Purdue University Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center

Purdue University Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center 915 5th Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906 The Purdue University AAARCC is currently located at 915 5th Street on the Purdue University campus. All are welcome!

We hope that our first "permanent" home on campus will be a place to connect with our students and community as we work to bring culturally educational events to the Purdue campus and greater Lafayette-West Lafayette community that enhances the visibility and understanding of Asian/Asian American cultures and experiences. Stay connected with us to find out what we're doing!

The AAARCC staff and volunteers have been participating in welcome fair tabling, including for the Graduate Gold Rush, B...
09/10/2026

The AAARCC staff and volunteers have been participating in welcome fair tabling, including for the Graduate Gold Rush, Black Cultural Center's Boiler Fest, Purdue Polytechnic's Techie Taco Friday, Asian Student Union Board's Back to School Bash, CARE's Yes Fest, and LGBTQ Center Welcome Fair. Thank you for including the AAARCC in these events!

Join advocates from CARE and the Cultural Centers for Redzone Awareness and Prevention on Wednesday, September 9, from 3...
09/09/2026

Join advocates from CARE and the Cultural Centers for Redzone Awareness and Prevention on Wednesday, September 9, from 3-4pm at the AAARCC (915 5th St). Learn about asking for help and utilizing different community and campus resources while designing patterns using perler beads -- with a twist! All Boilermakers are welcome to attend! This event is a collaboration between the Center for Advocacy, Response and Education, Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center, Latino Cultural Center, and Native American Educational and Cultural Center.

What does violence look like when it is not spectacular but quiet and routine? Join us for a two-part Book Discussion of...
09/09/2026

What does violence look like when it is not spectacular but quiet and routine? Join us for a two-part Book Discussion of Town of Dollars by Dr. Dada Docot on Wednesday September 9 and 16 from 4:30-5:30PM at the AAARCC (915 5th St).

Join us on Wednesday, September 9, 4:30-5:30PM for a moderated book discussion to examine romanticized tropes of resistance and resilience from Chapter 1 examples of hometown ethnography and US influences on Filipino history. Excerpt provided upon RSVP. The first 5 individuals who RSVP and attend the book discussion will receive a free copy of the book! RSVP at https://aaarcc.short.gy/dollarsrsvp

Join Dada on Wednesday, September 16, 4:30-5:30pm for autoethnographic reflection of how "ambient violence" lingers quietly in the ordinary persistence of survival in modern rural Philippines. If you are unable to join in-person, a livestream is available by registering on Microsoft Teams: https://aaarcc.short.gy/dollarstalk

In this intimate ethnography, a rural locale earns the nickname “Town of Dollars” thanks to the Nabueño men who served in the lowest ranks of the US Navy. Performing tasks considered beneath white sailors, these men introduced American dollars into the local economy and transformed perceptions of the good life. Explore manifestations of the Philippines’ four centuries of colonization through stories of ritual, family, migration, and labor. Everyday struggles—from flooding rice fields and precarious wage work to political patronage and overseas migration—are shaped by the layered histories of Spanish, US, and Japanese colonization and contemporary dispossession. These forms of “ambient violence," she theorizes, are neither extraordinary nor rare but harmful realities sedimented into the ordinary, becoming the atmosphere in which life unfolds.

Dada Docot is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology. �Dada received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, MA in Human Security Studies at the University of Tokyo, and BA in Journalism at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Her work has been shown in both academic and art environments including the Society of Visual Anthropology’s Film Festival, the UBC Museum of Anthropology, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the CaixaForum in Barcelona, and The Red House Center for Culture and Debate in Bulgaria. Dada’s research and community work have received support from the UBC Liu Institute of Global Issues, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council-Canada, and Ministry of Education-Japan.

These events are free and open to all Boilermakers. RSVP and reading the book prior to the events are not required to participate.�If you need accommodation to participate in this event, please email [email protected] https://aaarcc.short.gy/dollarsrsvp

We hope the first weeks of class went well for all Boilermakers! We are greeting you this Friday to share warm news from...
09/08/2026

We hope the first weeks of class went well for all Boilermakers! We are greeting you this Friday to share warm news from the AAARCC staff. We could not do all this without your help, so thank you all for weaving the many histories of Asian and Asian American communities into campus life.

In July 2026, Program Administrator Samantha Huang was awarded Bravo+ for Innovation/Creativity from Student Life. The award nomination highlighted Sam's consideration of student experiences, accessibility, and representation in AAARCC promotion as well as her encouragement of student staff and volunteers to pursue creative opportunities through AAARCC events.

Graduate Assistant Nguyen Le is now All But Dissertation (ABD)! Getting closer to completing his Ph.D. program, Nguyen defended his dissertation proposal just last week in the College of Education. Congratulations, Nguyen, and best wishes in writing your dissertation.

Administrative Assistant Evelynn Bretz has been working on two things dear to her: library access and books. Check back on Monday for an announcement about our monthly AAARCC library treasure hunt!

Graduate Assistant Mukhamad Suhermanto is our lead garden expert, so be sure to ask him about the new growth in our Roots garden! Herman is also co-writing a paper on our garden history and archives.

Undergraduate Student Staff Lamiya Laxmidhar is working on a special project: a cookbook! Many people have shared dishes they make with vegetables harvested at the AAARCC or stories about food they make with friends at the AAARCC.

AAARCC Director Dr. Pamela K. Sari was awarded Community Educator Award by the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs (APAPA) Indiana Chapter at their August 22, 2026 Annual Gala in Indianapolis. Dr. Sari attributed her success in receiving the award to past and current AAARCC staff, faculty and staff mentors, colleagues, students, alumni, community members who interacted with the AAARCC, and her family. All of them have been an important part in weaving Asian/American experiences into campus life and in the community. Former AAARCC Program Administrator Manabu Taketani was also acknowledged as one of APAPA's Key Leadership Program Fellows.

Welcome (back) Boilermakers! We hope your first week of the Fall 2026 semester went well!🌞 Thank you for stopping by the...
08/28/2026

Welcome (back) Boilermakers! We hope your first week of the Fall 2026 semester went well!🌞 Thank you for stopping by the AAARCC to visit for the first time or returning to tell us about your summer adventures! We loved seeing everyone write letters to their future selves, share class schedules with peers, customizing breakfast bowls and tea bags, and snapping a "First Day" picture at our photobooth.
The AAARCC (915 5th St) is open Mondays through Fridays, 8 am to 5 pm. 🏠 Come hangout and study with us between classes! Enjoy different learning opportunities in the areas of leadership, engagement, and communities, arts and cultures, and well-being! Check back our website and social media for upcoming programming. 🗓
See you later! 🖤💛🖤💛

Tune in for the first session of our Fall 2026 Lunch & Learn series on Thursday, September 3rd, from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ...
08/25/2026

Tune in for the first session of our Fall 2026 Lunch & Learn series on Thursday, September 3rd, from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM at
AAARCC (915 5th St.) and online (information on Teams webinar below). To kick off our programming theme “History in Motion: Asian American Narratives, Media, and America 250," Dr. Monica Trieu will be presenting her latest research on "The (Asian) American Stories We Choose to Tell: The National Park Service, Asian Americans, and the Making of the Model Minority."

The National Park Service (NPS) plays a crucial role in shaping the United States’ identity and collective memory through its storytelling. Which Asian American stories are shared? What is the impact of NPS’ storytelling on Asian American history? This talk will explore one NPS story, “Japanese Americans at Grand Canyon: Bellboys and WWII Heroes,” and its connection to the evolution of a racialized Asian American identity and the ongoing function of its persistent, troubling legacy.

Dr. Monica Trieu is professor of Asian American Studies and American Studies in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Purdue University. She received her BA from the University of California, Davis, and her PhD from the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on race and space, racialization, children of immigrants and refugees, and Asian American history. Her most recent book publication is Fighting Invisibility: Asian Americans in the Midwest (2023). She is currently working on a project examining the relationship among Asian Americans, U.S. National Parks, and the great outdoors.

Seating starts at 11:50am and the presentation starts at 12pm. In-person seating is limited to the first 50 attendees. This is a hybrid event, so consider joining us over Teams using this registration: aaarcc.short.gy/LL0903online

The AAARCC Lunch & Learn Series is partially funded by SFAB. Each Lunch and Learn features faculty, staff, and students from a variety of disciplines sharing their research or expertise. We believe each Lunch and Learn session poses a valuable opportunity for students to learn from experts and engage in meaningful discussions. In Fall 2026, the AAARCC will highlight the theme “History in Motion: Asian American Narratives, Media, and America 250.” Through this lens, we explore the possibilities inspired by the following question: What type of agency and opportunities can Boilermakers utilize to weave in the stories that don’t always fit neatly? From film, music, and sports to news broadcasters, online content creators, and AI, join us in analyzing historical and modern influencers of our shared narratives across upbringings and disciplines. We will examine where and who our histories come from, how our histories are archived and retold through media, and how we can produce cultural artifacts of our lived experiences for others to connect with. Amid a polarized national political climate, this scaffolding will prepare Boilermakers to appreciate and articulate reflections about their strengths and resilience, value of networks and community, and leadership grounded in lessons of our shared histories.

he AAARCC Lunch & Learn Series is partially funded by SFAB. Each Lunch & Learn features faculty, staff, and students from a variety of disciplines sharing their research or expertise. For more information about our programming theme and upcoming Lunch & Learn sessions, please visit purdue.edu/aaarcc/events

The AAARCC BGR Open House is two days away! Please meet the amazing Supers who will help us at the open house: Risha, Ka...
08/18/2026

The AAARCC BGR Open House is two days away!

Please meet the amazing Supers who will help us at the open house: Risha, Karla, Isaac, Alexis, Conner, Parker, Tania, Vedhika, Andrew, and Eleanor! Thank you for sharing your time with us!

You will also get to meet the AAARCC staff and volunteers at the event. We can't wait to see you on Wednesday, Aug 19 and Thursday, Aug 20, 3-5 pm at 915 5th Street. You will get to learn about our facility and initiatives. You will also get to enjoy iced treats and popular Asian snacks while having the opportunity to receive a special AAARCC merchandise through completing different activities: button making, chopstick competition, photo booth, lawn games, clay sculpting, karaoke, fuse beads, Nintendo Switch games, and tote bag painting. There will be an opportunity to get a special AAARCC merchandise!

First week of August is here, which means we are excited to see more Boilermakers back on campus and are also reflective...
08/05/2026

First week of August is here, which means we are excited to see more Boilermakers back on campus and are also reflective about how summer brought us time of rest, preparation, and intentional time with each other.

Thank you to students who picked up vegetables from the AAARCC's Roots garden in partnership with Purdue Student Farm. We begin seeing tomatoes, perilla leaves, eggplants while other vegetables continue growing bountifully: kale, Swiss chard, peppers, parsley, chives, Thai basil and lemon basil (also known as Indonesian basil or kemangi), and a few herbs.

We welcomed individual and groups who toured the AAARCC and want to thank the Bridge program and Purdue Promise team for visiting!

We said "see you again" to our 2025-2026 CAPS Liaison Dr. Mohamad Almakky who completed his internship time at CAPS and graduated with his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University in Indianapolis. Best wishes, Dr. Almakky, for your future plans!

We used lunch times to focus on informal community building with students and our campus partners, and felt thankful for everyone who joined us at the AAARCC all throughout summer!

Have a nice rest of your week and summer!

On July 22, 2026, the AAARCC welcomed close to 300 students participating in the Early Start Scavenger Hunt program. Par...
07/31/2026

On July 22, 2026, the AAARCC welcomed close to 300 students participating in the Early Start Scavenger Hunt program. Participants learned about the AAARCC facility and programming that we offered. They played jianzi/jegichagi (제기차기), co****le, and our signature chopstick game. 🥢

Students guessed the scavenger hunt question about artist 's mural on the second floor of the AAARCC building and created a personal bookmark with dried flowers. 🌸🌿 Thank you, all Early Start program attendees, for learning about the AAARCC, and for your willingness to be spotlighted through our photo and reflection stations. We hope that you enjoyed the snacks and boba bar (thank you our business vendor 🧋).

More than 20 volunteers helped us welcome incoming students at this event, including supportive campus partners who shared their time after work to be a community for each other. Thank you, volunteers! 💛🖤

This event is possible because of the generous partnership from the Office of Summer and Winter Sessions . ⭐️🎉 Thank you so much for our collaboration this year, and thank you Miranda McCarty for attending this event on behalf of our campus partner.

Start the 2026-2027 academic year with , , and Express Fest: Resource Fair & Open House 💛🖤 🗓 Wednesday, August 26, 2026...
07/29/2026

Start the 2026-2027 academic year with , , and Express Fest: Resource Fair & Open House 💛🖤

🗓 Wednesday, August 26, 2026
🕑 2-5 pm
📍 915 5th Street

Discover campus resources, make new connections, and celebrate communities with our centers! There will be cultural performances, free Kona Ice, giveaways, and more. 🍧

To host a table, register at: tinyurl.com/expressfest2026

Address

915 5th Street
West Lafayette, IN
47906

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7pm
Tuesday 8am - 7pm
Wednesday 8am - 7pm
Thursday 8am - 7pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(765) 496-0488

Website

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