SAN FRANCISCO, April 10, 2018 - The 21st annual United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF) is making waves with a lineup featuring rising stars in the music, food, comedy, dance, and art scenes in the Bay Area and beyond. Produced by the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC), attendees can look forward to performances by Sammay Dizon (Dance), Ruby Ibarra (Emcee), Aileen Suzara (Food), and Irene Tu (Comedy), among dozens of other local artists.
The San Francisco Bay Area has a history of producing Asian American artists who achieve mainstream fame, including Chef Martin Yan, Dancing with the Stars’ Cheryl Burke, comedians Margaret Cho, Ali Wong, and Hasan Minhaj; and in music, DJ Qbert and emcee Lyrics Born. Founded in 1996, APICC continues to grow alongside established arts organizations like Kearny Street Workshop, Bindlestiff Studio, SOMArts Cultural Center, Manilatown Heritage Foundation, CAAMfest, SOMA Pilipinas, and the more recently formed Filipino Food Movement; all based in San Francisco. There is a strong track record and deep roots in the city for APIA creatives to connect and make an impact.
“San Francisco has always been a hub for APIA artists who draw from the city’s rich diversity and the struggles of immigrant APIA communities. The rich legacy and support system of artists and advocates for the arts are also drawn from this history,” shares Raquel Redondiez, Executive Director of SOMA Pilipinas.
This year’s festival performances range from innovative hip-hop to thought-provoking comedy, and multimedia dance theater to storytelling through the lens of food. San Francisco will be lit up with creative explorations of this year’s USAAF theme, Regenerative Community, with a total of 14 programs and events throughout the city taking place from May 3rd to June 17th. For a full list of festival events, visit www.apiculturalcenter.org
The 21st annual United States of Asian America Festival (USAAF) is making waves with a lineup featuring rising stars in the music, food, comedy, dance, and art scenes in the Bay Area and beyond. Produced by the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC), attendees can look forward to performances by Sammay Dizon (Dance), Ruby Ibarra (Emcee), Aileen Suzara (Food), and Irene Tu (Comedy), among dozens of other local artists.
“San Francisco has always been a hub for [Asian Pacific Islander American] artists who draw from the city’s rich diversity and the struggles of immigrant APIA communities. The rich legacy and support system of artists and advocates for the arts are also drawn from this history,” shares Raquel Redondiez, Executive Director of SOMA Pilipinas.
This year’s festival performances range from innovative hip-hop to thought-provoking comedy, and multimedia dance theater to storytelling through the lens of food. San Francisco will be lit up with creative explorations of this year’s USAAF theme, Regenerative Community, with a total of 14 programs and events throughout the city taking place from May 3rd to June 17th.
For a full list of festival events, click here.
