Liu Pursuits: Aperture Project

Liu Pursuits: Aperture Project is a documentary film series produced by OCA and the Liu Pursuits Foundation to tell AAPI stories through the lens of OCA leaders and events.

The Aperture Project will leverage the unique perspective of documentary film to create civic engagement through the power of shared experiences. A ten-year, funded program, the series will tell the AAPI story through films that focus on formative OCA leaders and events.

The development process will involve researchers and filmmakers working together to accurately preserve the stories of the OCA community chapters and the National Headquarters team. The program is structured to capture the oral histories of OCA leaders and seminal events, while also curating personal, family, and community artifacts for future projects or exhibits.

Aperture Project Fellowships

Application Deadline:
November 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT

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To support the Aperture Project, OCA is seeking four part-time, exempt fellows— two Archives Fellows and two Documentary Fellows—with an anticipated start date in January 2027. Archives fellows and documentary fellows will collaborate together to research, collect, and archive OCA’s history through its chapters and members, culminating in short documentaries and the establishment of an online archive about OCA chapters. This fellowship is a great opportunity for college students or entry-level professionals passionate about storytelling and preserving AAPI history.

Fellowship Details:

Each fellow will receive a $10,000 stipend ($5,000 to be paid at the halfway mark and $5,000 at the end of the one-year fellowship). While fellows are expected to work part-time, compensation is provided on a project-completion basis. Fellows will not be expected to work more than 15 hours per week on average, with the exception of the in-person trips to conduct interviews with OCA members and at the OCA National Convention. Fellows will attend the convention in Sacramento, CA (July 29-August 1, 2027) to meet OCA members, document convention activities, and provide staffing support to OCA staff. Candidates with close proximity to Detroit, MI and St. Louis, MO are highly encouraged to apply.

Eligibility:

  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the start of the fellowship

  • Applicants do not need to be a U.S. citizen. DACA students or undocumented students must have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Non-U.S. citizens must be eligible to work by the first day of this fellowship program in order to be eligible.

  • Applicants must not be a child or dependent of:

    • an OCA National staff member,

    • an OCA Executive Council member,

    • or an OCA Business Advisory Council member.

Application Requirements:

  • Short Bio (300 words max)

  • Resume

  • Writing Sample and/or Portfolio

  • Two Short Answer Prompts

    • Prompt 1: Why is documenting and archiving AAPI history important? (300 words max)

    • Prompt 2: What are your future personal and professional goals? (300 words max)

  • Two Professional References

Fellowship Job Descriptions:

  • The OCA Archives Fellow is a part-time, exempt position primarily responsible for researching and collecting digital materials documenting OCA chapters and its members within a 1-year project timeline. The Archives Fellow will be expected to conduct independent research, lead in researching and organizing primary and secondary resources, conduct pre-interviews and interviews with OCA members and supporters, and support the establishment of an virtual archive. The Archives Fellow will be paired with an OCA Documentary Fellow to assist the Documentary Fellow in filming interviews and providing archival materials to support the narrative and be used in the short documentary. The Archives Fellow will work directly under the supervision of OCA’s Chapter and Membership Development Manager, Lady Marie Bulilan.

    Responsibilities:

    • Coordinate with OCA chapters, its members and late-members’ families on research and interviews 

    • Conduct research on assigned OCA chapter 

    • Collect digital and print materials about OCA chapter 

    • Review, scan, sort archival material related to OCA chapter 

    • Conduct interviews with OCA members 

    • Travel to one or more cities during production to conduct interviews with OCA members 

    • Update, maintain, and build upon OCA’s virtual archive on Omeka

    • Support Documentary Fellow by:

      • Assisting with storyboarding for short film

      • Assisting with scriptwriting for short film 

      • Providing archival materials to be used in short film 

    • Other tasks as assigned related to this project 

    Desired Skills:

    • Currently an undergraduate student, graduate student, or recent grad (or have equivalent experience) 

    • Have experience in archaeology, archiving, museum studies, or related fields 

    • Skills in photography and scanning preferred 

    • Team player and self-starter attitude   

    • Excellent communication and writing skills  

    • Willingness to learn quickly and strong performance under time pressure  

    • Ability to manage multiple tasks and work effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment  

    • Proficiency in Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, and Zoom 

    • Deep understanding and passion for Asian American and Pacific Islander issues 

    If you have any questions about the Archives Fellow position, contact Lady Marie Bulilan at lady.m.bulilan@ocanational.org.

  • The OCA Documentary Fellow is a part-time, exempt position primarily responsible for the creation of a short documentary on an assigned OCA chapter and its members within a 1-year project timeline. The Documentary Fellow will be expected to lead the storyboarding, scripting, production, and post-production of the short film. The Documentary Fellow will be paired with an OCA Archives Fellow and assist the Archives Fellow in researching and collecting physical and digital materials documenting OCA chapters and its members. The Documentary Fellow will work directly under the supervision of OCA’s Senior Programs Manager, Kent Tong.

    Responsibilities:

    • Coordinate with OCA chapters, its members and late-members’ families on research and interviews  

    • Lead the storyboarding for short film 

    • Travel to one or more cities during production to conduct interviews with OCA members 

    • Film interviews and capture photos of OCA members 

    • Write script for short film with OCA Archives Fellow 

    • Edit their assigned short film 

    • Support Archives Fellow in: 

      • Researching assigned OCA chapter 

      • Collecting physical and digital materials about assigned OCA chapter 

    • Other tasks as assigned related to this project 

    Desired Skills:

    • Currently an undergraduate student, graduate student, or recent grad (or have equivalent experience)

    • Have filmmaking experience 

    • Filming and editing skills strongly preferred 

    • Photography skills 

    • Team player and self-starter attitude   

    • Excellent communication and writing skills  

    • Willingness to learn quickly and strong performance under time pressure  

    • Ability to manage multiple tasks and work effectively in a fast-paced, changing environment  

    • Proficiency in Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, and Zoom 

    • Deep understanding and passion for Asian American and Pacific Islander issues 

    If you have any questions about the Documentary Fellow position, contact Kent Tong at kent.tong@ocanational.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The fellowship is 12 months long.

  • The 2027 focus will tentatively be Detroit, MI and St. Louis, MO.

  • Pre-Production: 5 months

    • Researching and outreaching to OCA chapters and members

    • Collecting archival materials

    • Storyboarding

    • Scripting

    • Conducting pre-interviews

    • Coordinating production travel

    Production: 2 months

    • Principal photography

    • Filming in-person interviews

    Post-Production: 5 months

    • Scripting

    • Editing

    • Archiving materials onto online exhibit

    • Delivering final films

  • There will be a budget provided to rent any filming equipment needed.

  • Technology support (hardware, internet connection, etc.) is provided on an as-need basis.

  • Yes, OCA will cover the cost of travel and lodging for any production trips. Food per diem will also be provided for every day of the trip.

  • Yes, OCA will provide lodging at the convention hotel and cover the roundtrip cost of travel. Each fellow will share a double room with one other fellow.