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Home | Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

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The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center tells Asian Pacific American stories through innovative museum experiences.

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The Athens library offers a terrific story of the ukulele: although it was NOT invented in Hawaii, it's sounds are distinctly Hawaiian.  Check out the link of the iconic ukulele version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by the late Jake Shimabukuro.  Enjoy! :)
http://www.athenslibrary.org/athens/services/make-music-at-your-library/history-of-the-ukulele

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2023

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Paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success.

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Once almost completely unknown to the world outside Japan, manga (Japanese comics) and anime (Japanese animation) have become a global phenomenon - and their popularity is growing every day.

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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. AAPI heritage month is a celebration of the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in U.S. society and culture; most often these lists are made up of AAPI doctors, scientists and those holding positions within the U.S. government. Rarely shared are the stories of those within the AAPI community who have stood up against racism and injustice which shaped a much fairer society, and those who have used the arts as a medium of change. The United States has a long history of extreme racists policies against its Asian and Pacific Islander citizens, and throughout the history of this country the AAPI has fought back.

The Chinese in the United States faced great hardships upon their arrival; in 1871, there was a massacre of Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles, California. The Chinese Exclusion Act further legalized anti-Chinese sentiments. Chinese radicals fought against the abuses they faced and did not stay silent. Chinese women in the garment industry made history through strikes and uprisings in the 1980s, and Su Ko Lee led a strike in the 1930s fighting for higher wages.

U.S. citizens of Japanese descent were rounded up and sent to internment camps during WWII; Canada followed suit and sent their Japanese citizens to similar camps. Durning this time, the governments of Perú, Chile, Argentina and México sent many of their Japanese citizens to the United States to be detained.

The U.S. genocide and enslavement of Filipinos during war and colonization is still virtually unknown to many, as is the fact that Filipino labor workers first began organizing and striking in agricultural fields, pioneering the farm labor movement in the United States.

The U.S. government brutalized South East Asia during the Vietnam War; over 2 million tons of cluster bombs where dropped in Lao, simply because if its geographic location to Vietnam, making it the most bombed country in the history of humanity-creating a legacy of death, trauma and amputations. The U.S. government also recruited Hmong child soldiers to fight the Vietcong and caused a major refugee crisis in the region.

U.S. aggressions against Polynesia and oceania

Take a deep breath and repeat after me, "Hawaiʻi is NOT the United States and it is a stolen kingdom." Now exhale. Not only did the United States, and its sugar and fruit companies, steal the kingdom of Hawaiʻi from its people, Hawaiian land has been used for bomb testings, destroying precious ecosystems and its indigenous peoples have been displaced and disenfranchised. Native Hawaiians are often seen as merely "exotic" tourist attractions in their own land.

American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are all colonies of the United States government whose economies are strangled. Most citizens live in poverty yet have sent hundreds of thousands of men and women to battle for the U.S. military. They have no true rights nor sovereignty over their own affairs and land.

Asia is a large continent

Asia is a very large continent that encompasses countries within East Asia, Eurasia, West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia and South East Asia. Asia is made up of many different ethnic groups, peoples and cultures who practice many different faiths. Even within respective Asian countries there are varying people groups, customs, languages and traditions-not all Asians are "the same".

the global asian struggle continues

To this day, there are still Asian struggles across the globe; Filipina women face grave abuses and exploitation working as nannies and domestic workers in the Arab Gulf States and Hong Kong. Many have their passports taken from them upon arrival, are subjected to verbal, sexual and physical abuses and can rarely escape. Bangladeshi women and children have been killed working in sweatshops that have collapsed while sewing the cheap clothes that we consume; they are also paid very little and work in slave-like conditions. Asians and Pacific Islanders across the globe are fighting against gentrification, racism, sexism, classism, police brutality and capitalism. And anti-Asian sentiments across the globe are becoming normalized due to the Covid-19 outbreak, furthering discrimination.

Asians and Pacific Islanders in activism

Many believe that Asian communities have remained silent. However, Asians and Pacific Islanders have a long history of intersectional activism and have joined global liberation and independence struggles throughout time. Asian and Pacific Islanders have made revolutionary impacts in many different areas, and this blog post is dedicated to honoring the revolutionary efforts of Asians and Pacific Islanders from around the world.

30 revolutionary Asians and Pacific Islanders from around the world to celebrate for AAPI Heritage Month:

1. yuri kochiyama

Yuri Kochiyama was a radical Japanese-American liberation activist and a pioneer of the intersectionality movement. Born in California to Japanese immigrants in 1921, Yuri lived what she felt was an "all American childhood". After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor her life would drastically change; Yuri's father was arrested by the FBI, accused of being a "threat to national security", was detained for six weeks and died just days after his release. Yuri, her mother and brother were some of the many U.S. citizens of Japanese descent to be held in internment camps; it was in the camps where Yuri developed a deep pride in her Japanese heritage and the experience sparked her passion for activism. She married Bill Kochiyama and they had six children; Yuri and Bill moved to New York City with their children and lived in housing projects surrounded by Black and Latino communities. Yuri advocated for safer streets and integrated schools, this led her to dig deep into the histories of Black Americans and Puerto Ricans. Yuri's daughter remembers piles of radical leaflets all over the dinner table and her mother taping political newspaper clippings to the walls of their home-she said that their home "felt like 'the movement' 24/7." Yuri and Bill would take their children on summer vacations to the Southern United States to see landmarks of the civil rights movement that was taking place. Fate would lead Yuri to a close friendship with Malcolm X, with whom she shared a birthday, that would radically change the course of her life. Yuri had been an advocate for integration, but her friendship with Malcolm was eye-opening; Yuri changed the course of her activism and began to fight for the total liberation of marginalized peoples around the world. Yuri understood that the fight against oppression and capitalism was global and in order to win the fight, marginalized peoples must unite. Yuri joined the Republic of New Afrika, a militant Black nationalist organization based in Harlem. She also joined the Young Lords Party, made up of radical Puerto Ricans in the NYC diaspora, and her work in the Asian struggle movement was extensive. Yuri was opposed to the Vietnam War, supported labor organizing, helped develop ethnic study programs and fought for compensation for Japanese concentration camp survivors. Yuri was present at some of the most iconic moments of the liberation struggle; she was at the Audubon Ballroom listening to Malcolm X speak when he was murdered-Yuri famously rushed to the stage and held his head as he lay dying crying out, "please, Malcolm! Please, Malcolm! Stay alive!" In 1977, the Young Lords famously occupied the Statue of Liberty and laid the Puerto Rican flag across it-Yuri was there. After the 9/11 attacks in New York City, she organized against the racial profiling of Arab Americans, Muslims and the South Asian community. Yuri is one of the founding members of Asians for Mumia, in solidarity with imprisoned former Black Panther, Mumia Abu-Jamal -Yuri was known to sign her Christmas cards with "free Mumia". Yuri unapologetically supported radical, anti-imperial groups around the world who challenged injustice. She is an example of true solidarity amongst marginalized peoples, and her intersectional activism should be mirrored by all.

5. Tilsa Tsuchiya

Tilsa Tsuchiya was a Japanese-Peruvian-Chinese artist famous for her paintings and prints based on Peruvian mythological legends and folklore. Her father was a doctor who immigrated to Perú from Japan, and her mother was of Peruvian and Chinese ancestry. She was drawn to artistic expressions at an early age and began her career as an artist by drawing pictures; she would eventually study at the Escuela Nacional Superior Autónoma de Bellas Artes (National Superior Autonomous School of Fine Arts) in Lima. Her father passed away in the middle of her studies, and her mother just two years later. After the death of her mother, she left school and opened a framing shop with her brother. She would return to school a few years later, studying under prestigious Peruvian artists such as Carlos Quizpez Asín and Manuel Zapata Orihuela. Tsuchiya stood out amongst her classmates due to her creativity. She won a gold medal for painting while in university and graduated with honors. She would continue her studies in France where she expanded her expertise from painting to engraving and printmaking. While her work was deeply influenced by Peruvian mythological legends, she also used her art to push gender narratives and expressions of female sexuality. She is hailed as one of the most influential and celebrated Peruvian artists.

6. Philip Vera Cruz

Philip Vera Cruz was a Filipino leader in the Asian American Movement, a farmworker and a leader in the labor movement. He also organized alongside César Chávez and fellow Filipino labor leader, Larry Itliong. Born in the Philippines in 1904, Vera Cruz moved to the United States in 1926 where he eventually became a farmworker. Farm work in the U.S. at the time was nearly slave labor, and most jobs were held by Filipino workers. Laborers worked ten-hour days for seventy cents per hour in grueling 110-degree heat. They lived on filthy labor camps with outdoor showers, kitchens that were infested with roaches and mosquitoes and toilets so filled with feces that they were nearly impossible to use. Laborers had very little rights on the job, no access to benefits nor healthcare provided to them. Vera Cruz picked grapes, lettuce and harvested asparagus. He joined his first strike in 1948, organized by Filipino farmworkers who worked in asparagus fields. This strike would inspire Filipino laborers across California, and it was one of the acts that sparked the entire farm labor movement in the United States. Filipino workers began to organize all over the state and Vera Cruz would lead chapters in his local unions. While most people associate the Delano Grape Strikes with Mexican Americans and César Chávez, they were started by Filipino-American workers, of which Vera Cruz was one of the early organizers. Filipino workers decided to merge their unions with those of Mexican Americans, creating the now-famous United Farm Workers (UWF). Vera Cruz would serve as the second vice president of the union, and he also served on the managing board. Vera Cruz stayed radical his entire life, fighting for workers' rights and inspiring college students to fight for the underrepresented.

7. junko Tabei

Junko Tabei was a Japanese mountaineer and the first woman to reach the top of Mt. Everest. She was also the first woman to climb the highest peak on every continent. She founded the Joshi-Tohan Club, which was a women-only mountaineering club in Japan-the first of its kind. She wanted to create a space for women in Japan to discover climbing, and as a way to combat the discrimination she had encountered in all-male climbing groups. Tabei refused to take corporate sponsors and funded all her own trips. She funded her climbs through tutoring children in English, accepting paid public appearances and leading mountain climbing tours. She was also an avid environmentalist whose postgraduate studies focused on the degradation of Mt. Everest due to the waste left behind from climbing tourism. Tabei revolutionized the ideals of who a Japanese woman, wife and mother could be. By the end of her life in 2016, she had scaled 70 mountains, many of which were some of the highest in the world.

9. Queen Velu Nachiyar

Velu Nachiyar was a Tamil queen from India who fought against the invading British and their colonial power. Known as the "brave woman", she was born in 1730 as a princess into the Ramnad kingdom. She was the only child of her parents and was raised as if she was a male heir who would one day rule the kingdom. Queen Velu was trained in martial arts, horse riding, war weapons and archery. She became a scholar of foreign languages and spoke fluent Urdu, English and French, along with her native Tamil. She married the king of Sivagangai, with whom she had a daughter, and they ruled the kingdom for more than twenty years. Their kingdom was eventually attacked by the British and her husband killed-Queen Velu and her daughter fled for their lives. After the king's death, Velu took to battle to avenge his murder and to fight back against the colonial oppressors. She formed an army and built alliances with other kingdoms within India to attack the British. One of her closest allies was the sultan of Moysore, whom she impressed by her fluency in Urdu. This friendship led her to more allies who helped her build a powerful army to attack the British. The sultan provided her with a 400 pound salary per month, she was revered as a queen while in exile and was given 5000 calvary and 5000 infantry soldiers to help in her quest of destroying the British, along with plenty of weapons for the battle. In 1780, Velu learned the location of a British weapons storehouse; she arraigned a suicide attack against the storehouse to destroy the weapons. A woman named Kuyili, who was a commander in the army and adoptive daughter of Velu, doused her body in ghee, set herself on fire and then jumped in the armory, blowing it up. This was a devastating blow to the British and a huge victory for Queen Velu. The queen's second adoptive daughter, Udaiyaal, also destroyed a British arsenal in a separate suicide attack-Velu would create a women's army and named it after Udaiyaal. Queen Velu recaptured Sivaganga and is one of the few royals to regain their kingdoms from the British. She ruled for ten more years and at her death left the throne to her biological daughter, Vellacci.

10. Cecil Rajendra

Cecil Rajendra is a Malaysian poet, human rights activists and lawyer. Commonly referred to as the "lawyer-poet", he has spent decades providing legal aid for the poor, pushing to make Malaysia's justice system work for all and writing poetry-his writing is comprised of complex themes such as human rights, environmental concerns and repressive laws. In 1980, Rajendra and friends set up a free legal aid clinic in a little wooden shack in his hometown of Penang. Many workers were confronting sexual harassment, inadequate working conditions, poor housing and even weren't receiving payments for their labor. Rajendra also spearheaded the movement against Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allowed persons to be held without official criminal charges or trials under specific circumstances as defined in Malaysian law. He created the first mobile legal aid clinic in the country, giving citizens the opportunity to learn about their legal rights. In 2019, Rajendra won the International Bar Association's pro bono award for his groundbreaking work on behalf of Malaysia's most underrepresented citizens. He is also the author of over 25 books, and his poems have been published in over 50 countries.

13. the Polynesian Panther party

The Polynesian Panthers were a liberation activist group that fought for Polynesian and Māori empowerment in New Zealand. Inspired by the Black Power movement in the United States, along with Māori protests within the country, inner city youth in Auckland were emboldened to stand against capitalism and to fight for visibility. Auckland's urban areas were filled with Pacific Islander immigrants, and their Kiwi-born children, who were subjected to police brutality, faced harsh discrimination, disenfranchisement and were constantly called racial slurs-"Black bastards" and "dumb coconuts" were often yelled at young Tongan and Samoan boys. Poverty was rampant, and the lack of opportunities and access to quality education was taking a toll on the new generation of Kiwi-born Pacific Islanders. The undocumented in the community lived in fear of dawn raids where police raided mostly Polynesian homes in the early morning, targeting those who may have overstayed their visas. Founded in 1971 by Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Vaughan Sanft, Eddie Williams and Will 'Ilolahia, the Polynesian Panthers members were made up of university students, high schoolers and former gang members. They stood against the exploitative nature of capitalism and believed that overthrowing its system was one of the most fundamental paths toward liberation. The group joined the anti-Vietnam War movement, created after school homework help programs in their communities, ran food co-ops and promoted Polynesian languages and visibility in mainstream New Zealand culture; the group also advocated for tenets' rights and fought against slumlords renting in Polynesian communities. Brown Pacific Islander boys couldn't ride their bikes in their neighborhoods without being stopped by the police; they were constantly harassed as police demanded to see their IDs and passports. Those who did not carry them were immediately jailed until a passport was produced. In response, the Polynesian Panthers created the Police Investigation Group (PIG) to monitor the location of police officers and the community and their harassment. They also successfully petitioned to get stoplights placed in their neighborhoods as many Polynesian children were being killed while trying to cross the streets. The group worked closely with Māori activists and stood in solidarity with the oppressed peoples around the world. They are also credited with founding the Pacific Resource Centre, and the fruits of their radical labor are still seen throughout the country today.

14. Arlen Siu

Arlen Sui was a Chinese-Nicaraguan revolutionary icon. She was born in 1955 to a Chinese immigrant father and a Nicaraguan mother. She joined the Sandinista movement when she was 18 years old. Sui was a talented singer, songwriter and musician who played multiple instruments-she loved poetry. She authored the poem, Rural María, which tells the story of poor, suffering mothers in rural Nicaragua. The poem has since been turned into a song sang by varying artists in Latin America. Her concerts on the university campus were often under watch of the national guard, who placed snipers around the university to monitor political activity. Siu also authored many feminist writings that have become widely read and admired in the country. She fought for women to have political importance within the Sandinistas and would eventually be killed at 20 years old in an ambush by national guard. She is hailed as a martyr and one of the first women killed in the revolutionary movement.

15. Adrian Cola Rienzi

In 1833, the British government abolished slavery but still had a fully functioning colonial empire that thrived off the exploitation of its colonies around the globe. With sugar, tropical fruits and other products still in demand, the British, French and Dutch turned to India and indentured servanthood to replace slave labor-they simply exchanged one slave system for another. Colonies such as Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago received the largest number of Indian indentured servants in the Western Hemisphere; between 1835 and 1918, nearly 342,000 Indians arrived in Guyana and 144,000 in Trinidad. Many stayed in the area and created their own unique Indo-Caribbean cultures. Adrian Cola Rienez was an Indo-Trinidadian politician, trade unionist and activist who fought on behalf of marginalized workers and also advocated for religious equality for Trinidad's Hindi and Muslim populations within a system that favored Christianity. Born as Krishna Deonarine in 1905, Rienzi attended law school in England; there he was exposed to anti-imperialism work from Irish classmates and became passionate about the global anti-imperialist fight. He built a friendship with the Indian trade unionist, Shapurji Saklatvala, while living in London, and had close ties with the Universal Negro Improvement Association and the Irish Republican Congress. Rienzi returned to Trinidad and dedicated himself to labor unions, founding various ones on the island. He was the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Trade Union council and founded the Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union along with the Oil Fields Workers' Union. Rienzi worked relentlessly to improve the plight of the Indo-Trinidadian; he fought for the legal recognition of Muslim and Hindu marriages on the island, the religious right of cremation and the founding of Hindu and Muslim schools.

16. Anna May wong

Anna May Wong, born Wong Liu Tsong, was the first Asian-American movie star. Born in Los Angeles, California, Wong grew up near Chinatown but was sucked into the dream of becoming a film star at an early age. She gave herself the stage name "Anna May Wong" when she was eleven-years-old. Wong and her family lived in a racially diverse neighborhood and were, surprisingly, allowed to attend public school. They faced extreme racial attacks from other students. Wong described their experience as follows, "we tried to walk unconcernedly home from school, always with a larger and larger crowd of our tormentors around us shouting, 'ch*nk, ch*nk, Chinaman. ch*nk, ch*nk, Chinaman.' Yanking our 'pigtails' as they called our straight black braids of hair. Pushing us off the sidewalk into the street. Pinching us. Slapping us...every day was one of torture for us." At the age of 14, Wong decided to try out for her first movie role and was cast as an extra. She would eventually land more prominent roles that typecast her as "exotic" and a "temptress"-perpetuating stereotypes of Asian women, but they were the only roles available to her. Wong also became a notable and an intricate part of the Hollywood fashion and social scene; she grew a fan base for her work, but extreme racism within the entertainment industry prevented her from ever landing a lead role. There were also strict anti-race mixing laws that kept her from sharing on-screen kiss scenes with male leads, who were all white at the time. In an attempt to create her own stories, Wong started a production company that would never take off due to the corruption of her business partner. She persistently pursued the lead role in , a story that centered around Chinese characters, and the part was given to a white actress who played the role in Brown face-Wong was offered a supporting role of a "scheming girl" which she turned down in protest against negative stereotypes. Like many Black actresses of her day, Wong became overwhelmed by the racism and discrimination in Hollywood and left the United States for Europe where she had a successful stage career.

17. Gidra zine Staff

In the 1960s, university campuses around the world were set ablaze by activism for change, anti-war protests and students of color embracing their ethnic identities like never before. Asian Americans were extremely active on the political scene in the United States, debunking all myths of being the silent minorities lurking in the shadows. Built on a coalition of Black and Brown students, Asian Americans were in the front lines of the 1968 protests demanding ethnic studies programs on university campuses. They were arrested alongside Black, Latino and Native American students, and they protested in radical ways across campuses, causing social disruption. The term "Asian American" had just been coined, and Asian-American students were demanding that their voices were heard and their histories taught. They were angry, organized, radical and reaching back deep into their ethic roots and identities. They were not orientals, but Asians loud and proud. In 1969, a group of radical Asian-American students at UCLA created the first Asian-centered radical zine, Gidra-named after a dragon in the Godzilla movie. The publication centered on activism, radical politics, justice and the gentrification of Asian neighborhoods. Its contributors were labor activists, historians and others who were involved in the movement. Gidra addressed controversial issues: they were heavily involved in the anti-Vietnam War movement, they struggled for Asian visibility, supported anti-imperialist and anti-capitalism world views and stood in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

18. Queen Liliʻuokalani

Liliʻuokalani, born Lydia Kamakaaeha, was the queen and last ruling monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. She was the first and only queen to rule the Hawaiian islands, reigning from 1891 until they were seized and stolen by the imperial government of the United States of America. Liliʻuokalani ascended to the throne in 1891 after the death of her brother. By the time she would rule, much of the monarchy's power had been dissolved by a new constitution that favored mostly white wealthy landowners and elite businessmen who resided on the island. In the 1800s, pineapple and sugar production in Hawaii was a booming business; much of the wealth and production was owned by white, U.S. businessmen who were constantly at odds with the Hawaiian monarchy and wanted Hawaiʻi to become a part of the United States to protect their financial interests. When Liliʻuokalani's brother, David, was king, he was forced at gunpoint by white militia to sign the Bayonet Constitution; it not only limited the monarchy's power, but also stated that only Hawaiian and white men who were wealthy had the ability to vote. When Liliʻuokalani became queen, she rejected the new "constitution" and proposed her own that restored full power to the Hawaiian monarchy and voting rights for the poor. The audacity of her demands angered the white elite, and they decided that she must be overthrown-a coup d'état was soon in order. Led by the U.S. government and Sanford Dole, of the Dole Food Company, warships came to the shores of Hawaiʻi along with U.S. troops and removed Liliʻuokalani by force; she surrendered knowing that her kingdom was outnumbered. Dole was named the first president of the "Republic of Hawaiʻi", and it eventually became the 50th U.S. state. Queen Liliʻuokalani was arrested after a failed insurrection to restore her to the throne. She was found guilty and sentenced to hard prison labor and fined $5,000. In exchange for a "pardon" for her and her supporters, she reluctantly "yielded" to the U.S. government. Queen Liliʻuokalani remained defiant and demanded a free Kingdom of Hawaiʻi until her death. She was also a gifted songwriter with over 150 songs to her credit, including the famous .

19. Kapitan Pattimura

Kapitan Pattimura was an Indonesian hero, famous for his battles against Dutch colonizers. Born in 1783, Pattimura was of Ambonese origin from the Maluku region of Indonesia. The Dutch have a brutal and oppressive legacy in the Indonesian islands; Pattimura's home island was no exception to these injustices, and racism. Although the island was predominately Christian, the Dutch did not allow Maluku clergymen to receive a salary. After the Dutch re-captured Maluku from the British, Pattimura forged an armed rebellion against the Dutch, fearing that they would continue to limit resources and opportunities to his people. On May 16, 1817, he led a band of rebels and overtook Fort Duurstede, the center of Dutch rule on the island. Pattimura and his army, which included women, killed the residents and fought off Dutch reinforcement. He is held as a Maluku legend and a national Indonesian freedom fighter.

20. Grace lee Boggs

Born in Providence, Rhode Island to Chinese immigrants, Grace Lee Boggs was a radical Chinese American activist, author, philosopher and civil rights leader. Boggs received a PhD in philosophy and poured over the writings of revolutionary thinkers such as Karl Marx; she even translated portions of his works from German to English for the first time. This would lead her on a lifelong quest for critical thinking and challenging ideas. After her studies, Lee Boggs was unable to find work due to her race; she was often told by prospective employers that they didn't hire "orientals". She eventually moved to Chicago to take a position at the University of Chicago's library, and this is where she began her work in activism by fighting for tenants' rights. She joined the Worker's Party and would eventually become a prominent figure in the Detroit Black Power movement and would marry Black activist, James Boggs. Lee Boggs was so involved in the movement, that she's referred to as "Afro Chinese" in her FBI file. She was present at the famous March on Washington and dedicated herself to cross-cultural activism. Lee Boggs and her husband were amongst the founders of the organization National Organization for an American Revolution (ROAR), she also authored multiple books, one of her last at the age of 95 titled Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century.

21.Vue Pa Chay

Vue Pa Chay was a Hmong revolutionary hero who led his people in a revolt against French colonization in South East Asia-the region was known then as French Indochina. To fund the expenses of WWI, the French began to impose heavy taxes on the countries of Indochina; the Hmong people, who were marginalized within the region, paid the heaviest burden. One of the tax demands of the French government was opium, and the governments within Indochina put extreme burdens on Hmong people to fulfill the demand. When unable to pay, tax collectors would confiscate livestock and other possessions. Some families were forced to sell their own children to produce tax money and many committed suicide due to the pressures. Orphaned as a child, Chay was raised by relatives in a Hmong village in Northwestern Vietnam, near the border of China. He would eventually marry, have a child and claim that God called him to liberate the Hmong people from Tai and French oppressors; he would do outrageous acts to prove this calling such as making balls of cotton explode. Many began to reverence Chay, and his reputation grew. He began to build a coalition of Hmong nationalists throughout Vietnam, Lao and China, with the aim of organizing a rebellion against the French. While French-sympathizing Hmong considered Chay a madman, Hmong nationalists regarded him as a messiah figure who would restore them to their own kingdom. As the numbers began to grow, the movement became self-sustained with Hmong-made weapons and ammunition. Chay and his soldiers began attacking and won many battles as the French were ill-prepared to fight in the jungle. The French would eventually attempt to squash the rebellion by hiring mercenaries to kill Chay; he was executed and the mercenaries each paid 500 bars of silver. Chay's bravery and passion for independence inspired the governments of Vietnam and Lao to name a military squadron after him.

23. Xanana Gusmão

Xanana Gusmão is an independence leader and politician from East Timor who served as the country's first president and fourth prime minister respectively. He was an active member of (Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor), a group committed to abolishing the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. In 1975, the Portuguese left East Timor after over 400 years of colonial rule; nine days later, Indonesian forces invaded that island nation. Gusmão was at the forefront of the resistance, spending days walking throughout various villages recruiting soldiers and gathering support from the community. Gusmão would soon use the international media as a means to draw attention to their struggle and inform the world of atrocities such as the massacre of Santa Cruz -the shooting of over 250 pro-independence protestors. Gusmão was eventually arrested and sentenced to life in prison. The sentence was reduced to 20 years, and he was placed under house arrest in 1999. Gusmão was able to aid in negotiations with the Indonesian government that eventually led to an independent East Timor.

24. Sushma Shimkhada

Sushma Shimkhada was a revolutionary Nepalese sculptor, known for her stunning and creative works. Born in 1936, Shimkhada is hailed as Nepal's first female sculptor, and was a rebel-feminist and ahead of her time. Entering the sculpting scene as a woman anywhere in the world took courage, but attempting to break into the scene in her native Nepal was a particularly daunting task due to cultural gender expectations and the fact that it was a male-dominated space. She proposed radical feminist ideals through her art, with a special focus on the power of the womb as the center of all creation. The womb was a sacred place that birthed creativity and every woman could reach deep into its divine power. She used her work as a medium of Hindu feminism long before anyone was ready to hear her message. While Shimkhada faced discrimination and hardships in her journey as a female sculptor in a male-dominated profession, she would eventually find recognition, win awards for her work and hold international exhibitions.

25. Yellow Pearl

Many are not aware that Asian Americans were active in the 1960s and 1970s political art scene. From poets to visual artists, filmmakers and musicians, Asian Americans led their radical voices through the arts. Yellow Pearl was an Asian-American folk group known for its political messages calling for civil rights, racial solidarity and Asian American visibility and empowerment. The group was founded by Chris Kando Iijima, Charlie Chin and Nobuko JoAnne Miyamoto-three Asian-American artists who became known on the activism scene for their politically-charged lyrics and melodic sounds. Based in New York City, the group wrote songs about the Asian experience in the United States, spoke against global imperialism and preformed before multiethnic crowds. They lent their voices to Black and Latino radical communities, and Miyatmoto would befriend fellow Japanese American activist, Yuri Kochiyama, while performing at a Black nationalists event. Their album, A Grain of Sand: Music for the Struggle by Asians in America, touched on themes of identity struggle, along with racial solidarity amongst oppressed peoples. The song, Somos Asiaticos (We are Asians) was written and performed in Spanish to show unity with the Latino communities in NYC, highlighting the common struggles between peoples of color in the United States. With songs like Imperialism is Another Word for Hunger, Wandering Chinaman and We Are the Children, Yellow Pearl was the radical voice of a generation.

26. Women of the North Vietnamese Army
*Sexual violence trigger warning
War is traumatic and should never be fetishized nor romanticized; war is especially brutal on women and children as they are often subjected to rape, sexual assault and slavery during these times. The United States' inequitable military attacks on the sovereign nation of Vietnam, and its surrounding countries, have left indelible scars throughout South East Asia. The U.S. narrative of Vietnamese women during the war normally consists of portrayals of them as sexually-charged prostitutes, desperately seeking U.S. soldiers for green cards to "escape" from communism. When in reality, U.S. servicemen often violently sexually assaulted, raped and brutalized Vietnamese women. What is rarely told are the stories of the women who, while facing paralyzing traumas as war tore through their land, chose to stand up and fight against an imperial oppressor. North Vietnam was under the communist leadership of Ho Chi Minh, and the area had transformed the lives of women through social and economic empowerment. The North Vietnamese government had outlawed child marriages, spousal abuse and forced marriages. The government also put an emphasis on women working in the industrial industry and outside of traditional cultural gender roles, which frowned upon women working outside of the home. Thousands of women in North Vietnam volunteered to join the Viet Cong to protect their country, and they were respected comrades in the anti-imperial struggle. Viet Cong women participated in active combat, shot down U.S. military airplanes, laid boobytraps, were spies, drove trucks and managed the Ho Chi Minh Trail -ensuring that supplies, weapons and food were transferred to fellow soldiers. The countless women who served in the North Vietnamese army aided in their country's victory over the United States government.

27. the tape family

70 years before the Brown v. Board of Education case famously led to the end of legal segregation by race in schools across the United States, two Chinese immigrants fought for their daughter's right to attend elementary school in San Francisco. Mary and Joseph Tape were from China and came to the U.S. as unaccompanied minors. California has a very dark history of brutal anti-Asian discrimination and policies, and Chinese immigrants in particular suffered profusely under harsh anti-Chinese laws and propaganda. Mary and Joseph adapted to the culture, were able to obtain a middle-class lifestyle and had three children whom they wanted to attend school. In 1880, California passed legislation that guaranteed free, public education to all children, yet Chinese children in San Francisco were denied access to public schools and were forced to attend mission-run schools in Chinatown. The Tape family wanted their daughter, Mamie, to attend a public school in their neighborhood, but she was denied enrollment. Subsequently, they hired a lawyer to fight their case. Tape v. Hurly was the landmark case brought before the Superior Court and argued that being denied access to the school of her choice was in violation of the 1880 law, and it also violated Mamie's rights as a U.S. citizen under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The school board would use the "separate but equal" doctrine of the U.S. South to justify their denial of Mamie's enrollment, and it urged the state to commission separate public schools for children of Chinese ancestry. The school superintendent wrote a letter to the state assembly warning that if they didn't approve separate public schools for Chinese students, that white schools would be "...inundated with 'Mongolians.' Trouble will follow." The Tape family lost their appeal and Mamie was denied access to the school in her neighborhood. Despite the outcome of the case, the Tape family's anti-school segregation fight laid the groundwork for future anti-segregation cases in the nation.

28. Ryu Gwan-sun

* Sexual assault, rape and violence against women trigger warning.

Ryu Gwan-Sun was a teenage, Korean revolutionary hero and intricate figure in Korea's independence from Japanese occupation. In 1919, political groups disbanded by the Japanese, along with Christians, teachers and students, began to organize for a free Korea. They met in secret, wrote their own declaration of independence and planned public demonstrations of resistance. On March 1st, the first public gathering took place and demonstrators marched through the streets of Seoul reading their demands out loud and shouting "long live Korean independence!" One of the protesters present at the March 1st uprising was the young Ryu Gwan-Sun-a student from rural Korea studying in the capital. Students and teachers throughout Seoul joined independence demonstrations and many of them were arrested. To squash the uprisings, the Governor-General of Korea canceled school. Gwan-Sun returned to her village where she worked tirelessly to organize and recruit her family and neighbors in the independence movement. She went door-to-door encouraging local villagers to fight against the occupation; she handed out Korean flags, which were outlawed by the Japanese government, and helped plan demonstrations with residents from surrounding areas. Gwan-Sun organized an independence rally at Awunae Marketplace that over 2,000 people from surrounding towns attended. Gwan-Sun, her parents and protestors marched, non-violently while crying out "long live Korean independence!" Soon after, the police arrived and responded with brutal force; shots were fired and many were arrested. Gwan-Sun was one of the detained and both her parents were killed by police gunfire that day. Sent to Seoul for trial, she was offered a lighter sentence to turn in movement leaders-she refused. She was sentenced to a women's prison where female inmates were violently tortured, raped and sexually assaulted. Gwan-Sun herself suffered this violence as occupying forces demanded the locations and safe houses and independence movement collaborators. Despite the torture, Gwan-Sun continued to rebelliously defy Japanese colonial rule and called for an independent Korea and organized her fellow inmates to resist againt the Japanese. Gwan-Sun eventually died from the impact of torture and malnutrition around the age of 19, but remains a heroine of the Korean independence movement and the anti-colonial struggle.

29. Wifredo Lam

Wifredo Lam was a world-renowned Afro-Chinese Cuban artist, who built his career around reviving the Afro-Cuban spirit through art. Lam's father was a Chinese immigrant and his mother an Afro-Cuban. His artistic interests took him to Spain, where he studied under Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y Zaragoza-Salvador Dalí's teacher. His years in Spain led him to a friendship with Pablo Picasso and other famous European painters of the era; he also spent time living in France, where he was an intricate part of the thriving art community. Upon returning to Cuba, Lam began reaching deep into his African heritage, creating figures in his work that fused human and plant elements-influences that came from African poetry and culture. In solidarity with the Cuban Revolution, he gifted a painting for the presidential palace that currently hangs in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana. Lam's work can be found in fine art museums all over the world and he held hundreds of exhibits in his lifetime.

30. Haunani-kay Trask

Haunani-Kay Trask is an Indigenous Hawaiian educator, activist, Hawaiian nationalist, author, poet, filmmaker and all-around badass. Born in 1949 to a politically active family, many of whom advocated for Hawaiian statehood, Trask has dedicated her life to advocating for a free and independent Hawaiʻi and to keeping Hawaiian culture alive while brutalized under imperial rule. Trask became heavily involved in the anti-Vietnam War movement while studying at the University of Wisconsin, and she became an active supporter of the Black Panther Party while studying at the University of Chicago. It was during her university studies that she made the connection to the symbiotic relationship that racism and capitalism share, and how the system exploits marginalized communities across the globe. Trask has worked tirelessly advocating for Hawaiian sovereignty, has participated in, and organized, protests for land rights. Trask famously confronted white male anthropologists who claimed expertise on Hawaiian culture and politics and spent years teaching at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa on the subjects of Polynesian women, political movements in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands. She is a founding member of the Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the university and has written numerous books. Trask anchored and produced First Friday, a monthly public television show highlighting cultural and political issues that impact Native Hawaiians. In 2019, she was awarded the Angela Y. Davis Prize for her work in education, activism and the arts.

"we are not American! We will die as Hawaiians!"

Speech by Haunani-kay Trask

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Tagged: Chinese radicals, AAPI heritage month, black homeschool families, Latino homeschool family, radical homeschool, asian artists

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30 Revolutionary Asians And Pacific Islanders To Celebrate For AAPI Heritage Month - Negra Bohemian

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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. AAPI heritage month is a celebration of the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in U.S. society and culture; most often these lists are made up of AAPI doctors, scientists and those holding positions within the U.S.

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Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage: People

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Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage: People

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Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage: People - Telling All Americans' Stories (U.S. National Park Service)

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Tags: asian american asian american and pacific islander heritage asian american and pacific islander history asian american history asian american heritage pacific islander history asian americans pacific islanders filipino filipino heritage hawaiian guam history chinese american history chinese history japanese american japanese american history korean american history korean

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Author Biography

Cathleen D. Cahill is an associate professor of history at Penn State University. She is a social historian who explores the everyday experiences of ordinary people, primarily women. She focuses on women's working and political lives, asking how identities such as race, nationality, class, and age have shaped them. She is also interested in the connections generated by women's movements for work, play, and politics, and how mapping those movements reveal women in surprising and unexpected places. Her first book, Federal Fathers and Mothers: A Social History of the United States Indian Service, 1869-1932 (University of North Carolina Press, 2011), won the Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award and was a finalist for the David J. Weber and Bill Clements Book Prize. Her most recent book, Recasting the Vote: How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement (University of North Carolina Press, Fall 2020) follows the lead of feminist scholars of color calling for alternative "genealogies of feminism." It is a collective biography of six suffragists -- Yankton Dakota Sioux author and activist Gertrude Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša); Wisconsin Oneida writer Laura Cornelius Kellogg; Turtle Mountain Chippewa and French lawyer Marie Bottineau Baldwin; African-American poet and clubwoman Carrie Williams Clifford; Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, the first Chinese woman in the United States to earn her PhD ; and New Mexican Hispana politician and writer Nina Otero Warren -- both before and after the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. She also serves on the advisory committee for the National Votes for Women Trail and is the steering committee chair of the Coalition for Western Women's History.

Footnotes
[1] "Suffragists Feel Like Going to China," New York Daily Tribune, March 23, 1912.

[2] Mabel Lee. "The Meaning of Woman's Suffrage." Chinese Student Monthly (May 12, 1914), 526-31.

DuBois, Ellen Carol. "Woman Suffrage: The View from the Pacific." Pacific Historical Review 69 no. 4 (November 2000): 539-551.

Edwards, Louise P. Gender, Politics, and Democracy: Women's Suffrage in China. Stanford, California: Stanford UP, 2008.

Cahill, Cathleen D. Recasting the Vote: How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 2020.

"Chinese Girl Wants to Vote: Miss Lee Ready to Enter Barnard, to Ride in Suffrage Parade." New York Tribune. April 13, 1912.

Lee, Mabel. "China's Submerged Half." C. 1915. Unpublished Speech. Files in First Chinese Baptist Church ("FCBC").

Lee, Mabel. "The Meaning of Woman's Suffrage," The Chinese Students' Monthly (May 12, 1914), 526-531.

" Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office Dedication Ceremony." New York news in USPS News, November 28, 2018, accessed March 30, 2020.

National Park Service. " Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee." U.S. Department of the Interior, March 5, 2020.

Schuessler, Jennifer. " The Complex History of the Women's Suffrage Movement." The New York Times. August 15, 2019.

" Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote." The Library of Congress. June 4, 2019.

"Suffragists Feel Like Going to China," New York Daily Tribune, March 23, 1912.

Tseng, Timothy. "Unbinding Their Souls: Chinese Protestant Women in Twentieth-Century America." In Women and 20th Century Protestantism, edited by Margaret Lamberts Bendroth and Virginia Lieson Brereton, 136-63. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2002.

Wing, D. " The Story of Tien Fu Wu: Rescued Slave, Human Rights Advocate and Translator for Justice." Flickr, accessed March 30, 2020.

Yung, Judy. UnBound Feet: A Social History of Chinese Women in San Francisco. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995.

Yung, Ed. Judy. Unbound Voices: A Documentary History of Chinese Women in San Francisco. University of California Press, 1999.

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Mabel Ping-Hua Lee: How Chinese-American Women Helped Shape the Suffrage Movement (U.S. National Park Service)

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Author Biography Cathleen D. Cahill is an associate professor of history at Penn State University. She is a social historian who explores the everyday experiences of ordinary people, primarily women. She focuses on women's working and political lives, asking how identities such as race, nationality, class, and age have shaped them.

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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Featured Places

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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Featured Places

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Parks

The NPS preserves a variety of places commemorating America's multi-faceted history. The NPS preserves cultural resources, such as buildings, landscapes, archeological sites, and museum collections. They serve as tangible evidence of our collective past.

to find more of all Americans' stories.

Manzanar National Historic Site: In 1942, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 men, women, and children to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II.

National Park of American Samoa: The Samoan culture is Polynesia's oldest. We believe the first people of the Samoan Islands came by sea from southwest Asia some 3,000 years ago. Over the centuries, distinct cultural traits emerged that we now call fa'asamoa(fah-ah-SAH-mo-ah).

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai'i : Is located three miles north of Kailua-Kona on the Island of Hawai'i. The park preserves and interprets the site of the ancient Hawaiian Honokohau Settlement and its fishponds (Loko i`a) and fishtrap. The area within the 1,160 acre Park was, at one time, a thriving ancient Hawaiian settlement that supported a large population of both maka'ainana (commoner) and ali'i(chief).

Golden Spike National Historic Site, Utah: May 10, 1869 the Union and Central Pacific Railroads joined their rails at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory and forged the destiny of a nation. Golden Spike National Historic Site shares the stories of the people and settings that define the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad. Chinese men were an essential part of the labor force that built the railroad.

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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Featured Places - Telling All Americans' Stories (U.S. National Park Service)

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The NPS preserves a variety of places commemorating America's multi-faceted history. The NPS preserves cultural resources, such as buildings, landscapes, archeological sites, and museum collections. They serve as tangible evidence of our collective past. to find more of all Americans' stories.

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In 1968, These Activists Coined the Term 'Asian American'-And Helped Shape Decades of Advocacy

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Before that point, people of Asian descent in the U.S. would generally refer to themselves by their specific ethnic subgroup, and activism was likewise separate

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Do you have suggestions or feedback? Fill out the form below.

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Do you have suggestions or feedback? Fill out the form below.

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Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events.

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Native American/American Indian History Month

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Native American/American Indian History Month

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Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Monththis 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.

More than 40 Films are available on WORLD Channel through your local PBS Station this May. Take a look and check your local listings for air times.If you miss them on TV (or they're not avilable in your area), come back to watch many programs online.

China's first global art star is pushing the boundaries of freedom. How far can he go?

We meet Cambodian artist Sopheap Pich and receive the assignment to make an imprint.

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Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Monththis 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. More than 40 Films are available on WORLD Channel through your local PBS Station this May.

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Two cooks visiting China to find out about their food culture!

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Follow two well known Californian chefs, Jessica and Laurence (Rising Star Chef award recipients) to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, as they taste and lear...

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Thursday Kitchen female chef cooks up Korean style Spanish tapas | Neighborhood Treats

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12 Books to Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific...

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Check out these books featuring AANHPI characters, writers, or illustrators. These stories are perfect to read during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and...

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These stories recommended by Asian American children's book authors make excellent conversation starters about different cultures and the importance of respecting others.

Studies show reading fosters empathy. However, a 2019 study published in The Frontiers of Psychology showed that reading alone isn't enough. The types of books matter, too. The study found that children's books help develop empathy the most when children read about and identify with characters dissimilar to themselves. Not to mention, it's also equally important for children to see themselves in the books they read.

But despite overwhelming research that reading diverse books is vital for fostering confident, empathetic kids, Asian American stories and other minority stories are still underpublished. According to The Cooperative Children's Book Center 2019 children's book survey, only 8.7 percent of children's books published in 2019 contained Asian or Asian American main characters. Meanwhile, 41.8 percent contained white main characters, and 29.2 percent contained animal main characters.

"Fear and misunderstanding of people who aren't like ourselves can have tragic and heartbreaking consequences, as we've seen recently with the rise in violence against Asians and Asian Americans," explains Asian American children's book author Andrea Wang. "Learning about different cultures fosters empathy and understanding, leading to a more just and peaceful world."

"The more stories kids read," author Mượn Thị Văn adds, "and the greater the variety of stories, the more kids will understand that life is not about me vs. you, or us vs. them. It's about you and me, and all of us together, because we're fundamentally the same, and everyone and everything affects everyone else and everything else."

Books alone cannot do the work of raising empathic children. The conversations parents and educators have about diversity as well as the actions they take toward others are just as important. But books are a great tool to have in your back pocket.

To help you diversify your library, we chatted with Wang and Văn, along with authors Hope Lim and Joanna Ho to create this collection of kid's books that depict Asian children coming to America. Within these picture books and middle grade stories, characters learn to make delicious foods from their heritage, embrace their bodies, and more, making them an amazing place to start when it comes to learning about the Asian American culture.
To learn more about the crucial conversations we need to have with our children about anti-Asian violence, check out this article for Asian families about how to address racism during the pandemic, as well as this one about how to talk to children about anti-Asian violence.

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15 Asian American Children's Books to Read As a Family Right Now

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These stories recommended by Asian American children's book authors make excellent conversation starters about different cultures and the importance of respecting others. Studies show reading fosters empathy. However, a 2019 study published in The Frontiers of Psychology showed that reading alone isn't enough. The types of books matter, too.

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Korean Delicacy San-nakji (Live octopus)

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Korean Delicacy San-nakji (Live octopus)

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Ask Ghadi!

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May Is Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the U.S. It's a great time to teach kids about these cultures, and what an important role they play in our nation's story.

Here are ideas.

1. Get out the globe to explore the geography of Asia and the Pacific Islands.

If you don't have an actual globe at home, go online! With Google Maps, your child can take a 3D "walk" through different places. Use Google Earth to "visit" historic locations.

Need a guide? Keep in mind that the term "Asian-Pacific" encompasses a wide array of cultures and geographies.

All of the Asian continent: This includes about 50 countries - from China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines to (in South Asia) India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.

Melanesia: New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands

Micronesia: Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia

Polynesia: New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and Easter Island

How many places can your child find on their own? (How many can you?) Which have they heard of?

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2. Take a deeper dive with AAPI heritage sites.

Check out the National Park Service's AAPI Heritage website, which makes it easy for you and your child to virtually explore parks, memorials, and historic sites around the country and U.S. territories that honor extraordinary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

3. Read a children's book featuring Asian characters, written by Asian authors, or illustrated by Asian artists.

There are lots of great book lists out there: In addition to your friendly local librarian, PBS.org has a list of recommendations, and so does the School Library Journal and Reading Rockets. Social Justice Books breaks down categories for early childhood, upper elementary, young adult and adult readers. You can check most of them out from the library. (Note: Many libraries are offering curbside pick-up during COVID-19.)

4. Learn about traditional Asian and Pacific Island music and instruments.

Do some research with your child at your local library or online, and prepare to be inspired. Here are a few YouTube videos to get you started.

5. Check out AAPI art museums and exhibits.

Lots of museums offer virtual gallery tours, like the Asian Art Museum and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art.

6. Try different Asian and Pacific Islander recipes.

Get your child involved in researching and preparing simple dishes based on an Asian or Pacific Island favorites, from Samoan coconut rolls to Vietnamese chicken salad.

7. Get creative with kid-friendly art that honors Asian and Pacific Islander traditions.

A few ideas? Make tissue-paper lei, watch a YouTube tutorial to learn how to dance the Hula or Tinikling, or use LEGOs to recreate famous architecture.

From planning your itinerary to making a memory book to document all the fun you're having, Connecticut Children's developmental pediatrician Robert Keder, MD, shares all the ideas your family needs for an exciting vacation... right from home.
Related Links

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8 Ways to Celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month With Kids

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May Is Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the U.S. It's a great time to teach kids about these cultures, and what an important role they play in our nation's story. Here are ideas.

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https://www.ywcampls.org/all-our-voices-blog/20-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-women-to-know/

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During May, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we are recognizing and uplifting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women whose leadership, innovation and creativity have made and continue to make vast contributions to our history. Read on and learn the names and stories of 20 AAPI women to know and celebrate.

We use the term "women" in this blog and also acknowledge and validate the spectrum of gender identification and the breadth of language used by and among women/womyn/womxn/femmes.

Here's to honoring amazing, accomplished women during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!
Learn More about YWCA Racial Justice and Public Policy

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20 Asian American and Pacific Islander Women to Know | YWCA

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During May, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we are recognizing and uplifting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women whose leadership, innovation and creativity have made and continue to make vast contributions to our history. Read on and learn the names and stories of 20 AAPI women to know and celebrate.

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Although Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month is in May, there's nothing stopping you from reading Asian American YA books all year round.

Last year, I took part in a reading challenge where I chose to read as many books by Asian authors as possible and it allowed me to read and discover so many new books by Asian American authors or featuring Asian American protagonists.

If you're looking to expand your TBR with some Asian American YA novels this year then here's a round up of 20 books to get you started!

by Gloria Chao

Seventeen-year-old Mei's life has already been mapped out by her parents. She's set to become a doctor (despite falling asleep in her biology classes) and marry a Taiwanese boy, despite having a crush on her not-so-Taiwanese classmate, Darren. When Mei reconnects with her estranged brother, she starts to wonder if keeping these secrets is really worth it. But can she find a way to finally be herself and tell her parents the truth? Gloria Chao is also the author of Our Wayward Fate and the upcoming Rent A Boyfriend.

Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

It's 1989 and Reza has just moved to New York City with his mother, terrified that someone will find out his secret. Despite being gay, he soon starts dating Judy, whose best friend Art is the only out and proud teen at their school, documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs. But as Reza grows closer to them both, he struggles to find a way out of his deception that won't break Judy's heart and destroy the most meaningful friendships he's ever known.

Mariam Sharma Hits The Road by Sheba Karim

When a scandalous photo of her friend Ghaz is made public, Mariam comes up with a genius plan to rescue her from her furious parents. Embark on a road trip with their friend Umar and escape New Orleans. So the three friends pile into a car and start driving, making all sorts of pit stops along the way. And though each mile brings them closer to their own truths, they know they can rely on their friendship, and laughter, to get them through it. Sheba Karim is also the author of That Thing We Call A Heart and Skunk Girl.

by S.K. Ali

After Zayneb is suspended for confronting an Islamophobic teacher, she heads to her aunt's house is Doha for a much-needed break. While waiting for her flight, her path crosses with Adam. Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the same illness that took his mother's life, he's been trying to keep it together for his grieving family, locking away his thoughts in writing. Told in alternating journal entries, this is a love story of marvels and oddities and what happens when the two collide. S.K. Ali is also the author of Saints and Misfits.

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma

Winnie Mehta's fate is written in the stars. A pundit once predicted that she'd find the love of her life before her 18th birthday. So when she breaks up with her boyfriend Raj, who fits all of the criteria, she begins questioning the truth of the prophecy. Set to take back control of her story, she enlists the help of a fellow Bollywood film geek to pursue her dream of attending film school. Dev is smart and charming and not at all written in her horoscope but Winnie finds herself drawn to him anyway. And soon enough, her perfectly scripted life reaches its climax. The question is: will she get a happy ending?

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi

Sana Khan is an overachiever: a straight-A student, always determined to win. Her nemesis, Rachel Recht, is an aspiring director, obsessed with making movies. As she's casting her senior film project, she finds the perfect lead in Sana, who once asked her out and she's despised ever since. Told in alternative viewpoints, the novel follows these two strong-willed women as they navigate their feelings and fall for each other despite their past, and themselves. Aminah Mae Safi is also the author of Not The Girls You're Looking For.

by Emily X.R. Pan

When Leigh's mother dies by suicide, she travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time, determined to also find her mother who she's certain turned into a bird. Instead, she ends up finding herself: chasing ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents while dealing with her grief and guilt of not being there when her mother was taking her own life.

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Frank Li is caught between two worlds: that of his parents' traditional expectations versus his Southern Californian upbringing. So when he goes against his parents' wishes and falls for a non-Korean girl, he starts fake-dating his classmate Joy, who is in a similar predicament, just to keep them happy. At first, it's the perfect plan. But it quickly turns into something more, leaving Frank to wonder if he ever really understood love, or himself, at all.

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana's perfectly monitored life is turned upside down when her conservative Muslim parents catch her kissing her girlfriend, Ariana. Without risking anyone in the Bengali community finding out, her parents schedule a trip to Bangladesh where Rukhsana is thrown headfirst into a world of arranged marriages and a culture that's far detached from her life in Seattle. But finding comfort in her grandmother's diary and words eventually leads to her finding the courage to fight for her love and stand up for herself, regardless of her parents' wishes. Sabina Khan is also the author of the upcoming Zara Hossain Is Here.

by Sandhya Menon

Dimple Shah is looking forward to attending a summer program for aspiring web developers, mostly to get away from her parents' obsession with finding her the 'Ideal Indian Husband'. If only she knew why they were really letting her go. When she meets Rishi Patel, a hopeless romantic who prefers to do things the traditional way, things don't exactly start off on the right note. But no matter how much their personalities clash, they're still drawn to each other in the most unexpected ways, just as their parents planned. Sandhya Menon is also the author of There's Something About Sweetie, From Twinkle, With Love and the upcoming 10 Things I Hate About Pinky.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

The first book in a trilogy, and now hit Netflix romcom, this is the story of Lara Jean Song Covey who writes love letters to all her crushes and hides them in a hat box so they can never be found, or read. That is, until she's confronted by one of her crushes and realises that her letters have somehow been sent out. But as she comes face to face in embarrassment with each recipient, she soon realises that something good may come out of it after all. Lara Jean's story continues in P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, Lara Jean.

Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Seventeen-year-old Maya is torn between being the perfect Indian daughter by attending a college close to home, or following her dreams and her heart of attending film school in New York City and pursuing a boy her parents would definitely not approve of. But there are also other matters beyond her control. Like the aftermath of a horrific crime that turns her community upside down and forces her to finally find the strength to determine who she is and where she belongs. Samira Ahmed is also the author of Internment and the upcoming Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know.

by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kiko Himura has always struggled with anxiety, preferring to keep her head down to focus on getting into her dream art school that will truly turn her life around. But when her application is rejected and her abusive uncle moves back in with her family, home is the last place she wants to be. So she jumps at the opportunity to tour art schools on the west coast with her childhood friend, Jamie. Free from her toxic home life, she comes to terms with life-changing truths about herself and discovers how to be brave despite her fears. Akemi Dawn Bowman is also the author of Summer Bird Blue.

I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

Desi Lee is the perfect student on paper, with her sights set on Stanford, but she's hopeless when it comes to romance. So when Luca Drakos walks into her life, she resorts to getting dating advice from the Korean dramas her father watches in order to pursue him. But what begins as fun and games quickly turns into something serious as she discovers that there's more to real love than just drama. Maurene Goo is also the author of Somewhere Only We Know and The Way You Make Me Feel.

A Match Made In Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai

Fifteen-year-old Simran comes from a long line of Indian matchmakers. When she accidentally sets up her cousin and a soon-to-be lawyer, her family is thrilled that she has what it takes to get into the business. Except, she doesn't want anything to do with relationships and family drama. Still, when she ends up creating a matchmaking app and helps connect a wallflower of a girl with the star of the soccer team, she creates the drama: turning the high school hierarchy topsy-turvy and making herself the public enemy.

by Randy Ribay

When Jay hears the news that his cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs in the Philippines, and no one in his family will acknowledge or talk about it, he travels to his home country to find out what really happened. But the more he uncovers about Jun's death, the more complicated it all seems and the more he's forced to come to terms with the fact that he might have played a part in it.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

In this historical YA novel, 17-year-old Jo Kuan is a maid working for one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta by day and the anonymous author of a newspaper advice column by night. But the popularity of 'Dear Miss Sweetie' doesn't come without backlash. As her opponents become more intent on uncovering her secret identity, Jo embarks on a quest of her own to discover the truth about her past and the parents who abandoned her. Stacey Lee is also the author of Under A Painted Sky and Outrun the Moon.

Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khoram

Darius Kellner is about to take his first-ever trip to Iran, except he can't speak the language and knows very little about the culture. But at least he gets to know his grandparents for the first time, meets the rest of his family, and finds friendship in Sohrab, the boy next door who makes him feel like he belongs. Sohrab even calls him Darioush, the original Persian version of his name. But when it's finally time to go home, can Darius find a way to be himself all on his own?

by Abigail Hing Wen

Eighteen-year-old Ever Wong's parents send her from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin for the summer, among the very over-achieving kids and Yale-bound prodigies that her parents have always wanted her to be. Except, the program is actually an infamous teen meet-market nicknamed Loveboat, where the kids are more into clubbing than culture. Free from her parents' strict rules for the first time in her life, how far will Ever go to break them?

You Bring The Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

This novel is told in alternating points of view across three generations and five voices of one Indian American family: from a grandmother worried that her children are losing their Indian identity to a daughter wrapped up in a forbidden biracial love affair to a social-activist granddaughter fighting to preserve Bengali tigers. This sweeping story truly captures the immigrant experience and what it means to be both Indian and American.

For more Asian American YA books, check out Parachutes by Kelly Yang in May and More Than Just A Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood in August. You can also check out this round-up of Asian American YA protagonists.

Don't forget to tell us about your favourite Asian American YA books on Twitter and Facebook!

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20 Best Asian American YA Books To Read In 2020

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Although Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month is in May, there's nothing stopping you from reading Asian American YA books all year round. Last year, I took part in a reading challenge where I chose to read as many books by Asian authors as possible and it allowed me to read and discover so many new books by Asian American authors or featuring Asian American protagonists.

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Explore Buddhist temples, curio shops and dim sum palaces.

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Address

460 Rockbridge Rd NW, Lilburn, GA 30047
Modified Hours and Information:
Due to the on-going Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and to ensure the safety of all visitors, congregants and volunteers, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is currently closed to the public. Please visit their website for updated information on the re-opening date.
Metro Atlanta's most spectacular, cultural, arts, and spiritual highlight is also open for tours. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is the largest Hindu Mandir (temple) in the United States. Visitors can tour the Mandir. Open to one and all, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated in August of 2007 after only 17 months of construction time utilizing 1.3 million volunteer hours. The Mandir is comprised of Turkish limestone, Italian marble, and Indian pink sandstone. More than 34,000 individual stone pieces were carved by hand in India, shipped to the USA, and assembled in Lilburn like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The Mandir is completely etched with intricate carvings, depicting a mosaic of tales of inspiration, devotion, and historic figures from Hinduism.

Enjoy hours of beauty, peace, and discovery at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn - a masterpiece of exquisite Indian design and workmanship. Marvel at the intricate marble carvings, participate in Hindu rituals or learn about the world's oldest living faith - Hinduism. Whatever you prefer, you are welcome to visit.

For Individuals & Families:

The Mandir is open to all and entry is free. Individuals and families are not required to book their visit in advance. Visiting hours are from 9am to 6pm daily with the best times to visit being from 9am to 12pm and 3:30pm to 6pm. Visitors are also welcome to participate in a traditional Hindu ritual known as Arti which takes place at 11:15am each day. Audio tours are available in multiple languages in the Mandir Gift & Book Shop.

Guided Tours for Schools and Groups Visit:

Schools and groups are welcome to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. A guided tour of the Mandir is provided by volunteer tour guides to groups of 10+ people with advanced reservations Monday thru Saturday.

Helpful Tips:

Modest dress code required - NO shorts or skirts above the knee, NO tank tops or sleeveless tops.

Photography for personal use maybe taken from ground level outside the Mandir only. No photography or video inside the Mandir. Professional photography or photo sessions with any photography gear are not permitted.

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Explore Gwinnett | BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Hindu Temple)

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Address 460 Rockbridge Rd NW, Lilburn, GA 30047 Modified Hours and Information: Due to the on-going Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and to ensure the safety of all visitors, congregants and volunteers, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is currently closed to the public. Please visit their website for updated information on the re-opening date.

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https://time.com/5949026/asian-authors-reading-list/

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12 Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month - Google Arts & Culture

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Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by exploring the history, arts, and culture of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States

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Asian Pacific American Cultures - Google Arts & Culture

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Explore stories and artworks across Asian Pacific American Cultures