Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
As we usher in May, we recognize Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI). This month, we honor the countless contributions, achievements, and resilience of the AAPI community. This year’s theme according to the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FACPAC) is “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation”.
Asian American Heritage Month traces its roots back to the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. In, 1978 Congress passed a resolution to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, coinciding with the anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, which was largely built by Chinese immigrants. In 1990, the observance was expanded from a day to a month-long celebration, and in, 1992, President George H.W. Bush officially designated May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The term “Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander” (AANHPI) reflects the diversity within these communities, encompassing people from a wide range of ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds.
Check out these events around George Mason celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month!
