Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

Children of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage playing on the playground.

May was formally declared as Asian Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in 1992 to honor the hardships and contributions of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities in our history. It is honored in May to celebrate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States in May 1843. It also celebrates the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869, made possible by the labor of thousands of Chinese immigrants whose story is often untold. Please join us in celebrating with the Asian/Pacific American communities in our neighborhoods and cities.

According to the Pew Research Center, a record 23 million Asian Americans trace their roots to more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia, as well as the Indian subcontinent.

Here’s how to connect and learn about the cultures of the Asian/Pacific American communities during the month of May and throughout the year: