The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which celebrates the contributions and histories of individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. The terms Asian American and Pacific Islander include people with ancestry from the continent of Asia and/or the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played crucial roles in writing this country’s story, from building the Transcontinental Railroad, to advocating for labor law changes, fighting multiple wars, and many more contributions.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped this nation’s fabric while facing persistent discrimination and violence throughout U.S. history, including but not limited to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Japanese internment camps established during World War II. Asian Americans still experience discrimination and violence, and threats of violence toward them only increased during the coronavirus pandemic. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage was first recognized as a week-long event in 1978, and Congress later made it into a month-long celebration in 1992. Adams County School District 14 recognizes the great lengths and efforts that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders must undertake to be heard and seen due to systemic injustices and inequalities.
We encourage our staff and community to observe, recognize, and celebrate the culture, heritage, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our country, our state, our cities, and our schools.