#68. Eric Louie, My Gift to America
My name is Eric Louie, and I am an independent journalist and beginning filmmaker hoping this contest leads to opportunities to tell stories of Asian Americans in building this country. My project is about Isleton, Calif., a fading California Delta town where late 19th century Chinese immigrants built the levees that allowed for agriculture. After racist laws, Japanese filled the void, and were gone after World War II internment. In 2025 Jean Yokotobi is realizing her dream of building a historical park with a former temple bell, art, and informational panels. She was born in an internment camp. This is also my final for a documentary class this semester at Berkeley City College that will produce a five-minute short on Isleton, the park, and Yokotobi’s history. I plan to follow the park to completion, and am also interested in creating a travel series telling stories I’ve found in other locations.