Culinary scholar to discuss Connecticut's Asian American foodscape
Lecture is Eastern's NEA Big Read keynote event
Willimantic, CT (03/29/2023) — As part of its 2022-23 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read program, Eastern Connecticut State University will hold a keynote lecture on April 6 about Asian American food, culture and communities in Connecticut. Quan Tran, a Yale University lecturer specializing in ethnicity, race and migration, will present "Beyond Chinatown: Exploring Asian American Foodways, Identities, and Communities in Connecticut" at 4 p.m. in the Concert Hall of Eastern's Fine Arts Instructional Center.
A selection of Asian cuisine will be served at 5 p.m. following the lecture. The event is open and free to the public.
According to Tran, Connecticut is home to more than 500 Asian American restaurants, dozens of grocery stores and many more backyard food gardens. "Scattered across the 169 towns in the Nutmeg State, such a rich and dynamic foodscape offers a unique glimpse into the histories and experiences of Asian Americans and their communities," reads her lecture description. "This talk traces the contours of Asian American foodways in Connecticut and the stories of those whose love and labor have made them possible."
Eastern was one of 62 recipients nationwide to receive an NEA Big Read grant this past year, which funds a community reading program surrounding a particular novel. Eastern's program centered on Charles Yu's "Interior Chinatown," a satirical story about the stereotypes that pigeonhole Asian Americans in Hollywood and society at large. Tran's keynote lecture follows a months-long series of related events that included other guest speakers and an art exhibition.
This is Eastern's third consecutive year hosting an NEA Big Read program. "Like each of the books we have selected previously, 'Interior Chinatown' is a candid and important account that broadens readers' cultural awareness and world view," said Eastern President Elsa Nunez.
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,100 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 32 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-23 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 13 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
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