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.
What is our 2023 Heritage Month theme, and why?
This year, our Asian Professionals in Construction (APIC) ERG is excited to introduce our AAPI Heritage Month’s theme as “Wave,” a symbol of APIC’s transition from “awareness” to “celebrating growth,” marking the third anniversary of APIC at Gilbane.
We chose WAVE as the main symbolism for the theme because the image of a wave has long been a powerful symbol in poetry, representing a force of nature that is both beautiful and awe-inspiring. The WAVE can be applied to the idea of celebrating ongoing successes and impacts achieved by the AAPI community, as both involve the idea of continuous, ever-flowing energy that propels us forward. We believe that just as a wave builds and crests before crashing onto the shore, our successes and impacts can build over time before reaching a point of celebration and recognition. APIC dedicates 2023 to honoring the AAPI community’s success and impact and to be a reminder for us to keep moving forward while building upon our past successes.
Mentorship and the Future Growth
This year, APIC will launch a mentorship program. Our goal is for participants to give and receive mentorship, practice leadership skills, and receive guidance and perspectives in their chosen areas of interest. These areas include professional, personal, and career development in the construction industry.
We are excited to offer our members the chance to benefit from this program. Our participants will have the chance to build connections with colleagues with similar and/or different cultural backgrounds and career paths. During May, APIC is hosting weekly events focused on safety, our people, AAPI history, and AAPI heritages.
- Week 1 – Safety Week – “You Can’t Fix Mental Health with Duct Tape” Webinar
- Week 2 – APIC Leadership Coffee Chat with Tej Singh, Business Unit Leader, Gilbane Federal
- Week 3 – APIC Leadership Coffee Chat with Tuyet Le, Business Development and Strategy, West Division
- Week 4 – AAPI Heritage Month Lunch and Learn
Thank you for learning more about what we are doing at Gilbane Building Company to make an impact on our employees, clients, and our communities. Please share any best practices you are implementing across your organization in the comments section.
