Asian American LEAD (AALEAD)

🍰 Next up in our Taste of Asia chef spotlight is the talented Caroline Ta of SweetsbyCaroline! 🍰 Caroline is the owner and baker behind SweetsbyCaroline, a Maryland-based pop-up bakery that specializes in French macarons, cakes, and Asian-inspired desserts. Her passion for baking started at a young age, learning from her mom, and was ignited even further after winning a pitch competition in college. Despite being a full-time student, Caroline ran her business straight from her college apartment — talk about dedication! 📚🧁 ✨ After graduation, she took the leap to pursue her dream full-time, outgrowing her home kitchen and launching her bakery from a commercial kitchen. Now, Caroline’s Bakery Bus — a 1992 Volkswagen converted into a mobile bakery — travels to pop-up markets across the DMV, collaborates with local chefs, and hosts baking classes. 🚐🎂 We are so excited to indulge in Caroline's sweet creations at A Taste of Asia! Don't miss out on her delicious desserts! 🍩 🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://buff.ly/tZKLG9z

🌟 Next up in our Taste of Asia chef spotlight is the amazing Rahul Vinod of RASA! 🌟 Rahul is the co-founder of the DMV’s beloved fast-casual Indian restaurant brand, RASA. Growing up in the food industry as the son of renowned Indian chef KN Vinod, Rahul experienced firsthand how many Americans faced barriers when trying Indian cuisine. This inspired him to partner with his childhood best friend to create RASA, where they aim to share the bold, vibrant flavors of Indian food in a more approachable way. 🍛 RASA has received tons of critical acclaim, including being named Best Concept Mid-Atlantic by Starchefs in 2022 and Best New Restaurant by Washington City Paper in 2018! Beyond the kitchen, Rahul's support of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic earned him recognition as a Thrillist Local Hero and a Local Changemaker by Washington City Paper. 🙌 We are so excited that Rahul will be joining us for Taste of Asia, bringing his incredible dishes that are inspired by his upbringing and experiences. You won’t want to miss it! 🍴 🎟️ Get your tickets now: https://buff.ly/1XAaiIO

OUR EARLY BIRD DEADLINE IS EXTENDED! 🥳 We've had a ton of interest in our event, and it's only getting us that much more excited for this foodie event! With this excitement, we want more of you to join us... so we've decided to extend our early bird admission ticket deadline to Friday, April 4 at 5 PM! Don't miss out on your chance to enjoy some of the most amazing food from local AAPI celebrity chefs! It will be a night of connection, celebration, and of course, delicious food! 🎉 🍲 🍣 See which featured chefs will be joining us 👀 and secure your tickets at: https://buff.ly/LL0ivhu

🔥 Kicking off our Taste of Asia chef spotlight is the one and only Peter Chang! 🔥 Peter Chang is a highly awarded chef known for his authentic Szechuan cooking and his ever-growing, devoted following. Born in Wuhan, China, and later moving to Chengdu to study classical Chinese cooking, Peter discovered his love for Sichuan peppercorns, chilis, and pickles. 🌶️ After serving as the chef for the Chinese ambassador in Washington, DC, nearly 30 years ago, he went on to build his own culinary empire, with restaurants across the East Coast. From his famous dry-fry cauliflower and seafood to the mala-flavored dishes and hometown specialty Wuhan sesame noodles, Peter Chang’s creations are nothing short of extraordinary. And don't forget about his wife Lisa, a Chinese pastry chef, who crafted the viral bubble pancake! Together, they’re an unstoppable duo and the heart of the Peter Chang brand. We are beyond thrilled to have Peter Chang join us for Taste of Asia! You won’t want to miss out on tasting his incredible dishes. Secure your tickets now and join us for a night of unforgettable flavors! 🍜 🎟️ Tickets: https://buff.ly/x2jdshr

🌸 Happy April, everyone! 🌸 It's officially THE month... Taste of Asia is happening on the 30th, and we are SO excited! 🎉 Get ready to indulge in mouth-watering dishes from some of the most talented local celebrity chefs. Plus, we'll be reigniting our passion to empower AAPI youth through this incredible event! 🙌 As we kick off the month, we're taking a moment every day to spotlight each of our featured chefs. These chefs were carefully chosen for their inspiring stories, culinary skills, and dedication to the community. Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks to learn more about the amazing individuals behind the flavors you'll soon savor! 🍜🍣🍚

Join us for our Embracing Our Minds mental health workshop! 🧠 Our previous session was a phenomenal experience filled with dancing and meaningful connections. This week, we're excited to explore art as a form of expression and engage in insightful discussions on improving family communication. Don't miss your chance to win fantastic prizes like a digital camera, self-care sets, and Visa gift cards! Sign up now at: https://buff.ly/rN3dVZv

Are you signed up for our email list? 👀 Every quarter, we share out what we've been up to with our youth! From Wizards games, ice skating, to celebrating International Women's Month, this quarter's edition is one you don't want to miss! Sign up for our newsletter at our website at: aalead.org

We had an absolute BLAST at our last "Embracing Our Minds" session! 🥳 There was lots of dancing, laughter, and connection 😀 We hope that you'll join us for the next session on April 5! We'll be learning to paint about our emotions and discussing how certain beliefs shape our wellbeing. 🎨 💬 You will also have a chance to win a digital camera, self-care sets, or visa gift cards if you join us! Don't miss out! To learn more and sign up, go to the event page at: https://buff.ly/rcvKgbu

Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure at our Taste of Asia event this April! Don't miss out on this incredible lineup of local celebrity AAPI chefs who will be showcasing their mouth-watering creations 😋 This is a unique opportunity to savor diverse and delectable dishes while supporting AALEAD. Don't miss out on this exciting experience—secure your early bird tickets now before prices increase on April 1. Join us for an unforgettable celebration of flavors and community! Secure your tickets at: https://buff.ly/fLvdvXv

We had SO MUCH FUN at our AAHI session last weekend! 🥳 We had a blast learning to use dance to express ourselves, laughing with each other, and connecting with other youth/parents! This was truly an incredible time for youth to learn more about owning their identity and taking up space, and for parents, how to better connect with their youth. ✨ Congrats to our raffle prize winners who took home a brand new OWALA water bottle 💧 and a polaroid camera! 📸 At the next session, youth will have a chance to win a skincare package and a visa gift card! And at the last session, we'll be raffling 🥁 ... a digital camera and Airpod Pros! Don't miss out! To learn more and sign up, go to https://buff.ly/HPjMLmi