University Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, within the Division of Student Affairs, is hosting a series of events in April in collaboration with students, staff and faculty across campus. The month-long celebration officially begins at noon on Thursday, March 31, in the Schine Student Center atrium with a table display of student organizations and an Asian-inspired lunch.

Celebrated nationally in May, AAPI Heritage Month honors Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success. AAPI Heritage Month consists of programs and signature events that educate all members of the Syracuse University community about the histories, cultural diversity, contributions and often-underreported challenges of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Syracuse University honors the month in April to celebrate while students, faculty and staff are still on campus together.

Christine Ha

One of those signature events includes the commemorative speaker.  This year’s speaker is Christine Ha, celebrity chef and writer, and first blind contestant and season three winner of “MasterChef” on FOX. Ha earned a master of fine arts from the University of Houston’s creative writing program and served as the fiction editor for Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts.  Ha’s first cookbook, “Recipes From My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food” was a New York Times bestseller. Featured on NPR and BBC, she is also co-host on the Canadian cooking show “Four Senses” and a judge on “MasterChef Vietnam.” She received the 2014 Helen Keller Personal Achievement Award from the American Foundation for the Blind.

Ha will speak on Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in Watson Auditorium. The event is co-sponsored by the Disability Cultural Center and is free and open to the public. There will be a book signing at the event.

This year’s planning committee chose “Connect. Reflect. Engage.” as the theme for the month.  Each of the month’s programs and events were planned to emulate this theme.

“We chose this theme because it is our committee’s hope that students, faculty and staff connect and reflect on the unique stories, successes and challenges of the AAPI community on campus and nationally,” says Huey Hsiao, associate director for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and chair of the AAPI Heritage Month committee. “We also want to get people engaged in efforts to achieve our collective hope for greater equality and opportunity for all people.”

Other highlights for this year’s heritage month celebration include:

April 1: Navigating the Workplace as Women of Color, 6-7 p.m., 101 Hall of Languages

Work in Asia hosts a conversation with Gina Lee-Glauser, retired vice president for research at Syracuse University. Enjoy spring rolls and discuss issues of equality, gender and race in the workplace.

April 4: Minority Report: The Role of Minorities in Politics & Media with Norman Mineta and Richard Lui, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Maxwell Auditorium

Norman Mineta, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, and Richard Lui, news anchor for MSNBC and NBC News, discuss their careers and personal challenges and successes, as well as their experiences being underrepresented in their respective fields. Sponsored by Sigma Beta Rho and Kappa Phi Lambda.

April 8: AAPI Heritage Month Book Club Discussion: ‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)’ By Mindy Kaling, 12-2 p.m., Hillyer Room (Bird 606)

Join us for a discussion of “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” by Mindy Kaling. Elin Riggs, director of Off‐Campus and Commuter Services, and Priscilla Mahabali ’16 will lead the discussion. Food will be provided. Pick up a copy of the book at OMA (105 Schine). Limited supply available.

April 9: K-Night with Special Guest Clara Chung, 7-10 p.m., Goldstein Auditorium

Come and celebrate Korean culture and witness the talent among the Korean American community and Syracuse University community as a whole. Special guest: YouTube Star Clara Chung—with more than 250,000 subscribers and 28 million views. Tickets available at the Schine Box Office for $5. Sponsored by the Korean American Student Association.

April 11: Fighting Bias and Microaggressions on Campus: Workshop with Harjot Kaur, Sikh Coalition, followed by Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibit Unveiling, 5-7 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (114 Bird Library)

The workshop will discuss bullying and microaggressions affecting Asian American and Pacific Islander students; define bias-based discrimination and microaggressions; clarify relevant policy and law; identify the roots and effects of these issues; share student experiences; and recognize opportunities for action. The Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibit remembers the Denny’s incident that occurred 19 years ago in Syracuse, in hopes of remembrance and promoting awareness within the wider SU community. Co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and South Asia Center.

April 13: Paving the Way Alumni Speaker: Jin Kim ’09, 5-6:30 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library

Jin Kim is the managing editor of The Wall Street Transcript and a contributor of personal essays for The Wall Street Journal’s Expat blog. He graduated from the Newhouse School’s magazine journalism program, with a double major in Latino/Latin American studies from the College of Arts and Sciences. He was actively involved in many Asian-interest organizations, including KASA, ASIA and TASP. Kim will speak about what it’s like to manage a small financial publication in New York City, his career path and his experience as a Korean immigrant from Latin America.

April 14: Breaking the Silence: Deconstructing the Stigma of Mental Health in the AAPI Community, 6-8 p.m., 500 Hall of Languages

AAPI families are reluctant to seek mental health care because cultural norms stigmatize the topic as taboo. This workshop serves to help students foster a space of self-care, deconstruct the stigma of mental health and create a positive dialogue about fostering change in their community. Guest speaker: DJ Ida, executive director, National AAPI Mental Health Association. Sponsored by Lambda Phi Epsilon.

April 15: Heart to Heart Discussion: Food & Identity, 12-2 p.m., 011 LSB

Heart to Heart—facilitated by Claudia Chen ’16—is a discussion series that focuses on the AAPI experience. Come with an open mind and heart to listen and learn from students, faculty and staff.

April 15: 17th Annual Reel Queer Film Festival‘s Featured Documentary Film: ‘Kumu Hina,’ 8-10 p.m., Shaffer Auditorium

Kumu Hina recounts the struggle to maintain Pacific Islander culture and values within the Westernized society of modern day Hawaiʻi. It is told through the lens of an extraordinary Native Hawaiian who is both a proud and confident māhū, or transgender woman, and an honored and respected kumu, or teacher, cultural practitioner and community leader. Includes kickoff reception at 8 p.m. Sponsored by Open Doors graduate LGBTQA organization.

April 21: Barefoot Solutions: Networking Rural India and a Global Initiative, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Maxwell Auditorium

Sanjit “Bunker” Roy, an acclaimed Indian social activist and educator who founded the Barefoot College, the only college built by and for the rural poor, and Meagan Fallone, CEO of Barefoot College International, will speak. Roy was selected as one of Time’s 100 most influential personalities in 2010 for collaborating with villagers to find “barefoot solutions” that center on solar energy, water, education, connectivity, health care, handicrafts and the empowerment of women. Principal partners: Humanities Center, Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, South Asia Center, South Asia Program (Cornell University) and SUNY ESF.

April 22 Topic: Heart to Heart Discussion: Mental Health and Family, Noon-2 p.m., 011 LSB

Heart to Heart—facilitated by Claudia Chen ’16—is a discussion series that focuses on the AAPI experience. Come with an open mind and heart to listen and learn from students, faculty and staff.

April 22: Second Annual Zinda and Orange Bhangra Showcase, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Goldstein Auditorium

Syracuse Orange Bhangra and Zinda are two of Syracuse University’s South Asian dance teams and are hosting a showcase themed “Back to the Future” to display the transformation of their different styles from past to present. This event will also show off performances by several other dance teams on campus.

April 24: SASA Presents: Holi, TBD, Women’s Building Field

Holi is the Indian festival of colors that celebrates the beginning of spring. It is an ancient Hindu festival, which has become a celebration in many parts of South Asia, as well as other communities outside Asia. Follow #SU_AAPIMonth to find out the time of Holi, as it is weather dependent. Sponsored by the South Asian Students Association.

April 30: 18th Annual ASIA Night, 7-10 p.m., Grant Auditorium

Asian Students in America (ASIA) is hosting its annual end-of-the-year cultural show with student performers and a special guest performer, Kina Grannis, guitarist and singer-songwriter.

The full events calendar for AAPI Heritage Month will be available on the Office of Multicultural Affairs website and available for pickup in Schine Student Center, Suite 105. Follow AAPI Heritage Month events and updates using the hashtag #SU_AAPIMonth.  For more information on AAPI Heritage Month events, contact Hsiao at huhsiao@syr.edu or 315-443-9676.