What is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month?
AANHPI Heritage Month–which occurs throughout May–is a time for reflecting and celebrating the culture, achievements, and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The recognition of AANHPI Heritage Month originated in the United States in the late 1970s, when it was initially observed as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week and spanned across the first ten days of May. The duration was eventually expanded upon by a Congressional resolution in 1990 to become a month-long celebration. In 2009, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation recognizing May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI); it was once again changed in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed a proclamation recognizing the month as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. College students across the United States are a select group that celebrates AANHPI Heritage Month beginning in April because most universities want to allow students to participate in festivities before the end of the Spring semester.
Why do we need AANHPI Heritage Month? How does this connect with “Stop Asian Hate?”
Around the world, people gather to commemorate the contributions and legacy of AANHPI individuals in celebratory notions as well as continuing rally cries to “Stop Asian Hate”. Stop AAPI Hate is a social movement and a national organization about resisting harassment and crimes against the AANHPI community. As stated on their website, Stop AAPI Hate formed “[…] to document the rise of COVID-19-related anti-Asian racism in the early stages of the global pandemic and joined forces to launch an online reporting center.”
The Stop AAPI Hate organization has a body of research dating from March 2020 to March 2022 that explores the parameters of over 11,000 reports of hatred in the U.S. This national report is called Two Years and Thousands of Voices. A critical discovery revealed in their key findings concluded that non-criminal acts or verbal and written harassment comprised many reported acts of hate. As a result, roughly one in three AANHPI parents worry that their children could experience hatred in a non-supervised area or on their travels to and from school.
Hate crimes and prejudice against AANHPI citizens became prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it dates back long before then. In the 1850s, Chinese immigration to the U.S. grew exponentially as migrants sought work opportunities. While some worked to sustain their well-being, other migrants worked to send money back to their families in China. The increasing population of Chinese immigrants received residual hatred and blame from white nationalists for stealing away work from established American businesses. Chinese-dominated neighborhoods were persecuted by legislators, claiming that they were hotspots for prostitution, drugs, and gambling, resulting in lower moral standards for the U.S.
From the 1850s to 1870s, the Californian government passed legislation making it more difficult for Chinese immigrants to receive the necessary permits for labor and entrepreneurship. In 1880, the Hayes administration organized a new treaty with China that allowed the U.S. to limit immigration further. Two years later, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese immigration for 10 years. This was the first law in the U.S. limiting immigration. More legislation was enacted through the 1900s, the souring of an international relationship, and a five-month boycott of America observed in China in 1905. The acts were repealed in 1943 in favor of China as a wartime ally. However, because of this era of prejudice against the Chinese and other international events, the U.S. and China developed poor diplomatic relationships. This chapter in history may have planted the seeds for anti-AANHPI narratives flourishing throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
How are people celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month 2024?
For many college students, campus events start in April and are held through mid-May. Students emphasized the importance of community building and neutralizing the stigma against AANHPI ethnic groups.
On April 12, 2024, student organizations at Stony Brook University held the Chinese Association at Stony Brook (CASB) x Taiwanese Students Association (TSA) Night Market event. The event included poster boards, food, and music from a broad range of Eastern Asian cultures. Joyce Chen and Amy Phi, Cabinet Members of the Student Associations, were responsible for running the event. “I think in light of recent events, especially COVID-19, it’s really important to recognize that Asian hate can happen. So we’re trying to spread Asian-American culture to Stony Brook University so that everyone can understand Asian culture and have a better appreciation,” said Phi.
Student organizations at Stony Brook representing Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, and more, were just as passionate. Andrew Nguyen of the Vietnamese Student Association said, “[…] Everyone deserves to be treated equally […] Specifically for this month, for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, it’s just important to show off our culture.” He continued to say that the most ambitious part of this event was the turnout of both new and old student organizations. “Everyone’s unique and it’s good that we’re showing it off.”
In Bayside, Queens, students celebrated the colors of Spring with the Holi Festival on April 17, 2024. Held at Queensborough Community College, this event hosted over 30 students. They spent their afternoon dancing on the Great Lawn, covering their friends in brightly colored powder, and casting negativity to the wind. Kakul Verma, a student at the college said “In India, people used to put the colors on their faces and celebrate. They said that the good things always win. […] People eat sweets, have drinks, and celebrate with their loved ones.”
Manpreet Singh said that he was a recent high school graduate and came to celebrate this cultural event with his friends. Singh explained that celebrating Holi is a part of AANHPI Heritage Month in America and it connects him to his culture; “People use colors to put on each other and spread happiness,” he said.
On April 18, 2024, Hofstra University students held a Pohela Boishakh Bash which was organized by the Bengali Student Organization. Students partied in celebration of this traditional holiday hailing from Bangladesh. Also known as Bengali New Year, the purpose of this holiday is to celebrate the first day of the new year on the Bengali Calendar, which fell on April 14, 2024. Attendees dressed up and met in the evening to enjoy food, games, and music. New Year celebrations across many cultures involve gathering with friends and family and celebrating the passage of time or a new beginning.
More events will come in the weeks that follow, as members of the AANHPI community continue to find feelings of comfort and togetherness with their loved ones.