Asian American / Asian Research Institute

Trans Caribbean: Queer and Trans Arts, Rights, and Activism
2026-02-13 11:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | NYU Espacio de Culturas, 53 Washington Square S, New York, NY, 10012, United States
Co-organized by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) and The Latinx Project at NYU. Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality (CSGS), Hemispheric Institute, Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU, and the Center for the Study of Africa and the African Diaspora (CSAAD).

Genealogy Keynote Talk: Jessica Soho, Filipino Journalist
2026-02-13 10:00 - 10:30 | NY
Jessica Soho is the most celebrated and most-awarded Filipino broadcast journalist in the Philippines.  Born on March 27,1964 and proudly Ilocano, she has forged an indelible legacy in the field of journalism.
Celebrating her 40th year in the Philippine broadcast industry, oho has built a remarkable career marked by unparalleled achievements and widespread recognition both nationally and internationally. She made history as the first Filipino to win the esteemed GeorgeFoster Peabody Award, and is a two-time recipient—first in 1999 for her documentaries Kamao and Kidneys for Sale, and again in 2014 for her in- depth coverage of the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban.
She also became the first Filipino to be nominated for—and to win at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, and has been inducted into the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards Hall of Fame, having been named “Most Trusted TV Host for News and Current Affairs” for 13 consecutive years.
Soho holds the distinction of being the first alumna of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication to receive the prestigious Gawad Plaridel Award for Journalism.
A highly recognizable figure on Philippine television, Soho began her journalism career  in 1988 as a news reporter. She rose to become the First Vice President for News Programs at GMA News, playing a pivotal role in elevating the network to its position as the Philippines’ most trusted and dominant news organization, until her retirement in GMA News in 2014.
Known for her compelling storytelling and steadfast commitment to journalistic integrity, Soho continues to be a defining voice in Philippine media. She currently hosts Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho – GMA Network’s highest-rated, most-awarded, and the Philippines’ No. 1 television show in 2024.
Her body of work spans investigative reporting, human interest features, and coverage of landmark events. With empathy, insight, and an unwavering dedication to  truth, Jessica Soho remains a pillar of credibility and excellence in journalism.

K-Pop Fandom: Performing Deokhu from the 1990s to Today
2026-02-12 18:30 - 20:00 | The Korea Society, 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor, NY, 10017, United States
In this lecture, Areum Jeong will explore the phenomenon of performing deokhu—a Korean term connoting an “avid fan”—and the cultural significance and meaning of K-pop fan practices with a nuanced examination of contemporary audience power.

MOCA Lunar New Year Mixer: Year of the Horse Celebration
2026-02-12 18:00 - 21:00 | Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
Gallop into the Lunar New Year at the Museum of Chinese in America with an energizing evening of culture, community, and good fortune in celebration of the Year of the Horse. This mixer is the perfect opportunity to gather friends, meet new faces, and enjoy a night of joyful connection.

Voting Rights 101 & Bridging Gaps in Community Participation
2026-02-12 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
Join us for this critical discussion exploring the importance of voting rights and inclusive civic engagement, especially in this pivotal election year. Learn from leading experts about the barriers South Asians and other communities face in accessing the ballot box, and discover strategies to bridge gaps in participation. Together, we’ll discuss actionable steps to ensure every voice is heard and every vote counts.

Teaching AAPI Studies K-8: Celebrating the Diversity of Lunar New Year
2026-02-12 16:00 - 18:00 | NY
Lunar New Year is a time of celebration for millions across the world! Join us to learn about the diversity of experiences that come along with this joyous holiday, the history of Lunar New Year in the United States, and how we can bring these experiences into the K-8 classroom! The lesson plans provided will be geared toward grades K-8.

National APA Museum Commission - New York Regional Convening and Listening Session
2026-02-12 15:30 - 17:00 | New York University – Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY, 10012
Please join us in NYC to share your input on what a future national Asian Pacific American museum could look like.

The National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission is continuing its listening tour across the country and will be in NYC next! We invite anyone interested in learning more about the work of the Commission—including community leaders, academic professionals, and youth—to join us and share your input on what a future National Asian Pacific American Museum could look like. Learn more at www.nationalapamuseum.org.
This event is closed press. Registration is required to attend.

Exploring Diaspora Dreams and Everyday Life
2026-02-12 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
This session will give an overview of the rich and nationally recognised archives held at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre. We will explore the value of community-generated archives and how they can give often-ignored or unheard communities a powerful archival presence and voice. Professor Sadiah Qureshi will discuss the value of archives like these from her perspective as an academic and historian researching the everyday lives of South Asian diaspora communities in the UK.

Lunar New Year: An Entry Point Into AAPI Studies
2026-02-12 10:00 - 11:00 | NY
Register here for an AAPI studies workshop from the Teacher Center. Lunar New Year is a time of celebration for millions across the world! Join us to learn about the diversity of experiences that come along with this joyous holiday and the history of Lunar New Year in the United States. The lesson plans provided will be geared toward grades K-8.

Korea on Stage New York
2026-02-12 - 2026-02-14 | Korean Cultural Center NY, 122 E 32nd St, New York, NY, 10016
Korean traditional patterns contain wisdom that inscribes the principles of harmony and coexistence found in nature, seeking to understand ideal aspirations with humanistic depth. The exhibition’s representative work, the gold-leaf Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido, bestows a sense of the most noble and splendid eternity beyond that of a mere astronomical chart depicting the constellations of the sky.

Serica Storytellers: Japanese Tanka Poets
2026-02-11 19:00 - 20:00 | NY
In honor of the Japanese Day of Remembrance on February 19, Serica Storytellers presents an intimate virtual conversation on “By the Shore of Lake Michigan”, the award-winning translation of a 1960 collection of Japanese tanka poetry written by Tomiko and Ryokuyō Matsumoto — a first-generation (Issei) Japanese American couple forcibly incarcerated at the Heart Mountain prison camp during World War II and later resettled in Chicago. Translated and edited by the poets’ granddaughter and a team of scholars, this collection represents a rare first-generation point of view. Through the tanka form — one of the oldest styles of Japanese poetry — the Matsumotos document 17 years of upheaval, displacement, grief, resilience, and rebuilding in the shadow of incarceration. This Serica Storytellers event brings together the book’s editor, translators, and contributing scholar to discuss Japanese-language writing from WWII, the cultural significance of tanka, and the work of recovering erased histories for future generations.

MOCA TALKS with Heather Guo: Cheongsam as Modern Icon
2026-02-11 18:30 - 19:30 | Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
Presented during New York Fashion Week, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) invites you to an evening exploring the cheongsam, also known as the qipao, as a powerful symbol of modernity, femininity, and cultural exchange. Fashion curator and designer Heather Guo will trace how this iconic garment evolved during a period of profound social, political, and aesthetic transformation, as Chinese women navigated new ideas of identity, cosmopolitanism, and self expression at home and abroad.

The Future of the United Nations: Navigating Geopolitical Strain and Institutional Uncertainty
2026-02-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers Street, New York, NY, 10007
A high-level discussion on the future of the United Nations at a moment of profound geopolitical strain and institutional uncertainty. The conversation will bring together current Permanent Representatives and former senior UN officials to examine both the prospects and constraints of meaningful Security Council reform.

Claypot Rice: A Taste & Talk Workshop w/ Jon Kung
2026-02-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Think!Chinatown Studio, 1 Pike Street, New York, NY, 10002
Think!Chinatown is excited to welcome Chinese-American chef Jon Kung to our kitchen studio for a cooking demo! Learn how to make the iconic Cantonese dish, Taro and Black Bean Spare Rib Claypot Rice with chef Jon Kung. This hearty dish is great for family meals in the winter and could be a new addition to your LNY celebrations.
T!C Kitchen Programs Lead, Anna Ye, will chat with Jon about claypot rice, the traditions around the dish, and Chinatown neighborhood shops to buy ingredients for claypot rice.
After the session, we’ll send you off to our favorite claypot rice spots in the neighborhood for a Chinatown dinner.

William Pao and Nobel Laureate Harold Varmus Fireside Chat
2026-02-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Cushman & Wakefield New York City, 1290 6th Avenue, Manhattan, NY, 10104, United States
Presented by: Yale Life Sciences Alumni Association | Association of Asian American Yale Alumni |Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance

Breakthrough, by William Pao, MD, PhD
‘A must read.’ Siddhartha Mukherjee, bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies
What does it take to create a new medicine? The trajectory from laboratory to your neighbourhood pharmacy rarely runs smooth. Drug hunting demands radical leaps of imagination, the expertise of many… and a hefty dollop of luck. Unsurprisingly, ‘eureka’ moments come few and far between – but, when they do, they change lives.
Charting the discovery of eight revolutionary drugs, Dr William Pao cuts to the innovative heart of biomedical research and celebrates the tireless work of the scientists, doctors, patients and families fighting for better medical care. For each of these medicines, whether a potentially life-saving new treatment for cancer, or something as commonplace as paracetamol, there stands a cast of characters and a wealth of stories. Documenting these fascinating journeys, Breakthrough grants a privileged, behind-the-scenes look at the medicines that improve – and very often save – our lives.
Foreword by Nobel Prize-Winner Harold Varmus

Committee of 100 Conversations – Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes - BD Wong
2026-02-11 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
We are pleased to invite you to attend the tenth Committee of 100 Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” event on that will feature BD Wong, the famed and versatile American actor and activist.

Learning Lab: Narrative Change for Racial Equity
2026-02-11 13:00 - 16:00 | NY
The stories we tell, the perceptions that take root in our minds, and the clichés we repeat all play a significant role in shaping our worldviews and, ultimately, the policies, practices and systems we support. Together, we can have the narrative power to imagine and bring forth a just, multiracial democracy where we all have what we need to ensure our families and neighbors thrive.
Over the past 60 years, there has been a coordinated, well-resourced effort by people and organizations, who desire to maintain power and wealth for a few, to popularize a set of harmful narratives that foster fear and division, limit democracy, and institutionalize racial inequities. In recent years, we have witnessed attacks on our bodies, attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools and workplaces, and attacks on our human, civil, and political rights. But, these attacks do not have to determine our fate; we can live in a society where we, along with our neighbors and government institutions, make collective policy decisions, co-create programs to meet community needs, and ensure public policies and programs are implemented effectively and fairly.
To make our vision of a just, multiracial democracy a reality, we must seed and spread new narratives that show what is possible when we join together to end systemic racism and create a better future for all. We do this, together, by reaching millions of different people, over time, across many voices, and across a variety of mediums.
This is what we call “narrative change”.

Putting the ‘Rec’ Back in NYC Parks and Recreation
2026-02-11 08:00 - 11:00 | The Greene Space, 44 Charlton St, New York, NY
For decades, NYC Parks was known as the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and recreation once accounted for nearly one-third of the agency’s budget. Today, most New Yorkers think of the agency primarily as steward of the city’s public parks, while recreation represents barely 5 percent of its expense budget—and years of underinvestment have left the system struggling to realize its full potential, with fewer programs than before the pandemic, staffing shortages, and aging rec centers, field houses, pools, and athletic facilities in need of major upgrades and expansion to meet demand. With New Yorkers spending more time indoors and struggling with health challenges—from obesity to social isolation—it may be time to put the Rec back in Parks & Rec.

Golden Blessings: Discovering Korean Cultural Heritage
2026-02-11 - 2026-02-14 | Korean Cultural Center NY, 122 E 32nd St, New York, NY, 10016
Presented for Seollal, Korea’s Lunar New Year, this program highlights the richness of Korean cultural heritage.

Korean Through K-Pop Workshop
2026-02-10 19:30 - 21:30 | NY
Dive into the K-pop songs as authentic materials to learn Korean grammar, expressions, and culture. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we will explore love-themed songs and talk about dating culture in Korea. Lyrics will guide us in uncovering everyday language, cultural references, and advanced grammar patterns.

Book event: Patmeena Sabit: Good People with Prachi Gupta (Hybrid)
2026-02-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Books Are Magic Montague, 122 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201
Event guidelines:

Each ticket will include either a copy of the featured book or a $10 Books Are Magic gift card.
Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.
A signing will follow the talk.
Home address is collected for contact tracing purposes; it will not be used otherwise.
The event will also be livestreamed for free here: https://youtube.com/live/18pKigEfvV8
As a reminder: If you are not feeling well, please do not come to the event, even if you have a ticket; email us and we’ll work it out.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines or to request accessibility accommodations, please contact eventhelp@booksaremagic.net.

Zorah Sharaf could do no wrong. Zorah Sharaf brought shame upon her family. What’s the truth? Depends on who you ask.
The Sharaf family is the picture of success. Prosperous, rich, happy. They came to this country as refugees with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. And now, after years of hard work, they live in the most exclusive neighborhood, their growing family attending the most prestigious schools. Zorah, the eldest daughter, is the apple of her father’s eye.
When an unthinkable tragedy strikes, everyone is left reeling and the family is thrust into the court of public opinion. There is talk that behind closed doors the Sharafs’ happy household was anything but. Did the Sharaf family achieve the American dream? Or was the image of the model immigrant family just a façade?
Like a literary game of ping-pong, Good People compels the reader to reconsider what might have happened even on the previous page. Told through a kaleidoscope of perspectives, it is a riveting, provocative, and haunting story of family—sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, and the communities that claim us as family in difficult times.

Patmeena Sabit was born in Kabul a few years after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. When she was a month old, her family fled the conflict and became refugees in Pakistan, joining the millions of other Afghans that had sought refuge there. They later moved to the United States and she grew up in Virginia. She currently lives in Toronto.

Prachi Gupta is an award-winning journalist and former senior reporter at Jezebel. They Called Us Exceptional was longlisted for a PEN/Open Book Award. She won a Writers Guild Award for her investigative essay “Stories About My Brother.” Her work was featured in The Best American Magazine Writing 2021 and has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post Magazine, Marie Claire, Salon, Elle, and elsewhere. She lives in New York City.

Luck and Romance in the Year of the Horse
2026-02-10 18:30 - 21:00 | NY
To celebrate both Lunar New Year and Valentines Day, Potluck Asian America invites you to a special, intimate conversation with Joanna Lee and Ken Smith, who will present their Pocket Chinese Almanac, a must-have treasure trove of Chinese cultural knowledge. Joanna and Ken will discuss the centuries-old traditions of the Almanac as well as predictions for the year of the horse, which symbolizes vitality, freedom, speed, and perseverance. Find out what might lie ahead regarding romance, peace, and prosperity in the coming year!
The evening includes a buffet dinner, a copy of the 2026 Pocket Chinese Almanac, and lots of good vibes!

ICE Brutality: State Violence and the Machinery of Fear
2026-02-10 18:30 - 20:30 | 47-49 E65th Street
Roosevelt House is pleased to present an urgent, timely panel discussion–co-hosted by both the Roosevelt House Policy Program and the Roosevelvet House Human Rights Program-on the rapid expansion of immigration enforcement and its consequences for cities across the country.

State of AANHPI Charitable Giving
2026-02-10 15:00 - 17:00 | NY
Join AAPI Data, AAPIP, Asian Pacific Community Fund, Asian Pacific Fund, and Korean American Community Foundation for this funder briefing on the State of AANHPI Charitable Giving.
This briefing will share the latest insights from the most comprehensive survey sample of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, administered by AAPI Data and AP-NORC. Specific findings will include the reasons why AANHPIs choose to give to charitable causes, demographics, and what the future of giving will look like for the coming generations.

Navigating Uncertainty & Building Confidence: Part I
2026-02-10 15:00 - 16:30 | Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10065
There is so much we are all juggling -schoolwork, jobs, family, friends, and the state of the world. Oftentimes, we don’t always know for sure what is going to happen to that assignment, that internship application, our family member’s health, or even our own neighborhood or home countries. How do we deal with how scary the uncertainty can be? And how do we build confidence in ourselves despite not always being perfect and sometimes just not totally knowing what will happen? In this two part series, we will address these questions.
In Part I, we will hear from an intergenerational and multi-cultural panel about their experiences and strategies for dealing with uncertainty.
This program is open to Hunter College students of all identities and backgrounds. Attendance at both events is not required to sign up.

Naoko Tosa: Sound of Ikebana—Four Seasons Fashion Show
2026-02-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Timed during New York Fashion Week, Japan Society hosts Japanese new media artist Naoko Tosa for her Sound of Ikebana / Four Seasons fashion show.
The fashion show consists of four segments, each themed around one of the four seasons. Using Tosa’s art, it showcases expressions of Japan’s traditional seasons and how they merge with Western interpretations.

Storied Women: Asian American Playwrights in Conversation
2026-02-09 18:30 - 20:00 | 725 Park Avenue, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021, United States
New York City welcomes a bountiful gathering of Off-Broadway stage productions this Spring, focusing on sisterhood, motherhood, and family: Chinese Republicans (Alex Lin, Roundabout Theatre), Meat Suit (Aya Ogawa, Second Stage Theater), and JESA (Jeena Yi, Ma-Yi Theater in residence at the Public Theater), among others. This panel discussion, moderated by Carolina Đỗ, celebrates talent, community and hard work, delving deep into fascinating tales of Asian America and the creative minds and lives behind them.
This program is presented by Asia Society in association with the Asian American Arts Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening Asian American artists and cultural groups through resource sharing, promotion, and community building.

International Migration Studies MA Program Virtual Open House
2026-02-09 18:00 - 19:30 | NY
Join us for the Virtual Open House of the M.A. Program in International Migration Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City—an opportunity to explore how migration shapes societies, cities, and policies around the world.

NYC Council Lunar New Year Celebration 2026
2026-02-09 17:30 - 20:00 | City Hall Council Chambers, City Hall, New York, NY, 10007
Join Speaker Julie Menin and the New York City Council for a festive celebration of the Lunar New Year as we welcome the Year of the Horse. This event is hosted in collaboration with Council Members Susan Zhuang, Sandra Ung, Julie Won, Linda Lee, Phil Wong, and Shekar Krishnan, along with numerous other council colleagues and the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus.

An Urgent Talk on Origins of ICE and Mass Deportation
2026-02-09 16:00 - 18:00 | NY
Where did ICE and mass deportation come from? Join us for an urgent talk on this by the eminent historian of immigration, Columbia University’s own Mae Ngai, Lung Family Professor of Asian-American Studies and History and prize-winning author of multiple books on the topic. The talk is at 4 PM EST, February 9th, Monday. To register, use the QR code in poster below or click the link below:
Register: https://tinyurl.com/ngai2026
