ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

This month, we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI). The history of AANHPI month goes back to 1977, when Representatives Frank Horton and Daniel Inouye both proposed similar resolutions to declare May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week, neither of which initially passed. Rep. Horton tried again in 1979 with a resolution proposing that the president should proclaim a week in the beginning of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. This resolution passed through the House and then the Senate, and was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. This week remained every year until 1990, when it was expanded to include the entire month, which was annually put into place by law in 1992. 

As we celebrate AANHPI, it is important to remember that celebrating these diverse and rich cultures together does not reduce them to a monolith. In Asia alone, there are over 45 countries, each with their own distinct culture and heritage. Because of this, there are often cultures and identities that are not as well known in the Western world. In April 2021, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month was officially changed by the Biden Administration to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, to draw attention to a specific culture that they felt was being overlooked in the umbrella term of Pacific Islander. This AANHPI month, we encourage you immerse yourself in the breadth of Asian American culture being celebrated and honor their societal contribution.

Here are some resources to learn more:

• Children's Day Celebration and Holiday Displays at Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center (from VisitPhilly.com)
• AsianPacificHeitage.gov
• How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories (from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center)
• Asian and Pacific Islander Identities and Diversity (from the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence)

—Belicia Jarmon '28