My dream is to make Minnesota the home of Asian American filmmaking, like Tyler Perry has done for Black filmmaking in Atlanta. Right now, Funny Asian Women Kollective is working with the Minnesota State Legislature on a bonding bill that would give us $1 million to start building a state-of-the-art multimedia arts center in St. I’ll be learning about public policy and venture capitalism. What the Bush Fellowship does is provide a level of security for the next couple of years so I can focus on learning new skills to bring transformational change to this region. I was picking up gigs left and right, trying to survive. I’ve been bouncing from fellowship to fellowship. NK: For one, I don’t think I have to work all the jobs I work right now. MP: What will the fellowship enable you to do? I’m trying to tap the Minnesota investor pool to invest in filmmaking infrastructure in the state, and the Bush brings some validation in that regard. What I’m really excited about is it brings street cred in the way that I would like to have street cred. It brings validation to the importance of filmmaking and art-making. The Bush is a cross-sector fellowship you’re not just competing as artists, you’re competing against everyone, all these different sectors. For an artist, it’s recognition of the work I’ve done for all these years. NK: It is a tremendous honor to win a Bush Fellowship. When you find out that you got such a prestigious grant, that is such an amazing moment. Revisions give you a chance to get deeper into your goals.
As each stage goes, you keep your fingers crossed. There are different stages to the process. MP: What does it mean to you to win a Bush Fellowship?ĮGB: It’s an amazing feeling. But for filmmakers like myself, who work in the industry but also have strong ties to the Midwest, I don’t think those doors have opened. And I think it’s great that individuals who have been working in the industry, who have already had opportunities, who have already had traction, have been given more opportunities. I think doors have opened further for individuals who are already in the network or in the system. MP: It feels like some doors have opened this year to representation and equity. Giving artists an opportunity to gain leadership skills to help elevate their communities is a move toward equity and parity. The Bush Foundation is stepping up to meet the demands of the times. Naomi’s doing great work within the Asian American community and with filmmaking. The need for representation is even more critical. Issues of race and representation have come to the forefront and highlighted the divide in the country. And then you look at the George Floyd murder. The pandemic centers around people’s attitudes and feelings about Asian Americans. The pandemic brought a number of things more urgently into the light. I think the Bush Foundation recognizes that this is a moment and a movement and we can lead it.Į.G.
And the powerful narratives that marginalized and underrepresented folks have from the heartland. And right now in Minnesota, after the year that we had – we’re coming close to the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder – how important it is to see faces like E.G.’s and mine, people of color.
That it is an art form that can reach millions and billions of people. Naomi Ko: It speaks to the importance and the power of film. MinnPost: Two of this year’s Bush Fellows are artists.
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