To celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 32 Asian American Broadway & off-Broadway performers, including George Takei (Allegiance), Ann Harada (Avenue Q, Cinderella), Telly Leung (Aladdin, Godspell), Raymond J Lee (Groundhog Day), Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera), Jose Llana (King and I) and others honor the vast breadth of their existence in the American story by participating in the world premiere of “I Am Here,” a music video with an original song composed by Asian American Composer Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days), with Musical Direction and Orchestrations by Ted Arthur and directed by NAACP Image Award Nominee Alan Muraoka (Sesame Street).
“I am Here” is an anthem inspired by the generations of quiet perseverance, and a call to empower Asian Americans by seeking a more just America for all. Performing to raise awareness for Asian Americans Advancing Justice, viewers are encouraged to affirm allyship and stand against hate with bystander intervention training.
Additional featured performers include on Jon Jon Briones, Deborah S. Craig, Angel Desai, Amy Hill, Diana Huey, Devin Ilaw, Kendyl Ito, Adam Jacobs, Arielle Jacobs, Karl Josef Co, Nehal Joshi, Francis Jue, Austin Ku, Kylie Kuioka, Jaygee Macapugay, Alan Muraoka, Diane Phelan, Zach Piser, Hazel Anne Raymundo, Thom Sesma, Pearl Sun, Riza Takahashi, Christine Toy Johnson, Kay Trinidad, Vishal Vaidya and Virginia Wing.
Rounding out the creative team is Producing Consultant Valerie Lau-Kee, Musical Coordinator David Lai, Video Editor Ikpemoghena “Ace” Ikharo, Sound Engineer Maxine R. Gutierrez and Creative Consultant Ann Harada. Please consider a donation to Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) www.advancingjustice-aajc.org
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman. She stars in and served as Executive Producer for the short independent films Hide and Seek, Balancing Act, Rom-Com Gone Wrong, Belongingness and When the World was Young (2021 DisOrient Film Audience Award for Best Short Narrative). She is also the Executive Producer for The Cactus, The Language Lesson, The Writer and Cream and 2 Shugahs.
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 