May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the Asian American Alliance, Inc. (AAAI) is inviting Hoosiers to celebrate.
Kicking off the month with a light and sound show downtown on May 1, AAAI, is hosting special events honoring Asian American heritage and excellence in Indianapolis throughout the month.
Community members are invited to participate in a Seat At The Table session with Dr. Albert Chen, founder of Telamon Corporation and the AAAI. Hosted by Barnes & Thornburg, the conversation candidly highlights Chen’s successful entrepreneurial journey and previews his upcoming biography.
Seat At The Table takes place from 6-8 p.m. on May 1 at Barnes & Thornburg, 11 S. Meridian St., and is free to attend. The event will also feature a book signing, networking session and refreshments.
Following Chen’s Seat At The Table conversation, attendees are invited to walk together to Monument Circle for “Shining A Light — Highlights of Achievements and Contributions of Asian Americans over a Century in Indiana” from 8-8:30 p.m. Projected on the AES building three times each night throughout the month, Shining A Light highlights the history, accomplishments and journey of Asian Americans in Indiana. Seat At The Table and Shining A Light is free to attend with registration.
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Later in the month, the annual Asian Fest returns to the Indiana Historical Society (HIS), celebrating its 19th year of Asian heritage, arts, music, culture and food. The free festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 10, and is open to the community, featuring live performances, henna artists, local food vendors, a visiting health fair and tours of the IHS exhibits.
“Asian Fest serves as an important educational program for Hoosiers to learn about Asian cultures. One can learn about a new musical instrument, art form, language, food and history,” AAAI President Rupal Thanawala said in a statement.
For more information about Asian Fest, visit indianahistory.org or aaalliance.org. To register for Seat At The Table, visit eventbrite.com.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
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