Join the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV) and our community partners for an afternoon dedicated to reclaiming a fuller history of Chinese people in Santa Cruz County. This special event honors the Lunar New Year by celebrating stories of resilience, labor, and the ongoing work to build a "Beloved Community".
We are honored to present the following speakers:
- Professor Gordon H. Chang is interested in historical connections between race and ethnicity in the United States and trans-Pacific relations in their diplomatic as well as their cultural and social dimensions. He is a highly awarded scholar, co-founder of Stanford’s Asian American Research Center, and a member of the Committee of 100. His most recent book was published in 2025, a collection of essays titled War, Race, and Culture: Journeys in TransPacific and Asian American Histories (Stanford University Press).
- Rui Li, executive director of Flex Kids Culture, is a community leader and educator dedicated to fostering international academic exchange and cross-cultural understanding. Rui, through Flex Kids Culture, was instrumental in the printing and distribution of 5000 copies of the Chinese version of Sandy Lydon’s seminal local history Chinese Gold. She is currently producing a documentary based on the book.
- George Ow, Jr. is a developer, philanthropist, and community pillar born in Santa Cruz’s last Chinatown. George was key to the publication of Sandy Lydon’s Chinese Gold in its full glory. He continues on his enduring quest to ensure Chinese Americans receive the credit and recognition they deserve for building this nation and to honor and give peace to the spirits of an unacknowledged history.
This conversation will delve into the recovery of lost histories, the meaning of nonviolent community building, and the personal journeys of ensuring that early immigrant generations are no longer forgotten.
Logistics & Registration:
- Date & Time: Saturday, February 21, 2026 | Doors: 2:30, Presentation 3-5pm
- Location: Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA
- FREE and open to all. Sponsored contributions support RCNV programs.
- RSVP's appreciated to help with planning
- This is a hybrid event: In-person and digital (YouTube livestream)
- Light refreshments will be provided.
- Book signing: Professor Chang will sign copies of his book after the presentation. Purchase War, Race, and Culture: Journeys in TransPacific and Asian American Histories when you RSVP.
Together, we'll welcome the Year of the Fire Horse with reflection, recognition, and a renewed commitment to inclusive history.
This event is presented in partnership with: Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, UC Santa Cruz Center for Racial Justice, UC Santa Cruz Community Studies Department, Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH), the Romero Institute, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Santa Cruz County, Flex Kids Culture, the Center for Spiritual Living Santa Cruz, and media sponsors KSQD 90.7 FM, Good Times Santa Cruz, Lookout Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
About RCNV:
For 50 years, the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV) has equipped our community with the tools to build a just and peaceful world. We cultivate Beloved Community through inclusive education and collaboration—hosting public events, leading workshops, and sharing our space and resources to empower aligned movements. Visit rcnv.org to view our upcoming events and sign up to receive our emails
