If you were to read the writing on the walls, you’d know what’s on their minds: “read ten thousand books and walk ten thousand miles to seek knowledge”; “to get promotion continuously/to attain eminence step by step”; “successful future as bright and beautiful as tapestry”—these are some of the words chosen by the young artists to display in this, the second annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC and the Asian Mentoring Committee’s Fundraiser. As with last year’s event the “Littles” (mentees involved in the program) created unique pieces of art under the guidance of their “Bigs” (program mentors.) This year, acclaimed author and artist Mingmei Yip taught calligraphy workshops to the pairs, instructing the Littles in the art of Chinese brushwork. To create their final piece, each Little wrote out a traditional Chinese proverb that held personal meaning. Their work was then framed and installed in the classroom of the Museum of Chinese in America. (On display through summer 2011.)
This artwork, and the efforts of BBBS of NYC and the AMC, was celebrated with a fundraiser on May 18 at MOCA. Hector Batista, Executive Director of BBBS of NYC, welcomed guests to kick-off the evening. Friends and fans mingled while enjoying food and drink. Traditional music performed by Wukun Li (Pipa), Tingting Chen (Gu Zheng) and Wen Li (Dulcimer) entertained guests, and inspiring speaker Cambao De Duong shared his life experiences. The evening, like the proverbs promised, was a great success. We sincerely thank all of the dedicated volunteers who gave their time, as well as sponsors and partners including Fay Da Bakery, Filled with Sweets Desserts, Khao Tip Restaurant, Paleewong Trading Co., PepsiMax, Red Egg, and Taiwan Beer.
On Saturday, May 21 the Museum again welcomed Bigs, Littles and their families to an Artists’ Reception. Through their interactions, we saw first-hand how a successful one-to-one mentorship positively affects the lives surrounding our matches, as parents and siblings celebrated alongside the proud artists. This event included tasty treats from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, as well as gift bags including prizes from ChinaSprout, L’Oreal, and McDonalds.
Artist Littles pose with their pieces
The Museum of Chinese in America was proud to host both events, to witness the growth of previous participants and welcome new matches, and to once again reach out to the adult community of BBBS and AMC supporters as well as the youth and families matched through BBBS. We truly believe that the Littles will have a successful future through hard work, dedication and the support of families, friends and mentors and we look forward to future opportunities to support AMC’s efforts in “Inspiring a Future, Today!”
Filed under: MOCA, Public Programs, AMC, BBBS of NYC, Volunteer
The Museum of Chinese in America 