Event Diaries: An Invite to Ignite
This past Sunday, we embarked into the new year with a cozy open house, where prospective and returning 6th graders and their families explored Asian Girls Ignite’s (AGI) programming, joined engaging discussions and activities, and enjoyed a delicious meal together.
💜Getting to Know Asian Girls Ignite: A Family Intro
Families joined Joanne for a casual overview of AGI, where she shared details about our programs and the driving force behind our work. Parents/guardians conveyed their hopes that AGI's programming would provide their children with the support and resources needed to cultivate a strong sense of self and explore their AANHPI identity.
To close out the presentation, the Youth Leadership Collective (YLC) joined Joanne for a Q&A with the parents. They shared highlights from their favorite AGI events, including celebrating and planning the Diwali CelebrAsian, snow-tubing at Snow Mountain Ranch during their 2024 Summer Program, and shadowing staff at Sap Sua—a unique Vietnamese restaurant in Denver, CO—during their 2023 Lunar New Year fundraiser!
🎨 Finding Connection: Abstract Paint Along
Annabel and the students jumped into a fun, creative workshop led by three awesome members of our YLC. The YLC is made up of 8th-12th graders who help shape the future of the program, representing the voice of our youth! During the workshop, the 6th graders and YLC members split into three groups for a gallery walk, where they explored what it truly means to feel seen, heard, and valued.
After the gallery walk, the students did a guided meditation, imagining a space where they truly belong, one that grows and changes with them. Belonging isn’t about being perfect or doing things the “right” way—it’s really just about being themselves and being present in the moment!
When the 6th graders were ready, they put on their aprons, ready to channel their inner artists and created abstract paintings of the emotions and textures that they felt during the meditation. They let their creativity take over, remembering that there are no mistakes in art. 🙂
Meanwhile, the siblings gathered with Jihee for some snacks and hands-on fun with clay crafts and origami. Between bursts of laughter and playful chatter, they dreamed big, imagining all kinds of awesome future jobs—because when it comes to dreams, the sky’s the limit!
As each group wrapped up their activities, it was time for a delicious dinner catered by Aloy Modern Thai, located in Denver, Colorado. Their unique restaurant concept brings together some of Bangkok’s best chefs to create contemporary Thai dishes, featuring local meats and produce in healthy, slow-cooked, farm-to-table meals
At our closing circle, students reunited with their families. Students shared an affirmation for themselves, and their families shared one for them too. Here’s a little peek at what some of the students shared from their heart:
“I am proud of my bravery.”
“I love making people laugh.”
“I am a kind person.”
Reflections from Team AGI
This evening was a heartfelt reminder of the power of community. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to welcome new and returning students and families into the AGI circle, sharing a glimpse of the inspiring space we strive to create—a place where we can learn, grow, and embrace our authentic selves!
Through our programs, we foster self-awareness, social-awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, and self-management while instilling our core values of curiosity, courage, compassion, and connection. Using storytelling as a cornerstone, we help every Asian Girls Ignite student build a strong and positive identity, empowering them to thrive in a supportive and inspiring environment.
To those who joined us, thank you for being part of this special evening. As we begin this new year, we look forward to continuing this journey together and building a community where we can celebrate each other’s unique stories and experiences!
SUmmer program registration is open!
Join us for our annual summer program, RepresentAsian Matters from July 14-18!
This year’s theme, "I Am Powerful," is all about reflecting on your strengths, reclaiming your story, and building connections within the AANHPI community and beyond. It’s a week-long adventure where you’ll connect, grow, and be inspired. Sound like your kind of summer?
About Asian Girls Ignite
Founded in October 2020, Asian Girls Ignite is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs for AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth to celebrate their individual and collective power. We use storytelling to empower the next generation to write their futures in their own voice. Our programs and events nurture social-emotional learning to help our students grow in resilience, empathy, and self-awareness.
Our Event Diaries series was created to share meaningful moments with our community. We are incredibly grateful to have the support of our families and community members behind us. Sharing an inside look at our events is just one of the many ways we want to keep the AGI community informed of the impact of their support.
