How to Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month
AAPI Heritage Month
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AAPI Heritage Month 〰️
Written By: Chloe Kessler (Outreach and Events Manager)
May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, inviting conversations about AAPI history and inspiring celebrations of AAPI culture nationwide. The idea for AAPI month was conceived in 1976–following the United States’ bicentennial celebration–by congressional staffer Jeannie Jew. In October 1978, Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution dedicating the first ten days in the month of May to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. In 1990, George H. W. Bush signed a bill to extend Asian American Heritage Week to a month. The choice to dedicate May to AAPI heritage was inspired by the migration of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States in May 1843 and the transcontinental railroad's completion by Asian immigrants in May 1869. Since 1990, the full month of May has been dedicated to a celebration of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have shaped the history and culture of the nation.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate AAPI month in Lincoln, NE, the Asian Community and Cultural Center will throw a party at the Lancaster Event Center in honor of their 30th anniversary and AAPI Heritage Month. The festivities will include cultural exhibitions, Asian cuisine, art performances, traditional games, live music, and more. The event will take place from 1-5 pm on May 22nd, and admission is free. Complete with a Lion Dance, Indian classical dance, Japanese folk dance, Chinese martial arts, and more, the festival will honor the traditions of the multitude of cultures under the large and multifaceted AAPI umbrella.
Although attending the AAPI Heritage Month celebration is a great way to show your support for the AAPI community in Lincoln, NE, there are many ways to celebrate and uplift the AAPI community on a daily basis–both during the month of May and beyond. Lincoln is fortunate to have many AAPI-owned businesses specializing in exceptional culinary creations hailing from Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, India, and other Asian countries. Behind many of the storefronts in Lincoln are rich backstories of Asian immigrants. Saigon Plaza, near the intersection of 27th and Vine St., started as the Little Saigon Oriental Market over 20 years ago when Vietnamese immigrant Thuy Nguyen opened the store. Since then, it has expanded into the entire plaza, featuring the Pho Factory Vietnamese Restaurant and Banhwich Cafe. Pho Factory and Banhwich Cafe are great places to grab a bite to eat if you’re in the mood for traditional noodle soup, banh mi, Thai iced tea, or boba.
For fans of Chinese food, Lan House in downtown Lincoln serves homemade noodles and other traditional fares. The owner, Max Z, is from Lanzhou, China, and he wanted to create a space in Lincoln where he could serve traditional Chinese cuisine to the Chinese community in Nebraska and inspire cultural exchange. Max Z wants Lan House to be a space where diverse groups of people can gather and enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine. For those who prefer authentic Indian cuisine, The Oven offers recipes that originate from a chef who once cooked for the Royal Family of Bhutan. Ngawang Rinchen immigrated to the United States and settled in Nebraska, bringing a variety of Northern Indian–and a few Bhutanese–recipes.
While food and music-filled festivities are wonderful ways to celebrate AAPI month, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention one of our favorite ways to celebrate and ignite a cultural dialogue: books! We’ll have some of our favorite books written by Asian American authors featured on our bookshelves all month long. Whether you’re looking for a biography, Young Adult fiction, or a vegan Korean cookbook, we have something for you to celebrate AAPI month in bibliophile style.
Happy AAPI Heritage Month!
