Ep. 93: Widening the lens: a look at Corky Lee's Asian America with historian Mae Ngai

Why does American history still exclude so many? My latest guest Mae Ngai is Lung Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University and has written award-winning books on immigration and the Chinese diaspora sharing stories of immigrants during the Gold Rush and other pivotal historical events. Before becoming a historian, Mae was a labor union organizer and educator in New York City where she met another influential documenter of Asian America: photographer Corky Lee who sadly passed away from Covid-19 in early 2021. Mae has edited a brand new book “Corky Lee’s Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice” which collects the activist photographer’s iconic images into a beautiful and moving book. Join me as Professor Ngai gives us a glimpse into Asian American history and Corky’s important contribution, and please share the episode with a friend who might enjoy this chat!