HOLLAND, Mich. — Holland Museum will be hosting a panel in honor of May being Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The panel will be held on Thursday, May 19.
The panel will discuss how they proudly share their Asian and Pacific Islanders culture with others in the West Michigan community. It will also talk about what is being done to elevate their presence.
The panel will be hosted by Jennifer Pascua. Pascua is Lead Community Relations at Spectrum Health, with a focus on relationship management in the Community Partnership team. She is also the founder/owner of Halo Halo Multimedia, LLC, a freelancing micro media service which works to elevate BIPOC and women entrepreneurs and disability and non-profit organizations. She is also an adjunct professor for Hope College’s Communication Department. From 2005-2018, Pascua was a journalist and anchor for WZZM 13.
The panel will also include Bing Goei, the CEO of Eastern Floral and the Goei Center. Goei has also served as Chair of the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce, the Chair of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, and the Director of the Office for New American in former Governor Rick Snyder’s administration. Another member of the panel will be Ace Marasigan, who created the annual Grand Rapids Asian Festival in 2017. Stella Michael will also be a member of the panel. Michael is the Director of CRM Platforms and Applications at Spectrum Health. She is also the co-founder of Asian American Community Engagement (AACE) and the Asian Inclusion Resources Group at Spectrum Health. Michael is also the Chairman of the board of West Michigan Asian American Association. Pujita Sieplinga will also be on the panel. Pujita is an Assistant Vice President and Consultant for PNC Organizational Financial Wellness. She is also an inaugural board Vice President for PNC’s Western Michigan Multicultural group.
“We are pleased to be able to provide a forum for this important conversation about Asian and Pacific Islanders,” said Ricki Levine, Holland Museum executive director. “As a cultural institution, the Holland Museum has a responsibility to offer opportunities to learn from one another, to celebrate our differences, and to explore our collective humanity.”
“We value the diverse communities we serve and are pleased to be a part of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Panel Discussion, which elevates the history, perspectives, and experiences of our AAPI community members,” said Bill Hoefer, president of Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital. “We applaud the Holland Museum for centering on voices that, historically, have not been heard nearly enough. As a health care organization, we know that health is better when we feel a sense of belonging.”
The panel will be held on Thursday, May 19 from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Registration is required to attend the panel discussion, which can be done on Eventbrite.