High Notes

High Notes

When I came to Bainbridge Island five years ago, I fell in love with its art, nature and traditions.

I also had a dream. I saw and believed, given Bainbridge Island’s rich history, that there should be an Asian Festival.

During my singing career, I was invited to perform at such festivals across the United States and abroad. I loved the crowds, the artists, the food vendors, the festive atmosphere and the array of cultural performances.

Now, thanks to Arts and Humanities Bainbridge (and its very inspired and enthusiastic board), this dream has become a reality.

As the only Asian member of the board (my mother is Filipino and Chinese and my father is Japanese and Caucasian), I knew that I would be the lone voice directly connected to this vision. It took little convincing, though, as everyone felt the importance of what it would mean for our community and signed on quickly. We talked of creating a new island tradition: a legacy of events, art and literature.

With all of our enthusiasm, the key element was the Asian community itself. The question we asked was not what we should do for this festival, but what Asian islanders themselves wanted.

I put a call out to Asian friends across the island and grew connections with the island’s Filipino and Japanese communities. Other board members and friends of friends got in touch with still more people they knew. Word spread quickly and suddenly we were building something beyond the missions of the individual groups. We were building community bridges. People began to reach out, asking to participate and volunteer. Partnerships formed with sponsors from Bainbridge and beyond. What had started as a one-day event grew into a month-long celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The fact that my festival dream came true is amazing, but the journey to get there has been an even bigger gift. I’ve formed new friendships, built new bridges and found a newfound love and respect for our beautiful, magical island.