News
Stories and achievements from Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
The following content first appeared on the news page while UMass Global operated under its former name of Brandman University.
May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, created by a 1992 act of Congress that expanded upon earlier commemorations that usually lasted only a week. As explained by the Library of Congress, the decision to honor Asian American and Pacific Islander histories in May recognized two key developments in American history: The May 1843 arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States and the construction of the transcontinental railroad, finished in May 1869 with credit for the heavy labor going to work crews primarily composed of immigrants from China.The Office of Equity & Inclusion is recommending several online resources to help readers learn more about Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures and histories. The selected resources also include information on opposing racism.
Learn more about Asian Americans’ and Pacific Islanders’ history:
- The Library of Congress is home to many official documents about Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
- The National Park Service’s Asian American and Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander Heritage Month page has information on a wide variety of subjects, including archaeology in the Hawaiian Islands, the building of the transcontinental railroad, Asian American fishing communities in Central California, and the confinement of Japanese Americans during World War II.
- The PBS series “Asian Americans” is available for streaming.
- Readers can access “Stories from the Veterans History Project: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander American Veterans” via Asian Pacific Heritage.gov.
Resources and support for educators and families:
- “Addressing Anti-Asian Racism with Students” is a video for teachers from edutopia.
- The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Supporting Students, Staff, and Families Impacted by Anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander Racism is a list of resources for readers seeking information on several subjects, including how parents and teachers can help children understand racism.
Additional support:
- Stop AAPI Hate is a website documenting incidents of anti-Asian crimes, enabling victims to report acts of hate and providing information on anti-discrimination law and activism.
- Responding to COVID Bullying, Bias, and Violence Against Asian Americans is Color in Colorado’s guide for educators on how to safeguard Asian American students from bullying.
- Free Bystander Intervention Training is offered by the Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles.
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