Our Mission

Artistic Director and Project Director of Manzanar Baseball Project

Dan is an award-winning multimedia performance artist, playwright, visual artist, and teacher who has been presenting his solo work nationally and internationally since 1989.

Dan’s work is known for deeply personal narratives that explore themes of identity, culture, and belonging. Through his performances, Kwong has challenged stereotypes and shed light on the complexity of the Asian American experience.

His works combine personal narrative with historical context to explore the many facets of social identity. His book, From Inner Worlds to Outer Space: The Multimedia Performances of Dan Kwong (University of Michigan Press) was published in 2004, and the significance of his work has been noted in A History of Asian American Theatre (Cambridge Univ. Press).

Since 1990 he has been affiliated with Great Leap where he manages and performs in A Slice of Rice, Frijoles and Greens, is Project Director of COLLABORATORY, and Director & Editor of the Eco-Vids series.

In addition to his career as an artist and activist, Dan has played baseball in the Nisei Athletic

Union (N.A.U.) Japanese American baseball leagues of California since 1971. His 52-years-and-counting with the Li'l Tokio Giants is considered the longest career in N.A.U. baseball history. 

In 2023, Dan launched the Manzanar Baseball Project.

Founder, Legacy Artist in Residence

“I grew up never hearing a song that sang me.”  -Nobuko Miyamoto

A veteran of both Broadway and the protest line, Nobuko Miyamoto is an icon of Asian American music and activism. Growing up in the 1940s as a third-generation Japanese American "without a song of my own," she found her voice in the 1960s revolutionary movements. In 1973, she co-created the seminal album A Grain of Sand (Paredon), regarded as the first album of Asian American songs. With neither guideposts nor role models, Nobuko improvised her artistic path as a songwriter, dancer, and theater artist. Across five decades, she forged a creative practice that thrives on community and collaboration, continuing today with a fire for justice.

Filmmakers Tadashi Nakamura and Quyên Nguyen-Le deftly explore Nobuko  Miyamoto’s life and career in the new documentary NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT.  The film has been screening at Festivals around the country and will premiere on PBS SoCal’s ARTBOUND on November  1, 2024 through the PBS Passport. Find a screening near you HERE

Her 2021 Smithsonian Folkways album, 120,000 Stories compiles Nobuko's past and present work. Produced by Quetzal Flores and Derek Nakamoto, the double album features artists from diverse musical traditions who share her commitment to the social power of music. Among those who contributed are taiko master taiko Kenny Endo, harmonica player Tex Nakamura, multi-instrumentalist Abe Lagrimas Jr., saxophonist Gerald Albright, and members of the GRAMMY-winning band Quetzal. Now entering her eighth decade, Nobuko Miyamoto is unstoppable. Her memoir Not Yo' Butterfly: My Long Song of Relocation, Race, Love, and Revolution was published by the University of California Press in June 2021.

Administrative and Operations Coordinator 

Suilma’s work lives at the intersection of storytelling, community, and operations. She is motivated by helping people feel seen and connected. She thrives on translating big ideas into meaningful public experiences through collaboration, creativity, and thoughtful execution.

Suilma was born and raised in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, a neighborhood shaped by Asian and Hispanic working-class families, which continues to inform her creative and community work and interests. Her artistic journey began at age 17, when she landed a lead role in the Disney Channel original film Gotta Kick It Up! after joining a friend at a local open casting call.

She went on to build a career in independent film, improv theatre, and commercial acting and filmmaking. She produced the award-winning feature Love in Moreno Valley, which screened at festivals across the country, and continues to enjoy editing projects on a freelance basis and for Great Leap.

In addition to her creative pursuits, Suilma has served for over a decade on the Board of the Lincoln Heights Tutorial Program (LHTP), helping youth in Northeast LA have access to free afterschool programs, where she was once a participant.

At Great Leap, Suilma is excited to continue to merge her passions for the arts, community, and social justice.

Great Leap announces the leadership transition of Alison De La Cruz, who has concluded her tenure as Executive & Artistic Director. Over the past two and a half years, Alison has led the organization with dedication, guiding Great Leap through a period of change while strengthening its artistic vision and community engagement. We are grateful for her leadership and care. We wish Alison success, joy, and fulfillment as she begins this next chapter of her journey.

The Board of Directors appointed Dan Kwong Acting Artistic Director. A Great Leap presenting artist since 1990, Dan most recently served as Associate Artistic Director and brings decades of artistic leadership, community relationships, and deep knowledge of the organization's mission and history to this role.

Great Leap founder and Legacy Artist Nobuko Miyamoto will continue her role in shaping the organization's artistic vision. Suilma Rodriguez-Rizzo serves as Administrative and Operations Coordinator, providing continuity in the organization's day-to-day operations.

Together, Great Leap's Board and leadership team remain steadfast in their commitment to advancing the organization's 48-year mission of creating artist-driven, community-based work that fosters cultural understanding, social justice, and collective imagination.

We appreciate your friendship and support of Great Leap and look forward to welcoming you at FandangObon and Manzanar Baseball’s Grand Opening Doubleheader in the fall. 

Clara Chiu-Torres

President - Great Leap Board of Directors

For any questions, please email admin_ops@greatleap.org