Photo courtesy Asian American Society of Central Virginia
What began as a small celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 1998 has grown into a cultural festival representing 19 Asian communities.
Organized by the Asian American Society of Central Virginia, the inaugural Asian American Celebration was held at Midlothian Middle School but has grown over 25 years to require relocation to the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Prior to the pandemic, attendance ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 persons, including notable attendees such as Virginia governors and legislators. Organizers expect a return to those numbers at this year’s event, scheduled for Saturday, May 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We say communities rather than countries,” explains Rumy Mohta, who’s been affiliated with the AASoCV since 1998. “For example, you can find ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, Indonesia and many other places.” The sense, too, of the extent of what is considered Asia stretches from what is referred to as the Middle East — “a construct of the British before World War II,” Mohta notes — to Turkey and Lebanon, across former Soviet Union states and including Afghanistan. Singapore, Mohta adds, is distant from India, but shares many of the food ways and a diverse population: “All colors and races are there.” And Mohta knows whereof he speaks; as CEO of Atlas Ventures, he has visited 62 countries.
According to statistical information based on census and other data, more than 700,000 persons of Asian heritage live in Virginia, and some 5,000 are in Richmond. “There’ve been many changes in the past five years,” says Rajbans Joshi, AASoCV’s community relations director. He and his wife, Kim, have lived in Richmond since 2010. “Some communities have grown from immigration,” while others, such as Afghans, have arrived here through displacement by foreign conflicts.
A characteristic of the greater Asian community is that, while there may be many threads of connection through culture, it isn’t monolithic. “This is one important reason why the festival emphasizes cultural representation through dance, music, food,” Joshi says.
Visitors who may not have considered the differences of the Asian world can learn through hands-on activities and displays. During past events, youngsters were encouraged to visit booths and complete a task to receive a stamp on their passports. With a full book, they received a souvenir. For adults, Mohta cites a recent Virginia governor who inspected a large map of the Philippines. He, likely similar to other Virginians, didn’t realize how close the nation is to China or that the country comprises more than 7,000 islands. “The more people learn, the more they understand that we, whether Asian or not, hold far more things in common than not,” Joshi says.
