Jason Mak
Major: ’00 Ethnic Studies
Executive Director, DisOrient Film Festival; Diversity and Inclusion Manager for State of Oregon

For Jason Mak, BA ’00 (ethnic studies, general science), the ADPI community can’t be summed up in a single experience or with a couple of adjectives. It unites a wide variety of individuals with diverse identities and lived experiences.

As a UO undergraduate, Mak found himself involved in the Asian Pacific American Student Union (APASU) as their historian before becoming Codirector. He connected with other members of student organizations and bridged cultural connections as a student leader.

After graduating, Mak pursued a master’s degree in Asian American Studies at UCLA. During his graduate work he began to explore concepts of identity.

“In every geographical space, identity always shifts and depends on the people and the causes of what you’re associating with,” he said. “One of my big interests in grad school at that time is how Asian American identity was really this colonizer narrative that centered Asians and their desire to be a part of that white power structure.”

While in graduate school, he learned about community documentary filmmaking and found a creative outlet in film. He created a documentary about Louie’s Village, a restaurant his family owned in Eugene that was located across the street from the university. The filmed explored aspects of his own identity and upbringing in Eugene.

“Grad school really opened my eyes to a lot of things,” he said. “One of those things was the power of film. It can change lives and make people feel like they’re real, they’re whole.”

After moving back to Eugene, Mak tapped into his network of connections in the Asian American film community and began developing ideas for a new project. What resulted from those conversations was DisOrient, an independent film festival for Asian American creators in Oregon.

The name “DisOrient” isn’t just a play on words. It reflects Mak’s vision for the festival “as a reclamation of our own identity and our own image.”

“Filmmakers and audiences are [usually] very separated,” says Mak, “so we wanted to try to erase some of that feeling and really create a sense of a community that comes together around art.”

Now in its fifth year, the DisOrient Film Festival transcends cultural boundaries as an innovative showcase at the University of Oregon. The week-long event serves as a platform for Asian American filmmakers to share their stories in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Today Mak works as the diversity and inclusion manager for the Oregon Department of Human Services, but his passion for filmmaking and for the festival is still as strong as ever.

“It really fills my heart that so many different people have felt so personally touched by the stories that are told, that they can find a piece within the festival that speaks to them and their experience.”

Brittany Hua
Major: Business Administration and Cinema Studies, Class of 2021
DisOrient Film Festival staff

Brittany Hua knew from an early age that she wanted to work in entertainment. Growing up she sang, acted, and danced. Her passion for the performing arts drew her to potential career paths in this field.

A fourth-year business administration and cinema studies double major, Hua began volunteering with the DisOrient Film Festival at the start of her junior year. This spring, she served as a story associate producer and helped organize the festival in its first virtual iteration.

“I never really knew that there were outlets for Asian American filmmakers,” says Hua. “I think the best part of that experience was the opportunity I got to sit and watch the movies with everyone when I wasn’t working.”

As a Portland native, Hua felt disconnected from the ADPI community outside of her circle of family and friends. Her first two years at the University of Oregon helped expand that network and strengthened her connections to other students who had similar lived experiences.

“I’ve always had a bit of an identity crisis because I feel like I don't know any other home,” she said. “And for the most part, like my parents, don't necessarily know any other home than the United States either.”

These reflections are shaped by a more nuanced understanding of the Asian American community and its diverse nature. Deconstructing the idea of this group as a political and ethnic monolith highlights the unique histories and cultural experiences its members share.

Hua’s passion for film and media led her to leadership positions in the Asian Pacific American Student Assocation and the Vietnamese Student Association. To her, these organizations serve as safe spaces for students of color on campus.

Diversity and inclusion should remain at the forefront of our agenda at the University of Oregon, she says. “I don't see much representation of people of color in general, let alone ADPI representation among professors and students.”

For Hua, improving Asian American media representation is what motivates her to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

“I’m tired of the stories being told from the lens of a white person,” says Hua. “I want these things to be documented from the eyes of like Asian Americans.”

Her involvement in the DisOrient Film Festival and experience she gained through the cinema studies program helped her land professional roles on productions like “Top Chef.”

Hua is excited for what life has in store for her after she graduates this spring. With degree in hand, her next big role will be as an associate producer for critically acclaimed Netflix television series “Bling Empire.”

“I have always tried to make it a goal of mine to somehow be a leader, especially in terms of the creative industry,” she says. “I want to be the person a younger generation can look up to, or someone they could name as the person in the film industry who made it possible.”