Bringing Stories to Light: Eastlake Community Unites for the Unveiling of Chinese Chorizo in Phoenix on May 31

New Public Art Installation Part of Phoenix’s ¡Sombra! Experiments in Shade Initiative

On May 31, Eastlake Park will come alive with food, music, and storytelling as the community gathers to unveil Chinese Chorizo, a striking new public art installation by artist Feng-Feng Yeh. Part of the City of Phoenix’s ¡Sombra! Experiments in Shade initiative, this project invites artists to imagine creative, community-centered solutions to living with extreme heat. In Chinese Chorizo, Yeh blends ancient Chinese shadow puppetry with powerful contemporary storytelling to create both respite from the sun and reflection on resilience.

Shaped like a giant Chinese sausage, the installation features a laser-cut canopy that casts intricate silhouettes onto the ground, each one representing a real story collected from the Eastlake Park neighborhood and adjacent communities affected by redlining. These are stories shaped by the legacy of redlining and systemic barriers, but also by joy, endurance, and deep community roots. Through light and shadow, the artwork brings these often-overlooked voices into public view, transforming a simple shade structure into a celebratory space for historic preservation and connection.

The Chinese Chorizo itself a once forgotten culinary fusion created in Chinese grocery stores in Phoenix and Tucson by Chinese immigrants who catered to their communities’ needs, symbolizes the cultural blending and mutualism that has always defined Arizona. It’s a fitting emblem for this project, which celebrates the power of coming together to thrive in the face of adversity.

That spirit of resilience and unity is also at the heart of the evening’s culinary collaboration. A signature soul food dish featuring Chinese Chorizo created by Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Café, a cornerstone of Phoenix’s Black community for over 60 years, and a uniquely refreshing handcrafted drink featuring a Chinese Chorizo simple syrup from Skoden Coffee will offer guests a rare taste of history through food. The event will also feature locally made popsicles, and live performances by African drumming and dance troupe Kawambe-Omowale, adding rhythm and vibrancy to the evening.

Long-time civil rights advocate Pastor Warren H. Stewart Sr. and Dr. Matthew Whitaker, Executive Director, George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center will offer reflections on the long history of solidarity across Phoenix’s Latino, Asian, and African American communities, especially in redlined neighborhoods like Eastlake Park, where the dignified heart of perseverance continues to beat.

Artist Feng-Feng Yeh will be on hand to share more about the Chinese Chorizo Project and invite guests to experience the installation up close.

Chinese Chorizo will be in display at Eastlake Park through September 2025.

Event Details: Admission, food and drink are free and open to all.

¡Sombra! Experiments in Shade: Chinese Chorizo Unveiling Celebration
Eastlake Park, 1549 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ
Saturday, May 31
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Free and open to all
RSVP: https://sombraphx.org/events/feng-feng-yeh-event/

¡Sombra! Experiments in Shade is an innovative public art project developed by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture in collaboration with the Parks and Recreation Department, the Office of Innovation, the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, and the Mayor’s Office to address extreme heat in Phoenix. Winner of a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge, this temporary public art initiative showcases the extraordinary solutions that arise when artists partner with civic leaders. Nine winning artists were chosen for their bold concepts that use of effective, experimental, and innovative materials and processes, creative themes, and community engagement activities.

For more information about ¡Sombra! Experiments in Shade, visit sombraphx.org

Event subject to change without notice.