Twelve interns explore their roots and share their extraordinary personal journeys in a book and a public exhibition now on view through March 15 at the Chinese Culture Cemter of San Francisco.

Photographer and cultural expert Frank Jang captured images of the March 1 reception celebrating the debut of the "Book of Roots: Essays and Stories."

The twelve contributors and team leaders journeyed through San Francisco’s Chinatown, the National Archives, and the homes of their ancestral villages in China including the Pearl River Delta region of the Guangdong Province of China, and through the counties and municipalities of Guangzhou, Foshan, Doumen, Xinhui, Kaiping, and Taishan.

The Book of Roots Essays & Stories is now available to order through the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. This book includes the Roots Route Map, the essays by the interns and their trip leader, photographs, media coverages as well as the family trees created by each intern.

The twelve interns for the 2007 program are Theresa Chan, Derek Emmons, Jasn Jay, Frank Lee, Alan Liu. Sondra Morishima, Byron Chun, Nicole Hsiang, Michael Kwan, Kristina Lim, Annie Ly, and Trisha Quan.

Related:

Chinese Culture Center of SF Official Website

Farewell to John "Lukey" Yang, 16

AsianConnections thanks Elvis Thao for his permission to reprint his
personal tribute to his friend.

FAREWELL
John "Lukey" Yang

September 13, 1991 -
April 22, 2008

The untimely death of John "Lukey" Yang, 16, on Tuesday
from an automobile accident has shocked and saddened
the Milwaukee, Wisconsin community and all the friends and family that knew young John. The local news reported the tragic accident.

Funeral services observing Hmong traditions
will begin tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday for Lukey
at Church and Chapel Funeral Home in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Lukey will be laid to rest on Monday.

"Lukey", as he was called was like a little brother to Elvis Thao 25, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Elvis, a freestyle rapper and musician with
RARE, a popular band that is based in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin writes this tribute to his young friend Lukey.

He was a good kid. Smart, brave, creative, and to me,
most importantly, fun. This dude was funny as all
hell.

Man, he was funny. If there was one thing that I
liked, it was his brightness. At age 16, he knew how
to hunt, fish, touch cars, fix houses, drive and so
much more.

A lot of things that at my age (25) I do
not know how to do. He was also very athletic, yet
clumsy (haha) at the same time. He was also a rapper
and a great dancer.

This dude could dance. We always had fun with it.
Messing with each other. He absolutely
loved music. And I really would have liked to use him