May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a month where we celebrate the many contributions the broader community has made to the U.S.
The commemoration’s origins date back to 1977, when a number of resolutions were introduced in Congress to designate a week near the beginning of the month as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week, according to the Federal Asian Pacific American Council.
But it wasn’t until 1979 that the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week was celebrated by a proclamation during President Jimmy Carter’s administration. And, nearly a decade later, in May 1990 the observance was extended to the entire month.
“This month, all Americans join with our neighbors of Asian and Pacific descent as they celebrate the unique customs and traditions of their ancestral homelands,” President George H.W. Bush wrote in his proclamation marking the monthlong celebration. “These customs and traditions have deeply enriched the wonderful heritage we share as a Nation.”
One of the most interesting parts of the presidential proclamations marking AANHPI month, also referred to as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, is that they all speak about the diversity that exists within the larger community.
It’s a theme digital platform Impact explored in an Instagram post earlier this month that shared around 50 ethnic groups with ties to five different geographic regions are included in the larger AANHPI community.
“The AAPI community is made up of a large number of diasporas and diverse cultures,” the post reads. “While the label may seem ‘too large,’ many communities have intentionally identified as AAPI in order to build community and solidarity with each other.”
It’s a facet that Herb Tam, curator and director of exhibitions at New York City’s Museum of Chinese in America, told URL Media partner Documented last year he wished more people understood.
“When people see ‘AAPI,’ it may seem like they’ve been lumped together like one racial group,” he told Documented. “Some might wonder, ‘Why are these groups celebrating a month together?’
Good question.
He explains, “These groups historically have been marginalized in similar ways. Some challenges are very specific to all of us as a group, even though separately, culturally, and experientially, we’re quite different.”
And just this week, President Joe Biden spoke about the need for better information when it comes to the AAPI community, noting the importance of separating these communities to ensure they’re getting the services they need.
“If our government doesn’t really see the difference between Korean Americans distinctly from Filipino Americans, I don’t know how [they can] address the needs of each community,” he said at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 30th Annual Gala, URL Media partner AsAmNews reported.
The federal effort to disaggregate data for the AAPI community highlights the need for more updated language when it comes to how people identify, and comes as the result of a push from the larger AANHPI community.
“There’s been so much attention on Asian Americans over the last few years because of the peak of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic and because of the strides that generations of people have been making towards more visibility and representation,” Tam told Documented. “We’re seeing a flowering of this culture.”
When it comes to celebrating the month, Documented has a list of activities happening in New York City, including the annual AAPI Cultural Heritage parade which is happening tomorrow.
More: Mobilizing for 2024: The power of ballot initiatives and engaging Black and Asian American voters (🎧 Our Body Politic)
Before I sign off for the final time, I just want to say that showcasing the work of URL Media partners for the past two years, and bringing attention to their important journalism and perspectives, has been an absolute joy. If you want to keep up with what I’m creating, follow my newsroom, The Riverside Record, on X, Instagram and Facebook. And a huge thank you to the readers of this newsletter who allowed me to keep exploring the world through a BIPOC lens. — Alicia Ramirez
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