May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) and Cal State LA is celebrating and honoring AAPIHM April through May this year. The AAPIHM Planning Committee, comprised of staff and faculty from various departments across Academic Affairs and Student Life, is proud to share our second annual campus-wide community calendar!
This year’s theme is Flourishing Together: Celebrating Empowerment, Resilience, and Community. The events we’ve curated this year engages the University in conversations on our community’s resilience and empowers us to come together in community to honor our stories, recognize the histories and important contributions of AAPI people and communities, and celebrate AAPI cultures at Cal State LA.
This exhibit will be showcased at the University Library to honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This exhibit, curated by author and legal expert Chang C. Chen, delves into the historical battles Chinese women faced to achieve citizenship, dignity, and legal recognition in the United States. The first Chinese women began arriving in the United States in 1785 as domestic workers and merchants' brides. Over the next 200 years, Chinese American women were part of a complex, often painful legal tradition as they worked to secure their civil rights in the United States. Blending multimedia artwork, historical documents, and bilingual text, Herstory documents these stories and gives voice to the women whose struggles paved the way for more equal treatment today. All Cal State LA students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are welcome.
- March – May
- Library North, Level 1, Southwest Corner
- Presented by the University Library
The Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good is helping to collect hygiene kits and non-perishable food for Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) to give to the community during AAPI Heritage Month. Please see the flyer for details on accepted items. All Cal State LA students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are welcome to participate.
- March 18 – April 30
- Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good - Lower Level of the Career Center
- Presented by the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good and Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA)
Image and Text Description: Purple and white flyer with information above and list of accepted donation items (Hygiene kit items: body wash, shampoo and conditioner, body soap, hand soap, body lotion; Non-perishable food items: cereal, mac-and-cheese, granola bars, chips, crackers, canned goods, cookies). Contact Anh Hong with any questions at [email protected].
Did you know that in mid-April, South and Southeast Asian countries such as India, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia celebrate the sun entering the Aries constellation? Join us for an afternoon of activities, engagement, and prizes in the U-SU Plaza to learn more about how each country celebrates Solar New Year! All Cal State LA students, faculty, and staff are welcome.
- April 9, Noon – 2 PM
- U-SU Plaza
- Presented by the Cross Cultural Centers and the University-Student Union
Join Dr. Joy Sales from the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies in conversation about political activism in the Philippines. All Cal State LA students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are welcome.
- April 10, 3 - 4:30 PM
- Library North A119
- Presented by the Asian and Asian American Institute
Join the Neurodivergent Collaborative, Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS), and WGSS Club in learning from diverse video game designers and voice cast members of Wylde Flowers. Pizza, coffee, tea, and fruit will be provided for all.
- April 11
- 11 AM – Noon: In person and online panel in U-SU Theatre
- Noon – 1 PM: In person community at the Cross Cultural Centers
- Presented by the Neurodivergent Collaborative, Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS), and WGSS Club. Additional sponsorship by the Cross Cultural Centers and the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
- RSVP here: Microsoft Forms
Image and Text Description: flower themed white flyer with information above and logos of sponsors.
Enjoy small bites, coffee and tea as you hear more about the exciting programs we have planned for AAPI Heritage Month! All Cal State LA students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome.
- April 15, 1 – 2 PM
- U-SU San Gabriel Room
- Presented by the AAPIHM Planning Committee, the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and the Cross Cultural Centers
- We request that you RSVP using this brief form
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have played pivotal roles in shaping the nation. Their cultural heritage is deeply woven into the fabric of United States history and culture. Within the Cal State LA community, they constitute a vibrant and diverse component. The University Library boasts extensive resources and collections spanning history, literature, art, and more, featuring the AAPI community and works authored by AAPI individuals. In celebration of the rich histories and cultures of AAPI communities, both in May and throughout the year, we are delighted to announce an AAPI Heritage Month book display located on the 2nd Floor of Library North, and online, commencing April 15th and continuing through May 2024. This display showcases a diverse selection of books exploring various facets of AAPI experiences, including history, literature, and art, highlighting the richness and diversity of these narratives.
- April 15 – May 31
- Reading Lounge, Second Floor, Library North AND Virtual Display
- Presented by the University Library
“It’s sweet, it’s a popular thing. It’s not very offensive... but it’s empty calories.” Join us in the APISRC to discuss contemporary culture surrounding Asian-American activism and what we can do to politically engage and shift the narrative!
- April 16, 3pm – 5pm
- API Student Resource Center in the CCC
- Presented by the Cross Cultural Centers and the University-Student Union
Join us for this workshop to celebrate AAPI heritage month! We will be making lanterns and displaying reflections on a bonsai tree. All Cal State LA students, faculty, and staff welcome.
- April 23, 2 – 3 PM
- SSB 4310
- Presented by the Erika J. Glazer Family Dreamers Resource Center and the Guardian Scholars Program
Image and text description: flower themed red, orange, and pink flyer with flowering bonsai tree and information above.
Learn from Teresa Huang (Supervising Producer on AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER live-action series, Writer for MACGYVER, SUPERSTITION), Nikhil Jayaram (STAR TREK: PRODIGY, SHADES OF BLUE, and MAKE ME A MATCH the first South Asian-themed Rom-Com for Hallmark), Kristian Fanene Schmidt (Contributor to Washington Post, HuffPost and more) and Ringo Le (Cal State LA alumni and writer/director of BIG GAY LOVE and MY VIETNAM). This diverse panel of AAPI writers will speak about their journey and how they have experienced the entertainment industry as an AAPI, sharing insights with students about the road to their success, the hurdles they had to overcome and family dynamics along the way. Come and bring your questions for this exciting chance to learn from inside the writer’s room.
- April 24, 3:30 – 5:00 PM
- U-SU Theatre
- Light refreshments will be served at the end of the event
- Presented by Cal State LA’s AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee, the Cross Cultural Centers, A-Game, and Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
- We request that you RSVP here
Join the Asian Pacific Islander Student Resource Center for an early kickoff of Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American History Month (which is celebrated in May). Celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of the APIDA community through cultural performances, fun activities, APIDA-owned small businesses, and of course... FOOD (available while supplies last). This year’s theme is Lotus in Bloom, to honor the lotus flower, sacred to many Asian cultures. Mark your calendars because you do not want to miss the last signature program from the APISRC this year!
- April 25, 5pm – 8pm
- U-SU Plaza
- Presented by the APISRC
Join Dr. Tarisi Vunidilo, faculty member in the College of Ethnic Studies, in conversation about this important topic. This webinar session aims to critically examine the issue of ownership and cultural property rights relating to the appropriation of Pacific cultural artifacts and ancestral remains now housed in international metropolitan museums.
- May 1, 5:00 PM
- Register for this webinar by emailing Dr. Tarisi Vunidilo at [email protected]
- Join via Zoom
Thank you for your interest in Kalahi’s Pilipino American Cultural Night (PACN). PACN is a production showcasing the lives of Filipino Americans. We, Kalahi (Filipinx American Student Organization), will be presenting a play which will also include traditional dances additional to modern dance, and will have singing performances.
Kalahi’s 7th annual PACN in 2024 is about the characteristics and traits that all Filipinos share, whether you are a Filipino living in the Philippines, a Filipino-American, Full Filipino, half-Filipino, part Filipino, or even Filipino by heart: Courage, Freedom and Unity.
On behalf of Kalahi, we hope to see you there!
- May 4, 3 PM – 6 PM, door open at 2 PM
- U-SU Theater
- Presented by Kalahi
- Purchase tickets - $12 presale and $17 at the door
Celebrate and uplift the voices of your AAPI peers in a panel discussion celebrating Resilience, Empowerment, and Community. The event will open with a welcome from Interim Associate Vice President and Dean of PaGE Dr. Harkmore Lee. The moderator for the panel will be Gretchen Villaluz-Picazo, Executive Assistant to the Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The panel will feature:
- Sgt. Allen Nguyen - University Police Department;
- Dr. Lena Chao - Interim Dean, College of Ethnic Studies;
- Dr. Frangelo Ayran Boquiren - Senior Associate Dean of Students;
- Malia Otuhiva - Asian Pacific Islander Student Resource Center Coordinator, Cross Cultural Centers;
- Anh Huynh-Nelson - Director of Strategic Presidential Engagement and Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President
- Kris Arceo - Student and Guest Service Coordinator, Housing and Residence Life
All campus staff and administrators are invited to attend. Lunch will be served.
- May 10, 12:30 - 2:00 PM
- Student Services Building - L120
- Presented by the Staff Working Group for Belonging, Community, and Diversity
- Please RSVP here
In a ceremony on 25 March the University of Gottingen and the State Ethnographic Collections of Saxony in Germany repatriated ancestral remains of 10 individuals to Palau. The remains originated from the Hamburg South Seas Expedition (1908 - 1910) conducted by the then Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg. Ethnologist Paul Hambruch collected the remains during a 1909 visit to Palau. Join us to hear McMichael Mutok Jr. share his story of research and successfully executing the repatriation of his ancestors back home to Palau.
- May 15, 5:00 PM
- Register for this webinar by emailing Dr. Tarisi Vunidilo at [email protected]
- Join via Zoom and use passcode 570664
Dr. Te Herekiekie Herewini is the Head of Repatriation of the Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme. The aim of the programme is to repatriate Maori and Moriori ancestral remains that are housed in institutions around the world. Te Herekiekie believes the programme's work is not completed until every Maori and Moriori ancestor is returned home. He has been involved in the process of repatriation of ancestral remains from international museums for over 15 years, and as the head of the delegation, he facilitates handover ceremonies in each city that they visit. He believes that for his ancestors, coming back home is part of their healing process for the Maori people. Join us to hear more from our speaker, Dr. Te Herekiekie Herewini.
- May 29, 5:00 PM
- Register for this webinar by emailing Dr. Tarisi Vunidilo at [email protected]
- Join via Zoom
- Meeting ID: 89717219039
- Passcode: 908680
Community-Based Programs
THIS APRIL - our AAPI Youth Solidarity Conference returns to SIPA 🔥
This year’s conference, as aptly named by our Youth Leadership Interns, is called “Harmony Horizon”! This day-long event will feature workshops and group activities that educate attendees and initiate discussions on anti-Asian American hate and intersectional struggles across multiple communities of color. The ultimate goal of this conference is to inspire and engage AAPI youth to become catalysts for positive societal transformation.
With our YLI volunteers leading the way, this conference seeks to Ignite Diversity, Unleash Unity, Spark Change. Mark your calendars Saturday, April 27 for another historic day in Historic Filipinotown!
Cal State LA students and community members are welcome to participate.
- April 27, 10 AM – 5 PM
- SIPA HQ at HiFiCollective, 3200 W Temple St., STE 100, Los Angeles, CA 90026
- RSVP to the AAPI Youth Solidarity Conference
- Sign up to volunteer
Image and text description: orange flyer with red, blue, orange, green and pink circular shapes and information above.
