16 THE QUEENS COURIER • MAY 20, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Flushing organization hosts Family Fun
Day in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e Korean American Family Service
Center (KAFSC), in partnership with the
NYPD Queens Community Outreach
Unit, hosted its fi rst annual Asian
American Pacifi c Islander (AAPI) Family
Fun Day at Astoria Park on Saturday,
May 15, to celebrate the month of May,
which is also known as Family Month for
Koreans, as well as AAPI Heritage Month.
More than 10 community partners
and hundreds of people from the Asian
American community participated in the
event at Astoria Park that featured musical
entertainment by Jay Miners, Wind
Meets West, as well as a drum and dance
performance by the New York Pilgrim
Missionary Dance. Food trucks such as
Th e Maine Lobster, Carvel Ice Cream,
Frank’s Souvlaki and Yum Dum, were
also on site serving delicious meals to the
community.
“During the Month of May in Korea we
celebrate family — May 5 is our Children’s
Day and May 8 is Parents’ Day. Th ere are
a lot of celebrations around families in
Korea,” Jaehee Fischer, executive director
of KAFSC, told QNS. “In the U.S.,
during AAPI Heritage Month, we wanted
to celebrate and give our community
members the opportunity to learn about
Asian American culture and for Asian
Americans to participate in the fun day to
celebrate their own heritage.”
Th is year’s celebration of AAPI
Heritage Month is especially signifi
cant following the rise in
growing anti-Asian sentiment
throughout the country that
has ignited a movement
(#StopAsianHate ) ,
as Asians are experiencing
a wave of
unprovoked violent
attacks in
relation to the
coronavirus.
While it has been
a diffi cult year for
the Asian community
grappling with
a virus and anti-
Asian discrimination,
Fischer said the
event was meaningful
just seeing everyone
enjoy themselves during a
critical time.
As the executive director
of KAFSC, a nonprofit
organization based in
Flushing committed to
preventing and ending
domestic violence, sexual
assault and relationship
The fi rst annual Asian American Pacifi c Islander (AAPI) Family Fun day event was held at
Astoria Park on Saturday, May 15, to celebrate family month for Koreans, as well as AAPI
Heritage month.
abuse, Fischer had to also
cater to the community providing
COVID-19 information
and calls regarding anti-Asian
attacks.
“We are designated
by the Offi ce of
Victim Services
to be able to
assist our community
members
with any
crimes —
meaning that
we can fi ll out
an application
on behalf of our
clients of crimes
to be compensated
by loss of job
due to the crime,”
Fischer said.
KAFSC offers a
broad range of programs
and services
for women, men,
children and youth.
Th e center’s services
are provided
by bilingual professional
counselors,
and without
charge to the
client. All client
information
is kept strictly
confi dential
Courtesy of KAFSC
and their privacy is protected.
However, according to Fischer, because
of language access and cultural barriers,
many Asian American community members
aren’t aware of the resources available
to them that are provided by the city
and state.
“We’ve been bridging that gap more
than ever,” Fischer said.
At the height of the pandemic last year,
according to Fischer, the center received
an infl ux of phone calls on their one-ofa
kind, 24-hour bilingual hotline regarding
social emotional support for seniors,
and survivors of domestic violence who
were trapped at home with their abuser.
Additionally, the center was also providing
self-defense training sessions in light
of attacks against Asians, while also disseminating
information on how to report
a crime.
“If they can’t report it because of the
language capacity, we will be able to do it
for them,” Fischer said.
Overall, Fischer acknowledged the elected
offi cials — such as Borough President
Donovan Richards and Senator John Liu
— who have been outspoken about the
issue and have encouraged everyone to
stand up against Asian hate.
“Both Senator Liu and Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards have been
really vocal about supporting one another,
and we are inclusive with other groups of
people and partnering with them going to
diff erent rallies as well,” Fischer said. “We
appreciate their support.”
(From l. to r.) NYPD offi cer
Jae Kim, Executive Director
of KAFSC Jaehee Fischer and
NYPD Offi cer Rodrigo Costa.
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