EVENTS
An Evening with Viet Thanh Nguyen
As part of ACL Spokane’s Asian American Heritage Month celebration, we’re thrilled to welcome Viet Thanh Nguyen—New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize recipient… Read more
Spokane Asian Graduation Celebration
ACL Spokane is excited to host the 4th Annual Spokane Asian Graduation Celebration to honor and celebrate Asian/Asian American graduating students from the Spokane county… Read more
Opening Reception: Our Stories – Asian American Families in Spokane
Celebrate the Asian American stories that shape Spokane’s history and community! Join us as we kick off our month-long celebration of Asian American Heritage… Read more
Climate Chats Café: Sip, Share, & Connect
Big challenges feel lighter when we face them together. Climate change can be overwhelming, but sharing our thoughts in a supportive space can turn worry… Read more
Ten Thousand Things: Artifacts of Asian American Life
A Humanities WA Speakers Bureau event with poet Shin Yu Pai. Brought to you by Spokane Public Library and Asians for Collective Liberation. In many… Read more
Opening Reception: Our Stories – Asian American Families in Spokane
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture | 2316 W 1st AveCelebrate the Asian American stories that shape Spokane’s history and community! Join us as we kick off our month-long celebration of Asian American Heritage… Read more
Opening Reception: Our Stories – Asian American Families in Spokane
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture | 2316 W 1st Ave
Celebrate the Asian American stories that shape Spokane’s history and community!
Join us as we kick off our month-long celebration of Asian American Heritage Month at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture! Experience Spokane’s rich history from the perspective of members of our Asian and Asian American community. We will have activities for all, plus free admission to the museum!
What to expect:
- Catch the music and performances outside on the museum’s lawn
- Have a picnic and check out the community resources and food vendors outdoors
- Get to know our local Asian American Storytellers and listen to their stories while discovering museum objects and archives throughout historic Campbell House
- Enjoy Boba Buddies activities including a fun scavenger hunt for the youth and whole family
- Browse through our online exhibit Searching for Trent Alley at the Carriage House
Special thanks to acclaimed opera singer, actress and activist, Melody Chang, who will be hosting our outdoor program.
Free and open to all, No RSVPs required! Donations encouraged! Any contribution will help us continue our programs and make them accessible to our community.
For Boba Buddies youth activities, ticket reservations are recommended to reserve spots and get free boba at bit.ly/BobaBuddies.
This event is presented to you by ACL Spokane, Asians for Collective Action, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and Eastern Washington University, Other contributing community sponsors include Spokane Public Library, Better Health Together, KH Consulting. Gonzaga University, GESA Credit Union, Providence, YWCA Spokane, SNAP Spokane, KSPS PBS, KYRS, Electric Photoland, Teas Company, and Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane.
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About Our Stories
Our Stories is an engaging and educational program designed to celebrate the rich tapestry of communities in our region. The MAC collaborates with members from the highlighted community to create a fun and memorable day of activities for all ages and interest levels.
About Boba Buddies
Boba Buddies is ACL Spokane’s monthly youth program for K-12 Asian and Asian American students in Spokane and surrounding areas where we create spaces of belonging that engage the community in understanding and nurturing cultural identities. The program includes educational activities, creative play, and a communal space for Asian/Asian American youth and their parents/guardians to hang out. We provide refreshments and some months will have special guests! This program mainly hosts Asian and Asian American families but some sessions are open to the public, just like this event!
About the Host
Melody Chang is a Spokane-based actress, singer, activist, and arts advocate who has earned nationwide praise and acclaim for innovation and leadership within organizations belonging to the Broadway League and Opera America, as well as for her work on the stage. She is currently the Communications & Marketing Director for the new Idaho Central Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center and serves as the Executive Director of the Asian Opera Alliance, an organization dedicated to striving for broader equity throughout the opera industry. On the stage, she has been seen in iconic roles such as Carmen (Carmen), Bloody Mary (South Pacific), and Edwin/Eddie (Earth to Kenzie). Melody is regularly invited to speak at top arts universities and Fortune 500 companies, as well as consult with many of the most renowned opera companies in the nation. Most recently, she consulted on Los Angeles Opera’s 2024 production of Turandot, designed by Sir David Hockney and debuted in 1992, as well as LAO’s 2024 US debut of Mario Gas’ Madame Butterfly. In 2021, she created the Chang Heaton Scholarship for Music Excellence to award five first-generation BIPOC college students studying music or theatre with unrestricted funds for items required for theatre/music degrees that aren’t usually covered by traditional scholarships. She has been recognized as a top ANHPI Mover & Shaker (2022), received a 2021 Women in Business Leadership Award for her work in the arts, and was named YWCA’s 2024 Woman of Achievement in Arts & Culture. She is regularly seen onstage at Spokane Valley Summer Theatre and will be appearing in their 2025 production of Rodgers’ & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night for Singing.
Boba Breaks at 509 Spring Market
EWU Cheney Campus - PUB SkirtACL Spokane’s Boba Breaks is excited to be part of this year’s 509 Spring Market hosted by Asian Student Association of Eastern Washington University (ASA… Read more
Boba Breaks at 509 Spring Market
EWU Cheney Campus - PUB SkirtACL Spokane’s Boba Breaks is excited to be part of this year’s 509 Spring Market hosted by Asian Student Association of Eastern Washington University (ASA EWU)!
- Find our team to chat with us about mental health resources and youth programs
- Get a chance to earn a stipend while learning about the HEAL Act and ways to advocate for environmental justice.
- And as always, grab a yummy cup of boba from Teas Company for free!
509 Spring Market is ASA EWU’s annual signature event which promotes small businesses, celebrating culture, art, and community. This event will be hosted at the PUB Skirt at Eastern Washinton University. We will have small business that will be selling items from baked goods to other trinkets. We’ll also have games to play, and the Asian Student Association will be selling surprise gift bags that come with goodies like drinks, snacks, and a cute surprise!
Resisting Erasure Through Storytelling
Shadle Park LibraryA 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… Read more
Resisting Erasure Through Storytelling
Shadle Park LibraryA 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.
When Putsata Reang was eight years old, she didn’t understand why her skin was brown when almost all of her classmates’ skin was white. So she put an eraser to her arm and began to rub, hoping to become white. A decade later, feeling disoriented by the dawning realization that she is gay, Putsata put a razor to her wrist. But ultimately she was too ashamed to end her own life. That’s because when she was a baby, and her family fled war in her native Cambodia, her mother had saved her life.
Today, an increasing number of Americans like Putsata are at risk of erasure because of external forces such as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and internal forces, such as shame and discrimination. Putsata discusses the dangers of dwelling on differences and encourages audiences to share their personal stories as an antidote to erasure.
About the presenter: Putsata Reang (she/her) is an author and journalist whose debut memoir, Ma and Me, was awarded the 2023 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association prize for nonfiction and was recognized as a finalist for the 2023 Lambda Literary Award. Her writing has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Ms. magazine, Politico, and The Guardian. Reang has held several prestigious residencies and was a fellow of the Jack Straw Writers program and Alicia Patterson Foundation for journalists.
Reang lives in Seattle.
Climate Chats Café: Sip, Share, & Connect
First Avenue Coffee (1011 W. First Ave, Spokane, WA)Big challenges feel lighter when we face them together. Climate change can be overwhelming, but sharing our thoughts in a supportive space can turn worry… Read more
Climate Chats Café: Sip, Share, & Connect
First Avenue Coffee (1011 W. First Ave, Spokane, WA)Big challenges feel lighter when we face them together. Climate change can be overwhelming, but sharing our thoughts in a supportive space can turn worry into connection and action. Let’s talk, reflect, and inspire each other.
Join us for our new Climate Chats Café series, a monthly space to talk openly about climate change in a relaxed, welcoming environment. No agenda, no pressure—just good coffee and real conversation.
Why Join?
- Talk through climate emotions in a welcoming space.
- Meet others who care about the planet.
- No experience needed—just bring yourself!
Come for the coffee, stay for the conversation. ☕
Need a translator? Email lmolina@aclspokane.org at least 7 days before the event.
Closing Reception: New Wave Film Screening
Garland TheaterMile-high hair. Synthesized sounds. Teenage rebellion. Join us at the Closing Reception of our month-long celebration of Asian American Heritage Month. In honor of… Read more
Closing Reception: New Wave Film Screening
Garland Theater
Mile-high hair. Synthesized sounds. Teenage rebellion.
Join us at the Closing Reception of our month-long celebration of Asian American Heritage Month. In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and resettlement of Southeast Asian refugees in the United States, we will be screening the Tribeca winning documentary feature film, New Wave. Filmmaker Elizabeth Ai was on a mission to excavate an untold story of rebellious punks in the chaotic world of 80s Vietnamese New Wave until she uncovers a hidden past. Watch the trailer here. There will be a post-screening Q&A with the director.
Free and open to all! Donations are encouraged for those who have the financial capacity to contribute so we can continue making our programs accessible.
This event is brought to you by ACL Spokane’s Chai Culture Club, Asians for Collective Action, Better Health Together, KH Consulting, Gonzaga University, Gesa Credit Union, Teas Company, Electric Photoland, YWCA Spokane, KSPS PBS, KYRS, and Garland Theater.
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About the Director
Elizabeth Ai is a Chinese Vietnamese American award-winning filmmaker, storyteller, and author. Her debut feature documentary, NEW WAVE, premiered in competition at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, earning a Special Jury Mention for Best New Documentary Director and critical acclaim from The New York Times, Vogue, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle. The New York Times selected it as a festival Critics’ Pick, calling it “a soft scream of a film” about ’80s Vietnamese diaspora culture, while Vogue praised its revelatory storytelling.
She is the author of New Wave: Rebellion and Reinvention in the Vietnamese Diaspora and an Emmy winner and nominee for her branded content with ESPN and National Geographic. She created the original pilot for VICE/Munchies’ Bong Appétit, which was later picked up for a series on Viceland. Her producing credits include Dirty Hands, Saigon Electric, Ba, and A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem.
An alum of Sundance, Tribeca, Berlinale, and Firelight Media, Ai’s work has been supported by the Center for Asian American Media, Cinereach, Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
About Chai Culture Club
ACL Spokane’s Chai Culture Club aims to communally experience complex Asian and Asian American narratives through divergent cultural media (such as film/visual arts, literary, music/podcast, and theater/performance). We help create spaces of belonging where club members can celebrate our community stories and critically discuss their impact. Club membership is free and open to any Asians/Asian Americans in the Spokane area. Occasionally, we will have events open to the public. Sign up at bit.ly/chaicultureclub. For questions, please contact Frances at fmortel@aclspokane.org.
Climate Chats Café: Sip, Share, & Connect
First Avenue Coffee (1011 W. First Ave, Spokane, WA)Big challenges feel lighter when we face them together. Climate change can be overwhelming, but sharing our thoughts in a supportive space can turn worry… Read more
Climate Chats Café: Sip, Share, & Connect
First Avenue Coffee (1011 W. First Ave, Spokane, WA)Big challenges feel lighter when we face them together. Climate change can be overwhelming, but sharing our thoughts in a supportive space can turn worry into connection and action. Let’s talk, reflect, and inspire each other.
Join us for our new Climate Chats Café series, a monthly space to talk openly about climate change in a relaxed, welcoming environment. No agenda, no pressure—just good coffee and real conversation.
Why Join?
- Talk through climate emotions in a welcoming space.
- Meet others who care about the planet.
- No experience needed—just bring yourself!
Come for the coffee, stay for the conversation. ☕
Need a translator? Email lmolina@aclspokane.org at least 7 days before the event.