Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The month marks two important events in Asian American history: the arrival of the first known Japanese immigrants in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, which was built in large part by Chinese immigrant workers. The Federal Asian Pacific American Council, responsible for leading the heritage month for the Federal government, has declared this year's theme as “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation”

According to the Pew Research Center, 85% of all Asian Americans include six origin groups; Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese. Chinese-origin Asians are the largest single origin group. There are at least 15 other origin groups including the rest of the countries in the Indian sub-continent, countries in Southeast Asia, and disputed countries like Taiwan.

Pacific Islanders include a diverse range of ethnic groups native to the Pacific Islands region. Major groups are Polynesians (including Hawaiians, Samoans, Tongans), Melanesians (Fijians, Papua New Guineans, Solomon Islanders), and Micronesians (Chamorros, Palauans, Marshallese). These groups share common cultural traits and ancestry, but also have distinct identities.

Great ways to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month include:

Read

The New York Public Library kicks off May’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a reading list, events, and programs. The reading list is categorized for Adults, Kids, and Teens. Take a look and contact your local library to see if they have a copy in their collection; many libraries can deliver books to your doorstep and offer electronic and audio versions as well. The NYPL list offers biographies and memoirs, essays, fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, poetry, and short stories about and by AANHPI people.

If you’re looking for kid-friendly reading, the Disney Publishing Group offers a Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Storytellers and a Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Stories catalog.  Staring both familiar favorite characters and new friends to meet, and including horror, adventure, romance, fairy tales and folklore, and more, introducing children to diverse viewpoints and backgrounds is easy with these titles.

​​​​​​​Art & Culture

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art is physically located in Washington D.C. but maintains a virtual branch as well.  Not sure what you’re in the mood for, art-wise? Scroll down the homepage and seek cultural connections.

The Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, California is dedicated to promoting greater understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the richness and range of the Japanese American experience.  This can include recognizing common ground, exhibitions, the Watase Media Arts Center, events, and virtual visits. The Hirasaki National Resource Center offers reference materials like books, films, and some government records. The museum has a particularly detailed collection of mementos, artifacts, and records from the World War II internment camps in the southwest.

Plan ahead now for the 13th Annual Orlando Asian Cultural Expo in October at Bill Frederick Park in Orlando Florida. You can expect exhibitions, performances, arts & crafts, and admission and parking are free!  “Come experience and honor the wonders of Asian culture through exhibitions, performances, and crafts! Asian Cultural EXPO will be held together with the Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival which will be participated by more than 2,000 Corporate and Community members and more than 3,000 spectators.” according to the website.

The Orange County (Fla.) Regional History Center is taking a closer look at Asian American Pacific Islander history in the local community. From a book club to special events, the OCRHC is a great resource.

You can also look for virtual exhibits and events at these institutions:

• The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco – Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, San Francisco, California
• The Rubin Museum of Art, New York, New York
• The Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle, Washington
• The Crow Collection of Asian Art, Dallas, Texas
• The Noguchi Museum, Queens, New York
• The Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii

Watch

Lilo & Stitch, Moana, Turning Red, Raya and the Last Dragon…  there’s no lack of AAPI-oriented programming at Disney!

Live-action movies and series include but are no limited to classics like Mulan and the Jungle Book to lesser-known gems like Doogie Kamealoha MD.

You can explore Asia and the Pacific with programming like Wild Cats of India, Japan: Between Earath and Sky, and Ancient China From Above.

And of course, in addition to the previously mentioned animated feature films, you can catch short films like Lava, Bao, and Float.

Disney+ offers a curated home for Asian & Pacific Islander Stories; enjoy yourself!

Eat

As Disney Cast Members, take advantage of your compensation and visit the Parks to sample AAPI cuisine! 

EPCOT offers the China and Japanese pavilions for amazing Asian food along with Festival offerings.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers Asian tastes as well, representing a pan-Asian cuisine at the Yak & Yeti Restaurant as well as around the park at different outdoor quick service kiosks.

​​​​​​​Disney Springs boasts Morimoto’s restaurant, and special offerings elsewhere; Korean Bulgogi Steak Hotdogs, anyone?

On the west coast, Disney’s California Adventure is home to the Lucky Fortune Cookery, serving an eclectic-fusion menu of pan-Asian favorites. 

Listen

In addition to the music and voices offered at previously mentioned museums, podcasts can be a great way to open up to other voices. Consider checking out podcasts like these from “Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with these 11 podcasts by AAPI creators”

Another option is to try a new app guides visitors through NYC's Chinatown with hidden stories. Composer George Tsz-Kwan Lam created an application called Family Association to weave music and oral history through Manhattan’s Chinatown. And don’t worry, if you’re not actually in New York you can still access some of the app’s functions to get those authentic voices.

Resources

Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders have always been a part of the American story. Through the observance and celebration of history and heritage months, understanding these elements of Cast Member’s lives can help us understand how people become who they are. Understanding and preserving our past is vital to our future.