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The Asian American Resource Center is part of the Cultural Education & Programs (CEP) Division in the City of Austin's Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. The CEP Division provides safe and inclusive spaces where people explore creativity and identity through the arts, histories and cultures of Austin and the world. Learn more about our sister sites in the CEP Division and join them at one of their upcoming events!

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AARC Mission

The Asian American Resource Center’s mission is to create a space of belonging and healing for Asian American communities in Austin and beyond. We do this through community collaborations and partnerships; providing rental space; organizing cultural, educational and health wellness programs; and curating art and historical exhibitions. We lead with our values and our vision, so that our diverse communities are supported and connected. 

AARC Vision

We envision a society where all people feel like they belong. Our Asian diaspora represents many cultures, languages, ethnicities, nationalities, and migration histories. We recognize that our communities are complex, similar and different. When we share our cultures, our struggles, and our histories, we offer each other a space to heal and celebrate. When we create community, all communities belong.  

AARC Values

  • Diversity - acknowledging our cultures and histories.
  • Solidarity - recognizing our interconnectedness with ourselves and other communities of color.
  • Peace - creating space for healing and unity.
  • Collaboration - building relationships and co-creating.
  • Intergenerational - connecting through stories.
  • Celebration - celebrating our intersectional identities and cultures. 

Asian American Resource Center Mission, Vision and Values Statement is also available in the following languages:  العربية (Arabic), ဗမာ (မြန်မာ) (Burmese),  中文 (简体)  (Chinese, simplified), हिन्दी (Hindi),  한국어 (Korean), and Tiếng Việt  (Vietnamese).

Annual Report 

cover of Annual Report with title text and image of exhibit artwork

Read the new AARC Annual Report FY24!

The AARC Annual Report highlights the center's past fiscal year's events, exhibits, programs, and the communities served. Translated text for the AARC Annual Report is available in العربية (Arabic), ဗမာ (မြန်မာ) (Burmese), 中文 (简体) (Chinese, simplified), हिन्दी (Hindi), 한국어 (Korean), and Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese). The AARC Annual Report is also available in a plain text English version.  

See our past annual reports:

Full Time Staff

Support Staff

  • Wafaa Akkad, Office Attendant I
  • Betty Bedford, Office Attendant II
  • Bernadette Bermudez, Office Attendant I
  • Giullian Canlas, Culture & Arts Activity Specialist
  • Maryam Chilipachi, Event Staff
  • Marlon Hedrick, Culture & Arts Activity Leader
  • Jin Kim, Culture & Arts Activity Leader
  • Rashad Muhammad, Event Staff
  • Kristina Nguyen, Graphic Designer
  • Jonathan Tan, Community Services Coordinator 

Asian American Quality of Life Commission

The Asian American Quality of Life Commission (AAQOL) advises the City Council on issues related to the Asian American Resource Center and provides on-going guidance and support for the City's Asian American quality of life initiatives. Learn more about the commission and view their meeting minutes on the AAQOL webpage. 

Phase II Facility Updates 

The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment, and Capital Delivery Services are continuing work on the AARC with three projects: the addition of movable wall partitions to the ballroom, a new pavilion, and elements of the Watershed Protection Department’s AARC/Rutherford Stormwater Improvements affecting Little Walnut Creek. Read the latest press release about these projects on the Parks News page. 

For all project updates, community members are invited to sign-up for emails here. Updates will also be posted on the AARC Phase 2 Implementation project webpage. 

Smithsonian Affiliate

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department announced its affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution, as the first municipal parks system to join the Smithsonian Affiliations Program, at a news conference on April 23, 2013. The Smithsonian's unparalleled collections, scholarship, and exhibitions document the world in all of its beauty, diversity, and complexity. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department will bring the Smithsonian to Austin’s community and create lasting experiences that will broaden perspectives on science, history, world cultures and the arts. The mission of Smithsonian Affiliations is to share these resources with Americans in their own communities by developing collaborative partnerships with museums, as well as cultural and educational organizations. Current collaborations include the AARC and other MCP sites. 

Learn more about the Department’s Smithsonian Affiliation.

View the AARC’s project in the 2023-2024 Co-Create program.

History of the AARC

Image of the AARC Timeline and history about the establishment of the facility

 

Page last updated: May 28, 2025