Past Campus Events

A few of the past campus events sponsored by the Institute for Asian American Studies include:

• Over twenty research forums on topics such as: South Asians in the Boston area; HIV/AIDS awareness among Asian American youth; eating disorders among Asian American women; institutional expansionism and environmental racism in Boston's Chinatown; and contemporary Asian American artists in New England.
• Panel discussions on being an Asian American elected official in Massachusetts, Asian Americans and race relations, and immigration issues.
• Gala dinner at the JFK Library to celebrate IAAS' fifth anniversary. Distinguished Achievement Awards were presented to Susan Weld, first Chair of the Massachusetts Asian American Commission; Vishakha Desai, Director of the Asia Society Galleries in New York; Angela Oh, activist and member of the Advisory Board to the President's Initiative on Race; and violinst, Lynn Chang. Awards of Appreciation were given to Peter Kiang, Professor of Education and Asian American Studies; and May and Tetsuo Takayanagi, community activists.
• Readings by poets and authors such as Gish Jen, Jade Ngoc Quang Huynh, Lan Samantha Chang, Marilyn Chin, Christian Langworthy, and Barbara Tran.
• A Community reception for the first Massachusetts Asian American Commisioner of Public Health, Dr. Howard Koh.
• Art exhibits at the Harbor Gallery and in the Healey Library featuring local Asian American artists such as Long Nguyen, Joanna Kao, Wen-ti Tsen, and Priti Darooka.
• Film showings such as Freida Lee Mock's Academy Award winning documentary, Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision for which the filmmaker was present.
• The development and installation of a cultural diversity mural in Wheatley whose design incorporates UMass Boston students' experiences.
• A multicultural drumming festival with Odaiko New England, Mezcla, and Baba Olatunji.
• Theatrical performances such as Breaking the Silence about the Japanese American internment experience.