Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
We may not be traveling around the world these days, but you don’t have to travel far to experience and appreciate cultural diversity. In your own city and state, you can find communities of all backgrounds and ethnicities, and you can learn about how they have contributed in many positive ways to make your community what it is today.
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month, a commemoration permanently designated in 1992, is “a month to celebrate and pay tribute to the contributions generations of Asian/Pacific Americans have made to American history, society and culture.”
Here are some ways you can learn more about and celebrate AAPI contributions to your communities in your own way:
- Explore national parks, memorials, and historic sites, either in person or virtually. Learn about the history of places like Nan Madol in Micronesia, Huilua Fishpond in Hawaii, and the Presidio of San Francisco in California.
- View the artwork of Asian Americans online through the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The collections include artists like Chiura Obata, Nam June Paik, and Masami Teraoka.
- Watch the collection of AAPI stories on the PBS website, like the newest documentary Asian Americans.
- Create your own artwork inspired by Asian artists, with crafting and educational exercises from the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Make your own illustrated haiku, learn to paint a lotus flower, or create a Balinese shadow puppet.
What will you be watching, reading, or making? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.
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