IACA - Indiana Association of Chinese Americans

To foster constructive citizenship on the part of Chinese Americans in the Greater Indianapolis area, the State of Indiana, and the nation

To cultivate the understanding and the appreciation of both American and Chinese cultural heritages

To enrich the Indiana society with Chinese American contribution

To improve the overall well being of Chinese Americans in Indianapolis

Download the IACA Constitution

History

Indiana Association of Chinese Americans, Inc. (IACA) is a State registered not-for-profit organization established in 1973. IACA is not affiliated with any religious or political organization. The main goals and objectives of IACA
are:

To foster constructive citizenship on the part of Chinese Americans in the State of Indiana, and the nation.
To cultivate the understanding and the appreciation of both American and Chinese cultural heritages.
To enrich the Indiana society with Chinese American contributions.
To improve the overall well being of Chinese Americans in Indiana.

IACA was originally established in 1973 as Indianapolis Association of Chinese Americans, Inc. and in 1999, it was renamed to Indiana Association of Chinese Americans, Inc. to encompass a larger membership around the states. In the early '70s, a group of local Chinese Americans met once a month for lunch to share their everyday experiences and to lead support for each other and their families. The popularity of this monthly luncheon continued to grow and the need for an organization to provide social activities and a variety of services was inevitable. In November 1973, the founding members filed the IACA constitution with the State. Officers for the following years were elected and IACA was born.

Through the years, most of the social activities provided to our membership were focused on the celebration of Chinese culture and traditions such as Chinese New Year and other festivals, in an attempt to keep alive our heritage and to pass them on to the next generation and beyond. Friends and other organizations have been invited to these gatherings to share and celebrate in our cultural heritage and it has proven to be very successful.

IACA has participated in countless community cultural projects and educational outreach programs. IACA has long established its presence in the annual International Festival since 1976 and has won awards for its cultural displays. Our 'Lion Dance' team is well recognized in our cultural community. IACA has collaborated with the international Center of Indianapolis and other local professional organizations in co-sponsoring cultural exhibitions, concerts and recent performances from the Inner Mongolian Dance Troupe and the Beijing Orchestra. IACA participates in programs at the Children's Museum, providing cultural materials, speakers to local schools and colleges. Through corporate sponsorship, scholarships were awarded to our qualified IACA youths from the annual Telamon High School Scholarship Program. IACA has also participated in the USA Bicentennial Anniversary celebration and in establishing a Sister City with Taipei, Taiwan and a Sister State with Zhejiang Province, China.

IACA currently publishes a quarterly newsletter to communicate information and progresses to our members, an annual membership directory which serves as a tool for our members to exchange information and networking. IACA has been working diligently and continuously fine-tune its services and programs to meet the needs of our growing and changing community.