As 2016 Comes to a Close, Our Resiliency Moves Us Forward

Dear Friends of Visual Communications,

It’s been a week since Election Day, and we still feel and empathize with the raw emotions from its outcome.  As an organization that celebrates people of color, women, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ communities, and our allies, we are determined to create safe spaces for expression and dialogue.  As we continue our work through the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusivity, we want to call people in (not out), in an effort to tear down walls and build bridges.

Our mission is to develop and support the voices of Asian American & Pacific Islander filmmakers and media artists who empower communities and challenge perspectives.

We believe stories by and about our communities is a medium for dialogue. We believe that artists have political power. That they can define and provoke, but also inspire change.

During the next presidential election cycle, Visual Communications will turn 50.  As we count down the final weeks of 2016, we will bring you images and memories From The VC Vault to celebrate our work together for the last 46 years.  We want to show you a legacy of artists and cultural workers who have made an impact throughout the years.  It is a testament to the resilience of our communities and it is our hope to inspire younger generations to continue to fight for what is right, and for what is our right.

Here is the story of the first-ever VC production, AMERICA'S CONCENTRATION CAMPS - popularly referred to as the "Cubes" exhibit - a mobile, traveling exhibit that brings to life the realities of the relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Created with striking black-and-white images culled from government archives, family collections, wartime publications, and images from UCLA's Japanese American Relocation Project collection, AMERICA'S CONCENTRATION CAMPS serves as a sobering wake-up call to the harsh realities of racism and wartime hysteria.

We ask for your continued support of our organization, our staff, and our programs by making an End of the Year Donation to Visual Communications. 

Please continue to follow us everyday on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and our website as we count down each year from 1970. 

With gratitude,

Francis Cullado
Executive Director
Visual Communications