Archived Radio Show

March 14, 2022

Original Radio Show  ID:
WSA220314

Listen to the Show on the Mp3 Player below

Duration 57 minutes

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Featuring

Click the Name to access the Segment below

1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz, Host of Women's Spaces

2. Judy Harden Cheung, Corresponding Secretary, Newsletter Editor and Photographer of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association (RECA), and author of the book, Poetography

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1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz: War in the Ukraine has been in the media since last week, and the danger of nuclear war is heightened. It's that time to bring out Buffy Saint-Marie's Universal Soldier song, which we will listen to later in the show.

I have a special guest joining me in the studio is Judy Hardin Cheung who is the Corresponding Secretary, Newsletter Editor and Photographer of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association (RECA) and author of the book, Poetography, a combination of poetry and photography. The book is a beautiful piece of work.

For today's show I want to honor Asian women and their accomplishments. I am very familiar with the Redwood Empire Chinese Association to give us some insight into the Chinese American’s culture here in Northern California. I want to be able to highlight more Asian Women who are often not recognized for their accomplishments. I want to do a special shoutout to Nancy Wang who I have had on the program several times for her dedication to keeping the Chinese Culture alive and for her overall contribution to our community.
As I did my research, I found that to define Asian is quite a challenge and welcome any suggestions for guests and to give me a call and educate me a bit more in this area.

For the Herstory segment we are going to do something a bit different. I am going to bring on Judy Cheung who will be helping me. I will first be talking about the achievements of two Chinese Women who are known globally: Mabel Ping-Hua Lee and Helen Zia, which you can read about in our Herstory section, and during our interview Judy will be talking about two local Chinese women who contributed to our Sonoma County community: Song Wong Bourbeaux and Frances Lok.

2.  Our guest, Judy Harden Cheung, presents two Chinese Americans women who were influential in our county. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 had greatly restricted immigration, followed by the Geary Act in 1892 that regulated immigration into the first half of the 20th Century. Tom Wing Wong, moved from San Francisco Chinatown to what would become Santa Rosa Chinatown on 2nd Street around 1900. He was well respected as headman in charge of the temple, and a businessman, who was considered the unofficial mayor of Chinatown. His daughter was Song Wong Bourbeaux (1906-1996), a well-known educated businesswoman from Santa Rosa's Chinatown, where she and her French husband ran the Jam Kee Restaurant.  Since most of the properties there were not owned by the Chinese Americans, the Chinese character was eventually lost. The City of Santa Rosa has a description of Chinatown posted on their website with information gleaned from Song Wong Bourbeaux. She was a member of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association (RECA). Currently the Museum of Sonoma County has a room exhibiting many items she donated, in the exhibition called Chinese Traditions in Santa Rosa, 1890-2022, Year of the Tiger.

Speaking of Year of the Tiger, Judy assures us that this year we will have a Year of the Tiger Festival, a bit delayed because of the Covid restrictions. Instead of the normal venue at the Veterans' Building, the event will be held at the Sonoma County Museum on Saturday, March 26, 2022. It is a family event and free. Of course, there will be Tiger and Lion dances, traditional Chinese songs, and martial art demonstrations. Guests can learn calligraphy writing, Chinese paper cutting, and origami. The Tiger has the virtues of strength and capability. The exhibition Chinese Traditions in Santa Rosa can be seen as well, and will include some of Judy's photographs from her new book

Judy and Elaine then discuss the life of Frances Lok (1928-2021), matriarch of the Lok Family Businesses hoteliers, who recently died at age 93. Her predecessors came from China to Idaho in the 1850's, then later moved back to China, then to CA. She was the matriarch of Lok Group of Companies, Inc. started by Frances and her husband, Lawrence Lok. Continued by their sons, Kirkman, Kirkland and Brent. Her Grandchildren, especially Libby, are now involved. The company started with a fixer-upper motel in 1970. 1985 they expanded, became a corporation, and grew to own and operate various hotels in Sonoma County, including Petaluma's Quality Inn and Sebastopol's Fairfield Inn.  She was a founding member of RECA where she taught Cantonese in the RECA Language School on Saturday mornings and was on the board of directors until she could no longer attend. She was also known for being an excellent storyteller about her past. She was featured on a PBS show on Jan. 18, 2018, Idaho Experience, Forgotten Neighbors: Idaho's Chinese Immigrants, Season 1 Episode 3, PBS.

Currently RECA offers a variety of programs, including Chinese language classes, dances, cooking club, youth club and adult chorus.

About our Guest: Judy Harden Cheung lives in Santa Rosa, Ca, she is a retired teacher who has travelled the world with her poetry. She is involved in social and cultural organizations which give her a wide range of friends and acquaintances from which to draw her ideas about how to live together in equality while keeping our own individuality. she is corresponding secretary, newsletter editor and photographer of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association (RECA). She is author of Poetography, a combination of poetry and photography.

Guest Link: 

Redwood Empirie Chinese Association: http://www.recacenter.org/

Poetography by Judy Hardin Cheung:   https://www.amazon.com/Poetography-Judy-Hardin-Cheung/dp/B09738JCNK

Further Information Links:

Santa Rosa Chinatown history (pdf): https://srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/30573/Santa-Rosas-Chinatown?bidId=

Gaye LeBaron's article on Santa Rosa Chinatown with photos of Song Wong Bourbeaux, Press Democrat, 2/27/2021 :   https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/racism-against-asian-americans-recalls-troubling-treatment-of-santa-rosas/

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 Herstory

Our history is our strength. Check out important dates to remember in herstory at the National Women's History Alliance

Herstory Biographies:

Mabel Ping-Hua Lee[2] (Chinese: 李彬华; October 7, 1896 – 1966) was a Chinese-American women's rights activist and minister who campaigned for women's suffrage in the United States. Later in life, Lee became a Baptist minister, working with the First Chinese Baptist Church in Chinatown.[3][4]
Born in China and raised in New York City, Lee received a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Barnard College of Columbia University, and later a doctorate in economics from Columbia University in 1921, becoming the first Chinese woman in the United States to earn a doctorate in economics.[5]
In the 1910s, Lee became an activist for women's suffrage, and participated in the 1912 New York City women's suffrage parade, where she rode on horseback. Following the eventual passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, Lee still was unable to vote due to her status as a Chinese immigrant per the Chinese Exclusion Act. She would not gain the right to vote until at least the passage of the Magnuson Act in 1943.[3][6][7] See information
Lee became a Baptist minister in 1924, after taking over her father's church following his death. She went on to run the First Chinese Baptist Church for forty years, while also becoming a leader within the American Baptist Home Mission Society.
Lee additionally became a community advocate for the Chinese community in New York and residents of Chinatown, working with the Chinese Community Center. In recognition of her life and advocacy on behalf of women and Chinese immigrants in the United States, the Chinatown U.S. Post Office on Doyers Street was renamed in her honor in 2017. - from Wikipedia.

Helen Zia   The daughter of immigrants from China, has been outspoken on issues ranging from human rights and peace to women’s rights and countering hate violence and homophobia. is an activist, award-winning author, and former journalist. In 2000, her first book, Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People, was a finalist for the prestigious Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize.
Helen received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Law School of the City University of New York for bringing important matters of law and civil rights into public view. She is a Fulbright Scholar and a graduate of Princeton University’s first coeducational class. Helen is a former Executive Editor of Ms. Magazine and a founding board co-chair of the Women’s Media Center.
She was profiled in Bill Moyers’ PBS series, Becoming American: The Chinese Experience. In 2008, Helen was a Torchbearer in San Francisco for the Beijing Olympics amid great controversy; in 2010, she was a witness in the federal marriage equality case decided by the US Supreme Court.  - from https://www.speakoutnow.org/speaker/zia-helen

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Announcements 

February 5, 2022 ongoing exhibition, Chinese Traditions in Santa Rosa, 1890-2022, Year of the Tiger, Sonoma County Museum

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Monday, March 28, 11am # repeats 11pm, the show will feature guest Dianna L. Grayer, PhD., Playwright, Director, Producer of Release: Unearthing the Silent Rumblings, a production of Our Lives Matter Theater Company (OLMTC).  Radio KBBF 89.1 FM, North SF Bay or live streaming at https://kbbf.org/live/

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Monday, March 21, 7 to 8:30pm, NOW Sonoma County Chapter Planning Meeting, via Zoom. Note that the day has been changed to the 3rd Monday.
For details see http://nowsonoma.org/Events.html

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Wednesday March 30, 11am,  our guest will feature guest Dianna L. Grayer, PhD., Playwright, Director, Producer of Release: Unearthing the Silent Rumblings, a production of Our Lives Matter Theater Company (OLMTC).. Radio KPCA 103.3 FM, Petaluma, CA.

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Saturday, March 26, 2022, noon - 4pm, Year of the Tiger Festival, Sonoma County Museum, free family event. For more information: https://museumsc.org/events/?eid=9074

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Saturday evening, April 2nd - 7pm  Release: Unearthing the Silent Rumblings, a production of Our Lives Matter Theater Company (OLMTC),  Congregation Ner Shalom, 85 La Plaza, Cotati, CA, - Repeat performances on Sunday April 3rd, 3pm; Saturday April 9th, 7pm and Sunday April 10th, 7pm. (Depending on demand, a matinee may be added on Saturday April 9th). This Black production consists of 4 short plays sure to stir the hearts and
minds of the audience. It is an invitation to talk about race in a safe place.
Included will be a facilitated conversation and discussion after the show.
Dianna L. Grayer, PhD., Playwright, Director, Producer
For tickets and contact information:
https://ourlivesmatterthea.wixsite.com/our-lives-matter

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Music Selections

The Opening and Closing Theme song The Woman in Your Life is You is done with permission of the Composer and Singer Alix Dobkin ((August 16, 1940 – May 19, 2021) Alix Dobkin death was just announced - Thank you for all you did for Lesbians to be recognized and Women to be honored. May you rest in peace. See our Interview with Alix Dobkin on 12/1/2014 at    and our Memorial to Alix Dobkin on 11/24/2021  at .

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For music purchasing opportunity, supporting the artists: 

Link:  Spinitron.com Playlist for Women's Spaces Show