Our Chicago: Town hall explores Chicago's diverse Asian communities

CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC 7, Chicago's No. 1 station for news, presented a virtual town hall celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month while exploring the history and contributions of Chicago's diverse Asian community.

ABC 7 Chicago Eyewitness News anchor/reporter Stacey Baca moderated "OUR CHICAGO: Voices of the Community" available on abc7chicago.com, Thursday, May 27, at 2:00 p.m.

Check back later today to watch the entire conversation on-demand.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played an important role shaping the nation and city of Chicago. The contributions of this rich and diverse community have influenced Chicago's culture significantly, but what drew these first groups from countries like China, Japan, Korea, India and the Philippines to Chicago? And why did they choose the Windy City?

Stacey Baca explores the interesting story of how and why these communities decided to settle in Chicago. Members of Chicago's Asian American and Pacific Islander communities joined the discussion to share how this very diverse group has made its mark in certain neighborhoods, on the local restaurant scene, with small businesses, and by establishing cultural and community centers. How have these enclaves evolved or expanded, and what are the issues of most importance now and for the future?

Guests included the following:

Ben Lau, Chinese American Museum of Chicago

Jean Mishima, Japanese American Historical Society

Dr. Evelyn de Asis Natividad, National Federation of Filipino American Associations

Tejas Shah, Indo-American Center

Yoon Tae Kim, The Korean Cultural Center of Chicago

The virtual town hall was also exclusively streamed live on ABC 7's Facebook Live, YouTube, ABC 7's app, and ABC 7's connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abc7chicago

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abc7Chicago/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abc7Chicago/

PREVIOUS TOWN HALLS:

Our Chicago: Town hall focuses on mental health support for Black men

Our Chicago: Town hall focuses on mental health issues in children, adolescents

Our Chicago: Town hall addresses hate crimes against AAPI community

Our Chicago: Town hall celebrates Earth Month and efforts by Chicago's local community organizations

Our Chicago: Town hall on keeping Latino youth safe, demands for investment in wake of Adam Toledo shooting

Our Chicago: Town hall on impact of climate change and weather on our environment

Our Chicago: Town hall with Chicago religious leaders addresses trust, safety around COVID-19 vaccines

Our Chicago: Town hall celebrates women entrepreneurs, hosted by Tanja Babich

Our Chicago: Town hall examines city's women in leadership roles amid Women's History Month

Our Chicago: Impact of pandemic recession on working women

Our Chicago: A Conversation About 'Black, Latino Houses Matter' Program

Our Chicago: A Conversation About Vaccine Efforts

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community town hall examines discriminatory effects of redlining

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community town hall on COVID and the vaccine in the Latinx community

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community town hall showcases faith leaders and 'Family Value' anti-violence campaign

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community town hall on blood donations during COVID pandemic hosted by Hosea Sanders

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community town hall on COVID-19 vaccine concerns in communities of color, hosted by Cheryl Burton

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community on Asian American harassment and bystander intervention, moderated by Ravi Baichwal

Our Chicago: Voices of the Community: Significance of Kamala Harris' election to vice president-elect; Cheryl Burton moderates

ABC 7 Chicago hosts digital town hall to recognize Native American Heritage Month; Leah Hope moderates

ABC 7 Chicago hosts digital town hall to explore expectations for office holders after upcoming election

ABC 7 Chicago hosts digital town hall on bullying prevention moderated by Karen Jordan

ABC 7 Chicago presents: Do You Hear Me? A discussion highlighting journey of prominent Latino communities in Chicago hosted by Stacey Baca

ABC 7 Chicago presents: Do You Hear Me? A Conversation about Latinos and the 2020 Census hosted by Rob Elgas

ABC 7 Chicago presents: Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race, a virtual town hall with Windy City Live's Val Warner

ABC 7 Chicago presents: Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race, a virtual town hall with ABC 7's Evelyn Holmes

ABC 7 Chicago presents: Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on August 13 with ABC 7's Evelyn Holmes

ABC 7 Chicago presents: Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race, a virtual town hall with Windy City Live's Val Warner

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on August 6, 2020: Hosted by Samantha Chatman, on mental health in the Black community

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on July 23, 2020: Hosted by WCL's Val Warner, on race and education during COVID-19

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on July 23, 2020: Hosted by Jim Rose, on race and racism in sports

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on July 16, 2020: Hosted by Cheryl Burton, on violence

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on July 9, 2020: Hosted by Samantha Chatman, on Black Greek letter organizations

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on July 2, 2020: Hosted by Hosea Sanders, on summer festivals

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on June 25, 2020: Hostel by Terrell Brown and Leah Hope, on racism in public education

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on June 18, 2020: Hosted by Evelyn Holmes and Will Jones,on youth movements

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on June 11, 2020: Hosted by Karen Jordan and Hosea Sanders, on organizational social change

Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on June 4, 2020: Hosted by Cheryl Burton, on the aftermath of George Floyd's death

About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago

ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 2.3 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space to Chicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana. Named Best News Operation by the Associated Press for four consecutive years, the station produces 41 hours of local news weekly and Chicago's only local weekday entertainment talk show, "Windy City LIVE," as well as its highest-rated New Year's Eve special. ABC7's award-winning programs such as "Heart and Soul," "The Ñ Beat" and "Asian Influences" showcase the city's diversity, while being the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago's rich cultural history. In addition to producing town halls focused on current social issues, the station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates keeping Chicago's electorate informed. ABC7's outreach efforts include annual partnerships with the Red Cross for life-saving blood drives and, most recently, spearheading an effort to raise more than $1.5 million for area food pantries.