A Documentary Film
TRAILER
SYNOPSIS
In San Francisco, a diverse group of kids from Chinatown, the Mission, Bayview, and beyond discover dragon boat racing under the guidance of Henry Ha, a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant whose own life was transformed by the sport. Growing up as a refugee in the Tenderloin, Henry found belonging and purpose in dragon boating, and now, as an anti-violence advocate, he believes the sport offers a long-term solution to healing fractured communities where other efforts have failed. For the kids, many facing family pressures or instability, the boat becomes more than just a team—it’s a lifeline. Dragon Boat shows how crossing racial and socioeconomic divides, youth learn the radical power of moving forward together.
THE FILM
In the heart of San Francisco, where cultures collide and communities shift, a group of kids from Chinatown, the Mission, Bayview, and beyond come together for something they never expected—dragon boat racing. Dragon Boat follows a diverse team of middle and high schoolers as they join a youth program run by a passionate community leader from CYC (Community Youth Center), who uses the sport as a way to teach teamwork, identity, and resilience.
At the center is Henry Ha, a first-generation immigrant from Vietnam whose refugee family struggled to find belonging in the Tenderloin. As a teenager, dragon boating gave him direction and saved him from a path of isolation. Now an anti-violence advocate in San Francisco, Henry knows firsthand that many traditional solutions aren’t working, and he’s turned to dragon boating as a deep, long-term way to heal communities, prevent violence, and build bonds across divides.
“HENRY IS crazy” - Joshua
The impact of Dragon Boat lies in showing that true change happens when we step beyond the comfort of our own communities. It’s easy to stay within familiar circles, but Henry believes the tougher, more uncertain path—the one that reaches across racial, cultural, and socioeconomic divides—is the only path that can create lasting solidarity. His work with Dragon Boat is about more than teaching kids to paddle; it’s about teaching them to pull together with people who may look different, speak differently, or come from another neighborhood. By putting in the extra effort to unite groups that rarely intersect, Henry reveals the extraordinary potential of solidarity: not only to transform individual lives, but to strengthen entire communities.
Many of the kids have never been on the water before. Some are navigating family pressure, housing insecurity, or the quiet weight of generational trauma. But through the rhythm of paddles and the discipline of training, they begin to find belonging—not just in the boat, but in themselves.
What starts as a summer activity becomes a lifeline, as the kids learn to pull not only for speed but for each other. More than just a sport, dragon boat becomes a rare and powerful space where youth cross racial and socioeconomic barriers, learning what it takes to move forward together. Set against the stunning backdrop of the San Francisco Bay and the bustling complexity of the city’s neighborhoods, this coming-of-age documentary from directors Evan Jackson Leong (Linsanity, Snakehead, The Bridge) and Josh Chuck (Chinatown Rising) is a story of sweat, laughter, cultural pride, and the radical act of community.
Supported By
Community Youth Center (CYC) of San Francisco
Ready to take the next step? You can become a contributor to Dragon Boat, or participate yourself.