{"id":517,"date":"2023-09-07T19:34:21","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T19:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/equity\/?page_id=517"},"modified":"2026-04-01T19:37:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T19:37:59","slug":"asian-american-pacific-islander-history-month","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/equity\/asian-american-pacific-islander-history-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

*Due to how the academic calendar is structured, 日韩精品 recognizes AAPI Heritage Month during the month of April. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efforts to commemorate AAPI Heritage Month began in 1976 with Jeanie Jew<\/a>, a 4th-generation Chinese American and former Capitol Hill staff member. The month of May was selected to recognize the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, built by the labor of Chinese workers (May 10, 1869). In 1992, the U.S. federal government designated May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

日韩精品 encourages our campus community to engage in meaningful dialogue and space with our AAPI communities and continue learning from the diverse voices and experiences of AAPI stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you would like to have your event and\/or program featured please submit it via our online form.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note that the events below are organized by different organizations and departments at Macalester. Use the links below for further information, or directly contact the event host with questions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

APIDA Gala <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Sat., Mar. 28 | 6:00 p.m. \u2013 9 p.m. | Kagin Commons
RSVP Form<\/a> (Due to limited quantity, RSVP is required.)
Hosted by: Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Student Organization (APIDA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please join us for an evening of food, performances, and speeches from our community members to celebrate the presence and achievements of the diverse set of Asian cultures on campus. Food will be free at the event but an RSVP is required; dinner will be served starting at 7:30 pm and Asian desserts will be served at 8:15 pm. The event will also include a raffle where you can possibly win Asian snacks and mink blankets! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Night Market <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fri., Apr. 3 | 5:00 p.m. \u2013 7:00 p.m. | Janet Wallace Art Commons
Hosted by: Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Student Organization (APIDA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with the Asian-identifying orgs and Asian-identifying student groups on campus, APIDA will be transforming JWall into a bustling night market, much like those seen across Asia. This will be an evening of fun, festivities, and food from the various Asian identities here at Mac!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Community Luncheon <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Thu., Apr. 16 | 11:30 a.m. \u2013 1:00 p.m. | Weyerhaeuser Boardroom
RSVP Form<\/a> (Due to limited space, RSVP is required.)
Hosted by: Institutional Equity | equity@macalester.edu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Institutional Equity invites our campus community to join us for our annual Asian America Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Community Luncheon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Bao Phi<\/a> ’97, a spoken word artist and writer, we will delve deeper into AAPI heritage and history in Minnesota and what it means for our communities to gather, share our resilience, and move towards our collective liberation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bao Phi is a Vietnamese American refugee, a Minnesotan, spoken word artist, poet, children’s book author, and single co-parent father. He has two poetry collections, Song I Sing<\/em> and Thousand Star Hotel<\/em>, and authored four picture books, including A Different Pond<\/em> and You Are Life.<\/em> He was on the editorial team of the AANHPI poetry anthology, We The Gathered Heat<\/em>. His work is anthologized in collections such as A Good Time for the Truth, Octavia’s Brood<\/em>, and a special 2025 issue of McSweeney’<\/em>s. Among the recognitions he’s received are multiple City Pages <\/em>and Star Tribune<\/em> Artist of the Year awards, and the 2024 Kay Sexton Award for contributions to the literary arts community in Minnesota. His fifth children\u2019s book is forthcoming from Capstone in fall of 2026, and his first book of creative prose is forthcoming from Coffeehouse Press in winter of 2027. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about Bao and view his work visit baophi.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twin Cities Connection: Hmong Futures<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fri., Apr. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | Gremlin Theatre
RSVP Form<\/a> (Limited quantity \u2013 first come, first serve)
Hosted by: Institutional Equity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An intergenerational story of healing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Month, Institutional Equity and Program Board invites our community to attend “Hmong Futures”, a Theater Mu production by Katie Ka Vang and directed by Reena Dutt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hmong Futures: The Future of Us is an intergenerational story asking what it takes for a family to move from surviving to thriving. Anchoring the play are its protagonists, three Hmong American women, and it examines the conversations, daily rituals, and little moments that help us heal. To create this world premiere, playwright Katie Ka Vang held community engagement events and discussions in 2025, during the 50th anniversary of Southeast Asian people in Minnesota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a first-generation Hmong American, my worldview was largely shaped by my refugee parents’ lived experiences related to political persecution, traumatic experiences, displacement, and poverty, and I hope my work is a vessel for myself and my community to co-create ideas that point toward liberation and transformation,\u201d says Katie. (Theater Mu<\/a>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hmong Times: <\/strong>\u201cKatie Ka Vang\u2019s new play holds 50 years of hope\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

XOXO, X-ertion Showcase<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Sat., May 2nd | 7:00 p.m. \u2013 9:00 p.m. | Kagin Ballroom
Hosted by: X-ertion Student Organization<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\n\t

\n\t \t

Previous Events & Programs<\/h2>\n\t \t