Documentary Screening at UA Explores Killing of Asian-American

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Documentary filmmaker Curtis Chin will introduce and screen his 2009 film “Vincent Who?” at 7 p.m. Monday, March 8, in ten Hoor Hall, room 116, on The University of Alabama campus.

Chin also will answer questions after the screening, which is free and open to the public.

UA’s College of Arts & Sciences, Capstone International Center, Crossroads Community Center, the A&S Diversity Committee, the American studies department and the department of educational leadership, policy and technology studies are sponsoring the screening.

“Vincent Who?” looks at the 1982 slaying of Vincent Chin in Detroit by two white autoworkers at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments. For the first time, Asian Americans around the country galvanized to form a community and movement. This documentary, inspired by a series of town halls organized by Asian Pacific Americans for Progress on the 25th anniversary of the case, features interviews with the key players at the time, as well as a whole new generation of activists.

Featured interviews include: Helen Zia (lead activist during the Chin trial), Renee Tajima Pena (director, “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”), Stewart Kwoh (executive director, Asian Pacific American Legal Center), Lisa Ling (journalist), Sumi Pendakur (University of Southern California), Dale Minami (civic rights attorney), Doua Thor (executive director, Southeast Asian Resource Action Center) and a group of five diverse young APA activists whose lives were affected by Vincent Chin.

Producer and co-director Curtis Chin, who is featured in the documentary, is an award-winning writer and producer who has worked for ABC, NBC and the Disney Channel. As a community activist, he co-founded the Asian American Writers Workshop and Asian Pacific Americans for Progress. In 2008, he served on Barack Obama’s Asian American Leadership Council, where he participated in helping the campaign reach out to the AAPI community. He has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, Newsweek and other media outlets.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.