Shinae Yoon, Executive Director, Visual Communications
Shinae Yoon is Executive Director of Visual Communications and Executive Producer of the annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. As the first Asian Pacific American media arts organization in the country, Visual Communications has been dedicated to the promotion of media works by and about Asian Pacific Americans for the past four decades. She has been on staff at the Chicago International Film Festival and the Three Arts Club of Chicago. She was also co-Director at Street-Level Youth Media. Prior to joining Visual Communications, she was Executive Director of Young Chicago Authors in Chicago, Illinois.
What drew you to this work?
Initially it was my need to connect to people who were knowledgeable and passionate about this type of work. My history of working with filmmakers, educators, youth and community activists stem from my own upbringing and experiences. It was a natural progression. It wasn't ever anything that I set-off to do formally. I was just excited to be a part of environments that allowed these connections and communities to grow, and to understand self-determination from the standpoint of community engagement.
What keeps you engaged with this work?
We've seen a dramatic upswing in Asian American representation in mainstream media within the last 10 years, but the numbers are still not suggestive of any kind of balance from a demographic standpoint. Though slight, the momentum is shifting. We are still seeing stereotypical roles, but far less than what was once deemed acceptable. I think there has been a lot of good work done by our communities in recent years to educate the general public on issues of cultural fluency, but there is still a lot of work left to be done.
What was the most pivotal moment of your leadership journey?
My first Director level position was at Street-Level Youth Media in Chicago, and my time there helped me to see how much could actually be accomplished by strong grassroots alliances. I've been fortunate to have been a part of some wonderful organizations and groups since then, and I continue to find moments that help to shape my journey.
What are your strengths as a leader?
I believe in my staff and will give them every opportunity to succeed. Leadership to me is about team-building and harnessing the power of the collective to make great changes. Also, a healthy dose of humor goes a long way.
How do you stay on top of your game?
I spend a lot of time talking with my staff, volunteers and interns. I continue to develop by constantly sharing and learning from those around me, especially young people who are just getting into the field. It's inspiring to know that new ideas are always developing, that the media field is constantly evolving, and that I'm a part of this evolution.
What are you working on that gets you excited and inspired?
As a way of celebrating VC's 40th anniversary, we are planning the first ever Asian American Media Arts conference for Southern California. The APA Conference for Creative Content will expand upon our existing partnerships with independent film and media makers, industry professionals, film scholars and researchers, and also create a relevant gathering space for the APA media community to learn, share and participate. As our 40th year celebration, we also want to raise awareness about the role of APAs in media's past and present in the hopes of forging new paths for the future.
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