ABOUT THE
VC ARCHIVES
The Visual Communications (VC) Archives is dedicated to preserving the histories, cultures, and experiences of Asian Pacific communities. The VC Archives is recognized as one of the nation’s most comprehensive repositories of 20th Century Asian Pacific American (APA) history. It holds over 750,000 photographic images, 1,500+ titles in the media library, 500+ films and video productions, and 250+ hours of oral histories.
Though it is ethnically specific, the VC Archives affirm a culturally pluralistic view of American society. And this view resides in the heart of our mission – to promote intercultural understanding through the education, production, presentation and preservation of media works by and about APA.
To date, VC materials have been used in numerous films, videos, educational materials, publications, and major photographic exhibits across the United States.
MEET THE VC ARCHIVES STAFF
ABRAHAM FERRER, VC Archives Specialist
Abraham Ferrer (he/him) is a longtime staff member at VC. A studio art major while at UCLA, Abe has served in numerous capacities at VC since coming aboard in 1985, ranging from collateral, identity and publication design, exhibition design and fabrication, training and education assistance, and public presentation in the areas of film and media exhibitions and photographic exhibitions. He has extensively utilized the still and moving image collections in VC’s Archives as both a creator and user, and has additionally written extensively on a variety of subjects pertaining to Asian American and Pacific Islander art, cinema, and popular culture.
CHEEYEON PARK, VC Archives UCLA MLIS Intern
Cheeyeon Park (she/her) is a second-year MLIS student specializing in Archival Studies and pursuing a graduate concentration in Asian American Studies. Before beginning her MLIS, she worked as a book buyer for a contemporary art bookstore affiliated with a global art book distributor in New York City, and later in bilingual art publishing in Seoul. These experiences made her increasingly aware of the transnational inequities that shape which histories, languages, and narratives gain visibility across borders. Her interest in how artists and histories are documented and made visible now informs her work as the UCLA Community Archives Mellon Intern at the Visual Communications Archives.
JASON TIANGCO, VC Archives Operations Manager
Jason Tiangco (he/him) is a Filipino-American creative from Harbor City, CA, and the Archives Manager at Visual Communications. As caretaker of the VC Archives, he works towards the preservation and access of Asian Pacific American materials. Jason aspires to create safe spaces for underrepresented communities including individuals with disabilities, deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, and those dealing with mental illness. A 2021 graduate of CSU Long Beach with a BA in Film and Electronic Arts, Jason brings a deep-rooted passion for cinema and dreams of changing the world through the arts. He works to inspire generations of all ages to channel their personal stories and internal struggles into healthy, artistic outlets. He finds renewal in traveling the world, going to shows, and getting lost in new spaces with a camera.
GILLIAN GEE, VC Archives Specialist
Gillian Gee (she/her) is a proud Chinese and Filipino archivist serving as one of the caretakers of the VC Archives. She earned degrees in English & Gender and Women’s Studies from UC Berkeley, and became involved in community work through the Asian Pacific American Student Development office. At Berkeley, she was inspired by student movements in the 1960s and 1970s, and explored the intersections between community, history, and storytelling. Organizing with her community became the catalyst for Gillian to earn her MLIS from UCLA, where she focused her studies on community archives and their impact on intergenerational healing and community connections. Through her work in the VC Archives, she honors the people that came before her with the preservation of their experiences. When she’s not exploring libraries and archives, Gillian can be found baking sweet treats or writing silly stories with her friends.
CONTACT US
If you're interested in using materials from the VC Archives for an exhibition, showcase, article, or educational resource, please complete this form or email us archives@vcmedia.org