Earlier this summer, Highwire’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIBs) Council announced a thought-leadership partnership with the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) as part of our initiative to support and uplift Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voices. The OACC was originally founded in 1984 by a coalition of volunteers that underscored the need for a community to preserve and support AAPI arts and culture.
We sat down with Saly Lee — OACC Executive Director — to learn more about the organization’s mission and role in the AAPI community. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
OACC has been a cornerstone for AAPI cultural expression for four decades. How has your mission evolved over the years in response to the changing needs of the community?
Saly: For forty years, preserving Asian heritage and Chinatown culture have been a part of the core mission of OACC’s work. Since the pandemic, one of OACC’s main initiatives is deepening solidarity work between Asian and Black communities. To combat negative media stereotypes and the mutual fight against racism and colorism within our own communities, we explore topics through our programming and exhibitions. We are deepening cross-cultural collaboration and intersectionality with BIPOC communities in Oakland and the East Bay, and aim to uplift and highlight underrepresented and marginalized Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities; we are responding to the changing demographics of the AANHPI communities in Oakland, and the challenges they face post the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Cut Fruit Collective, Highwire’s AAPI Affinity Group, and OACC both emphasize storytelling and creative expression. Why do you think art is such a powerful medium for fostering identity and belonging?
Saly: By understanding each other's cultures, we can discover common shared values. Storytelling and artistic expression are languages that can communicate across boundaries. Art fosters understanding and provides opportunity for connection, and illustrates the human experience. Language, storytelling, and cultural preservation are all conveyed through art. When communities control their own storytelling and narratives, there is power and authenticity that resonates with others.
What role do community-centered spaces like OACC play in promoting civic engagement and cultural visibility for AAPI communities, especially among younger generations?
Saly: Community-based organizations, like OACC, provide an intergenerational and cross-cultural gathering space to explore issues of significance by creating a safe space to share ideas without the fear of rejection. OACC is one of the pillars of the community and helps ground it during these turbulent and shifting times.
Looking ahead, how can organizations and allies, like Highwire and beyond, continue to support and amplify AAPI-led initiatives in meaningful and sustainable ways?
Saly: AAPI-led initiatives count on collaboration and partnership with organizations to help amplify AAPI communities’ voices and perspectives with the larger San Francisco Bay Area community. Highwire can help highlight AANHPI communities’ issues of concern such as identity, cultural heritage, immigration, and civil rights.
Final Thoughts
Art, heritage and storytelling are essential tools for fostering identity, belonging, and cross-cultural understanding within AANHPI communities. By providing safe spaces for dialogue and artistic expression, organizations like OACC help these communities address fundamental challenges, from combating stereotypes to fostering civic engagement.
We're honored to collaborate with OACC and grateful for their insights on how organizations like Highwire, and our very own Cut Fruit Collective, can meaningfully support AANHPI voices and community-led initiatives.
For more information on the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, please visit their website here or check out their social media @oaklandasiancc.
.png)