ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s rich in history, but it’s one of the newest traditions at the New York State Fair.

“For 182 years, the New York State Fair has had the Pan-African, the Native American and Latino, and the one that is missing is the Asian,” Asian Village Superintendent Tai Shaw said.

The Asian Village highlights the contributions, history and experiences of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

“A lot of us don’t understand AAPI in 48 different countries,” Shaw said. “It’s important to be included, it’s important to be part of the equation, and this is the opportunity for us to gather here together across the state of New York.”

Shaw hopes fairgoers experience diversity when they walk through the village.

“As you can see, this is my number one message,” Shaw said. “I experience the beauty and the diversity of Asia.”

But Shaw also recognizes those who have broken the “bamboo ceiling” just to be here. 

“Asian communities are, I believe, scattered around across New York state and even the whole of America,” Asian Village participant Jun Wang-Tiedemann said. “So for all the Asians to come together, that means a lot to every one of us. We’re talking about how to make our place even better and make America better. Because we’re residents here, we’re citizens here, we’re immigrants here.”

It includes vendors from all walks of life.

“He is Hmong, I’m from Vietnam,” Shaw said. “Hmong are the mountain people of Vietnam, a bridge of mountains.”

The Asian Village will only be on site for five days, but Shaw hopes it grows with time, using music, dance and traditional food as a universal language that can connect everyone.

“I’m Italian, Syrian and Vietnamese,” Asian Village participant Winh Shaw said. “So it’s really been a huge identity roller coaster for me just growing up and trying to figure out where I fit in the world and to be able to help other people who feel the exact same way or have a very similar background and ethnicity as me, I think it’s amazing.”