AANHPI Month: Overview

May 10, 10:00-11:30 am

• Asian American Festival: Traditional Korean Games
  • Location: Central Library
  • Play traditional Korean games, such as ddakji, gonggi and jegichagi, and win delicious Korean treats at this interactive event for all ages.

May 10, 2:00-3:00pm

• Asian American Festival: Japanese Tea Ceremony
  • Location: Martin Regional Library
  • Experience a traditional Japanese matcha ceremony led by Oklahoma-based Japan native and tea master Yumie Farringer. For older elementary schoolers to adults.

​​​​May 17, 11:00am-12:00pm

• Asian American Festival: Yoga
  • Location: Peggy Helmerich Library
  • Join certified yoga instructor Manasa as she guides us through an energizing yoga flow. Mats are provided. Registration is required.

May 17, 1:30-2:15 pm

• Asian American Festival: Taiko Drumming Performance
  • Location: Rudisill Regional Library
  • Experience the thrilling rhythms of Japan. Enjoy the exhilarating energy of a powerful performance by Ohitsuji Daiko drumming group from Bailey Elementary School in Owasso.

May 27, 6:00-7:00pm

• Asian American Festival: Bollywood Dance Workshop
  • Location: Peggy Helmerich Library
  • Enjoy a live Bollywood-style dance performance by Kripalaya Dance Academy and then stay for our workshop to learn how to dance like a Bollywood star! Registration is required.

​​​​May 29, 6:00-7:00pm

• Asian American Festival: Sashiko Stitching Workshop
  • Location: Zarrow Regional Library
  • Join us for a fun, hands-on Sashiko workshop and learn the art of Japanese mending and embroidery. All materials are provided. 

The effort to officially recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions to the United States began in the late 1970s, and took over 10 years to make it a permanent month-long celebration.

In 1977, New York representative Frank Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 540, which proposed proclaiming the first 10 days of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye introduced a similar joint resolution the same year. When the resolutions did not pass, representative Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 1007 the following year, which requested the president to proclaim a week during the first 10 days of May starting in 1979, including May 7 and 10, as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.

After the House and the Senate passed the Resolution, President Jimmy Carter signed it into Public Law 95-419 on October 5, 1978. From 1980 to 1990, each president passed annual proclamations for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. In 1990, Congress expanded the observance from a week to a month. May was annually designated as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992 under the George H. W. Bush administration with the passing of Public Law 102-450. Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month was renamed as AAPI Heritage Month in 2009.

Source: History Channel

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. This year’s theme honors the hard work of AANHPI leaders who established a foundation for future generations to thrive and adapt to change and adversity. The 2025 AANHPI Heritage Month poster features bamboo as a symbol of strength, endurance, and resilience for its ability to withstand the harshest conditions. Bamboo’s solid foundation ensures it can bend with the wind and stand tall after the storm passes. The bamboo also acknowledges the colloquial “bamboo ceiling” and the cultural, organizational, and individual barriers that hinder advancement for AANHPIs in the workplace. 

Source: FAPAC

Smithsonian Events and Resources

• Explore Smithsonian events happening online and in-person and find resources, podcasts, and collection items to learn more about AANHPI contributions.

10 Influential Asian American and Pacific Islander Authors

• This is by no means an exhaustive or complete list, but we humbly suggest this selection of 10 AAPI authors. In this list, you'll find poets, journalists, novelists, essayists, and playwrights.

Lunar New Year 2025: Everything you need to know about the Year of the Snake

• BBC Bitesize spoke to Dr Xuan Wang, a senior lecturer in Chinese studies at Cardiff University, to learn more about the festival.

Explore Asian American & Pacific Islander Stories

• Asian and Pacific Islander people play a profoundly important role in American history. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history and heritage include experiences of people with cultural, religious, and linguistic traditions from India, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Hawai’i, Samoa, Tonga, among other nations from Asia and the Pacific Islands. 

Stop AAPI Hate

• Stop AAPI Hate is a U.S.-based coalition dedicated to fighting racism and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAs & PIs).We strive to advance the multiracial movement for equity and justice by raising awareness about anti-AAPI hate, working in solidarity with allied communities, and advocating for comprehensive solutions that tackle the root causes of race-based hate.