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May marks Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, an opportune time to celebrate the cultural contributions of immigrants of Asian descent, natives of Hawai‘i and Pacific Islanders.
People who identify under the AANHPI banner encompass a wide range of countries, ethnicities, nationalities and identities, making up 6.2 percent of the U.S. population – that’s 20.6 million people, according to 2020 census data. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Asians made up 24.7 million of the population while Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders made up 1.8 million in 2022, the most recent data available.
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“Often when we talk about Asian Americans that rich diversity is lost. The term ‘Asian American’ is sometimes used to just refer to East Asians, or just to larger groups like Chinese and Indian Americans, but that leaves out millions who are very much part of the Asian American story,” says Aalok Kanani, chief digital and communications officer at Asia Society.
In fact, there are more than 50 ethnic groups and over 100 languages that fall into the AANHPI umbrella, says Leanne Day, assistant professor of English at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.
Congress established the heritage month in 1992 (first as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month) to honor the arrival of Japanese immigrants in May 1843 and Chinese workers’ role in building the transcontinental railroad, which was completed in May 1869. In 2021, the White House expanded the commemorative month to include Native Hawaiians.
Day hopes that through the heritage month’s various events, people will dive further into critical conversations about AANHPI diversity, history, exclusion within the larger demographic and the various groups’ relationships to the U.S.
“AANHPI is a chance for us at Asia Society, and broadly in the Asian American community, to help Americans understand and celebrate the diversity of our communities,” adds Kanani.
Here’s how you can celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month through enriching events and learning opportunities around the country.
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