By Shane Mead | Reporter
On Wednesday, the Asian Leaders Network is hosting their inaugural Diwali festival at Market Bridge Street Plaza. The festival will feature artists, performances, vendors and Indian student organizations Baylor Taal and Indian Subcontinent Student Organization from 5 to 8 p.m.
Asian Leaders Network was founded two years ago by Cha Community co-owner Jaja Chen and became a nonprofit organization in August 2023.
“We were really wanting to do more cultural festivals, especially after East Market grocery store in Waco closed and there was no more Lunar New Year or mid-autumn festivals being hosted,” she said.
This year, the network was able to host a Diwali festival. Chen and Rajesh Solanki, Asian Leaders Network board member and Waco local, both say the festival is beneficial not only for South Asians who celebrate, but those who may be unfamiliar with the culture.
Solanki said their Diwali festival gives him the chance to rekindle his connection to his culture.
“As a kid growing up, I [celebrated] with my parents,” he said. “Then when I moved away, I kind of fell away from it. Over the last couple of years, I’ve really been trying to reconnect with my culture.”
As a board member, Solanki said it was extra special to be behind organizing the event because of the small South Asian population in Waco and their lack of recognition.
“Since moving here, one of my quotes is like, ‘Where are the Indians?’” he said. “I’m excited to see who shows up … hopefully this is the first step to be like, ‘Hey, Waco cares about you too.’”
Chen emphasized that Asian Leaders Network’s festivals were free and open to the public, giving any and everybody the opportunity to attend their Diwali celebration and immerse themselves into a culture they may be unfamiliar with.
“That’s why we exist, right?” she said. “Our mission at Asian Leadership Network is to co-create Asian community, culture and arts and we do that through these cultural events.”
Chen, a second-generation Taiwanese immigrant, views preparing for the festival as a learning experience even for herself since she doesn’t celebrate Diwali.
“It’s so important to me to really learn about other cultures different from my own, because it helps me to then stay grounded in our common humanity and to really see how beautiful and vibrant other cultures are,” she said.
According to Baylor’s demographics data, India is the second largest represented international student population at the school behind China, and that representation is growing.
Chen said she hopes that Asian Student Network’s Diwali festival, as well as the other festivalsthe club hosts, can give those students a home away from home.
“My hope is that if international students were to participate, they can see a little glimpse into home here in Waco,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be where they have to go back to India or to a larger city like Houston or Dallas to be able to feel connection to their roots.”
In the future, Chen said she hopes Asian Leaders Network can continue to host festivals and community events to celebrate different Asian cultures through the sponsorships, grants and funding they receive.
