May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Join us as we celebrate the impact that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made on this country’s past, present, and future this month and all year long. Below, we’ve gathered a list of educational and enlightening programs that highlight the achievements, history, culture, and traditions that are airing this month on PBS KVIE, available to stream for free on our PBS app, or available to stream with PBS KVIE Passport.
Programs Airing on PBS KVIE
Rob on the Road: Region Rising – Jim Tabuchi
May 5 at 7:30PM
Meet Jim Tabuchi, whose purpose is perseverance. He has infused thousands of students with the transformative power of moving to new heights through music with the Sacramento Mandarins. Tabuchi lives the message of strength and tenacity inspired by his parents and grandparents, whose Japanese American legacy is alive in his daily good deeds. Rob shares Tabuchi’s powerful story in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month.
ViewFinder: Chinese Builders of Gold Mountain
May 7 at 7PM
Celebrate the hard work, courage, and determination of the Chinese pioneers who helped build California. Visit historic Chinese temples, Gold Rush sites, and the levies the Chinese built.
ViewFinder: Before They Take Us Away
May 14 at 7PM
Chronicle the previously untold stories of Japanese Americans who self-evacuated from the West Coast in the wake of forced incarceration during World War II.
American Masters: Tyrus
May 27 at 9PM
Discover the art, life, and enduring impact of Tyrus Wong, the renowned Chinese American painter behind “Bambi” and “Rebel Without a Cause,” via new and never-before-seen interviews, movie clips, and art. Wong once exhibited with Picasso and Matisse.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App
American Masters: I.M. Pei – Building China Modern
Watch I.M. Pei as he forges an architectural language that brings together Western modernity and Eastern tradition into a current synthesis. After decades of living in the U.S. and unprecedented international acclaim, Pei returns as a foreigner to his birth country to give a new direction for Chinese architecture in which history can live in the midst of change.
Independent Lens: Home Court
Follow the coming-of-age story of Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball prodigy in Southern California whose life intensifies as recruitment heats up. As she overcomes injury as well as racial and class differences between her home and private school worlds, in peer groups, and against rival schools, Ashley strives to become her own person and leave a legacy behind.
Pacific Heartbeat: Ola Hou – Journey to New York Fashion Week
When Native Hawaiian fashion designer, Sharayah Chun-Lai receives an invitation from the world-renowned Runway 7 to showcase her brand, Ola Hou Designs, at the prestigious New York Fashion Week, she and her supportive family are tossed into a fast-paced world of planning, preparation, and runway readiness to bring the spirit of the Big Island to the magic of the Big Apple.
Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story
Join Chinese American photographer Corky Lee’s epic quest to document Asian American history, culture, and activism for five decades. Using his camera as a “weapon against injustice,” Lee’s art is his activism. His unforgettable images of Asian American life empowered generations. This film’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the lens.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App with PBS KVIE Passport
PBS KVIE Passport is a benefit of station membership. Members gain extended access to more videos available to stream on our PBS app.
American Masters: Amy Tan – Unintended Memoir
Explore the life of the groundbreaking author of “The Joy Luck Club” in this intimate portrait. Archival imagery, home movies, photographs, animation, and original interviews create a vivid, colorful journey through Tan’s inspiring life and career.
America ReFramed: First Vote
Get an inside look at Chinese American electoral organizing in North Carolina and Ohio. The film weaves their stories from the presidential election of 2016 to the 2018 midterms, and explores the intersections between immigration, voting rights, and racial justice.
Local, USA: A Tale of Three Chinatowns
Explore the survival of urban ethnic neighborhoods in three American cities: Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston. Through the voices of residents, community activists, developers, and government officials, the film looks at the forces altering each community and the challenges that go with them, including the pressing issues of urban development and gentrification.
POV: Liquor Store Dreams
Meet two Korean American children of liquor store owners reconciling their own dreams with those of their immigrant parents. Along the way, they confront the complex legacies of Los Angeles’ racial landscape, including the 1991 murder of Latasha Harlins and the 1992 uprisings sparked by the police beating of Rodney King, while engaged in current struggles for social and economic justice.