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Chicago Public Library is set to commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May with a program titled "History/Herstory/Theirstory/Ourstory." The events aim to highlight AANHPI histories through various mediums.
The keynote event features author Michael Luo discussing his new book titled "Strangers In The Land: Exclusion, Belonging, And The Epic Story Of The Chinese In America." This session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library Center, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. Luo's talk will be moderated by Geraldo Cadava, a history professor from Northwestern University. The discussion will also stream live on Chicago Public Library's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
A series of programs accompany the keynote, starting with the "Music of Cambodia," taking place on Saturday, May 3, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Walker Branch. That same day, the Harold Washington Library Center will host "SIJO: Korea's Poetry Form," presented by Lucy Park, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
For those interested in crafts, there will be an Origami Workshop led by Ty Yamamoto on Tuesday, May 6, at the Portage-Cragin Branch. Music enthusiasts can attend "The Music of Central Asia with Tamir Hargana" on Monday, May 12, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Blackstone Branch, followed by "Hula Is Life" on Wednesday, May 14, at the Vodak-East Side Branch.
Other notable events include "Wednesday Night Improv with Stir Friday Night" on May 14, "Guzheng Music Appreciation" on May 17, "The Stories We Live: From Cultural Inheritance to Personal Truth" on May 22, and the "Bollywood Groove Workshop" on May 24.
Additionally, visitors can experience an exhibit titled "Untrammeled: Tranquility, Tension, and the Stories We Leave Behind" from April 6 to June 21 at the Harold Washington Library Center. The exhibit is complemented by a collage workshop with artist Diana Noh scheduled for Saturday, May 17.
Chicago Public Library is also providing recommended reading lists for children, teens, and adults under the same theme to further explore AANHPI stories and contributions in the U.S.
