May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month! This past year, some of the hardships the AAPI community is currently facing have become more apparent. Because of this, we’d like to continue discussing what we can do to help understand and support each other with knowledge and empathy. There are a variety of ways you can recognize and learn about AAPI month through an exploration of culture, history, or cuisine. If you’re interested in learning more, we’ve compiled a short list of resources to help you start. We also encourage you to check out your local communities for organizations or events that may provide even better resources.

Support and Understanding

In the article Be an Ally, Ways to Support your Asian and Pacific Islander Colleagues, author Melanie Lei gives a brief overview of current attacks and hardships, and provides resources for mental health and support, intentional ways to take action and help, and outlines a few organizations to donate to.

The government run site Asian Pacific American Heritage is a wealth of historical information about those of Asian heritage and how individuals and groups have influenced the country. This month, they’re hosting an array of online events featuring panel discussions, lectures about AAPI history, and topics on food, as well as the environment.

The following two resources discuss the history of Asian Americans in the U.S. through a free documentary series, while the other features a set of podcasts organized into topics such as Politics, Culture & Identity, World History, and beyond.

• Asian Americans: PBS also has a free documentary series “Told through intimate personal stories, the series will cast a new lens on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played” (PBS).
• Podcast Lessons that Showcase Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Books and Recognition

• This video released by NASA for AAPI Month features speakers from all over the industry to make sure they’re recognized for the contributions they’ve made to advance science, education, and exploration.
• “From graphic novels to murder mysteries to fantasy, these books by Asian and AAPI authors will reel you in.” by Taylor Mendoza. View the curated list of 10 books to read.
• This list compiled by Penguin Random House features literary fiction, memoir, and a few genre fiction titles to invest in!