Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) was officially designated in 1992 to be celebrated and recognized during the month of May. However, it has actually been celebrated in an unofficial capacity in May since 1979. It is held in May to “commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869.” This is especially relevant because the majority of people who did the grueling work for the transcontinental railroad were Chinese immigrants. President Biden recently released a Proclamation, which can be read here, announcing that May 2023 is once again being recognized as AAPI Month, a time where we celebrate AAPI voices and the contributions they have made though, of course, this can and should be celebrated all year.
Image by Phong Nguyen Dinh from Pixabay
This year’s theme for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity.” “Opportunity can be built, it can be accessed, it can be achieved, or it can be given. It has been the foundation of our great Nation and thus America is known to be the land of opportunity.” Opportunities “that enable the employees to refine their skills and enhance their leadership abilities” can be offered by employers in order to ensure their employees achieve their goals. The Federal Asian American Council has focused their themes on ways we can advance leaders since 2021 and will continue to do so until 2024.
If you’re looking for a variety of ways to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Asia Society Texas has 31 ways in which you can celebrate the “vibrant and diverse traditions and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans” listed on their website. You can find more here. They have a variety of both in-person and virtual recordings listed.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum have joined together to present a variety of digital exhibits, videos, collections, etc., all in celebration of AAPI Month. You can find the virtual events and digital exhibits being hosted by this joint venture here.
The Library of Congress also has an entire resource guide that “serves as a point of entry for researchers seeking materials in multiple formats on Asian American/Pacific Islander studies and related resources at the Library of Congress.” In addition to this resource guide, they also have virtual collections that encompass feats the AAPI community have accomplished throughout history. One example of this is a virtual collection titled “Asian Pacific Americans: Going for Broke”. This digital collection was created to highlight eight stories “from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq, with special emphasis on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the ‘Go for Broke’ outfit of Japanese Americans who fought valiantly in Europe during World War II.”
The National Parks Service has a webpage dedicated to sharing the histories and culture of the AAPI community that are “thriving in parks and communities today.” This webpage features the sharing of stories, places to travel, and a portal for educators who are looking to expand their knowledge on AAPI heritage. The travel section even allows you to explore and learn about places like the Huilia Fishpond in Hawai’i or Nan Madol in the Federated States of Micronesia virtually from the comfort of your own home.
If you are interested in reading more books written by AAPI authors, Goodreads posts a list every year that highlights recent releases by these authors that you may want to pick up to broaden your reading horizons. The list features general fiction, sci-fi, fantasy and horror, romance, young adult, and nonfiction titles.
This is just a small roundup of virtual resources that are available for you to browse. Later this month we will have a post all about the events happening within the Harris County area if you are looking for more in person events to attend. Keep an eye out on the Ex Libris Juris blog for more!