NBA VETERAN REX WALTERS TO SPEAK JUNE 22 AT JANM FOLLOWING SCREENING OF BASKETBALL FILM ‘CROSSOVER’

Los Angeles—The Japanese American National Museum presents, Hapa Hoops: Japanese American Basketball and Community with Rex Walters on Saturday, June 22, at 2 p.m. The program, free with admission, consists of a screening of the basketball documentary, Crossover (2000), followed by a conversation with NBA veteran Rex Walters.

Directed by accomplished filmmaker, Justin Lin—who recently released his latest film from the Fast & Furious franchise film series—Crossover is a production of the National Museum’s Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center. Crossover is a fast-breaking journey into the 70-year old phenomenon of the Japanese American basketball leagues established in the 1930s when opportunities to play competitive sports were limited.

Presented in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibition, Visible & Invisible: A Hapa Japanese American History, Crossover covers the history of the Japanese American basketball leagues and the current debate over whether to admit non-Asians. The film looks at the many aspects of the so-called, “ethnicity rules,” amidst a geographically dispersed and ethnically diffused Japanese American community. Walters, who is biracial, will talk about his experiences playing in the Japanese American youth basketball leagues.

Visible & Invisible, on display through August 22, explores the diverse experiences and history of mixed-roots and mixed-race Japanese Americans through photos, historical artifacts, and interactive elements. For more information, visit janm.org, or call 213.625.0414.

GENERAL INFORMATION
The Japanese American National Museum is located at 100 North Central Avenue in historic Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles. For more information, call 213.625.0414, or visit janm.org. Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 8:00 p.m. Admission is $9.00 for adults, $5.00 for seniors; $5.00 for students and children; FREE for Museum members and children under age six. Admission is FREE to everyone on Thursdays from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and every third Thursday of the month from noon to 8:00 p.m. Closed Mondays, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.