On Friday, May 13, Hostos Community College recognized and celebrated the contributions of Asian, of Asian American and Pacific Islanders with a scholarly presentation titled “The Chinese Diaspora: Transnational Migration and the Integration in the Dominican Society” and a timely panel discussion among elected officials and community leaders. 

“This morning we honor our Asian American, Pacific Islander brother and sisters as we stand in solidarity and recognition of our common struggles, common humanity, and our common need to make this a better world for all,” shared President Daisy Cocco De Filippis in her opening remarks.

She continued: “We have come together because May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and today’s event is a celebration of the contributions made by Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders here and around the world. It is a rich and vital legacy, covering every conceivable discipline practice. It is also a day to recognize and reject bigotry, in whatever manifestation and whatever part of the world is in need of improvement.”

Co-moderators Shiang-Kwei Wang, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Eric Radezky, Director of Governmental and External Affairs at Hostos, welcomed the event’s distinguished guest speakers: Joyce Moy, Former Executive Director of the Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI); Frank H. Wu, JD., President of Queens College; U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng; and New York State Senator John Liu. The panel discussed the recent rise in hate crimes against the Asian community in the U.S., the work elected officials are doing to combat vitriol against Asians, and what people can do to be supportive. They also discussed the rich diversity among AAPI communities and the importance of building solidarity and allyship across different racial and ethnic groups.

The event concluded with an insightful presentation from Luis Alvarez Lopez, Ph.D., and Sonia Bu-Larancuent, M.Ed. on their research on the Chinese diaspora in the Dominican Republic, discussing Chinese migration to the country and its impact. They also shared their analysis of second and third generation Chinese descendants in the Dominican Republic within the context of the Chinese migration to Latin America and the greater Caribbean in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Watch the entire presentation and panel discussion here.