Burma Center hosting Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration
The Burma Center will celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Month and the accomplishments of Burmese Americans with an event titled, "Back to Burma."
The free event will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday inside the gymnasium of nonprofit located at 765 Upton Ave. in Springfield.
Burma, the Southeast Asian country also known as Myanmar, was under military rule from 1962 to 2011, before the military began allowing a somewhat democratic government. Then, in February 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi, the elected civilian leader, was detained in a military coup d'état.
MORE: Hundreds assemble in Battle Creek to protest the coup in Myanmar
Employee-led effort sees Denso donate $72,000 to Burma Center for humanitarian aid in Myanmar
Clerk helps expand Burmese Collection at Willard Library
Immigrants from Myanmar began arriving in Battle Creek in the mid-1970s with the support of local church groups. Today, about 2,500 Burmese live in the Battle Creek area.
The celebration will include information about the coup and the different ethnic groups from Myanmar, stories of Burmese refugees, traditional Burmese food and dance and games for children. The event is being sponsored by the Eastern Michigan University Center for Health Disparities Innovations and Studies and will have COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots provided by the National Guard.
For more information, visit burmacenterusa.org or call 269-441-1131.
Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Burma Center hosting AAPI Heritage Month celebration
