec Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1073 CAAAV Benefit Youth Leadership Project https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/b50b33d48ce32ac770177e8b07c24b4b.jpg 5aac39fbde774a6e6fae9e2473fd9318 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Girl wearing JUSTICE vest Description An account of the resource A girl wearing an orange vest with the word JUSTICE embroidered on it. Below is a patch "NO WAR NO RACISM" and an imprint of Phan Thị Kim Phúc ("Napalm Girl") after being severely burned in a Napalm attack during the Vietnam War in 1972. The young girl also has a Palestinian flag attached to her hair. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 20, 2002 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1254 Demonstration Immigration Palestine Support Rally Solidarity Work https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/97d8222185098512a0106ef5b3398496.jpg a5e005e9adef16651f44cfc37ed184e2 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Protestors at 401 East 84th Street Description An account of the resource Protestors holding signs create a circle outside of 401 East 84th Street in New York City. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1458 Demonstration Rent Strike Tenant Advocacy https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/ba2f4616625ad4b3a0f9fe7b1dc05369.jpg 8812464b4e4879cd860411071962cef6 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Group assembled at Seward Park High School Description An account of the resource 17 people assembled in matching green shirts. Some are holding orchids Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1461 Event group photo Lunar New Year https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/5a9b85ed01643c46b822ae9c09c4bede.jpg 2da0e1e312e042d76c4ed928948d8a33 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Group of youths standing in front of Confucius Description An account of the resource A group of youths pose for a photograph in front of a Confucius Statue located in Chinatown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1473 CAAAV Youth Chinatown group photo Youth Leadership Project https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/3bb6275092893979d135e94fb9ee3e00.jpg 01fbd7a418b908c6439282f66f5e8753 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence Poster Description An account of the resource Protestors hold a red sign that reads the "Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence" poster. In the lefthand corner, a poster in the shape of a tombstone with the name Jim Ming Hai Loo. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_1527 Anti-Asian Violence and Representations Demonstration Immigration https://archives.caaav.org/files/original/1d71ac1c42318ac778042c00aca1a8bd.jpg c35194d79e8512cc0141292acb407a15 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Organizers holding a sign: Stop harassing, Drop the Cases Description An account of the resource three organizers gather together looking at a paper, one with a blow horn, and another holding a sign that says "Stop Harassing, Drop the Cases" Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mary Tsaltas-Ottomanelli Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright is held by CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CAAAV_913 Anti-Asian Violence and Representations Canvassing Demonstration Solidarity Work