CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - "Breaking New Ground," this year's Asian American Awareness Month theme at the University of Illinois, celebrates the groundbreaking efforts of students on the Urbana campus to bring about the Asian American Cultural Center, which is to be completed by summer.
A number of events have been scheduled through early April, including performances, workshops, conferences and fashion shows.
Events in the next week include:
• Today (March 4), Miss Asian UIUC pageant, 7 p.m., Foellinger Auditorium, 709 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana. Sponsored by the Taiwanese Intercultural Association.
• Saturday (March 5), Kamayan Night, 6-10 p.m., University YMCA, 1011 S. Wright St., Champaign. Sponsored by the Philippine Student Association. Kamayan means "eat with your hands" in Tagalog. Line dancing will follow the dinner.
Charity Date Auction, 7-9 p.m., Room 151, Everitt Laboratory, 1406 W. Green St., Urbana. Sponsored by Chinese Undergraduate Student Association. Fund-raising event for tsunami relief and American Cancer Society.
Bowl-a-Thon, 6-8 p.m., Illini Union, 1401 W. Green St., Urbana. Sponsored by Korean American Student Association.
Illinites, 9 p.m., Illini Union Courtyard Café. Sponsored by Asian American Cultural Center, Illini Union Board, Office of LGBT Concerns and Philippine Student Association. Performance will address issues of being homosexual and Asian American.
• Tuesday (March 8), Asian Food Night, 4:45-6:30 p.m., residence halls. Sponsored by Housing Division.
Taste of Asia, 6-9 p.m., University YMCA. Sponsored by Asian American Association.
• Wednesday (March 9), "Frontier Prison: Triumphalism in Children's Books About Wartime Japanese American Incarceration," noon-1 p.m., Room 209, Illini Union. Presented by John Streamas, postdoctoral fellow.
• Thursday (March 10), "Knowing Yourself" (Food for Thought Lunch series), noon-1 p.m., basement, University YMCA. Sponsored by the Counseling Center. An exploration of Asian American identity and well-being.
For more information, call Linda Luk at 217-333-0050.
