MoCo Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month with CCACC's Participation

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Montgomery County government departments, community organizations, and associations jointly hosted a vibrant "Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month Celebration." Over 500 people attended the event. As one of the 18 partners, CCACC actively participated in this meaningful cultural event. Both the CCACC Community Services and CCACC Health Center contributed significantly, working together in full cooperation.
Lively Event Scene
The event took place on May 19 at Seneca Valley High School. Around 10:30 AM, community members from various ethnic backgrounds arrived at the venue to set up booths showcasing culturally unique jewelry, crafts, calligraphy, painting, even rare traditional musical instruments, etc.
The event began with speeches from distinguished guests, including Ms. Christina Poy (Administrative Director of the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives), Ms. Lily Qi (Maryland State Delegate), and Ms. Julie Yang (Montgomery County Board of Education & CCACC Board Member).
The venue was bustling with activities, featuring dances, music, games, crafts, henna, face painting, and various informational and health services. With over 20 programs, performances represented diverse cultures from China, Korea, Cambodia, Nepal, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and India. Ms. Chiao-Chiao Liu (The Director of the CCACC Community Services) invited young performer Anaya Qian to play the Guzheng, and her performance received enthusiastic applause.
CCACC's Enthusiastic Participation
In addition to meticulously arranging the program, Ms. Chiao-Chiao Liu invited volunteers to serve on-site. They offered participants the opportunity to receive Chinese names based on the pronunciation of their names, which were then written on bookmarks with calligraphy as a keepsake. The volunteers participating in the event included Ms. Jia Liu (President of CCACC Evergreen Club), Ms. Baojin Shi, Mr. Yongwang Xiao, Mr. Zhonghou Yu, Ms. Jingyuan Yang, and Ms. Su Teng.
Under the leadership of Ms. Kate Lu (The Director of CCACC Health Center), a medical services' booth was set up at the venue. It provided information about the CCACC Health Center's Free Preventive Care in May and conducted osteoporosis screenings for the community.
Notably, several distinguished guests visited the CCACC's booth and took photos with the staff, including Mr. Maxwell Uy (Montgomery County Sheriff), Ms. Laurie-Anne Sayles (Montgomery County Councilmember), Ms. Julie Yang, and Mr. Yuchi Huang (CCACC Board member).
Contributions of AAPI
Additionally, the organizers thoughtfully created 18 posters displayed at the event, highlighting notable Asian Pacific Americans and their contributions to U.S. society. These included Ms. Kamala Harris (Vice President of the United States), who is the first person of African and Asian descent to hold this office; Ms. Aruna Miller (Lieutenant Governor of Maryland), the first Asian American woman to serve as a lieutenant governor; and Jerry Yang, the co-founder of Yahoo, among others.
This annual grand event was co-organized by the Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) under the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) of the Montgomery County Government. The celebration not only showcased Asian cultural traditions but also fostered intercultural exchange, with everyone looking forward to gathering again next year!
(Article by CCACC Administrative office)