The Donald Blake Center (DBC) at Walla Walla University is hosting a series of film screenings to explore topics related to the Asian American experience. Each week an episode of the 2020 documentary series “Asian Americans,” by filmmaker Grace Lee, will be followed by a discussion panel. These events are free and open to the public.

The first screening will be held on Thursday, January 12, at 7 p.m. in the Winter Educational Complex, room 209. Subsequent episodes will be shown at the same time and place on Jan. 26, Feb. 9, Feb. 23, and March 9.

Grace Lee is an independent filmmaker with a variety of credits on media projects that explore the experiences and roles of women and Asian Americans. She is also the host and executive producer of “Viewers Like Us,” a podcast investigating systemic inequities.

The film showings hope to present broader context and spark conversation on these topics in preparation for the annual DBC Academic Conference taking place April 10–15. The upcoming conference will focus on Asian Ameri- can experiences specifically in the Pacific Northwest.

The Donald Blake Center creates an intellectual community dedicated to the study of race, ethnicity, and culture. Inherent in this work is a commitment to understanding how inequalities grounded in race, ethnicity, and culture are maintained, developing initiatives that challenge these injustices, and pursuing transformative changes on our campuses and across the region.

The Winter Educational Complex is located at 418 S.W. Davis Ave., College Place, and attendees are encouraged to use the Davis-facing entrance.