Did you know?
AAPI Heritage Month is an annual celebration that recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States. The AAPI umbrella term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
Why do we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month?
Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed significantly to many facets of American culture and society, including science and medicine, literature and art, sports and recreation, government and politics, and activism and law.
Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have a long history in North America and the United States, despite the stereotype that they are perpetual “foreigners.” According to the “Bering Land Bridge Theory,” Asians first migrated to what is now known as North America over 15,000 years ago through a land bridge between Asia and North America. In the 16th century, Filipinos who were escaping forced labor and enslavement during the Spanish galleon trade immigrated to North America, eventually establishing a settlement in St. Malo, Louisiana in 1763. During the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, a wave of Asian immigrants came to the West Coast and provided labor for gold mines, factories, and the transcontinental railroad. In 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned Chinese immigration.
Why is May, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month?
In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. In 1990, a bill was passed by Congress to extend Asian American Heritage Week to a month. Two years later, a public law was passed by Congress to annual designate May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and the contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration that is now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
In this Moment, We Must Act
While this is a month of celebration, it’s also a critical time for reflection, awareness, and action. During the pandemic, we witnessed a staggering surge in anti-Asian hate crimes.
This year’s STAATUS Index reveals and reminds us that racism against Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has existed in American history, culture and institutions for over 150 years. Through organizations like STOP AAPI Hate, we can cast a light on these racist attacks and together, work toward healing the mistrust and misunderstandings at their root.
At Gilbane, we know that AAPI Heritage Month is more than a few weeks of celebrations. Through 2022 and beyond, we’ll continue to educate and advocate within the construction industry and in our communities. We need to continue to make strides toward ensuring all of us have the safety and support we need to flourish.
Having worked to bring people together and establishing chapters across the globe, APIC is celebrating its first anniversary in the month of May. Our global and regional leadership teams have accomplished visibility and awareness within Gilbane and the construction industry through education and events hosting. We are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with a global company lunch and learn forum, employee spotlights on their cultures and heritages, and a recipe book. Intersectionality of ERGs within Gilbane is important to amplify the voice and reach. With that in mind, APIC is partnering with empoWer and Military Advantage ERGs to deliver guest lectures during the first and last week of May. Throughout the past year APIC has hosted events locally and globally including Lunar New Year, Nowruz, luncheons, food tours, and volunteering. We look forward to continuing our mission to engage, educate, and inspire throughout this month and beyond.
