Home is so much more than a building. It's the sound of a familiar language drifting down a hallway. It's elders and youth sharing stories, opening each to new ways of understanding our community. It's showing up for one another, in celebration, in struggle, and in the quiet, everyday moments in between.

AAPI communities have lacked access to permanent, culturally grounded spaces, making it harder to gather, to imagine, strategize, heal, to bridge generations, and to build the trust our communities need to move toward collective action together.

That's why, after more than a decade of organizing and advocacy, we are so excited to share that GMAACC has found its permanent home at 381 Pearl St. in Malden, a space built from and for the voices, stories, and dreams of our AAPI communities.

We believe that when our communities have a home for belonging, culture, leadership, healing, and civic power, we can begin to transform the systems that have shaped our lives. A place for cultural and civic expression. For intergenerational connection. For community care and mutual aid. For greater inclusion in the civic processes that affect our health, our housing, our economic lives, and our futures.

We hope this Center will be a place to be with one another. Where we can feel anchored in who we are, share our complex realities, and move together toward something better.

Build With Us Today

Join Us in Our Effort to Raise $2M for the Build-out of Our Asian American Community and Cultural Center!

Our new space will host a wide range of programs and initiatives, including:

• The Ping Pong Club – promoting wellness, fun, and social connection

• The Hua Xia Multi-Arts Group – celebrating traditional and contemporary AAPI arts

• An intergenerational AAPI Ethnic Studies workshop series incorporating theater

• Youth Organizing Group - a youth-led leadership program 

• The AAPI Empowerment Project - raising awareness of gambling addiction

• Medford Connects - building social resilience to address the impacts of climate change

• Participatory storytelling and mural projects focused on building power and community voice

We're also designing flexible, multi-use spaces to accommodate:

• Dance rehearsal space, art exhibitions, and cultural events

• Financial literacy and business development workshops

• Bilingual cooking classes to make foods from our home countries or ancestors’ kitchens

• Support for AAPI culinary, creative, community-oriented entrepreneurs

• Youth lounge, podcast rooms, and artist studio space

• Gatherings that foster intergenerational dialogue, cross-coalition organizing, and civic engagement 

In Fall 2024, residents and community members of all ages came together at our Mid-Autumn Festival Community Celebration to envision their dreams for the Asian American Community and Cultural Center. Facilitated by local artists and GMAACC youth, community members engaged in a participatory public art piece, sharing their dreams of a space with access to learning about Asian American history, more dedicated arts and cultural programming, as well as the creation of an essential space for community members to meet and gather. 

We are excited to bring these collective dreams to life and cultivate a space that reflects our community’s vision and supports meaningful action. Join us in supporting our collective effort to create a thriving Asian American Community and Cultural Center where culture, advocacy, and opportunity come together to strengthen our community!