Humboldt Asians & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI) presents the first-ever “Exploring Our Roots Arts Festival”, with performances by touring and local artists whose music, poetry, film and dance illuminate and reflect the histories, culture, and stories of Pan-Asian and BIPOC people. All events are at the Arcata Playhouse, 1251 9th Street, Arcata, CA. 

Hear all about the events from HAPI organizer Terry Uyeki, as well as songs and words of performers: Julian Saporiti of No-No Boy , Aileen Espiritu of the Color Coded Symphony, and Mignon Geli of Soul-A-Mente, in this KMUD Public Affairs interview...

The festival kicks off on Friday, June 23, 6:30 P.M. with a performance by Hiroya Tsukamoto, followed by No-No Boy, aka Nashville-born songwriter Julian Saporiti, who was inspired from his family’s history living through the Vietnam War as well as many other stories of Asian American experience.

On Saturday, June 24, Dr. Saporiti will present a 90-minute workshop on “Transforming History into Art”. From 12 noon -2:30 P.M. there will be free performances by local performing artists, featuring the Bear River Youth Tribal Council Singers, Humboldt Taiko, Soul-A-Mente, Lansana Kouyate, Lorenza Simmons and Jenny Villaseñor, ‘prayer-formers’ Bamidele and RA MHTP, Rachel Noel, Humboldt County Lao Dancers, Rebekka Lopez, Odalys Ramirez, and more!

At 3:00 PM. folk music artist and singer-songwriter Aireene Espiritu will carry listeners through familiar and unfamiliar songs and sounds from around the world via a “Color-Coded Symphony: Our Town,” an experience with local musicians from diverse ethnic backgrounds. 

At 6:00 P.M., Arcata native filmmaker Chisato Hughes will present the Humboldt premiere of their short documentary, “Many Moons,” about Chinese immigrant Charlie Moon, the fabled “last Chinese Man of Humboldt County” after the purging of its Chinese community in 1885 – and his descendants, known as the Moons, whose families touch all local native tribes in the area. After the screening, there will be a Q&A with the film’s director about filming with the help of Yurok, Hupa, and local Asian American residents, and with Sheila Moon, who will talk about the legacy of her great great-great-great-great grandfather Charlie Moon.

The festival is cosponsored by Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation, Playhouse Arts, and the Humboldt Folklife Society. HAPI is seeking business underwriters and volunteers to help with mounting this first-ever multicultural arts festival in Arcata. Interested persons can contact festival organizers at hapi.humboldt@gmail.com or go to www.hapihumboldt.org for more information. Tickets are available: https://www.playhousearts.org/events/exploring-our-roots-arts-festival/
Food trucks and refreshments will be available throughout the festival.

HAPI builds and empowers our community by amplifying diverse voices and perspectives for a more engaged and inclusive future. HAPI is a DreamMaker Project of the Ink People Center for the Arts, a community-based, grassroots, artists-run, arts and culture not-for-profit organization. Join HAPI in celebrating family, cultural, and community roots, and Asian, Pacific Islander, and BIPOC heritage, as expressed through the performing arts! Just go to www.hapihumboldt.org for more information

First-Ever Exploring Our Roots Arts Festival Coming to Arcata

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New tracks tagged #Many Moons