2026 EVENTS
Feb. 4, 2026, 5:00-8:30pm
Rosemead Screening: Q&A with Director Eric Lin and Producer Mynette Louie
Join us for an exclusive AAJA member screening of Rosemead, the award-winning film starring Lucy Liu, directed by Eric Lin, written by Marilyn Fu, and produced by Lucy Liu, Mynette Louie, and Andrew Corkin. Inspired by a harrowing true story, Lucy Liu transforms in a riveting, career-redefining performance as an ailing woman who takes drastic measures to protect her troubled teenage son.
Following the screening, stay for a dynamic conversation with the film’s director Eric Lin and producer Mynette Louie, moderated by Amy Qin of The New York Times, capped with audience Q&A. This event is in collaboration with the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
📌 Note: This is an AAJA NY member-only event; membership status will be verified upon registration. Non-members’ tickets will be cancelled, and late arrivals may be denied entry. You will need to bring a valid ID that matches your full name to enter the building.
RSVP link was sent to your memebership associated email.
Jan. 29, 2026, 5:30-8:00 PM
How to Pitch Stories that Land an Assignment
Breaking into today’s media landscape takes more than a good idea — it requires a strong angle, cultural insight, and a good understanding of what editors actually want. Hosted by the Asian American Journalists Association New York Chapter and the Deadline Club (the New York chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists), this panel brings together editors across beats to demystify the pitching process for journalists.
Panelists Vivian Toy (The New York Times), Althea Chang-Cook (Consumer Reports), and Manisha Krishnan (WIRED), moderated by AAJA New York President Tina Wang, will discuss how they evaluate pitches, common mistakes that hold stories back, and how cultural depth can strengthen reporting rather than dilute it. The evening will conclude with an open networking session for attendees to connect, exchange ideas, and spark future collaborations.
RSVP Here.
2025 PAST EVENTS
Friday, Jan 31, 2025
5:30 PM – 8 PM EST AAJA NY Lunar New Year Party X Asia Society
AAJA NY 2025 Lunar New Year Event at Asia Society
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM EST AAJA NY Presents: Author + Agent In Conversation [virtual]
Saturday, March 29, 2025
2:00 PM AAJA NY Dim Sum Social (detailed info in slack)
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM AAJA NY X The New York Times: Tour + Talk
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM AAJA Book Launch “Intersections: A Journalistic History of Asian Pacific America”
Sunday, April. 27, 2025
“The Wedding Banquet” Private Screening
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, @AMC Empire 25
Join AAJA-NY for an exclusive private screening of “The Wedding Banquet,” a joyful comedy from director Andrew Ahn. RSVP here.
Starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-Chan, Joan Chen, and Academy Award Winner Youn Yuh-Jung,“The Wedding Banquet” follows Min, Chris, Angela, and Lee as they hilariously navigate cultural identity, queerness, and family expectations in a heartfelt story about chosen families. When Min’s grandmother unexpectedly throws an extravagant Korean wedding banquet, their carefully laid plans spiral into delightful chaos.
Come celebrate love, laughter, and acceptance with us at AMC Empire 25. Enjoy the wedding ceremony!
Thursday, May 8, 2025
AAJA NY Fireside Chat: Beyond the Newsroom
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, @ÁWET (57 Bond St.)
The media landscape is evolving—so are careers. Join AAJA NY & Velvet Co. for an insightful fireside chat on May 8, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at ÁWET (57 Bond St.), where industry pros share how they’ve navigated transitions beyond traditional newsrooms. Featuring Nimarta Narang, Emily Tan, Ambreen Ali, Amanda Le. Moderated by AAJA NY’s own Xintian Tina Wang and Chia-Yi Hou.
Whether you’re exploring new paths in media, considering PR or communications, or seeking fresh opportunities after newsroom layoffs, this panel offers practical advice, real stories, and networking. RSVP here. Seats are limited.
Thursday, May 15, 2025
[Virtual Panel] Inside ESPN, The Places You’ll Go!
6pm – 7pm EST via Zoom (on registration page)
Join AAJA New York for an inspiring virtual panel featuring ESPN insiders Ricky Lee, Maddie Rundlett, Patrick Truby, and moderator Alex Park, who will share what a day in their lives looks like — from storytelling and content creation to social media strategy.
RSVP here: https://lu.ma/1krumd7b
Thursday, May. 22, 2025
AAJA NY X Serica Initiative: 2025 AAPI Women’s Conference
8:30 AM – 1:30 PM, @100 Washington Street, New York, NY 10016
On 5/22, join us for the premier gathering of AAPI women leaders, innovators, and changemakers at the AAJA NY X Serica Initiative’s AAPI Women’s Gala & Conference 2025! AAJA NY’s own Ariana Lee (National board rep) and Chloe Tai (director of operations) will moderate panels on “How to Support Wellness and Health in the AAPI Community in 2025” and “How AAPI Journalists & Storytellers Challenge Norms and Uplift Unheard Voices.” AAJA NY President Tina Wang will also speak at AAPI Journalists & Storytellers panel.
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Little Manila Walking Tour
We have limited comp tickets for AAJA NY members in active standing. Please email newyork@aaja.org if you’d like to RSVP for a comp ticket. If you’d like to cover this event/interview panelists, please reach out to newyork@aaja.org, and we will coordinate with the host on press opportunities.
Join AAJA New York for a guided walking tour of New York City’s Little Manila 🇵🇭 in Woodside, Queens.
We’ll explore the history and culture of the neighborhood’s Filipino American community by visiting some of its public spaces, art and signage, longtime shops and other establishments.
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Summer Picnic
Join AAJA-NY at Hunter’s Point South Park at 11am next Saturday, July 19, for our annual summer picnic! This event is for all AAJA-NY members and friends, completely free of charge and no RSVP required. Feel free to bring a snack or dish for this potluck-style event where we’ll talk all things media, convention, NYC Marathon and more!
Thurs 7/31, 5:30—8pm
AAJA Convention Northeast regional mixer next week in Seattle
Come on out to our annual Northeast regional mixer next week in Seattle hosted by @aaja_dc@aajanewyork@aajaphilly@aajanewengland and @theofficialsaja!
It can be invaluable for our members to network with each other, given how common it is for folks to move between our areas for job opportunities. We’re also just looking forward to catching up with everyone in the middle of a packed convention. Hope to see you all there.
📍 Friends of Little Sài Gòn (1227 S. Weller St, Suite A, Seattle, Washington)
Saturday, July 26, 1-3pm
AAJA x AAWW Book Panel: From Journalists to Authors Featuring Vicky Nguyen and Youngmi Mayer
Join AAJA-NY and AAWW for a panel discussion featuring authors Vicky Nguyen and Youngmi Mayer, moderated by Syma Mohammed. Nguyen is a chief consumer investigative correspondent for NBC News who released an autobiography, “Boat Baby,” about her experience growing up in the U.S. after fleeing war-torn Vietnam. Joining her is Youngmi Mayer, a comedian and host of podcasts “Feeling Asian” and “Hairy Butthole,” who wrote “I’m Laughing Because I’m Crying” about her humorous take on a unique upbringing as a biracial child in the Northern Mariana Islands and South Korea. Reporter and literary reviewer Syma Mohammed will moderate the discussion. Grab your ticket now at Eventbrite. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP early!
📍 18 W 21st, Suite 900, New York, NY, 10010
Thurs 8/7, 6-8pm, @BANK NYC (127 Elizabeth St.)
AAJA NY X BANK NYC Present
What We Carry: AAPI Stories in Arts & Writing
Join AAJA NY at the exquisite two-story gallery, BANK NYC, in the heart of SoHo for a panel on arts writing and a private gallery tour next Thursday, Aug. 7, 6-8PM. RSVP here (space limited). From art criticism to filmmaking and curatorial work, our featured panelists explore the many ways AAPI voices reshape how our stories are archived, translated, and reimagined.
Featuring:
Annette An-Jen Liu — Arts writer, curator, Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writer Grantee 23′
Amiko Li — Interdisciplinary artist (The Shed, UCCA, AAAinA)
Qingyuan Deng — Arts writer, curator (Hyperallergic, Brooklyn Rail, Whitehot, Bomb)
Moderated by Tina Wang — Arts critic & President of AAJA NY
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025
AAJA-NY Cocktail Reception 9/23 at The Metropolitan Museum!
On Tuesday, September 23, join fellow chapter members for a private cocktail reception and mixer in The Met’s Astor Chinese Garden Court. Attendees will also enjoy after-hours access to the Asian Art Galleries, including a final chance to experience Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100–1900. Light food and refreshments will also be served.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025
AAJA NY Presents: Conversation with the Cast Members of The Paper at NBC Studio
Featuring Cast Members of The Paper
- Chelsea Frei (“Mare Pritti”)
- Melvin Gregg (“Detrick Moore”)
- Ramona Young (“Nicole Lee”)
Followed by a Panel on Newsrooms and AI, moderated by AAJA NY’s own Richard Lui (MSNBC / NBC News Anchor).
🎟️ Seat requests due Monday, September 22, 9 AM ET; Priority given to earlier submissions. RSVP here.
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, AAJA-NY Back-to-School Picnic
Students, early-career professionals, and AAJA-NY members and friends! It’s that time of year again where we feast, catch up, and celebrate the beginning of autumn — and for some, the beginning of a new school year, a new job, or a new chapter in life. That’s right — it’s our annual Back-to-School Picnic in Central Park! For anyone new to the city, the picnic is a perfect chance to get to know your local AAJA network and familiarize yourself with our fantastic community. Bring a snack for the potluck, and invite a friend — (f)all are welcome! The first 20 attendees will get a FREE drink from Luckin Coffee!
Time: 11:00 AM – 2 PM; Location: Sheep Meadow in Central Park, NY
Saturday, October. 4, ChariTea Party
Join EnVi Media, @heartofdinner, and @aajanewyork for our ChariTea Party, a day of tea and togetherness as we decorate paper bags for Heart of Dinner’s weekly deliveries. Heart of Dinner combats food insecurity and isolation within NYC’s Asian American elderly community by delivering weekly care packages of hot meals and groceries, each thoughtfully paired with a hand-decorated bag and handwritten letter of love. 💛
📍 @flowingspace_teahouse
⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM
Wednesday, October. 22, CUNY J School X AAJA X AAWW Book Panel
The Power of Storytelling and Its Intersections
Join the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) — alongside its New York and CUNY J-School chapters — in partnership with the Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW), for a thought-provoking conversation on the transformative power of storytelling. This panel brings together journalists and writers whose work spans memoir, data journalism, features, and cultural criticism. From AAJA and UCLA’s book “Intersections” to the evolving landscape of AAPI narratives in the digital age, our panelists will explore how storytelling can translate complex ideas into meaningful narratives that inform, amplify, and inspire Asian American voices.
Panelists:
- Hannah Bae — Freelance journalist, nonfiction writer, and illustrator at work on a memoir about building an adult life after family estrangement. Her writing has appeared in No Contact (Catapult, 2026), Uncertain Girls in Uncertain Times (Red Hen Press, 2026), Our Red Book (Simon & Schuster, 2022), and more. A 2024 NYSCA Literature grantee, she was also a nonfiction juror for the Kirkus Prize.
- Lam Thuy Vo — Associate Professor of Data Journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and author of Mining Social Media. A leading figure in the field, her storytelling has earned more than 30 accolades, including recognition from the Overseas Press Club, Online News Association, and the Poynter Institute.
- Moderator: Xintian Tina Wang — Journalist, cultural critic, and president of AAJA New York. Her writing has appeared in TIME, HuffPost, NBC News, ELLE, ARTNews, and Business Insider. She has led media equity and community storytelling programs at AAJA in partnership with The New York Times, NBC, The Met, ESPN, AAWW, etc. RSVP here.
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, Team AAJA Marathon Sign-Making Party
Join AAJA-NY for our Marathon Sign-Making Party to help support this year’s Team AAJA runners in the New York City Marathon! They will be raising funds for our vibrant community, including upcoming programming for the chapter. Sign-making is a great way to support your fellow members, even if you can’t make it to the sidelines. Meet some of our runners, and be ready to draw! Coffee and pastry will be served.
This year, we will be cheering for Ada Tseng (Los Angeles), Derek Sanford (North Carolina), Stephanie Lai (Washington D.C.), Yiwen Liu (New York), and Shan Pruthi (New York City), who will represent Team AAJA on marathon day.
Art supplies will be provided by our partner organization, “Materials for the Arts,” a New York City program that collects and distributes free reusable materials to nonprofits, public schools, and city agencies for arts programming and education. Attendees will also get a chance to tour around the city’s biggest creative warehouse off hours!
Location: Materials for the Arts, 33-00 Northern Blvd 3rd Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA
2025 Holiday Karaoke
Dec. 13, 4-7pm. RSVP HERE.
2024 PAST EVENTS
February: Past Lives Private Screening; Creative Writings Support Group Meet Up
March: Fireside chat with ESPN leaders [Virtual]
April: Navigating the Arts and Cultural Journalism Landscape
May: Mental Health May Series with Korean Cultural Center
June: AAJA X AAWW Book Swap
July: Summer Picnic at Prospect Park
August: Northeast chapters mixer in Austin Convention; The 2024 U.S. Elections and Why the Asian-American Electorate Matters at Asia Society
Election Panel; Left to Right- Ron Nurwisah (board), Tina Wang (board), Chia-Yi Hou (board), Celina Tebor (board), Stephanie Lai (Boomberg), Farnoush Amiri (AP), Ali Velshi (MSNBC), Sree Sreenivasan (SAJA, Digimentors)
October: Back to School Picnic + Mini Trivia
November: Team AAJA NYC marathon
December: Apex for Youth X Envi Media Holiday Drive (Envi Media coverage)
Check out more past events on our Instagram.