May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month!
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. The Ann Arbor YMCA is excited to host a series of workshops to educate and celebrate these contributions, all open to members and the community!
Monday Morning Coffee
Monday, May 4 • 8 AM – 9 AM*
The morning coffee our Members love, with a special approach of celebrating local AAPI owned business Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea! Hot coffee will be available in the Membership lobby while supplies last.*
Riichi Mahjong Workshop
Saturday, May 9 • 10 AM-12 PM
An introduction class to Riichi Mahjong taught by Southeast Michigan Riichi, a Detroit and Ann Arbor-based Riichi Mahjong club! This class is great for beginners or players who would like to hone their skills. All game materials will be provided. Just bring yourself and excitement to learn!
About Riichi: Riichi mahjong is a variant of mahjong created and popularized in Japan. Mahjong is a family of tile-based games where the goal is to create a winning hand containing specific combinations of tiles, either by drawing them from the tile wall or by calling them from other players. Mahjong shares some similarities with rummy games, and if you’ve played rummy before the goal of creating runs and sets may already be familiar to you. Riichi mahjong involves an engaging mix of luck, strategy, and skill!
(Open to ages 12+).
How-to-Play Go Workshop
Sunday, May 10 • 3-5 PM
An introduction to one of the oldest two-player strategy board games! Attendees will learn game rules and play with fellow first-time players.
Originating 3000 years ago in China, one two-player strategy board game remains unchanged — the game of Go. Go is played on a 19 by 19 board, creating more possible variations than the number of subatomic particles in the known universe!
Ready to start your Go journey? Join our FREE beginner Go class taught by Jamie Tang, Vice-President of the Go non-profit, NextMove Foundation.
(Open to ages 12+)
Monday Morning Coffee
Monday, May 18 • 8 AM – 9 AM*
The morning coffee our Members love, with a special approach of celebrating local AAPI owned business Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea! Hot coffee will be available in the Membership lobby while supplies last.*
Beginner Ikebana Workshop
Friday, May 29 • 6-8 PM
Learn the ancient traditional art of Japanese flower arranging with the Ikebana International Ann Arbor Chapter 183! Ikebana floral arrangements are sculptural, focusing on the flower’s shape and form. Arrangements are precise and meaningful, typically featuring a single or limited number of flowers. All florals and supplies will be provided.
This workshop is designed with beginners in mind, offering a welcoming introduction to the foundational principles and techniques of ikebana—no prior experience needed. If you’re looking to continue building your skills, be sure to check out our intermediate Ikebana workshop on May 30.
Intermediate Ikebana Workshop (New this year!)
Saturday, May 30 • 1-3 PM
New this year, we are excited to offer our first-ever intermediate ikebana workshop with the Ikebana International Ann Arbor Chapter 183! Learn the ancient traditional art of Japanese flower arranging while building on foundational techniques with a more advanced class experience.
In addition to taking home your ikebana creation, this class includes complimentary supplies to help you continue practicing at home! Participants will receive a kenzan (also known as a “frog” in the U.S.) and a low vase, either a moribana or suiban. For those interested in continuing their ikebana journey, these are essential tools that can last a lifetime!
This workshop is ideal for those who already have some familiarity with ikebana and are ready to build onto foundational techniques with more advanced arrangements. The featured arrangement for this class will be the flowing form, using a variety of different floral materials to create movement and balance. If you’re brand new to ikebana, we encourage you to check out our beginner workshop on May 29.