The public is invited to all of the events, which include an opening celebration, a film and discussion, and a food festival. Admission is free except for the food festival.

The activities will begin with a celebration featuring Asian culture represented at Hope on Sunday, March 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium. The celebration will include Bollywood dancing lessons, and how to do Japanese calligraphy and origami, and Asian food. Also during the event, there will be a freewill donation collection for TASSEL (Teaching and Sharing Skills to Enrich Life), which focuses on teaching Cambodian children English through a telemedicine program called VSee.

The film “Vincent Who?” will be shown on Tuesday, March 15, at 4 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium, with an opportunity for audience discussion following. The film examines the impact of the 1982 murder in Detroit of a Chinese-American named Vincent Chin by two white autoworkers during strong anti-Japanese sentiment due to layoffs in the auto industry, and asks both how far Asian Americans have come since the case and how far they have yet to go. The question in the title reflects that even though Chin’s murder led to outcomes such as the broadening of federal civil rights protection to include all people in America regardless of immigrant status or ethnicity, most people today have little knowledge of him. The audience discussion will be facilitated by Amy Otis-DeGrau, director of international education at Hope.

Participants will have an opportunity to taste a variety of Asian dishes on Tuesday, March 15, from 4:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the annual Asian Heritage Food Fest hosted at Phelps dining hall.  The menu will include selections from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Admission is $6 for those not on the college’s meal plan, payable at the door.

The celebration is organized by the Hope College Office of Multicultural Education (OME); the student HAPA (Hope’s Asian Perspective Association) organization; and the college’s G.R.O.W. (Growing Relationships through diverse Opportunities to strengthen involvement in an ever-changing World) initiative.

The Maas Center is located at 264 Columbia Ave., on Columbia Avenue at 11th Street.  Phelps Dining Hall is located at 154 E. 10th St., on Columbia Avenue at 10th Street.

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