Organizers hope to create a new Asian American Community Center in Centennial [Video]

AURORA, Colo. – There’s an unassuming building right off of Highway 225 in Aurora that operates primarily as Happy Living and Wellness Daycare. In addition to that, it houses several local Asian American organizations.

“A lot of the Asian non-profits in Colorado do not have office space,” said Annie VanDan, Executive Director of Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network.

CACEN, Mile High Asian Media, Asian Avenue Magazine, Rocky Mountain Chinese Weekly and Colorado Chinese Radio Network all have their names on the door as well.

“The Asian community has just been really yearning for a space to be able to gather and host different events and programming. That largely came about too during the pandemic, when there was a rise in Asian hate, and a lot of the community was having conversations about needing safe spaces and the spaces of belonging,” said VanDan of what inspired the community space to take shape inside the Daycare run …