On Saturday, Oct. 16, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center will host its annual fall fundraiser, premiering the work of Dohee Lee’s PURI 5: SPORA - a piece that incorporates dance, art, music and spoken word. The piece tells the stories of the Asian Diaspora including the Korean War and migration.

In describing the piece that tells stories of migration, Lee says it is not about one particular people’s story.

“[The piece] is your story," Lee said. "People will be deeply connect [with the stories told].”

The Oakland Asian Cultural Center - located at 388 Ninth Street - has preserved stories of the Asian Diaspora and migration since its beginning in 1984. It began as a coalition of volunteers who realized that there was a need for a “strong artistic and cultural force in the Chinatown area.”  Since the opening of the center, it has provided services and has, “ focused on the underserved communities,” said Mona Shah, co-director of OACC.

Those underserved communities make up the more than 20,000 people who use the services that OACC provides like performances, classes, workshops, festivals, school tours and exhibitions.

During this economic climate and the budget cuts that the city of Oakland has to make, any communities need to have access to a cultural center like OACC to express themselves and preserve their cultural art forms.

You can play a part in making sure the services that OACC provide, continue to maintain and preserve Asian art by purchasing a ticket to the fundraiser this Saturday. For more information on purchasing tickets, contact Shah at (510) 637-0460 or email at mshah[at]oacc.cc.