In May of 1992, President George Bush officially declared May Asian Pacific Heritage Month. It was later changed in 2009 to AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) month—a celebratory month created to honor and recognize Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American culture and history.
This year’s theme for AANHPI is Advancing Leaders Through Innovation, chosen by FACAP (Federal Asian Pacific American Council), an AANHPI resource center.
Every year in May, artists, business owners, authors, actors/actresses, etc. are featured, yet when we celebrate AANHPI month, we tend to leave out the NHPI aspect. Schools and organizations tend to feature only Asian Americans in their celebrations.
This month is important because it reflects the history and the important sacrifices within the community but often only 50% of the community is being celebrated.
According to NBCU Academy, we can cover all aspects of AANHPI month by specifying that Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders are of different ethnicities, races, and communities. Some tend to group the two which results in the generalization of the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
Another way to honor AANHPI month is to realize that the Pacific Islands are more than just a dream vacation, they are homes to Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and have been for the last 40,000 years.
Another way to involve the NHPI in AANHPI is to talk about the struggles of climate change on the islands. When we hear news about climate change on the islands, it’s usually a scientific experiment and doesn’t describe the real challenges the people on the island go through.
The last thing is the importance of involving the local community in news stories and advocating for Pacific coverage in the media. While there has been more recognition for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander leaders in the community, it is important to continue to recognize this important part of our community and our world.
