Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month- A Press Release for Currently Informed

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Currently Informed Supports Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

By Aryan Mukherjee

    We, at Currently Informed, are excited to celebrate the unique culture and historical presence of Asian Americans and Pacic Islanders during the month of May.

    An Asian American can be defined as anyone who is, of any generation, Asian, and is or has had family who have immigrated to America. Pacic Islanders are those to reside on the islands of the Pacific that are territories of the United States. Unfortunately, both groups faced debilitating racism, hatred, and gut-wrenching conditions in our country’s past, and the month of May is set to rectify such painful memories by rejuvenating in glorious tradition. From conventional dances to games to songs, Currently Informed looks forward to spotlighting the various facets of Asian American and Pacic Islander culture throughout the month and showcasing our support.

    But why specically was May chosen to be Asian American and Pacic Islander month? What makes May so special? Well, according to the official government website of the month crossed with various other historical sources, both the first immigration of the Japanese to America AND the construction of the transcontinental railroad (which was headed chiefly by Chinese laborers) occurred in the month of May. Because of this, the month was chosen to club in and celebrate the achievements of practically all minority groups which were targets of the country’s history of unfair treatment and racism. The only group that is exempt from this are African Americans, who have dealt with the brunt of the damage that our country has inflicted and have February to themselves.

    Amongst the challenges that such groups faced include: Japanese internment during WWII, independent islands annexed and monarchies overthrown, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and even slurs and accusations following the recent COVID-19 pandemic. All of these obstacles made it difficult for Asian American and Pacic Islander voices to be heard, so now we must let them roar.

    Specifically, Currently Informed hopes to encompass Asian American and Pacic Islander culture in a plethora of different and unique pieces of writing, all of which will dive deep into their past and grope at their future. From pieces about music, food, dances, festivals, and more, we will try to cover as many aspects of the culture as we can in order to educate the public and celebrate the occasion.

    If you want to learn more about Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month, or want to engage in culture-specific activities that will flourish for the next few weeks, be sure to check out the variety of resources and events taking place at your local libraries, parks, and museums. Happy reading!

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