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Nov 9 - Dec 31, 2023

Asian Cultural Experience

Mission

Our mission is to preserve, promote, and enrich the history and multicultural identity of Salinas Chinatown, historically the home of the Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino communities of Salinas. ACE’s actions and efforts are guided by the following values and principles: Community, Cultural & Historical Integrity, Collaboration, Diversity, Integration & Adaptation. We honor the past while seeking new and creative ways to integrate Salinas Chinatown’s history and multicultural identity into present and future community life.

The Big Idea

Over the past decade Asian Cultural Experience has been collecting photos, artifacts, and oral histories from Salinas Chinatown contributors. The newly formed Archival Committee has begun identifying, cataloging, and labeling items to upload to an archival website, which will become our “virtual museum” and community resource, showcasing our collections for educators, students, and local historians.

We seek funding to hire a consultant archivist to guide our archival process; in addition, we need to purchase equipment and software for the project.

Since we moved into our office, ACE has been expanding its programs and public outreach. Computers and websites are an important tools for us to communicate our mission. Funding for equipment upgrades and website development are sorely needed; such funds will help ensure that our historical and cultural programs will continue to serve the community.

I wanted to help a non-profit based around giving back to the Asian community. In CSUMB service learning you pick an organization to work with for “service hours.” I looked up ACE and what they did. When I saw they were trying to revitalize Chinatown in Salinas, as well as preserve Asian culture, I was hooked. I reached out to work with ACE and started volunteering. First, it was mostly online: meetings, readings, and videos to watch in order to understand what ACE really was. Later I was hired as their program manager. What ACE does is so important to me, and I am glad to be a part of it. It has been a fascinating learning experience. I would suggest to people that they volunteer as well to gain the same experience I’ve had. The whole process has been beautiful, and I can’t wait to continue to help out

- Jayden Saechao