Rochelle Hoi-Yiu Kwan (born circa 1994), is a second-generation Hong Kong American DJ (known professionally as YiuYiu (瑶瑶)), Oral History Educator, and Cultural Organizer based in New York City (NYC).[1][2][3] She is the founder of Chinatown Records and was awarded the 2023 Manhattan Arts Grantee from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs to honor outstanding artists and cultural organizers in NYC.[4]

Early life

She was born around 1994 and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.[1] Her parents immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong in the 70's and 80's.[5] Kwan has a sister named Elodie Kwan.[6]

Education

In 2015, Kwan graduated Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, where she studied Women's Studies, Sociology, and Psychology.[7]

Career

After graduating, she moved to Washington D.C to serve on the Case Management Team for the Network for Victim Recovery to advocate for survivors of sexual assault.[7] During this time, she was also a volunteer for the Lutheran Volunteer Corps in D.C.[7]

After working at Network for Victim Recovery, Kwan became the Storytelling Team Lead for the nonprofit Think!Chinatown, where she combines oral history, song, and storytelling to create workshops for community members focused on exploring the Asian diaspora.[2] She has led workshops such as “An Ode to Our Generations: Remembering the Music and Memories of Yellow Pearl and Basement Workshop,” which was showcased at Chinatown Arts Week 2021 and on T!C Collections–DCTV Firehouse Cinema.[8]

In 2021, Kwan's essay - "Do you have yours hot or cold?" - was published by the Asian American Feminist Collective[9]

In 2023, Kwan preformed as a DJ in San Francisco for Lunar New Year.[1]

Kwan also founded and runs a project called “Chinatown Records.” [10] Chinatown Records focuses on the history of Cantopop, Chinese opera, and Taiwanese pop.[1] Kwan attributed her inspiration for starting Chinatown Records Project to her father, who used to host Cantonese Karaoke parties featuring old traditional music.[10] The record shop currently is home to a number of records, each exploring a different family and their personal connection to the song.[10]

On March 13, 2023, Kwan received the 2023 Manhattan Arts Grant from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) to honor outstanding artists and cultural organizations in NYC.[4] Kwan hosted an oral history workshop called "The Stories All Around Us: Oral Histories as Collaborative Art- and History-Making with Our Loved Ones" through the Oral History Association and sponsored by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities American Rescue Plan.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kwun, Aileen (21 January 2023). "Redefining the 'New' in Lunar New Year". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 Mishan, Ligaya (19 September 2023). "Saving Chinatown, While Also Making It Their Own". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Chinatown Block Party 夏日傾情 with YiuYiu 瑶瑶 & Canton Mambo 曼波". ThinkChinatown. 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  4. 1 2 Mindiashvili, Salome (2023-03-13). "Announcing 2023 Manhattan Arts Grantees!". LMCC. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  5. ↑ "How Reconnecting with Our Immigrant Roots Can Help Us Survive 2021 - Feet in 2 Worlds". 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  6. ↑ "RHKwan Photo copy". Disability Visibility Project. 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  7. 1 2 3 University, Loyola Marymount. "Successful Alumni - Loyola Marymount University". bellarmine.lmu.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  8. ↑ "In New York, Chinatown's Cultural Power Steps Out of the Basements and Into the Mainstream". nextcity.org. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  9. ↑ "Do you have yours hot or cold?". Asian American Feminist Collective. 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  10. 1 2 3 Helfet, Gabriela (2021-02-11). "VF Live: YiuYiu". The Vinyl Factory. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  11. ↑ "NEH Fellowship and Grant Program". Oral History Association. Retrieved 2023-12-07.

External Resources

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