Rockin’ The Boat, Flashbacks of the 1970s Asian Movement
Meet Author/Photographer Mary Uyematsu Kao
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Never-before-seen photographs tell the story of the beginnings of Asian America in the 1970s from immigrant generations in Chinatowns, Japanese American youth and multigenerational community activism from California to New York. Personal reflections from those photographed bring the reader into the experiences of the times. Born in Altadena, a suburb of Los Angeles, activist and photographer Mary Uyematsu Kao attended UCLA during the struggle to establish Asian American Studies on campus. Having worked at the Asian American Studies Center at UCLA for 30 years, she is well known for her graphic design work for AASC Press publications, including the Amerasia Journal.
Kao will be joined in conversation with activist Shoshana Arai. The event is co-presented by Eastwind Books of Berkeley and J-Sei.