AAPI Coalition of North Bay upcoming events

BeLongings Sonoma County Opening Ceremony (09/04/2026)

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Enjoy music, dance, storytelling, and food to honor the many cultures, traditions, and journeys that have shaped our community.

Join us for the opening celebration of Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind, a community exhibition exploring migration, memory, and belonging through the treasured objects and personal stories that connect us across generations.

This joyful evening brings together music, dance, storytelling, and food to honor the many cultures, traditions, and journeys that have shaped our community. Meet exhibition participants, explore the galleries, and celebrate the opening of this community-created exhibition.

The evening will feature:

A welcome and song by Joe Salinas, founder of the Pomo Dancers
A vibrant Lion Dance presented by the Sonoma County Vietnamese Association
A powerful performance by Danza Azteca
A special proclamation presented by the Mayor of Petaluma
Palestinian food and refreshments

Everyone is invited to wear clothing that reflects their cultural heritage—or simply come as you are. This celebration is about honoring the stories, traditions, and communities that make Petaluma home.

Admission is free and open to the public.

RSVP is recommended. RSVP here.

Donations to help offset the cost of food are appreciated but not required.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

About the Exhibition

Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind is on view September 4–October 4, 2026, at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum.

Through meaningful objects, photographs, oral histories, and personal narratives, the exhibition shares the stories of immigrants, refugees, migrants, adoptees, and others who have journeyed to new homes, revealing migration as an enduring human experience that connects us across cultures and generations.

Belongings is made possible through the generous support of California Humanities through its Connecting California grant program. We are also deeply grateful to our community partners and sponsors, including:

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer

BeLongings: Bring Memories to Life (09/05/2026)

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

A Creative Workshop
on Memory, Grief & Storytelling

Facilitated by Filmmaker Danièle Wilmouth

Saturday, September 5, 3-6 pm
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
20 4th Street (Corner of 4th & B Street)
Registration: $30 per person - Register here
• Limited to 12 participants
• Light snacks will be provided.

What do we do with the things our loved ones leave behind?

Join award-winning filmmaker Danièle Wilmouth for an intimate, three-hour workshop exploring how meaningful objects can become powerful vessels for memory, healing, and creative expression.

Drawing from her own artistic practice, Danièle will share how she uses photographs, letters, family documents, music, treasured objects, and stop-motion animation to honor loved ones and transform personal stories into lasting works of art.

Participants are invited to bring one to three meaningful objects that hold a special memory or story. Through film excerpts, guided conversation, and creative brainstorming, you’ll explore ways to preserve family history through storytelling, writing, journaling, archival materials, and simple stop-motion animation techniques. No filmmaking or artistic experience is necessary—just curiosity and a willingness to reflect.

Whether you’re looking to preserve family memories, process grief, or discover new creative ways to tell your story, this workshop offers a welcoming space for reflection, connection, and inspiration.

The Exhibition

This workshop is presented in conjunction with Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind, on view September 4–October 4, 2026, at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum. The exhibition explores migration, memory, and belonging through the treasured objects and personal stories that connect us across generations.

Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind is made possible through the generous support of California Humanities through its Connecting California grant program. We are also deeply grateful to our community partners and sponsors, including:

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League,
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer

Youth Leadership Summit (09/12/2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Sonoma State University

RSVP Here: https://forms.gle/27HGhEL6ggpSgWAMA

AAPIC North Bay is thrilled to invite high school and college students to Sonoma County’s first regional Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Youth Leadership Summit on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It is to be hosted in the Sonoma State University’s Student Center and Ballrooms.

This one-day conference will bring together AANHPI youth, student leaders, educators, and AAPI leaders for an inspiring day focused on leadership, identity, intersectionality, culture, and community. Through a plenary session, engaging breakout sessions, student-facilitated discussions, and community resource tables, students will explore what it means to be leaders in their community and how to embrace their AANHPI identity.

California State Senator Christopher Cabaldon will be in attendance to deliver the opening address and speak about drawing strength from identity to eventually becoming the first Filipino-American Senator in California. Participants will be encouraged to recognize their own strengths and apply that confidence to their education, future careers, and communities.

By the end of the summit, students will feel more confident in their leadership potential, develop a deeper appreciation for their identities, build meaningful connections, and feel empowered to create a positive impact in the spaces they are part of.

The summit is open to high school and college students. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Space is limited to be sure to RSVP ASAP!

RSVP Here: https://forms.gle/27HGhEL6ggpSgWAMA

Organized by AAPIC North Bay & AAPIC NextGen

BeLongings: Stories We Carry - 1 (09/12/2026)

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 01:00:00 GMT

A Conversation with Reverend Deborah Lee

Every object has a story.
Meet the people behind them.

Multiple Dates: September 12 & 19, 6-8 pm
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
20 4th Street (Corner of 4th & B Street)
Free Admission, Light refreshments will be served.
RSVP is recommended. Register here.

Join us for two special evenings with the community storytellers featured in Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind. Through family heirlooms, treasured keepsakes, photographs, letters, and everyday belongings, participants will share the deeply personal stories that bring the exhibition to life.

Hear firsthand reflections on migration, identity, resilience, family, and the meaning of home. These intimate conversations offer a rare opportunity to connect directly with the individuals whose voices and objects are featured throughout the exhibition, creating space for dialogue, empathy, and shared understanding.

Following the storytelling program, continue the conversation while exploring the exhibition and enjoying light refreshments.

About the Exhibition

This program is presented in conjunction with Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind, on view September 4–October 4, 2026, at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum. Through meaningful objects and personal stories, the exhibition explores migration, memory, and belonging, inviting our community to reflect on the experiences that connect us across generations and cultures.

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League,
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer

BeLongings - A Film & Talk: Rev. Deborah Lee (09/18/2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 01:00:00 GMT

A Conversation with Reverend Deborah Lee

An evening of film, conversation, and community dialogue exploring displacement, immigrant justice, and what genuine security can look like.

Friday, September 18, 6-8 pm
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
20 4th Street (Corner of 4th & B Street)

Free admission
Donations are encouraged. Proceeds benefit the Petaluma Museum and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.
Light refreshments will be served.
Seating is limited. RSVP is recommended.

How do we create communities where everyone feels safe, welcome, and able to belong?

Join Rev. Deborah Lee, Co-Executive Director of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and Petaluma filmmaker Lina Hoshino for an evening of film, conversation, and community dialogue exploring displacement, immigrant justice, and what genuine security can look like.

The evening begins with a screening of selected excerpts from the award-winning 2011 documentary Living Along the Fenceline, a film created in collaboration with Rev. Lee and Hoshino that examines the human impact of militarized borders and the communities living alongside them. Following the screening, the filmmakers will reflect on the film’s enduring relevance and invite audience members into a thoughtful conversation and Q&A.

Together, we’ll explore how communities can respond to displacement with compassion, strengthen connections across differences, and imagine new possibilities for belonging and collective care.

About Rev. Deborah Lee

Rev. Deborah Lee is the Co-Executive Director of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, a California-based multifaith organization working for the dignity and full inclusion of immigrants and people impacted by incarceration. Her work brings together faith, immigrant justice, racial justice, anti-militarism, and community organizing. As a leader with Women for Genuine Security, she has worked with communities across borders to reimagine what genuine security means for people, families, and the places they call home.

About the Exhibition

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League,
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer

BeLongings: Stories We Carry - 2 (09/19/2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 01:00:00 GMT

A Conversation with Reverend Deborah Lee

Every object has a story.
Meet the people behind them.

Following the storytelling program, continue the conversation while exploring the exhibition and enjoying light refreshments.

About the Exhibition

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League,
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer

Ink & Rhythm (09/26/2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

A Conversation with Reverend Deborah Lee

A Live Performance
Celebrating Creativity, Memory
& Cultural Connection

Friday, September 26, 4-6 pm
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
20 4th Street (Corner of 4th & B Street)

Suggested $20 Donation

Experience an extraordinary collaboration between acclaimed Chinese American artist Jun Jun and internationally celebrated Zimbabwean musician Piwai, as painting and music unfold together in a live performance exploring creativity, memory, and cultural connection.

Throughout the evening, Jun Jun will create expressive paintings in real time while Piwai responds through song, mbira, and rhythm, weaving together two artistic traditions in an improvisational dialogue that transcends language. Together, they invite audiences to experience how art can carry memory, celebrate identity, and build bridges across cultures.

Following the performance, meet the artists, explore the exhibition, and enjoy authentic Zimbabwean cuisine provided by the Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California.

About the Artists

Jun Jun is a Chinese American artist whose work is shaped by a lifelong journey between cultures. Born and educated in China, she studied Zen calligraphy before moving to California in 1999, where she later earned a degree in painting from Sonoma State University. Her work has been exhibited throughout the Bay Area, including commissions for Levi’s Stadium and UCSF, and she currently serves as an Artist in Residence at UCSF, using expressive art to support cancer patients and their families. Her paintings reflect healing, resilience, and the beauty of our shared humanity.

Piwai is an internationally acclaimed Zimbabwean singer, songwriter, and mbira player whose performances blend traditional Zimbabwean music with contemporary sounds. A gifted gwenyambira (traditional mbira musician), she has captivated audiences around the world and collaborated on the Grammy Award-winning album Last Days of Oakland. Beyond the stage, Piwai works with grassroots organizations, youth groups, and nonprofits throughout California and Africa, using music to foster cultural exchange, community connection, and social change.

About the Exhibition

This performance is presented in conjunction with Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind, on view September 4–October 4, 2026, at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum. Through meaningful objects and personal stories, the exhibition explores migration, memory, and belonging, inviting our community to reflect on the experiences that connect us across generations and cultures.

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League,
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer

Si puede quedarme / If I could stay (09/27/2026)

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 23:30:00 GMT

A Conversation with Reverend Deborah Lee

A Live Performance
Celebrating Creativity, Memory
& Cultural Connection

Friday, September 26, 4-6 pm
Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
20 4th Street (Corner of 4th & B Street)

Suggested $20 Donation

Following the performance, meet the artists, explore the exhibition, and enjoy authentic Zimbabwean cuisine provided by the Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California.

About the Artists

About the Exhibition

Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay
Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League,
Petaluma Arts Center
Life on Art
Zimbabwe Cultural Exchange Project of California
El Día de los Muertos Petaluma
Bolca Avia
Chelsea Antiques
Café Puente
Rustic Bakery
Quality Inn Petaluma
and all of the organizations, volunteers, artists, and community members whose collaboration has brought this exhibition to life.

Click here to download a full program PDF flyer