FEATURE EVENTS
Thursday (May 4) 6:30-7:30 pm | Downtown Library
Exiled to Motown: The History of Detroit's Japanese American Community
Join us for an interview with Dr. Mika Kennedy and Celeste Shimoura Goedert, co-curators of the exhibit Exiled to Motown: Japanese Americans in Detroit, for a vibrant discussion on the origins of the exhibit, the history of the Japanese American community in Metro Detroit, and the connections we can make today within our current socio-political climate.
Saturday (May 6) 5-6 pm | Downtown Library
鬼地方—自傳式書寫與虛實交錯的故事拼貼 Author Event | Ghost Town: Exploring the Liaison Between Fiction and Autobiography
本場講座將由作家陳思宏介紹其獲臺灣文學金典獎年度百萬大獎、金鼎獎文學圖書獎，英文版並於美國獲熱烈好評的小說《鬼地方(Ghost Town)》，帶領觀眾思考「什麼是『鬼』？」、「什麼是所謂的『鬼地方』？」，以旅居德國柏林多年的觀察，與讀者分享東西方文化中對「鬼」的不同觀點和想像，也將分享本書的創作背景、靈感來源與心得。
陳思宏為旅居德國的臺灣作家，1976年出生於彰化縣永靖鄉，在陳家排行第九。輔仁大學英文系、臺灣大學戲劇所畢業，曾任記者、口譯及演員，著作曾獲林榮三文學獎短篇小說首獎、九歌文學獎年度小說獎等多項文學大獎。以小說《鬼地方》獲臺灣文學金典獎年度百萬大獎、金鼎獎並售出多國版權，近期則再以《樓上的好人》獲2022年臺灣文學金典獎。出版作品有散文《叛逆柏林》、《柏林繼續叛逆》、《第九個身體》，小說《佛羅里達變形記》、《指甲長花的世代》、《營火鬼道》、《態度》、《去過敏的三種方法》等。
陳思宏首部發行英文版的小說《鬼地方》受英美文學出版界關注，陳思宏除於2022年10月至紐約、華府進行共7場巡迴講座外，也將受邀參與於5月10日至13日舉辦的2023年美國筆會世界之聲文藝節(PEN World Voices Festival)。
In the author’s talk, Kevin Chen will introduce his well-received novel Ghost Town by discussing the definition of “Ghost,” “Ghost Town” and their meanings in different cultural contexts with the audience. Kevin will also lead the audience to explore the places he has visited, his life experiences in Taiwan and Europe, and other elements that serve as inspirations for the story.
Sunday (May 7) 3-4 pm | Downtown Library
Author Event | Ghost Town: Exploring the Liaison Between Fiction and Autobiography
In the author’s talk, Kevin Chen will introduce his well-received novel Ghost Town by discussing the definition of “Ghost,” “Ghost Town” and their meanings in different cultural contexts with the audience. Kevin will also lead the audience to explore the places he has visited, his life experiences in Taiwan and Europe, and other elements that serve as inspirations for the story.
Sunday (May 7) 1-3 pm | Downtown Library
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration with MITAI
Join the Michigan Taiwanese-American Organization (MITAI) for a celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! We'll have a martial arts demonstration, musical performances, Mandarin lessons, hands-on crafts, and more.
Monday (May 8) 6:30-7:30 pm | Pittsfield Branch
Kizuna Tree: Origami Cranes (Tsuru) for Community and Solidarity
Come join members of performance collaborative IS/LAND for an origami crane (tsuru) making class. Every crane we make in these sessions will be collected and added to the month-long Kizuna Tree installation in the lobby of our Downtown Library, ultimately transforming into a vibrant and colorful representation of community, solidarity, and healing. Inspired by the work of Tsuru for Solidarity, a nonviolent, direct action project of Japanese American social justice advocates working to end detention sites and support front-line immigrant and refugee communities that are being targeted by racist, inhumane immigration policies. Tsuru for Solidarity stand on the moral authority of Japanese Americans who suffered the atrocities and legacy of U.S. concentration camps during WWII and we say, “Stop Repeating History!”
Monday (May 15) 6:30-7:30 pm | Downtown Library
Lessons for the Future, Lessons From the Past with Japanese Internment Camp Survivor Mary Kamidoi
Join Japanese American internment camp survivor Mary Kamidoi as she recounts growing up in an internment camp and the anti-Asian discrimination she experienced through the decades. Mary Kamidoi used to work for the Ford Motor Company and was the Treasurer for the Japanese American Citizens League in Detroit and is today an active speaker and storyteller, drawing parallels from her life experiences with the current situation today of a rise in Anti-Asian hate and xenophobia, and inhumane treatment of refugees and migrants on our southern border.
Wednesday (May 17) 6-7:30 pm | Downtown Library
Kizuna Tree Panel: Storytelling as an Act of Resistance
How do we use storytelling to create real world change? How do we find our voices and get our message out? How does the sharing of stories help build community? How do we use storytelling to touch, inspire, persuade, and provoke readers to action? Join our panel featuring author and interdisciplinary artist Frances Kai-Hwa Wang of PBS News Hour, documentary producer Zosette Guir of Detroit Public Television, Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director of Rising Voices, and interdisciplinary artist Okyoung Noh.
Friday (May 19) 10:30-11:30 am | Pittsfield Branch
Korean Storytime
Hear stories told by Eunjae Cheon and sing songs led by Andrea Yun. After storytime, stay for a craft! All activities will be led in Korean.
Saturday (May 20) 6-7:30 pm | Downtown Library
IS/LAND Presents: Kizuna Tree
Kizuna Tree is an interactive installation/performance collaboration between AAPI performance collaborative IS/LAND, Detroit Public Television, and Rising Voices. Comprised of an Ikebana Tree designed by Celeste Shimoura Goedert, sound recordings from the collaborative series AAPI Stories originally co-developed by Zosette Guir of DPTV and journalist Dorothy Hernandez as a response to the Atlanta spa shootings in 2021, and movement, visuals, and readings by IS/LAND, Kizuna Tree is an exploration of communal healing for AAPI peoples, across generations, communities, and ethnicities. The restorative and healing properties through this physical movement and storytelling offers the audience an experiential exploration of the interactive connections between the dancers with each other, the audience, and the tree itself.
Sunday (May 28) 2-3 pm | Downtown Library
Author Event | Amazing: Asian American and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All
Olympic ice dancing medalists Alex and Maia Shibutani discuss their beautifully illustrated picture book highlighting the achievements of many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have made invaluable contributions to the world. They will be joined in discussion by Paralympian Chuck Aoki.
EXHIBIT
May 1 - May 31 | Downtown Library, First Floor Lobby
The Wonderful Year of the Rabbit: Lunar New Year Prints from Taiwan
This exhibit features risograph, digital, and relief prints from eight Taiwanese artists on the theme of "The Wonderful Year of the Rabbit." For the past 38 years, the Taiwan Ministry of Culture has invited artists to create prints in celebration of the Lunar New Year season. This exhibit features two commissioned prints and six first-prize winners chosen by judges under the auspices of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.
These prints are a generous gift of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, facilitated by the Michigan Taiwan American Organization and the Taipei Cultural Center in New York. Two copies of each print will enter AADL's circulating art print collection this spring.
The artists featured are: Lin Chang-Te, Lu Ming-Te, Chin Yu-Tzu, Lin Shu-Fen, Chiu Ya-Lan, Chen Wen-Chieh, Tseng Hsueh-Mei, Liao Chia-I.
May 1 - May 31 | Downtown Library, First Floor Lobby
Exhibit | Kizuna Tree with IS/LAND
Kizuna Tree is an interactive installation/performance collaboration between Detroit Public Television, WDET, and IS/LAND. Comprised of an Ikebana Tree designed by Celeste Shimoura Goedert, sound recordings from the collaborative series ‘AAPI Stories’ developed by Zosette Guir of DPTV and Dorothy Hernandez of WDET as a response to the Atlanta spa shootings in 2021, and movement and readings by AAPI Performance Collaborative IS/LAND, Kizuna Tree is an exploration of communal healing for AAPI peoples, across generations, communities, and ethnicities; offering the audience an experiential exploration of the interactive connections between the dancers with each other, the audience, and the tree itself.