Honoring the Women’s History Month, the Museum of Chinese in America is proud to present a short documentary, SHE MARCHES IN CHINATOWN, by Della Chen. Premiered at the Asian American International Film Festival in July 2023, SHE MARCHES IN CHINATOWN documents the legacy of the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team which was formed in 1952. And for 70 years, they have performed at parades all around Washington state, inspiring generations.
This history is shared by Ruby Chow and her daughter Cheryl Chow from footage filmed in 2002. Cheryl took over the drill team in the 80s at the peak of their popularity when the drill team had 100 members. The team is about to celebrate their 70th anniversary at a challenging time: in the wake of the pandemic participation has dropped to 30 members, but the spirit of the drill team lives on!
SHE MARCHES IN CHINATOWN is an inspiring story about belonging, identity, sisterhood, leadership, and a community that has flourished among a diverse group of women with backgrounds that represent a variety of sexual orientations, races, and ages. It is about a group that thrives despite being in a neighborhood targeted by hate and discrimination. As one superfan puts it, “Please don’t go away – Seattle needs you!”
Filmmaker Della Chen will be present for a Q&A at the end of the screening.
*Due to the high demands, Filmmaker Della Chen will also be present for a Q&A session after the 5:00 P.M. screening on Saturday, March 30.
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Take a look at the trailer of SHE MARCHES IN CHINATOWN
