Founded in 2000, AiR is a theater, spoken-word and comedy group that seeks to illuminate issues pertaining to Asian and Asian American communities, thus promoting social and political awareness and empowerment.

AiR performs at a variety of events at Mount Holyoke College, including the MHC Showcase during Family and Friends Weekend, Variasians, China Night, Festival of Diversity, and MHC Performs during prospective student weekends. At the end of every semester, AiR hosts a season finale show.

AiR is an open group that welcomes anyone interested in Asian or Asian American issues. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, or creed.

Email owner-air-l@mtholyoke.edu to be added to the AiR mailing list or to get more information about AiR.

To watch youtube videos of AiR's performances, go to AiR's youtube channel, AiRatmhc. (If you google airatmhc, it will be the first hit.)

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History

The founders of AiR are Jane Jung ('02) and Un Jung Lim ('02). AiR began as a part of AASIA (Asian American Sisters in Action), a MHC activist organization. AiR's presence on campus grew year by year, and officially became an independent campus organization in the spring of 2005. However, the ideals and goals of AiR have stayed the same since its inception. Below are some of the driving ideas and history that have shaped its purpose (taken from an AiR program from Spring 2001):

 

There are many layers to our name. AiR itself stands for Asian American Interpretive Realities. It goes further than this though. The original inspiration came from an anthology of Asian American plays compiled by playwright Velina Hasu Houston called, But Still Like Air I'll Rise. The title of this anthology is taken from a poem by Maya Angelou called "Still I Rise." Here is an excerpt:

"Just like the moons and like suns,
With certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise…
But still, like air, I'll rise…"

-from "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

Air is vital, necessary, and invisible. It is everywhere and yet people are not directly conscious of it. To prescribe the term invisible to the Asian American experience is to shed light on a type of racism and oppression that has existed and exists in the U.S. today. We state repeatedly that one of the main purposes of Asian American Awareness month is to fight invisibility. This fight continues tonight.

A breath of fresh air from…
Confinement into prescribed boxes that simplify all too easily

Restricting Stereotypes
Reticence

Suffocating Silences
yearning to hear a stifled voice

What we all need is a breath of fresh air~

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Sit back, relax, and take a breath of fresh AiR...