Bay Area Revelations: Asian American Pioneers

[BAY-sp-bar-p]Asian American Pioneers "Asian American Pioneers" profiles how the people of Asia profoundly shaped the modern Bay Area. The very first Asian immigrant arrived to the Bay Area before the Gold Rush and settled in San Francisco's Chinatown. The people of Asia have been excluded, imprisoned and vilified. Yet, they fought for their right to stay and work here. And, because of that, Asian Americans have made a big impact in Bay Area politics, arts, philanthropy and, of course, cuisine. Hear the untold stories of some of those Asian American pioneers and how they're giving back to their communities. Our interviews include former Congressman Mike Honda, a survivor of internment camps; Vivek Ranadivé, the first Indian-American to own an NBA team; the Filipino entrepreneur who made personal computers possible; and the family who opened up one of the very first Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco.

Full Episode

Watch it here.

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Ed Lee

From his early days as an affordable housing advocate to serving as the city's first Asian-American mayor, Ed Lee left an indelible mark on the Bay Area.

The Gardener

Learn about the man who turned Hakone Gardens into a national treasure.

Riya Bhattacharjee / NBC Bay Area

The Garden

Take a look inside Hakone Gardens.

Chef Helene

Thanh Long Owner Chef Helene An shares one of her popular recipes.

Persistence Paid Off

Vivek Ranadivé brought ideas to the chairman of a top tech company's board despite never having met him— and it worked.

Jennifer Gonzalez / NBC Bay Area

A Sweet Success

Started by a family of immigrants from Vietnam, the Bay Area's own Sugar Bowl Bakery can now be found in stores throughout the world.

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