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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2023
Radical Revelry and Mobilization: Affirming AAPI Stories and ExperiencesAsian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Opening Reception
Date: March 30, 2023 | Time: 5 pm | Venue: Gayle Cook Center for Arts and Humanities at Maxwell HallChai has been a thing way before “Chai Tea Lattes!” Emerging from the beautiful tea gardens of Assam, India, chai is served in many different ways throughout South Asia. Enjoy a tasting of two different kinds of chai plus delicious pairings with Ruchi and Manjari, the mother-daughter duo behind Afternoon Chai. Let the inviting aromas of cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger work their magic on you with each decadent sip. Take a journey through history and learn about how South Asian tea traditions evolved into the various forms we enjoy today. You just may be inspired to start serving afternoon chai to your family and friends!
Asian Lit Reading & Exhibit Opening
Date: March 30, 2023 | Time: 7 pm | Venue: Gayle Cook Center for Arts and Humanities at Maxwell HallAn evening celebrating local Asian writers and the grand opening of the Bloomington Asian Artists Gallery.
Korea Night
Date: April 2, 2023 | Time: 12 pm | Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionIn conjunction with the Institute for Korean Studies and other supporting groups, this is an all-day celebration of Korean culture and community. Cultural activities will be from 12-2 pm in the IMU Solarium, including the ACC’s information table and AAPI Trivia Wheel activity, followed by the opening ceremony and performances in Alumni Hall from 2-4:30 pm, and then ending with a Taste of Korea in the Solarium from 4:30-6 pm.
Conversations on Asian American Experience
Date: April 3 and April 6, 2023 | Time: 6 pm | Venue: Asian Cultuer CenterProfessor Joel Wong’s webinar held on January 26, 2023, “Confronting Asian American Racism and Marginalization” drew many questions that deserve further reflection and discussion. As a follow-up, we are hosting a two-part series of in-person roundtable conversations that will hopefully address important topics including diversity within AAPI, identity, experiences of marginalization, and collective approach to building solidarity. The April 3 session will be moderated by Jonathan Kang, PhD Student in Counseling and Psychology and April 6 will be moderated by Samantha Huang, MS student in Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Movement: Asian American and Pacific Islander Short Film Festival
Date: April 5, 2023 | Time: 7 pm | Venue: Buskirk-Chumley TheaterJoin us for the IU Asian Culture Center's second annual Asian American and Pacific Islander “Movement” Short Film Festival on April 5th @7pm at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater! The MOVEMENT series grapples with themes of identity, belonging, and power from the perspectives of AAPI directors, screenwriters, actors, and subjects, and invites audiences to consider the multifaceted vibrancies and complexities of AAPI individuals and communities. It also evokes evolution and transformation—both within and beyond Asian/Pacific America. The event will feature numerous short films reflecting the diversity of the AAPI community as well as recognizing the serious struggles and hardships that our community has faced. The event will also feature a Q&A session following the event with young, up-and-coming AAPI filmmakers!
First Thursdays
Date: April 6, 2023 | Time: 5 pm | Venue: Fine Arts PlazaStop by the ACC’s table on First Thursdays to meet our staff, learn about programs and resources, and play the AAPI trivia game to win prizes!
Bloomington Ki Badtameezi
Date: April 8, 2023 | Time: 6:30 pm | Venue: IU AuditoriumBloomington Ki Badtameezi is IU’s first Bollywood Dance collegiate competition where 8 college dance teams from around the country, including ones from Vanderbilt, University of Miami in Florida, and NYU, will come to IU to perform.
“The State of Asian America: Asian Americans Facing Racism and United in Resistance” by Rosalind Chou, AAPI Heritage Month Featured Guest Speaker
Date: April 12, 2023 | Time: 7 pm | Venue: Gayle Cook Center for Arts and Humanities at Maxwell HallProfessor and Coach Chou is the Kathleen Flores Women's Rugby Head Coach at Brown University and a lecturer in the Department of Sociology. She was previously an Associate Professor of Sociology at Georgia State University. Prof and Coach Chou’s talk on the State of Asian America is a wide-ranging look at historical and contemporary forces shaping and reshaping the Asian American community in 2023. Dr. Chou will discuss laws and policies specific to Asians in the United States. These policies have cemented a racial hierarchy and perpetuated stereotypes that persist today that Asian Americans are "model minorities" and, simultaneously, "forever foreign." The increase in anti-Asian hate crimes today is directly related to this history of exclusion and alienation
History Harvest Mixer and Dinner
Date: April 13, 2023 | Time: 5 pm | Venue: Asian Culture CenterThis event is open to AAPI storytellers who are interested in the AAPI History Harvest project. In this gathering, we will have a 20–25-minute demonstration of the process of archiving and digitizing Asian Hoosiers’ story. This gathering will give participants a preview of the process hosted by the Institute for Digital Arts and Humanities at IU.
AAPI Chicago Museum Tour hosted by the Community Education Program (CUE)
Date: April 15, 2023 | Time: 10 amJoin in the CUE program to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month by learning about Chinese and South Asian Culture. Participants will visit the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, the South Asian Institute, and can explore Chinatown!
Myanmar Cultural Festival
Date: April 15, 2023 | Time: 3 pm | Venue: Dunn MeadowMyanmar Cultural Festival is an event to showcase Myanmar heritage, culture, and traditions. There will be activities relating to Myanmar culture such as games and informational booths. In addition, there will also be cultural fashion show, traditional dances, and performance from IU Myanmar students.
Cycling Taiwan 2023: Tour de Formosa
Date: April 16, 2023 | Time: 10 am“Tour de Formosa” will take the participants on a cycling tour of Taiwan – in Bloomington! To mimic the experience of touring Taiwan, participants will cycle on a route around IU/Bloomington and stop at 4 stations that represent the various cities/regions around the island. The Asian Culture Center at 807 E. 10th Street will be one of the 4 stations, alongside Soma Coffeehouse on 3rd Street, Bryan Park Woodlawn Shelter, and the Monroe Convention Center. At each station, participants will learn about the unique characteristics of that region and engage in a small activity. The program will end with a luncheon that celebrates the tastes of Taiwan at the Ferguson International Center.
“This Space Isn't Made for Us": An Interactive Workshop on Cultural Genomics Epigenetic Influences on Racial Ethnic Minority Students in Higher Education
Date: April 18, 2023 | Time: 4 pm | Venue: O’Neill 1st floor Commons, Graduate Center (10th Street entrance, SPEA)Throughout history, racial and ethnic minorities have faced racism and discrimination, which has resulted in prolonged exposure to hostile conditions. Research has shown that this chronic stress can have negative effects on the health of these minority populations and can even cause changes in gene expression. This interactive presentation will discuss the effects that higher education institutions have on racial ethnic minorities rates of biological weathering while discussing subtle forms of discrimination and how to identify them. Participants will leave this workshop with new knowledge of biological weathering in relation to racism and how to reverse these effects in multiple contexts. This panel will be moderated by Da’Ja’Nay Askew, an Equity and Inclusion Specialist who previously worked with I Can Persist (ICP) STEM Initiative Program that centralized environmental and social justice concepts for women of color in STEM fields.
Bystander Intervention to Stop Anti-Asian and Xenophobic Harassment, hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago
Date: April 19, 2023 | Time: 3 pm | Venue: Oak Room at Indiana Memorial UnionThis is an in-person training and debriefing workshop that will discuss the history of anti-Asian discrimination in the United States and Right To Be’s and 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology.
Panel in Arts, Activism, and Research led by Professor Vivek Vellanki
Date: April 21, 2023 | Time: 12 pm | Venue: Asian Culture CenterJoin us for a pop-up exhibition of the Passport Photo Project and panel discussion with IU students Pei-Jung Li, Monica Heilman, and Shazia Akhtar. They will share their ongoing research and creative works that explore how Asians, Asian Americans, and international students negotiate their identities and belonging. The conversation will bring together varied approaches to research and creative activity: photography, illustration, creative writing, digital creations, etc. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Vivek Vellanki, Assistant Professor, in Counseling and Educational Psychology and Curriculum & Instruction, School of Education.
Excerpt performance of Anti-Asian Hate Opera
Date: April 24, 2023 | Time: 7 pm | Venue: Neal Marshall Center Grand HallThis program will feature an excerpt performance of an Anti-Asian Hate Opera by Hippocrates Cheng Ching-nam, a doctoral student in music composition at the Jacobs School of Music. This chamber opera excerpt draws inspiration from the actual experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islanders.
End of the Year Student Recognition
Date: April 27, 2023 | Time: 7 pm | Venue: Tudor Room at Indiana Memorial UnionThe Student Recognition Banquet is a three in one annual celebration when we honor the graduating Class of 2023 as new IU alumni, recognize the contributions of student organizations, and appreciate the volunteers at the ACC. Our special guest speaker is Khai Yang, who graduated from Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, East Asian Studies and Liberal Arts Management Program (LAMP) certificate. As an undergraduate, she was a core leader in the student coalition campaign and protest that successfully established the IUB Asian Culture Center. Khai was born in Vietnam, raised in Indiana, and now lives in Chicagoland. Khai is currently the Director of Data and Analytics Strategy at Allstate Insurance. She is known for inspiring teams to think differently and to collaborate to deliver bold impact. As a Director of Data & Analytics at Allstate Insurance, she is responsible for delivering advanced analytic solutions to improve customer service, reducing costs, and driving digital transformation.
Speaking of Excellence Lecture Series featuring George Takei
Date: April 27, 2023 | Time: 7 pm | Venue: IU Auditoriums the culmination of the 2023 Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Asian Culture Center in partnership with Indiana Memorial Union Board, LGBTQ+ Culture Center and IU Libraries present the Speaking of Excellence Lecture series featuring George Takei. Legendary actor, activist, author, and speaker George Takei is best known for his portrayal of Mr. Sulu in the acclaimed television and film series Star Trek. Takei’s acting career has spanned five decades, and he has appeared in more than 40 feature films and hundreds of TV appearances.