On Sunday, May 25, 2025, the 2025 AANHPI [Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander] Heritage Festival took place at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common. Hosted by the New England Chinese American Alliance (NECAA), MA250, the Red Sox, the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs, United Chinese Americans (UCA) in Massachusetts, and others, the festival was a proud part of the MA250 commemorative events.
Notable attendees included state representatives Vanna Howard, Tara Hong, and Erika Uyterhoeven; Get Konnected CEO Colette Phillips; MA250 Coordinator Sheila Green; Lex250 Vice Chair Mona Roy; Linda Champion from the Korean American Citizens League of New England; and UCA Community Foundation Chair Jin Chang. Each delivered inspiring speeches to mark the occasion.
Event Chair Ying Le explained that, with the theme, “Breaking Barriers, Building Bonds,” the festival reflects the founding ideals of equality and justice, while looking boldly toward the present and future. “Our mission is to overcome linguistic and cultural divides, dismantle prejudice and misunderstanding, and foster lasting bridges of mutual understanding, trust, and solidarity among all communities,” Le said.
NECAA Co-President Qian Ge highlighted the festival’s four key pillars: Alliance, Heritage, Leadership, and Participation. The event featured several notable highlights:
The festival began with the multi-town relay run, “From MA250 to America250.” Launched at Lexington High School at 11:15 AM following that town’s AAPI 5K race, runners passed through Arlington center and the Anderson Memorial Bridge connecting Allston and Cambridge before arriving at Boston Common. This cherished tradition symbolizes the generational legacy of the AAPI community and the strong ties among Massachusetts towns.
Following the relay, the youth-led cultural showcase took center stage. AAPI youth performed a vibrant array of traditional and contemporary acts, including Chinese classical dance, martial arts, lion dancing, Indian Bharatanatyam, Filipino Tinikling, and Korean pop dance. Over 500 attendees enjoyed these performances. Acton performers included a band performance of As Wished, by Acton family Marcus Xu, Jasmine Wang, and Zhun Xu, and a duet Dunhuang Dance, Dance of the Spirits, by Olivia Li and Jacquelyn Guo of Angel Dance Company.
A special “Youth Community Leader Speech” segment honored outstanding teens for their contributions to public service and civic engagement. Selected student leaders from across Massachusetts shared personal stories of their community work and leadership journeys. Acton resident Juliet Dong delivered a powerful and authentic narrative about her experiences as a Chinese dancer and member of Angel Dance Youth League, serving her community and inspiring her peers to take initiatives in building a stronger, more inclusive society.
A member of the festival committee, Kaiping Fu of the Acton Chinese American Civic Association, noted that dozens of nonprofit organizations from across Massachusetts set up booths to showcase their efforts in community development, cultural education, and public service. This vibrant exhibition reflected the festival’s theme of “Alliance” and provided a tangible platform for cross-cultural and cross-sector collaboration, demonstrating strength and cohesion within communities.
Ying Dong is a mother of two. She loves the town of Acton and likes to do volunteer work to make it a better place to live.