Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month 2026

It’s AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) Heritage Month and the library is commemorating the occasion with a variety of programs. Learn to play a new board game, explore different artistic mediums, enjoy traditional music, and more. Read on for a full list of AANHPI programs happening at the library this May.

You can learn more about Heritage and Identity Months through Henrico County’s Outreach and Engagement Department. 

PROGRAMS

• Learn to Play Series:
  • Parcheesi – Wednesday, May 6, 10:30-11:30AM at Twin Hickory

Put your skills to the test in a race to move pawns for the win. Before playing, we will explore the ties of this modern-day game to an ancient one from India called Pachisi.

• Kōnane – Tuesday, May 12, 6:30-7:30PM at Tuckahoe
  • Lovers of strategy board games are invited to discover Kōnane. Sometimes called Hawaiian Checkers, Kōnane has a rich history that involves great kings and was even commented upon in the records of Captain James Cook. The rules are simple and the game is immensely entertaining.

• Go – Wednesday, May 13, 6:30-7:30PM at Libbie Mill
  • Learn the basics of Go, the world's oldest board game. Played for over 2,500 years, this strategy game for two players lets you attempt to capture the most territory on a grid using black and white stones. The rules are fairly easy to learn, but mastering them may take a lifetime.

• Mahjong – Wednesday, May 20, 6:30-7:30PM at Fairfield
  • Learn to play the popular tile game Mahjong. This four-player game has similarities to the card game rummy. While multiple variations on the rules exist, we will learn a basic version and will not be focusing on scoring.

• Orizuru: Origami Paper Cranes
  • Wednesday, May 6, 4-5:30PM at Varina
  • Thursday, May 7, 4-5:30PM at Tuckahoe
  • Saturday, May 9, 11AM-12:30PM at Fairfield
  • Join us in folding orizuru (origami paper cranes) as a symbol of peace, good luck, longevity, and hope. Help us meet our goal of completing 1,000 folds during the month of May. Basic origami skills will be covered, and all materials will be provided.

• Self-Expression through Chinese Calligraphy Art
  • Saturday, May 9, 11AM-3PM at Libbie Mill
  • Learn about the art of Chinese Calligraphy. Drop by and learn about the practice of personal artistic expression. Students will be able to bring their calligraphy work back home for a precious memory of self-exploration. All supplies provided. This program has been organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is funded, in part, by the Paul Mellon Endowment and the Jean Stafford Camp Memorial Fund.

• Gamelan Raga Kusuma Concert
  • Saturday, May 9, 2-4PM at Tuckahoe
  • University of Richmond and master artist Peni Candra Rini will perform an intimate concert of traditional Javanese gamelan music. After the concert, there will be an opportunity for attendees to sample traditional gamelan instruments.

• Feel Good Films
  • Monday, May 11, 10AM-1PM at Twin Hickory
  • Whale Rider(2013, PG-13, 101 min.) It is set in a small New Zealand coastal village where Maori claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider. In every generation, a male heir has succeeded to the chiefly title. The Chief's eldest son, Porourangi, fathers twins—a boy and a girl—but the boy and his mother die tragically in childbirth. Excluded from the training, Pai covertly enlists the help of her sympathetic uncle to learn the old ways. 

• Gayton Afternoon Book Discussion
  • Monday, May 11, 1-2PM at Gayton
  • An elderly tea shop owner in San Francisco's Chinatown decides to do some detective work when a man is found dead in her store. Join our discussion of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderersby Jesse Q. Sutanto.

• Libbie Mill Afternoon & Evening Book Discussions
  • Tuesday, May 12, 1PM and 7PM at Libbie Mill
  • In this dual-timeline novel set in China, a young angsty teen in 2007 Shanghai wrestles with her family's changing dynamics in the aftermath of her expat American mother's marriage to an older businessman. In alternating chapters, a man in 1985 Qingdao meets a stranger who spurs him to reconsider his entire life. Join us for a discussion of River East, River Westby Aube Rey Lescure.

• Teen Art Studio: Basic Suminagashi Marbling Paper Art
  • Tuesday, May 19, 6-8PM at Varina
  • For this Teen Art Studio session, we will dive into the ancient Japanese art of suminagashi! This marbling technique uses ink and water to create mesmerizing, swirling designs on paper. In this hands-on workshop, teens will have the chance to experiment with color, explore a traditional art form, and make their own one-of-a-kind marbled paper creations. All artistic skill levels are welcome, and materials will be provided. 

• Chinese Knotting for Beginners
  • Friday, May 22, 10:30AM-12PM at Twin Hickory
  • Chinese knots are an ancient art form based on the symmetrical joining of cords, which are said to bring good luck. Learn basic techniques of this beautiful traditional craft comprised of cord in a variety of decorative knots. Supplies will be provided. Books will be available for checkout if you would like to continue your learning.