2025 Events

On December 6th, the Association of Chinese Americans hosted an Appreciation Luncheon and Membership Meeting to recognize and thank the Teen Volunteer Council as well as elderly members for their dedication, leadership, and meaningful service to the community. The gathering celebrated their accomplishments, shared organizational updates, and reinforced the importance of youth involvement and continued engagement within the association.

On November 15th, F.A.R and Teen Volunteer Council came together for a joint community service event addressing rising food insecurity in the Detroit area. Volunteers spent the afternoon sorting through donations, assembling packages, and preparing boxes to be delivered to people in need. 

On October 26th, ACA hosted its annual scholarship ceremony for TVC graduating seniors and college students, where TVC volunteers helped set up the event. The event celebrated the hard work and accomplishments of outstanding students, bringing together families, community leaders, and supporters. Recipients were honored for their academic achievement, leadership, and dedication to service. The ceremony highlighted TVC’s ongoing commitment to empowering youth through educational opportunities and fostering continued community success.

On October 5th, The Association of Chinese Americans (ACA) held its 53rd Annual Fundraising Gala, featuring keynote speaker Mai Xiong, who spoke about preserving AAPI identity and fostering cultural pride, and a silent auction, promoting various items and activities from several sponsors. The Teen Volunteer Council (TVC) helped coordinate event logistics and assisted elderly attendees, ensuring a smooth and inclusive experience. The gala celebrated community unity, cultural heritage, and support for ACA’s ongoing programs.

On September 6th, TVC volunteers helped make the CCC 20th anniversary celebration a success. The CCC 20th Anniversary Celebration honored two decades of cultural connection, community service, and heritage preservation. The event featured vibrant showcases of Chinese culture. Community members gathered to reflect on CCC’s growth and impact, celebrating its dedication to promoting cultural understanding and supporting families. The milestone anniversary served as both a tribute to the past and an vision for the future.

On September 1st, upcoming and current High School students took part in the Research in the Humanities Workshop, where they learned how to begin the research process, analyze sources, and share their ideas with confidence. The session broke down research into simple, practical steps and showed how studying history, literature, arts and culture connects to real-world understanding. By the end, students felt more prepared to take on projects and gained useful skills they can carry into future research projects and beyond.

From August 10th to August 24th, TVC volunteers came together for a CCC Outdoor Cleanup, dedicating their time to improving the local environment. Volunteers worked together as a team, picking up litter, organizing recyclables, and helping to refresh community spaces to make them cleaner and more welcoming. The effort not only beautified the area but also encouraged environmental responsibility and teamwork.

From August 21st to August 22nd, students participated in the Stand Out Workshop to improve in both giving and receiving interviews. Through interactive activities and personalized feedback from Ms. Namita Prasad, an experienced public-speaking teacher, attendees gained tools to highlight their strengths and make lasting impressions.  At the end of the workshop, students participated in 1-on-1 interviews, building confidence and skills for success. The workshop created a supportive environment where students could practice, learn, and leave feeling prepared to shine in future opportunities.

On July 26th, TVC volunteers joined the Chinatown Block Party to support a vibrant day of community celebration. Volunteers helped set up activities as well as the ACA stand, assisted local vendors, and guided families through games, performances, and cultural showcases. TVC volunteers not only ensured the event ran smoothly but also highlighted students' commitment to community service and cultural awareness. The block party brought together neighbors, food, music, and tradition.

This summer, ACA’s gardening program thrived with students and volunteers working together to cultivate fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers. The garden became a lively outdoor classroom where participants learned about planting, environmental health, local sustainability, and teamwork while enjoying hands-on experience.

On June 24th, TVC joined the community in witnessing the formal recognition of Vincent Chin’s enduring legacy. The ceremony featured remarks from several distinguished speakers, including Mike Duggan, Detroit Mayor; Roland Hwang, President and Co-founder of American Citizens for Justice; Richard Mui, President of the Association of Chinese Americans; State Senator Stephanie Chang of Michigan’s 3rd District; Detroit City Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero and many others.

On June 20th, TVC members participated in a library work session focused on maintaining and reorganizing the collection. Volunteers helped identify and remove books that were no longer suitable for circulation, ensuring the library’s resources remain in good condition for future use. In addition, members assisted with reorganizing the shelves following the library’s recent relocation to a new room. The effort contributed to a more efficient and welcoming space for all who use the library.

On June 14th, TVC participated in the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival, an annual event celebrating the rich heritage and diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander communities. As part of our community outreach efforts, TVC volunteers distributed informational flyers, branded fans, and refreshments to festival attendees. TVC’s presence at the festival served as an opportunity to engage with the public, strengthen community ties, and support the broader celebration of cultural identity and inclusion.

On the 7th of June, TVC participated in the annual ACSGD Food Fair at Derby Middle School in Birmingham, MI. Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the festival brought together members of the Chinese American community who brought traditional Chinese dishes and sold them to raise money for TVC. Alongside the food booths were others offering games and entertainment, creating a festive and welcoming environment for all. 

Celebrating veterans, our proud American identity, and our involvement in the community, ACA and TVC joined the Madison Heights Memorial Day Parade along with other organizations and celebrants on May 24th. ACA members sported a dragon dance along with traditional percussion to bring life and energy to the parade. This was a lively and fun event as we tossed candy to people enjoying the parade. Thank you to our TVC volunteers who helped and to our drivers who made transportation to the event possible.

We would like to thank Cranbrook Teen Arts Council (CTAC) for partnering with us to allow for the opportunity to display art from our young artists and showcase their skills and hard work. We would also like to thank those who submitted art for the exhibition and for their dedication and hard work. From May 22nd to 30th, the art of our artists was displayed, showcasing the talent that exists in the Chinese American community. Thank you again to CTAC and our artists for this successful event.

On May 18th, members participated in TVC Orientation Day, where we introduced the new TVC board, explained our mission, reflected on past fruitions, and set goals for the future. The TVC advisory board gave a speech about how Asian Americans need to make their contributions and efforts visible and encouraged further youth involvement within and outside of the ACA community. Afterward, TVC members came together for lunch and fun.

On May 17th, the TVC community got together and represented the Chinese youth community by hosting events for youth, with notable games like the human slot machines and a chopsticks game. There were also booths for cultural displays, tea tasting, and other refreshments. Performers showcased their talents and culture through performances like K-pop dancing and musical performances.

On May 3rd, TVC joined Farmington Community Library AAPI Fest.  We provided face painting, riddles, photo booths, and chopsticks games. It was fun to celebrate Asian American culture during the AAPI Heritage month.

On April 26, TVC participated in the Rochester Hills Government Youth Council (RHGYC) Cultural Fair. We offered Chopsticks games, Chinese Calligraphy demonstration, and paper lantern making. It was a great experience to see so many different communities to celebrate Asian American culture and continue traditions, passing it on to the next generation. 

On March 15-17, TVC Co-President Anna Wang attended JACL and OCA’s annual Leadership Summit in Washington, DC representing OCA’s Detroit chapter. The 4-day summit introduced JACL and OCA representatives from across the country to policy and decision-making at the national level. The attendees lobbied their congress representatives and senators on Capitol Hill for three bills that would greatly benefit the AANHPI community: the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, the Fred Korematsu Gold Medal Act, and the Alleviating Barriers to Care Act. 

During Spring Break in March, TVC members helped ACA with packing up furniture and other things to prepare the CCC for a renovation. Everything has been successfully stored to make way for some new ceilings and possible floor plan changes. 

On February 2, 2025, a wave of celebration, culture, and unity swept through Eastern Market Shed 5 as over 2,000 attendees gathered for the ACA Lunar New Year Community Fair. TVC contributed significantly to the event’s success by organizing various engaging games and activities, including a human slot machine, a photo booth, lantern painting, face painting, ring toss, obstacle game, riddles, paper cutting, origami, etc. These interactive attractions drew much attention and excitement, making the event even more memorable for all those who attended. 

On January 25, 2025, SLAAY had their first meeting where they discussed immigration policy and how it affected Asians coming to the US. This is only the beginning of this conversation on one aspect of the Asian American community SLAYY wants to tackle. Future topics include culture and more pressing issues like hate crimes and the model minority myth. By giving knowledge and skills to the upcoming generation of Asian Americans, the future generation is empowered to make a difference.