Asian Economic Development Association

08/17/2026

🎨 XIA Arts is looking for creative workshops!

Do you have a creative workshop idea that brings people together, builds new skills, or supports community wellness? XIA Arts is looking for Minnesota-based artists, makers, and creatives to host interactive workshops in 2026–2027.

We welcome workshop proposals that connect with themes such as:
✨ Reframing the Future
✨ Connections & Community
✨ Health, Wellness & Wellbeing
✨ Creative Skill-building

Workshops can include arts, crafts, storytelling, wellness practices, hands-on making, creative discussions, and more. Teaching experience is not required — we’re excited to hear from people with meaningful ideas to share with the community.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants must be 18+ and based in Minnesota.

Apply here: bit.ly/XIACW2627

Questions? Contact Ngân at [email protected]

We can’t wait to learn about your workshop ideas! 🌱

08/17/2026

Are you an author who is looking to host their next book event? Reach out to XIA Books & Café!

📚 Calling all authors, creators, publishers, and book lovers!

XIA Books is now accepting proposals for book talk sessions. We’re looking for programming centering on books by AAPI authors, books illustrated or designed by AAPI creators, and stories that focus on AAPI experiences.

If you’re interested in hosting a book talk, reading, panel discussion, book signing event, or community gathering around your book, we’d love to hear from you.

Book talks can be 1.5–2 hours long and accommodate up to 35 participants. This is an ongoing call. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

⭐️ Submit your proposal here: bit.ly/XIABooks2627

We can’t wait to learn about your book and help bring more AAPI stories into community conversation. ✨

08/17/2026

📣 Call for Exhibition Proposals: XIA Arts 2026–2027

XIA Arts is now accepting exhibition proposals for our 2026–2027 gallery season!

We’re looking for solo or group exhibitions that center Southeast Asian and/or Asian-diaspora experiences, communities, histories, and creative voices. Proposals may explore themes such as identity, memory, migration, heritage, healing, resistance, family history, cultural preservation, and community storytelling.

Applicants must be 18+ and reside in Minnesota. Exhibitions will be hosted for one month, including time for installation and takedown.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the 2026–2027 exhibition calendar is filled. Applicants will be notified within two weeks of submission.

⭐️ Apply here: bit.ly/XIAGallery2627 ⭐️

Questions? Contact Ngân at [email protected]

We can’t wait to learn more about your work and vision. 🌿

08/04/2026

Va-Megn Thoj, founder of Aeda, joins the CAPACD Panel “Inclusive Neighborhood Planning for Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Communities: Lessons from the Cultural Anchors Program” to discuss how anchor community-based organizations can engage multi-ethnic communities in inclusive planning, highlighting key takeaways from Cambodia Town, White Center, and Little Mekong.

United Cambodian Comunity White Center, Washington Little Mekong
National CAPACD

07/28/2026

Free Info Session — Is Your Business Ready for MN MN Paid Leave 101 for Entrepreneurs & Small Paid Leave?

Minnesota's Paid Leave program is now in effect, and small business owners have new responsibilities — from quarterly reporting to employee notifications. Join HAP for a free virtual session breaking it down in plain language: what's covered, who's impacted, wage reporting, premiums, and how self-employed individuals can opt in.

Tuesday, July 28 | 12-1 PM
Virtual (Zoom link sent after registration).
Register by July 26: https://hmong.tfaforms.net/93

06/26/2026

Don't forget! We have Curtis Chin and Jeff Yang this Sunday at XIA Books & Café, for an exclusive talk on the things that made us: family, food, and film.

6/28, 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Register here: https://www.xiaarts.com/events
Author Talk with Curtis Chin and Jeff Yang in St. Paul, MN

Curtis Chin’s book, “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant,” encapsulates the Chinese American experience during the stagnation and despair of the 1980s. Amidst Detroit’s racial tensions following the Vincent Chin murder, Curtis Chin came of age and discovered the significance of human connections in a quintessential Chinese restaurant.

As an indispensable voice on the shifting cultural visibility of Asian Americans, Jeff Yang chronicles the evolution of media representation in books like "RISE" and "The Golden Screen," tracing a profound transformation from classic Hollywood exclusion, racism, and alien depictions to authentic, Asian-led success.

06/10/2026

Upcoming Paj Ntaub workshop for all of our arts & crafts lovers!

Join us at for a paj ntaub workshop open to all ages and skill levels. Under the guidance of Mama Suzanne, participants will learn cross-stitching and get hands-on support throughout the session.

Kits are available for purchase from Mama Suzanne or XIA on the day of the workshop for $6 each, so everyone can learn and create together.

RSVP: https://bit.ly/4e3w9TC

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About the Artist
Suzanne Thao, 68, was born "Xyo Mim (in reference to the first star next to the moon) Vaj "in Phou Mou, Long Cheng, Laos. Suzanne learned Hmong paj ntaub (Hmong embroidery) at the age of six from her paternal grandmother Mee Xiong and mother Chia Lo. Since 2016, Suzanne has partnered with the Hmong Museum to teach Project Paj Ntaub a three-hour monthly class, where participants learn and make one of the three traditional Hmong paj ntaub techniques: cross-stitch, reverse appliqué and appliqué. Outside of workshops, she also offers one-on-one mentoring time for participants who need follow up support for difficult stitches or personal projects.

06/09/2026

Save the date for Best selling authors Curtis Chin and Jeff Yang's conversation at XIA Books & Café

Join us for a moderated conversation on: The Things That Made Us: Family, Food, and Film Author Talk with Curtis Chin and Jeff Yang in St. Paul, MN

RSVP: https://bit.ly/4us3EEb
Sunday, June 28, 2026 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM XIA Books & Café

Join us for an engaging author talk with Curtis Chin and Jeff Yang as they discuss The Things That Made Us: Family, Food, and Film.

Set at XIA Books & Café, this special evening invites attendees into a thoughtful and lively conversation about the stories, memories, and cultural influences that shape identity and creative expression.

Come for an inspiring discussion, stay for the community, and enjoy an evening centered on family, food, and film.