Sierra Speaker Series: After the Iron Road

The monthly Sierra Speaker Series connects folks to the rich cultural and natural history of the area. Join us at Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center to learn and engage! Doors open at 5 pm, and the presentation is to follow at 5:30 pm. Admission is a suggested $5 donation. Light refreshments will be available. Parking is free after 5 pm. No registration required.

This joint presentation by Paulette Liang and Sue Lee focuses on the stories of known workers on the first Transcontinental Railroad.
12,000-20,000 Chinese worked on the western portion – the Central Pacific. What happened afterward? Where did they go, did they settle and establish families? This talk examines the experiences of several workers and how they influenced their communities. Take a glimpse into Lum Ah Chew's life in the Sacramento Delta after his time in the Central Pacific.

Paulette Liang is a 4th generation descendant of railroad worker Lum Ah Chew. She is an artist, activist, and retired science educator.

Sue Lee is the former Executive Director of the Chinese Historical Society of America. She garnered official recognition for Chinese railroad workers, brought to light the stories of descendants of railroad worker families, and launched a traveling exhibit. She continues as a community historian and advocates for the broader dissemination of Chinese American stories as part of the American historical narrative.