AIISF Newsletter / November 2026
Before planning your trip to Angel Island, check the Golden Gate Ferry (San Francisco) or Angel Island Tiburon Ferry website for seasonal service changes and holiday operating hours.
A Message From AIISF’s Executive Director
Dear AIISF Friends and Family,
Last week, I had the opportunity to join our colleagues at the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Foundation for the 140th birthday of the Statue of Liberty. On the ferry ride over to the monument, I reflected on the first time I visited Lady Liberty in person on a family vacation to NYC while I was in college. The statue was one of the top must-do activities on our itinerary, and of course we posed for the obligatory tourist picture with the statue in the background (see photo of my dad, mom and brother). I remember feeling a sense of marvel and warmth in my body as I walked up close to this symbolic beacon of welcoming. At the time, I never could have imagined that my professional journey would lead me to Angel Island.
On this year's trip, as I wandered through the halls of the newly renovated Ellis Island Immigration Museum, I saw things through a different set of lenses than the ones of my 19-year-old self. I was impressed by (and truth be told a bit envious of) the resources and number of visitors at Ellis Island. The entry hall of the museum now features a 120-foot wide LED screen that is stunningly beautiful. In comparison, I’m not sure we would have enough electrical outlets in Angel Island’s Detention Barracks Museum to power that many screens. The cost of all of their updated exhibits likely was more than AIISF’s entire annual budget several times over. Seeing their thousands of visitors, I recalled the many times I have been at Angel Island with fewer than 100 visitors.
For those of you planning to visit NYC, I definitely suggest visiting the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, even if you have visited before. Thanks to our friends and colleagues at the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Foundation, there are now multiple mentions of Angel Island throughout the museum as they have updated their exhibits to discuss national immigration beyond Ellis Island. Hopefully this helps introduce Angel Island’s history to their almost 4 million annual visitors.
While the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island have come to symbolize welcoming, Angel Island truly symbolizes an unfortunate, double injustice. The first injustice is the racist detention and differential treatment of Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants happened. The second injustice is that Angel Island’s history is not universally taught in our nation’s schools and thus most Americans do not recognize or understand what happened here and how history is repeating itself.
So, as I enter my 8th year with AIISF—and as we embark on a year-long strategic planning process—I look forward to thinking and envisioning with you what our impact can and should be. In 2033, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of AIISF's founding. In 2040, we will recognize the 100-year anniversary of the immigration station’s closing. Beyond preserving the buildings at the historic site (which will always be a core part of our work), what else will be important for AIISF to focus on in our efforts to transform a history of exclusion into a future of inclusion and belonging?
Finally, as we approach Giving Tuesday on December 1 and our annual end-of-year fundraising campaign, I hope that you will consider including AIISF in the special list of organizations that you choose to donate to. Our future depends on your continued support.
With appreciation and determination,
Edward Tepporn
AIISF Executive Director
Museum Holiday Hours 2026
The Detention Barracks Museum and Angel Island Immigration Museum will be closed the following days for the holidays:
November
Wednesday 11/25
Thursday 11/26
December
Monday 12/21 to Wednesday 12/30
The museums will be open on December 31 and January 1, 2027.
Pathways to Immigration Special Campaign
Through our Pathways to Immigration Special Campaign, you can have your family or company name engraved onsite at the Angel Island Immigration Station! Commemorate your own immigration journey, honor your family’s immigrant heritage, or show your allyship with immigrant communities.
Whether you or your family came through Angel Island or elsewhere, and whether you arrived in the US decades or days ago, we welcome your name and support!
Upcoming Events
Angel Island Immigration Station | Preserving the Past, Inspiring a More Welcoming Future
November 12 | 5 pm (PT)
Virtual Program (Zoom)
Click here to register
As America's 250th starts to wind down, join our virtual session to learn about the history of the Angel Island Immigration Station! AIISF's Executive Director will also moderate a conversation with Connie Young Yu and Christopher Chow about the Angel Island Immigration Station Historical Advisory Committee's early efforts to preserve the historic building, and current day programs and exhibits on the site.
Community Events
Film Fridays: Safar (Journey) a Film by Priyanka Suryaneni
November 6 | 7 - 9 pm
EastSide Arts Alliance
2277 International Blvd. Oakland, CA
Learn more
EastSide Arts Alliance + Cultural Center presents Safar (Journey) is a poetic short documentary on early South Asian immigration through Angel Island. Centered on choreographer Joti Singh and her great-grandfather Bhagwan Singh Gyanee—an anti-colonial activist and early immigrant—the film blends dance, archival memory, and performance to revisit migration, detention, and resistance.
This is a free event. Food and refreshments will be provided.
Trace, Tell, Preserve: A Family History Storytelling Potluck
November 14 | 9:30 am - 4 pm
Capitol Event Center
1020 11th St. Sacramento, CA
Learn more
Join the 1882 Foundation, My China Roots, and guest facilitators for an interactive day of Chinese family history storytelling. Like a potluck, everyone brings something to the table—a family object, photo, document, memory, question, or simply curiosity—and leaves with expert guidance, complimentary research support, and practical next steps.
Through demonstrations, small-group conversations, and community sharing, we’ll explore how to uncover the stories behind family heirlooms, capture memories that may not exist in any archive, and transform family history discoveries into a legacy for others.
AIISF is a small (but mighty) nonprofit that has worked tirelessly for the past 42 years to preserve the buildings at Angel Island and to elevate the stories of immigrants. Our ability to continue these preservation efforts and to continue to offer free or low-cost programs is dependent on the support of community members like you. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to AIISF.