It's Less Lonely With You Here | Alexander Chee | Legacy Project Queer Joy

Alexander Chee (he/him) is a bestselling author, essayist, and Professor of English and Creative Writing at Dartmouth College. Born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, to a white American mother and Korean father, Chee's journey is a tale woven with humor and wit. Describing his childhood self as a “financial crisis” due to being unplanned, he moved around the Pacific with his family’s fisheries business before settling in Maine, where he encountered racism from his peers.
It wasn’t until he moved to San Francisco in 1989 that he found a community. There, he not only met another gay Asian man for the first time, but also others who shared his mixed-race background. However, he was surprised to discover that even within this vibrant community, there were divisions; some gay bars excluded women, while others historically excluded Asian men.
Through his experiences, Chee emphasizes that political work extends beyond demonstrations and policy-making. It's also about finding joy and connection in everyday moments like "going out dancing with friends, jumping on a stage for a favorite song, or just being goofy." His journey underscores the importance of finding spaces where you belong, even within the complexities of identity and community.
CREDITS
Directed by Deborah Baik & Kimberly Young Sun
Interview & Edit: Kimberly Young Sun @kimberlyyoungsun
Camera: AJ Valente @ajyval, Janice Chung @janicekaramchung
Gaffer: Jason Chew @chewchomp
Sound: HJ Lee
Prop Stylist: Celine Son @celines0n
Production Coordinators: Yoon Perera Lee, Celine Son
On-site Therapist: Kim Konopka
Funding for this project made possible by Korean American Community Foundation @kacfny with support from the Reva and David Logan Foundation @revaanddavidloganfoundation
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