TV 8 Programming
American Masters
Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir
Monday, May 3 – 8pm
An intimate portrait of the groundbreaking writer that interweaves archival imagery, including home movies and personal photographs, animation and original interviews to tell the inspiring story of Tan's life and career.
American Experience
The Chinese Exclusion Act
Monday, May 3 – 9pm
Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens. The first in a long line of acts targeting the Chinese for exclusion, it remained in force for more than 60 years.
Antiques Roadshow
Celebrating Asian-Pacific Heritage
Monday, May 10 – 8pm
Travel with ROADSHOW as they turn the spotlight on incredible items with Asian and Pacific Islands origins including a Hawaiian Kou bowl, a Gandhi presentation spinning wheel, and an 1888 Joseph Nawahi painting.
Independent Lens
The Donut King
Tuesday, May 25 – 10pm
An immigrant story with a (glazed) twist, The Donut King follows the journey of Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy, who arrived in California in the 1970s and, through a mixture of diligence and luck, built a multi-million dollar donut empire up and down the West Coast.
Please see our TV 8 Programming Guide for additional airings of select programs.
Now Streaming
Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided, while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together? Told through intimate and personal lives, the series will cast a new lens on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played in shaping the nation's story.
Episode 1 | Breaking Ground
Episode 2 | Question of Loyalty
Episode 3 | Good Americans
Episode 4 | Generation Rising
Episode 5 | Breaking Through
Town Square with Ernie Manouse
Town Square with Ernie Manouse is a gathering space for the community to come together and discuss the day's most important and pressing issues.
On March 16, 2021 a series of mass shootings in three spas where Asian women were the alleged target of a 21-year-old white male in Atlanta, GA. Eight people were killed and several others were injured.
Hate crimes and discrimination has been on the rise in recent years, including a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic after Asian people were blamed for the cause of the pandemic.
On the March 31 episode of Town Square, Ernie talked with two experts about issues facing the Asian American community.
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Even before the shootings in Atlanta, 16 U.S. cities had seen a 150% increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans and more than 3,000 reports of anti-Asian American hate in the past year, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
On the March 11 episode of Town Square, Ernie takes a look at the unlevel playing field for Asian and Latino communities, especially in regards to the pandemic.
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On April 8, Houston chef Christine Ha — aka The Blind Chef — joins Ernie to talk about her favorite Asian comfort food, her personal food journey and the challenges of being a restaurant owner.
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Learning Resources
Houston Public Media and PBS have curated free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for students, parents and teachers. Below are just a selection from many of these online learning resources.
Island of Warriors
Video, Grades 6-8, 13+
Learn about the disproportionately high numbers of American Pacific Islanders serving in the United States’ military from the island of Guam, along with the healthcare issues they face, in this video from the Center for Asian American Media.
Sustainable Pacific Island Watersheds
Media Gallery, Grades 6-12
Explore Pacific Island watersheds in these videos adapted from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
Shanghai at Asian Art Museum: Visual Arts
Video, Grades K-13+
In this Spark video produced by KQED, learn about Shanghai at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum, the first large-scale exhibition to feature the cultural productions of the city of Shanghai.
Generations on the Rise
In 2019, Houston Public Media and Houston First pay tribute to the diversity in our region by spotlighting Houstonians from various communities in conjunction with national awareness months.