The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) is celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) for the month of May. What began as a seven-day period of observance designated by Congress in 1979 has evolved into a full-month celebration of pride and remembrance for the Asian and Pacific American community.
NAAAP chapters around the country are celebrating by hosting Asian Pacific American Heritage Month events and activities all month long. See below for details on a local event near you.
As part of a national social media campaign, NAAAP members are sharing selfies on why they are APA leaders for the month. Join the conversation at #APAHM18 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Additional resources for APA Heritage Month
Great Big Stories (video stories about APA trailblazers and trends curated for APAHM)
Untold America (video stories about underrepresented, forgotten, and misunderstood communities in America.
Alist-Magazine.com (NAAAP’s 5 year old magazine about Asian American and Asian Canadian success and excellence
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (schedule of local showings of films about current and historical APA issues)
Smithsonian Institute Teaching Resources (lesson plans for all ages)
White House Proclamation of May 2018 as APAHM
I’M AN APA LEADER BECAUSE… #APAHM18
[click on photo to enlarge]
Chapter Programs for APAHM 2018
Boston
May 1st – 31st
NAAAP Boston will celebrate Asian American friendships started at NAAAP and sharing these stories on social media. Follow Boston at www.facebook.com/naaapboston
View full event details on the NAAAP Boston website.
NAAAP Boston is running the ATASK 5K in support of our annual Future Leader Scholarship awards for college-bound high schoolers in Massachusetts who demonstrate leadership ability, community involvement, and financial need. Donations for scholarship funds sought.
May 20th
NAAAP Boston will host a Successful Parents in NAAAP (SPIN) program “Cultural Identities Lost in Translation? Raising Bicultural Children”
Contact: victoria.liu@naaapboston.org
Chicago
The Chicago chapter will host more than 200 members of its Asian American Group Leaders for an Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration at Blue Cross Blue Shield.
View full event details on the NAAAP Chicago website or Facebook event.
Contact: rose_olea@naaapchicago.org
Cincinnati
May 2017 listing
NAAAP Cincinnati will be volunteering at the annual Asian Food Fest, a festival which showcases some of the region’s best Asian restaurants and chefs, while fostering connections between community members and local Asian American organizations and businesses.
Contact: tessa.xuan@naaapcincy.org
Colorado
May 19th
NAAAP Colorado chapter joins TIAA at the Hallett Academy and the Park Hill Community for the Fourth Annual Kite Festival on May 19. The chapter and local partners also hold a Community Networking Mixer later in the month.
View full event details on the NAAAP Colorado website
Contact: roger.liu@naaapcolorado.org
DC
NAAAP DC hosts its second in a three-part workshop series in collaboration with One Real Estate on “Making Your Home and Money in the DC Real Estate Market.” The topic this month is “Hacks and Tactics for a Hot Real Estate Market” with information on emerging sub-markets, price and appreciation trends, offer and financing tips.
May 16th
NAAAP DC leaders will celebrate APA Heritage Month at the U.S. Department of Transportation with Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao and Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon.
Contact: katie.apolinaro@naaapdc.org
Detroit
May 2nd
NAAAP-Detroit is partnering with the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission and APIAVote-MI in celebrating APA Day at the State Capitol. Leaders, volunteers, and chapter members will be attending.
May 10th
The Detroit chapter is also hosting its first Member Mixer.
View full event details on the NAAAP Detroit website
Contact: contact@naaapdetroit.org
Greater Kansas City
The Greater Kansas City chapter and AARCH (Asian American Resource Community at Hallmark) attend “Vietgone,” a play with an all Asian-American cast at The Unicorn Theater.
May 12th
NAAAP-GKC will have a booth at the full day 2018 Mid-America Asian Cultural Festival at the Overland Park Convention Center.
May 19th
NAAAP-GKC will enjoy a command performance by comedian Tony Vinh sharing his new album “A Country of Legends and Liars” at The Rino. Tony added a second performance especially for NAAAP fans.
Contact: john.ong@naaapgkc.org
Los Angeles + Orange County + San Diego = SoCal
The Year of the Dog has been unleashed. For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, NAAAP SoCal will bring the pack (LA, Orange County, and San Diego chapters) together by celebrating all the great achievements of the Asian-American community with awards, honors, and great food and drink at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.
Contact:queena.deschene@naaapla.org
Milwaukee
May 3rd
It’s AAA Time: Ask An Asian, part of #10DaysofConnection.
May 5th
It’s CCC Time – Connecting Cultures through Cuisine part of #10DaysofConnection
May 6th
#SoFloDargons Dragon Boat practice at the Miami Yacht Club (ticketed practice)
May 12th
Tax Cuts & Job Act – An Asian American Financial Experience Seminar by Prudential Adivisors.
See event listings at www.miami.naaap.org
Contact: Info@NAAAPMiami.org
Minnesota
“Chinese Exclusion Act” documentary and panel discussion, with various community partners
May 10th
“Leading with your API voice” in partnership with US Bank Asian Heritage BRG (link)
May 29-Jun 1
Supporting Cargill’s Asian BRG and CAAL MinnieAsianStories project (Cargill, NAAAP Minnesota sponsor, to host traveling art display as it rotates to other locations in the Twin Cities, Cargill being the sole corporate sponsor)
Contact: minning.yu@naaapny.org
New York
NAAAP New York and community partners, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cooper & Cooper, and AXA, will celebrate Asian Heritage Month at the Museum of Chinese Americans (MOCA). See what it was like to immigrate through Ellis Island by sitting in the notorious interrogation chair, flip through Yellow Peril propaganda, and discover the new Spring exhibit on Chinese Medicine in America.
Contact: minning.yu@naaapny.org
Oklahoma City
2017 Listing
Come join us as we unite our community through cultural events and competitions May 13th for the 31st Annual Asian Festival.
Events & Activities include:
– Miss Asia Oklahoma, Junior Miss Asia Oklahoma, and Little Miss Asia Oklahoma Pageants
– Entertainment
– Arts & Crafts
Contact: daryn_lu@naaapokc.org
Philadelphia
Throughout the month, the Philadelphia chapter will be running a social media campaign to recognize current or previous Asian Leaders and their stories.
May 17th
NAAAP Philly is hosting a Networking Reception with other Asian non-profit groups within Philadelphia called Intersections to celebrate the diversity among Asians and the businesses and communities we thrive in.
Contact: vu.trieu@naaapphl.org
RTP, NC
May 22nd
NAAAP-RTP teams up with the new North Carolina Asian Americans Together and the UNCTV Public TV station to provide a free film screening of “Chinese Exclusion Act” (the 38-minute version) as a preview to the full length documentary airing on PBS stations nationwide on May 29. The film will be followed by a facilitated discussion on “What does this little known 1882 law have to do with American identity, democracy, and civil rights today?”
Contact: nguyen.phan@naaaprtp.org
San Francisco
2017 listing
The Bay Area’s Asian professional leaders and organizations are hosting on May 17, 2017 a joint networking mixer in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Participating organizations include Asian American Bar Association, Asian Business League, Corporate Asian American Employee Network, Chinese Real Estate Association, Filipino Bar Association, NAAAP SF Bay Area, Nakayoshi, SF Chamber of Commerce, Taiwanese American Professionals, South Asian Bar Association, and Your Filipino Professionals Association.
Contact: pahoua.lee@naaapsf.org
San Jose
2017 Listing
NAAAP San Jose will be presenting a film screening on May 22nd of the documentary about pioneering Asian Aviatrix Katherine Sui Fun Cheung, a Chinese immigrant who defied racial and gender bias to become a daredevil stunt pilot during the Golden Age of Aviation in the 1930s. Our special guest will be Director Ed Moy who will be skyping from a Film Festival to tell us more about the movie. This event is co-hosted by the Friends of the Northside Branch Library in Santa Clara, CA.
View full event details on Facebook.
Contact: marynka.rojas@naaapsj.org.
Seattle
NAAAP Seattle is co-hosting a film screening of Abacus at the Wing Luke Museum with the Chinese American Citizen Alliance Lodge, OCA, and the Seattle Asian American Film Festival. This documentary tells the incredible saga of the Chinese immigrant Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings of Chinatown, New York. Accused of mortgage fraud, the indictment and trial forces the Sung family to defend themselves and their bank’s legacy in the Chinatown community over the course of a five year legal battle.
Free admission.
View full event details on the NAAAP Seattle website.
Contact: quyen.dang@naaapseattle.org