HOUSTON, September 6, 2023 — In Asia Society Texas’ 11th year of Culture Camps, more than 75 campers were immersed in Asian art, culture, and traditions through the summer’s five creative camps. where students practiced Urdu vocabulary, produced an original film, created their own manga, learned about mythical creatures of Asia, and explored culinary traditions of Asia. Each session concluded with a celebratory showcase where campers shared their accomplishments with their families and friends.

The camp season began with the Bedazzled Truck Art of Pakistan with the Indus Arts Council. The Council’s Art Program Director Zahra Ali and Language Program Director Talat Awais introduced campers to the history and beauty of Pakistani truck art and the Urdu language. Throughout the week, students practiced Urdu vocabulary through poetry and various painting projects including a collaborative hopscotch piece. The camp concluded with a showcase exhibiting all of the campers’ works and an Urdu poetry recital.

In our first two-week camp session, focused on Documentary Filmmaking, students learned the ins and outs of filmmaking with children’s TV producer Dan Gordon. With the support of AST interns Alyssa Green and Jimena Escamilla and under Gordon’s guidance, students reflected on what community and religion meant to them while storyboarding their film. Campers learned technical skills including operating a camera, setting up lights, and editing video. Throughout the two weeks, students were immersed in different religious and spiritual practices and practiced their interviewing skills as they heard from guest speakers Imam El Farooqui, anthropology professor Andrew Gordon, Rabbi Dan Gordon, and Gala Tulku Rinpoche and took field trips to the Holocaust Museum, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Houston, and Zoroastrian Association of Houston.

For our annual Manga POP camp, students studied with artist instructor Luis Pruneda to practice comic-related concepts including typography, scriptwriting, color theory, and more. Students also learned about Japanese culture, history, and influences on manga and other Asian comics from AST interns Alyssa Green and Jimena Escamilla and AST Education Staff Nina Shimaguchi and Janjay Mason. All of the campers created original comics and hosted a manga convention for their loved ones on the last day of camp.

During the Animals and Fantastic Beasts of Asia camp, teaching artist Vehishta Kaikobad took the campers on a creative art-focused safari across Asia. Campers learned about real animals and mythical creatures, and built miniature habitats and models, including a dragon puppet, an oceanic diorama, a tiger mask, and more. With the support of AST education team Alyssa Green, Jimena Escamilla, and Janjay Mason, Kaikobad and the campers prepared a fun presentation and short play about the Chinese Zodiac for the last day of camp, when the students performed their pieces and walked their families through the many crafts they created from the week.

The camp season ended with Master Chef Showdown, a partnership between AST and Bite of HOPE. Campers learned about the cooking and culture behind different Asian cuisines while Bite of HOPE chefs Chris Lott and Marie Ibarra taught campers about cooking skills, kitchen etiquette, and healthy eating. Special guest instructor and MasterChef finalist Suu Khin taught the campers how to make her famous coconut shrimp curry while AST staff members Nina Shimaguchi, Rebecca Becerra, and Amal Hasan demonstrated how to roll sushi, the process of fermentation and preservation while making Korean lemon cheong, and how to make potato samosas and hummus from scratch. In preparation for the camp’s final showcase, the students formed groups for a final competition and presented their own designed dishes — Korean fried chicken, mango sticky rice, and more — to a panel of celebrity judges, including MasterChef season 3 winner Christine Ha, Suu Khin, and HOPE Clinic’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Andrea Caracostis.

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.