Under Her Name​

​A deed. A woman's name. A century-long question of belonging.

Under Her Name explores the overlooked histories of early Chinese women in Texas and the strategies through which they navigated family, property, migration and belonging within the legal and social constraints of their time.

Drawing on archival research, family histories, oral accounts and present-day locations, the documentary follows fragmentary traces left by women whose experiences have often remained at the margins of established historical narratives. The film considers how individual lives and seemingly private decisions intersected with larger structures of migration, race, law and belonging.

Initiated by the Asian American Art & Culture Initiative (AAACI), the project was filmed on location in Texas in 2026. Silvia Y. Tam contributed to the project as a core creative collaborator and Director of Photography, working closely on the development of its visual and narrative approach and on translating archival research into cinematic form.