Glee!’s Harry Shum, Jr. kicks off Colorado State University’s Asian Fest

Note to Reporters: UPDATE, April 17: Jessica Cox event at 6 p.m. April 17 has been canceled due to weather.

Glee!’s Harry Shum, Jr. will speak at Colorado State University at 5 p.m. April 6 in the Lory Student Center Theatre as the kickoff to this year’s Asian Fest.

Shum’s talk will be about defying stereotypes, depictions of Asian Americans in the media, diversity and his career. Shum, known for his role as Mike Chang on the popular TV series, also is the co-founder and executive producer of REMIXED, a YouTube series that showcases dancers and musicians.

As a dancer, Shum has worked with several artists, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez. He also has appeared on Boston Public, Zoey 101 and ABC Family’s Greek.

Admission is free; seating will be first come, first serve.

Asian Fest celebrates Asian/Pacific American culture and raises awareness of issues currently facing Asian Americans. It will be celebrated on campus April 6-28.

“This year’s Asian Fest will highlight cultural expressions that are important to the Asian/Pacific American community,” said Christian Hill, president of the Asian Fest Student Organization. “Asian Fest events are created to inform, educate and entertain the campus and Fort Collins community. A lot of planning and effort goes into these events so attendees will not be disappointed.”

As part of the Asian Fest tradition, the annual Lu’au will be held at 5 p.m. April 28 in the Lory Student Center Main Ballroom. Sponsored by Hui O Hawaii, tickets will be available April 8-12 at $12 for students and $15 for non-students at the LSC Flea Market. After April 12, student tickets will be available for $16 and non-student tickets for $20 at the LSC Information Desk and the A/PACC office. Children under 3 are free.

Other events include:

Denver Taiko, 7:30-9 p.m. April 10, Lory Student Center Theatre. Denver Taiko, a Japanese drum group founded in 1976, is a nonprofit organization comprised mostly of third-, fourth- and fifth-generation Japanese Americans honoring their cultural heritage through the performance art of Taiko. To learn more, visit www.denvertaiko.org.

Rice Event, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. April 15, LSC Plaza. Rice is a common ingredient many cultures use to bring people together. This event will showcase different ways to prepare rice dishes from around the world via the four CSU cultural centers. Sample plates are $4.

Jessica Cox, 6-8 p.m. April 17, LSC Greyrock Room. Cox is a pilot, Taekwondo black belt and Guinness World Record holder who was born without arms. She will speak about her life experiences and demonstrate Taekwondo.

Film: Beautiful Boxer, noon-2 p.m. April 23, LSC 224-226. Based on the life story of Parinya Charoenphol, a Muaythai boxer who underwent a sex-change operation to become a woman, the film chronicles her life from a young boy who wears lipstick and flowers to her career as a kickboxer.

Sponsors for Asian Fest include Asian Fest Student Organization; Asian/Pacific American Cultural Center; Asian Studies Board; Associated Students of CSU; Black/African American Cultural Center; ASAP; Committee on Disabled Students Access; El Centro; Gay, Lesbian Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center; Hui O Hawaii; Japan Club; Native American Cultural Center; Resources for Disabled Students; and Women & Gender Advocacy Center.

For more information, visit www.apacc.colostate.edu.

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