May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In observation, the National Gallery of Art is highlighting Asian American artists in their collection, stating, “Asian Americans are often left out of view of US history. But their lives—and their art—are an essential part of the nation’s story.” The collection features art by Maya Lin, Binh Danh, Nam June Paik, and more.
Locally, Asians for Collective Liberation has planned a month of exciting events at various locations in town, celebrating the theme, “Echoes: Letters for New Tomorrows,” which, ACL Spokane says on their website, “ explores the power of our voices—how they reverberate across generations, carry wisdom from our ancestors, and shape the futures we dare to imagine.” They also curated a booklist which can be found here.
ACL Spokane has partnered with Spokane Public Library and other organizations such as Humanities Washington and Eastern Washington University to bring award-winning writers Putsata Reang and Shin Yu Pai to town, and the keynote speaker for the month is Pulitzer Prize winner and Dayton Literary Peace Prize recipient Viet Than Nguyen, whose new collection of essays, To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other, just dropped in April from Harvard University Press.
A review in Poets & Writers calls To Save and to Destroy, “Profound…Nguyen explores the idea of being an outsider through literary, historical, political, and familial lenses, addressing concerns about the writer’s responsibility in a time of violence and the burdens and pleasures of the ‘minor’ writer in society.” Nguyen is a renowned writer, speaker, and activist, and his keynote address is sure to be illuminating and fortifying. While registration is capped for the event, it will also be streamed virtually. Sign up for the livestream here.
ACL Spokane also hired local Filipina American artist Brianna Miller to illustrate the publicity materials for the month’s events—her work is stunning and singular. Notably her artwork just appeared in The New York Times. Her artist statement is a wonderful read on the ACL Spokane website.
Thank you to the presenters and to our partners for their participation in AA&NHPI Heritage Month. Here are some of the corresponding events happening at Spokane Public Library over the next few weeks, followed by a booklist:
An Evening with Viet Thanh Nguyen
Thursday, May 08: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Central Library – 3rd Floor, nxʷyxʷyetkʷ Hall
Dayton Literary Peace Prize recipient and Pulitzer-Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen is ACL Spokane’s keynote speaker for Asian American Heritage Month. [Registration required; there will be an overflow room OR you can stream the event online]
Friday, May 16: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Shadle Park Library – Shadle Park Events
A Humanities WA Speakers Bureau Event with award-winning writer Putsata Reang, author of ‘Ma and Me.’ Brought to you by Spokane Public Library and Asians for Collective Liberation.
Growing Asian Tropical Vegetables in Spokane
Thursday, May 22: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Shadle Park Library Discovery Garden
Learn how to grow tropical Asian vegetables in our climate with the Filipino-American Association of the Inland Empire.
Ten Thousand Things with Shin Yu Pai – Artifacts of Asian American Life
Thursday, May 22: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Liberty Park Library – Liberty Park Events
A Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau event with poet Shin Yu Pai, presented in partnership with Asians for Collective Liberation.
The Art and Craft of Memoir with Peter Bacho – A Virtual Writing Workshop
Thursday, June 12: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Central – Virtual Events 6
Award-winning Filipino author Peter Bacho will discuss the art of writing a memoir. This presentation is given in partnership with Asians for Collective Liberation. This is a virtual event, registration required.
Trent Alley Exhibit (Digitized)
Today, Spokane Falls Boulevard ends where Trent Avenue begins. Prior to Expo ‘74, it was all Trent Avenue. For much of the 20th century, the stretch of blocks between Bernard and Howard along Trent was home to several Asian-run businesses. In particular, Trent Alley, which ran from Bernard to Stevens, became synonymous with Spokane’s Chinese and Japanese communities. Shops, hotels, and offices had primary storefronts along the alley.
To date, very little evidence exists about Trent Alley. The cases in this exhibit, in partnership with Eastern Washington University and ACL Spokane, bring together materials from a number of different institutions in Washington about the Asian American communities living in and around Trent Alley.
Books for Kids
Simone, words by Viet Thahn Nguyen, art by Minni Phan
The Rock in My Throat, words by Kao Kalia Yang, art by Jiemei Lin
We Who Produce Pearls, written by Joanna Ho; illustrated by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya
Made in Asian America: A History for Young People by Erika Lee and Christina Soontornvat
Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George, illustrated by Mae Waite
Books for Teens/Young Adults
Dragonfruit by Markiia Lucier
True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li
Books for Adults
To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Ma and Me: A Memoir by Putsata Reang
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Adam and Evie’s Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
When Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life by Kao Kalia Yang
Uncle Rico’s Encore: Mostly True Stories of Filipino Seattle by Peter Bacho
