Past Events

Voices from the Toledo Asian American Community

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 2:30 - 4:30 PM EST

Location: Toledo Main Library Meeting Room 1

Join us at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library for Voices from the Toledo Asian American Community!

In honor of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, this event celebrates the histories, cultures, and lived experiences of Asian Americans in Toledo. Attendees will enjoy free Asian refreshments and hear personal stories from eight local Asian American community leaders about their lives in Northwest Ohio and reflect on the many ways Asian American communities contribute to the region’s cultural fabric.

Featured Speakers:

Mely Arribas-Douglas - Welcome TLC Specialist, Toledo Lucas Public Library
Samuel Chang - President and Co-founder, Midstory
Nina Corder - Executive Director, Women of Toledo
Lisa Hanasono - Professor, School of Media and Communication, Bowling Green State University
Amjad Hussain - Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Writer, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Toledo
Justin Le - High School Senior and President of the Southview High School Asian Culture Club
Vandita Prasad - Assistant Principal at Toledo PreMed and Health Sciences Academy
Yulong Zhu - Global Casting Engineer at Dana Incorporated, and Former President of Chinese Association of Greater Toledo

This event is presented by the BGSU Institute for the Study of Culture & Society (ICS) and AWARE Ohio in collaboration with the Better Toledo program at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.

This event is organized and hosted by Louisa Ha, Educational Program Director at AWARE Ohio. The event will also feature opening remarks by Bangladeshi graduate students, Shayla Dyuti and Russel Rabbi, from BGSU. Additional organizational support was provided by Cherice Chan, Youth Program Director at AWARE Ohio.

Why Pan-Asian Solidarity Matters

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026 | 7:30 - 9:00 PM EST

Location: Zoom

Join Asian American legislators, scholars, and activists from across Ohio for a panel conversation about some of the most pressing issues facing Asian American communities in the state today. Speakers will discuss shared Asian American experiences and histories, current challenges, and how pan-Asian solidarity can bring our communities together and strengthen our voices statewide. This event is free and open to the public.

Panelists:

Dr. Tiffany J. Huang - Assistant Professor of Sociology and affiliate of Asian American Studies program at The Ohio State University; scholar of race and immigration, particularly as these areas pertain to Asian Americans
Representative Dr. Anita Somani - State Representative for Ohio’s 8th House District (Dublin) and first South Asian woman elected to Ohio State Legislature
Carlen Zhang-D'Sousa, JD - Staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, a leading civil rights organization

Moderator:

Hongmei Li - AWARE Ohio President

Watch Panel Highlights

Panel Highlights Article (English)

Asian American Experience at Miami University: A Pop-Up Exhibit

AWARE Ohio is proud to co-sponsor Asian American Experience at Miami University: A Pop-Up Exhibit, on view at the Mason Public Library from October 8–27, 2025.

Curated by Carver Spangle, a recent graduate of Miami University, this exhibit explores the history of Asian American experience at Miami University over the past 100 years through archival materials held by the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and University Archives.

The display is part of a broader initiative to collect, preserve, study, and amplify the voices and contributions of Asian American citizens and diasporic Asians in the heartland of the United States. Through collaboration with local communities, educators, curators, and scholars nationwide, the project seeks to shed light on stories that have been overlooked in American history.

Asian American Experience at Miami University: A Pop-Up Exhibit is hosted by Documenting Asian American Histories in Ohio (DAAHO).