Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM) is the oldest and largest Chinese American community organization in Minnesota. Founded in 1951 by the owner of Nankin Cafe, Walter James, CAAM is a non-profit and non-partisan organization with a mission to promote Chinese cultural heritage and enhance the quality of life of Chinese Americans in Minnesota.
1967 marked the first time that professional, business, ministry and student components of Chinese Americans in Minnesota worked together under one organization. During the same period a Chinese Language School was organized. In the fall of 1967, the new CAAM non-profit organization held the first formal membership meeting at David Fong’s restaurant in Bloomington, Minnesota.
CAAM achieves its mission through a variety of programs and services, including:
CAAM Stanley Chong Scholarships
Stanley Chong was born on February 14, 1912, in Yakima, Washington. He grew up on his father’s hops farm, working every spring to build trellises for the hops vines, and later on in the season harvesting the flowers to be shipped to breweries in Chicago.
The Chongs were innovators in the development of frozen foods. Another one of their business ventures, Marvel Foods, was the first in the country to offer frozen chow mein. The company also offered cooking classes and assisted in the development of a mechanical celery chopper.
Watching a new generation of Chinese children growing up, Chong sought to ensure their future by establishing a college scholarship fund at CAAM for them. He explained, “Education is very important and I wish to help young people, who are willing to work hard, to become productive citizens. I am proud of our Minnesota Chinese community”. Apply Here
Community Service Programs: CAAM provides a variety of community service programs that support Chinese Americans in Minnesota, such as after-school programs, English language classes, scholarships for College and much more.
The Heart of Dance, The Soul of Chinese
For over 30 years, CAAM Chinese Dance Theater has celebrated Chinese cultural heritage and enriched a diverse regional community through the universal language of dance.
Our professional award-winning Chinese dance artists and choreographers, as well as our enthusiastic dance community of all ages, delight audiences in the Midwest and beyond with the best original Chinese dance performances. Whether on professional stages, community events, festivals, street fairs, or even an NBA game, we reach an average of 20,000 people each year.
We train dancers year-round of all ages, levels, and backgrounds. Our main studio is centrally located in the Midway area of St. Paul, and we have the largest faculty and most established program in the Midwest. Through our summer camps, after school programs, workshops, and residencies, we connect with individuals and groups of all backgrounds in the Twin Cities and beyond. Learn More
CAAM Twin Cities Chinese Language School:
Twin Cities Chinese Language School has been teaching Chinese language and culture to students in the Twin Cities area since 1976. Located at Hubbs Center in St. Paul, the school has been continuously enhancing and expanding its curriculum. Our school strives to provide excellent Chinese language education for our students to achieve proficiency and to learn the essence of Chinese culture and arts. In addition, our curriculum and activities are designed to cultivate strong moral characters out of all students, so they can become good world citizens.
All of our teachers are native Mandarin Chinese speakers and are enthusiastic and experienced in Chinese teaching. They regularly attend workshops to exchange experience with teachers from other Chinese language schools around the country. They are dedicated to create a positive and authentic learning experience for each student. Get Started