LYNN — In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Little Ant World is hosting two special events for the Lynn community next week.
Little Ant World was founded by Windy Pham: a Vietnamese American who moved to the States when she was 17. After becoming a mom to her now-3-year-old daughter, Pham realized there were very few resources to teach her daughter about her culture and heritage, so she took it upon herself to create Little Ant World: a company which publishes bilingual children’s books and hosts cultural events “to help kids understand where they come from and celebrate our differences.”
In fact, the company’s name is actually a nod to both her daughter and culture.
“In Vietnamese culture, names all always carry meaning, just like how you chose your child’s name. You pour love into it, hoping it reflects something special. When you think of an ant, the first thing (that) comes to mind is how hardworking they are. That’s like Vietnamese people: small but mighty, always working hard,” Pham said. “And ants never work alone. They build communities, come together and achieve big goals as a team.
“I see myself as one of those ants, working hard to share our culture and language with friends all over the world, and my dream is to build a community of parents and educators who love Vietnamese heritage as much as I do – and here’s a little secret: My daughter’s name is Trân An Nhi. In English, we spell it as An Nhi Trân or ANT. She is my biggest inspiration and motivation every single day. Creating these children’s books is my way of connecting with her, and I hope they can help other families to do the same.”
The first Little Ant World event to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month is an AAPI Cultural Workshop May 7 from 3-4 p.m. at the Lynn Public Library where Pham will host an interactive bilingual reading experience, followed by hands-on arts and crafts activities celebrating AAPI culture.
The second is an AAPI Heritage Month Celebration May 10 from 3-5 p.m. at the Lynn Museum & Arts Center, which will be an exciting, family-friendly afternoon filled with cultural festivities, delicious food, and engaging activities.
Pham said there will be traditional music and dance from different cultures, including a traditional lion dance, and there will also be 10-12 small businesses with AAPI owners there to share their products.
“For the event on the 10th, that one is a celebration where I wanted to uplift other AAPI vendors and performers and culture as well,” Pham said. “I always believe in the power of unity. Like, how can I create a platform where I can not only share my own culture but also share other people’s culture as well?”
These two events are supported by grant funding from Lynnspire and Lynn Cultural Council.
“I’m just very grateful for the City of Lynn for providing this opportunity because I think that it shows that the City actually cares about diversity and inclusion, and it shows that it matters. For me, here, even receiving two grants from the City of Lynn to do this really showcases how leadership really cares about diversity and inclusion,” Pham said.
Pham emphasized that the AAPI Cultural Workshop and AAPI Heritage Month Celebration are both free events that don’t require tickets.
“I wanted to create a safe space for us to promote and celebrate our culture, but I also want to make sure that everyone’s welcome, that not only the AAPI community can come, but all the community members can enjoy it as well,” Pham said.
