Timeline of Events Mentioned in Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord
March 12, 2020: Kristina performs her show Kristina Wong for Public Office for the last time at American River Community College in Sacramento, CA. Her next performance is canceled due to COVID-19.
March 19, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom issues a stay-at-home order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
March 24, 2020: Kristina Wong has been sewing face masks to support vulnerable communities and to keep up with demand, she founds a volunteer group known as the Auntie Sewing Squad.
April 15 and 30, 2020: Operation Gridlock: Thousands of motorists from all over Michigan drive to the State Capitol building to protest the extension of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order. During the second protest, many are carrying firearms and enter the building.
May 25, 2022: George Floyd, an African-American man, is murdered by a police officer who kneeled on his neck and back for 9 minutes and 29 seconds during an arrest after the store clerk suspected he used a counterfeit $20 bill. This sparks a series of protests, civil unrest, and a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement against police brutality and racism across the United States and globally.
July 5, 2020: The Auntie Sewing Squad reaches 600 Aunties across 33 states.
July 24, 2020 – December 31, 2020 (especially during the summer): A catastrophic wildfire season on the West Coast. 10,200,000 acres are burned across California, Oregon, and Washington.
September 18, 2020: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies.
November 3, 2020: U.S.A. Presidential election day.
November 7, 2020: Democratic nominee Joe Biden defeats Republican incumbent Donald Trump and becomes the 46th President of the United States.
January 14, 2021: U.S. records over 4,000 COVID-19 deaths in one day.
January 20, 2021: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in as president and vice president of the United States. Harris is the first woman and person of African and Asian heritage to hold the office.
March 16, 2021: Atlanta Spa Shootings: A man opens fire at three spas and massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia, resulting in eight deaths, six of which are Asian women. The perpetrator of these attacks explains that he is tormented by his sexual addiction, and claims that he was eliminating temptation. He is arrested and sentenced to life in prison without parole. These attacks stir conversations of the rising anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S. and contribute to a resurgence of the “Stop Asian Hate” movement.
June 23, 2021: The United States records approximately 626,000 COVID-19-related deaths.
July 20, 2021: Blue Origin, the private aerospace manufacturer owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launches its first crewed rocket.
September 25, 2021: After sewing nearly 350,000 masks, the Auntie Sewing Squad decides to retire. While the COVID-19 pandemic is still going strong, factory-made masks are now an abundant resource.
More about Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord:
Audio Description of the Friendship Quilt
Listen to an audio description of the friendship quilt that the Auntie Sewing Squad made for writer/performer Kristina Wong, on display at The Armory throughout the run of Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord.
Anti-Asian Sentiment During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Kristina Wong emphasizes the affects of anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic in her show. Learn more about the resurgence of AAPI hate and the affects it had on these communities.
Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord Plot Summary
Spoiler alert! A brief overview of Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord.
Auntie Sewing Squad
Learn more about the origin of the Auntie Sewing Squad and how Kristina Wong earned her iconic title "Sweatshop Overlord."
Kristina Wong: An Artist Statement
The playwright and performer of Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord discusses finding the balance between humor and sincerity to tackle difficult subjects in her work on stage.
Reviews of Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord
"This social commentary — both fierce and darkly funny — was the theater experience I didn’t know I needed. I left feeling I could almost wrap my mind around what we’ve been through and inspired to meet the next news cycle with more compassion and ...
Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord Reading List
Calling all readers! Multnomah County Library put together a reading list inspired by our production of Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord.
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