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Fab Philanthropists
» Reflections
Thank you Fabulous California for the write up. I’m grateful for the New Breath team and all our supporters to make this possible. #wegotus #newbreathfoundation #fabulouscalifornia #philanthropy #aseatatthetable #happynewbreath
John Legend’s FreeAmerica Campaign Featuring Eddy Zheng
» Audio, Media, Reflections, Videos
“We are always told by adults what it is to be good and or be bad; yet we don’t realize that the environment that we live in creates a lot of those narratives….When we place education second to incarceration; that is what feeds the system.â€
#FREEAMERICA is a multi-year campaign initiated by award-winning artist John Legend to amplify the growing movement to end mass incarceration.
As part of the #FREEAMERICA initiative, which will expand to include other artists and high-profile individuals committed to justice reform, John Legend will lead a listening and learning tour across the country visiting with incarcerated individuals, law enforcement, legislators, and experts who’ve been thinking critically about America’s prison problem.
Legend’s initiative will also seek to support and collaborate with the many pre-existing national and statewide coalitions and organizations committed to this work.
For more information on #FreeAmerica, click here.
Breathin’ Premieres at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival 2016
» Reflections
BREATHIN’: The Eddy Zheng Story is coming to the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival! Check out the screenings on April 22 and 25.
World Premiere of Breathin’ at CAAMFest 2016!
» Events, Media, Photos, Reflections
Happy new breath! Feeling so honored to premiere Breathin’ with so much community support at CAAMFest 2016.
Photos from CAAMFest 2016 at the Alamo Drafthouse at New Mission
Eddy Zheng and Director Ben Wang before the screening
Composer Scott “Chops” Jung signing the Breathin’ poster during our pre-screening meet-up/dinner
Cast and crew during Q&A
Eddy during Q&A post-premiere
Eddy poses with filmmaker Ben Wang, SF Police Commissioner Victor Hwang, SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi, and fellow activist Harrison Suega.
Breathin’ is given an Honorable Mention by CAAMFEST’s esteemed doc jury
Breathin’ : The Eddy Zheng Story
» Events, Reflections
Breathin’ to show in San Francisco and Oakland in March 2016
Thirty year ago today, at the age of sixteen, I played judge and sentenced a family of four to a life sentence of trauma and suffering. As a result, the judge sentenced me to life in prison as an adult. I spent twenty-one years in prison, while my parents did twenty-one years with me in the “free world.†At the same time, I contributed to the violent statistics in the community.
We are never separated from the self, family and community.
I want to apologize to the family that I had harmed. I am sorry for the trauma I had inflicted on you. I had no rights to do so. I am forever grateful for the mother of the family for accepting the written apologies from me, my parents and community members.
It is timely that the film “Breathin’ – The Eddy Zheng Story†is completed as the country is focusing on criminal justice reform and de-carceration. Ben Wang and many people have created this space to highlight that transformation, redemption, and restorative justice are possible. My story is not just about me. It is about the narratives of many “Others†that do not have a voice to articulate the detrimental impact of the migration to the school-to prison-and-deportation pipeline.
I look forward to watching the film and engaging in dialogue with people on investing in solutions to mass criminalization, incarceration, deportation and dispelling the model minority myth.
In the meantime, I will continue to pay forward until the day I inhale my last breath.
