May is Asian American and Pacific
Islander (AAPI) Heritage Montha national celebration of Asians and
Pacific Islanders in the United States. Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders have enriched America’s history, society and culture
and are instrumental to our past, present and future. This month,
and every month,we celebrate their values, beliefs and
traditions,acknowledge the struggles and discrimination they face,
and honor theirinvaluable contributions toour national
identity.
Explore these virtual events, series
and opportunities that pay tribute to and help us better understand
the extraordinary impact of the AAPI community.
TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO HISTORY.
AAPI communities have influenced American culture in areas that
range from food to business to politics. To learn more about their
extraordinary impact, start with a documentary
about Filipino farm workersin the U.S., who
played a pivotal role in fighting for farm workers rights in the
1960s. Or jump intothe story
of
Tyrus
Wong, a Chinese American artist who pioneered
Disney animation, American art and popular culture.The stories of
important AAPI figureswill be on full display ina five-hour docuseries from
PBS, available for free all month.
LEARN FROM AAPI AUTHORS.
Interested insome AAPI perspectives? ConsiderMinor
Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning, in
which authorCathy Park Hong gives her striking insights into the
impossible-to-reach goal of American exceptionalism, or
All You Can Ever Know, a memoir about
Nicole Chungs life as an adopted child of a white family in Oregon.
If streaming is more your style, the
Asian Author Alliance will host more
than a dozen discussions with AAPI authors and artists this month
on its YouTube
channel through May 27th. Session topics will
focus on food as cultural identity in stories, supporting diverse
diversity within Asian-American voices, writing about racism in
childrens literature, and more.
CHECK ON YOUR FRIENDS.
This past year marked a tumultuous time for the United States
vast Asian-American population of 20 million people. Let your AAPI
friend know you support them after the alarming rise in hate
crimes, and get together to watchAmy
Tan: Unintended Memoir, an American Masterclass
documentary that premiered at Sundance earlier this year.
BRING AUTHENTIC CUISINE TO THE TABLE.
Food connects and comforts so many of us.
Pull outone of these cookbooks and be
introduced tonew flavors and cooking methods from the Asian
American and Pacific Islander community. Or, on May 19th,
tune into a webinar hosted by Boston University associate
professor Megan Elias.Elias will divulge the
diverse history of Asian and Asian Pacific food in the US, track
how traditional ingredients have made their way into the American
diet and explore Asian-American cookbooks that made their mark.
SUPPORTAAPI-OWNED BUSINESSES.
Now is a particularly good time to highlight, celebrate, and
support AAPI-owned restaurants, cafes, grocers and shops. Good
Housekeeping has assembled
agrowing list of over fortyAAPI-owned brands and businesses
across the nation that you can shop today.
Looking for somewhere local? Eateries likeMoonshine
152 in South Boston, Banh Mi Ba
Le in Dorchester, Pagu/strong>
in Cambridge and Lin’s Little
Kitchen in Newburyport arepart of a long tradition of
strong, successful Asian women chefs and restaurateurs in the
Boston area. Or, check out Boston’s Chinatownbusiness directory
for a guide to a few of our favorites, likeKaze
Shabu Shabufor Asian fusion
cuisine,Bao Bao
Bakeryfor specialty cakes and
pastry,Jia Ho Supermarketfor authentic
groceries and
Essex Corner for eclectic stationary
and gifts.
HELP BUILD AAPI POWER.
On May 24th, join
theAsian Community Fundand the Boston
Foundation for a free data presentation
assessing the currentneeds of AAPI communities. The presentation
will be followed by a paneldiscussion with community leaders who
will share how we can meet these needs and empower AAPI voices.
There are numerous other organizations across Boston you can
contribute to at any time, including the Asian
American Civic Association (AACA), Asian
Community Development Corporation,Asian Women for Health, Boston Asian Youth Essential Service
(YES), Chinese
Progressive Association, NAAAP
BostonandVietAID.