With May being Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the owner of a South Philadelphia jewelry store is promoting Asian heritage by supporting the work of talented Asian artists, writes Nigel Thompson for KYW Newsradio.
Ruben Luna, who runs Workshop Underground on South Street, is hosting the work of artists of all specialties and backgrounds.
While jewelry is the specialty, the highlighted artists create a wide range of products.
For example, Anya Laudenslager runs a tea service, and Takehida and Kana Tanaka are the owners of Hana Floral design.
“Really, we just wanted to showcase a different perspective of makers to our community,” said Luna.
In addition to promoting the artists, the initiative also aims to support the “Stop AAPI Hate Campaign.”
Laudenslager noted that this initiative can go a long way toward bringing more awareness to the positive impact the Asian community has.
“It’s always good to have events like this because it kind of bridges the gap of ignorance, which is key to how hate can start,” said Laudenslager. “As soon as we start to represent each other… bring awareness of our differences and how beautiful those differences are, the stronger we can be in helping to communicate and educate each other on our different worlds.”
Read more about how a South Philly jeweler is combatting AAPI hate in KYW Newsradio.
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