California Governor Gavin Newsom officially proclaimed May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the state.
Key points:
The details:
- “With more than 6 million Californians of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, California is home to dynamic AAPI communities that are an invaluable part of our state and nation,” Newsom wrote. “During Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we celebrate California’s incredibly diverse heritage and all the ways that AAPI Californians enrich and strengthen our society.”
- Newsom highlighted the challenges faced by the AAPI communities, including a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- “We must also recognize that throughout our history, AAPI communities have been the target of violence, disenfranchisement, efforts to restrict immigration and other xenophobic policies at the federal, state and local level,” he said. “The echoes of this dark history are evident today in the shameful Anti-Asian hate acts seen across the country.”
- He emphasized the importance of honoring the legacy, strength and resilience of AAPI communities and working towards inclusivity and unity in California.
- The month of May was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the U.S. in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, largely built by Chinese immigrants in 1869.
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