OUR MISSION

Empowering the next generation of Asian Pacific storytellers to create and inspire through arts education, cinema history, and community building. 

WHO WE ARE

Strong Asian Lead is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of motion picture storytellers through education and career guidance towards a career in Hollywood. Our mission is to create a space where individuals can explore the art culture of Asian American cinema and forge a path towards their future in filmmaking.

Founded March 2020

Mas Moriya and Emi Lea Kamemoto begin conversations about DE&I for AAPIs in entertainment.

Our 3 hour zoom calls twice a week turned into an activism instagram account and inclusion webinars.

Emi Lea Kamemoto in a white shirt with straight hair, and Mas Moriya with a musctache in a black button up over a read shirt that reads, it's an honor just to be asian.

March 2020

Clubhouse Conversations

With a website and an instagram account, Strong Asian Lead gains interest holding community audio rooms, holding space.

Our first break into public interest.

Clubhouse rooms that read History of Asian Americans in Hollywood and Hollywood loved aisans, but not asian americans.

Listen to ArchiveDecember 2020

Podcast

Turned our zoom calls into a podcast, holding discussions with actors in the industry and diving into diversity of AAPIs in Film & TV. A japanese American with a mustache in a black shirt with books on the wall behind him

Listen NowJanuary 2020

Tableread - Fundraising

Held a tableread contest for screenwriters to have their screenplays read for a fundraiser.

We raised our first $7,000 thanks to the help of virtual writers group. 

Table read flyer from 2021 with Lee Shortong, Hymson Chan and Pauline Tanaka

Read MoreApril 2020

Platform Launch

After all the hard work, it was a surprisingly smooth public launch. We're still working on it, but so far it's doing well!

screenshot of strong asian lead membership site

Read MoreFebruary 2022

In-Person Meetups

Hosting our first in-person meetup at the Peking Tavern in DTLA for a 100 Year celebration of AAPI Cinema during AAPI Heritage Month.

Five happy people taking a group photo

Read MoreMay 2022

First In-Person Panel

Produced a panel discussion with Karen Tran Wood, Feliz Bahmanpour, and Travis Atreo at the Terasaki Budokan in DTLA. Sponsored by Makku, Drunk Fruit, Moshi. Food provided by Aloha Cafe. 

Four Asian Americans on stage in an outdoor venue with a TV Graphic behind them and trees

Read MoreAugust 2022

Official 501(c)(3) status

After 2.5 years of hard work, we officially become a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. 

November 2022

Launched East West Film School

Developed and launched an online course to take a retrospective of the past 100 years of Asian American cinema. 

Read MoreJan 2023

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