An American Vocabulary

An American Vocabulary: Words to Action is a collaborative project created by Audrey Chan and jason chu, 2022 fellows of the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at the Japanese American National Museum artists fellowship program.

Twenty-one multilingual flash cards portray figures, events, and actions illustrating four themes: voice, ancestor, persistence, and care. The flash card set symbolizes the way Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities translate their inimitable American histories across linguistic, cultural, and imaginative barriers.

The project will be launched on October 8, 2022 with a free public program that will include live performances from rapper jason chu, percussionist Gingee, and DJ Grace Ktown. Visual artist Audrey Chan will facilitate an interactive art project connected to the flashcards that encourage participants to honor their own community histories.

For more information, visit janm.org/american-vocabulary.

Larger image files available upon request to mediarelations@janm.org.