Want to hear a zither?
How about sample some Asian food?
Try your hand at brush painting?
These experiences and activities are among those at the kickoff event of national Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month on Saturday at Reservoir High School.
“This is a time to celebrate and raise awareness of Asian cultures among our society,” said Diane Li, manager of the Savage branch of the Howard County Library. She is serving on a steering committee to organize the event that will feature games, music, food and arts and crafts.
The library is also promoting Asian awareness by showcasing books and materials related to the county?s growing Asian population.
“We want to serve the needs of our community, and in Ellicott City there is a growing Chinese community and growing Korean community,” said Katie George, teen specialist at the Miller branch of the county library.
The Savage, Miller and East Columbia library branches are sponsoring Asian expos that will feature music, arts and crafts, and games. The expos are being co-sponsored by the Association of Chinese Americans-Howard County and Korean American Community Association of Howard County.
“It?s important to let the public know ? about the cultures from different ethnic groups,” said Sue Song, president of the Korean American Community Association of Howard County.
“We estimate that about 800 people will come to the [kickoff] event.”
Former President George H.W. Bush designated the holiday in May 1990 to honor the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to note the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which involved the work of Chinese immigrants, according to a news release from the U.S. Census Bureau.
And by the way, “the zither is the Chinese version of the harp,” Li said.
At a glance
» The kickoff event for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Awareness Month is scheduled from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Reservoir High School, 11550 Scaggsville Road, Fulton.
» The percentage of Asians in Howard County has more than doubled from 1990 to 2004, from 4.3 percent of the county population to 10.2 percent, according to the U.S. Census.
