Maplewood, South Orange Plan Dozens Of Activities For AAPI Month

MAPLEWOOD AND SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Several dozen events are on tap in Maplewood and South Orange during May in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The in-person and virtual events will include book discussions, storytime, workshops, artist spotlights, self-defense training, and an AAPI Family Heritage pool party, among others.

South Orange Village and Maplewood Township, together with SOMA Cross Cultural Works and the AAPI Community, organized the activities. They noted in a release, "As the national conversation veers toward racial division and polarization, and as anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise, it is imperative to build understanding and bring communities in New Jersey together by telling the stories of the heterogeneous AAPI community."

The Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) demographic is the most rapidly growing ethnic group in the country and is expected to increase to over 40 million individuals by 2060, said the release. For New Jersey, the AAPI Community exceeds 10 percent (941, 057) of the population.

"Yet, they are the least understood and least studied community among the general population, policymakers, and civic leaders, as stated in a report from jerseypromise.org," said a release. "As noted by the Essex County Community Foundation, 27,000 of Essex County’s residents identify as Asian, originating from a multitude of countries."

“The Township of Maplewood is proud to sponsor and participate in Asian American Pacific Islander month," said Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee. "Thank you to our Community Services team as well as the SOMA organizations and individuals that worked tirelessly to bring us these amazing events in the month of May."

“We stand in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander family, friends and neighbors as we honor their rich and diverse cultural heritage and traditions," said Sheena Collum, the South Orange Village president, "bring awareness to current events and issues, and spread love, light and joy with The Lion Dance, Holi Festival of Colors, Wishing Tree, the Hula Dance, and a myriad of other unique events.”

Four lists of events

Below are several lists: one of daily events, one of month-long events, and more.

All in-person events require masks and social distancing.

Visit www.maplewoodartsandculture.org/appi for updates, details and links.

The preliminary lineup of events is as follows. Also see list of month-long and longer events afterward:

All-Ages Storytime:

May 4, 11 a.m. Outdoors & Facebook Live • South Orange Public Library

AAPI Heritage Lecture: Dr. Cindy I-fen Cheng:

May 5, 12:30 p.m. – Virtual • Seton Hall University

Yī Qǐ Asian American Pacific Islander Kickoff:

May 6, 11 a.m. – Virtual • Seton Hall University

Ping Chong Virtual Dance screening, and Meet the Artist Talk:

May 6, 7 p.m. – Virtual • Ping Chong and Kim Chan

Cambodia - US Relations in the New Era Webinar Conference:

May 6, 8 p.m. – Virtual • Seton Hall University

Lion Dance AAPI Kick Off Celebration with NY Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club:

May 7, 6 p.m. – Maplewood Village • SOMA Cross Cultural Works, Maplewood Village Alliance, South Orange Village, Maplewood Township, Maplewood Community Services, Adamson Ramsey Homes – Keller Williams Realty, Elizabeth Tapia – Guaranteed Rate, Kokoro, SOMA Families Meetup, Seton Hall University, BCB Bank

Masala Bhangra with Mimi Stella and Bollywood Dance Party with DJ Señor Carberry:

May 7, 6:30 p.m. (immediately following The Lion Dance) – Maplewood Village • SOMA Cross Cultural Works, Maplewood Village Alliance, South Orange Village, Maplewood Township, Maplewood Community Services, Adamson Ramsey Homes – Keller Williams Realty, Elizabeth Tapia – Guaranteed Rate, Kokoro, SOMA Families Meetup, Seton Hall University, BCB Bank

Self Defense Class:

May 8, 12:30 p.m. – 530 Valley St., Maplewood • American Jiu Jitsu of Maplewood, SOMA Cross Cultural Works

YA Author Discussion with Marina Budhos and Sayantani DasGupta:

May 14, 4 p.m. – Live & Virtual • South Orange Public Library

Virtual Sake Tasting:

May 14, 7 p.m. – Virtual • Neighbors Wine Shop, SOMA Cross Cultural Works

Thank God for Monday Webinar - AAPI Edition

May 17, 12:30 p.m. – Virtual • TGFM Radio, Seton Hall University

“A Boy Named Isamu” Book Discussion with Author James Yang

May 17, 7 p.m. – Virtual • [Words] Bookstore

Kid's Ink Painting Workshop with Manman Huang

May 18, 4 p.m. – Virtual • Maplewood Library

Yoga with Instructor Susan Hyon

May 19, 11 a.m.– Virtual • South Orange Public Library

Read Around the World: CHINA – “The Crazed” by Ha Jin

May 19, 7 p.m. – Virtual • Maplewood Library

DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee) Anti-Asian Racism Training

May 21, 10:30 a.m. – Virtual • Seton Hall University

WSOU Thank God For Monday (AAPI Edition) with Dr. Monica Burnette and Dr. KC Choi

May 22, 8:30 a.m. – Virtual 89.5 FM, iHeartRadio and www.wsou.net • Seton Hall University, WSOU 89.5 FM

Hālau Hula | Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima with Live Music from PAʻI Trio

May 22, 3 p.m. – Spiotta Park • SOMA Cross Cultural Works, South Orange Village, Maplewood Township, Maplewood Community Services Department, CVF Properties Group - Keller Williams Realty, Seton Hall University

Holi Festival of Colors

May 23, 12 p.m. – Memorial Park • SOMA Cross Cultural Works, Maplewood Village Alliance, South Orange Village, Maplewood Township, Maplewood Community Services Department, Adamson Ramsey Homes – Keller Williams Realty, Elizabeth Tapia – Guaranteed Rate, Kokoro, BCB Bank, SOMA Families Meetup, Seton Hall University

PreSchool AAPI Book Club Reading with CHS Seniors Elizabeth Crofton and Josh Lee

May 23, 10 a.m. – Orchard Park, Maplewood • SOMA Justice, SOMA Cross Cultural Works, Columbia High School [CHS] Asian American Student Alliance

Fitting In: A Conversation with Helen Wan and Anne Fernald

May 25, 7 p.m. – Virtual • Maplewood Library

Kids’ Book Talk: “Book Uncle and Me” by Uma Krishnaswami

May 27, 4:30 p.m. – Virtual • Maplewood Library

AAPI Family Heritage Month Pool Party

May 28, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. – South Orange Community Pool • South Orange Village

Month-long or recurring events

Artist Spotlights – Joel De La Fuente and Tracy Sham

Social Media and Website • Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture

­AAPI Youth Features – Ace Williams, Elizabeth Crofton, Finn Egan-Liang, Harumi Garrison, Josh Lee, Noah Dhaliwal, Samuel Taber-Kewene, and Tai Artis

Social Media and Website • Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture

Emma Hayden – Anime Step by Step Exhibit

1978 Arts Center Windows, Website and Social Media • Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture

Festive Origami Window Display

172 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood • Kokoro Gift Shop, Siu Lo Seamon

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

www.SOPACnow.org – Virtual Event • South Orange Performing Arts Center [SOPAC]

Asian-Owned Restaurants Raffle | Winners Announced Week of 5/23

5/7 – 5/23 Donations and Raffle • South Orange Middle School (SOMS) Student Council

SOMA Wishing Trees

Make a wish for an end to anti-Asian racism and in honor of all AAPI Community directly and indirectly affected by violence and hate

• Maplewood Village – Ricalton Square
• Maplewood Main Library

• South Orange – Spiotta Park
• Maplewood Hilton Branch Library

SOMAAsian, Maplewood Libraries, South Orange Village, Township of Maplewood, Maplewood Community Services Department, SOMA Action Racial Justice, SOMA Action Religious Justice, SOMA Justice

Take & Make: Pick Up a Project to Complete at Home

May 3-7, Mini Carp Kite – Maplewood Main Library • Maplewood Memorial Library

May 10-13, LED Origami Butterfly – Maplewood Hilton Library • Maplewood Memorial Library

May 17-21, Dr. Salim Ali’s Peacock – Maplewood Main Library • Maplewood Memorial Library

On Demand Virtual Storytimes – Maplewood Library YouTube Channel and www.maplewoodlibrary.org

May 7, AAPI Preschool Storytime (Mary, Hilton Branch) • Maplewood Memorial Library

May 14, AAPI Preschool Storytime (Amelia, Main Library) • Maplewood Memorial Library

May 21, AAPI Storytime (Mary, Hilton Branch) • Maplewood Memorial Library

May 28, AAPI Family Storytime • Maplewood Memorial Library

The month kicks off and ends with Wishing Trees in Maplewood Ricalton Square, in Maplewood Libraries, and in South Orange Spiotta Park to make a wish for a future without anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism.

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