Samasama ‘Sari-Sari Pop-Up Market’ to mark AAPI Heritage month

WASHINGTON – A one day indoor-outdoor shopping event will celebrate artisans of the diaspora for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM).

Curated by SAMASAMA the Sari-Sari Pop-Up Market will be held Saturday, May 15, at 12 to-6 p.m. at Shopkeepers 1231 Florida Avenue NE.

Les Talusan and Seda Nak, SAMASAMA co-curators, named the event after “sari-sari” stores—variety stores in the Philippines that evoke nostalgia for the days where residents would pop in for something they needed and often, to discover something new.

The Sari-Sari Pop-Up Market will highlight AAPI, Black, Indigenous, and POC artisans and makers from the DC area to share their craft with the community in a market shopping experience.

Among the exhibitors are: Soul & Ink (interactive art experiences through live screen printing); Chinese Street Market (a contemporary fusion culinary experience inspired by Chinese sub-cultures) and Zenit Journals (handcrafted journals supporting mental wellness and healing); Definition Studio (Istanbul & Washington DC-based studio that creates and curates products combining style and function, with a focus on sustainability);

Duende District (A pop-up bookstore concept specializing in curating the best new trade adult and children’s books in English and Spanish); FND ART (Freshly curated online gallery, small-batch manufacturing company, and store featuring funky art, re-imagined artifacts, and vintage home goods), and many more.