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Schedule

Thursday, August 17, 2023
6:30 p.m. Film Screening
8:30 p.m. Discussion

The film Sight — starring Terry Chen (Almost Famous, Falling) and Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning Greg Kinnear — is based on the true story of Dr. Ming Wang, a poor Chinese immigrant who defied all odds by becoming a world-renowned eye surgeon in the United States. Sight will open nationally in theaters on October 27, 2023.

Join Asia Society Texas for an early screening of Sight and a live discussion with Dr. Wang, in conversation with Chairman of Foster Global LLP Charles Foster, about his life and the film following the screening.

Sight
United States, 2023
Director: Andrew Hyatt | Language: English

Starting in the 1970's in rural China, a young Ming faces persecution and despair at every turn, but through the support of his dedicated family and his own unwavering determination, he finds his way to America, attends Harvard and MIT and helps develop an innovative technology that restores sight in millions. Taking on the seemingly impossible challenge of helping a blind orphan, the resilient Dr. Wang must reconcile with his own traumatic past and face the harsh reality that the strength of his own will can only go so far.

About the Speaker

Dr. Ming Wang, M.D., Ph.D., is a world-renowned laser eye surgeon and philanthropist. As a teenager, Ming fought valiantly to escape the Cultural Revolution in China. He eventually made his way to America with only $50 and a Chinese-English dictionary in his pocket, but with an American dream in his heart. Against all odds, he earned a doctorate in laser physics and graduated magna cum laude with the highest honors from Harvard Medical School and MIT.

Dr. Wang has performed over 55,000 eye procedures on patients from nearly every state in the U.S. and over 55 countries. Dr. Wang has published eight textbooks and over 100 articles, including one in the world-renowned journal Nature, holds several U.S. patents, and performed the world’s ­first laser-assisted arti­ficial cornea implantation.

He received the Outstanding Nashvillian of the Year Award from Kiwanis Club International, NPR’s Philanthropist of the Year Award and an honorary doctorate degree from Trevecca Nazarene University. He received the Honor Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Chinese American Physicians.

About the Moderator

Charles C. Foster, who served as Chairman of Asia Society Texas Center for 20+ years, is Chairman of Foster LLP, one of the largest global immigration law firms. He received his Bachelors from the University of Texas and his J.D. from the University Of Texas School Of Law. Charles is a board member and the founding Chairman of the State Bar of Texas Immigration and Nationality Law Section, the past national President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Chairman of the American Bar Association Coordinating Committee on Immigration Law.

Charles served as the principal advisor to President Bush on U.S. immigration policy during the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns and was an advisor on immigration policy issues to President Barack Obama in the 2008 campaign. He is also Chairman of U.S.-China Partnerships, Americans for Immigration Reform, a 501(c)(3) affiliate of the Greater Houston Partnership and the GHP’s Immigration Task Force.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the GHP, as well as its Executive Committee and on the Board of the Houston Ballet. He was designated a “Texas Super Lawyer” from 2003 to 2014 by Texas Monthly, the “Top Notch Lawyer in Immigration” in the Texas Lawyer “Go To Lawyers Guide,” the "#1 Ranked Immigration Lawyer in Texas" by Chambers USA, and he was listed as one of the nation’s “20 most powerful employment attorneys” in immigration by Human Resource Executive in June 2011. He was the 2013 recipient of the Houston Bar Association’s prestigious Leon Jaworski Award and was featured in the critically acclaimed movie Mao’s Last Dancer.

Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and United Airlines. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc. and Houston Endowment. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Asia Society Texas Center, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.