The Amherst Town Council proclaim the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Council Sponsors: Councilors Hanneke and Miller;
Community Sponsors: Human Rights Commission, Professor Richard Chu, Dr. Leo Hwang, Yasmin Padamsee Forbes, Meenakshi Bharath, Miliann Kang
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Proclamation
WHEREAS, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage in the United States was celebrated beginning in 1978 and was made into a month-long event in 1992; and
WHEREAS, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month seeks to honor and recognize the contributions of US residents and communities originating from Asia and the native and indigenous peoples from the Pacific Islands; and
WHEREAS, today more than 20 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders live in the United States and through their actions make the United States of America a more vibrant, diverse, prosperous welcoming, inclusive, and peaceful nation; and
WHEREAS, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have distinguished themselves as leading researchers in science, medicine, and technology, as innovative farmers and ranchers, as distinguished lawyers, judges, and government leaders, as prominent contributors in the arts, literature, and sports, as restaurant workers, nail technicians, farmworkers, and other service and workforce industries, as war heroes who defended our country from fascism, and as peacetime healthcare heroes currently on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, Amherst’s population is more than 18 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and includes devoted community members; and
WHEREAS, as we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that enrich our history, society, and culture we must also acknowledge the additional determination, hard work, and perseverance AAPI individuals must put forth to be heard and seen and that these additional efforts are a response to inequitable institutional and systemic injustices fueled by xenophobia, misogyny, ableism, classism, and other forms of discrimination, such as those most recently manifested in racist attacks on Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, despite their contributions and leadership, the role of AAPI individuals in the U.S. has been consistently overlooked and undervalued in the teaching and study of American history.
NOW, THEREFORE, we the Amherst Town Council do hereby proclaim the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and we ask you to join us in the Town’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration (See below for event details)
Event:
Screening of local oral history from Amherst Community Members followed by a panel discussion
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Join the conversation
Or join by phone
253-215-8782 or 346-248-7799
Webinar ID 882-2131-1258
https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/88221311258
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