More than ever, it is imperative that Americans learn the rich and un-whitewashed history of our country. Just as Black history is American history, so are the histories and contributions of Asian Pacific Islander and Desi Americans (APIDA). And while the specially set aside months like Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month are useful as a starting point, they do not justify ignoring the histories and contributions of non-white Americans the rest of the year.
What is AAPI Heritage Month?
How to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month
AAPI Heritage Month will have to be celebrated differently in 2021 due to the pandemic and social distancing. Although there are usually many community festivals and sponsored events, some will have limited capacity or may have portions of their celebrations held virtually. Check with your local city organizations for events and safety guidelines.
However, one important way we can all honor the millions of APIDAs and their contributions is to learn — and unlearn — along with our kids as much as we can about AAPI history.
“AAPI is more than Chinese, Corean, Japanese, etc. There are 45 other countries,” Conk told Mom.com. “We need to build bridges and recognize the most marginalized within our communities; the ones that don’t fit in an archaic colorist caste system, multiracial, transgender, and disabled.” Conk reminds us that we can use this month “… to indulge in Ourstory.”
Note: Many Korean scholars and politicians wish to change the spelling of “Korea” to “Corea” due to the Japanese changing from the original “C” spelling at the start of Japan’s occupation of Korea (from 1910 to 1945).
