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Playwright Lani Montreal performing “Leaving Mother: Anak ni Tapia” on June 22-23, 2024, at Links Hall Festival of New Works. (Courtesy of Michelle Reid)

The Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival coincides with Filipino American History Month in October. Performances and readings will be held Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 11-26 at PrideArts and Rizal Center.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the DNC on Aug. 22, 2024. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

If Vice President Kamala Harris beats former President Donald Trump in November, she’ll be the first woman in the Oval Office as well as the first person of Jamaican ancestry to assume the role, and the first person of South Asian descent.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois speaks during an Asian American Pacific Islander caucus meeting as part of the Democratic National Convention at McCormick Place on Aug. 19, 2024. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois were among the elected officials who attended the AAPI caucus meeting on the first day of the Democratic National Convention.

The Victor Wong fellowship at Second City offers training and mentorship for AAPI comedic talent. From left to right, the fellows chosen this year are Ian Voltaire Deanes, Esther Oh, Becca Nix Tham, Robert Kalia Kapaku, Devin Jeong-Wright, Grace Goze, Frederic Powers, Brian Park, Ateeq Rehman and Johanna Medrano. (Courtesy of Timothy Schmidt)

The Victor Wong fellowship involves three months of intensive training in sketch comedy writing, performing and improv. The “Youth in Asia (Are You Proud of Me Yet?)” showcase, written and performed by Second City’s latest cohort of fellows, is a culmination of the program.

(WTTW News)

The Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition has gathered over 300 members to take part in this year’s Asian American Action Day events to advocate for language and immigration services and education equity, among other causes. 

FILE - Revelers celebrate Lunar New Year in Manhattan’s Chinatown, Feb. 12, 2023, in New York. (John Minchillo / AP Photo, file)

On Saturday, Asian American communities around the U.S. will ring in the Year of the Dragon with community carnivals, family gatherings, parades, traditional food, fireworks and other festivities.

Artist James Bulosan, left, and artist Tita Recometa-Brady, having a conversation at the “More than Lumpia” art exhibit on Oct. 6 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts. (WTTW News / Eunice Alpasan)

Filipino American History Month in October puts a spotlight on the achievements of Filipino Americans, the stories of Filipino Americans throughout history and how that history is still felt today.

(WTTW News)

May marks Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. Across Chicago, members of those communities have made the city their home while keeping their cultural traditions alive.

(WTTW News)

The Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition, a coalition of Asian American organizations from across the Chicago area, will come together in Springfield on Tuesday to advocate for legislation to meet the community’s needs. 

(PBS)

Starting this school year, every public elementary school and high school in Illinois must include a unit of instruction on Asian American history. Illinois became the first state to implement the requirement when Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act into law last summer. 

(WTTW News)
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Chris Javier, a deacon at Chinese Christian Union Church, has been working on developing safety plans for residents in the community. Going door to door, he’s been educating residents on how to keep themselves protected against the rise in hate crimes, scams and more.

(WTTW News)

Some community leaders want to see Chinatown and the surrounding area included in a single ward as part of the city council’s once-a-decade remap process. Advocates are also calling for Asian American communities in Albany Park, West Ridge, and Uptown to stay together in their respective wards to ensure their voices are heard. 

Illinois Gov. J.B. Prtizker signed the Teaching Equitable Asian American History Act on Friday, July 9, requiring public K-12 schools to teach Asian American history. (Pool via CNN)
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In the midst of a right-wing attack on creating a more inclusive education in the U.S., Illinois just became the first state to require Asian American history to be taught in public schools.

In this Monday, May 10, 2021 photo, Senior Annie Chen, center, listens with classmates as Connecticut Attorney General William Tong speaks for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Farmington High School in Farmington, Conn. (AP Photo / Jessica Hill)
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Illinois would become the first state to require public schools to teach Asian American studies if the governor signs a bill that cleared the state Legislature. Lawmakers have proposed similar mandates this year in Connecticut, New York and Wisconsin.

State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr speaks Monday, March 22, 2021 about the anti-Asian discrimination. (WTTW News)
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A coalition of state representatives and organizations representing the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander community called on residents to unite against discrimination in the wake of a mass shooting in Georgia that eight people, including six women of Asian descent.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta on Friday to meet with Asian American leaders in the wake of deadly shootings that killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent. (Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images)
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President Joe Biden on Friday condemned rising hate crimes against Asian Americans in the wake of the mass shooting in the Atlanta area that left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent.