As a theatre, film, and digital production major at UC Riverside, Nakanlaya (Por) Tupsamphan ’25 jumped at the opportunity to attend screenings of the documentaries “Forever, Chinatown” and “Hollywood Chinese,” and hear from directors James Q. Chan and Arthur Dong just blocks from campus at UCR ARTS.
“Many students don’t have access to transportation, and since most events like this happen in LA, they might miss out,” she said. “Bringing filmmakers and screenings to campus gives all students access to these valuable experiences. For film and arts students, especially, it can be very inspiring.”
The exclusive screenings and director talks were part of an annual series hosted by UCR ARTS featuring films created by Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) filmmakers and made possible through the Voy and Fay Wong Family Endowment.
“With this support, we’ve been able to present films by AAPI filmmakers and host artist conversations, talkbacks, masterclasses, and performances that spark dialogue across campus and the wider community,” said Nikolay Maslov, curator of film and media projects at UCR ARTS. “These funds help us sustain a dynamic and accessible space for critical cultural exchange.”
Providing a space to share stories of AAPI communities, culture, and history was central to the Wong family when establishing the fund in 2000.
“We felt like it was very important to let people know what the Asian American experience was about and to share our culture and especially our history,” said Linda Huang, daughter of Voy and Fay Wong.
The Wong Family’s history is deeply connected to Riverside. Voy immigrated from the Toisan District in China and joined his father, Sam Wong, in nearby San Bernardino in 1937. He was not allowed to bring his wife, Fay, because of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Following the outbreak of World War II, Voy and some partners purchased a Chinese restaurant in Downtown Riverside from its Japanese American owner, who was being sent to an internment camp.
After a decade of separation, Voy returned to China to bring Fay to Riverside. The pair operated the Chungking Restaurant on Market and University together after buying out their partners. The couple’s five children often helped out in the restaurant, which was a favorite of local politicians and businessmen. The family lived in a two-story 1907 Craftsman home down the street from the restaurant. Four of the Wong children, including Huang, attended UCR. Voy Wong passed away in 1975, not long after selling Chungking, which is now the site of the RCC Culinary Arts Academy Restaurant. The family donated to the academy in tribute to their parents and the family restaurant. The Wong children moved to Northern California to start families of their own and urged their mother to relocate. When she did, Fay donated the family home to UCR and the proceeds from its sale were used to establish the endowed fund that the children named in honor of their parents. The home still stands on University Avenue.
“They worked so hard to raise us and put us through school, so we wanted to show our appreciation to our parents and honor them because of all the sacrifices that they made so we could have a better life,” Huang said.
