AAPI Heritage Celebration at Upper Dublin Public Library
Isabella Xie, Student Journalist, Upper Dublin High School
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On Saturday, May 20th, people from all different backgrounds gathered at the Upper Dublin Public Library to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The event started with the National Anthem, courtesy of the talented Upper Dublin High School Sophisticated Strings. This was followed by an engaging panel discussion on various themes topical to the AAPI community, including career choices, advocacy, civic engagement, and leadership. On the panel were a number of distinguished speakers, including Upper Dublin Superintendent Dr. Steven Yanni; Ms. Stephanie Sun, the Executive Director of former Governor Tom Wolf's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs; Dr. Girija Kaimal, an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Human Development and Health Administration at Drexel University; Mr. Joe Antonio, Vice President of the Wissahickon School Board; Ms. Michelle Antonio, a career coach and consultant as well as an alumna of and former MBA Career Management Director at the Wharton School of UPENN; and Ms. Tiffany Liu, an accomplished Wissahickon High school student leader. The moderator was Peter Hu, a graduate from Upper Dublin High School and currently a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh. The discussions that emerged covered topics such as combating stereotypes, promoting self-actualization, speaking up when things are wrong, and building a supportive community. An important topic brought up was the model minority myth, which not only places unrealistic expectations on a general group of people that can prevent them from achieving self-actualization, but also functions as a pernicious wedge to divide minority groups and prevent them from connecting over greater shared experiences.
After the panel discussion, guests were treated to vivid demonstrations and a number of stations featuring activities which they could learn about and participate in. These activities included Chinese painting, papercutting, Chinese chess and Go, an AAPI history exhibit, interactive games testing AAPI knowledge, and even an opportunity to try on traditional Asian clothing. The Make Us Visible (MUV) PA group, part of a nationwide initiative to include accurate information about AAPI history and cultures in school curriculum, also contributed a booth. Student and family guests were invited to test their Asian American history knowledge, explore coloring pages of different AAPI historical figures, and write to state legislators with MUV PA’s postcard campaign.
During the event, student volunteers from the Upper Dublin High School Asian Students’ Association served food to hungry guests, providing a seamless lunch experience with dishes contributed by community members and purchased from local Asian restaurants. The Sophisticated Strings provided a soothing backdrop of music featuring a diverse selection of AAPI traditional songs and modern artists.
The climax of the event consisted of a lively Chinese dragon dance by Guanghua Chinese School and an enthralling Korean drum performance by the Korean Culture Ministry (KCM) at Yuong Sang Presbyterian Church, during which mesmerized visitors took to the grand staircase and second-floor balconies to experience the splendor. When taking their bows, the performers received standing ovations.
In total, the AAPI celebration event was a rousing success, as people from different backgrounds came together to celebrate diversity, heritage, and historical contributions through talks, activities, food and performances. Such activities and ongoing conversations will surely foster understanding, unity, and growth within and across our community. They will empower us to take meaningful actions toward positive change.
This event was sponsored and coordinated by Upper Dublin Chinese American Association (UDCA), in collaboration with Upper Dublin Public Library (UDPL), UDSD Asian American Students and Families Committee (AASF) & UDHS Asian Students’ Association (ASA), Guanghua Chinese School (GHCS) & Great Philadelphia Chinese Cultural Center (GPCCC), and the Chinese parent group from the Wissahickon School District (WSD).
Click Here for a list of volunteers. Click Here for the Program of the event.
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AAPI Heritage Celebration at Upper Dublin Public Library
Author
Isabella Xie, Student Journalist, Upper Dublin High School
On Saturday, May 20th, people from all different backgrounds gathered at the Upper Dublin Public Library to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The event started with the National Anthem, courtesy of the talented Upper Dublin High School Sophisticated Strings. This was followed by an engaging panel discussion on various themes topical to the AAPI community, including career choices, advocacy, civic engagement, and leadership. On the panel were a number of distinguished speakers, including Upper Dublin Superintendent Dr. Steven Yanni; Ms. Stephanie Sun, the Executive Director of former Governor Tom Wolf's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs; Dr. Girija Kaimal, an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Human Development and Health Administration at Drexel University; Mr. Joe Antonio, Vice President of the Wissahickon School Board; Ms. Michelle Antonio, a career coach and consultant as well as an alumna of and former MBA Career Management Director at the Wharton School of UPENN; and Ms. Tiffany Liu, an accomplished Wissahickon High school student leader. The moderator was Peter Hu, a graduate from Upper Dublin High School and currently a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh. The discussions that emerged covered topics such as combating stereotypes, promoting self-actualization, speaking up when things are wrong, and building a supportive community. An important topic brought up was the model minority myth, which not only places unrealistic expectations on a general group of people that can prevent them from achieving self-actualization, but also functions as a pernicious wedge to divide minority groups and prevent them from connecting over greater shared experiences.
After the panel discussion, guests were treated to vivid demonstrations and a number of stations featuring activities which they could learn about and participate in. These activities included Chinese painting, papercutting, Chinese chess and Go, an AAPI history exhibit, interactive games testing AAPI knowledge, and even an opportunity to try on traditional Asian clothing. The Make Us Visible (MUV) PA group, part of a nationwide initiative to include accurate information about AAPI history and cultures in school curriculum, also contributed a booth. Student and family guests were invited to test their Asian American history knowledge, explore coloring pages of different AAPI historical figures, and write to state legislators with MUV PA’s postcard campaign.
During the event, student volunteers from the Upper Dublin High School Asian Students’ Association served food to hungry guests, providing a seamless lunch experience with dishes contributed by community members and purchased from local Asian restaurants. The Sophisticated Strings provided a soothing backdrop of music featuring a diverse selection of AAPI traditional songs and modern artists.
The climax of the event consisted of a lively Chinese dragon dance by Guanghua Chinese School and an enthralling Korean drum performance by the Korean Culture Ministry (KCM) at Yuong Sang Presbyterian Church, during which mesmerized visitors took to the grand staircase and second-floor balconies to experience the splendor. When taking their bows, the performers received standing ovations.
In total, the AAPI celebration event was a rousing success, as people from different backgrounds came together to celebrate diversity, heritage, and historical contributions through talks, activities, food and performances. Such activities and ongoing conversations will surely foster understanding, unity, and growth within and across our community. They will empower us to take meaningful actions toward positive change.
This event was sponsored and coordinated by Upper Dublin Chinese American Association (UDCA), in collaboration with Upper Dublin Public Library (UDPL), UDSD Asian American Students and Families Committee (AASF) & UDHS Asian Students’ Association (ASA), Guanghua Chinese School (GHCS) & Great Philadelphia Chinese Cultural Center (GPCCC), and the Chinese parent group from the Wissahickon School District (WSD).
Click Here for a list of volunteers. Click Here for the Program of the event.