- Serica Initiative
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Updated: a few seconds ago
"Leaf" summer behind and amp up your fall plans with Serica’s events! From arts and literature, celebrating Climate Week, and supporting Asian American athletes, Serica has you covered this fall with ways to get involved with your AAPI community.
Tell us in the comments - which event are you most excited for?!
We are honored to present the Serica Amplifier Raffle and the opportunity to win an exclusive chance to meet and dine over afternoon tea with award-winning actor BD Wong! Known for his work spanning movies, TV, & Broadway with a Tony award-winning performance in M.Butterfly, and amazing work in Law & Order: SVU, Mr. Robot, Mulan, and Jurassic Park, BD Wong will graciously cover 2 guests for afternoon tea in NYC. As a proud representative of the Asian American community, Wong is offering an exclusive meet-and-greet and supporting the Serica Initiative in its mission to amplify AAPI voices and communities!
Click the button below to see more details about the Amplifier Raffle, including auxiliary prizes, terms and details, and to purchase tickets today!
Saturday, September 20 3pm - 5:30pm ET @ Tribeca NYC
Kick off the fall with the NYC Gallery Art Walk, a guided tour of contemporary Asian art in downtown Manhattan! Led by Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe, Director and Chief Curator of the Katonah Museum of Art, this immersive art walk across four galleries in Tribeca and Soho will introduce you to groundbreaking Asian and Asian American artists across multiple media disciplines and cultural perspectives. From fiber art, paper sculptures, abstract ballpoint art, and body-based performance art, the NYC Gallery Art Walk is your guide to contemporary Asian art and the powerful work being done by Asian artists.
Guests will enjoy thoughtful commentary from Michelle at each gallery to learn more about the Asian contemporary and modern art space. Starting and ending receptions will also take place at the galleries, allowing guests to connect with gallery staff, artists, and fellow art-lovers, and enjoy exclusive discussion and networking opportunities with complimentary refreshments from our AAPI-owned sponsors: Sanzo, Lunar Hard Seltzer, Tea Drops, and Kish Apéritif by Kristen Kish!
Wednesday, September 24 6pm - 8pm ET @ China Institute
As back to school season begins, learn about the long and enduring history of the Chinese in America with Michael Luo’s Strangers in the Land. In this detailed and deeply human narrative, Luo uncovers the invisible history of the Chinese in America and their epic struggle to belong, from early arrivals on the West Coast, to the various tragedies that challenged them, to the legacy of that history, as Chinese Americans, among many other minority and immigrant groups, grapple with their history and their status in America today.
In partnership with the China Institute and the Serica Initiative, join Michael Luo for a discussion of his widely praised new book, exploring the complex and often overlooked history of the Chinese in America and the legacy of exclusion that continues in the Asian American experience today. In an evening of dialogue and learning, guests will learn more about the untold history of Chinese Americans and the forces that sought to exclude them.
Thursday, September 25 9am - 7pm ET @ Pier 57 NYC
Watch Climate Artists at our Pier 57 activation with
As you’re enjoying the beautiful fall weather, celebrate Climate Week and stop by the Creative Climate Forum for a full day of performances, panels, and hand-on workshops, including a screening of our New York Emmy-nominated Climate Artists series! The Creative Climate Forum, held at Pier 57, will host a gathering of creative artists, cultural workers, activists, and decision-makers in dialogue about the intersection of climate justice and culture.
Between workshops and panels, the Serica Initiative, in partnership with The WNET Group's ALL ARTS, Human Impact Institute, and Dear Tomorrow, will be transforming Pier 57’s lounge into an interactive living room of immersive installations. From custom poems, letters to the future, and a live greenery wall, enjoy creative expressions of climate storytelling and stop by the media lounge to view rotating selections of Climate Artists, a five-part short documentary series exploring how the climate crisis informs and inspires artistic expression. The program will also feature a performance from Ranjani Prabhakar, who was featured in Climate Artists, as part of the indie pop duo Lil Idli.
There's more! Bring your family to enjoy the instillation & interact with the art and showcase all through Saturday, September 28th.
Tuesday, September 30 8pm - 9pm ET @ Online
As the weather cools down, cozy up with another new fall read, These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, by Yiming Ma! A collection of interconnected narratives presented as banned memories, Ma’s debut novel explores a future in which memories can be recorded and transmitted between individuals, and how the government, media, and technology can shape history to control the collective imagination.
In partnership with the Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club, the Serica Initiative will be hosting Yiming Ma for Serica Storytellers in conversation on his debut novel. Moderated by award-winning journalist and novelist Omar El Akkad, this event will include an online discussion and audience Q&A.
Saturday, October 18 2pm - 8pm ET @ The RBF Pocantico Center & Katonah Museum of Art
An Afternoon Journey with Shen Wei: STILL/MOVING - Bus information incoming!
If you can’t get enough of Asian art this fall, join Serica on a trip to the Katonah Museum of Art in Westchester! Enjoy the beautiful fall foliage and attend the exclusive opening of the exhibition Shen Wei: STILL/MOVING, which commemorates thirty years of Shen Wei’s visionary career as a dancer, choreographer, visual artist, and global cultural ambassador. The exhibition, an unprecedented joint presentation between the Katonah Museum of Art and the Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, will illuminate the full scope of the artist’s portfolio, offering viewers rare access to his paintings, films, new choreographic works, and video highlights of the Shen Wei Dance Arts repertoire.
The Serica Initiative is partnering with the Katonah Museum of Art to offer a special pre-opening gallery tour and exclusive access to Shen Wei’s interdisciplinary oeuvre. Bus transportation will be provided to Westchester County for guests to enjoy Shen Wei’s extensive work in painting, paper, choreography, and short film. At the beautiful grounds at the Pocantico Center, enjoy Shen Wei’s cinematic landscape paintings, reflecting an ongoing dialogue with Chinese traditional painting and nature. At the Katonah Museum of Art, interdisciplinary works of music, choreography, and painting will be showcased, culminating in an exclusive performance from Shen Wei.
More information coming soon on how to get from Manhattan to both exhibits and meet Shen Wei!
Tuesday, October 21 6:30pm - 9pm ET @ Asia Society
The Serica Initiative’s award winning Voices Rising series is back this fall, with Voices Rising: Asian Americans in Motion, shining a spotlight on Asian Americans in sports and performance. Enjoy a cost-free evening of community and conversation featuring Asian American athletes, performers, and leaders on their AAPI identity and their personal motivations as athletes and performers.
The evening will begin with a reception featuring drinks, light snacks, and sponsor booths, allowing community members to mingle with fellow guests, engage directly with partners, and meet some of the featured performers and speakers. Two-in depth conversations will follow the reception:
Dance Spotlight: Interview with Mira Nadon (New York City Ballet principal dance), Alex Wong (So You Think You Can Dance) and Phil Chan (Final Bow for Yellowface).
Sports Spotlight: Fireside conversation with high-profile AAPI athletes (lineup to be announced soon).
Wednesday, October 22 7pm - 9pm @ Millburn Library NJ
Join Serica’s very own Deputy Director, Daniel Tam-Claiborne, and the Millburn Short Hills Chinese Association for a reading and discussion of his latest book, Transplants, at the Millburn Free Public Library!
Just a short train ride away from Manhattan, this discussion will explore the experiences of immigrants navigating identity, culture, and belonging in America with a goal of fostering empathy, inclusion, and intergenerational conversation. Video clips from our “be:longing: Asian Americans Now” series with PBS will also be shown, featuring profiles of George Takei, Hmong American community organizers, Dr. Richard Park, and Viet Thanh Nguyen. Enjoy a fall evening away from the hustle and bustle of the city and come take part in a community gathering and discussion of Asian America!
