remembering loni ding

We recently received the sad passing of pioneering filmmaker, teacher and media activist Loni Ding. Last night at the opening of SFIAAFF, CAAM director Stephen Gong dedicated the festival to her memory. Here's the recent obituary that ran in the San Francisco Chronicle: Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Loni Ding dies.

Here's some information about funeral services for Ms. Ding, happening this weekend in San Francisco:

Ms. Ding is survived by her husband; her children, May Ying Welsh of Doha, Qatar, and Elias Welsh of Oakland; and two sisters, Pearl Ding Dobson of San Francisco and Gracina Fong of Salinas.

A visitation will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Green Street Mortuary, 649 Green St., San Francisco. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, followed by a procession led by a brass marching band.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Center for Educational Telecommunications, 1940 Hearst Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709. Donations can also be earmarked for the Loni Ding Award in Social Issue Documentary and sent to the Center for Asian American Media, 145 Ninth St., San Francisco, CA 94103.

The Center for Asian American Media has just established the Loni Ding Award in Social Issue Documentary, to be awarded to films that bring new voices to audiences or that illuminate underrepresented communities. More here: Loni Ding: An Appreciation.