Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage virtually with Gail Borden May 16

Local Asian Pacific leaders and Gail Borden Public Library will present a virtual Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16. The online festival will feature speakers, performers, authors and crafts.

Usually held at the library, the festival is going virtual this year for community members at home due to COVID-19. Highlights will include henna and origami demos, children's author Samia Khan reading her book "The Shapes of Eid," "According to Me" and the Gauri Jog Indian Dance School interactive dance program along with welcome messages from Elgin Mayor David Kaptain, community leader Aloun Khotisene, Elgin Community College President Dr. David Sam and others.

Activities will be presented throughout the afternoon on the Facebook event to encourage engagement by festival "visitors." The festival web page will provide links to all activities as well as an Asian Pacific culture quiz and performances from past years including drum performances, dances from different cultures, and music.

In its fifth year, the festival was established when local community leader Aloun Khotisene teamed up with the library to create "The Lao Oral History Project" documentary film. After that project, he worked with library staff to create the festival.

"Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Gail Borden Library brings our diverse community together to share, educate and celebrate each other's cultures and keep our traditions alive for the younger generation and the next generation to come," Khotisene said.

"It is a great opportunity for our community to come together for a common purpose; to honor and embrace our heritage by sharing our cultural dance, arts and folklore stories with local residents in exchange for a lovely smile, enjoyable day and friendship throughout the month of May."

Along with Gail Borden Public Library, other partners of the festival include Elgin Community College, the City of Elgin, Elgin Public Museum, the Multicultural Outreach Education Foundation and the Elgin History Museum.

For more information, contact Danielle Henson by text at (224) 856-7614.