The Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition (GMAACC) Launches Capital Campaign and Celebratory Gala for New Asian American Community and Cultural Center
Malden, MA — June 17, 2025
After more than a decade of community organizing, advocacy, building partnerships, the Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition (GMAACC) is proud to announce a historic milestone: the establishment of a permanent home in Malden for the city and region’s first-ever Asian American Community and Cultural Center.
This achievement reflects a powerful investment in GMAACC’s mission to build power and deepen belonging for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across Greater Malden. The new space will serve as a hub for cultural celebration, arts workshops, civic engagement, and intergenerational connection—rooted in the lived experiences, voices, and stories of AAPI communities.
“This space represents the culmination of years of organizing with our AAPI and broader community members, fostering intentional relationships with local, state, and national leaders, and elevating the voices and needs of AAPI residents, youth, families, and creatives in Greater Malden,” shared Mai Du, Co-Founder of GMAACC.
Youth Board Member of GMAACC Shawn Chen also added, “A physical home/AAPI Community and Cultural Center is important and necessary to the community because it provides a safe space to many community members. Especially recently, I feel that racism and discrimination towards the AAPI community—elders specifically—has increased, and because of that, many don’t feel safe or have a safe space to go. The Community and Cultural Center will hopefully be a safe, inclusive, environment in which people can continue doing the activities they enjoy, or just to be with others.”
$2M Capital Campaign Launched to Fund New Center Build-Out
Fueled by the dedication and passion for a cultural home by the community with strong support from local and national leaders—including Congresswoman Katherine Clark, State Representatives Steven Ultrino and Paul Donato, and Malden Mayor Gary Christenson—the Asian American Community and Cultural Center represents a truly community-powered achievement.
To bring this vision fully to life, GMAACC has launched a $2M capital campaign to support the build out of the center. Our 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
Youth lounge, podcast rooms, and artist studio space
Gatherings that foster intergenerational dialogue, cross-coalition and cross-cultural solidarity with AAPI and broader community partners, and civic engagement
Illuminating and Amplifying Our Community Together Celebratory Gala Scheduled for September 12, 2025
To celebrate this landmark investment and to invite deeper partnership in shaping its future, GMAACC will host the Illuminating and Amplifying Our Community Together Gala on September 12, 2025, 6:30PM - 9:00PM at Ming’s Seafood Restaurant in Malden. Co-hosted by Jim Braude from Boston Public Radio and Shirley Leung from The Boston Globe, this special evening will bring together our partners, supporters, and civic leaders to honor the collective journey that made the new cultural center possible—and to build momentum for the transformative work ahead. Whip and Congresswoman Katherine Clark will offer a keynote address.
If you have any questions, require information, or want to make a contribution to the capital campaign, please contact Mina Kim, Interim Executive Director via email at mina.kim@gmaacc.org. To learn more about the September Gala and the Asian American Community and Cultural Center, please visit our website at www.gmaacc.org.
About GMAACC
Founded in 2014, the Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition builds power and deepens belonging for AAPI communities through arts, culture, coalition-building, leadership development, and civic engagement.
For more information about GMAACC’s programs or to get involved, visit www.gmaacc.org or follow us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gmaacc; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatermaldenaacc.
Media Contacts:
Mai Du
Co-Founder, GMAACC
admin@gmaacc.org
Mina Kim
Interim Executive Director, GMAACC
mina.kim@gmaacc.org