Published April 27 2023
May 2 reception will kick off shows
In recognition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the City of Bellevue is hosting two free exhibits during the month of May, one showcasing diverse artworks from a variety of AANHPI artists and another highlighting the role of Chinese immigrants in the history of the first transcontinental railroad.
To kick off AANHPI Heritage Month and the exhibits, the city will hold a reception Tuesday, May 2, 5-7 p.m. at City Hall, with remarks from city leaders and light refreshments. Registration is required.
The AANHPI art exhibit, a philanthropic collaboration with MG2 Foundation’s executive director, Jerry Quinn Lee, will feature more than a dozen multimedia pieces centering on the voices and experiences of the AANHPI community. The cross-cultural collection is open to the public at no cost in the first- and second-floor concourses at City Hall May 1-26 (event flyer).
The city will also honor the contributions of Chinese railroad workers through a partnership with the Chinese American Civic Association. The exhibit, “Applaud to the Chinese Transcontinental Railroad Workers,” features 60 bilingual educational panels depicting how an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese immigrants built the most challenging part of America’s first transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. The panels will be on display in the first-floor concourse at City Hall May 15-19 (event flyer).
Exhibit hours are Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Recognition of AANHPI Heritage Month will also include a proclamation read at the May 1 City Council meeting.
For alternate formats, interpreters, or reasonable accommodation requests please phone at least 48 hours in advance 425-452-7881 (voice) or email diversity@bellevuewa.gov. For complaints regarding accommodations, contact the city’s ADA/Title VI administrator at 425-452-6168 (voice). If you are deaf or hard of hearing dial 711.