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$20 General Admission (museum admission included) | $15 Student & Senior | $10 for MOCA Members

For more than three decades, fencing has quietly become one of the most prominent yet undocumented sports within Chinese American communities across the United States. From Flushing to Arcadia, Fort Lee to Northern Virginia, generations of Chinese American families have turned to the sport, building clubs, shaping competitive pathways, and contributing to Team USA at the highest levels of international competition. Yet this remarkable cultural phenomenon remains largely absent from the historical record.

In celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month, the Museum of Chinese in America and USA Fencing come together to spotlight this untold story through a dynamic evening of conversation and live demonstration. This event brings together leading Chinese American Olympians Alexander Massialas and Maia Chamberlain, with award-winning journalist Richard Lui serving as moderator, alongside renowned coach Andy Ma, to explore the intersections of sport, identity, and belonging.

Through personal reflections and demonstrations, the program explores how fencing has served as both a competitive pursuit and a cultural touchpoint for many Chinese American families. The conversation also considers what it means to choose belonging through sport, and how discipline, community, and representation shape identity across generations. With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon and fencing gaining greater visibility on the global stage, this program offers a timely opportunity to begin capturing a living history as it unfolds.

About Alexander Massialas

Alexander Massialas is one of the most decorated fencers in American history and a defining figure in the global growth of the sport. A graduate of Stanford University, he won an individual silver medal and team bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics and team bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, cementing his legacy as one of the most accomplished foil fencers the United States has ever produced. He has also been a fixture on the FIE World Cup circuit for more than a decade, earning numerous individual and team medals at the world’s highest levels of competition. Today, Massialas gives back to the sport as head fencing coach at Stanford, where he is helping shape the next generation of elite fencers.

About Maia Chamberlain

Maia Chamberlain is one of the most exciting competitors in women’s saber, representing the United States with distinction on the world stage. A graduate of Princeton University, she competed for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics and has earned multiple medals at the FIE (International Fencing Federation) level, establishing herself as one of the sport’s most formidable saber fencers. Known for her explosive speed, tactical sharpness, and composure on the strip, Chamberlain embodies the scholar-athlete tradition that has long defined American fencing at its best.

About Andy Ma

Andy Ma was born in Beijing and became a U.S. citizen in 1989. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fencing from Beijing Sports University and a master’s degree in sports psychology from Ohio State University. Ma owned and operated the Fencing Academy of South Jersey from 1994 to 2013, producing nine USA national team members for the Cadet, Junior and Senior World Championships and more than 200 medalists across national events and world circuits. He was named Developmental Coach of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee in 2008. Ma has served as head fencing coach at the University of Pennsylvania since 2009. In his 17 years leading the program, he has earned Ivy League Coach of the Year honors five times, captured four Ivy League championships and coached two NCAA individual champions.

About Richard Liu

Richard Lui is an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience across media, technology, and business. He is the first and longest-serving AAPI male news anchor on national television, currently broadcasting for MSNBC and NBC News, and previously for CNN Worldwide. As a documentary filmmaker, he recently released the Oscar-qualifying films Sky Blossom (2021) and UNCONDITIONAL (2023), which were honored with an unprecedented series of premieres at the White House, U.S. Congress, United Nations, and European Parliament, along with nationwide distribution through Universal Pictures and AMC Theatres. Before entering journalism, Lui spent 15 years in business, launching six brands across three tech cycles and patenting a fintech model with Citibank Singapore. He has served on the boards of fintech and AI companies, as well as nonprofit organizations including the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and Freedom United. He is a fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors, one of 200 U.S. Department of State Traveling Speakers, a Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and an ambassador for organizations focused on gender equality and combating human trafficking. Lui is the bestselling, award-winning author of Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness (HarperCollins Zondervan), and the author of the Inclusion@Work risk reports presented at Davos, SXSW, CES, and Cannes Lions. He is widely recognized as an authority on inclusion and the care economy, and serves as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes campaign, AARP, and the Alzheimer’s Association.

About USA Fencing

USA Fencing is the national governing body for the sport of fencing in the United States. With a rich history of Olympic and Paralympic success and a commitment to growing the sport at all levels, USA Fencing supports athletes, clubs, and fans across the country. We’re proud to highlight the incredible contributions of Chinese American fencers and look forward to celebrating this community with MOCA. To find a fencing club near you and give the sport a try, visit tryfencing.org.