AAPI HERITAGE MONTH Toolkit

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MULTICULTURAL RESOURCE CENTER & ASIAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE

To help you celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) in May, the Multicultural Resource Center in collaboration with the Asian American Alliance (A.A.A.) has created a toolkit that provides a host of resources to help you explore, plan, communicate, and engage your teams on this significant month.

This toolkit contains links to videos, photos, articles, and shared folder to be used at the University at Albany to explore the heritage, culture, and experience of Asian heritage people both historically and in American life today, while also sharing the various ways our Asian American Alliance collaborates with the Office of Intercultural Student Engagement.

1. Getting Started a. What is AAPI? b. Heritage Month Theme

2. Getting Involved a. Asian American Alliance b. Asian movies and documentaries

3. Taking Action a. Resources and further information b. Lunar New Year, Diwali & Holi c. Week of Action 4/17-21 d. Stop Asian Hate e. Shared Resource Folder, click here

Figure 1. The logo that will be used to unify our efforts in educating our UAlbany community about the historic and ongoing oppression that is faced by the Asian community.

AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander. The term is used to describe a diverse and fast-growing population of 23 million Americans that includes roughly 50 ethnic groups with roots in more than 40 countries. May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (or AAPIHM for short), first created by Congress in 1992. AAPIHM falls in May because of several historical milestones, including the 1843 arrival of the first Japanese immigrants, and Chinese laborers’ enormous contributions to building the transcontinental railroad, which was finished in May 1869.

The theme builds on the Advancing Leaders series, which began in 2021 and will run through 2024. Last year's theme was Advancing Leaders through Collaboration.

To learn more, click here

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

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. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

To learn more, click here.

The Asian American Alliance (AAA) was founded at the University at Albany in 1992 for the betterment of Asian American students. It is a social/cultural/political organization representing pan-Asian Americans on campus and in the community.

Our primary purpose is to educate Asian Americans to empower themselves to take action and achieve. AAA started with two events: Asian Occasion (AO), a culture and fashion show in the fall semester, and the Asian Pacific Awareness Conference (APAC) held in the spring semester. Today, we have grown to hold various workshops and recreational events in addition to our two main ones throughout the academic year that further help inform Asian Americans.

AAA's mission is also to encourage Asian unity and to allow Asian Americans to further their interests. We have never lost sight of educating Asian Americans to be proud of their heritage while acquiring essential skills to succeed in America.

Every other week, we hold meetings open to the student body and community to discuss issues in the Asian Pacific Islander American community. Through a commitment to education, advocacy, community outreach, and active political participation, AAA promotes diversity throughout the community at large. In pursuing these goals, AAA strives towards establishing equality in a multicultural society.

We are not Asian-exclusive. We welcome everyone to our meetings, as well as our events and workshops! To learn more about the AAPI heritage groups on UAlbany’s campus click here

Take an East Asian Studies Course at UAlbany!

• AAPI Faculty & Research: http://www.albany.edu/diversity-andinclusion/racial-justice-committee/aapifaculty-researchers

3 ways to honor AAPI Heritage Month https://education.nationalgeographic.org/res ource/asia

1. Explore the geography of Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.

2. Read a children’s book featuring Asian characters, written by Asian authors, or illustrated by Asian artists. https://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/ books/asian-american-books-for-kids/

3. Check out AAPI art museums and exhibits https://asianart.org/museumfromhome/ Support Asian Owned Businesses

• 90+ AAPI-owned businesses https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/a api-owned-businesses-ncna1268981

Join us to celebrate from across Asia all year long with performances, activities, storytelling:

• JANUARY: Japanese New Year January 1st

• JANUARY: Lunar New Year January 22nd

• MARCH: Nowruz March 1st and Holi March

8th

• APRIL: Thai New Year April 13th and Cambodian New Year April 14th

• MAY: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month May 2023

• SEPTEMBER: Chuseok September 28th –30th

• OCTOBER: Filipino American History Month October 2023

• NOVEMBER: Diwali – Hindu New Year November 12th

• DECEMBER: Bodhi Day December 8th

Authors to Know:

• https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/ent ertainment/g35914502/best-books-by-asianauthors/

TV Shows:

• https://www.imdb.com/list/ls082104017/

Leaders to Know:

• https://www.furiarubel.com/newsresources/31-people-to-celebrate-duringasian-american-pacific-islander-aapiheritage-month/

Minari

2020 1h 55m

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instabilityandchallengesofthisnewlifeintherugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Tigertail

2020 1h 31m

In this multigenerational drama, a Taiwanese factory worker leaves his homeland to seek opportunity in America, where he struggles to find connection while balancing family and new-found responsibilities.

ASIAN DOCUMENTARIES

“Documentaries can open windows to our past. They allow us to re-live iconic moments in history. Below is a list of powerful documentaries exploring Asian history and culture in America.” PBS.org

The Donut King

2021 1h 30m

Meet the Donut King, Ted Ngoy, the Cambodian refugee who built a multi-million-dollar empire baking America’s favorite pastry.

Linsanity

2013 1h 29m

The life story of basketball sensation, Jeremy Lin.

Call Her Ganda

2018 1h 33m

When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina trans woman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case an activist attorney, a transgender journalist and Jennifer's mother) galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of US imperialism.

2018 1h 17m

A team of elephant rescuers embark on a mission to rescue a 70-year-old captive Asian elephant.