May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Celebrate the rich culture and contributions by Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to our customs, culture, and texture of life! https://www.asianpacificheritage.gov/

The Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) is pleased to announce the theme for the May 2025 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, “A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience.” In 2025, FAPAC will celebrate four decades of service to the AANHPI community.

The logo’s colors and flowers represent the diversity of Asian cultures across the U.S. The lotus flower is a sacred symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, often symbolizing purity and enlightenment, and is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.

Learn more in this YouTube video.

Why do we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month?

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

Fact Sheet on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, Prepared for the Treasury Department’s AA and NHPI Economic Summit, May 7, 2024

We are proud to celebrate friends and colleagues from an Asian/Pacific Islander background.

Do you have celebration plans? Are you integrating this recognition into your practice or student teaching plans?