May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI). It’s a special time to celebrate this remarkable community. Join us in honoring AANHPI Heritage Month this May!
There’s a lot to get excited about for this year’s programming. From dance parties to music performances to crafts and more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
“I appreciate the efforts and thoughts put into making AANHPI communities feel included and valued,” says Library Assistant Trang Oliver. “Seeing and hearing people excited about the events and celebrations around town and at the library brings me joy.”
The AANHPI community is rich and diverse, with around 50 different cultures speaking over 100 languages. Every May, we celebrate our community members who trace their heritage to a vast region, including China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, India, Cambodia, Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Native Hawaii and many more countries.
“AANHPI Heritage Month means a lot to me,” says Water Berry, program specialist at Multnomah Health Department. Berry has partnered with the library in the past for community events. “[It] brings people together, to allow time to reflect. AANHPI involves many communities, cultures and traditions ... We are not alone but together.”
The library is proud to work with different organizations in the community to celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month far and wide. Find our programming at different libraries as well as at Oregon Rises Above Hate on May 3. If you’re there, stop by our table and say hi!
Sophia Shiozawa, a mobility specialist at Ride Connection, helps seniors and people with disabilities who speak English as a second language access transportation resources. In the past, she’s helped patrons attend celebrations like AANHPI Heritage Month, Lunar New Year and more. When speaking about AANHPI Heritage Month with the library, she said, “I came to America 30 years ago as an international student, and assumed knowing English was necessary. Now you’re not forced to learn. There are people who are still very comfortable using their own language. . . . This is different compared to 30 years ago. I think that Portland is a different environment that I’m proud to live in.”
The library can support you year-round with computers, job searches, learning English, citizenship classes, reading recommendations and more. We have staff ready to help — just reach out.
“If you want to honor the month, do research, look up some organizations, learn a bit about them and donate to them. It would be really great if folks celebrated this month by taking care of the AANHPI community. Honor them, lift them up and maybe pamper them a little bit,” says Kittie Kong, a senior coordinator in community engagement at Trimet. “And please read a book by an AANHPI author. You can go to the library — they have beautiful reading lists.”
Check out one of our recommended books:
- Adult reads
- Teen picks
- Nonfiction for kids in grades K - 8
- Fiction for kids in grades K - 3 and grades 4 - 6
- Picture books for preschool and early elementary ages
“I deeply appreciate learning about the many remarkable AANHPI individuals who have enriched our societies through their contributions to science, technology, entertainment and beyond,” says Mid-County Regional Librarian Toan Lam-Sullivan.
Join us in celebrating and honoring AANHPI Heritage Month!
Reading lists
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawai'ian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: books for adults
Every May we celebrate Americans who trace their heritage to a vast region: China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia, Native Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, Guam, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. Here you'll find fiction, poetry, memoir and nonfiction by American authors from this rich diaspora.
AANHPI on Screen and Behind the Scenes
Celebrating the brilliance of AANHPI directors and cast.
庆祝: 亚裔美国人、夏威夷原住民及太平洋岛民 (AANHPI) 传统月
1977年美国政府宣布每年五月为 "亚裔美国人、夏威夷原住民及太平洋岛民(AANHPI) 传统月"。 本书单展示着我们多元的文化、独特的经历，和不同的才华。
AANHPI Heritage Month | Tháng Di sản người Mỹ gốc châu Á, người bản địa quần đảo Hawaii và Thái Bình Dương
AANHPI stands for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander, a term used to collectively describe people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage in the United States. This month-long celebration, observed in May, recognizes the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to the United States. The books in this list are written by Vietnamese authors.
AANHPI viết tắt và dùng để mô tả những người có di sản Người Mỹ gốc châu Á, Người bản địa Hawaii và Người dân đảo Thái Bình Dương tại Hoa Kỳ. Lễ kỷ niệm kéo dài trong tháng 5. Lễ nhằm ghi nhận lịch sử, văn hóa và đóng góp đa dạng của Người AANHPI cho Hoa Kỳ. Những quyển sách trong danh sách này do tác giả người Việt sáng tác.
Read more|đọc thêm at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/books-by-vietnamese-authors/
