INDIANAPOLIS — “What is Asian American history?” asked Rupal Thanawala, president of Asian American Alliance Inc.
That’s just one of the questions Thanawala hopes people will seek the answer for as Indiana and the country mark Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
“We want people to celebrate the culture,” said Thanawala, who said there are 170,000 Asian Americans from various countries living in Indiana.
“When we all come together, there is a lot of different cultures, so we are not monolithic, but we are all coming from a vast continent from Asia,” Thanawala said. “That’s a common thread we have."
The celebration comes after a 14-month period that saw a rise in violence against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is very important for us to now speak about it. If we don’t speak now, we’ll never be understood,” said Thanawala.
If you’re looking for a place to learn about Asian culture, you need look no further than the city’s northwest side, where you’ll find Indy’s Global Village Welcome Center on Lafayette Road. It opened in March in what used to be the Value City Furniture Store.
“We like to call it a place where everyone can come in and find themselves,” said Mary Clark, executive director of The International Marketplace Coalition.
The welcome center features artifacts and cultural pieces from countries around the world, including from various Asian countries.
“Imagine travelling the world, right here in Indianapolis,” said Clark.
Clark hopes the center will be a place of learning and understanding of not just Asian cultures, but the world’s cultures.
“No matter what part of the world you come from, when you come here, you’re at home,” said Clark.