Happy Bodhi Day, Dongzhi Festival, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa to everyone celebrating this month!
Welcome to QCAP’s December newsletter of the Fall 2024 semester!
Updating you on events and opportunities for our Queens College AAPI community.
📣ANNOUNCEMENTS
Request to Reserve the QCAP Community Space!
The QCAP Community Space in Powdermaker Hall 251 is still not open for regular hours till further notice. However, our space is available for reservation by students! If you would like to reserve the space for studying, meetings, etc., please book online at least 1 day in advance at https://qcapspacereservation.setmore.com/.
QCAP Internship Program: Spring 2025 Applications Are Now Open!
The QCAP Internship Program provides opportunities for experiential learning, leadership, and mentoring for QC’s AAPI students. The program matches students with local AAPI-serving community organizations for internships that align with their personal, academic, and professional interests and goals. In previous semesters, QCAP Interns have been matched with community organizations such as Chhaya CDC, Jahajee Sisters, MinKwon Center for Community Action, the Queens Borough President’s Office, and South Queens Women’s March. Info sessions will be held Tuesday, December 10, and Monday, January 13, at 12:30pm. The Spring 2025 application deadline is Friday, January 17.
Minor in Asian American Community Studies (AACS)!
Asian American Community Studies (AACS) is an interdisciplinary academic program at Queens College, housed in the Urban Studies department, that collaborates with QCAP to support AAPI students, faculty, staff, and allies across campus. AACS courses and programming are open to anyone interested in learning more about AAPI communities (with roots in Central, East, South, Southeast, and West Asia and the Pacific Islands, and including Asian diasporas like Indo-Caribbeans) and the field of Asian American studies.
We are excited to revitalize AACS at QC, especially the relaunch of our AACS Minor! The AACS Minor provides opportunities for students from all majors to learn about the complex histories, cultures, and politics of Asian America; to connect critical inquiry and action for social change; and to engage in research and service learning here in Queens/NYC. The minor is ideal for students who want to pursue careers in the arts, business, education, government, healthcare, international affairs, the law, nonprofits, social services, and more.
The minor is 18 credits and consists of THREE required courses and THREE additional elective courses. AACS minor courses offered in Spring 2025 include:
Two of the three required courses:
- AACS/URBST 107: Immigrant Communities in Queens (with Dr. Madhulika Khandelwal)
- ENGL 369: Asian American Literature (with Dr. Caroline K. Hong)
Electives:
- AACS/URBST 200: The Making of Asian American History
- ANTH 208W: Peoples of South Asia
- HIST 190: The Partition of India
- SOC 210: Modern Urban Community
- SOC 211: Ethnic and Racial Relations
- URBST 273: Labor and Globalization
Prerequisites for AACS minor courses may be waived upon request, and there is a lot of flexibility with the electives. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please reach out to the AACS Faculty Advisor, Dr. Soniya Munshi, at [email protected].
⭐️UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed 12/04: QCAP’s Art + Mental Health Workshop with Tyler Yin
Join us for QCAP’s last Art + Mental Health Workshop of the semester, “Instructional Art: The Creative and Healing Potential of Making Rules,” on Wednesday, December 4, from 12:15–1:30pm in the Dining Hall Patio Room (DH 114), with artist, designer, and creative technologist Tyler Yin! Bringing together art, poetry, and technology, this interactive collage-zine-making workshop will help us think creatively about how instructions and rules can help us navigate through uncertainty and uncover new perspectives and ideas. Snacks will be provided, and no prior experience or skills are required. Everyone is welcome!
12/16–12/19: QCAP Study Hall
Come by the QCAP Community Space (Powdermaker Hall 251, on the 2nd floor by the Urban Studies department office) anytime Monday, December 16, through Thursday, December 19, from 11:00am–4:00pm, for a Study Hall session during Finals Week! Whether you’re tackling assignments, preparing for exams, or just need a quiet space to focus, we’ve got you covered! Feel free to bring your friends and study together, or just stop by to grab a quick snack and recharge. It’s a great way to be productive and also connect and support each other during a stressful time. So come on through!
⏪QCAP RECAP
QCAP’s Mental Health Workshop with Renee Floresca (11/05)
We had an amazing turnout for QCAP’s second fall Mental Health Workshop, “EVERYTHING IS (NOT) FINE!” led by Filipina actor, artist, writer, and educator Renee Floresca! Through writing exercises and mindfulness practices, we explored how to release what no longer serves us and made space for healing and relaxation. The workshop was a great reminder that it’s okay to not be okay and that we’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed. With laughs, open discussions, and shared experiences, we left feeling lighter and more grounded. Thank you to Renee for creating such a warm and welcoming space and to everyone who joined us! This was a wonderful way to take a break and focus on our well-being!
AACS + QCAP Chai & Cocoa Chat (11/20)
We had a warm and cozy time at our second AACS + QCAP Chai & Cocoa Chat of the semester! Over chai, hot cocoa, and snacks, students and faculty had the chance to get to know each other and chat about the AACS Minor and QCAP. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and we hope to connect with more folks at our Chai Chats in the spring semester!
🏫CAMPUS EVENTS
Chinese Christian Fellowship, Mon 12/02 & Mon 12/09, 11:00am-1:30pm, location TBA
Korean Club Study Hangout, Mon 12/02, 12:15-1:30pm, location TBA
Yoga & Meditation, Mon 12/02, 12:15-1:30pm, location TBA
Monday Masterpiece with Angelina!, Mon 12/02, 3:30-5:00pm, Dining Hall 114 (Patio Room)
Knights Table Fresh Food Bag Program, free fresh food bags, Mon 12/02 & Mon 12/09, free hour (12:15-2:00pm) while supplies last, Student Union Diner
QC Jalsa Dance Practices, Tue 12/03 & Tue 12/10, 6:00-8:00pm, Fitzgerald Gym Room 313
Harvest Fest, free fresh produce, Wed 12/04, free hour (12:15-1:30pm) while supplies last
Parang N’ Chill Caribbean Christmas Celebration, Wed 12/04, 12:15-1:30pm, Powdermaker Hall 115
Study Hacks for Finals Success, Wed 12/04, 12:15-1:30pm, Muyskens Conference Room in the Summit; RSVP here by 12/02
Queeribbean Crossings: Solidarity as Resistance, Thu 12/05, 9:00am-5:00pm, Student Union; register here
Destressor: Slime Workshop (NISA), Thu 12/05, 12:00-3:00pm, sign in for location
Pokemon Painting Event (Creative Media Club), Thu 12/05, 12:15-1:30pm, Student Union Fishbowl
Holiday Fun Christmas Edition (CSA), Thu 12/05, 5:00-8:30pm, Student Union 301
Mock Wedding (BSA), Thu 12/05, 6:00-11:00pm, Queens Palace, 37-11 57th Street, Woodside, Queens; buy tickets here
QC Care Days, Fri 12/06, 2:00-4:00pm, volunteer at the Pomonok Community Center
Rangeela Mela (PSA x JALSA), Fri 12/06, 6:00-10:00pm, Dining Hall 800, buy tickets here
Rest & Relaxation Before Finals, Mon 12/09, 11:00am-3:00pm, Dining Hall 400 (Midway Court)
PCRF Bake Sale Fundraiser, Mon 12/09, 12:15-6:00pm, Student Union 1st Floor
Color to De-Stress Before Finals!, Tue 12/10, 12:00-2:00pm, Student Union Diner
Finals Stressing? Make a Stress Ball!, Wed 12/11, 12:15-1:30pm, Student Union Diner
Paint-a-Cookie American Heart Association Fundraiser, Wed 12/11, 12:15-1:30pm, Dining Hall
💗COMMUNITY EVENTS IN NYC
Exhibition: Legacies: Asian American Art Movements in New York City (1969-2001), on view through 12/20, 80WSE, 80 Washington Square East, Manhattan
Book Talk: Masquerade by Mike Fu, Tue 12/03, 6:00pm, Yu and Me Books, 44 Mulberry Street, Manhattan
A Benefit Reading for Gaza, Wed 12/04, 6:00-7:00pm, Yu and Me Books, 44 Mulberry Street, Manhattan; register here
Seoul: Tale of a Smart City, Wed 12/04, 6:00-7:00pm, in person at The Korea Society, 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor, Manhattan, and online
Nadine Fattaleh & Josh MacPhee: A Conversation on Archiving Student Movements, Wed 12/04, 6:00-8:00pm, A/P/A Institute at NYU, 20 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor, Manhattan
A Poetry Reading for Gaza II, Thu 12/05, 5:00-6:15pm, on Zoom; register here
Book Talk: The Rivals by Jane Pek, Thu 12/05, 7:00pm, Yu and Me Books, 44 Mulberry Street, Manhattan
Holiday Boundary Setting & Stress Reduction (SQWM), Fri 12/06, 6:00-7:00pm, on Zoom; register here
Crazy Talented Asians & Friends: 5th Animation Festival, Fri 12/06, 6:00-7:30pm, Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing; buy tickets here
Author Event: Badass Bonita with Kim Guerra, Fri 12/06, 6:30pm, World’s Borough Bookshop, 3406 73rd Street, Jackson Heights
Past Continuous: Reading Darwish in a Time of Genocide, Sat 12/07, 12:30-2:30pm, on Zoom; register here
Author Event: Lady Without Land with Krystal Vazquez & Daphne Palasi Andreades, Sat 12/07, 3:00pm, World’s Borough Bookshop, 3406 73rd Street, Jackson Heights
Global Mashup: Taktouka Band (Futuristic Arabic Folk) Meets Spanglish Fly (Latin Boogaloo), Sat 12/07, 7:00pm, Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing; buy tickets here
Author Event: Brooklynites with Prithi Kanakamedala & Lauraberth Lima, Sun 12/08, 3:00pm, World’s Borough Bookshop, 3406 73rd Street, Jackson Heights
Jahajee Volunteer Training, Tue 12/10, 7:00-9:00pm, on Zoom; register here
CUNY-wide Masquerade Vogue Ball (CUNY LGBTQI+ Council), Thu 12/12, 3:00-8:00pm, Brooklyn College Student Center 6th Floor; buy tickets here
How to Read, Honey, Fri 12/13, 7:00-9:00pm, on Zoom; register here
Comics & Crafts Holiday Market, Sat 12/14, 11:00am-4:00pm, Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing
Apex for Youth’s Holiday Market, Sun 12/15, 12:00-6:00pm, Calligaris Chelsea, 144 W 14th Street, Manhattan; free but registration required
Belonging in Higher Education: Perspectives & Lessons from Diverse Faculty (AAARI), Fri 12/20, 6:00-7:30pm, in-person at AAARI, Manhattan, and via Zoom
📌INTERNSHIPS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Handshake – Online platform for QC students to search & apply for internships & jobs
2024 CUNY Ethics and Morality Essay Contest – Submission deadline extended to 12/06
2024 CUNY Thomas Tam Scholarship – Application deadline extended to 12/06
2025 AAWW Open City & Margins Fellowships – Apply here by 12/15; fellowships for NYC and tristate-area Asian American and Asian diasporic writers
LifeSci NYC Internship Program – Applications reviewed year-round; suggested early deadline for summer applications is 12/31
Apex for Youth Volunteer Opportunities – Apply here; currently recruiting volunteers for their elementary basketball program in Flushing
Unilever Marketing Internship – Summer 2025 applications due 1/01/2025
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Program – Applications due 3/15/2025
✨RESOURCES
In case you didn’t already know, we have a Resources section on our website, where you will find not just QC- or CUNY-related resources but other Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) resources as well. These resources range from scholarly journals to various podcasts and YouTube channels to local AAPI-serving community organizations. Check them out!
And if you need any support or help accessing resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
