Brookline Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Day Celebration

Join us for the inaugural and historic Brookline Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Day Celebration, featuring BAAFN’s 8th Asian American Student Essay Contest Award Ceremony. 

This first of what will be an annual celebration, started with a wish for the Town of Brookline, to come together to recognize and celebrate the month of May as AAPI Heritage Month and uplift the rich and diverse stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. 

May 20th, 2023

2PM - 3:30PM

Free to the public but reservations are required.

Presented by:

BAAFN (Brookline Asian American Family Network)

Town of Brookline

Public Schools of Brookline

Public Library of Brookline

Featuring:

• Flute Duet: Jiayi Guo – Huluzi, Jane Wang – Dizi

• Guest Speaker Vincent Po, Photographer & Chronicler: Portrait of a Young Couple – Stories of Life and Love. Unvarnished. Unabridged.
• BAAFN’s 8th Asian American Student Essay Contest Awards on the theme: What It Means to Be an Asian American. Featuring 2023 Essay Laureates:
• • BAAFN Award: Soomin Lee – Rice Cake
  • BAAFN Award: Kalina Brookfield - Rediscovered Memories
  • Creativity Award: John Watson – Walking on Shattered Glass
  • Content Award: Tina Li – Why Do I Hate Wearing Red Clothes?
  • Emerging Writer Award: Lila Yoon – Joy is Resistance
• Keynote Speaker Grace Talusan – Author, The Body Papers

Winner of the Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing; 

Winner of the Massachusetts Book Prize in Nonfiction; 

Currently teaching Nonfiction Writing Program at Brown University

• Guest Speaker Karen Tran – TikTok Entrepreneur – tinyfeltedjoy.com - Adding a little joy to the world!

This event is generously sponsored by BAB Korean Bistro, BIG/Brookline Interactive Group, Boston Portfolio Advisers, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline Community Foundation, Faithful Flowers, GEICO, John Hodgman & Adele Pike, Mint Julep, PAO Arts Center/BCNC, Pho Viet’s Vietnamese Restaurant, Robert Guen DMD & Associates, Sanela Salon, Sheri Flagler, and Susan Park/Children’s Author

Access the full May 20th program, click: Brookline AAPI Day Program