Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
This May, we are honoring our members, future members, and esteemed colleagues who are part of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. While we want to focus on celebrating the myriad contributions our AAPI colleagues have made to public service, we would be remiss if we didn’t first double down on our March Statement Against AAPI Violence. We are committed to raising the voices of those within the AAPI community, spotlighting Asian American public servants, and fighting systemic barriers that have long plagued American communities.
Let’s be honest, it has been a pretty rough 14 months since the first COVID-19 Stay-At-Home orders were issued. Rhetoric that laid the blame for the pandemic on China exacerbated existing racist beliefs and anti-Asian attacks, and soon the majority of the AAPI community felt less safe. While vaccines offer the promise of a return to normalcy, it bears reiterating that the old normal wasn’t working for everyone.
While we would all like to believe that our dedication to public service, our constant desire to improve, and our genuine respect for each other is enough, the truth is, we can all do better than merely appreciating our differences every so often. The real understanding and empathy we need starts with educating ourselves. That’s why we’re providing resources for you to learn more, connect further, and do your own outreach.
So, this month:
Take some time to read about Japanese American internment camps, Executive Order 9066, and the effects of the Model Minority Myth.
Learn about the diversity within and across the AAPI community and see how the AAPI community has been part of America’s story for generations.
Read about Patsy Mink, who in 1964 became the first woman of color to become elected to the US House of Representatives, representing Hawaii’s second Congressional District.
Watch this documentary on Norman Mineta - a trailblazing official who served at the local, state, and federal levels, in the military, and was the first Asian American Cabinet secretary, leading 2 agencies and serving in both a Democratic and Republican Administration.
Consider joining the PMF Ambassadors to expand diversity in the PMF recruitment/outreach process; and,
Email us at PMF.Alums@gmail.com to volunteer stories, thoughts, suggestions for notable AAPI public servants to highlight on our blog, or just engage with us around this topic area.
Because this month isn’t just about appreciating someone’s heritage - it’s about learning how we can combine the lessons of the past with all the beautiful and disparate pieces of the present to build a better tomorrow for all of us.