The People Behind the May 19th Project

May 19, 2022

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Inspired by the shared birthdays of Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama, the May 19th Project is a campaign to promote solidarity within Asian and Pacific Island communities and with all communities. During this urgent time of division, this project celebrates the resilience and power of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders coming together.

Founded by Renee Tajima-Peña ("Asian Americans," a five-part PBS documentary series, "Who Killed Vincent Chin?") andJeff Chang ("Can't Stop Won't Stop," "Who We Be," "We Gon' Be Alright"), the May 19th Project is a collective of filmmakers and creatives who are building upon the powerful mobilizing narrative of Stop AAPI Hate and moving the narrative to the next stage by focusing on solidarity — which is about seeing each other, standing together, and acting together—and solutions for the way forward.

#SolidarityIs #May19th

Scroll down to view the team of artists and storytellers that made the May 19th Project possible.

The May 19th Project Team

Renee Tajima-Peña • Jeff Chang • Janet Chen • Kana Hammon • Eurie Chung • Annie To • Rebecca Shea • Karin Chan • Hannah Joo • Diana Khong • Hannarei Kinsey • Gwen Phagnasay Le • Teja Foster

Executive Producers: Renee Tajima-Peña • Jeff Chang
Executive in Charge of Production: Eurie Chung
Production Coordinator: Annie To
Social Media Coordinator: Kana Hammon
Project Manager: Janet Chen
Fundraising Consultant: Rebecca Shea
Series Writers: Sean Miura • Nicola Ang
Graphic Design: An Other Co.
Creative and Social Media Agency: Teja Foster & Get Social
Social Media Consultants: Tanzila Ahmed • Jenn Fang • Jia Jia Fei • Gia Kuan • Sean Miura • Jeff Yang
Project Assistants: Hannah Joo • Hannarei Kinsey
Research and Outreach: Diana Khong • Gwen Phagnasay Le
Archival Research: Karin Chan • Justin Martin • Leilani Sardinha

Project Partners:
A-Doc, For Freedoms, Harness, UCLA Asian American Studies Center

The May 19th Project is generously funded by TAAF, Ford Foundation, Levi Strauss Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, The California Wellness Foundation, The California Endowment, Unbound Philanthropy, Pop Culture Collaborative, The Eleveld Family and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.

A colorful mural featuring Yuri Kochiyama and Malcolm X. Image shows a bridge, a crowd with a sign that says "Black Lives Matter" and "From Harlem with Love."

'Solidarity Is Our Future': May 19th Project Amplifies the Power of Working Together

Yuri Kochiyama and Malcolm X

Producer: Juan Mejia
Co-Producer: Gentrix Shanga
Production Coordinator and Post Supervisor: Juan E. Yepes
Director of Photography: Marshall Rose
Camera Assistant: Brandon Regina
Production Assistant: Esteban Jimenez
Editor: Luke North
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Additional Footage: Meerkat Media

Two black and white photos, one of Yuri Kochiyama on the left and one of Malcolm X on the right, are collaged side-by-side. Yuri Kochiyama is at a microphone, looking down past her angled eye glasses and reading off a crumbled paper. Malcolm X is seen smiling at the camera, wearing a suit and tie.

Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama's Barrier-Breaking Friendship

Fredrick Douglass and Wong Kim Ark: Who Can Be An American?

Director/Producer: Jun Stinson
Animator: Leah Nichols
Editor: Michaelle Stikich McGaraghan
Director of Photography: Tijana Petrović
Researcher: Hannah Joo
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima Pena
Interviewee: Maz Ali
Interviewee: Sita Bhaumik
Interviewee: Maria Termanini
Stills: Maz Ali • Equally American •Sita Bhaumik • Albert Cheng • Natasha Florentino • Tuakuturua Hijarunguru • S. Nadia Hussain • Jill Kunishima • Kimberly Mejía-Cuéllar • Alex Mitchell • Gabriel Tajima-Peña • Maria Termanini
Special Thanks: Harry Franqui-Rivera

Black and white portraits of Wong Kim Ark, left, and Fredrick Douglass, right, arranged side by side.

How Frederick Douglass and Wong Kim Ark Helped Define Who Can Be American

Bruce Lee's Fighting Stance

Producer/Director: Bo Mirhosseni
Cinematographer: Bobby Lam
Sound Recordist: Destiny Farrant
Editor: Victoria Chalk
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Pena
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Interviewee: Shannon Lee
Karate Girl: Trisha Chakraborty
Karate Boy: Essien Gagnon
Special Thanks: Kenpo Dojo • Arnott Kenpo Karate • Bruce Lee Foundation

A black and white photo of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, left, and Bruce Lee, right, lounging in low chairs, clasping their hands together in solidarity. Kareem is shirtless and Bruce is wearing a tracksuit, with his leg crossed over the other. They are both smiling and looking direct to camera.

Bruce Lee's Fighting Stance Opened Doors for Everyone

The Delano Grape Strike

Producer: Juan Mejia
Co-Producer and Editor: Juan E. Yepes
Script Writer: Olivia Heffernan
Narration: Ruby Ibarra
Graphics: La Pajara Pinta
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang

An abstract collage featuring images of Larry Itliong. In the center is a sketch of Larry Itliong, layered as a transparent over a black and white photo of him holding a picket sign.

How Filipino-Latino Solidarity Was Born in the Fields

Grace Lee Boggs and James Boggs Change the World

Director/Producer: Grace Lee
Editor: Victoria Chalk
Music Composition: Timo Chen
Archival Media: Wayne State
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Special Thanks: James and Grace Lee Boggs

This film is excerpted from "American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs," directed by Grace Lee.

A black and white photo of Grace Lee Boggs, left, and James Boggs, right. Grace is in focus as she smiles at the camera with short, curly hair. James is slightly blurry and looks at the camera with a furrowed brow, wearing a buttoned plaid shirt.

How Grace Lee and James Boggs Shaped Today's Racial Justice Movements

Sugar Pie DeSanto Rocks!

Director/Producer: PJ Raval
Editor: Victoria Chalk
Director of Photography and Field Producer: Vatsala Goel
Motion Graphics: Crazybridge Studios
Associate Producer: Apryl Berney
Sound Recordist: Jim Choi
Gaffer: Craig Smith
Camera Operator and Production Assistant: Ellie Wen
Assistant Editor: Dennis Mendes
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Interviewee: Sugar Pie DeSanto

Two black and white photos, one of Sugar Pie DeSanto, left, and one of Etta James, right. Both women are dressed up in dresses and with their hair done up.

Etta James and Sugar Pie DeSanto: At Last, A Soulful Musical Combination

Youa Vang Lee Mourns George Floyd

Director/Producer/Cinematographer: Stephen Maing
Co-Producer: Joua Lee Grande
Editor: Trina Rodriguez
Camera Operator: Serena Hodges
Interviewees: Youa Vang Lee • Tou Saiko Lee • Al Flowers • Cameron Yang
Archival Courtesy Of: Melody Vang • Harry Vue
Special Thanks: Bo Thao • Urabe Shoua • Lee Seng Vu • Hmong 4 Black Lives

A photo of Youa Vang Lee, taken from the neck up. She has a solemn look on her face as she looks to at something out of frame. She is standing in a backyard, the background slightly blurred due to the depth of field.

A Hmong Mother Grieves for George Floyd

"The Concentration Camp Law": Fighting the Emergency Detention Act

Director/Editor: Tadashi Nakamura
Producer/Writer: Sean Miura
Narration: Ally Maki
Recording Engineer: Travis Atreo
Music: Sabzi
Graphics: Travis Hatfield
Advisor: Karen Ishizuka • Sho Tanaka
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Archival Courtesy of: JANM • Visual Communications
Additional Footage: Alex Nauta
Special Thanks: Eurie Chung • Annie To • Alexandra Margolin • Janet Chen • Charles Berkowitz • Lou Nakasako • Zen Sekizawa • Daryn Wakasa

A photo of two children behind the slats of wooden panels, keeping them detained. One of the children, is peering through the breaks between the slats, with their hands gripping on the wooden board. They have a saddened and fearful expression on their face.

How Asian American and African American Activists Worked to Repeal a Hateful Law

"Education is Solidarity:" The Third World Liberation Front

Director/Producer: Tadashi Nakamura
Producer/Writer: Sean Miura
Narration: Ally Maki
Editor: Lou Nakasako
Recording Engineer: Travis Atreo
Music: Blue Scholars
Graphics: Travis Hatfield
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Advisor: Karen Ishizuka
Archival Photos: Visual Communications
Special Thanks: Laureen Chew • Eurie Chung • Alexandra Margolin • Annie To • Janet Chen • Charles Berkowitz • UCLA EthnoCommunications Students
Archival Material: KQED Inc. • Saul Rouda Film Archive • Visual Communications
Additional Footage: Alex Nauta

Third World Liberation Front: The Student Movement That Birthed Ethnic Studies

The National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit

Director/Producer: Jun Stinson
Editor: Michaelle Stikich McGaraghan
Animator: Marisa Cruz
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Interviewees: Thomas Goldtooth • Pam Tau Lee • Mililani Trask
Research and Copy-Editing: Karin Chan • Hannah Joo • Annie To
Archival Materials: APEN • Kapulei Flores • Greenpeace • Corky Lee • Romin Lee Johnson • Los Alamos National Laboratory Archives • Steven Okazaki • United Church of Christ
Special Thanks:
Charles Lee • Jon Letman • Peggy Saika • Miya Yoshitani • First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit Video, © United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice 1992

Protestors gather, holding picket signs that read, "We are here to protect Mauna Kea," and "Crown lands."

People of Color Spark the Environmental Justice Movement

Sikhs Together Against Hatred

Producer/Director: Bo Mirhosseni
Editor: Victoria Chalk
Colorist: Eurie Chung
Sound Mixer: Mia Stewart
Narration: Harwinder Singh
Production Supervisor: Annie To
Archivist: Karin Chan
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Executive Producer: Eurie Chung

Sikhs Unite with Muslims Against White Supremacy

Queer Possibilities: A Conversation

Director/Producer: PJ Raval
Editor: Victoria Chalk
Interviewees: Sammie Ablaza Wills • Vincent Crisostomo
Director of Photography & Field Producer: Vatsala Goel
Motion Graphics & VFX: Crazybridge Studios
Sound Recordist: Jim Choi
Gaffer: Craig Smith
Camera Operator: Ellie Wen
Assistant Editor: Dennis Mendez
Colorist: Bobby Lam
Sound Mixer: Mia Stewart
Archival Materials Provided by: APIENC • Brooke Anderson • Vincent Crisostomo • The National AIDS Memorial
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Special Thanks: A-DOC • Jörg Fockele • Cynthia Fong • Srikanth Jalasutram • The Little Giant Lighting & Grip Co. • Linelle Mogado • Lawrence Rickford • Johnny Symons

Young Asian American queer activists hold a sign that says "We have always existed. We have always belonged."

Queer Activists on Building Shared Histories

Dreaming America

Director/Producer/Editor: Steve Maing
Cinematographer: Jason Outenreath
Editor: Trina Rodriguez
Colorist: Eurie Chung
Sound Mixer: Mia Stewart
Executive Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jeff Chang
Writer and Performed by: Michelle Mush Lee
Archival Footage: "American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs" • APIENC • Brooke Anderson • Ed Druck • Ed Greevy • Romin Lee Johnson • Kochiyama Family • Corky Lee • Robert A. Nakamura • Tadashi H. Nakamura • Lan Nguyen • Harwinder Singh • Renee Tajima Peña • United Church of Christ • Visual Communications

A black and white photo of Michelle Mush Lee in the background, out of focus. Her hand, balled up in a fist, is in focus and in the foreground.

Poem: When We Dream a New America

Rev. Jesse Jackson Attends the Justice for Vincent Chin Rally

A excerpt from "Episode 5: Breaking Through" of PBS series, "Asian Americans"
Narrated by: Daniel Dae Kim
Producer: Geeta Gandbhir
Editor: Alex Keipper
Director of Photography: Jerry Henry
Series Producer: Renee Tajima-Peña
Executive Producer: Jean Tsien
Executive Producer for ITVS: Sally Jo Fifer
Executive Producers for CAAM: Stephen Gong and Donald Young
Executive Producer for WETA: Jeff Bieber

Why Rev. Jackson's Appearance at the Vincent Chin Rally Matters

When we dream, we poke a hole into the sky of stories that says we are better off divided.

We disrupt the American mythical parable that promises security in our separateness.

- Excerpted from Michelle Mush Lee's "Dreaming America"