Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month: Multicultural Student Affairs

May is Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month, when the Northwestern community celebrates the diverse APIDA community on campus. The Northwestern APIDA community hosts a variety of speakers, events, shows, workshops, and performances throughout the month in addition to all the events hosted by Multicultural Student Affairs. Learn about MSA events below:

"To Be Brown and Gay in the USA" with Dr. Anthony Ocampo

Tuesday, May 2nd, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM, Zoom

Registration Link

Immigration, race, and LGBTQIA2+ rights have been headline issues in recent decades. Still, the experiences of individuals whose identities cut across all three issues have remained invisible to most. In this talk, Anthony Christian Ocampo, Ph.D., addresses the reasons behind invisibility and the struggles that LGBTQIA2+ people of color face in order to be seen, not just by the public but also by their immigrant families, ethnic communities and the mainstream gay community. Drawing on the experiences of Latino and Asian American gay men, Ocampo chronicles the creative strategies they employ to embrace their identities and create community, even while facing racism and homophobia in their everyday lives.

Ocampo is a professor of Sociology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is the author of “Brown and Gay in LA: The Lives of Immigrant Sons” and the “Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race,” featured on NPR, NBC News, Literary Hub, and the Los Angeles Times.

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized in partnership between Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Northwestern University, Center for Organizing Minority Program to Advance Student Success (COMPASS) Program at Oakton College, and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI) at Northeastern Illinois University.

APIDA Book Club Discussion - Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto

Thursday, May 4th, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Harris Hall L28

Back by popular demand! Due to student advocacy, Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) is excited to bring back the APIDA Book Club program. Over the winter quarter, APIDA students voted for their choice of book. Join MSA for an in-person discussion of the book Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto. Please contact APIDA Assistant Director, Rignesha at rprajapati@northwestern.edu for questions or concerns.

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized by the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Northwestern University.

APIDA Book Club Discussion - Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto

Thursday, May 9th, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Zoom

Registration Link

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized by the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Northwestern University.

Solidari-Tea: Skin Stories - Bodily Ritual and Art in APIDA Communities

Wednesday, May 10th 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM, Zoom

Registration Link

Join us for a virtual panel of Skin Stories: the things we inscribe on our bodies and the processes by which we do so can hold great meaning, so let’s talk about it! We have the honor of dialoguing with three artists and practitioners who have multifaceted and critical approaches to their skin-work, including moko, trauma-informed handpoking, and tattoo shamanism.

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized by the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Northwestern University.

Solidari-Tea: Gender Based Violence in Asian American Communities with KAN-WIN

Tuesday, May 16th, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Zoom

Registration Link

Come join us as we invite KAN-WIN for a presentation and dialogue on gender-based violence in Asian American communities. This presentation will focus on a timeline originally created by KAN-WIN interns Jessica Liu and Lillian Guo in 2019. The timeline details the ongoing history of Asian American involvement with movements to end domestic and sexual violence as well as the history behind said violence.

KAN-WIN is a community organization based in Chicago-land and aims to end gender-based violence with a focus on Asian women and girls. They do this through resources such as direct service, community education, organizing, youth engagement, and the creation of a 24-hour hotline.

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized in partnership between Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), KAN-WIN, SPEAK for Change, and the Center for Awareness, Response & Education (CARE) at Northwestern University.

APIDA Movie Night - Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Wednesday, May 17th, 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM, Tech Institute M345

Registration Link

Join us in the free screening of the biggest blockbuster movie of the year, Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).

Movie Synopsis:

A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.

Trailer:

Everything Everywhere All At Once | Official Trailer HD | A24

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized in partnership between Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Northwestern University.

Artistic Expression and Processing Emotion with Malin (@madebymalin)

Thursday, May 18th, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, Location TBD

Registration Link

Join us as we have the honor of inviting artist and digital creator Malin Uttamobol (@madebymalin):

“Hi friends! Join us for an exciting therapeutic art workshop designed to help you explore your creativity through artistic expression!

This is an excellent opportunity for you to work with various artistic mediums, tap into your inner world, and express yourself in a safe and supportive environment. Everyone is welcome – bring a friend or two! All materials will be provided for you, and no prior experience is required. Whether you're seeking personal growth, stress relief, or simply a fun time with friends, this workshop is definitely for you :)

Join us and discover the wonderful world of therapeutic art!”

To learn more about Malin, check out her website: https://madebymalin.com/pages/about

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized by the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Northwestern University.

APIDA Community Social

Tuesday, May 30th, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, MCC

Registration Link

Join Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) as we conclude the celebration of the APIDA Heritage Month. Drop by between 11am-1pm to pick up treats from local APIDA businesses and join us for a community conversation from 1-2pm. This will be an informal session where we will discuss what it means to be part of the APIDA community member at NU. There will be opportunity for people to share with us what event(s) they attended from the heritage month programming, what they liked/disliked about the event(s), and what they learned about the APIDA community from these events.

This program is part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month celebration organized by the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Northwestern University.

Asian Night Market

Friday, May 12th, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM, TenHoeve Center, Oakton College

This event is hosted by Everybody's Market and Oakton College. Learn more about the event via EventBrite.

Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/asian-night-market-tickets-537764858167

Umbrella Arts Festival

Saturday, May 13th, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Fountain Square, Downtown Evanston

This event is hosted by the Evanston Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American (ASPA) group. Learn more about the festival by visiting Evanston ASPA page.

Link: https://www.evanstonaspa.org/umbrella-arts-festival-2023