Tradewind Arts

09/08/2026

Please join us on SEPTEMBER 19th at 7:00 PM at the Kansas City FilmFest International to screen:

Invisibility and Rage: Asian Americans, Racial Trauma, and Mental Health. A new documentary written by Kelly Haesung Chong and directed by Kelly Chong and filmmaker, Tim De Paepe.

The film takes an unflinching look at the seldom addressed issues of Asian Americans, Racial Trauma, and Mental Health. It also features commentary from Kansas State Representative, Rui Xiu and Missouri State Representative, Emily Weber. Cast by Tradewind Arts Artistic Director, Andi Meyer, two local youth are voice actors.
Watch the trailer below and find tickets at the link in the comments!

This is "Trailer - Invisibility and Rage: Asian Americans Racial Trauma Mental Health" by Tim De Paepe & Kelly Chong on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

07/13/2026

We were in Oregon for a great week of youth development with , Kumu Leialoha Kaula, and staff! Mahalo to all of them for setting a great model on the continent in the 15th year of Hāloa camp for keiki. The youth practiced some oli, learned about canoe plants, and even took a trip out to the māla (garden patch) at the Oregon Food Bank to get their hands dirty in the earth! They each planted a new kalo keiki to take home with them. Extra shout out to Ku'ulei Music for her advocacy and soundtrack!

05/12/2026

Had a blast again at the AANHPI festival!

02/19/2026

Tradewind Arts friends, Alton Chung returns to Kansas City this weekend! Alton appeared in JUSTICE AT WAR as Chief Justice Stone. Friday night Alton will be featured in a storytelling concert hosted by friend Joyce Slater of the Kansas City Storytelling Celebration. Alton will tell a new story about a soldier in the 442nd. Saturday holds two workshops led by Alton. Be sure to register! See below for details on how to attend these FREE events at the Woodneath Library Auditorium.

11/20/2025

Alton Chung, who played Chief Justice Stone in Justice at War for us back in 2023, is in Italy as a part of The 100TH, Seeds of Aloha, a documentary about a regiment of Hawaiʻi-based Japanese American soldiers in WWII. Go For Broke, Alton!

"The 100th, Seeds of Aloha" Documentary Team retraced 2,000 miles of battle campaign locations of WWIIʻs "Purple Heart Battalion" (100th/442nd…

10/14/2024

It's Indigenous Peoples' day! Our lives are shaped by the actions we take based on stories--the stories we tell ourselves, the stories told about us, the stories we tell and hear about others.

Mahalo to for this slide series that amplifies the need for understanding the narratives of our relationship to land when away from our ʻāina.

09/06/2024

We loved this little Japanese Festival last weekend! Looking forward to the next one in October.

08/17/2024

Coming up Sunday the 17th! 1:30 at the pavilion. Come out and get ethnic with Reflections of Polynesian Performing Arts and Hawaiian Civic Club Of Kansas City!

07/12/2024

Aloha, community. It has come to our attention that the local Kansas City food chain, Hawaiian Bros has made the poor choice to trademark "Aloha Spirit." The public should understand that the owners are not Hawaiian. This is an egregious trespass against us as Kanaka Maoli, or Native Hawaiians. We were shamed, bullied, and beaten for using our own language and culture but these people feel free to pretend they are us and use inaccurate, made up, offensive images of Native Hawaiians to profit off of us.

We have been following them since their appearance and know the owners had previously disclosed they were not Hawaiian on their website. About two years this was removed. Why? Are they really trying to pretend they are Native Hawaiians? Are they trying to prevent people from knowing they are of European descent while branding themselves as "Hawaiian" to make some profit?

We understand representation well. They are engaging in Commercial/Economic Brownface. We want it known that as Native Hawaiians we do not support this chain.