EMBRACE
Four Pillars of Action
2:30pm-4:30pm, January 21, 2023
Midpointe West Chester Library
Following the Health Equity Forum in Dayton in last September, EMBRACE was invited to host the Local Conversation Roundtable III in Cincinnati. Funded by the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and the Ohio Department of Health, this forum provided opportunities for the Asian community to share perspectives and common voice in addressing health disparities. Health Care professionals, scientists, APA leaders in corporate companies, and high school students came together to share their insights and celebrated Luner New Year of the Rabbit! Watch video
Multicultural Music Festival
10:00am-12:00pm, December 11, 2022
Indian Hill High School Auditorium
Music is a language that transcends countries, cultures, and ages! Indian Hill High School Orchestra partnered with EMBRACE and hosted their first Multicultural Music Festival. This time, we put spotlight on parents and grandparents who inspired us with their passions for music. Three generations came together to share music representing diverse cultures in China, Korea, India, Argentina and more! It was the first time for many of the performers including the seniors to perform on a stage. But their elegance, confidence, and love for music impressed us all! Through music, we celebrated culture, friendship, and the World Cup! Watch video
Heath Care Seminars: Session 2
Oral Health and Whole Body Health
1pm-2pm, November 12, 2022
Mason Municipal Center
When the first snow fell in Cincinnati, the room was filled with warmth, sharing, caring, and celebration. EMBRACE partnered with BEST, decorated 40 bags of oral care products, and cooked a dozen trays of various desserts. Dr Tao He, Principal Clinical Scientist of P&G, discussed the importance of oral health to whole body health and the proper use of oral hygiene products. The EMBRACE team did a mini lesson on "Grandparents Learning English". Together, fifty seniors and volunteers celebrated Grandpa Ren's 83rd Birthday! Watch video
Heath Care Seminars: Session 1
Healthy Living in Today's Digital World
1pm-2pm, October 29, 2022
Mason Municipal Center
This Fall, EMBRACE will focus on the third Pillar of Action to address the most prominent concerns among seniors. As the first session of the health care seminar series, Dr. Mei You gave an inspiring talk on healthy living, from traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy tracing back 2000 years ago to modern diagnostic technology! Seniors took notes and had interactive conversations about a healthy diet, breathing techniques, sleeping routines, and more. EMBRACE members baked banana bread, rice cakes, and cooked Tremella lotus seed soup for our seniors to enjoy. Watch video
BLINK Parade
7:30pm, October 13, 2022
Cincinnati Downtown
Last experienced by over 1.3 million people in 2019, BLINK, the nation's largest art, light and projection mapping festival, returned Oct. 13-16, 2022. For the very first time, the Greater Cincinnati Asian communities came together for the BLINK Parade to showcase Asian cultures and arts through the various themed floats and programs. EMBRACE team members participated in panda float, lotus dance, and red lantern parade, contributing to this diverse community! Watch video
Moon Fest
3pm-8pm, September 10, 2022
Cincinnati Fountain Square
Cincinnati Moon Festival hosted by the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Cultural Exchange Association (GCCCEA) is getting bigger and better each year! With a variety of family-friendly activities, authentic Asian food, cultural displays and performances, this event was enjoyed by people from all ethnic backgrounds, both young and old alike. Members of EMBRACE have been active volunteers in the Moon Festivals, contributing their talents and passions within this diverse community.
Health Equity Forum
1pm-3pm, September 10, 2022
Dayton Metro Library
On behalf of EMBRACE, Vivian Xu and Jesslyn Gunadi raised their voices for the challenges and needs of senior Asian immigrants in the Health Equity Forum in Dayton. The event was organized by the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition (OAAHC) and funded by Ohio Commission on Minority Health (OCMH), aimed at health equity for all & eliminating disparities that exist in minority communities. Vivian and Jesslyn made connections with health care professionals and Asian community leaders in Ohio to provide resources for seniors. Watch video
Asian Senior Picnic
11am-2pm, July 27, 2022
Sharon Woods Park
Seniors from Chinese, Filipino and Indian communities met at Sharon Woods park for lunch, game and conversations. This multicultural event was hosted by Meals on Wheels, Design Impact, AACO, Apna Sapna and FASO FilAm seniors. The EMBRACE team volunteered as bus chaperones, interpreters, and food servers. EMBRACE gained first-hand experience in addressing the mobility challenges through senior bus services.
Chinese Senior Picnic & Plant Swap
4pm-7pm, July 3, 2022
Blue Ash Nature Park
After over a month's planning and preparation, EMBRACE hosted its first big social event for Chinese seniors in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. Nearly 100 seniors came together in a beautiful park, enjoyed food from 5 restaurants, learned Taiji and picked their favorite plants from over 200 collections. Most importantly, they were able to socialize with friends, new and old, speaking in their hometown accents. This was indeed a big hit in the area and a memorable event for the seniors.
BYCPAC Dance Show
3pm-7pm, April 23, 2022
Lakota West Freshman School
In the long-awaited dance recital of the Bing Yang Chinese Performing Arts Center (BYCPAC), director Ms. Bing Yang generously offered seniors free admissions with VIP seats. From Chinese folk to classical dances, seniors enjoyed the three and half hours' show of 48 spectacular dances performed by 137 dancers. Several of EMBRACE team members were among the solo and group dance performers.
Focus Group Interview
2:30pm-4:30pm, April 16, 2022
Mason Municipal Center
To help Meals on Wheels develop programs that better serve seniors in the Asian Community, Vivian Xu worked with Design Impact and conducted a focus group interview with six Chinese seniors. The participants were asked questions about what they liked to eat, how they spent their free time, and where and how they socialized. Learning from this interview and interviews with other ethnic groups led to the Asian Senior Picnic on July 27th, 2022.
Academic Research
August 2021- May 2022
Indian Hill High School
With guidance from Ms. Jackson and Mrs. Blankenship at Indian Hill High School, and Professor May Tang in the University of Cincinnati, Vivian Xu conducted yearlong research on the well-being of older Chinese immigrants in Cincinnati. Her research work drew the attention of Asian communities, social service organizations, and Cincinnati Mayor's Office. Based on the learning from the study, the EMBRACE team established the Four Pillars of Action to tackle the challenges faced by senior Asian immigrants.