HAA Hosts Hinsdale's First AANHPI Heritage Month Celebration

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Matthew J. Lucio

Assistant to the President for Communication

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When Dr. Ying “Lucy” Zhou attended Hinsdale Adventist Academy’s (HAA) international festival last October, she was impressed by the celebration of diversity on display. As president of the nonprofit Hinsdale Multicultural Arts and Education Association, this was the sort of thing Dr. Zhou wanted to see more of in Hinsdale. She began exploring partnership opportunities with Carolina Rivera de Villegas, HAA’s Coordinator of the Spanish and Cultural Department, culminating with the first-annual Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration on May 17.

Hinsdale Adventist Academy hosted the event, which brought around 200 Hinsdaleans and neighbors together along with local school, community, and state leaders, including Catherine Greenspon (Board President of Hinsdale High School District 86) and Nicole Mattson (Education Director, Lake Union Conference). The celebration highlighted some cultural traditions of various Asian and Pacific nations, including a Chinese tea ceremony, a Korean musical performance, and a traditional Filipino folk dance, tinikling. Hinsdale Adventist Academy’s diverse student body contributed many of the performances for the heritage month celebration, which also featured traditional games, a calligraphy demonstration, and food brought by members of the Hinsdale Fil-Am congregation.

“This partnership has provided a meaningful opportunity for students to live out the school’s mission of purpose, service, and leadership while serving the broader community,” HAA’s Carolina Rivera de Villegas said.

NEXT STEPS:

Hinsdale’s Multicultural Arts and Educational Association is already planning the second annual AANHPI celebration at HAA. It is scheduled for May 2, 2027, and all are welcomed to attend.

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Please send any news items of what God is doing around the Illinois Conference to communication@ilcsda.org.