Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month!
What is AAPI Heritage Month?
Curious about this annual celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage?May 2024 Activities
Wednesday, May 22nd - Ethnic Studies Summit
Please join us for a day of discussion and reflection on the history and impact of Ethnic Studies at De Anza. RSVP at tinyurl.com/2024DAEthnicStudies. The event will take place in the Multicultural Center from 11:30 AM - 3:20 PM.
Thursday, May 23rd - A Conversation of ‘Chinatown Rising’ With Filmmaker Josh Chuck
Saturday, May 25th - Chinatown Social Justice Walking Tour
Join us on this lively companion walking tour of the documentary film ‘Chinatown Rising’ in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Please note that transportation is not provided, but public transportation options will be coordinated. Sign up now as spots are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis (25 max). RSVP at bit.ly/asam-chinatownrising-tour. This event will take place in San Francisco Chinatown from 11 AM - 12:30 PM.
Thursday, May 30th - History Making: A Retrospective of ‘Cruisin’ J-Town’ With Filmmaker Duane Kubo
Celebrate the 1975 documentary “Cruisin’ J-Town” with former Dean of Intercultural and International Studies, Duane Kubo. In 2023, the U.S. Library of Congress selected “Cruisin J-Town” as one of 25 films to be preserved in the National Film Registry. Come hear the 50-year story of this honored film. RSVP at bit.ly/asam-cruisinjtown. This event will take place in the Multicultural Center from 12:30 PM - 2 PM.
This event is sponsored by the Film/TV Dept, CATS, ASAM Dept, APASA, JAMsj, San Jose Nikkei Resisters, Social Sciences and Humanities Dept.
What Is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month?
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
A rather broad term, Asian Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of 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) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).
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.
Learn more about the history of AAPI Heritage Month.
Previous Activities for 2023:
May 18: Boba Tea Break
Join us to learn about AAPI Heritage Month and the Asian American and Asian Studies (ASAM) program at De Anza. Enjoy a complimentary drink (one per person) and enter free prize drawings at 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (You must be present to win.)
May 18 and 25: Leadership Series With Mer Curry Nuñez
These online sessions are for anyone – students, faculty or staff – who would like to gain a better understanding of their own leadership style and strengths, as well as tips on how to lead effectively and compassionately. Meredith "Mer" Curry Nuñez is an experienced nonprofit executive and leadership consultant.
This series is sponsored by APASA, the Office of Equity, and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Center, with funding from De Anza Student Government (DASG). Questions about this series can be directed to Karen Chow at chowkaren@deanza.edu.
May 19: "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once" (Employee Screening)
APASA is offering 40 free tickets to Foothill-De Anza district employees for a private screening, followed by a discussion, of this new hit film starring Michelle Yeoh in a blend of action, comedy, science fiction and drama.
Previous Activities for 2022:
A Taste of History: Metamorphosis
A special event co-hosted by the California History Center and the Euphrat Museum of Art, featuring the renowned jazz pianist, composer and bandleader, Jon Jang. For complete details, visit the A Taste of History website.
Jang, a Palo Alto native, has a unique musical style that combines elements of jazz with traditional Asian forms inspired by both Asian American social justice struggles and the Black Arts Movement. He has performed in major concert halls and music festivals in Europe, China, Canada and the United States.
Planetarium Show: Wayfinders – Waves, Winds & Stars
In celebration of the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, APASA is sponsoring up to 15 tickets to this planetarium show.
This live-action fulldome program puts you on the deck of the voyaging canoe Hokule'a as you explore traditional Polynesian navigation. Learn how to read the stars and interpret the winds and waves to navigate without modern instruments. The film tells the story of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the recovery of the nearly lost art and science of traditional, non-instrument navigation in Hawaii.