The WCPS Office of Equity & Excellence is excited to continue our Equity Journey with the recognition and celebration of Asian American and Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month Heritage Month. Throughout May, we honor the rich cultural heritage, traditions, and contributions of the AAPI community to our society. This month provides us with a valuable opportunity to recognize and celebrate the diversity within the AAPI community, encompassing people from various ethnicities, languages, religions, and backgrounds. It is a time to reflect on the resilience, achievements, and ongoing struggles of AAPI individuals and communities. We have provided for you resources to support your personal Cultural Heritage Journey and that of your students. As educators, we are charged with developing students' ability to view the world from multiple perspectives. In order to support our students, we must simultaneously develop our own understanding of perspectives that differ from our own. Join us in commemorating AANHPI Heritage Month and honoring the vibrant tapestry of cultures that enrich our society!
The AANHPI umbrella term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent — East, Southeast and South Asia including, but not limited to China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, India, Cambodia, Vietnam or the Philippines —and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia which includes, but is not limited to people from Native Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, Guam, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. 24 million people identified as Asian alone or in combination in the United States in 2020. 1.6 million people identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination in the United States in 2020. 2.2% of the WCPS student population identifies as AANHPI. Today, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing racial group in the United States.
We hope you will take some time during the next month to explore the information provided in order to increase your awareness and that of your students of the important impact AANHPI culture has had on our country. Due to the size of the group and the large amount of available information, this edition will be only a snapshot of their incredible story . Please share ways you are celebrating Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders so we can showcase your efforts! You are encouraged to continue identifying more information and resources as well.
Identity
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community is made up of over 50 ethnicities. AANHPI individuals, collectively, speak more than 100 languages. The AANHPI identity is complex and expansive and no single experience encompasses what it means to be Asian in the United States today. "Many describe a complicated relationship with the pan-ethnic labels “Asian” or “Asian American.” For some, using the term was less of an active choice and more of an imposed one, with a focus on the disconnect between how they would like to identify themselves and the available choices often found in formal settings." (Greenwood, 2023)
The word "Asian" was first used in 1968 by Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka. The word was intended to bring together all people in the United States of Asian decent and as a way for activist to band together to combat inequalities. The Federal Government defines “Asian American” to "include persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander” includes Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Guamanian or Chamorro, Fijian, Tongan, or Marshallese peoples and encompasses the people within the United States jurisdictions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia." (Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, 2022). As of the 2020 Census, 24 million people identified as Asian. 1.6 million identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, either as their only identity or in combination with another identity.
Ethnic groups under the AANHPI umbrella all have different experiences and histories that make them unique and impact their experiences in the United States. People should not make assumptions or stereotypes about beliefs, socioeconomic status, experiences, or histories but rather remember when engaging with other of different cultural identities, ask if you don't know.
As you work to build your understanding of the the cultural identity of another, be aware of themes mentioned above and how they may manifest in your classroom communities and how you might leverage them to positively impact student achievement.
In this newsletter you an expect to find information on:
- A brief explanation of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage month and its importance
- A section on the history of AANHPI individuals in the United States
- A section on AANHPI contributions to American culture
- A section on the challenges faced but like AANHPI community
- A section on cultural norms within the AANHPI
- A section with suggestions for books, movies, TV programs and music that highlight the diverse cultural experiences of AANHPI individuals to build your awareness.
- A section on current events
- A section with resources for teachers
In 1978, Public Law 95-419 was signed by President Carter and established Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific American Heritage Week.
May was chosen for AANHPI Heritage Month because of its historical significance. May 7, 1843 commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States . May is also a significant month because it recognizes Golden Spike Day, May 10, 1869, which marks the completion of the transcontinental railroad that was built with significant contributions from Chinese workers.
Purpose: to celebrate and honor the journey of AANHPI immigrants and citizens in the United States.
Let's Celebrate
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The Federal Asian Pacific American Council has designated May 2024 Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month theme as "Advancing Leaders Through Innovation" which is a continuation of the "Advancing Leaders'' series that began in 2021. The FAPAC states this year's theme "pays homage to the visionaries and trailblazers who have shaped our AANHPI history and continue to influence our collective future. Innovation, resilience, and a pioneering spirit are cornerstones of American leadership. AANHPI leaders have made lasting contributions to our Nation’s economic prosperity, technological advancements, and social/political change through their ingenuity and creativity while navigating significant cultural and systemic barriers."
History
AANHPI history is extremely rich and diverse. America as we know it today, has been vastly impacted by AAPI institutions and cultural influences. AANHPI influences have become such an integral a part of American life that you may have forgotten their original roots.
Many AANHPI individuals can trace their histories to a region that encompasses more than half of the globe. The roles people in the AANHPI community has played in the shaping of America's past and will play in the future, is insurmountable. Their histories and experiences are complex, rich, and wildly important.
While it is not known exactly when members of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander communities first came to North America, some say that Asians migrated to North America over 15,000 years ago through a land bridge between Asia and North America. What we do know is that in the 16th century, Filipinos who were escaping forced labor and enslavement immigrated to North America. In 1763, Filipino immigrants established a settlement in St. Malo, Louisiana. The first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United states in 1843. During the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, many Asian immigrants came to the West Coast and provided labor for gold mines, factories and the transcontinental railroad. In 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned Chinese immigration for 20 years. Japanese and Koreans began immigrating to the United States by 1885 to replace Chinese labor in railroad construction, farming and fishing. In the mid-1970s, refugees from Southeast Asia like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos came to the United States to flee war, violence, and hardship.
WCPS Celebrates AANHPI Heritage Month 2024
AAPI Contributions
The influence of the AANHPI communities can be felt in many areas of American culture and society, to include: science, medicine, literature. art, sports, fashion, technology, politics and architecture to name a few. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have played vital roles in shaping the nation—from building the transcontinental railroad to advocating for labor law changes.
Challenges Faced by the AANHPI Community
Over the past few years, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) individuals have been experiencing increased bias and hate crimes in communities across the country. Xenophobia and the rise of misinformation about the coronavirus have led to a skyrocketing number reports of harassment in nearly every aspect of society. Despite individual and group achievements and contributions AANHPI communities as well as the American society, members of the AANHPI community are still facing daily challenges. You should be aware of 5 challenges that top the list. They are:
- Workplace discrimination
- Mental Health
- Anti-Asian hate and violence
- Culturally competent healthcare
- COVID Pandemic
Resources to build awareness
Expand your cultural awareness by watching films or reading books that are written by AANHPI authors or that feature AANHPI actors/characters and stories. Listen to AANHPI influenced music.
Despite more visibility of AAPI in popular consciousness in popular culture, there continues to be underrepresentation in entertainment and literature.
If you are thinking of expanding your classroom library, be sure to preview the text in its entirety to determine appropriateness for your learners.
Experience AAPI culture
A quick internet search offered this list of nearby places to find Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culture and/or food. (not exhaustive or an endorsement of any establishment).
- Fuji Asian food & Sushi Bar
- Chopstix
- Rice Thai Dining
- Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant
- House of Kobe
- Nikko Japanese Steak & Seafood
- Silk Thai
- Mango Grill
- Pho Viet Restaurant
No resource collection is complete without music!
Teacher Resources to generate ideas
- https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month
- https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/being-noh-introduction-japanese-noh-plays ELA lesson grades 9-12
- https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/japanese-poetry-tanka-youre-welcome ELA lesson grades 9-12
- https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/world-haiku ELA lesson grades 6-8
- https://www.nga.gov/learn/teachers/lessons-activities/new-angles/pei.html Math lessons - Geometry grades 5-12
- https://folkways.si.edu/discovering-east-china-elementary-school/lullaby-vocal-outdoor-solo-programmatic/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian Music lesson grades 3-5
- https://folkways.si.edu/soran-bushi-exploring-japanese-work-song/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian Music lesson grades 3-6
In an effort to find relevant, meaningful resources that can support our students and connect to the curriculum, we will continue to update this resource. There are so many resources available that they cannot all be listed. The resources shared above are but a sample of the available resources and should get your creative juices flowing. If you find something that is particularly creative, tied to the curriculum, and supports an accurate representation of the culture, please share. We hope that you find something of interest to celebrate cultures across our school system and the nation. Thank you for your commitment to embracing differences, fostering unity, and amplifying the voices of the many groups that are a part of our community. Hoping you have had a wonderful year!
Arigato
谢谢你 Xièxiè nǐ
Allison Smith, Supervisor of Equity & Excellence
Credits
https://www.api-gbv.org/resources/census-data-api-identities/
https://www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2022/08/02/what-it-means-to-be-asian-in-america/