The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, also known as Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month. It celebrates the achievements, histories, and cultures that Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Desi have brought to the United States and society as a whole. The theme for this year is “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity.” 

It was first a simple week— 10 days of celebrating the communities titled ‘Asian Pacific Heritage Week.’ First conceived by Representatives Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California, along with former congressional staffer Jeanie Jew, the proposal of the week was presented to the House in June 1977. In July 1977, another bill was initiated in the Senate by Hawaiian senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga, proposing nearly the same thing. Both bills were signed by President Jimmy Carter on October 5, 1978. For years, 10 days were all that was allotted. 

In 1990, however, President George H. W. Bush signed a bill to extend the week to a month. It was declared that the following two Mays would be Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, and in 1992, it was officially an annual celebration. 

Why May? It was chosen because it celebrates two major marks on history: the completion of the transcontinental railroad, which was worked on by over 20,000 Asian American immigrants and completed on May 10, 1869, and the first documented Japanese immigrant arriving at the United States on May 7, 1843.

However, this month doesn’t just honor them, but everyone; from celebrities to activists to a person going about their day to day life, not a single person is left out. Anna May Wong, the first Asian American actress in the United States and the first Asian American woman on the quarter. Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian American to win Best Actress at the Oscar, and George Takei, famous for his role in Star Trek as Hikaru Sulu and who had lived in an U.S. internment camp. 

Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai’i who tried everything in her power to keep her land and her people safe. Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, one of the leaders in the women’s rights movements who led a parade of nearly 10,000 people through New York and was the first Chinese woman to earn a PhD in economics. Patsy Mink was the first Asian-American elected to Congress and wrote Title IX, which stated that women could not be excluded from nationally funded education programs. Maya Li won a competition to design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which received controversy because it was not only a woman designing it, but an Asian-American woman. However, that didn’t stop her from going on to create countless other sculptures and memorials that focused on environmental activism. 

Ann Curry’s coverage of wars and natural disasters helped bring aid to areas who were in desperate need of aid and has won seven Emmy awards. Dr. David Ho, a Taiwanese American physician, focused his research on treatment and prevention of HIV transmission. A photographer named Louis Lee captured daily life in shipyards during World War II. Kalpana Chawl was the first Indian-born woman to go to space although she unfortunately tragically died on the Columbia shuttle. 

During May, there are multiple ways to celebrate from festivals to events and even learning. However, these milestones, achievements, and important parts of history should be celebrated not only in May, but throughout the entire year.