Beauty, Wellness, and the Best of East and West

Discover the incredible life of Chef Vikas Khanna—known to many as “India’s favorite chef"—through the documentary Buried Seeds (75 min), directed by Andrei Severny. The film follows Khanna’s journey as a poor immigrant enduring overwhelming obstacles and pain to achieve his dreams and become a successful Michelin-starred chef. The screening is followed by a Q & A with Khanna and Severny.

In his new book, The PM Years, Rudd recounts his early triumphs and challenges in the business of government.  The book deals with Rudd’s relationship with the Bush and Obama Administrations during the Global Financial Crisis, a challenging relationship with China, as well as his global activism on climate change.  A controversial figure in Australian domestic politics, Mr. Rudd began his prime ministership by delivering a national apology to Aboriginal Australians, as well as initiating a range of far reaching reforms in Australian health and education policy.  He also introduced Australia’s first paid parental leave scheme.  But beyond the policy challenges he tackled, Rudd takes us into cabinet, the prime minister’s office and the back-corridor conversations that reshaped the country.   
After years of silence, in this second volume of his autobiography, the 26th prime minister of Australia and the current President of the Asia Society Policy Institute finally goes on the record about his time in government. At this launch of his book in the United States, Rudd will share the story of his ups and downs in office. Ian Bremmer, President of the Eurasia Group and Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, will chair the conversation.

Iranian-born, UK-based artist Reza Aramesh joins Asia Society’s senior curator for modern and contemporary art, Michelle Yun for a conversation about his work and current exhibition at Asia Society.

Join us for a fantastic opportunity to hear from your locally elected Congresswoman, Grace Meng. Grace is serving her third term in the United States House of Representatives and represents the diverse New York City borough of Queens. Congresswoman Grace Meng has passed several pieces of legislation in law including; laws about religious freedom, making Queens historic sites part of the National Park Service, and protecting public housing. Grace is an advocate for communities of color, young people and women.   This conversation will not only offer a chance to discuss politics, but will also be a special moment to discuss the relationship between politics and being Asian-American. This event will also offer a space to discuss political agency within Asian-American communities, and Grace will share with the audience her unique personal experiences and perspectives she has learned throughout her journey in politics.
Speakers
Grace Meng, U.S. Member of Congress from New York State, United States House of  Representatives
Tom Nagorski, Executive Vice President, Asia Society

As the main focus of the lawsuit brought against Harvard, Asian Americans and affirmative action have once again become a point of contention in contemporary political debate, and no less among the Asian-American community.  A grass roots Asian American conservative movement has emerged and joined forces with Edward Blum in attempt to end Affirmative Action, asserting that discrimination in the name of diversity is wrong. Asian American liberals believe that conservative Asian Americans are being used as cover to abolish affirmative action, and fear a defeat of Affirmative Action  means a loss for diversity in all of higher education. Join us for a discussion moderated by Board member of the Asian American Bar Association and the Asian American Federation, Chris Kwok about the current and future state of affirmative action.
Speakers
Hua Hsu Associate Professor at Vassar College and Staff Writer for The New Yorker
Chris M. Kwok (moderator) serves as the Co-Chair of the Issues Committee and Asia Practice Committee for the Asian American Bar Association of New York
Dr. Nicole Gon Ouchi is the supervising attorney at Advancing Justice-LA’s Impact Litigation unit
Jack Ouyang, Vice President, Operations, Asian American Coalition for Education

George Packer-Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of theAmerican Century. 

Co-presented w/PEN World Voices Festival

Meet the author/Discussion - George Packer in conversationwith Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America. Followed by a booksale & signing.  https://www.amazon.com/Our-Man-Richard-Holbrooke-American/dp/0307958027

 

PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature fromMay 6-12, 2019.

Now in its sixteenth year, Asia Society’s “Oz Prize” is the premier honor bestowed for excellence in journalism on Asia.  It honors the late Osborn Elliott, the legendary journalist and longtime Newsweek editor, who set new standards for reporting and editing and
became one of the earliest practitioners of "civic journalism." Jury Chair Marcus Brauchli, Managing Partner at North Base Media and former executive editor of The Washington Post, will present the 2019 award.

The 2019 Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia will be announced in early May 2019
For more information go to: asiasociety.org/ozprize