Yu & Me Books Documentary
New York City, New York | Film Short
Documentary, Biography
As New York’s first Asian American woman-owned bookstore, Yu and Me Books is a hearth for the AAPI community. Especially today, as our diverse communities are under attack, we hope this film is a reminder that hope is action in the face of despair. And through community care, we will survive.
Yu & Me Books Documentary
New York City, New York | Film Short
Documentary, Biography
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
166 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$16,703
Goal: $15,000 for post-production
As New York’s first Asian American woman-owned bookstore, Yu and Me Books is a hearth for the AAPI community. Especially today, as our diverse communities are under attack, we hope this film is a reminder that hope is action in the face of despair. And through community care, we will survive.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Yu and Me is the heartbeat of Manhattan’s Chinatown and a safe haven for the AAPI community. On any given day, you’ll find a mix of elderly neighbors, AAPI authors, and queer folx gathered for a reading, open mic night, or just to laugh and hang. So when the bookstore is destroyed by a fire, thousands of supporters rally together to ensure its survival.
There’s a reason why the bookstore is so loved by many, and that’s because it’s an extension of Lucy. It’s warm, filled with generous laughter and heart-opening stories that keep you fed. You name a feeling, and she’ll turn you towards a book that seems like it was written just for you. It’s a place for those of us who have felt left out or other'd. There’s an ease of belonging at Yu and Me, as if it was built just for us.
We spent two years filming Lucy, the bookstore, and the people that care for it, hoping to capture its magic. We think we did, but don’t take our word for it. Find out for yourself by helping us reach our goal so that this film can get made!
Our intention was to film a simple profile of Lucy for OOF Stories, our documentary series on AAPI creators. Shortly after we wrapped, a fire destroyed the bookstore. Ultimately, it was Lucy’s decision whether to continue filming or end the story where we left it.
With Lucy's blessing, we kept rolling. This film contains rare footage of the original Yu and Me location and follows the many iterations of the bookstore, from before the fire to its re-opening. This evolution reflects Lucy's growth as she grapples with the grief of losing her dream and the challenges of rebuilding it. Though Lucy is our protagonist, this story is anchored by the thousands of supporters and friends who rally around the small, but mighty bookstore to ensure its survival. In just three days, the store raised over $300,000 in donations from over 6,000 people.
Why now?
For members of our AAPI community in New York City, Yu and Me Books is the first place we’ve seen our stories displayed prominently, taking up prime real estate. Here, our books aren’t cataloged under AAPI stories or immigrant narratives, they exist freely. It’s also the first bookstore in New York run by an Asian-American woman, which is reflected in its curation.
We can’t overstate the value of a space like Yu and Me in this political climate. Our immigrant communities and organizations that celebrate diverse stories are under attack. But stories of survival, like Yu and Me’s, remind us that hope is action in the face of despair. We hope you take what you need from this film to keep going and continue to root down in community. Because as we've learned from making this film, community is necessary for our survival.
Our Ask!
Over the course of production, we’ve self-funded all of the costs for this film which includes equipment rentals and crew hires.
We were awarded the 2024 Mountain Film Commitment Grant (yay!) and are continuing to apply for grants.
Our target goal is $15,000 to complete post production and facilitate our distribution plans.
- Hire a sound mixer to clean up the audio from our various locations and sources that span our year of filming, and create a sense of place for New York’s Chinatown.
- Work with a composer to create an original and compelling score for our film, as well as a colorist to help our film glow!
- Host community screenings! If you’ve been to one of our OOF screenings, you know these are a big part of our ethos. We want to bring this film to YOU and to your local bookstores and community orgs.
Stretch Goals!
$20,000
We’ll be able to onboard an impact producer to help with distribution and grassroots strategy. We intend to submit to film festivals and organize screenings with local bookstores and community organizations!
$25,000
Pay ourselves, especially our editor! And also reimburse some of our production costs along the way. We will also be able to onboard an assistant editor to help with trailers and campaigns as we prepare for our community screenings.
$40,000
Access! We’ll be able to partner with larger AAPI organizations and theaters to increase capacity and host even more gatherings and community screenings.
We are competing in S&S + Gold House AAPI Renaissance Rally.
To get to the final round, we need to raise ~20% of our goal and earn 350 followers on this campaign page, so please click FOLLOW!
Help us spread the word about this important film and impact campaign:
- Support the project here on Seed & Spark with a donation of any amount and hit "follow" (every follow matters!)
- Follow our journey on social media @yuandmedoc + @oofstories
- Share this link with 3 friends!
If you are interested in donating after the campaign is over, get in touch with us directly at [email protected] and [email protected]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Film Composer
Costs $4,000
We want to make this story even more emotionally resonant and impactful by working with a local AAPI composer.
Community Screening Costs
Costs $2,500
As a community film, we want to share it with YOU. Help us reach as many people as we can!
Editor
Costs $4,000
To pay our editor for their time and work over this multi-year process.
Sound Mixer
Costs $3,000
To fix all our variable sound sources and interviews over the course of our documentary.
Share this update!
About This Team
We are OOF Stories (@oofstories), an AAPI film collective telling expansive stories about our people and our abundance.
OOF was founded when hate crimes against our AAPI elders and loved ones were at an all-time high. Frustrated with the reductive narratives the media had prescribed to our community, we imagined – What if we invested in our own stories, about what makes us come alive?
That’s led us to:
Alice of Hana Makgeolli, a Korean-American rice wine maker reviving ancestral methodologies to create the first domestic brewery for traditional sool.
Sammy of Lambert Studio, a wedding florist at the peak of his career when he decides to walk away from his dreams.
Winner, Most Inspiring Short Documentary at Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Katerina and Jocelyn, the queer love story of a chef-poet couple whose expansive, giddy love is a balm to us all.
and now, onto our team <3
Esther Chan is a queer Chinese-American editor based in Brooklyn, NY. She has dedicated her film career to telling stories that lead to social change. She is currently fighting for abortion rights as the Director of Video and Post-Production at Planned Parenthood.
Claudine Cho is a political speechwriter who has written for leading progressive activists and elected officials. Prior to her U.S. political work, she helped establish the Museum of Sexual Slavery in South Korea.
Amy Lim is a producer and arts nonprofit worker focused on films that advance social, cultural, and environmental justice. She was the Associate Producer for the Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories exhibit videos at The California Museum and has worked on several documentary films that have screened in film festivals, community screenings, and on PBS. Amy is also a book reviewer on Instagram @amylimereads, where she discusses new and exciting books by diverse authors.
Chad Santo Tomas is a Filipino-American filmmaker and photojournalist based in SF and NYC. His work in film is focused on AAPI community storytelling that fosters catharsis and collective healing experiences. As a theme, he is interested in the "in-between" space of how people form their identities between opposing upbringings, cultures, and belief systems.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Yu and Me is the heartbeat of Manhattan’s Chinatown and a safe haven for the AAPI community. On any given day, you’ll find a mix of elderly neighbors, AAPI authors, and queer folx gathered for a reading, open mic night, or just to laugh and hang. So when the bookstore is destroyed by a fire, thousands of supporters rally together to ensure its survival.
There’s a reason why the bookstore is so loved by many, and that’s because it’s an extension of Lucy. It’s warm, filled with generous laughter and heart-opening stories that keep you fed. You name a feeling, and she’ll turn you towards a book that seems like it was written just for you. It’s a place for those of us who have felt left out or other'd. There’s an ease of belonging at Yu and Me, as if it was built just for us.
We spent two years filming Lucy, the bookstore, and the people that care for it, hoping to capture its magic. We think we did, but don’t take our word for it. Find out for yourself by helping us reach our goal so that this film can get made!
Our intention was to film a simple profile of Lucy for OOF Stories, our documentary series on AAPI creators. Shortly after we wrapped, a fire destroyed the bookstore. Ultimately, it was Lucy’s decision whether to continue filming or end the story where we left it.
With Lucy's blessing, we kept rolling. This film contains rare footage of the original Yu and Me location and follows the many iterations of the bookstore, from before the fire to its re-opening. This evolution reflects Lucy's growth as she grapples with the grief of losing her dream and the challenges of rebuilding it. Though Lucy is our protagonist, this story is anchored by the thousands of supporters and friends who rally around the small, but mighty bookstore to ensure its survival. In just three days, the store raised over $300,000 in donations from over 6,000 people.
Why now?
For members of our AAPI community in New York City, Yu and Me Books is the first place we’ve seen our stories displayed prominently, taking up prime real estate. Here, our books aren’t cataloged under AAPI stories or immigrant narratives, they exist freely. It’s also the first bookstore in New York run by an Asian-American woman, which is reflected in its curation.
We can’t overstate the value of a space like Yu and Me in this political climate. Our immigrant communities and organizations that celebrate diverse stories are under attack. But stories of survival, like Yu and Me’s, remind us that hope is action in the face of despair. We hope you take what you need from this film to keep going and continue to root down in community. Because as we've learned from making this film, community is necessary for our survival.
Our Ask!
Over the course of production, we’ve self-funded all of the costs for this film which includes equipment rentals and crew hires.
We were awarded the 2024 Mountain Film Commitment Grant (yay!) and are continuing to apply for grants.
Our target goal is $15,000 to complete post production and facilitate our distribution plans.
- Hire a sound mixer to clean up the audio from our various locations and sources that span our year of filming, and create a sense of place for New York’s Chinatown.
- Work with a composer to create an original and compelling score for our film, as well as a colorist to help our film glow!
- Host community screenings! If you’ve been to one of our OOF screenings, you know these are a big part of our ethos. We want to bring this film to YOU and to your local bookstores and community orgs.
Stretch Goals!
$20,000
We’ll be able to onboard an impact producer to help with distribution and grassroots strategy. We intend to submit to film festivals and organize screenings with local bookstores and community organizations!
$25,000
Pay ourselves, especially our editor! And also reimburse some of our production costs along the way. We will also be able to onboard an assistant editor to help with trailers and campaigns as we prepare for our community screenings.
$40,000
Access! We’ll be able to partner with larger AAPI organizations and theaters to increase capacity and host even more gatherings and community screenings.
We are competing in S&S + Gold House AAPI Renaissance Rally.
To get to the final round, we need to raise ~20% of our goal and earn 350 followers on this campaign page, so please click FOLLOW!
Help us spread the word about this important film and impact campaign:
- Support the project here on Seed & Spark with a donation of any amount and hit "follow" (every follow matters!)
- Follow our journey on social media @yuandmedoc + @oofstories
- Share this link with 3 friends!
If you are interested in donating after the campaign is over, get in touch with us directly at [email protected] and [email protected]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Film Composer
Costs $4,000
We want to make this story even more emotionally resonant and impactful by working with a local AAPI composer.
Community Screening Costs
Costs $2,500
As a community film, we want to share it with YOU. Help us reach as many people as we can!
Editor
Costs $4,000
To pay our editor for their time and work over this multi-year process.
Sound Mixer
Costs $3,000
To fix all our variable sound sources and interviews over the course of our documentary.
Share this update!
About This Team
We are OOF Stories (@oofstories), an AAPI film collective telling expansive stories about our people and our abundance.
OOF was founded when hate crimes against our AAPI elders and loved ones were at an all-time high. Frustrated with the reductive narratives the media had prescribed to our community, we imagined – What if we invested in our own stories, about what makes us come alive?
That’s led us to:
Alice of Hana Makgeolli, a Korean-American rice wine maker reviving ancestral methodologies to create the first domestic brewery for traditional sool.
Sammy of Lambert Studio, a wedding florist at the peak of his career when he decides to walk away from his dreams.
Winner, Most Inspiring Short Documentary at Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Katerina and Jocelyn, the queer love story of a chef-poet couple whose expansive, giddy love is a balm to us all.
and now, onto our team <3
Esther Chan is a queer Chinese-American editor based in Brooklyn, NY. She has dedicated her film career to telling stories that lead to social change. She is currently fighting for abortion rights as the Director of Video and Post-Production at Planned Parenthood.
Claudine Cho is a political speechwriter who has written for leading progressive activists and elected officials. Prior to her U.S. political work, she helped establish the Museum of Sexual Slavery in South Korea.
Amy Lim is a producer and arts nonprofit worker focused on films that advance social, cultural, and environmental justice. She was the Associate Producer for the Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories exhibit videos at The California Museum and has worked on several documentary films that have screened in film festivals, community screenings, and on PBS. Amy is also a book reviewer on Instagram @amylimereads, where she discusses new and exciting books by diverse authors.
Chad Santo Tomas is a Filipino-American filmmaker and photojournalist based in SF and NYC. His work in film is focused on AAPI community storytelling that fosters catharsis and collective healing experiences. As a theme, he is interested in the "in-between" space of how people form their identities between opposing upbringings, cultures, and belief systems.