This year, the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month theme is “Stop AAPI Hate: Solidarity, Community, and Celebration.” The 2021 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Collaborative invites all Salem State alumni, faculty, staff, and students to come together as a community in solidarity against racism and to celebrate the richness of the Asian American Pacific Islander communities.
Since the pandemic began, we want to particularly bring attention to and condemn the violence and hatred directed at the Asian and Pacific Islander communities, while also making space to create joy, healing, education, and celebrations for the richness of Asian and Pacific Islander cultures.
About AAPI Heritage Month
Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month takes place every May in the United States. Salem State University celebrates in April every year to accommodate the academic year and recognize our communities within the country’s 22.2 million Asians and 1.6 million Native Hawaiin and other Pacific Islander communities.
AAPI Heritage Month, formerly Asian Pacific American Heritage Month until 2009, originated in 1992 when then New York Congressmen Frank Hortin introduced the bill that called for the month of May to receive that designation, which came from the idea of former Capitol Hill staffer Jeanie Jew in the mid 1970s – more than 15 years earlier.
Jeanie Jew witnessed the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations of 1976 and was concerned about the lack of recognition given to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. At the time, celebrations of Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage were already in place. While Black History Month was decreed by President Gerald Ford in 1976 to become a national observance, Hispanic Heritage Week was designated as a national celebration by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968.
The month of May was selected for two reasons: First, to commemorate the arrival of the first known Japanese immigrant to the U.S. on May 7, 1843; secondly, to honor the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which upwards of 20,000 Chinese workers helped to construct. The month pays tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched the United State’s history and are instrumental in its future success.
Read more about AAPI Heritage Month.
AAPI Heritage Month at SSU
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 2 pm
Bystander Intervention Training to Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment
In response to the rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, we at Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to adapt our free bystander intervention training as well as offering de-escalation training to meet this moment. Unfortunately, anti-Asian and Asian American racism and xenophobia are not new phenomena. They have been a part of American history for a long time, and we have seen them manifest against different Asian/American and Pacific Islander communities in many ways over the years.
As the coronavirus pandemic escalates, we have seen more harassment, discrimination, and even violence directed at these communities. The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation has been documenting hate crimes and hate incidents since 2017 at www.StandAgainstHatred.org, which is available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
This is an external event hosted by “Hollaback!”
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 3 pm
Buddhist Meditation and Healing Program with the New England Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center
The Asian ERG will be sponsoring individuals to participate in a Buddhist Meditation and Healing Program. This session will be conducted by Bhante Pannasiri of the New England Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center via Zoom. All are welcome.
Email AsianERG@salemstate.for more information
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 2 pm
Asian and Pacific Islander Collections in the Phillips Library at the PEM
Are you interested in conducting research into Asian or Pacific Islander resources? There’s a local repository for that! Join Assistant Reference Librarian Meaghan Wright, Cataloging and Research Assistant Bing Wang, and Associate Curator Stephanie Tung as they discuss relevant collections in the PEM’s Phillips Library. Meaghan will describe how to research at the library and provide an overview of the vast collections, historical and modern, manuscript and print, which relate to travel in Asia and the Pacific Islands or work by Asian and Pacific Islander peoples. Stephanie will introduce recent curatorial investigations into library material, and Bing will detail her research into the collections and expound upon how archival materials have contributed to upcoming exhibitions and research projects.
Email AsianERG@salemstate.for more information
Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 6 pm
The 2021 AAPI Heritage Month Collaborative is excited to announce this year's Keynote Speaker: Juju Chang
Stop the Hate: The Rise in Violence Against Asian Americans
In this keynote, Chang will share how seemingly harmless perceptions of Asian Americans as "foreigners" can be weaponized by racialized statements like "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan flu.” In addition, she investigates how within weeks of the outbreak and these types of incendiary statements, thousands of acts of racial abuse against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) were reported. She shares why we ALL have unconscious bias, how to detect it and why it matters.
Juju Chang is an Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of ABC News' Nightline. She also reports regularly for Good Morning America and 20/20. Chang has also covered major breaking news for decades for ABC News, including Superstorm Sandy, the Orlando nightclub massacre and the Boston Marathon bombing. She has traveled around the world to report on global issues including a three-country trip through Central Africa on the front lines against Boko Haram in the latest on #bringbackourgirls, and to Honduras for Femicide: the Untold War, an eye-opening look at rampant violence against women.
Chang has profiled newsmakers like Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, former Vice President Joe Biden and Oprah Winfrey as well as entertainers like Chris Pratt, Channing Tatum, Nicki Minaj and Bella Thorne. Her extensive feature reporting covers parenting dilemmas, digital addictions and social media moguls like Dude Perfect and Esther the Wonder Pig.
A former news anchor for Good Morning America, Chang joined ABC News as an entry level desk assistant in 1987 and rose to become a producer for World News Tonight. Her first on-air job was reporting for KGO-TV in San Francisco. After a year in Washington, D.C., covering the White House, Capitol Hill and the presidential election for NewsOne, she co-anchored the overnight show World News Now. Chang's work has been recognized with numerous awards including multiple Emmy's, Gracie's, a DuPont, a Murrow and Peabody awards. In 2017, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Front Page Awards.
Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Northern California, Chang graduated with honors from Stanford University with a B.A. in political science and communication. She is married to WNET President and CEO Neal Shapiro and together they have three sons. Chang is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a founding board member of the Korean American Community Foundation.
Saturday, April 24 2021 at 12 pm
Unlearning Anti-Blackness & the Model Minority Myth (Part 3 of 3) by Amplify RJ
Violence against Asian Americans and Anti-Asian Racism isn't new, but in the wake of increased awareness and visibility of these issues, we need responses to harm that will meet the needs of EVERYONE impacted (people who were harmed, people who caused harm, & community members). You can be part of the solution!
White Supremacy pits people of Asian descent & other racialized groups (especially Black people) against each other. Learn the history of how we got here & what it will take to undo it with Dr. Sandra So Hee Chi Kim (Professor of race and ethnic studies + Founder of Asian American Justice & Innovation Lab).
*This is an interactive workshop with limited capacity, you should only sign up if you're willing and able to actively participate (small group exercises & discussions). A recording of this workshop will be made available through other channels for those unable to attend live.*
Monday, April 26, 2021 at 3:30 pm
A talk with an Asian American medical hero during Coronavirus times, Dr. Vaji Dharmasena
Dr. Vaji Dharmasena is a South Asian American and a practicing doctor for 26 years in California. She is a lecturer at Boston University with an electrical engineering degree from Stanford University and a medical degree from University of Southern California. An inspiration, Dr. Dharmasena will join the Salem State community for a virtual talk to discuss higher education, work experience, the pandemic, growing up and studying in the United States, and more.
Week of April 26, 2021
LEAD Center: Zen Gardens Program
Join the LEAD Center for Diversity and Cultural Enrichment as we celebrate the end of the semester and Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a relaxing make-your-own Zen Garden experience. Register with the link below and pick up your individual kit the week of April 26th, 2021, 10 am-2 pm. Once you are finished, take a picture and tag us on Instagram and Twitter, @SSULEAD
Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 9 am
Yoga in Anila Quayyum Agha: All the Flowers Are for Me
Deepen your breath in this virtual yoga class you can enjoy from home! Join our friends from The Salty Buddha Studio in this monthly virtual series. Please note: A reliable internet connection is required. Instructions for joining the class will be included in your confirmation email. Next session will be held Sunday, May 2.
Email AsianERG@salemstate.edu for FREE sponsorship
Hosted by PEM (Peabody Essex Museum)
Every Wednesday in April, 2021
Sodexo and Campus Dining will be featuring dishes and cuisines from various Asian and Pacific Islander countries. Check updates and details on the menu here.
More Resources
- Check out the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month LibGuide here.
- Stop AAPI Hate: Report a hate incident
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Tell Your Story
- Asian Americans and Moments in People’s History by Zinn Education Project
- Active: Asian American Community Resource List - Google Docs
- AAPA COVID-19 Related Resources
- MA Anti-Asian Racism Townhall Resource Guide
Past Events
Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 7 pm
Anti-Asian Racism & Envisioning Safety in Our Communities
Join Brandeis Asian American Students Association and the Intercultural Center to discuss anti-Asian racism and violence affecting our communities, especially our elders. We will offer historical framings of anti-Asian violence within the context of white supremacy, anti-blackness, and U.S. imperialism, and envision concrete steps towards real safety for all communities of color. Welcome to the entire Brandeis community & all identities.
This is an external event hosted by Brandeis Asian American Students Association.
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 6 pm
Lecture: Anti-Asian Violence and Black-Asian Solidarity Today, a free lecture with Tamara K. Nopper, presented by the Asian American Writers' Workshop
On March 23 at 6 pm, join the Asian American Writers’ Workshop for a lecture with Tamara K. Nopper. This lecture will last 2 hours and is free to the public. Nopper’s lecture will examine the alarm and growing discourse regarding "anti-Asian violence," currently circulating in mainstream and social media among pundits, celebrities, and Asian American community organizers across the country. The lecture will examine the merging of fighting "anti-Asian violence" with the promotion of "Black-Asian solidarity" in the context of COVID-19. This lecture calls for defunding the police and for abolition.
We will examine the intertwined narratives of “anti-Asian violence” and “Black-Asian solidarity,” considering the work the narratives are doing and if they challenge or promote carceral logic. What might these narratives reveal or conceal about Asian Americans and racial politics. We will also look at how this replicates or departs from discourse and programs promoting Black-Asian solidarity in the wake of the 1992 LA Rebellion.
Tamara K. Nopper is a sociologist, writer, editor, and data artist with experience teaching in Asian American Studies and Ethnic Studies and working for and with Asian American community and anti-war organizations. Her research focuses on Black-Korean conflict, the racial and gender wealth gap, financialization, criminalization, punishment, and the social impact of technology. She is the editor of We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice, a book of Mariame Kaba's writings and interviews (Haymarket Books), and researched and wrote several data stories for Colin Kaepernick’s Abolition for the People series.
This free Zoom webinar has a cap of 100 attendees. RSVP on Eventbrite for a link to the webinar shortly before the event. Overflow will be directed to the livestream on AAWW's Youtube channel. Live captions provided.
Thursday, March 25, 2021 at 6 pm
Massachusetts Town Hall on Anti-Asian Racism
The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled xenophobia and anti-Asian racism. But Asian Americans have experienced violence long before the pandemic. Join our town hall highlighting how the Asian American community in MA is organizing against racism and learn how to support our community during the pandemic.
This is an external event hosted by Asian American Commission, Asian American Resource Workshop [AARW], Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Chinese Progressive Association [CPA Boston], APIs CAN - Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network, and Vietnamese American Initiative Development.
Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 4 pm
#AntiAsianRacism Town Hall: Solidarity Is Our Survival
In response to the ongoing anti-Asian hate and the most recent tragic shootings in Atlanta, Georgia which killed eight people at three different spas including six Asian women, join the People’s Collective for Justice and Liberation at our upcoming #AntiAsianRacism Town Hall: Solidarity Is Our Survival on Saturday, March 27, 2021 from 10:00am-12:00pm hst / 1:00pm - 3:00 pm pst / 3:00pm - 5:00pm cst / 4:00pm - 6:00 pm est.
Together, we will join Asian American organizers, and other people of color we are in community with to provide historical context of white supremacy cis heteropatriarchy, especially in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and engage in meaningful dialogue on why anti-Asian racism continues to happen as well as provide solutions and action items including local groups and campaigns to support on the ground. The town hall will also offer moments for collective healing.
This town hall comes timely as it’s exactly one year since the People’s Collective for Justice and Liberation’s first town hall Anti-Asian Racism: Race, Struggle and Solidarity in The Time of a Global Pandemic which gathered more than 7,000 registrants on Zoom, over 34,000 viewers across all social media channels and had the hashtag #AntiAsianRacism trending in the US.
In one of our past town halls, one of our prominent and fierce speakers, Linda Sarsour, shared with us that “solidarity is our survival” which trended on live tweets across the globe. The sentiment of solidarity is a statement that resonates powerfully through each of our town halls as it is part of our analysis that we need to build solidarity in order to attain freedom for all oppressed peoples.
This is an external event hosted by People's Collective for Justice and Liberation.
Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 4 pm
AAPI Solidarity March in Beverly, MA
To unify our voices against anti-Asian racism, please join us on Saturday, March 27th for the AAPI (Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders) Solidarity March from 4-6PM. Come walk in solidarity with our AAPI community as an outward display of our united voices against hatred and violence. The event is organized by Beverly community member, Amber Jogie, and will include speakers, a 2-mile march (30 minutes of walking), and an affirmation of ways we can support our AAPI community. The march will begin at Beverly Commons. Masks are required. Parking is available only on side streets around the Common area. The weather forecast looks favorable, so please consider walking to this event. For more information, please visit https://www.beverlyma.gov/ or visit the City's social media pages @MyBeverly01915.
Monday, March 29, 2021 at 11 am
This is Interdisciplinary Studies!: Boston’s King Incident of 1905: US Immigration Restriction, Chinese Students, and Class Bias
A talk by Dr. Emma Teng, T.T. and Wei Fong Chao Professor of Asian Civilizations at MIT
Sponsored by the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Salem State University and part of the “This is Interdisciplinary Studies!” 2020-2021 Public Lecture & Discussion Series.
Monday, March 29, 2021 at 2 pm
Bystander Intervention Training to Stop anti-Asian American and Xenophobic Harassment
In response to the rise in Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, we at Hollaback! partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to adapt our free bystander intervention training as well as offering de-escalation training to meet this moment. Unfortunately, anti-Asian and Asian American racism and xenophobia is not a new phenomenon. It has been part of American history for a long time, and we have seen it manifested against different Asian/American and Pacific Islander communities in many ways over the years.
As the coronavirus pandemic escalates, we have seen more harassment, discrimination, and even violence directed at these communities. The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation has been documenting hate crimes and hate incidents since 2017 at www.StandAgainstHatred.org, which is available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Please note you must register in advance for all trainings, and they will be capped at 1,000 people. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The training is currently only offered in English but we are seeking funding to expand it into other languages.
This is an external event hosted by “Hollaback!”
Monday, April 5, 2021 at 1:10 pm
Discovering Our Role In Social Change with Deepa Iyer
"In our lives and as part of movements and organizations, many of us play different roles in pursuit of equity, shared liberation, inclusion, and justice. And yet, we often get lost and confused, or we are newcomers to ongoing social change efforts and don’t know where to start, or we are catalyzed into action in the midst of a crisis in our community." - Deepa Iyer
Join the Center for Civic Engagement and other campus groups for an interactive workshop with nationally recognized racial justice advocate, lawyer, strategist and writer, Deepa Iyer. Deepa will explain her framework that helps individuals, networks, and organizations align with their social change values, individual roles, and the broader ecosystem.
Sponsors: Center for Civic Engagement, Education Club (SEAM), First Year Experience, Geography and Sustainability, Inclusive Excellence, Interdisciplinary Studies, Intersectional Feminist Collective, Political Science, Sociology, Student Government Association, and Sunrise Movement.
Week of April 5, 2021, 10 am-5 pm
LEAD Center: Lanterns for Peace
Join the LEAD Center for Diversity and Cultural Enrichment in celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month by creating your own Chinese Lantern. Register at the link below, pick up your kit, assemble at home, and decorate with messages of affirmation and celebration for Asian cultures. Once you are finished, take a picture and tag us on Instagram and Twitter, @SSULEAD
Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 7 pm
A Year of Asian Hate: Where Do We Go From Here? by Asian American Federation
In the midst of daily assaults against Asian Americans, it is critical that we understand why this violence is happening now so we can find solutions to reduce the violence.
Join the Asian American Federation and the Migrant Center for a discussion with community leaders about the factors that have contributed to the surge in attacks against Asian Americans and tangible ways we can create both immediate and long-term safety for Asian community members.
Speakers:
- Opening remarks by Julian Jagudilla, OFM and Executive Director of the Migrant Center of NY
- Prelude by Noel Quintana, survivor of anti-Asian attack
- Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director, Asian American Federation
- Dr. Kevin Nadal, Professor of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Graduate Center at CUNY
- Rama Issa-Ibrahim, Deputy Public Advocate of Justice, Health Equity & Safety at the Office of the New York City Public Advocate
- Donnay Edmund, Community Upstander Coordinator, Center for Anti-Violence Education
The discussion will be moderated by Arthur Chi’en, a three-time Emmy Award-winning newscaster, currently with WNYW-TV FOX 5 in New York.
Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 12 pm
Restorative Justice Responses to Anti-Asian Violence (Part 1 of 3) by Amplify RJ
Learn Restorative, Anti-Racist responses to Anti-Asian Racism that will lead to safe and equitable communities. pt. 1 of 3
Violence against Asian Americans and Anti-Asian Racism isn't new, but in the wake of increased awareness and visibility of these issues, we need responses to harm that will meet the needs of EVERYONE impacted (people who were harmed, people who caused harm, & community members). You can be part of the solution!
Join us to learn how Restorative Justice Philosophy, Practices, & Values help us meet the needs of everyone involved in Anti-Asian Violence.
*This is an interactive workshop with limited capacity, you should only sign up if you're willing and able to actively participate (small group exercises & discussions). A recording of this workshop will be made available through other channels for those unable to attend live.*
Through a combination of interactive exercises & group discussions, you'll unlock a mindset & develop practical skills to:
- Acknowledge the indigenous/ancestral roots of RJ work and the intentional erasure and disconnection from those roots.
- Examine how White Supremacy Culture harms all people by disconnecting us from ourselves and each other
- Explain the basics of the Restorative Process
- Respond to the needs of everyone impacted by a situation when working to repair harm
- Create actionable steps to fight for equity, dismantle systems of oppression, and change individual behaviors that allow those systems to continue in personal, community, and professional life.
Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 9 am
Yoga in Anila Quayyum Agha: All the Flowers Are for Me
Deepen your breath in this virtual yoga class you can enjoy from home! Join our friends from The Salty Buddha Studio in this monthly virtual series. Please note: A reliable internet connection is required. Instructions for joining the class will be included in your confirmation email. The next session will be held Sunday, May 2.
Email AsianERG@salemstate.for more information
Hosted by PEM (Peabody Essex Museum).
Week of April 12, 2021
Asian Student Association (ASA) Week
Monday, April 12, 5 pm | Going Beyond Boba: A history lesson on Asian cultural identity in correlation with historical Asian discrimination which will then transition into a discussion of today's current events: COVID and the rise in Asian hate crimes
Tuesday, April 13 | Cultural Pride: The general body, board, and AAPI members can send their best cultural outfits and food to be shared on our social media! We will also be advertising an AAPI playlist through Spotify!
Wednesday, April 14 at 7 pm | Shades of Asia: A deep discussion and presentation on colorism within the AAPI communities
Thursday, April 15 at 1 pm | APAHE The Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education Conference: The ASA will be sponsoring students, staff, and faculty who are interested in attending this year's APAHE virtual Leadership Conference.
Friday, April 16 at 7 pm | Kickback with ASA: Join us for ASA's E-board election, senior send-off, and well wishes and thank you from our board to the general body!
E-mail ASA for more information and details to be provided here soon.
Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 12 pm
Restorative Justice Responses to Anti-Asian Violence (Part 2 of 3) by Amplify RJ
Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 4 pm
RALLY FOR SOLIDARITY (PROTECT THE ASIAN COMMUNITY) by Diverse People United
Join Diverse People United in a Rally For Solidarity against Asian hate.
Since the start of the pandemic, we've seen a gross increase of Asians being blamed and brutalized for it. We acknowledge that violence against Asians existed before COVID-19, and hateful rhetoric exacerbated these attacks against our Asian community during 2020. We must show up in solidarity with and for our neighbors.
This rally is to create space for working towards true unity of oppressed communities, for a safe space of healing, to reject the model minority myth, and to highlight the struggles of the prominent Southeast Asian community here in Lynn, Asian women, and Asian LGBTQ+ community who are often underrepresented in spaces they hold.
Protect Asian women! Protect elderly Asians! Protect Asian LGBTQ+ community! Protect the Asian Community!!!
ALL ARE WELCOME!
***PLEASE REMEMBER TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES DURING THE EVENT***
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The 2021 AAPI Heritage Month Collaborative includes representatives and co-sponsors from Asian Student Association (ASA), Asian Employee Resource Group (ERG), Center for Civic Engagement, Counseling and Health Services, Frederick E. Berry Library, Human Resources, Inclusive Excellence, Institutional Advancement and the Alumni Association, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy, and Diversity (LEAD) Office
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2021 AAPI Heritage Month Collaborative
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