Music A4: From Indie to Raga
2025-12-12 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Salon on Kingston, 105 Kingston Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11213, United States
From Indie to Raga is a public event hosted by Devi Majeske, A4’s 2025 Van Lier Fellow in Music Performance. This event marks the culmination of her fellowship and features a preview of new songs from her upcoming debut album “How You Know You’re Alive.”
Devi (vocals, sitar, guitar) will present four of her original pieces with Siddharth Ashokkumar (Carnatic violin), Dhruvin Shah (tabla), and August Polite (piano, guitar). The performance will be followed by a short Q&A and a reception with light refreshments. Audience members are invited to stay, ask questions, and engage in conversation about South Asian diasporic music.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and The New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowships.

A+ Asian Comedy. Asian Stand Up Comedy in NYC’s Broadway Theater District.
2025-12-12 19:00 - 20:30 | 318 W 53rd st, 318 West 53rd Street, New York, NY, 10019, United States
A+ Asian Comedy is the ultimate Asian stand up comedy show, filled with the funniest Asian comedians New York City has to offer. Our comics can be seen on Netflix, HBO, and Comedy Central, but nothing compares to seeing them perform live at the world famous Broadway Comedy Club. Tickets are limited, so purchase yours now and enjoy the show!

AAPI-CARE Parent Convening
2025-12-13 10:00 - 17:00 | NY
AAPI-CARE (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders – Connect. Activate. Reimagine. Engage.) is a 1-day convening that brings together NYC’s AAPI and allied parents to discuss the experiences and issues most relevant to AAPI families. AAPI-CARE aims to create a shared learning community where parents and caregivers will be equipped with the tools to advocate for themselves, their families, and the wider AAPI community as a whole. This convening will also create opportunities for parents to engage in social justice leadership.
This convening is open to AAPI parents/grandparents/legal guardians of a child/children in public, K-12 schools; parents are interested in leadership and are curious, open-minded, and want to learn.

AAPI Short Film Showcase
2025-12-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Blniky’s Bar, 609 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY
You’re invited to a special showcase celebrating incredible Asian American short films from talented emerging filmmakers! This isn’t just a screening; it’s a chance to connect with the creative community and help bring a new story to life.
Every ticket and donation directly supports the production of our upcoming short film, “We Meet Again.”

MOCA PERFORMS – Over Hills and Valleys
2025-12-13 15:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
MOCA is pleased to welcome back resident artist Benjamin “saxofshaolin” Chin for a special concert of Over Hills and Valleys: An Imagination of the Shared History of Hakka Chinese and Jamaican Music.
Over Hills and Valleys is a musical imagination of the shared history of Hakka Chinese and Jamaican music and its people. Accompanied by Grammy-nominated Reggae producer, Andre “Dretegs” Hawthorne, the duo will perform a set of original music and covers that will trace the migration patterns of the Hakka Chinese from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean to New York City. In addition, the pair will discuss and share behind-the-scenes footage of the writing and recording process of the project. Join us for this unique afternoon concert that brings together the resonant traditions of Hakka Chinese and Jamaican music in a one-of-a-kind cultural encounter.

Archive of Subterranean Acoustics
2025-12-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Fridman Gallery, 169 Bowery, New York, NY, 10002
Archive of Subterranean Acoustics is an installation and multi-media presentation hosted by Hongbo Cai, A4’s 2025 Van Lier Fellow in Music Composition. This event marks the culmination of Cai’s fellowship and presents a collection of prototyped artifacts, simulated spatial environments, and world-building video installations that together reconstruct the mythical, subterranean sonic civilization of Agharta.
Across millennia and continents, civilizations share a belief that sound is a tool to measure, order, and interpret the universe. This project asks what might it mean to reconstruct the “sound-world” of an ancient city, and what if the city itself could become a giant instrument shaped by winds, waters, labor, and ritual?
“Agharta” is borrowed from legend of a mythical city said to lie beneath the Himalayas or Tibet, on the Earth’s inner surface. Through 3D modeling, the project attempts to bring this fictional city to life, designing virtual instruments that blur archaeology, mechanics, and invention based on Asian civilizations. The resulting installation invites audiences to inhabit a world where sight serves sound, instruments are indistinguishable from social order, and music is not mere art but the very infrastructure of life—an ambiguous and haunting echo of how ancient Asian peoples may have experienced their worlds.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and The New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowships. The featured project has been selected as part of the Venice Biennale College – Blend and is sponsored by Flora AI.

Golden Hour Fest: A Festival Celebrating Asian Musicians
2025-12-14 19:30 - 22:00 | Littlefield, 635 Sackett Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217
Musician and comedian Charlene Kaye presents GOLDEN HOUR FEST, an annual variety show and holiday party uplifting musicians of AAPI descent. Rolling Stone recently profiled Kaye with the headline “Why Everybody Loves Breakout Comedy Star Charlene Kaye,” and she was just featured on CBS mornings on how she “turned pop parody into viral gold.”
LINEUP

Charlene Kaye (comedy)
Party Foul (pop band from Hawaii)
Labiahead (all girl Radiohead)
Gushes (music)
Emergency Tiara (music)
Chanel Ali (comedy)
Henry Bae (drag)

Proceeds to benefit the Asian Pride Project.

Integrating AAPI Histories: Curricular Points of Entry for US History
2025-12-16 16:30 - 18:00 | NY
This curriculum design workshop is tailored to middle and high school teachers, equipping them with practical strategies and a wealth of resources to seamlessly incorporate AAPI history into their social studies curricula. Educators will use AAPI histories and narratives to discover innovative ways to align their lessons with NJ learning standards. They will have the opportunity to collaborate, share their own curricular experiences, and reimagine their curricula.
Facilitator: Jessica Cappadona, TAAS Ambassador
This event is brought to you by Teach Asian American Stories and AAPI New Jersey.

Shakespeare, Tyranny and China
2025-12-16 18:30 - 20:00 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021
How do tyrants exercise power? Why do people submit to authoritarians? These were questions of pressing concern for William Shakespeare, and they are no less fascinating in the age of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Reading King Lear, Coriolanus and Richard III can still shed light on leaders past and present, and the societies in their thrall.
Literary scholar Nan Z. Da‘s The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear (Princeton University Press, June 2025) gives us a fresh framework to understand one of Shakespeare’s best known tragedies. A wholly unique work of literary criticism, theory, memoir and history, the book examines China’s long 20th century as a manifestation of King Lear, and seeks to explain the structure of the play through historical analysis of Maoism and its legacies. Nan Z. Da’s ranging intellect pulls readers from the Cultural Revolution to anti-exorcist tracts in Elizabethan England and beyond. Kent, Cordelia and the Fool become something new when painted against the background of Chinese history. Throughout, the book offers novel re-interpretations of King Lear, leaving readers caught between laughing and crying.
Register now to join us for a scintillating discussion between Nan Z. Da and Harvard University literature Professor Stephen Greenblatt, author of Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics (2018) and numerous other acclaimed works of scholarship. The conversation will be moderated by Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Vice President of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at Asia Society. Copies of both books will be on sale, with the authors available to sign them.
This event is presented by China Books Review, a free digital magazine of reviews, essays, excerpts and more. Subscribe to our newsletter to follow us.

Alpha Beta Blah – Cozy Solstice
2025-12-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW), 18 West 21st Street, Suite 900, New York, NY, 10010, United States
The 2025 AAWW Margins fellows present “Alpha Beta Blah”, a new reading series that invites writers to come frat out with the fellows.
The fourth and final reading of this series will take place on December 16th at 7 pm ET. For “Cozy Solstice”, send us pieces about all that can happen on the longest night of the year. We want poetry that covers heartbreak and hollowness, sultry stories about people locked in a cabin together, and essays on the possibilities of a snowy day in the city. We are looking for work with a heart big enough to get us through the coldest of nights, that makes us feel like we are bundled up next to a hearth.

Be the Change You Want to See! - From Nonprofit Leader to Elected Leader
2025-12-17 14:00 - 15:00 | NY
Join us for a dynamic conversation with organizations that help everyday leaders take the leap into elected public leadership. You’ll hear how nonprofit leaders’ experience in advocacy, budgeting, and community engagement makes them uniquely equipped to lead with community knowledge and lasting impact.
Plus, get practical guidance from groups that support emerging candidates with everything from fundraising and campaign finance laws to building a support team.
Whether you’ve never thought about running for office, are just curious, or have a burning desire to take the next step in your career, come to our webinar to get an under-the-hood look at what it takes to run! You might be surprised at how the skills you use to manage a fair housing nonprofit, do outreach for a community health clinic, or run community youth programs translate into serving as a city council member, county planning commissioner, or even a member of congress!

Communicating with Empathy: From Self Care to Community Care
2025-12-18 16:00 - 18:00 | NY
As the holiday season approaches, NCAPA is hosting a series of community calls to help our communities navigate difficult conversations with loved ones. This second event in the series shifts the focus inward. We’ll explore how caring for ourselves—emotionally, mentally, and relationally—lays the groundwork for any meaningful dialogue.
PLEASE NOTE: Participants are asked to bring two pieces of paper, something to write with, and a gluestick or tape. During the event we will complete an art activity together using these materials.

Sweden's Role in Korean Peninsula Diplomacy with Ambassador Peter Semneby
2025-12-18 16:00 - 20:00 | NY
Join us for a discussion with Ambassador Peter Semneby, the Swedish Government’s Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Ambassador Semneby will provide a brief overview history of Sweden’s role in Korea, examine Sweden’s convening capacity as exhibited in 2018-2019, investigate whether Sweden’s interests and perspective have been affected by North Korea’s involvement in the Russo-Ukraine War and Sweden’s ascension to NATO, and explore ideas for how to break the current impasse.

Asian American Career Ceilings “Advice and Networking Event – Finance”
2025-12-18 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
The Committee of 100 Asian American Career Ceilings Initiative
“Advice and Networking Event – Finance” on February 18, 2026
Call for Advisor Volunteers

The Amp Holiday Party
2025-12-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Welcome to Chinatown Hub, 115 Bowery, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Join A4 in celebrating the third print issue of The Amp! Pick up a free copy of the new issue featuring cover art by Rama Duwaji and designed by Helen Yin Chen. The event will include fun Amp-related activities, opportunities to win A4 merch and time to mingle with editor Shannon Lee, contributors, readers, and featured artists. Special thanks to Welcome to Chinatown for hosting us.
This year’s print issue features artists including Sheida Soleimani, Eiko Otake, Wen Hui, Rujuta Rao, Charlene Kaye, Ishita Mili, and CAO Collective; and writing from Amp contributors like Ashna Ali, Yasi Alipour, Hannah Bae, Caroline Cao, Lili Emtiaz, Joyce Keokham, Isabel Ling, Zachary Lee, Sophia Park, Pallavi Surana, Jenny Wu, and Hannah Zhang.
Drinks and dumplings will be served. This event is FREE and open to the public, but RSVP is required. The suggested minimum donation is $5; donations of $20+ will receive a special gift, and donations of $100+ will receive a special swag bag featuring past issues of The Amp in addition to an A4 bandana designed by artist Somnath Bhatt.

Kanpai Nights: Kanpai to 2025
2025-12-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Step into an evening of art and celebration at the inaugural Kanpai Night—a new Japan Society gathering that celebrates Japanese culture as a bridge for global dialogue and community.
In partnership with The Seventh Committee and Friends of the UN, Kanpai to 2025 brings together diplomats, cultural enthusiasts, and community members for an evening of meaningful exchange. The program features opening remarks by Alexander Hassanein, Founder of the Seventh Committee, and Japan Society President and CEO Dr. Joshua W. Walker.
Guests are invited to explore the galleries and encounter Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries, the acclaimed artist’s first New York solo museum exhibition. Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Shiota’s immersive, site-specific installations investigate themes of memory, identity, loss, and belonging. Her work—which draws from personal struggles with nationhood and the human experience—invites viewers into intimate, transformative spaces.
Throughout the evening, enjoy a thoughtfully curated selection of drinks available for purchase, creating the perfect backdrop for conversation, connection, and discovery.

White Wave Dance - Here NOW So Long (Preview)
2025-12-18 19:00 - 20:30 | New York Center for Creativity and Dance, 287 East 10th Street, New York, NY
Here NOW So Long explores the turbulence of human emotion, weaving together panoramic video imagery, a live original composition for guitars and electronics, and the fluid, dramatic movement of WHITE WAVE’s stunning dancers. Comprising ten interconnected scenes, the work delves into love and inner conflict, pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance through an evocative synthesis of sound, imagery, and movement.

Artistic Director / Choreographer: Young Soon Kim
Rehearsal Director: Mark Willis
Dancers: Michael Bishop, Kaylan Bradford, John Crim, Benjamin De Andrade, Bella Donatelli, Soomin Eum, Shujung Kim, Ellie Swainhart, Juan David Viveros

Documenting Stories: Oral History Production and Best Practices
2025-12-18 20:00 - 21:30 | NY
Join us for a presentation on oral history production, equipment, software and set ups with a focus on productions with small budgets!
Oral Historian, Artist, Writer, Alan Nakagawa will base this workshop on his thirty-nine years of interdisciplinary art projects using oral history as a base for working with diverse communities.
Nakagawa has worked for educational, non-profit and government institutions with varying budgets and scopes. Keeping a flexible production methodology while listening to the needs of the collaborators, he has built a portfolio of experiences reflecting diverse needs.

Laughing Lassi – The #1 South Asian Stand-Up Comedy Show in New York City!
2025-12-19 - 2025-12-26 | Broadway Comedy Club, 318 W. 53rd St, New York, New York, 10019
Laughing Lassi is New York City’s premier South Asian stand-up comedy show, featuring the best Desi and Indian-American comedians from NYC and beyond.
As featured in TimeOut NYC, The New Yorker, and India Tribune, this monthly comedy event has become a must-see cultural experience — a place where laughter meets identity, storytelling, and community.
Whether you’re South Asian or simply love smart, diverse humor, Laughing Lassi promises a night of non-stop laughter and unforgettable energy. Each lineup features top comedians who have performed on Comedy Central, Netflix, and major festivals around the world.

Godzilla Minus One Vs. Past Lives: Romantic Histories and Historic Romances
2025-12-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Asian American / Asian Research Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Suite 1000, New York, 10036, United States
Prof. Jayashree Kamblé will present on her essay in CUNY FORUM Volume 11:1, focusing on love and gender roles in the recent globally successful films Godzilla Minus One and Past Lives.

Yuletide Celebration with National Asian Artists Project
2025-12-20 15:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
MOCA is honored to partner with National Asian Artists Project to present their annual yuletide celebration, sharing our heartfelt wishes for a joyful holiday season. In this festive program, the NAAP Chorus will serenade you with beloved Christmas songs, classic carols, and Broadway favorites with the music direction and arrangements of Dan Pardo.
We invite you to join us for an afternoon of warmth, community, and song—whether you come to celebrate tradition, discover new favorites, or simply enjoy the spirit of the season. Come gather with friends, family, and fellow arts lovers as we welcome the holidays together at MOCA.

What Flows Between Us: A Festival of India’s Classical Arts in Cross-Cultural Dialogue
2025-12-21 11:00 - 21:00 | NYC 92Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York, 10128
92NY Harkness Dance Center announces What Flows Between Us: A Festival of India’s Classical Arts in Cross-Cultural Dialogue, a day-long immersion into the depth, rigor, and expansive imagination of the Indian classical arts. Curated by renowned kathak artist, choreographer, educator, and 92NY Artist in Residence Rachna Nivas, the festival gathers extraordinary women from North and South Indian classical music, dance, percussion, and poetry—artists whose lifelong devotion to mastery is matched by their thoughtful engagement with cross-genre collaboration. Vendor markets will be active throughout the day, offering traditional food and artisanal goods and the festival culminates with the New York premiere of SPEAK, a groundbreaking rhythmic conversation between kathak and American tap featuring Nivas, Fulbright scholar Rukhmani Mehta, MacArthur Fellow Michelle Dorrance, and tap legend Dormeshia.

Japanese Holiday Market ホリデーマーケット
2025-12-21 12:00 - 18:00 | Japan Village, 934 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11232, United States
It’s the perfect place to find unique, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts while supporting independent creators.
Celebrate the holiday season with us at Japan Village in Brooklyn!
Discover over 15 talented Japanese artists and makers, showcasing their handmade crafts, jewelry, accessories, home goods, and more.
It’s the perfect place to find unique, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts while supporting independent creators. Enjoy the festive atmosphere, connect with the artists, and experience the charm of Japanese craftsmanship and design

Hyeonseon Baek & The Bridge
2025-12-21 21:00 - 23:00 | Dada, 6047 Myrtle Avenue , NY, Queens, NY, 11385, United States
Korean-born jazz vocalist and songwriter Hyeonseon Baek blends jazz tradition with soul, improvisation, and cultural storytelling.
Hyeonseon Baek & The Bridge is a New York–based jazz quartet led by Korean vocalist and songwriter Hyeonseon Baek, whose debut album Longing (2024) was named one of Jazz Weekly’s Top 10 New Releases of the Year and received a ★★★★ review from All About Jazz. The group performs modern, straight-ahead jazz that blends lyrical storytelling with vibrant ensemble interplay.
For this performance, Baek is joined by pianist Hyuna Park, bassist Koji Cassetta, saxophonist Chris Ferrari, and drummer Alex Yoo—four dynamic voices from New York’s contemporary jazz scene.

Introduction to Teaching AAPI Studies K-12
2026-01-07 16:00 - 17:00 | NY
In partnership with UFT Teacher Center, the following virtual workshop provides CTLE credit for New York City educators.
Join the Asian American Education Project for a 60-minute professional development workshop that provides an overview of The Asian American Education Project’s lesson plans and the five thematic units on: citizenship, civil rights, identity, immigration, and racism. It will cover the importance of including AAPI history in school curricula by exploring the contributions of AAPI in activism, the fight for school integration and citizenship rights, and the intersectionality of AAPIs and other communities.

Serica Storytellers: ROSEMEAD & The Realities of AAPI Mental Health
2026-01-07 19:00 - 20:00 | NY
Watch a clip from ROSEMEAD + join ROSEMEAD producer Mynette Louie, lived-experience storyteller Lisa Oberholzer-Gee, and therapist Jeanie Y. Chang for an honest conversation about AAPI mental health, caregiving, and the power of breaking silence. Followed by Q&A.

Present Armat: Live Art × Meditation Ritual
2026-01-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, NY, 10013
In collaboration with the Chinatown Partnership/Chinatown BID, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) invites you to Armat, an evolving art initiative by artist Yadi Liu that merges live digital drawing with meditation and contemplative presence. For this special session, Yadi partners with meditation teacher Michel Pascal, whose gentle guidance and occasional live vocal elements create a serene, multi-sensory environment.
Participants are invited to pause, breathe, and step into the program from within, becoming part of a shared ritual of presence, quiet observation, and embodied awareness.

AAPI Dance Festival
2026-01-10 - 2026-01-11 | Ailey Citigroup Theatre, 405 West 55th Street, New York, NY, 10019
Please join Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for the AAPI Dance Festival, an annual celebration of dance and choreography that highlights the artistry and innovation of choreographers of Asian descent, presented as part of the Dance Managers Collective’s APAP showcase at City Center and the Ailey Citigroup Theatre.
The full festival pass includes access to both Saturday and Sunday showcases at Ailey Citigroup Theatre in addition to the Rising Stars showcase at City Center on Saturday, Jan 11 from 7–9 pm.

Half the Sky - Yin Mei Dance
2026-01-10 - 2026-01-11 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021
How does a woman inhabit her own body? How can she claim ownership of it in the shadow of history—if that is even possible? It then extends the inquiry: in what ways can art and movement heal or simply acknowledge all the ghosts that inhabit this body?
Half the Sky merges dance, projection, and installation art into a choreographic and visual act of reclamation: rescuing the “blank page” from blankness. It’s a laboratory for “becoming”, where there is room for the unexpected moment to strike through space and time, leading to the breakthrough of true creative power. Yin Mei explores how the “becoming” of sensation must happen in an unexpected moment, a moment of silence where the body’s unspoken histories surface.
This project is supported by Wuhan Institute of Design and Sciences (WIDS) Jackie Chan Movie and Media College, Baryshnikov Arts, Topaz Arts, Danse Mirage Foundation, MAP Fund, and RF CUNY. Half the Sky was a 2024 New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project Finalist.

Winter Wellness with Kamwo Meridian
2026-01-10 15:00 - 16:30 | Think!Chinatown Studio, 1 Pike Street, New York, NY, 10002
In harmony with the winter, journey inward with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Experience the art of winter nourishment through black foods, herbal teas, and gentle rituals that strengthen the Kidneys, awaken inner warmth, and prepare your body for spring’s renewal — cultivating balance, resilience, and radiant vitality. Join us in collaboration with Kamwo Meridian Herbs for an evening of ear seeding, self-acupressure exercises, and seasonal herbal recipes designed to nourish and strengthen our body’s immunity, and align with the season’s call for balance and renewal.
