In the late 1980s, a small but determined group of Asian and Asian American students at IU Bloomington began organizing around the idea of a student-centered space that would celebrate Asian cultures and support Asian and Asian American experiences on campus. Their efforts grew in the early 1990s, pushed along by student organizations such as the Asian American Association, which held campus-wide events such as the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration and “Taste of Asia,” which drew hundreds of participants from the IU and Bloomington communities.
Through petitions, proposals, and coalition-building with faculty, staff, and other cultural centers, these students pushed the university to recognize the needs of Asian and Asian American students and to invest in a dedicated center. After years of advocacy, Indiana University opened the Asian Culture Center on October 3, 1998, at the corner of 10th Street and Woodlawn Avenue, making it the first Asian culture center in the Midwest.
Today, the ACC continues to serve as a home away from home for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students and a gathering place for anyone interested in learning more about the history and contemporary issues affecting people of Asian heritage in the U.S. Through programs, leadership opportunities, and partnerships across campus and the community, the center advances dialogue, builds coalitions, and works toward a more inclusive and equitable IU Bloomington.
