The Borough of Manhattan Community College Library is celebrating Asian Heritage Month in April. The nation’s annual commemoration dates back to May 1869, and marked the completion of the transcontinental railroad, a defining achievement in which Chinese immigrant labor played a crucial role. But today’s celebration honors and remembers so much more. BMCC and its Library community plan an exciting variety of events highlighting the diverse Asian community’s past as well as shining a light on contemporary issues. Throughout this month, be on the lookout for opportunities to learn about rich traditions in poetry, filmmaking and animation, fashion, the culture and economy of tea, paper arts, and much more. Check the school calendar for details.
You may already have missed some programming. On April 4, the BMCC hosted a screening of “Big Fight in Little Chinatown,” adocumentary directed by Asian-Canadian filmmaker Karen Cho. It tells the story of resistance in Asian neighborhoods facing gentrification and erasure, as monied interests encroach on businesses, households, and cultural and educational places important to Asian communities. The intrusion is happening in Asian-majority neighborhoods stretching from Toronto to New York City. Activist Jan Lee joined a discussion panel on themes highlighted in the film.
The movie was made in 2022, amid the coronavirus pandemic, when Asian people in New York City and worldwide were stigmatized and singled out for blame. The story unfolded against the backdrop of an unprecedented surge in anti-Asian racism and bias crimes. While Asian neighborhoods were emptied and faced uncertainty in 2021 and 2022, opportunistic developers swooped in and tried to buy up properties for themself using the opportunity.
Of course, Asian communities experienced earlier spasms of racism, discrimination and hardship, from the Japanese Internment Camps during World War II to the Chinese Exclusion Act a century earlier. But Asian Heritage Month is also a story about survival, resilience and triumph.
We recommend all the exciting events like screenings of “Raazi,” – a movie directed by Meghna Gulzarn. It will be shown on April 11, in Room N-451. This spy thriller tells the story of a young Indian woman who marries a Pakistani military officer to become a secret agent during the 1971 Indian-Pakistani war.
On April 13, Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” – a drama about a group of Vietnam War veterans who return to the country to search for the remains of their squad leader and the gold they buried.
Take advantage of our Anime event on Friday, April 12. The theme is ‘Peace,’ so dress up in your favorite anime fandom and join the Anime Club, A. Philip Randolph Memorial Library, and the Animation Club. Participating allows you to win exciting prizes, including a logo bag of swag from the Los Angeles and NYC anime expos.
As we approach the challenging month of May, we’re concluding the Asian Heritage Month with a special event. Join us for a ‘Meditation for Peace’ on Monday, April 29, from 2-3pm. This session, held via Zoom, is designed to help you find inner peace and tranquility. You can find all the events here:
