May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and NES is proud to recognize the invaluable contributions of these communities.
This observance was originally established in 1977 and started out as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.” In 1992, the weeklong celebration turned into a month. The month of May was chosen due to two significant events − the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the U.S. on May 7, 1843 and the final spike for the transcontinental railroad track was embedded on May 19, 1869 and Chinese workers were at the forefront of that labor.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 25 million people in the U.S. identified as Asian in 2022, representing various ethnicities. The largest groups were Chinese (5.5 million), Asian Indian (4.9 million) and Filipino (4.5 million). Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders totaled 1.8 million.
This AANHPI month, take a step beyond celebration and invest in real change. Here are some ways to take action:
- Volunteer with a local organization uplifting AANHPI voices and building power in your city or state.
- Donate to organizations doing year-round work to protect the rights, cultures and policies that move AANHPI communities forward.
Click here for information on several AANHPI events happening around Nashville this month.
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