Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Announcement
May 1, 2024
Dear Brandeis Community,
During the month of May, we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and it provides an opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history, culture, and achievements of the U.S. It is also a time to honor the diverse cultures of the AAPI community as part of the fabric of American society. Moreover, we would like to raise our awareness about the experiences and challenges faced by the AAPI community, including discrimination, racism, and xenophobia. This is even more important today as we see continuing acts of violence and hate for various underrepresented groups and populations.
This monthly observance started out as Asian Pacific Heritage Week in the late 1970s. The choice of May was significant as it marked the anniversary of the first-known immigration of Japanese people to the United States in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, which was built largely by Chinese immigrant laborers. Over time, the week-long celebration evolved into a month-long observance, and in 1992, the official name was changed to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Since then, it has been recognized and celebrated annually in May, not just in the United States but also in other countries with significant AAPI populations.
At Brandeis, we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month as part of our commitment to fostering a welcoming community. Our university was founded in 1948 by the American Jewish community at a time when Jews and others were discriminated against – which is why diversity and inclusion is so important to our identity today. For more information about the evolution of AAPI studies and engagement, please visit the AAPI Timeline, which is one project in a series produced by students to preserve the histories of people of color at Brandeis, and featured on the Black Space Portal. Learn about the activities of the Brandeis Asian American Student Association (BAASA), the Third World Coalition, and the work to establish Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Studies at Brandeis. This project also features ten issues of the Eastern Tide literary magazine, which was one of the more prolific student organization publications. The timeline was researched and written by Ellie Tang Kleiman '21 and built by Khadija Tirmazi '23 and Maggie McNeely - University Archivist.
In addition, please note that our Intercultural Center student clubs actively promote culture, food, and learning opportunities throughout the year and these affinity groups include: Brandeis Asian American Student Association, Brandeis Chinese Cultural Connection, Brandeis Korean Student Association, Club Cantonese at Brandeis, Japanese Student Association, South Asian Student Association, Southeast Asia Club, Taiwanese Student Association, Vietnamese Student Association.
We also encourage you to explore the following programs celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences in the Boston area:
Min Jin Lee: Writing and the Korean Wave
Thursday, May 2, 2024
7:00 p.m.
The Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lectures – MFA Boston
“Take an in-depth look at what inspires award-winning author Min Jin Lee. Known for her bestselling novels Free Food for Millionaires (2007) and Pachinko (2017), Lee uses her fiction to explore the intersections of race, ethnicity, immigration, class, religion, gender, and identity of diasporic people.”
Legends of Shiva
Sunday, May 5, 2024
4 p.m.
Regis College Fine Arts Center, Weston, MA
Chhandika presents "Legends of Shiva," exploring mythical stories through Kathak dance.
Tales of Zen and Now with Motoko
Thursday, May 23, 2024
7 p.m.
Robbins Library, Arlington, MA
“Award-winning Japanese storyteller Motoko regales her audience with hilarious tales from her old country, Japan, as well as poignant personal stories from her childhood in Osaka and her experiences as an immigrant to the US.”
Join us in honoring and celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to show our support for one another as well as the rich diversity of our Brandeis community.
In solidarity,
Aida Yuen Wong
Head of the Division of the Creative Arts
Nathan Cummings and Robert B. and Beatrice C. Mayer Chair in Fine Arts
Professor of Fine Arts and East Asian Studies
LeManuel Lee Bitsóí
Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Associate Research Professor of Health: Science, Society and Policy