Guardians of Oakland Chinatown

Directed by Jiayi Li

An observational-participatory documentary capturing the fierce struggle against anti-Asian hate in the wake of COVID-19. Told through the lens of a community filmmaker, Guardians of Oakland Chinatown reveals the physical and cultural guardians—elders, business owners, women—who refuse to let violence erase their neighborhood. As attacks escalate, these protectors deploy everything, these protectors deploy everything from patrols to intergenerational storytelling, transforming trauma into resistance.