Contact us and tell us your legal story as a Chinese American women
Contact us and tell us your legal story as a Chinese American women
HERSTORY
The earliest Chinese American women who came to the U.S. in 1785 were mostly merchants’ wives and housemaids. In the following 165 years, these women pioneers established an impressive legal history.
They not only fought to become American citizens but also fiercely fought for their right to be treated with dignity as human beings.
Our exhibit showcases the legal milestones and often harrowing stories of these brave women. Before their lives and accomplishments are completely lost in the annals of history, we aim to tell herstory.
We finally give voice to those Chinese American women who paved the way for our past, present and future.
This is a grand departure from the typical exhibit with historical posters and documents. Art speaks louder than words! Through video, sound and paintings, the exhibit is an unprecedented multi-media art installation meant to memorialize and celebrate these courageous Chinese American women.
華人女性約在1785年來到美國，在隨後的165年裡，這群先驅者在美國這個法治大國裡，寫下了令人動容的法律故事。她們先是爭取成為美國公民的機會，然後無懼的為自己爭取尊嚴。我們將展出她們所寫下的法律史--Herstory，以免她們的故事在史冊中被埋沒。透過這個展覽，這群為我們鋪路的勇敢的女性終於可以發聲了。
本展不同於傳統的歷史圖片及文物展，藝術的聲音大過語言，所以我們運用多媒體裝置藝術來紀念及慶祝她們的生命。
進入展場，你第一眼就會看到「她們」的素描壁畫--本展故事的主人翁，也會觀察到她們艱難的「美國移民夢」。如果還要看個仔細，你可以駐足觀賞剖析這段歷史的「華人女性法律史」。
右邊迎接你的是一位「迷失」的華人女性，她無助地站在天寬地廣的內華達州鐵路現場，你帶著一顆忐忑的心進入「鏡子宮殿」尋找她的蹤跡。玻光閃閃，只聽到她的呢喃，你進入了這段曲折的歷史，徘徊再三，不忍離去。
出了鏡宮，三位「美亞混血兒」向你述說他們的親身經歷，你也理解到華人正在護衛自己獨特的歷史，而整段歷史的起因就是「蒲安臣條約」，它雖是中美之間第一個平等條約，因為有它，華人才開始移民美國，才有後來的排華法案及百年來的各種不平等條約，你會想把它燒毀，沒了這個起因，歷史的命運一定大不同！