Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month
Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
The month of May is celebrated each year as Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, an annual celebration to honor the rich culture, the deep history, as well as the beautiful heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in U.S. history. The month of May was selected not only to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States on May 7, 1843 but also to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The overwhelming majority of the workers who constructed the transcontinental railroad were Chinese immigrants.
Over 100 years later in 1979, then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed the initial presidential proclamation for “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.” Just 13 years later in 1992, Congress passed an amendment to officially observe Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month with “appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.”
At USC, there are a litany of resources committed to serving the unique needs of AAPI students. The Asian Pacific American Student Services (APASS) serves as an example of such resources. Founded in 1982, APASS not only seeks to “to educate, engage, and empower the Asian Pacific American community” but to specifically do so through “active participation, dialogue, and community-building.” In addition to resources such as APASS, there is also the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly as well as the Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American (APIDA) Leaders Community, a special interest community devoted to cultivating a space and community for active engagement, opportunities for development with regard to leadership and personal growth, as well as a successful transition into college.
There have been a number AAPI alums who have left an indelible mark on our Trojan Family and have continued to represent USC graciously; whether it’s Ke Huy Quan (’99), a renowned actor who recently won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, or Cynthia Kadohata (’79), a Newbery Medal- and National Book Award-winning author who often explores the challenges that come with a “hyphenated heritage” in her novels. Many of our incredible AAPI alumni are also committed to guiding and engaging with our AAPI undergraduate students through Connections! APASS is dedicated to continuing the Asian Pacific American Career Development Program, which seeks to connect current undergraduate students not only with alumni but also with other professionals in a field of interest. Connections! was established to “meet the career development needs of Asian Pacific American students specifically in a culturally-influenced context” and to explore the unique barriers as well as opportunities AAPI individuals “encounter in the workplace and society.”
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge all our incredible AAPI students, many of whom serve as mentors for first-year AAPI students or as First-Generation Student Leaders. These mentors and leaders are a terrific resource for “providing insight, advice, and perspective for navigating university life” as a first-gen and/or AAPI college student. In conjunction with AAPI students, AAPI staff such as Peter Limthongviratn, who serves as the SEIP Manager with APASS, continue to build and strengthen the AAPI community through fervent involvement.
Continuing to pay tribute to the voices of our past is imperative, particularly these past few years as AAPI Heritage Month has taken on a much deeper level of significance, serving as a positive beacon of optimism and appreciation while also countering the continued rise in both anti-Asian violence and rhetoric we have been painfully witness to in recent years. At USC, we actively embrace the mission of creating a society where each and every individual is not only valued but also free from fear, injustice, and oppression. Through simple acts of listening to one another, learning from each other, and speaking up for those whose voices have been suppressed, we can progress towards a more just and equitable society.
AAPI Heritage Month is not only for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community — it’s truthfully a celebration that every American can participate in!
Lastly, in order to ensure all members of the Trojan Family would be on campus to participate in AAPI Heritage Month, USC celebrated a month early!
Written by: Andy T. Nguyen, Senior Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission