2024-05-29T15:14:48-04:00 2023-12-31 455614128 CULPEPPER CPA PLLC PO BOX 32454 KNOXVILLE TN 379302454 990 2023-01-01 472154537 ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE ASIA 8312411189 PO BOX 31793 KNOXVILLE TN 37930 KUMI ALDERMAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 8312411189 2024-05-29 true KUMI ALDERMAN 999009999 true LEIGH ANNE JOSEPH CPA P00497850 8656918509 2024-05-29 2023 2023-04-26 12:10:37Z KUMI ALDERMAN PO BOX 31793 KNOXVILLE TN 37930 362592 false X WWW.KNOXASIANFESTIVAL.COM X 2014 TN THE ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE (ACCTN) WAS FOUNDED IN 2014 TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION TAKE THEIR PLACE AS GLOBAL CITIZENS WITH A STRONG UNDERSTANDING FOR AND APPRECIATION OF OTHER CULTURES. THROUGH TAILORED PROGRAMS AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE BRING PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNITY, AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THE EAST TENNESSEE WE ENVISION MAINTAINS A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND A SENSE OF PRIDE AND APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSE CULTURAL IDENTITIES. ALIGNING WITH UNITED WAY'S EDUCATION IMPACT PRIORITY AND THE FOCUS AREA OF PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY OUT-OF-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS, OUR GOALS ARE TO: BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CAN CONNECT, LEARN, AND GROW TOGETHER WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SHARED HERITAGE; INSTILL IN CHILDREN A SENSE OF GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EMBRACE DIVERSITY, CULTIVATE 5 5 0 150 0 104520 188698 110548 169894 -10006 0 215068 348586 0 0 0 0 0 143447 248529 143447 248529 71621 100057 81815 181872 0 81815 181872 X THE ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE (ACCTN) WAS FOUNDED IN 2014 TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION TAKE THEIR PLACE AS GLOBAL CITIZENS WITH A STRONG UNDERSTANDING FOR AND APPRECIATION OF OTHER CULTURES. THROUGH TAILORED PROGRAMS AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE BRING PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNITY, AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THE EAST TENNESSEE WE ENVISION MAINTAINS A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND A SENSE OF PRIDE AND APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSE CULTURAL IDENTITIES. ALIGNING WITH UNITED WAY'S EDUCATION IMPACT PRIORITY AND THE FOCUS AREA OF PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY OUT-OF-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS, OUR GOALS ARE TO: BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CAN CONNECT, LEARN, AND GROW TOGETHER WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SHARED HERITAGE; INSTILL IN CHILDREN A SENSE OF GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EMBRACE DIVERSITY, CULTIVATE false false 158207 169894 EACH YEAR IN AUGUST, THE ACCTN ALSO PUTS ON THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL, A PLATFORM FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE AND SHOWCASE ITS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, LEADING TO INCREASED CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION, AND PRESERVATION. THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL ALSO SERVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL, ENLIGHTENING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF ASIAN ARTS, TRADITIONS, AND HISTORY. BY BRINGING THE WORLD TO KNOXVILLE, IT HELPS DISPEL STEREOTYPES, PROMOTES CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND ENCOURAGES CULTURAL EXCHANGE. IN THE TEN YEARS SINCE WE BEGAN, OUR FESTIVAL HAS GROWN TO BE THE LARGEST ASIAN FESTIVAL IN THE SOUTHEAST IN AUGUST OF 2023, WE HOSTED 13 COUNTRIES, 40 FOOD VENDORS, APPROXIMATELY 75,000 PEOPLE, AND CONTRIBUTED AN ESTIMATED 4.4 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO GREATER KNOXVILLE. IN THE SPRING OF 2024, THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL WAS HONORED BY THE SOUTHEAST FESTIVAL AND EVENTS ASSOCIATION WITH THE BEST EVENT AWARD 66831 THE ACCTN OPERATES AT THE INTERSECTION OF EQUITY AND ARTS EDUCATION AND STRIVES TO REACH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND THOSE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND/OR ISOLATED SETTINGS IN GREATER KNOXVILLE AND BEYOND. EAST TENNESSEE IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY, BUT WITH 39% OF RESIDENTS IN OUR AREA UNDER THE ALICE THRESHOLD AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES LACKING ACCESS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PERSIST. THESE BARRIERS TO ACCESS MEAN THAT MANY OF OUR REGION'S STUDENTS LACK OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL EXPOSURE TO OTHER WAYS OF LIFE. BELIEVING THAT AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT IN DIVERSE ARTS IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE, WE SEEK TO ADD VALUE TO EDUCATION IN OUR REGION BY OPENING UP THE WORLDS OF K-12 STUDENTS (AND THEIR TEACHERS AND CAREGIVERS). THIS YEAR, WE ARE AIMING TO REACH 5,000 STUDENTS IN 30 SCHOOLS WITH OUR UNIQUE, HANDS-ON AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON IMMERSIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR ORGANIZATION ALSO SERVES EAST TENNESSEE'S ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. DESPITE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF HATE CRIMES TARGETING THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN 2020, THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HATE AND EXTREMISM REPORTS THAT ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIME INCREASED NATIONALLY BY 339% IN 2021. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE RACISM EXPERIENCED BY RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IS LINKED TO POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THESE POPULATIONS. ACCORDING TO A 2022 STUDY CONDUCTED AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, HOWEVER, SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT BUFFER TO MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF RACISM ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING. THE ACCTN IS COMMITTED TO UNITING PEOPLE TO SOLVE THESE SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN SERVICE OF VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND SOCIALLY JUST COMMUNITIES WHERE DIVERSE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IDENTITIES AND HERITAGES ARE REPRESENTED AND HONORED THROUGH INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE. AS COMMUNITIES BECOME INCREASINGLY DIVERSE, THERE IS ALSO A GROWING DEMAND FOR PROGRAMS THAT BOTH CELEBRATE AND PRESERVE CULTURAL HERITAGE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE ADDRESS THIS NEED FOR CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BY PROVIDING CHILDREN WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CONNECT WITH THEIR ROOTS ON THE PATH TO BECOMING CONFIDENT, MULTICULTURAL CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE GREATER KNOXVILLE COMMUNITY, THE ACCTN MEETS FREQUENTLY WITH KNOXVILLE'S EDUCATORS K-12 AND UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP. WHETHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE JUST LOOKING FOR EXPOSURE TO OTHER CULTURES FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL FAMILIES WITH FEWER RESOURCES; OPENING UP CHILDREN'S WORLDVIEW AND MAKING LEARNING FUN; OR A MORE PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH CENTERED ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION; THE ACCTN IS HAPPY TO TAILOR ITS PROGRAMMING TO SPECIFIC NEEDS. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KNOX COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS ALSO ALLOWS US TO REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR TO DO OUR JAPANESE OUTREACH PROGRAMMING BY CONNECTING US TO KNOX COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND KNOXVILLE-AREA SENIOR CENTERS. WE STRIVE TO REACH TRADITIONALLY OPENING UP THE WORLDS OF UNDERSERVED CHILDREN THROUGH CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF TRADITIONAL ARTS LIKE SUSHI MAKING, ORIGAMI, CALLIGRAPHY, TEA CEREMONIES, KIMONO CLASSES, JAPANESE BANJO MUSIC, LANGUAGE, DANCE, AND STORYTELLING. THE JOI COORDINATOR POSITION IS KEY TO EXPOSING A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO NEW CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, WHICH FURTHERS OUR MISSION OF A MORE PEACEFUL, MORE DIVERSE, AND MORE HARMONIOUS SOCIETY MADE UP OF VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITIES POPULATED BY GLOBAL CITIZENS. OUR DESIRED IMPACT IS TO CONNECT TO EACH OTHER IN FRIENDSHIP, FORGING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. BY DOING SO, WE ARE HELPING YOUNGER GENERATIONS BECOME BETTER CITIZENS OF AN INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED WORLD. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE ACCTN IS PARTNERING WITH THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND KCS TO DEVELOP OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR LEARNING JAPANESE ARTS AND CULTURES IN K-12 SCHOOLS IN EAST TENNESSEE. IN OUR YEARS BRINGING HIGH-QUALITY CULTURAL PROGRAMMING TO KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS, OUR AREA'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND LOCAL SENIOR CENTERS, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED OUR DEDICATION TO EQUITY-BOTH IN OUR PRACTICES AND OUR PROGRAMMING-ENGAGING WITH UNDERSERVED GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES TO HELP BRIDGE GAPS IN ARTS PARTICIPATION. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT A COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM EVERY TIME A CULTURAL EVENT IS ORGANIZED. PEOPLE NOT ONLY OPEN THEIR MINDS TO OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURES, BUT THE HOST COMMUNITY ALSO BECOMES A CENTER OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO BOOST THE ECONOMIC CAPACITY OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY. AS AN ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PROMOTING CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND UNDERSTANDING IN OUR TENNESSEE COMMUNITY, THE ACCTN IS SUCCEEDING IN POPULARIZING ASIAN CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTING TO EAST TENNESSEE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR VISION IS OF VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND SOCIALLY JUST COMMUNITIES WHERE DIVERSE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IDENTITIES AND HERITAGES ARE REPRESENTED AND CELEBRATED THROUGH CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE, INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE A PEACEFUL, DIVERSE, AND HARMONIOUS SOCIETY THAT PREPARES TODAY'S CHILDREN TO TAKE THE STAGE AS TRUE GLOBAL CITIZENS. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS A VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR ALL. 66831 225038 true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 13 0 0 false false false false false false false false X 5 5 false false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false TN X KUMI ALDERMAN 8312411189 PO BOX 31793 KNOXVILLE TN 37930 KUMI ALDERMAN EXECUTIVE DI 30.00 X 47000 0 0 AURORA SILAVONG ASST EXECUTI 4.00 X 6000 0 0 DAVE ALDERMAN BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 LEROY KAUTZ BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 MAHAGI LACURE BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 JAVIETTE SAMUEL BOARD MEMBER 0.50 X 0 0 0 KEAT SILAVONG BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 53000 false false false 80000 108698 188698 VENDOR FEE/SALES 94601 94601 DONATIONS/SPONSORSHIPS 75293 75293 169894 4000 14006 -10006 -10006 -10006 348586 159888 X 47000 42300 4700 8793 8793 9090 3592 5498 1056 472 584 6632 6462 170 136 136 5791 5212 579 SUPPLIES 38148 38148 FESTIVAL RENTAL FEE 34911 34911 PERFORMERS 33606 33606 FESTIVAL CONTRACT LABOR 31253 31253 32113 20289 11824 248529 225038 23491 0 81815 181872 81815 181872 0 0 X 81815 181872 81815 181872 81815 181872 100057 X false false X 64540 14050 104520 188698 371808 25764 110548 169894 306206 90304 14050 215068 358592 678014 678014 90304 14050 215068 358592 678014 1.00000 1.00000 0.00000 0.00000 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED FORM 990 - ORGANIZATION'S MISSION THE ASIAN CULTURE CENTER OF TENNESSEE (ACCTN) WAS FOUNDED IN 2014 TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION TAKE THEIR PLACE AS GLOBAL CITIZENS WITH A STRONG UNDERSTANDING FOR AND APPRECIATION OF OTHER CULTURES. THROUGH TAILORED PROGRAMS AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE BRING PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER TO PROMOTE PEACE, UNITY, AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THE EAST TENNESSEE WE ENVISION MAINTAINS A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND A SENSE OF PRIDE AND APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSE CULTURAL IDENTITIES. ALIGNING WITH UNITED WAY'S EDUCATION IMPACT PRIORITY AND THE FOCUS AREA OF PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY OUT-OF-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS, OUR GOALS ARE TO: BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CAN CONNECT, LEARN, AND GROW TOGETHER WHILE CELEBRATING THEIR SHARED HERITAGE; INSTILL IN CHILDREN A SENSE OF GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EMBRACE DIVERSITY, CULTIVATE EMPATHY, AND CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM; PRESERVE AND PROMOTE JAPANESE CULTURE BY PROVIDING IMMERSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES; AND STRENGTHEN JAPANESE-LANGUAGE SKILLS TO ENABLE MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. IN SERVICE TO THESE GOALS, WE CONDUCT A ROBUST ARRAY OF CULTURAL PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ACROSS EAST TENNESSEE. THIS INCLUDES WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS AND CONSULTING ON CURRICULA, JAPANESE-LANGUAGE TUTORING, DEMONSTRATIONS OF JAPANESE CULTURE, AND CLASSES ON SUSHI-MAKING, ORIGAMI, AND MOCHITSUKI (RICE-BALL MAKING). FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III, LINE 4A EACH YEAR IN AUGUST, THE ACCTN ALSO PUTS ON THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL, A PLATFORM FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE AND SHOWCASE ITS RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, LEADING TO INCREASED CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION, AND PRESERVATION. THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL ALSO SERVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL, ENLIGHTENING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF ASIAN ARTS, TRADITIONS, AND HISTORY. BY BRINGING THE WORLD TO KNOXVILLE, IT HELPS DISPEL STEREOTYPES, PROMOTES CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND ENCOURAGES CULTURAL EXCHANGE. IN THE TEN YEARS SINCE WE BEGAN, OUR FESTIVAL HAS GROWN TO BE THE LARGEST ASIAN FESTIVAL IN THE SOUTHEAST IN AUGUST OF 2023, WE HOSTED 13 COUNTRIES, 40 FOOD VENDORS, APPROXIMATELY 75,000 PEOPLE, AND CONTRIBUTED AN ESTIMATED 4.4 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO GREATER KNOXVILLE. IN THE SPRING OF 2024, THE KNOX ASIAN FESTIVAL WAS HONORED BY THE SOUTHEAST FESTIVAL AND EVENTS ASSOCIATION WITH THE BEST EVENT AWARD FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III, LINE 4D THE ACCTN OPERATES AT THE INTERSECTION OF EQUITY AND ARTS EDUCATION AND STRIVES TO REACH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND THOSE LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND/OR ISOLATED SETTINGS IN GREATER KNOXVILLE AND BEYOND. EAST TENNESSEE IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY, BUT WITH 39% OF RESIDENTS IN OUR AREA UNDER THE ALICE THRESHOLD AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES LACKING ACCESS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PERSIST. THESE BARRIERS TO ACCESS MEAN THAT MANY OF OUR REGION'S STUDENTS LACK OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL EXPOSURE TO OTHER WAYS OF LIFE. BELIEVING THAT AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT IN DIVERSE ARTS IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE, WE SEEK TO ADD VALUE TO EDUCATION IN OUR REGION BY OPENING UP THE WORLDS OF K-12 STUDENTS (AND THEIR TEACHERS AND CAREGIVERS). THIS YEAR, WE ARE AIMING TO REACH 5,000 STUDENTS IN 30 SCHOOLS WITH OUR UNIQUE, HANDS-ON AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON IMMERSIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING, CULTURAL EXPLORATION, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR ORGANIZATION ALSO SERVES EAST TENNESSEE'S ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. DESPITE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF HATE CRIMES TARGETING THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN 2020, THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HATE AND EXTREMISM REPORTS THAT ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIME INCREASED NATIONALLY BY 339% IN 2021. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE RACISM EXPERIENCED BY RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IS LINKED TO POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THESE POPULATIONS. ACCORDING TO A 2022 STUDY CONDUCTED AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, HOWEVER, SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT BUFFER TO MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF RACISM ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING. THE ACCTN IS COMMITTED TO UNITING PEOPLE TO SOLVE THESE SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN SERVICE OF VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND SOCIALLY JUST COMMUNITIES WHERE DIVERSE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IDENTITIES AND HERITAGES ARE REPRESENTED AND HONORED THROUGH INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE. AS COMMUNITIES BECOME INCREASINGLY DIVERSE, THERE IS ALSO A GROWING DEMAND FOR PROGRAMS THAT BOTH CELEBRATE AND PRESERVE CULTURAL HERITAGE TO PASS ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE ADDRESS THIS NEED FOR CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BY PROVIDING CHILDREN WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CONNECT WITH THEIR ROOTS ON THE PATH TO BECOMING CONFIDENT, MULTICULTURAL CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE GREATER KNOXVILLE COMMUNITY, THE ACCTN MEETS FREQUENTLY WITH KNOXVILLE'S EDUCATORS K-12 AND UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP. WHETHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE JUST LOOKING FOR EXPOSURE TO OTHER CULTURES FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL FAMILIES WITH FEWER RESOURCES; OPENING UP CHILDREN'S WORLDVIEW AND MAKING LEARNING FUN; OR A MORE PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH CENTERED ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION; THE ACCTN IS HAPPY TO TAILOR ITS PROGRAMMING TO SPECIFIC NEEDS. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KNOX COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS ALSO ALLOWS US TO REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR TO DO OUR JAPANESE OUTREACH PROGRAMMING BY CONNECTING US TO KNOX COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND KNOXVILLE-AREA SENIOR CENTERS. WE STRIVE TO REACH TRADITIONALLY OPENING UP THE WORLDS OF UNDERSERVED CHILDREN THROUGH CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF TRADITIONAL ARTS LIKE SUSHI MAKING, ORIGAMI, CALLIGRAPHY, TEA CEREMONIES, KIMONO CLASSES, JAPANESE BANJO MUSIC, LANGUAGE, DANCE, AND STORYTELLING. THE JOI COORDINATOR POSITION IS KEY TO EXPOSING A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO NEW CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, WHICH FURTHERS OUR MISSION OF A MORE PEACEFUL, MORE DIVERSE, AND MORE HARMONIOUS SOCIETY MADE UP OF VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITIES POPULATED BY GLOBAL CITIZENS. OUR DESIRED IMPACT IS TO CONNECT TO EACH OTHER IN FRIENDSHIP, FORGING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. BY DOING SO, WE ARE HELPING YOUNGER GENERATIONS BECOME BETTER CITIZENS OF AN INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED WORLD. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE ACCTN IS PARTNERING WITH THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND KCS TO DEVELOP OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR LEARNING JAPANESE ARTS AND CULTURES IN K-12 SCHOOLS IN EAST TENNESSEE. IN OUR YEARS BRINGING HIGH-QUALITY CULTURAL PROGRAMMING TO KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS, OUR AREA'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND LOCAL SENIOR CENTERS, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED OUR DEDICATION TO EQUITY-BOTH IN OUR PRACTICES AND OUR PROGRAMMING-ENGAGING WITH UNDERSERVED GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES TO HELP BRIDGE GAPS IN ARTS PARTICIPATION. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT A COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM EVERY TIME A CULTURAL EVENT IS ORGANIZED. PEOPLE NOT ONLY OPEN THEIR MINDS TO OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURES, BUT THE HOST COMMUNITY ALSO BECOMES A CENTER OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO BOOST THE ECONOMIC CAPACITY OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY. AS AN ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PROMOTING CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND UNDERSTANDING IN OUR TENNESSEE COMMUNITY, THE ACCTN IS SUCCEEDING IN POPULARIZING ASIAN CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTING TO EAST TENNESSEE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR VISION IS OF VIBRANT, HEALTHY, AND SOCIALLY JUST COMMUNITIES WHERE DIVERSE ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IDENTITIES AND HERITAGES ARE REPRESENTED AND CELEBRATED THROUGH CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE, INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE A PEACEFUL, DIVERSE, AND HARMONIOUS SOCIETY THAT PREPARES TODAY'S CHILDREN TO TAKE THE STAGE AS TRUE GLOBAL CITIZENS. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS A VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR ALL. FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 11B THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REVIEWS THE 990 BEFORE FILING. FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 19 GOVERNING DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FORM 990, PART IX, LINE 24E SECURITY 7,218 37 0 PROFESSIONAL FEES 0 7,240 0 PHOTOGRAPHS 4,000 0 0 CONTINUED EDUCATION 3,100 610 0 EQUIPMENT 2,550 0 0 AUTO EXPENSE 0 2,368 0 COMMUNICATION FEE 2,102 0 0 TAXES & LICENES 1,319 147 0 DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 0 831 0 MERCHANT FEES 0 434 0 VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION 0 109 0 BANK FEES 0 48 0 TOTAL 20,289 11,824 0