The MSU Asian Pacific American Student Organization (APASO) and MSU APIDA/A Heritage Month Committee are teaming up with the National Asian Pacific American Museum Commission to host a regional convening and listening session on campus this month. This historic event will be held at the MSU Multicultural Center Saturday, April 11, with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m. Registration and the event schedule can be found at this Eventbrite page.
The commission is a bipartisan body established by Congress in 2022, which formally launched in June 2025, to examine the feasibility of a new Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C. Community leaders, academic professionals and youth from throughout Michigan are encouraged to join and share input on what a potential National Asian Pacific American Museum could look like.
The commission launched its national listening tour last October, with regional sessions taking place across the country. After noticing Michigan was not yet included in the tour, CORES/CAMS Liaison for APASO and second-year interdisciplinary social sciences student Tony Pham sought to change that and initiated the process with the commission this past winter.
After reaching out through some connections and several discussions over just a few months, the commission agreed to come to MSU, enthused by the student advocacy.
Pham says they were the first entity from Michigan to ask the commission to come to the Great Lakes State. Along with APASO, APIDA Spartans and the Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American/Asian Faculty and Staff Association (APIDA/AFSA) are also lending their support in making the event possible.
“We’re so honored to have them consider us and, more, to help us make it happen,” said Pham, explaining that he was told directly by the commission executive director that they had decided to reward his advocacy with a confirmed session. “At that moment, I was just over the moon. I was so excited and the first thing I did, literally — we have our group chat — was let them know, ‘We did it!’”
With only so many listening sessions being scheduled, the visit — as part of MSU’s celebration of APIDA/A Heritage Month — indeed has some gravity. This is a historic opportunity for Spartans and Michigan’s greater community to contribute to shaping how Asian Pacific American histories are preserved and represented at the national level.
Pham said the entire leadership team was excited, “because it’s bigger than just Michigan. It’s bigger than MSU. It’s a historic federal initiative.” He adds: “It is such an exciting moment to be able to, as Michiganders, contribute to this. Our voice will be added to the historical record, impacting how this museum will look.”
Dr. Charlie Liu, director of the Office of Education and Outreach, agrees. APASO is one of the groups within the Council of Racial and Ethnic Students (CORES). CORES operates under this office.
“This is an exceptional opportunity for, not only our MSU community, but our extended community beyond campus,” said Liu. “I’m really proud that the students thought of and advocated for this opportunity. This is something that can impact more than just Spartans. Should the museum come to fruition, this event, our students will forever be part of that legacy.”
“It really is a big deal.”