SUPPORTING THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY

May was chosen for AAPI Heritage Month because it marks the immigration of the first Japanese people to the U.S. on May 7, 1843. It also commemorates the May 10, 1869 anniversary of the completion of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad that was built with significant contributions by Chinese and Japanese workers.

As one of the most diverse cities in the world, New York City is home to over one million Asians and Pacific Islanders, making up just over 14 percent of the City’s population. Throughout the course of this month, we will highlight resources and aspects of AAPI culture, and we invite you to share your experiences and stories.  E-mail us at co-presidents@ms54pta.org.
​In generating and sharing these resources, we aim to translate alliance into action and amplify the voices of Asian Americans who have always been at the forefront of their own civil rights initiatives throughout history and today.

ResourceS (PDF version)

How YOU can support the AAPI community within our school:
The Asian American Association, a student-led affinity group at MS54, regularly creates activities and digital content to educate their fellow peers about Asian American culture, identity, and history. Last week, they posted an informative slideshow on their Instagram page in response to the tragedy in Atlanta.
How YOU can interrupt the rise of hate crimes by protecting yourself and others:
How YOU can spend to make a difference:
  • Here is a list of 61 organizations that use donations to support AAPI communities. Please, always research carefully before you donate.
  • Asian American business owners and restaurateurs need support. Support Asian-owned restaurants and businesses!

If you identify as AAPI and want specialized support, here are some services:​
How YOU can learn to make a difference:
If you are looking for literature that reflects Asian and Pacific Islander voices, here are just a few of the many excellent options available:
 
YOUNG ADULT
  • The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
  • Internment by Samira Ahmed
  • American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
  • Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali
  • Barefoot Gen series by Keiji Nakazawa
  • Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lai
  • When My Name was Keoko by Linda Sue Park
  • Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz
  • American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar
  • A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
  • We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
  • The Arrival by Shaun Tan
  • Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman
 
ADULT/8TH GRADE+
  • Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
  • The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
  • On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
  • The Interpreter by Suki Kim
  • The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
  • My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki
  • Half Gods by Akil Kumarasamy
  • Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
  • Trust Exercise by Susan Choi
  • Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin
  • This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura
  • Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed
 
SPOKEN WORD POEMS
Diversify your Instagram feed by following Asian accounts.
Here are a few options:
Engaging digital resources for further learning:
  • Learn about AAPI history with this interactive timeline
  • Browse online collections of artwork, audio, and visual resources and also includes online lesson plans on specific themes/topics/events in Asian Pacific American history and culture.
  • Learn about the history and harms of the model minority myth and how it has been used as a wedge between AAPI and Black American communities.
  • Learn about the tapestry of AAPI communities in the USA through data.
  • PBS has a wealth of video content. Here are two links with opportunities to learn, which we shared last year in honor of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month:
    • "Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May and every day with a special PBS collection of stories that explores the history, traditions and culture of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States." Lots of short videos.
    • The critically-acclaimed documentary series "Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together? Told through intimate personal stories, the series will cast a new lens on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played."
  • Listen and support 31 Asian American podcasters.