Howzit! The Linda Mabalot Effect

As one of the core staff producers for Visual Communicaions, Amy Kato played an integral part in the development of various VC productions, such as HITO HATA: RAISE THE BANNER, the first feature-length film made by and about Asian Americans.

(From left): Linda Mabalot, Amy Kato

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

As a longtime staffer of Visual Communications, John Esaki went on to direct Stand Up For Justice, a short film about Ralph Lazo, a Chicano youth who accompanied his Japanese American classmates to the Manzanar concentration camp. Currently, John is the Vice President of Programs at the Japanese American National Museum.

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

As Visual Communications’ Development Director during the 1980’s, Nancy Araki worked alongside Linda Mabalot to pivot VC from a film production company to a media arts center. Nancy was the former Director of Community Affairs at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles before retiring in 2013.

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

Janice Tanaka was a USC school of cinema graduate who came on board to act as sound editor for many VC productions during the Little Tokyo People’s Rights Organization (LTPRO) era. She served as sound editor for HITO HATA: RAISE THE BANNER, and subsequently became the head of the Corporate Video Production department at Transamerica Life.

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

Leslie Ito, Executive Director of Armory Center for the Arts, speaks at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) in 2003. Leslie was a former president of JACCC and Executive Director of Visual Communications where she developed the Armed with a Camera Fellowship program in 2003.

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

As one of the last Getty Marrow interns under Linda Mabalot, Francis navigated the VC space in numerous positions before becoming the current Executive Director in 2014.

(From left): Francis Cullado, Frances Ito

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

Longtime VC staffer; staff documentarian; a mentor to a whole generation of emerging filmmakers; an organizer of community-based film screenings and visual arts events; a programmer and co-director of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

(From left): Matthew Lopez, Barbara Nishimura, Linda Mabalot, Abraham Ferrer

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

Linda Mabalot and Visual Communications founders at the 20th anniversary celebration taking place at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC).

(From left): Alan Ohashi, Eddie Wong, Robert Nakamura, Linda Mabalot, Duane Kubo

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

A capacity crowd at the then Aratani/Japan America theatre sends best wishes to Linda Mabalot during closing night ceremonies of the 2003 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)

Linda cheers on former Loyola Marymount University film student Gene Cajayon and the makers of Gene’s The Debut, which opened the 2000 edition of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

(Source: Visual Communications Photographic Archive)