Houston's Asian American Journeys: Dr. Khawaja Azimuddin
Produced in partnership with the University of St. Thomas MAX Studios and Yetter Coleman LLP
Dr. Khawaja Azimuddin came to the United States as a boy refugee from Pakistan. Driven by his values of hard work, faith, and family, he has become a successful surgeon and leader in the Houston community. By bringing Houstonians together through art and dialogue, Dr. Azimuddin is known and loved for building bridges throughout the city.
Watch his interviews to learn more about his experience in refugee camps, the importance of education, and his work as founder of the Islamic Arts Society.
On Refugee Journeys:
On the Importance of Education:
On the Power of Art to Bring People Together;
About Dr. Khawaja Azimuddin
Dr. Khawaja Azimuddin is a gastro-intestinal surgeon in Houston, Texas. He specializes in minimally invasive and robotic surgery for colon cancer. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons, and the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Edinburgh. As a child he spent two years in a refugee/ civilian prisoner of war camp. After almost fifty years he is telling his story and hopes to bring attention to the current refugee crisis.
He is an active member of the community and is involved with various non-profit organizations. Dr. Azimuddin believes in service above self and has been awarded the Paul Harris Fellow as well as the Distinguished Service Award, the two highest awards by The Rotary International.
In his free time, Dr. Azimuddin is an avid ceramic tile artist and his work has been displayed at numerous libraries, art shows and festivals. Many of his large-scale murals are installed in public places. He is the founding chairman of the Islamic Arts Society, an organization dedicated to promotion of Islamic arts. He uses his passion for arts to help build bridges between communities of faith. The Islamic Arts festival he started in 2014 is now the largest and oldest continuously running festival of this kind in America and attracts over 5000 visitors every year.
About Houston's Asian American Journeys
In partnership with the University of St. Thomas MAX Studios, Asia Society Texas presents a new video series, Houston's Asian American Journeys. Through short video interviews with local Asian Americans, the series illuminates the voices that make up a vital part of the most diverse city in the U.S.
Featuring Houstonians who reflect the richness and diversity of the local Asian American communities, the series highlights a variety of experiences, cultures, religions, and ethnicities and explores themes of identity, memory, and shared humanity. In sharing these personal journeys, Asia Society Texas and the University of St. Thomas seek to build empathy and connectivity between people, as well as deepen our collective understanding of Asian American experiences in Houston.
About the University of St. Thomas
The University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive university, grounded in the liberal arts. Committed to the unity of all knowledge, we offer programs in the traditional liberal arts, professional, and skill-based disciplines. Graduates of the University of St. Thomas think critically, communicate effectively, succeed professionally and lead ethically.
By pursuing excellence in teaching, scholarship and service, we embody and instill in our students the core values of our founders, the Basilian Fathers: goodness, discipline and knowledge. We foster engagement in a diverse, collaborative community, and our student body reflects the rich diversity of the city itself. We welcome undergraduate and graduate students of all faiths and of no faith.
About UST Max Studios
In his lifetime, St. Maximilian Kolbe founded and ran a radio station and several publications. It is in this tradition that University of St. Thomas – Houston steps into the realm of digital content creation through MAX Studios. Inspired by St. Maximilian’s passion and emboldened by St. John Paul II’s words in his encyclical “Redemptoris Missio,” MAX Studios’ goal is to provide fresh monthly content and conversation. MAX Studios aims to encounter the surrounding culture while highlighting the diversity of the Catholic Faith Tradition.
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
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