Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History and Cultural Heritage

Overview

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History and Cultural Heritage

In June 1977, United States House Representatives’ Norman Mineta and Frank Horton introduced a resolution proclaiming that the first ten days of May should be designated as Asian Pacific Heritage Week. Thirteen years later, the United States designated the entire month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, commemorating the rich history and cultural legacy of our Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. 

AAPI identity is globally and culturally diverse. LIS professionals continue to play a significant role in addressing a range of information needs and advocacy work. (source: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month)

2023 Events

EDI Symposium: Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity

Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity: Asian American Women Leaders
Friday, May 26, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pacific Time

The SJSU iSchool hosted a symposium in honor of National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in which Asian American women leaders spoke about implementing self-care practices and finding solidarity in the midst of LIS challenges. 

Throughout the keynote presentation, the speakers Annie Pho and Alanna Aiko Moore talked about how they approach leadership in the LIS, their experiences serving in the Asian Pacific American Library Association (APALA), the challenges that AAPI women face, as well as what it can mean to stand in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).

For more on this event, see our recap here.

Transcript here (PDF, DOC).

Past Symposia

In May 2022, the SJSU iSchool hosted a symposium for National Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month titled, “An Authentic Lens: Understanding and Supporting the Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Community.” The symposium opened with a keynote address by 2021-2022 ALA President Patty Wong. Following the keynote presentation, symposium panelists shared their thoughts on the diverse needs of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

Library and Information Science Best Practices

Best Practices from “Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity: Asian American Women Leaders“:

  • Be aware that some books about AANHPI stories and/or featuring AANHPI characters may be stereotypical and portrayed negatively, even if it was written by an AANHPI author. Refer to the expertise of folks within those communities. 
  • The real movers and shakers come from grassroot community organizations. Encourage people in your library to reach out, collaborate, and harness those resources. Pass it along.
  • Emphasize collaboration that moves away from individualism. Mental health is a big topic that needs more attention in AANHPI communities. It’s okay to cry, to be vulnerable, to be empathetic, to go to therapy. 
  • When creating programs or designing resources, be mindful about who you are targeting and how you approach your efforts. Be intentional when using terms such as “Asian American” or “AAPI,” as not all AANHPI community members necessarily have the same experiences. 
  • AANHPI history is intrinsically part of Black history, Latinx history, Native American history, LGBTQIA+ history. Histories cannot and are not segregated. Rather, they are deeply intertwined and intersectional.

Best Practices from “An Authentic Lens: Understanding and Supporting the Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Community”:

  • There are so many distinct groups within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community that carry their own histories and cultures.
  • Create more seats at the table for BIPOC to have their voices heard. 
  • Provide specific resources that are tailored for your local community groups, rather than lumping people’s experiences into a single collective. 
  • Actively challenge stereotypes and unconscious biases in the library.

Community Profiles

Joy Kim

Professional Associations

Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association

Bibliography

Videos