Hoosiers honor Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month at market event

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A community market boasts that it’s bringing Hoosiers together to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month through culture, creativity and connection.

Dozens gathered Sunday at The Stutz building in downtown Indianapolis for the launch of the AANHPI Community Market, aimed at uplifting Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander voices with a safe space to shop, share and build community.

News 8 first reported on the market on April 30 on “Life.Style.Live.”

Patrick Armstrong was adopted and raised in rural Indiana, where he was often the only Asian around. That experience inspired him to find his community, and, this year, start what’s being touted as the city’s first Asian community market.

“For me, community is so important and to see the community come together like this is good because it gives me a sense to build and find and be a part of something that I didn’t have growing up. It’s a chance to open doors or at least the windows for folks to see that this stuff is here for them, too,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong hopes more networking opportunities opens doors for people who may have had a similar experience to him. He says a big misconception in the state is that there aren’t very many Asian people here, and it’s a narrative he wants to change.

Six Asian-owned businesses and six sponsors, two of them Asian-owned, helped bring the event to life. “There are many people here across a wide variety of countries, communities, religions, all of the things. Events like this are a chance to build bridges, not just within our own community, but across the community at large here, too.”

Business owner Shika Medina owns Nails by Shika in downtown’s Mass Ave Cultural District. She is from Japan and moved to Lafayette before settling in Indianapolis. Beyond the booths and new connections, the market sparked something deeper, she said: a sense of belonging. “There wasn’t a lot of Asian people, and I think to see more Asian representation in media and events is really exciting for me.”

Medina is happy to share space with fellow creatives and entrepreneurs and celebrate their work side by side. “I would love to connect with other Asian Americans and the community as well. I think it’s a great opportunity for connection and community.”

With a shared vision for a more inclusive Indiana, organizers say this is just the beginning.

“The more we can have their micro events where community is supporting community, the more we’re going to see that community come together in the city,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong says he hopes to host another AANHPI community market in the summer.

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