CELEBRATING AAPI HERITAGE MONTH IN THE US
Here we go: Asian Pacific American Month. And, I’ve got some things to say.
First, the month is focused on the experiences of Asian and Pacific Americans. According to the Library of Congress, “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).” In my own scholarship, it is clear that Asian and Pacific American history is made invisible in our curriculum, and this month is an important time to amplify voices of Asian and Pacific Americans.
Focus on Heritage in the United States
As I observe how different schools and organizations celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, I notice a pattern. Many programs actually amplify voices and experiences IN Asia — cultural research, “tourist” activities, and sharing history about Asian countries. That’s all and well, however that’s not the point of Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month. It even says so in the title designation. Over-emphasizing information about Asia and making invisible the contributions and experiences of Asian America perpetuates that we are not a part of the fabric of America and American history. And, indeed, the designation is designed to focus on our lives and experiences here. There is a very deep and rich history of Asians in America. And, programming should amplify these experiences.
Stop Erasing Asian and Pacific American Activism
Food, festivals and fun are … well.. fun. And, how is your school also making visible the deep activist roots of Asians in America? This is an opportunity to share about how Asian Americans helped to shape the political landscape. It also is important to share that Asians in America are incredibly diverse in our political ideologies — some shaped by immigration patterns, historical relationships with the United States, and ongoing issues-driven work. This is also an important time to talk about cross-racial solidarity movements, particularly Black-Asian solidarity; Asian-Chicano and Latinx solidarity; Asian-Indigenous solidarity. When we are only positioned as “obedient, good rule following, model minorities” then you erase our activism and our fight in this country.
If You Wouldn’t do It for Other Heritage Months … Then Don’t Do it for AAPI Heritage Month
If you felt good about how you led Black History Month or Indigenous Month or Latinx Heritage Month, then follow the same formula for Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month. When you led Black History Month, you likely focused on incredible Black leaders, scholars, change makers, activists, and issues-driven programming particularly in the United States. So, why, during Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month do you focus on things OUTSIDE of the United States? Did you do a travel-log activity for Black History Month where the assignment was to “research a country in Africa and present it to the class”? If not, then why would you do that for Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month? Did you do a “food tour” of countries for Black History Month? If not, then why would you do a “food tour” of countries in Asia? Did you focus on issues of civil rights and resistance during other heritage months? Then why aren’t you focusing on issues of civil rights and resistance during Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month? Why are you not including leaders, scholars, change makers, activists, and issues-driven programming in the United States of Asian and Pacific Americans? (Note: if you ARE only doing food, festivals, and fun for Black History Month, you may want some other options for how to engage more deeply). By essentializing the Asian and Pacific American population only as “foreign” and “other” and “outside of the United States”, you’re perpetuating the myth that we do not belong in the United States.
We Are Not a Monolith
One of the best things you can do during your AAPI Heritage Month programming is to amplify just how different our experiences are even though we are grouped in this monolithic category. The term Asian American was used by the community to build political capacity. It serves a very real purpose to be able to identify our work in this way; and also, it masks the very real differences we experience ethnically. During AAPI Heritage Month, the tendency is to only focus on East Asian heritage and yet we know there are many, many more ethnic identities, experiences, and issues. How is your programming amplifying the different ethnic identities and experiences?
We are Artists, Organizers, Educators, Dancers, Leaders, Creatives, too
The existing model minority myth positions Asian Americans as solely focused on “high achieving, traditionally professional” careers like doctors, engineers, mathematicians, and health care workers. Yes. We are those things. And, we are also artists, organizers, educators, dancers, leaders, and creatives, too. We are movie directors, painters, spoken word artists, chefs, restaurant owners, and cookbook writers, too. Diversify your representation of our people — both to be windows and mirrors for young people.
Some Ideas for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Okay, Liza. We get it. We need to do better. But, where can we find resources?
I got you.
See Us Unite is an incredible collaboration between Jeff Chang and Renee Tajima-Pena with short videos that highlight incredible Asian and Pacific American issues, particularly related to cross racial solidarity
The Library of Congress has a great section for teachers navigating AAPI Heritage Month
Don’t forget intersectional themes; this here is a great source on AAPI and Queer Identity.
Fantastic resource by the Smithsonian with lesson plans for AAPI Heritage Month
A whole listing (with videos) of Asian American poets (be sure to watch them first based on ages)
A good primer if you are at the start of your own journey understanding AAPIs in the United States
Have your school or organization invest in purchasing the Asians in America documentary to raise your own knowledge and awareness and to use the lesson plans written by incredible Asian American and Pacific Islander educators.
A list of AAPI activists to include in your programming efforts
When we Know Better, We Do Better
In our current educational system, Asian and Pacific Americans are usually talked about in three ways: 1) As enemies of the state abroad (e.g., war enemies); 2) As railroad workers (which, even then, is told from a very white-centric gaze); and 3) as prisoners/enemies of the state (e.g., internment and incarceration). Rarely, if at all, is our story of activism, resistance, leadership, and creativity told. Like many of our heritage months in this country, the purpose of the focus is to draw attention to issues that are not part of the every day discourse. As educators, we can do better. We can be more responsible in how we program during Asian and Pacific Heritage Month. When we know better, we do better.