Panel: Asian Americans & Political Representation

Moderated by: Ellis Choi

What does it mean to be represented politically? This panel is inspired in part by the documentary Chosen, which follows the campaigns of five Korean Americans running for U.S. Congress in 2020. Our panelists will discuss history, policy, the possibilities and implications of political power for Asian Americans, and the role media plays in both helping and hindering us gain and maintain a voice in the American political landscape.

ELLIS CHOI (she/her) is a Nurse Educator and ER/ Trauma Nurse, additionally supporting her community through healthcare education. Ellis joined PAAFF as a programming volunteer to combine her interest in film and the Asian Diaspora, as well as to learn from and support her Asian community.

KAY KYUNGSUN YU (she/her) was the Voter Protection Director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, and served as the Chairperson of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. In 2018, Kay received the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award and was named Attorney of the Year by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania.

SUNYOUNG STRAIT (they/them) is the Organizing Director at API PA. Sun Young obtained their Master’s Degree in Negotiations, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding, spent almost 12 years in labor organizing, and led the largest successful nursing home strike campaign in PA history. They remain passionate advocates of workers rights, racial justice, LGBTQIA issues, and mental health.

An omnibus film about bicycles and bicycle races. A Japanese rural town by the sea and people there are vividly depicted by the up-and-coming director Tetsuichiro Tsuta.