Poignant American Story

Dynamic activist Gerry Low-Sabado, who lives in Fremont, travelled 90 miles to Monterey to show me her ancestors' village. (Post one.) She first led us to Point Lobos, a point not only of nature but history, she said. Her great grandmother's photo is in the Whaler's Village. (Post two.) Her great-great grandfather floated over from Canton, escaping the chaos and poverty that accompanied war. (Post three.) Gerry researched her ancestors, and so had lots of information to share when CSU-Monterey Bay expressed interest. A documentary came from that research, and bolstered Gerry to spread the word.(Post four.) People didn't always want to hear her words. (Post five.) Still, making history correct became Gerry's mission. (Post six.) While at the Chinese cabin, we encountered a European who said that accepting others is a problem everywhere. (Post seven.) Working together with the city of Pacific Grove, Gerry managed to create the Walk of Remembrance as well as remove offensive lines in an annual festival performance. (Post eight and nine.) Working together with the city of Pacific Grove, Gerry managed to create the Walk of Remembrance as well as remove offensive lines in an annual festival performance. (Post eight and nine.)

On October 15, three years after I first met Gerry, I attended her award ceremony, as she was presented with the ACLU’s Ralph B. Atkinson Award for Civil Liberties. She accepted the award for all of her efforts in sharing the Chinese history of Pacific Grove/Monterey.
“I have visualized and hoped for change with kindness for so long, and now it has been embraced by us all. I am joyous."

"Others, who I was once afraid of, I now consider my friends as we collaborate together to tell the story of our Chinese-American ancestors and their villages. We’ve started meeting with each other, listening to each other, crying together and working with each other to build bridges of understanding and respect.  

"The process for change has begun, and our Chinese ancestors fishing village and their stories will continue because we believe in the truth, and we believe in each other. Our story is a poignant and compelling American story.

"I feel that working together, talking together, respecting each other is so much different than what we are seeing on TV in the news these days. I believe that the bonds that we have built could be a model for the world. Right here, our friendships we are telling each other to be proud of each other, to lift each other up.”

(With gratitude and thanks to Gerry, this concludes this interview.)