Who do you think of when you think of an Asian American person? What professions and achievements do you think of? May is AAPI or Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. It was established in 1992 and is meant to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Understanding the basic cultural background of these nations is essential to comprehending the reason why this month is so important. But even more so, focusing on what this month is about, how Asian Americans feel about their two cultures intersecting. How they may struggle with their identity and balancing different cultures. It is essential to try to see how people may feel about this because it is a core part of the immigrant experience and of this month!
Food is a large part of AAPI culture and one way to celebrate the diversity in the AAPI community. In Asia, food is something that somewhat represents the country and family tradition. Food can vary a lot from even just one region of Asia to the other. For example, Indian cuisine is chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, etc. But Chinese cuisine is a lot of fried rice, kung pao chicken, and dim sum. It is important to recognize that the AAPI community is very diverse- we tend to think of many East Asian countries as the entirety of Asia, but the reality is that it is composed of many ethnicities and many diverse foods.
Many Asian Americans may feel the want to bring their culture with them wherever they go from Asia. Many who emigrate to the United States find a community of people from the same country as them, creating a small version of their home in a foreign country where they do not have as many people who know what their traditions are, or their language. The awareness about the Asian American experience is very limited but essential. Many believe that people who have been in the United States for generations, but with Asian ethnicity are like Asians who don’t have any connection to America. However, it is actually very different for many where they combine the two in a cultural integration. We also need to view AAPI as all groups of Asians. Many are very underrepresented, like South Asians, due to the lack of awareness many have about this community. It is imperative that we all make sure to understand the people around us, especially considering that Asian Americans are becoming the fastest growing racial group in the U.S., being close to doubling since 2000.
The rich culture and history of the Pacific islanders and Native Hawaiians is also celebrated during this month. Many of the people in these regions are indigenous and have been living on their islands for centuries, gathering traditional knowledge and a very strong community. The Hawaiian Islands and also many Pacific Islands are former colonies and had to endure a lot of forced cultural assimilation and other forms of mistreatment. However, they survived and can tell the stories of their ancestors and the hardships they faced. It is essential to celebrate the AANHPI and the things their ancestors and their culture has been through.
We must also recognize the achievements of the AAPI people! Kamala Harris became the second Asian American woman to run for president, Natalie Natsake is the first Asian American woman to coach a WNBA team, and Charli XCX, an Asian American woman, won her first three Grammy awards at the 2025 Grammys! All of these people have paved the way for many other people who are trying to make a name for themselves in the world and have given extraordinary strength and confidence to the new generation.
By celebrating AAPI month, we celebrate all of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders of our communities and the diversity in the world around us. Learning about their experiences and traditions makes us all stronger, more open minded and less biased, and well-rounded people in the end.
