Three Things to Know…Asian American Pacific Islanders Heritage Month

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we shine a bright light on the contributions of AAPI community. Here are three things you should know

1. The AAPI community is an integral part of America’s mosaic, encompassing a wide cultural diversity

AAPI communities consist of approximately 50 ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages, with connections to Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Hmong, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Pakistani, and Hawaiian ancestries. Asia is the second-largest continent of origin for U.S. immigrants. Over 24 million individuals, accounting for 7.3% of the U.S. population, call themselves Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders. By 2055, Asian immigrants are projected to be the largest foreign-born group in the United States.

2. The AAPI community has made tremendous contributions to America’s economic growth and innovation

The community plays critical roles not only as highly skilled workers in STEM fields and in healthcare but also in the service, retail, and food industry. Recent data shows that 1.1 million Asian American businesses were owned by women whose average annual revenue was the highest among all minority-owned businesses. Moreover, AAPI households make up 7.8 percent, or $218.6 billion, of all household tax contributions in the United States

US history presents many sad examples of anti-immigrant policies, targeting Asians with systemic racism and discrimination. Be an ally, take action and raise your voice on behalf of the AAPI community!

From the “yellow peril” scare that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act in the 1880s, to the “dusky peril” attacks against South Asian workers in 1907, to internment camps for Japanese Americans in 1942, the Asian community has been subject to repeated acts of discrimination. The passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act was a turning point. Yet, Asian American continue to live many difficult experiences and are victims of hate crimes that are underreported because Asian families often seek to be model minorities. Thus, now more than ever, the AAPI community needs allies, and support to elevate their voices and contributions. Learn more at https://stopaapihate.org/

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