Self-Guided Learning Opportunities For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, May 2021

May marks the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month and to celebrate and show our support for this community, we’re engaging in these self-guided learning opportunities throughout the month. Join us! 

Sunday, May 2, 2021

Taiwan Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra – The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is hosting a virtual concert featuring Taiwan Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra performing Tyzen Hsiao: “The Angel from Formosa,” Yu-Shian Deng: “Bang Chhun Hong (Longing for the Spring Breeze)” (arr. by Tyzen Hsiao), Ching-Mei Lin: “Song of Reverberant Emerald,” I-Uen Wang Hwang: “Hakka Fantasy.”

Time: 9pm ET / 6pm PT

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Asian Leadership Panel Discussion – The Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce will host a panel discussion on the scarcity of Asians in Leadership roles. The panelists will share how they have been able to succeed, creating a pathway for future Asian Leaders.

Time: 3:30pm ET / 12:30pm PT

The Special Challenges of COVID-19 for Asian Americans – Boston University will host a webinar that will look at the mental health and well-being of Asian Americans, particularly during the pandemic. The group will discuss tools that can help promote success and resilience under these unusual and uncertain circumstances, and brainstorm about what you can do to help the community during this time. 

Time: 3pm ET / 12pm PT

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Saving Chinatown and Our Legacies – The National Museum of Asian Art will host a discussion that looks at questions like, why the survival of Chinese restaurants is so essential to the future of American culture and to the soul of our cities? And How do we preserve the legacy of Asian food in America, and why do these efforts matter now?

Time: 6:30pm ET / 3:30pm PT

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Smithsonian Social Studies: AAPI Heritage Month – The Smithsonian Institute will host an online exploration into key social studies topics, featuring museum resources from the Smithsonian. This episode will focus on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage 

Time: 11am ET / 8am PT

Monday, May 10 – Thursday, May 13, 2021

APAICS Legislative Leadership Summit – The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies leadership will host a three-day summit that includes discussions from subject matter experts, AAPI elected officials, community/corporate leaders on various issues affecting the AAPIs and the nation at large. 

Monday, May 10, 2021

Violence, empowerment, and allyship: The Asian experience of Asians in America – The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will host a panel discussion on how we can be allies to the AAPI community. 

Time: 7pm ET / 4pm PT

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Panel Discussion: Peace Corps, service from Asian American and Pacific Islander returned Peace Corps Volunteers – The Peace Corps will host a discussion on the challenging, rewarding, and inspirational moments from AAPI members of the Peace Corps Volunteers. 

Time: 2pm ET / 11am PT

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

WE HEREBY REFUSE Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration – The Asian American Studies Center at UCLA will host a look into Frank Abe’s new graphic novel on America’s past. Time: 12:30pm ET / 9:30am PT

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, Los Angeles to present a cooking demonstration with Sonoko Sakai – Cooking with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) invites chefs and culinary historians to teach recipes inspired by artworks at the museum. This quarter they’re partnering with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, Los Angeles to present a cooking demonstration with Sonoko Sakai, author of the award-winning cookbook Japanese Home Cooking. Learn how to make chirashi zushi (scattered sushi) and explore the theme of childhood in the exhibition Yoshitomo Nara.

Time: 9pm ET / 6pm PT

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Celebrating Asian Futures: A Musical Conversation with Vân-Ánh Võ and Friends – The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco will host a conversation on Asian musical traditions and the power of new composition with performances by artists of Vietnamese, Japanese, and Khmer heritage.\

Time: 9:30pm PT / 6:30pm PT

Ongoing opportunities to engage at your leisure:

National Parks Service

• Angel Island served as an U.S. Immigration Station, from 1910 to 1940, and processed hundreds of thousands of immigrants, the majority from China. During World War II, Japanese, and German POWs were detained at the Station before being sent to facilities farther inland.
• Places – the National Park Service strives to tell the stories of ordinary and extraordinary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders preserved in our nation’s parks, memorials, and historic sites. Check out the link to find locations in your neighborhood.

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center presents a web series, Heritage-IRL, that looks at Asian American heritage “in real life,” in progress, across a range of media and communities.