Known as the godmother of Asian American media, Loni Ding was a veteran independent filmmaker, television producer and university instructor with nearly 30 years experience creating programming focused on Asian American identity that appealed to a mainstream audience. In the Ethnic Studies department at UC Berkeley, she inspired countless numbers of students to pursue film and social justice work, and her mentorship had an incredible ripple effect. She produced more than 250 broadcast programs, including five series, for public television and international broadcast on a wide range of subjects. Her productions have been honored with multiple Emmy awards and have been screened around the world. She also played key roles in establishing the National Asian American Telecommunications Association (NAATA) (now known as Center for Asian American Media aka CAAM) and the Independent Television Service (ITVS). She passed away on Feb. 20, 2010 from a stroke at the age of 78. This is a tribute to her legacy.

Loni Ding Tribute