For many AAPI community members, belonging is built over time through relationships, shared experiences, trusted leaders, and spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued.
That journey brought community members together at the ACE Center for New Americans in Lowell on June 20 for AAPIC’s screening of Unerased: Asian Voices of Cape Cod. While the film highlighted the experiences of Asian Americans on Cape Cod, the conversation that followed created space for participants in Lowell to reflect on their own journeys, including what it takes to build a life in a new place and develop a sense of belonging.
Participants shared personal stories of arriving in the United States without knowing anyone, learning to navigate unfamiliar systems, and finding connection through people who shared their language, culture, or experiences. Many immigrants and refugees described belonging as something that developed gradually after attending community events, building friendships, finding trusted community members, and discovering spaces where they felt welcomed.
The conversation also acknowledged the barriers that can make belonging more difficult. Participants spoke openly about experiences with discrimination and bias, recalling incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Asian racism. Alongside those stories were reflections on resilience, compassion, and the support many have found through neighbors, community organizations, and leaders who have earned their trust.
One example came from Afghan women who attended through outreach from Commissioner Bahara Hussaini and the Afghan Women’s Empowerment Program at the ACE Center for New Americans. They shared how her encouragement helped them become more involved in community life, demonstrating how trusted relationships can help people overcome isolation and find meaningful ways to participate in community life.
Finding Shared Experiences Across Communities
Although AAPI communities represent many cultures, languages, histories, and experiences, participants found that many of their stories carried familiar themes. Across communities, people reflected on shared questions: How do we preserve our cultures while building new lives? How do we help newcomers feel connected? How do we create spaces where future generations feel proud of who they are?
The screening became a starting point for those conversations. By bringing people together around personal stories, AAPIC created space for participants to recognize common experiences across communities and learn from one another.
The conversation showed that belonging is strengthened when communities have opportunities to gather, share their experiences, and build relationships across differences.
Building Belonging Through Community Partnership
The conversation also highlighted why community organizations and leaders are essential partners in building belonging. Through years of showing up for their communities, they develop the trust and understanding needed to support families, preserve culture, create connections, and respond to emerging needs.
These relationships are what allow community voices to be heard and understood. They help ensure that conversations about AAPI communities are grounded in lived experience and that efforts to support those communities reflect the realities of the people they serve.
Creating opportunities for these conversations is central to AAPIC’s role across the Commonwealth. As a convener of AAPI communities, AAPIC helps create spaces where people can share their experiences, build connections across communities, and ensure that community voices inform the decisions shaping Massachusetts.
