Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month
In order to celebrate during the academic year, CSUSB will be celebrating the month in April. Nationally, Asian Pacific Islander Desi Heritage Month is celebrated during the month of May. 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. Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month originated with Congress. In 1977 Reps. Frank Horton of New York introduced House Joint Resolution 540 to proclaim the first ten days in May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week. In 1992, Congress passed Public Law 102-450 which annually designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
2024 Theme: Uplifting Identities: Sharing Our History
This year, the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American Heritage Month committee seeks to celebrate different identities and histories that make up our unique experiences. Our stories encompass accomplishments, triumphs, hardships, and sacrifices that have been matched with great resilience. APIDA groups have actively fought to create roots in the United States from fighting citizenship rights, exclusion laws, labor activism, and more. In addition to calling attention to our rich history, we would also like to highlight collaboration, in which our struggles have the potential to keep us united and dismantle exclusivity. We do this by enhancing difficult conversations, highlighting storytelling, and exploring the intersections of our own identities to move better in community. On behalf of the committee, we would like to thank you for visiting our page and we hope you continue to advocate for the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American students on our campus by continuing to learn and be educated through our experiences and stories.
Sources for Further Readings and Exploration
Learning Outcomes
Participants in APIDA Heritage Month will be able to:
- Reflect on one’s own identities and experiences through learning and exploration of other APIDA-identifying folk
- Demonstrate an understanding of the social and historical contexts in which the APIDA communities exist in our society today
- Recognize storytelling as a way of resistance and survival
- Identify campus and community resources that will partner with their academic pursuits while attending CSUSB