Basement Workshop was an Asian-American arts collective active from 1970 to 1986. As both artists and activists, the collective membership mobilized to advocate for healthcare, jobs, and resources for communities of color. Besides activism, the collective also ran a youth program and held workshops that encouraged artistic expression. The artists showcased their work through the publication of their Bridge Magazine and the set of folios titled Yellow Pearl. It was at the Basement Workshop where Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai met, the founders of the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA). Many other members of the collective went on to create and influence other Asian American organizations including Asian CineVision, and the Asian American Arts Centre.