INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosiers in the Circle City are honoring Asian Heritage Month with Indy’s first-ever AANHPI Community Market.
“We are built upon the foundation of a lot of really incredible history of the Asian diaspora and Asian American community here in the city,” said Patrick Armstrong, the founder of Conversation Peace Productions, who also helped organize the event.
The celebration for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander gets underway Sunday at the Stutz Building in Indianapolis.
The market will feature a handful of vendors across several industries.
“It can show that there are different versions of what it looks like to be successful as an Asian American entrepreneur, particularly here in Indiana,” Armstrong said.
Laura Lachowecki is one of the entrepreneurs a part of the market.
She owns Filigree, a new boutique bakery in Broad Ripple.
“We specialize in French macarons, custom cakes, lots of good yummies, like, you know, Lemon Bars cake,” Lachowecki told WRTV.
For her, being a part of the event is not just about sharing her treats with the community
“I was raised in the US and by like an American family… you know, I don't understand all of Korean culture, so learning about that while also being a part of it is really exciting,” said Lachowecki.
Bo Turner is another Hoosier entrepreneur with similar feelings.
“I'm a Chinese adoptee, and I kind of grew up around people who didn't look like me or like know my experience,” Turner said. "So it was really nice to be able to gather people and just create a space where people know that they can come and be with similar experiences."
Turner launched FIND Indianapolis, a speed dating startup that will be featured in the market.
The goal is to bring communities together to learn from one another.
It's so important for everybody to step outside of their zone of comfort and learn about cultures, communities, people who are different from them, because it allows us to better understand our own stories as individuals,” Armstrong said.
The market will feature Asian Hoosiers showcasing everything from food, art, photography, and more.
It takes place on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Stutz at 1060 North Capitol Avenue.
