Programs & Initiatives
Mithila Center USA celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and year-round programming by centering Mithila art within the AAPI story — through festivals, exhibitions, youth workshops, civic recognition, and community gatherings across New York City.
Our Perspective
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, observed every May, honors generations of AAPI individuals who have enriched America's national identity. Mithila Center USA participates with a clear message: Mithila art is not only heritage from South Asia — it is an active, living contribution to American cultural life made by artists, educators, and advocates from the Mithila diaspora.
Through festivals, exhibitions, youth workshops, and civic partnerships, we bring Mithila art into public spaces where AAPI communities gather — affirming that the Asian American story includes the rich visual traditions of Nepal, India, and the South Asian diaspora.
Our AAPI Heritage programming is open and welcoming — designed for diaspora families reconnecting with roots, for curious neighbors discovering Mithila culture, and for everyone who believes cultural diversity strengthens American civic life.
The AAPI Heritage Experience
Every May, Mithila Center USA organizes AAPI Heritage Month events — bringing Mithila art exhibitions, cultural performances, and community gatherings to New York City's public spaces.
Our flagship spring festival brings together Mithila artists from Nepal, India, and the diaspora alongside New York's diverse AAPI communities — featuring exhibitions, performances, and the Kids Art Workshop.
Kids Art Workshops during AAPI Heritage Month teach children the fundamentals of Mithila painting — connecting the next generation with South Asian artistic traditions and building lasting cultural pride.
Public exhibitions during AAPI Heritage Month feature works by artists from Nepal, India, and the American diaspora — presenting Mithila art as a living AAPI cultural tradition.
Mayoral proclamations and civic partnerships ensure Mithila heritage is acknowledged within AAPI advocacy spaces, public policy conversations, and city-wide cultural programming.
By advocating for Mithila and South Asian Nepali representation within broader AAPI conversations, we ensure smaller diaspora communities have a visible cultural platform and civic voice.
The Broader Story
"AAPI Heritage is not a single story — it is millions of stories. Mithila art is one of them, and it has something profound to say about beauty, resilience, and the human connection to nature and community."
AAPI Heritage Month, established by Congress in 1992, honors the history, cultures, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Mithila Center USA participates by centering Mithila art — a 2,500-year-old living tradition — within the AAPI heritage narrative, affirming that the Asian American story encompasses the full breadth of Asian cultures including those from Nepal, India, and the South Asian diaspora.
From Diversity Plaza festivals to mayoral proclamations and youth workshops, our AAPI programming creates public visibility for Mithila heritage within the wider Asian American experience — ensuring that South Asian diaspora communities have a recognized cultural platform in New York and beyond.
Our History
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