Help Me Tell The Heartbreaking Story Of A Forgotten Chinese Fishing Village In Monterey, CA!

My name is JoAnn Mar. Some of you may be familiar with my broadcast work as a public radio producer with KALW in San Francisco. As a fifth-generation American, I was completely unaware of my family’s early history. Until last year, I had no idea of my family’s connection to a long-forgotten Chinese fishing village in Monterey, California nearly 200 years ago. The village was located next door to John Steinbeck’s famous Cannery Row. My grandfather and great-grandfather were born and raised in the village in the mid-to-late 1800s.

What Happened To The Village?

My ancestors and the other residents were the targets of eviction efforts, discriminatory laws, and threats to their livelihood. A mysterious fire tore through the village in 1906 and caused them and hundreds of Chinese residents to flee. They were robbed of their possessions and not allowed to return home.

Why Were They Evicted?

Their tragic story took place against the backdrop of deep hostility and hatred towards the Chinese and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Acknowledgment and recognition of the Point Alones fishing village finally came over 100 years later with a belated apology from the Pacific Grove city council in 2022.

This Remarkable Story Needs To Be Told To A Wider Audience

Apologies are not enough to address this historic injustice. It grieves me that history is now repeating itself. The hostilities towards today’s immigrants mirror those experienced by my ancestors. We can’t be silent anymore!

I Need Your Help!

I have begun work on a full-length documentary for public radio and multi-media broadcast and I need help raising funds. Traditional funders such as California Humanities are no longer giving grants because of cutbacks by the Trump administration.

The funds raised will cover basic expenses (such as travel and housing) and allow me to compensate a videographer.

My documentary comes at a critical time in our country’s history. We need to raise our voices! Please support this project in whatever amount you can. Everyone who gives will receive a link to the documentary upon completion. Your contributions are greatly appreciated—Thank You!