The Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Asian American Resource Center (AARC) will host the 7th annual CelebrASIA on Saturday, May 1 at 11:00 AM. CelebrASIA is the AARC’s annual signature event that honors Asian Pacific American Heritage month in May. This year's theme is “Uniting Cultures” to celebrate and honor the diverse and multifaceted Asian Pacific American identities, histories and cultures.

“Our community is vast with so many cultures, countries of origin, languages spoken, ethnicities that the term ‘Asian Pacific American’ doesn’t capture all of these identities and complexities,” reflects Sona Shah, Culture & Arts Education Manager at the AARC. “Under this theme of ‘Uniting Cultures,’ we hope to show solidarity with the different communities that fall under ‘Asian Pacific American’ but also highlight the shared histories and struggles with other communities of color.”

CelebrASIA’s first segment is a live virtual game show, hosted by Y’all We Asian’s Minda Wei. Teams will compete in a game of Asian Pacific American history trivia for the top prize: a basket of goodies from local businesses.

The celebration will continue with a virtual fashion show and musical performances MC’d by Betty Soo, a local singer and songwriter. 

“This past year has been difficult especially for communities of color. In our Asian Pacific American community we are experiencing collective racial trauma from the increase in anti-Asian violence this last year,” says Shah.

For the AARC and Austin’s Asian Pacific American community, CelebrASIA is an opportunity to not only celebrate cultures and heritage, but also support and uplift each other through tumultuous times.

You can watch this year’s CelebrASIA livestream on the AARC’s Facebook as well as Austin Parks and Recreation’s Facebook and YouTube. In the meantime, RSVP via the Facebook event page to stay up to date.

For more information, visit AustinTexas.gov/AARC

About the Asian American Resource Center
The mission of the AARC is to provide spaces, services, resources, and programs through an Asian American Pacific Islander perspective. The vision is to empower Austin's diverse communities through cultural understanding and life-enhancing opportunities. The AARC offers programs for youth, adult, senior citizens, and ongoing exhibits. The facility is temporarily closed, but continues to offer a variety of digital programming.