CAAM is incredibly grateful to have a group of amazing board members. Board Member Philomena King is the Managing Director of King & Co. Works of Art, which specializes in fine Chinese works of art dating back from 6000 B.C. to the Qing Dynasty. Being the fourth generation in this industry has enabled her to see and experience Chinese art in a new light. She also has helped other nonprofits in San Francisco such as One Heart Worldwide, which prevents the high rate of maternal and newborn deaths during childbirth in China, Mexico, and Tibet.
She has been on CAAM’s board since 2007 and has been instrumental to the visioning and implementation of CAAMFeast as well as high-level donor events.
Can you tell us a little about your personal background – where you grew up and how that has shaped your understanding of the world?
I grew up here in San Francisco but traveled back to Asia a lot while growing up. Being able to experience the Chinese culture as well as living here in the U.S. really makes me appreciate everything we have. But an important factor while growing up is one should never forget their roots.
What drew you to CAAM?
One of the reasons why I enjoy working with CAAM so much is because of the people who are a part of CAAM. It is so nice to see people who are so passionate about making these Asian American films brought to the big screen and having everyone experience a piece of Asian culture. So many traditions are lost or many stories are not told, but with the fundings from CAAM, there are people who can make these stories come to light.
Is there a story, or types of stories, you’d like to see more of?
I really enjoy watching the stories of family and their values as well as the traditions that are lost. For example, from this year, The Tiger Hunter, and also a few years back, West is West, about a father-son relationship.
As someone who works in the arts, where do you see CAAM’s role in society?
Being around art and seeing the importance of art and how it relates to the history and the traditions really is important for the future generations. I think it is important and so wonderful that CAAM really brings back the traditions and talks about the past roles of Asian Americans and their struggles. Seeing these motion picture works of art supported by CAAM and how we can change and encourage future generations is truly important.
