Author Event | Amazing: Asian American and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All

When

Sunday May 28, 2023: 2:00pm to 3:00pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

For Whom

Grade K–Adult

Description

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.

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani are two-time Olympic medalists, writers, producers, speakers, and consultants. In 2018, the siblings made Olympic history by becoming the first ice dancers of Asian descent and the first team of color to medal at the Winter Olympic Games. They are also the first sibling duo to win two Olympic medals in Ice Dance. Earlier this year, they were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Maia is on the Advisory Council for AWE (Asian Women Empowered) and is the inaugural Winter Olympic Athlete Representative of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation NextGen Program.

Alex is on the LA28 Athletes’ Commission and is a photographer. His first photographic exhibition is on display at the Leica Gallery in West Hollywood from May 4th – June 5th.

Together, they are Sports Envoys for the U.S. State Department. In their role which they’ve held since 2017, they promote cross-cultural understanding, engage underserved communities, and empower the next generation of leaders through diplomacy.

Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All is their third children’s book. They first debuted as authors with their middle grade book series, Kudo Kids. The Mystery of the Masked Medalist and The Mystery in Manhattan were released in 2020 and 2021 respectively. 

Chuck Aoki is a 3-time Paralympic Medalist in the sport of wheelchair rugby. Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Chuck found wheelchair rugby after playing wheelchair basketball for many years. While competing for Team USA, Chuck has also earned his bachelor's degree in education from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN, and his master's degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He currently works at the University of Michigan as the Community Access Navigator for the Adaptive Sports and Fitness department, where he works to increase access to sports and fitness opportunities for people living with SCI, and the medical community broadly.

This event is in partnership with Literati Bookstore and includes a signing with books for sale.