On an unusually warm Saturday morning in the Bay Area, 400 people trekked - by ferry and then on foot or tram - to the Angel Island Immigration Station. Making the journey were Chinese immigrants from Chinatown organizations, Chinese Americans whose ancestors were detained at Angel Island, and others who wished learn more about Angel Island and immigration issues."Welcome to my first home in America," said 89 year old, Dale Ching, who was detained at Angel Island for 3 and a half months as a teenager. "Most of those who were detained have been hesitant to reveal the unpleasant past, even to their own families, in order to keep secret the shame and humiliation, and also due to the fear of deportation (paper sons and daughters). I want to let the public know about it...to ensure fair treatment for all people in the future." (Read Dale's full speech and other speeches at the end of this post.)
Other speakers connected the experience of immigrants in the past and immigrants today. These included, Buddy Choy who shared: "In 1912, at the age of 18, my father came to America as an illegal immigrant. His given family name was Lee Ngok Fun. But to come to America, he became a “paper son” and took the name of Choy Fong, son of Choy Tim How, a Chinatown merchant. So our Lee family became Choys for all coming generations. Today is my first visit to Angel Island. It has taken me this long to visit the place of my parents incarceration."
Yvette Jimenez, an 18 year old US citizen from San Mateo whose home was raided and father deported in 2008, stood with her mother and siblings to share how present-day anti-immigrant policies, detentions and deportations are continuing to tear families like hers apart. (Read more about Yvette's family's story at http://www.mercurynews.com/torn-apart.)
Immigrant Un Un Che spoke about the struggles of current Chinese immigrants to find work, housing and the need for people to come together for immigration reform.
A message of inspiration on the pilgrimage were the hopeful stories of faith leaders and communties who spoke out, advocated for, and ministered to the immigrants detained at Angel Island. A beautiful publication entitled "Angel Island: Congregational Ministry and Advocacy " was released at the Pilgrimage. It tells the story of immigrants detained at Angel Island who were touched by the ministries of Rev. Daniel Wu, Ms. Don
aldina Cameron, Deaconess Katharine Maurer, Ms. Tien Fuk Wu, Mae Wong, Rev. Edwar Lee, Rev. Sakovich, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the National Jewish Women's Alliance. Contact us if you would like a copy. A downloadable version of the booklet will be available soon!The pilgrimage ended with the placing of rocks, each inscribed with the names of ancestors who were detained at Angel Island or current immigrants facing family separation, at the memorial on the island for detained immigrants.
Read Other news coverage:
NBC Bay Area:
Contra Cost Times Article & Photo Essay by photographer Ray Chavez
KTSF Cantonese News Coverage
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Dale Ching- former Angel Island Detainee
Watch and listen to it on Youtube by clicking here
Read it online
Buddy Choy - son of Angel Island Detainees
Watch it on YouTube by clicking here
Read it here
Yvette Jimenez - US Citizen who's father was deported
Watch it on Youtube by clicking here
Read her testimony here
Dale Ching- former Angel Island Detainee
Watch and listen to it on Youtube by clicking here
Read it online
Buddy Choy - son of Angel Island Detainees
Watch it on YouTube by clicking here
Read it here
Yvette Jimenez - US Citizen who's father was deported
Watch it on Youtube by clicking here
Read her testimony here
Craig Wong- grandson of a detainee shares how Presbyterian Mission helped his grandmother gain release from Angel Island
Watch it on Youtube by clicking here
