Thanks to a grant from the Robert Ho Foundation and Stanford's Asian American Art Initiative, educators from across the region and country came together in July 2026 for a week-long institute run by the Quock Mui Foundation to visit historic sites on the Monterey Peninsula and learn in depth about diverse Asian American experiences in our local communities.  The institute concluded with a community event with over 70 attendees coming to learn about the educators' work.   Educators will implement lesson plans and resources across the 2026-2027 school year in 7 schools, districts, and organizations.

2026 Teacher Institute Report

100% of participating educators reported strongly agreeing that their understanding of Asian American history and stories in the Monterey area deepened through the institute.

Educator Favorite Parts of the Institute:

• “I mostly enjoyed the testimonies of elders from the Asian American communities and visiting museums and natural sites such as Point Lobos. Meeting at a different site every day was very refreshing.”

• “Meeting dedicated and engaged educators”

• “The site visits (to PG Museum of Natural History, JACL and Pearl District, Point Lobos, Hopkins, and Wave Street Studio) were very valuable in grounding the learning.”

Educator Key Takeaways:

• “This work is most impactfully practiced in community based on the knowledge of culture bearers. There is also so much more to learn about the various waves of immigration and AAPI communities moving from the coast and peninsula to the Salinas Valley. We also have a wealth of resources in the elder culture bearers who are so generously willing to share their knowledge as well as in institutions such as the Quock Mui Foundation and partners, CAJ, the JACL, the PG Museum of Natural History, Hopkins and Stanford. I'm truly grateful for all who are collaborating.”

• “One of my biggest takeaways was being reminded how powerful it is to learn in a place rather than just about it. Visiting the Monterey JACL Hall, Point Lobos, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, and other local sites made the history feel personal and tangible. I left with a deeper understanding of Monterey's Asian American history and so many ideas for helping students connect art, history, culture, and place in meaningful ways. I also appreciated hearing from fellow educators, historians, and community members. Their stories and perspectives brought so much depth to the experience!”

• “I have been visiting Point Lobos since I was about 5-6 years old, studying wild flowers with my first-grade class, and on through adulthood with my family, but I never before learned about the human history of the land. Yes, I've stopped inside the "whalers" cabin before, mostly to search for Quock Mui's photo mentioned at the Walk for Remembrance events, but Bowen's interpretation of the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Californio, Mexican/Spanish, and American activities at Point Lobos started to flesh out what I barely had skeletal scaffolding for in my own learning over the years. This deepened my understanding so profoundly.”