In partnership with The Valentine Museum, St. John’s Church Foundation presents What Does Liberty Mean to You?, a panel discussion featuring three first-generation Chinese Americans discussing what liberty means to them. The panelists will discuss their experiences growing up in China, including during the time of Mao’s Cultural Revolution, and compare their time in China to being in America. They will also discuss why Patrick Henry’s speech is important to them, and why it is important to our nation as it prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.
Moderator: Ting-Yi Oei, Education Director at the 1882 Foundation, a Washington D.C. based organization whose initial focus was to secure an Expression of Regret from the United States, apologizing for the Chinese Exclusion Acts and their impact on Chinese and other Asian Americans. That Resolution passed by unanimous approval in the House of Representatives and unanimous consent in the Senate in 2012.
Panelists: Daniel Gong, Pastor, Aletheia Chinese Church. Hometown: Tianjin Municipality. Kefu Huang, Teacher (Mandarin), St. Catherine’s School. Hometown: Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Arrived to United States in 2007. Sarah Bice, Owner, Sarah Bice & Associates Real Estate, LLC. Hometown: Wuhu, Anhui Province. Arrived to United States in 1989. Attendees of will receive a complimentary ticket to The Valentine’s exhibit Generations: Stories of Asian Americans in Richmond. The exhibit will be on display until May 25, 2026.
