Asia Institute Inc

ASIA INSTITUTE-CRANE HOUSE, IS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE THAT PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING OF ASIAN CULTURES AND HERITAGE THROUGH EDUCATION,OUTREACH AND THE ARTS.

AICH PEER TO PEER SUPPORT STOREFRONT HEALTH INITIATIVE - AICH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HUMANA FOUNDATION, HAS EMBARKED ON A NEW INITIATIVE (APPSS) TO SUPPORTS OAI (OLDER ASIAN IMMIGRANTS) MANEUVER THROUGH THE CHALLENGING US HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, AND TO HELP OAIS AS THEY TEND TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS DUE TO ISOLATION, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS. AICH HAS WORKED WITH HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES (CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, SIKH, FILIPINO) TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THEY APPROACH HEALTHCARE. IN ADDITION, AICH WORKED WITH THE KENT SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK TO HAVE A NEEDS FEASIBILITY STUDY ON HOW THESE COMMUNITIES DEAL WITH AGING OAI WORKING DIRECTLY WITH SECOND GENERATION CAREGIVERS. AICH IS ALSO WORKING WITH THE LOCAL ASIAN MEDICAL LEADERSHIP ON HOW TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THESE HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES ON PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AS OPPOSED TO DEALING WITH CATASTROPHIC HEALTH ISSUES.

ADVOCACY FOR KENTUCKIANAS ASIAN COMMUNITIES - AICH ALSO PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL ASIAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH PROMOTING COMMUNITY DIALOGUE ON RELEVANT CRITICAL ISSUES AND SPONSOR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND DEVELOP COOPERATION AMONG LOUISVILLE'S DIVERSE ASIAN COMMUNITIES. AICH CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR GLOBALIZATION TO ESTABLISH AN AAPI TASK TO CONVENE WHEN ISSUES ARISE AND TO ALSO RECOMMEND AAPI CITIZENS TO FILL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS INITIATIVE ARE: CRANE HOUSE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS (CHYP). LOUISVILLE'S YOUNG ASIAN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY (DEFINED AS ANYONE UNDER 40) HAS BEEN GROWING. HOWEVER, A SAFE PLACE TO ENJOY AND SHARE INTERESTS IN ASIAN FOOD, CULTURE, ART, AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING WAS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN CHYP RE-STARTED ITS PROGRAMMING. CHYP HAS DEFINITELY SERVED AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINE BY PROVIDING THE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR FELLOW ASIANS TO SHARE THEIR CULTURES WHICH THEY WERE USED TO FROM THEIR ORIGINS FROM BIGGER CITIES AND COASTAL AREAS. CHYP HAS A REACH OF OVER 330 MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. QTAAPI+ INITIATIVE. AICH, ALONG WITH COLLABORATIVE HELP FROM THE LOUISVILLE PRIDE FOUNDATION, HAS STARTED ADVOCACY WORK PERTAINING TO THE QUEER TRANS ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY. THIS NEW PILOT PROMOTES DEI INITIATIVES LOCALLY AND ALSO OFFERS SAFE PLACES FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND DISCUSS CONCERNS THAT ARE UNIQUE AND RELEVANT TO THEM.

LANGUAGE PROGRAMS- AICH PRESENTS PROGRAMS TO TEACH AMERICANS ASIAN LANGUAGES AND TO TEACH ASIANS TO SPEAK ENGLISH. AICH ESTABLISHED THE TEACH IN ASIA (TIA) PROGRAM IN 1988 TO SEND QUALIFIED AMERICAN TEACHERS TO ASIA TO CONDUCT THREE-WEEK SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAMS IN CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH AND TO INTRODUCE AMERICAN CULTURE TO TEACHERS IN ASIA. OVER THE YEARS AICH HAS SENT OVER 500 TEACHERS TO ASIA WITH THIS PROGRAM. BECAUSE OF CURRENT US / CHINESE RELATIONS, THE TIA PROGRAM HAS BEEN POSTPONED. HOWEVER, WITH RENEWED FUNDING FROM THE FREEMAN FOUNDATION, THE TIA PROGRAM IS SET TO RENEW IN SUMMER 2023 IN TAITUNG, TAIWAN. AICH CONTINUES TO FILL THE GAP WHERE OUR LOCAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS LACK OFFERINGS OF ASIAN LANGUAGES. IN 2023 AICH IS CONTINUING OUR SUMMER MANDARIN STARTALK PROGRAM. AICH OFFERS A THREE-WEEK PROGRAM FOR OVER 50 EMERGING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENCOMPASSING INTENSIVE MANDARIN LANGUAGE CLASSES PLUS CHINESE CULTURE AND ARTS. THE PROGRAM CONCLUDES WITH A GRADUATION PRESENTATION WHERE THE STUDENTS SHOWCASE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED, AS WELL AS SHARING A CHINESE BANQUET WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND FAMILIES.AICH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, HAS ESTABLISHED A CHINESE AND JAPANESE LANGUAGE CORNER. OUR LANGUAGE CORNER SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022. LANGUAGE CORNER IS DESIGNED TO CATER TO ADULT LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND LOCAL SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LANGUAGE LEARNING. THE FIRST STAGE FOCUSES ON CHINESE. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES SPECIAL EVENTS (SUCH AS MOON CAKE MAKING, MAHJONG LESSONS AND CHINESE CULTURAL DANCE) AND WEEKLY CHINESE CLUBS - AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT VARIOUS LOCAL ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. OUR NEXT PHASE WILL CONTINUE WITH CHINESE CONVERSATION ENGAGEMENT, BUT ALSO WILL INCORPORATE JAPANESE LANGUAGE AND SPECIAL EVENTS. OUR LANGUAGE CORNERS HAVE IMPACTED OVER 330 PARTICIPANTS.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENTS - AICH IS THE PREMIER CONVENOR OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITIES AND PUTS ON CITYWIDE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES OF OUR BIG ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 35TH ANNIVERSARY GALA AND AUCTION SPRING FESTIVAL MARCH 12, 2022 AICH'S LUNAR NEW YEAR / SPRING FESTIVAL AUCTION AND DINNER IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ENGAGEMENTS AND FUNDRAISERS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR. THE EVENT FEATURES TRADITIONAL ASIAN CULTURAL OUTFITS, LOCAL ASIAN ENTERTAINMENT, AND WONDERFUL ASIAN CULINARY FLAVORS. THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE SUPPORT, OUR EVENT IS ATTENDED BY OVER 200 ATTENDEES AND SUPPORTERS. MID-AUTUMN HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 9, 2022 THE MID-AUTUMN HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL IS AN AUSPICIOUS TIME ACCORDING TO THE LUNAR CALENDAR AND TYPICALLY CELEBRATES THE HARVEST. THIS WAS AICH'S FIRST YEAR TO HOST A STAKEHOLDER / VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENT TO THANK OUR SUPPORTERS FOR THEIR HELP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ASIAN THEMED PIZZAS, AND APPETIZERS WERE SERVED ALONG WITH A SIGNATURE ASIAN INSPIRED DRINK. OUR LOCAL RIVER LOTUS LION DANCE TEAM PROVIDED ENTERTAINMENT. OVER 120 GUESTS CELEBRATED THE MID-AUTUMN HARVEST FESTIVAL. ASIAN NIGHT MARKET - OCTOBER 8, 2022 AICH HOSTED OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL INAUGURAL ASIAN NIGHT MARKET AT FOURTH STREET LIVE! FSL! RETAIL VENDORS, LOCAL ASIAN ENTERTAINMENT, LOCAL ASIAN COMMUNITY SOCIAL GROUPS AND CORPORATE ERGS SHOWCASED TO THE COMMUNITY A TYPICAL ASIAN NIGHT MARKET SCENE. OUR MOST RECENT EVENT FILLED FSL! TO CAPACITY (OVER 2,100 ATTENDEES) AND SUCCESSFULLY GAVE THE FEEL OF ASIA USING LOCAL VENDORS AND TALENT. OUR MAYOR HAS ASKED AICH TO MAKE THIS AN ANNUAL EVENT.