06 The Chinese Women of the Delta
The San Francisco New Concept International Film Festival recommends Voices Created by Min Zhou. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta has a long and rich history of the Chinese. In the 19th century, the Chinese came to build the levees, drain the swamps, and transform the wild wetlands into the most productive farmland in the U.S. They built California. However, hidden within the Chinese American immigration is that of Chinese women. When Chinese men gradually gained recognition for their earnest hard work, Chinese women were largely ignored. Marginalized and discriminated against, Chinese women suQered in silence. Gone are the Chinese women who endured the hardships and supported the way of life on the Delta. It is time to closely examine our grandmothers, mothers, and sisters who made the Delta our home. It is time to document the untold stories of resilience. It is time to let the voiceless have a voice.
