Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month honors and commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. It was first introduced in 1977 as a week-long event, and it was later extended to a month-long celebration in 1990.
AAPI Heritage Month is an important time to celebrate the achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States and educate others about AAPI culture and history.
“When you learn something from people, or from a culture, you accept it as a gift, and it is your lifelong commitment to preserve it and build on it.”― Yo-Yo Ma Share on XWhen is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month?
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is celebrated in May. This month is dedicated to celebrating the cultures, traditions, and histories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. During this month, we reflect on the tremendous contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made and also remember the challenges that they have faced and continue to face.
We celebrate their resilience and strength, and we reaffirm our commitment to standing with them.
Free BONUS: Download the 11 Diversity & Inclusion Statistics That Will Change How You Do Business. If your leadership team or key stakeholders need a bit of a nudge, this fact sheet showcases some of the most compelling D&I statistics around.
How do you celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at work?
1 Educate coworkers and colleagues about AAPI culture and history. This can be done through lunch and learns or presentations.
2 Share your own AAPI culture with your coworkers. This can be done through food, music, dance, or art.
3 Recognize AAPI achievements in your workplace. This can be done through awards ceremonies, recognition programs, or articles in the company newsletter. This is a great way to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace which will also increase AAPI employee satisfaction and retention.
4 Support AAPI charities or causes during AAPI Heritage Month. This can include donating money or time to organizations that support AAPI individuals and communities.
5 Attend AAPI cultural events in your community. This can be done as a group or as an individual.
We have compiled a list of ideas and activities for celebrating AAPI Month in the workplace. These activities are engaging and fun, promote employee engagement and happiness, and also allow colleagues to learn more about the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout history.
So, let’s take a look at the 15 best ideas and activities for celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at work!
15 Ideas for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
1) Learn about AAPI History & Culture with Trivia
A fun way to learn about AAPI history and culture is through trivia games. Trivia can be used as a great icebreaker or a team building activity for work. It can also be used to start a conversation about AAPI heritage and culture.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: Whether it’s about the first Japanese immigrants, Chinese immigrants, or Pacific heritage in general, this online group game is a great opportunity to educate team members about the many different Asian American and Pacific Islander traditions, cultures, and prominent figures.
How to get started: Enjoy this fun and interactive Virtual AAPI Trivia from the team at Confetti.
2) Virtual Museum Tour
Looking for something different to do this AAPI heritage month? How about taking a virtual museum tour to learn about AAPI history? Several museums around the country offer online tours, and many of them have exhibits specifically devoted to AAPI history and culture. So take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn more about the AAPI experience.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: This is a great way to celebrate Asian Americans’ and Pacific Islanders’ heritage at work, or from home. You can learn about the contributions of AAPI Americans to the arts, sciences, politics, and more.
How to get started: Take advantage of this unique Virtual Museum Tour to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
3) Send gifts that support AAPI-owned businesses
How about using AAPI-founded brands for gift-giving? There’s nothing more genuine than supporting AAPI-owned businesses through patronage to showcase your interest in supporting the cause.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: This gesture sends a message of inclusion to AAPI businesses, acknowledging their importance within the business community. In addition, by promoting AAPI-powered gifts, you’re promoting openness and the acceptance of communities that are different from your own.
How to get started: Check out AAPI-founded brands available on Goody for some ideas or explore their platform to send gifts easily and securely.
4) Bring in a speaker (in the office or virtually)
AAPI Month is the perfect time to bring in speakers (like Jessica Chen, for example) who can provide their unique perspectives on the AAPI community and their achievements while showcasing and celebrating unique elements of their culture.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: Inviting AAPI speakers to speak at your forums highlights your commitment to diversity and inclusion. It helps the AAPI community get more representation from a business perspective and allows them to voice their unique perspectives and challenges. It also shows your AAPI employees that they are respected and valued team members.
How to get started: Research AAPI persons of interest online. LinkedIn is a great place to start. Invite them to speak in honor of AAPI month for your business.
5) Host a wellness workshop
AAPI Month is the perfect time to share indigenous healing and wellness practices unique to the AAPI cultural landscape. Aside from the promotion of AAPI health practices, it’s also a great way to support alternative healing practices and help them become more mainstream.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: The AAPI community can face unique mental and physical health challenges that such wellness workshops can help unpack. Such workshops help normalize conversations around these topics while encouraging more people from the AAPI community to come forward and get help.
AAPI-focused wellness workshops are also a great way to highlight the contribution and benefits of indigenous health and wellness practices like Yoga, Tai Chi, and other lesser-known practices.
How to get started: Read more about planning a wellness workshop with this PDF guide or let a wellness coach host one for you with an AAPI Wellness Class.
6) Support AAPI Founded Businesses In Your Community
One way to support the AAPI community is by purchasing from AAPI-owned businesses. When you shop at or buy from AAPI businesses, you’re not only supporting the business owner, but also the employees and their families. This helps promote AAPI entrepreneurship and economic growth.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: When you encourage AAPI businesses, you show your support for the hard-working entrepreneurs who have committed to serving their community. You also send a message that diversity is important to you and that you value cultural experiences.
How to get started: Feel good about snacking while also giving back to AAPI-led businesses and non-profit organizations such as Stop AAPI Hate, Feeding America, The Trevor Project, Equal Justice Initiative, and Girls Who Code with this employee care package.
7) Promote any events happening in May for employees to attend
There may be events in your area that are being hosted where you can attend and learn more about AAPI culture and heritage. Promote these events to your employees so they are aware of what is happening in the community. If you have any AAPI employees, see if they would be interested in leading a discussion or giving a presentation on their culture and heritage.
Pro-Tip: You can promote these events on your company’s Slack account or create a dedicated AAPI Heritage Month channel where employees can post about in-person or virtual events they are attending.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: This is a great way to get everyone involved and learn more about the AAPI community. Having AAPI employees, coworkers or colleagues lead discussions or give presentations about AAPI heritage month will educate others about AAPI contributions and influential figures who have made an impact in American history.’
How to get started: Check out some of the events that are taking place in your city. Here’s how AAPI Heritage Month is being celebrated in Los Angeles this year.
8) Host A Culture Day
AAPI Heritage Month is a great time to learn more about the many diverse cultures and traditions that make up the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Host a culture day at your workplace where everyone can come together and celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. Have employees participate in activities such as sharing their favorite traditional music, or even teaching others how to do traditional dances.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: This will allow employees to connect with each other through cultural exchange and understanding. It’s also an opportunity for employees to learn more about different cultures while having some fun!
How to get started: Discuss the different activities you want to include, recruit staff members to help organize and lead the event, and advertise it within your company.
9) Stock Your Kitchen With AAPI Founded Snack Brands
AAPI Month is the perfect time to celebrate AAPI-owned businesses – and what’s a better way to do that than by stocking your workplace kitchen with snacks from various AAPI snack brands? Not only will you be supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned enterprises, but you’ll also be getting some delicious Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and many other snacks and food that are inspired by Asian cultures.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: This gesture sends a message of inclusion to AAPI employees and colleagues, letting them know that they are valued and considered part of the company. In addition, by stocking the shelves with AAPI snacks, you are creating an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to try new things and learn more about different cultures.
How to get started: Promote inclusion, diversity, and wellness while enjoying delicious snacks with this Snack box.
10) Offer Professional Development Opportunities
AAPI Heritage Month is an excellent time for businesses to offer professional development opportunities geared toward AAPI employees. This includes workshops on leadership skills as well as career-specific training such as resume-building and interview techniques. Offering these kinds of resources will give AAPI employees the chance to grow their skills and be better equipped for future job opportunities.
How this idea supports AAPI Heritage Month: Professional development workshops are a great way to show AAPI employees that your company is invested in their success and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to reach their goals.
How to get started: Research different professional development programs that fit the needs of your organization and budget. and plan out when these workshops will take place, what topics they should cover, and how long each session will be.
5 Activities for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
11) Learn to cook a new cuisine
One of the best ways to learn about a new culture is through its food. A great way to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month is by learning to cook a new cuisine. You can find recipes online or in cookbooks written by AAPI authors. If you have any AAPI friends or coworkers, ask them for their favorite recipes and cooking tips.
How this activity supports AAPI Heritage Month: This is a great way to promote cultural awareness and understanding through food. By learning to cook a new cuisine, you will be able to learn more about the culture and traditions behind it.
How to get started: Check out these interactive virtual cooking classes…
12) Celebrate AAPI Art
During AAPI Heritage Month, take some time to celebrate Asian art and artists. You can visit your local museum or art gallery, or look online to find virtual museums or exhibitions of Asian art.
How this activity supports AAPI Heritage Month: In-person and online exhibitions showcase the beauty and diversity of Asian art, from ancient sculptures to contemporary installations. This is an excellent activity to celebrate AAPI Heritage month with colleagues, promote team engagement, boost AAPI employees’ morale and motivate them.
How to get started: Whether you’re looking for a quick cultural fix or a deeper dive into the history and meaning of AAP, the Virtual Museum Storytelling Tour about Asian art has got you covered.
13) Choose a book club book celebrating an author with AAPI Heritage
This AAPI Heritage Month, why not select a book club book that celebrates an author with AAPI heritage? There are many great books written by AAPI authors that you can choose from. This is a great way to learn about new cultures and perspectives and to promote AAPI Heritage Month.
How this activity supports AAPI Heritage Month: Doing so is a great way to learn more about the AAPI experience and to show solidarity with the AAPI community. There are many fantastic AAPI authors out there, so you’re sure to find a book that everyone in your book club will enjoy.
How to get started: These are just a few of the wonderful AAPI-themed books out there. So whether you’re looking for a heartwarming story or an insightful exploration of culture and identity, there’s sure to be a book to celebrate AAPI heritage month!
Here are some potential literary options you and your coworkers can choose from:
- Displacement by Kiku Hughes
- The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
- The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
- Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri
- Fairest by Meredith Talusan
14) Listen to innovative Asian American podcasts
This AAPI Heritage Month, listen to some innovative Asian American podcasts. There are many great podcasts out there that feature AAPI voices and stories. This is a great way to expand your knowledge about the AAPI community.
How this activity supports AAPI Heritage Month: Listening to these podcasts can help you familiarize yourself with the AAPI community and its many perspectives. In addition, it’s a great way to support AAPI creators and amplify AAPI voices.
How to get started: Asian American podcasts
15) Donate to a community-enrichment organization to support Asian And Pacific Islander People
One great way to support AAPI Heritage Month is to donate to a community-enrichment organization that supports Asian and Pacific Islander people. There are many great organizations out there that work to promote cultural understanding and appreciation.
How this activity supports AAPI Heritage Month: By donating to an organization that supports Asian American and Pacific Islander people, you are giving back and showing your support for this community. You’ll also be helping them preserve their culture by promoting it within society.
How to get started: These are just two of the many great organizations you can support during AAPI Heritage Month.
EPIC is an organization that supports social justice through culture-based activism, leadership development, and research. It’s committed to promoting the voices of Pacific Islander leaders as well as anyone who is interested in social justice through culture-centered advocacy, leadership development, and research.
The Asian Mental Health Collective is a non-profit mental health organization that provides resources, support, and advocacy for the AAPI community. It aims to address the unique mental health needs of AAPI people and to break down the barriers that prevent them from seeking help.
People Also Ask These Questions About Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month At Work
1) What does AAPI stand for in AAPI Heritage Month?
- A: AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander. AAPI Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the culture, traditions, and history of Asian American and Pacific Islander people.
2) What are the benefits of celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at work?
- A: The benefits of celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at work are many. It can help promote cultural understanding and appreciation. It’s a great way to show support for the AAPI community, and it can also be a great opportunity to learn more about the AAPI culture and traditions and expand your knowledge about the AAPI community.
3) How do you celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at work virtually?
- A: There are a few ways in which you can celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at work virtually. One way is to host a virtual celebration or event. Another way to commemorate the month is to create dedicated content related to AAPI topics. This could be anything from blog posts and articles to webinars and podcasts. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something that your employees will appreciate and find value in.
4) What kind of activities can you plan for AAPI Heritage Month at work?
- A: You can plan several activities for AAPI Heritage Month at work. You can feature an AAPI employee or contractor in your company newsletter or blog, share statistics about Asian American businesses in your industry, invite an expert on Asian American history or culture to give lunch talks, screen a documentary about an important event in Asian American history or organize a field trip to an Asian American art museum or historical site.
