ECC celebrates Asian Pacific Month

Elgin Community College will hold a series of events and activities throughout April during its monthlong celebration of Asian Pacific Month. All events are free, open to the public, and will be held at ECC's Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, unless otherwise noted.

Below is a list of events that will take place during the Asian Pacific Month celebration:

• Kick Off Celebration: Noon to 1 p.m. Monday, April 9, in Building B, Jobe Lounge. Join in kicking off Asian Pacific Month! Enjoy a welcome Lion Dance performance by the Chinese Students Club, followed by an interactive Polynesian culture performance by Aloha Chicago and get your name painted in tropical-themed art from artist Merv Papa.

• Traditional Asian Instruments Concert: Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in Building B, Jobe Lounge. Enjoy a professional eastern music concert featuring up to five classical Asian instruments. Guest musician Kerry Leung will perform popular western music played on eastern musical instruments.

• Model Minority Panel Discussion: 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in Building G, Room G100, Spartan Auditorium. Model minority: What is it? A myth; a curse; a stereotype? This session will explore perspectives on the "model minority." A film and panel discussion will demonstrate how this phenomenon shapes conversations on race and diaspora within the diverse Asian-American community.

• Asian Games Day: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday, April 16, in Building B, Jobe Lounge. Show your competitive side and come join the Chinese Students Club, College Programming Board and Gamers United for some fun Asian games. Play and learn more about games such as Chinese checkers, chopsticks games, Ping-Pong and more.

• Socrates Café: 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in Building C, Room C120. Join a special conversation that focuses on Asian Pacific Month's theme, East meets West. Facilitated by professor of humanities David Zacker, the Socrates Café always serves tasty answers to questions below the surface.

• Color Fest: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, in Building B, Lakeside Patio. Come join the celebration of the fourth annual Color Festival! We will have lots of color, kites, games and outdoor activities to enjoy in the beautiful spring weather. Plan your lunch with us and get a taste of Asian cuisine from local food truck Wok n Roll by Bamboo.

• Bridging Cultures Closing Event: 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in Building G, Room G100, Spartan Auditorium. Watch a special performance by the Multicultural Education Outreach Foundation to bridge the Eastern and Western cultures to wrap up Asian Pacific Month.

ECC's Renner Academic Library will have an "Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders with Vision" book display to honor Asian Pacific Month. The display will be located on the second floor of the library during April.

Asian Pacific Month is presented by the Asian Pacific Month Committee; Office of Student Life; Chinese Students Club; College Programming Board (CPB); Gamers United; Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS); United Students of All Cultures (USAC); and the Multicultural Education Outreach Foundation (MEOF).

For information on the events and activities listed above, contact Gaea Atta, coordinator of Student Life, at gatta@elgin.edu or (847) 214-7425.