Historian Karen McNeill will present her research about Julia Morgan. She recently published an article in the California History journal titled, “‘Women Who Build’: Julia Morgan & Women’s Institutions” and is working on a full-length book about California’s first female architect. During her time at CHSA, McNeill will discuss Morgan’s work in Chinatown with a special focus on the YWCA.

CHSA will kick off the program with our summer intern Jingxuan Zhang, who will showcase her own research on the YWCA building and its significance to Chinatown. As a bonus, we will have a pre-event screening at 12:30pm of Felicia Lowe’s documentary film Chinatown YWCA.

Seating is limited—Please reserve your tickets soon. Tickets include entry to event and CHSA galleries.

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About Presenters

Karen McNeill specializes in architectural history, receiving her PhD from UC Berkeley in 2006. Her scholarship on architect Julia Morgan explores the intersection of gender, reform, and the built environment during the Progressive Era. She has received numerous awards including a research fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities. McNeill currently serves as the director and senior historian at Acent Private Capital Management. She works with families to populate their family trees and then delve into archives, newspapers, letters, diaries, oral histories, objects and images to uncover the stories that add texture and meaning to the past, helping them understand their past and shape their future.

Jingxuan Zhang is born and raised in Shanghai. With a background in architectural design and historic preservation, she is currently pursuing a Master in Design Studies degree at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Her interest in cultural equity motivates her to explore the relationship between place-making and cultural identity, which also brings her to Chinatown, where ‘identity’ has always been a keyword in its construction and development.

 
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