#ShopAAPI Holiday 2024

December 11, 2024

On December 11, the Asian Community Fund, the Asian Business Empowerment Council and the Boston Foundation were proud to host the second annual #ShopAAPI forum and night market at TBF’s offices in Boston. 

The evening began with a fascinating conversation on the hopes, opportunities and challenges for AAPI small businesses at the Edgerley Center for Civic Leadership. There, ABEC Director Q.J. Shi led a discussion featuring business leaders including Dr. Satya Mitra, the President and CEO of The Guru Tax & Financial Services, Inc., Su Joun, Principal, Diversity@Workplace Consulting Group, Hazel co-founder Elton Lossner, and Little Ant World founder Wendy Pham.

While business was being discussed upstairs, it was being set up downstairs, as more than two dozen vendors set up spaces in the atrium at 75 Arlington/10 St. James for the night market itself. As the conversation concluded, hundreds of shoppers and browsers alike braved flooding rains to #shopAAPI for the holidays, with vendors selling everything from food and beverages, to spices, soap, jewelry, books and other gift items. 

This event wasn’t just about shopping—it was about uplifting AAPI businesses and building a stronger community. Thank you for being part of it!

A special thank you to event sponsors: Comcast, State Street, Eastern Bank, Boston Common AM, HarborOne Bank, Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and John Hancock Investment Management.

A large group of people pose at the ShopAAPI Holiday panel
A ShopAAPI vendor passes a bag across her table to a happy, smiling customer

The opportunity to #ShopAAPI didn’t end with the end of the night market. The vendors and sponsors of the event are all listed in the #ShopAAPI Holiday Shopping Guide, which features the many ways you can find and buy from AAPI-owned and -operated businesses from throughout Greater Boston.

ShopAAPI vendor
Panelists speak onstage at the AAPI Holiday panel
A ShopAAPI vendor poses for a photo with her table of merchandise at the night market
ShopAAPI panelists

Thank you to Kevin Thai for capturing these special moments. To see more photos from the event, click the link below.