They may not be famous. They may not even be that well-known to most. But the people who make an indelible impact in our communities and on our lives are the ones whose words and deeds are largely unsung. Take a look at these Armed With a Camera and Digital Histories films about people whose lives are worth savoring.

This week we explore the legacy of Linda Mabalot, the beloved Executive Director of VC from the mid-'80s until her passing in 2003.  She guided VC through a most difficult and challenging time when the organization was focused on survival and still committed to serving and continuing Asian Pacific American media projects.

As Visual Communications celebrates 50 years, we look back at VC Classic films centered around our Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander communities. On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 5 pm PT, join Visual Communications and friends for a Monday Nite VC event in an engaging conversation about how they utilize media to build, connect, and empower communities.

CLAIMING A VOICE: THE VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS STORY is a documentary chronicling the first twenty years of Visual Communications. Join us on Monday, May 4, 2020 at 5 pm PDT for a Monday Nite VC event in an engaging conversation about the survival and collective process of the first arts group dedicated to productions by and about Asian Pacific Americans.

The selection of short films in “Our Voices” was curated for Grand Park’s Our L.A. Voices, a spring pop-up Arts+Culture Fest that celebrates the diverse and powerful artistic voices in Los Angeles County. These films premiered on Grand Park’s digital platforms from Saturday, April 25 - Sunday, April 26, 2020; but don’t worry, you can watch them all again here!

“Advocacy cinema” has always been a hallmark of Visual Communications’ role within the Asian American Movement, and this selection of short works live up to that lofty legacy. Featuring films from both the Armed With a Camera and Digital Histories programs, a “call to action” is indeed apropos for the times we currently live in.

The full range of “Americanness” is emphatically expressed through this selection of works from Visual Communications’ vanguard Armed With a Camera (AWC) Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists, a program which develops the next generation of Asian American and Pacific Islander artists to capture their world and stories. No proof of citizenship needed here, and none asked.

We’re excited to launch VC CONNECT, an online destination through which just some of the hundreds of films and media productions created by Visual Communications can be found for your enjoyment. Each week, we’ll roll out a new batch, specially themed for our audience’s diverse cinematic palate. Our focus this week is Little Tokyo, featuring films made by participants in our Digital Histories program.