Asian American / Asian Research Institute

Balancing Work & Life, the Asian Way
2025-09-05 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | NY
The Asian American Mentorship Providing Opportunities to Women for Empowerment and Resilience (AAMPOWER) at CUNY invites you to join us at our next workshop on practical strategies to help you manage professional responsibilities while nurturing your personal well-being.

Ai Weiwei + Orville Schell: Ai Weiwei Handbook
2025-09-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway 3rd Floor, Rare Book Room, New York, NY, 10003
Join us for a launch event with contemporary artist and activist Ai Weiwei, discussing his new book, Ai Weiwei Handbook, the latest volume in the new series from No More Rulers. Joining Ai in conversation is Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society Orville Schell. This event will be hosted in the Strand Book Store’s 3rd-floor Rare Book Room at 828 Broadway on 12th Street.

Our Journeys: 50 Years After the Fall, a traveling exhibition - Opening Preview & Celebration
2025-09-06 14:30 - 18:00 | Think!Chinatown Studio, 1 Pike Street, New York, NY, 10002
Vietnamese Boat People (VBP) is honored to present Our Journeys: 50 Years After the Fall, a traveling exhibition debuting in New York City in September 2025 at Think!Chinatown’s Studio.
Our Journeys is a curated multimedia experience, inspired by the interviews and content generated by the Vietnamese Boat People podcast and programs. It is developed around the core concept that a story passed down is a gift—something given to another with intention and without obligation. For a community whose stories have often been told by others, this exhibit centers the voices of the Vietnamese diaspora, reclaiming the narrative through personal stories, photographs, multimedia displays, and video essays. Visitors will be immersed in the resilience, legacy, and diversity of our community’s lived experiences.
Exhibition Preview | 2:30–4:00 PM
Think!Chinatown Studios | 1 Pike Street, NYC
Reception | 4:00–6:00 PM
DCTV | 87 Lafayette Street, NYC
Exhibition: September 7 to 28, 2025

MOCA TALKS with Dr. Robin T. W. Yuan – Red Bishop
2025-09-06 15:00 - 17:00 | Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia cordially invite you to a conversation with Dr. Robin T.W. Yuan, renowned plastic surgeon and author of his debut novel Red Bishop. Drawing on his family history as the grandson of the last Anglican bishop in China, Dr. Yuan traces a journey across generations and geographies to explore faith, identity, and the forces that shaped modern China.

Theater: Case 84: Adopted in the U.S.A.
2025-09-06 16:00 - 17:30 | Caveat, 21 A Clinton St, New York, NY, 10002, United States
New York City based storyteller, comedian, and AAPI activist Edward Yoo Pokropski has been touring, Case 84: Adopted in the U.S.A. around the U.S. for the past three years. A comedy show meets a TED Talk, Case 84 sheds light on the underrepresented experience of adoptees. Over the course of an hour and aided by visuals ranging from family photos to images of Superman, Edward answers all the questions he gets about being adopted.

Secrets of Publishing: A Conversation with Literary Agents, Editors, and Authors
2025-09-08 08:00 - 17:00 | P&T Knitwear Books & Podcasts, 180 Orchard Street, New York, NY, 10002
P&T Knitwear, in conjunction with PEN America, is pleased to welcome back award-winning author Susan Shapiro for a panel discussion of insider tips and tricks for navigating the publishing world! Shapiro will be joined in conversation by author-editor Miya Lee (New York Times Modern Love), author and literary agent Alia Hannah Habib, editors Paul Whitlach (Penguin Random House) and Rachel Kahan (Harper Collins), vice-president and publisher of Legacy Lit Krishan Trotman, and author-and-teacher Rob Cameron.

Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano (Exhibition Opening)
2025-09-08 11:00 - 18:00 | Magazzino Italian Art, 2700 Route 9, Cold Spring, NY, 10516
Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano, showcases the work of Yoichi Ohira (1946–2022), the Japanese-born artist who became a leading figure in designing Venetian glassworks on the island of Murano, Italy. His works—often vessels and sculptural forms—feature exquisite craftsmanship, rich colors, and intricate surface treatments inspired by nature, calligraphy, and Japanese lacquerware. By blending Murano’s technical mastery with refined, minimal sensibilities, Ohira created glass art that is both opulent and meditative. The exhibition (Sept 8, 2025 to March 23, 2026) will include approximately 60 works that showcase his masterful ability to blend Japanese influences with Italian traditions and his longstanding interest in abstracting from natural forms.

Smart Strategies for the Civic Holidays: Plan, Partner, Activate with Limited Time & Resources
2025-09-08 13:00 - 14:00 | NY
Mobilizing your community to register, get educated, and turn out to vote can be a lot of work, and we know not all of our partners have extensive time and funding to put on extravagant events. National Voter Education Week and Vote Early Day have teamed up to give you a training session that will help teams with limited capacity and resources plan and execute effective activations for the Civic Holidays!

Conversations – “Recollections, Pioneers and Heroes” Featuring Janet Yang
2025-09-08 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
We are pleased to invite you to attend Committee of 100’s Conversations—”Recollections, Pioneers, and Heroes” featuring Janet Yang, a pioneer in film and entertainment and a Committee of 100 Member.
Janet Yang is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Hollywood producer, the former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a keynote speaker, and a trailblazer and advocate for the AAPI community. She came to prominence through her collaboration with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun, followed by partnerships with Oliver Stone and Lisa Henson. Her extensive Film and TV credits include The Joy Luck Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Shanghai Calling, and High Crimes. She is a member of the Committee of 100.

disOrientalism Part 8: Godzilla v. The Karens
2025-09-08 19:00 - 20:15 | Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY, 10003
A spectacular all-star show with the city’s most accomplished AAPI performers curated and hosted by New York’s original comedy dragon ladies – notorious comedienne/rapper Kate Siahaan-Rigg alongside child star-turned-Broadway-actress Olivia Oguma. Come be thrilled by the virtuostic skills of Jazz world fave Helen Sung, the comedy of rising star Julia Shiplett, original music by Broadway baby and new wave rocker Sam Poon, and the legendary spoken word/rock duo Slanty Eyed Mama. This program lasts about 75 minutes and is guaranteed to boost your immunity against boredom, inaction, xenophobia, orientalism, and bowl cuts.

Stand Against Hatred: The South Asian Community Pre and Post 9/11
2025-09-08 19:30 - 20:30 | NY
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, marked a turning point in American policies toward immigration, privacy, and the way South Asian Americans were perceived and treated. South Asian Americans faced an increase in hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents. Yet, they resisted and thrived. This workshop shares a few lesson plans on South Asian Americans, from the 1800s to the present day.
This workshop is free for educators and will take place virtually. It will be facilitated by Jayson Chang.

Ready, Set, GO! Last-minute planning for National Voter Registration Day
2025-09-09 13:00 - 14:00 | NY
National Voter Registration Day is just around the corner and in this last-minute planning webinar, we’re making sure you’re prepped for an AWESOME and exciting event! In this interactive webinar, we’ll cover everything you need to run a drive on National Voter Registration Day from how to set up your swag, to preparing your volunteers, to reviewing your resources. Need some motivation to get out there and register voters? We’ve got that too! As always, we’ll have Q&A time so you can ask questions about your planned events.

Jaipur Literature Festival
2025-09-09 16:00 - 22:00 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021
Celebrating books, ideas, and dialogue, the Jaipur Literature Festival — described as “the greatest literary show on Earth” — returns to New York in 2025, presenting a series of conversations and performances examining the human experience through the imaginations of some of the world’s leading authors, thinkers, and performers. A caravan of pre-eminent writers, essayists, commentators, and raconteurs is almost here to take you on a journey to worlds woven by words and ideas.

An Evening of Jeongga
2025-09-09 18:30 - 20:00 | The Korea Society, 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY, 10017
Step into the world of JeongGa (正歌), the refined vocal art once cherished by scholars and nobles of Joseon Dynasty. Join us for an evening of lyrical elegance with ALeum Lee‘s resonant voice, accompanied by WooSung Jung on DaeGeum (flute) and HeeJung Han on HaeGeum (string instrument). Lee will also share thoughtful reflections on the origins and evolution of GaGok, Korean lyric song cycles, offering personal and refreshing insights into the meaning of Korean traditional vocal music today.

Workshop on "Who Built America? Working People and the Nation’s History"
2025-09-10 12:15 - 13:30 | Queens College – Library (President’s Conference Room), 65-30 Kissena Blvd - QNS01 - RO525, Flushing, NY, 11367
Join us on September 10 at 12.15 pm in President’s Conference Room #1 (RO 527) for a workshop introducing Who Built America? Working People and the Nation’s History, a newly launched OER by the American Social History Project (ASHP). We’ll explore how this resource—featuring thousands of primary sources and supplemental materials—can support educators in teaching historical inquiry and primary-source analysis across the disciplines, from history and composition to U.S. literature, political science, art history, and beyond. The workshop will be led by ASHP’s Assistant Director for Digital Projects Dr. Stefano Morello and ASHP historian Dr. Carli Snyder.

Working with the Media & Leveraging Social Media
2025-09-10 14:00 - 15:00 | NY
Taking advantage of local media outlets and social media networks can dramatically increase your event’s visibility and impact. National Voter Education Week, Vote Early Day, and Election Hero Day will join for an interactive workshop that will teach you how to reach out to traditional media outlets, craft media pitches that will get noticed, and effectively use your social media network to promote your civic engagement celebrations. We’ll discuss actionable strategies you can use to amplify your voice, and resources that you can utilize to reach your community.

Hong Seon Jang | Minor Landscaping [Opening Reception]
2025-09-10 17:00 - 19:00 | The Korea Society, 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY, 10017
With his installations, Hong Seon Jang transforms industrial products and found objects in order to explore the usually recognizable surroundings. As their conventional function and values are reinterpreted, distorted, and subverted, Jang investigates opposing concepts and contrasting ideas, such as authority and subordination, internal and external dynamics, and the interplay between security and threat. Through his art, Jang invites viewers to re-examine how symbols acquire cultural and ideological significance, and how their meanings transform in displacement.

Metamorphosis: Chinese Imagination and Transformation - Conversation with Artists
2025-09-10 18:30 - 20:00 | China Institute, 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 10006
Celebrate the first day of the exhibition “Metamorphosis: Chinese Imagination and Transformation” with featured artists Bingyi, Fung Ming Chip, Sun Xun, Kelly Wang, and Zhang Jian-Jun, who will discuss how “metamorphosis” played a part in their works in the exhibition and their artistic practice. Among the projects highlighted are Sun Xun’s artist residency and the new commission of Bingyi’s Dream Chamber. Moderated by the exhibition curator, Dr. Susan L. Beningson.

Panel: Filmmaking Is Resistance
2025-09-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Brooklyn Community Pride Center, 1561 Bedford Ave, Suite Ground A, Brooklyn, NY, 11225
At this challenging time, what are new ways that film can be used to challenge the systems and ignite social change? What tools and resources are available to support filmmakers and activists doing this important work? Join us for a candid conversation with three filmmaker-activists, Kitty Hu, JT Takagi, and Brandon Smith, working at the intersection of media and movement-building.

Film Screening - 7 Days in September
2025-09-11 18:30 - 20:30 | NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 476 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10018
The documentary, publicly screened for the first time in many years, goes where news cameras didn’t to follow New Yorkers in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

NYPL 2025 Bronx Job Fair and Expo: Get Hired in Healthcare
2025-09-12 10:00 - 15:00 | Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY, 10458
Are you ready to start or grow your career in the healthcare industry? Join The New York Public Library’s Job Fair & Expo 2025—a FREE all-day event connecting you with hiring employers, career experts, and training opportunities in healthcare!

Papermoon Puppet Theatre: Puno, Sewing Memories (Premiere)
2025-09-12 19:30 - 21:00 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021
Compelling, bold, and aware, Indonesia’s Papermoon Puppet Theatre has transformed puppetry the way graphic novels changed comics.
How do we experience loss? How can we hold and appreciate what has been left to us? Puno, Sewing Memories is the story of Tala, a young girl who is coping with her father’s passing and learning about life and death.

Book Launch - Introducing Đàn Tranh Techniques & Expressions: Tablatures, Illustrations, Tales, and Songs
2025-09-13 11:00 - 14:00 | CPC One, 45 Suffolk Street, New York, NY, 10002
Mekong NYC is excited to host New York City’s first ever book launch of “Introducing Đàn Tranh Techniques & Expressions: Tablatures, Illustrations, Tales, and Songs.” Join us in a guided conversation with the authors, Anh Thu Phan and Ngo Thanh Nhan, and editor, Kim To!
Enjoy a performance of the songs featured in the book, hands on dan tranh playing, and light refreshments.

Dennis Lim Selects
2025-09-14 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021
Film critic, programmer, author and current Artistic Director of the New York Film Festival Dennis Lim joins us on the eve of the 63rd NYFF to present a guest selection of films that have shaped his sensibility, reflect his filmic philosophy, and illustrate his remarkable career.
2pm – Independencia
A screening and conversation with NYFF Artistic Director Dennis Lim featuring Raya Martin’s ‘Independencia’ on 35mm; preceded by Apichatpong Weerrasethakul’s ‘The Anthem’.
6pm – Eureka
Film critic, programmer, author and current NYFF Artistic Director Dennis Lim introduces the late Shinji Aoyama’s rarely screened opus ‘Eureka’ (2000).

AANHPI Theatre, Film, and Television Community Gathering
2025-09-15 16:30 - 19:00 | Signature Theatre, 480 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036
Calling all AANHPI creatives and arts administrators in theatre, television, and film—you’re invited to a joyful gathering at Signature Theatre hosted by Signature Resident Artist Lauren Yee and Signature Staff Member Gaven D. Trinidad.
Come through for free pizza, great vibes, and a chance to connect with fellow AANHPI artists and storytellers. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this is your space to build community, share stories, and maybe even find your next creative collaborator.

Writing City Nature, Writing the City Self: A Workshop with Rajiv Mohabir
2025-09-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW), 18 West 21st Street, Suite 900, New York, NY, 10010, United States
Writing about the environment is not the province of the rich, the country-dwelling, and the white poet. Asian American poets and writers have been expanding their ideas of the natural world to be expansive, including human-made structure and infrastructures as being natural. They write starting with where they are located. In this three-hour workshop you will explore place-based writing the environment in the natural world of New York City and how reflections of the self echo our own attitudes towards how we regard the “natural world.” Together, we will consider race, settler colonialism, capitalism, ecological collapse, and restoration as well as how poets have answered, re-answered, and rewritten the central questions of nature writing today. With this as a sigil, in our time together, you will draft at least one new poem or piece of short prose.

This Moment in Immigration: What’s at Stake and What Can Be Done
2025-09-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Center for Brooklyn History, 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11201
Across the country, migrants and refugees are living in fear as the nation confronts a pivotal moment in our history. Sweeping state-level restrictions along with drastic changes in national policies around asylum access, deportations, ICE raids, and detentions, have both intensified the debate over who is welcome in America and under what terms, and created unbearable circumstances for the millions living in the United States who must ask themselves on a daily basis – when I leave my home, will I return?
Join four leading voices on the frontlines of immigration advocacy, policy, journalism, and humanitarian response. Omar Jadwat, Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, has led landmark litigation to defend immigrant rights nationwide; Hans Van de Weerd, Senior Vice President for Resettlement, Asylum & Integration at the International Rescue Committee, oversees programs supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the U.S. and Europe; Murad Awawdeh, President & CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, brings decades of grassroots organizing and policy leadership; and Ethar El-Katatney, Editor-in-Chief of Documented, works to deliver essential news and information to immigrant communities.

Reparations and the Human
2025-09-15 18:30 - 20:00 | NY
Join us for a conversation about David L. Eng’s latest book, Reparations and the Human. Eng, Joan Wallach Scott, and Michelle Stephens will discuss reparations and human rights in the context of the Holocaust and the atomic bombings of Japan, and with particular attention to how reparation functions across both political and psychoanalytic theory. In the wake of catastrophe, how does the Transpacific in the Cold War era provide a limit case for the politics of repair and definitions of the human? Who can be recognized as victims, who must be seen as perpetrators, and who deserves repair?

Cementing the Quad: Power, Partnership, and Regional Purpose
2025-09-16 09:30 - 22:30 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021
As Quad leaders prepare to convene in India this Fall, the Indo-Pacific finds itself at a moment of strategic flux. From the Pacific Islands to South Asia and Southeast Asia, regional actors are increasingly wary about how their security, development, technology, and climate needs and priorities are being addressed within an evolving and uncertain geopolitical landscape. As the Quad navigates growing expectations and each member manages complex bilateral relations with the United States and China, key questions persist: Can the Quad sustain its momentum amid shifting foreign policy headwinds? What will keep the United States committed? And more importantly, how can the Quad evolve into a durable framework for not just the member countries to work together and progress on shared interests but also ensure wider, inclusive regional cooperation?
This panel will not only delve into regional perceptions but also assess the evolving role of the Quad and its future trajectory amid bilateral tensions, U.S. policy shifts, and changing geopolitical dynamics. Speakers include Danny Russel, Distinguished Fellow, Asia Society Policy Institute; Masafumi Ishii, former Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia; Nishank Motwani, Senior Fellow and Director Alliance Strategy, Australian Strategic Policy Institute; and Farwa Aamer, Director for South Asia Initiatives, Asia Society Policy Institute. Emma Chanlett-Avery, Director for Political-Security Affairs, Asia Society Policy Institute, will moderate the conversation. Rorry Daniels, Managing Director, Asia Society Policy Institute, will offer welcoming remarks.

2025 AAPI Policy Priorities Survey Briefing
2025-09-16 12:00 - 13:00 | NY
Join NCAPA and AAPI Data for an in-depth discussion of survey findings about AAPI policy priorities.
We’ll break down critical insights from the latest survey and discuss how these priorities can guide effective messaging, advocacy, and mobilization efforts through fall 2025 and beyond.
