May 1 begins Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This annual celebration recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States. This includes heritage from East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, and Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.
The month of May was chosen 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. Today, the AAPI community is a growing and diverse population at 23 million, comprising about 7% of the total population.
The AAPI Caucus welcomes all to join in on our upcoming events and conversations for the month of May. We also encourage everyone to explore the additional resources we have provided below.
EVENTS
May 2, 2023 2pm EST Title: AAPI Caucus Chat: Everything Everywhere All at Once - Join the AAPI Caucus this Asian American & Pacific Islander History Month for an informal movie discussion centered on the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. There are many themes that could be explored in this award-winning sci-fi adventure through multiple dimensions. The movie was simultaneously hilarious, heartbreaking and elevating while featuring AAPI artists both on and off screen. During this session, we will focus on three areas: representation, microaggressions, and generational trauma. Our discussion will center on the experiences of AAPI administrators in higher education spaces. The session will allow for participant interaction and will not be recorded. Please plan to watch (or re-watch) the movie prior to our session so that we can have a meaningful dialogue. imdb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6710474/
May 10, 2023 2 pm EST Title: Babbitty Rabbitty Lunar New Year Origami - Join the AAPI Caucus for an afternoon of origami rabbit making to celebrate the Lunar New Year. We’ll engage in informal conversation while walking participants through origami rabbit folding. Specific origami paper is not needed to participate, a 6x6 square sheet of paper suffices. We hope to see you then!
[All Month Long] Move With AAPI 1 mile Virtual Fun Run/Walk - Break out your sneakers and fill up your water bottle for a 1 mile run/walk to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. T-shirts can be ordered at this site for shipping to your address. Snap a photo of yourself (family and friends welcome!) and post using the hashtag #MoveWithAAPI. Tag us on Instagram and follow @aapi.caucus.aacrao ! Participants can complete the run/walk at any time during the month and the AAPI Caucus will reshare all tagged photos on the official social media page.
Resources for Reporting Hate Incidents