Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2022! This year marks 31 years of this special celebration, and to commemorate this anniversary, we have put together our favorite ways to come together, raise awareness, shine light on influential figures and have fun!
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The acclaimed architect is known for his bold designs and explicit geometries in his projects, spanning his career over six decades. The Louvre Pyramid in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. are probably the most well-known projects in Pei's project portfolio. Read more +
Throughout history, people of Asian descent have played important roles in the creation of American life and culture, lending their talents to significant developments in the arts, business, politics, science and much more. Despite their myriad contributions, the stories of Asian Americans are often left untold. With more than 21 million Americans today who can trace their ancestry back to various parts of Asia, Asians will eventually be the largest immigrant group in the United States. Representation matters, and it’s time for Asian American historical figures to receive their laurels. Read on to learn about some noteworthy activists, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists and more of Asian descent.
Notable History Makers
Known as the “Chinese Marie Curie” and the “Queen of Nuclear Research,” Dr. Wu was born in Jiangsu Province, China, in 1912, and moved to the U.S. in 1939 to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. As an experimental physicist, Dr. Wu made significant contributions to the study of nuclear physics, and as a member of the research staff at Columbia University, she played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, the research and development consortium led by the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom that created the first nuclear weapons. Dr. Wu was the recipient of the inaugural Wolf Prize in Physics and was the first woman to serve as president of the American Physical Society.
Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu
Widely regarded as the first Chinese American actress of Taishanese descent to achieve superstardom in Hollywood, Wong was born in Los Angeles in 1905 and started acting at an early age. Her varied career spanned silent films, the first color films, television and radio. Although many of her early roles played into ethnic stereotypes, Wong was a vocal advocate for greater representation of Asian Americans in film and television, and she gained both critical and popular acclaim for her international acting roles. Wong famously lost the leading role of the Chinese character O-Lan in the film adaptation of Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth to German actress Luise Rainer, who played the role in yellowface and went on to win the Academy Award for her portrayal. Read more +
Anna May Wong
Dr. David Ho
Joyce Chen
Ieoh Ming Pei
As a well-recognized chef, television personality, and restaurant owner, Joyce Chen introduced Chinese food to the American public. She made such a large impact on American culture, that her photo was included on a US stamp in 2014 and a “Festival of Dumplings” is held in Cambridge, Massachusetts every year to honor her birthday. Read more +
Dr. David Ho is a Taiwanese-American AIDS researcher, physician, and virologist who has made a number of scientific contributions to the understanding and treatment of HIV infection. He is the founding scientific director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and the Clyde and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Read more +
Christine Sun Kim
Sammy Lee
Mona Haydar
Syrian American poet and rapper Mona Haydar is best known for her first music video, "Hijabi" (2017). The song responds to questions and comments frequently received by women who cover their heads. Billboard named the song one of the top 25 feminist anthems of all time. Read more +
merican diver, the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal and the first diver to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the platform event. Read more +
Working predominantly in drawing, performance, and video, Kim's practice considers how sound operates in society.[2] Musical notation, written language, American Sign Language (ASL), and the use of the body are all recurring elements in her work. Read more +
American civil rights activist. Influenced by her Japanese-American family's experience in an American internment camp, her association with Malcolm X, and her Maoist beliefs, she advocated for many causes, including black separatism, the anti-war movement, reparations for Japanese-American internees, and the rights of political prisoners. Read more +
Yuri Kochiyama
The spices, deep history and innovative preparation techniques of Asian food are great to watch and the food is always delicious to eat. Here, GumGummers list their best foodie finds to celebrate all cuisines:
Bangluck Market in Hollywood Thai Town
Niko Sushi in the Valley
Nijiya Market in LA
Konbi for Japanese Sandwiches in LA
Dansungsa in Koreatown
Little Fatty in Mar Vista
SACHI LA in LA
Golden Deli in LA
Joy on York in Highland Park
Magpie Soft Serve in Highland Park
Mao’s Kitchen in Venice
Cholada Thai in Malibu
Azay - Little Tokyo
Fugetsu -Do Bakery Shop
Ani Ramen in Jersey City
Soothr Thai in East Village
Som Tum Der in East Village
Canal Street Market in Chinatown
Xi’an Famous Foods in Manhattan,
Star of Siam in Chicago
Eater Chicago’s Thai Food List
Queens and Brooklyn
Queens and Brooklyn
Pho Saigon in East Village
Prince Tea House in Forest Hills
Rice & Noodles in PA
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Turn up some tunes from our GumGum curated playlist celebrating artist from all cultures:
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Watch Chloé Zhao's 'Nomadland' movie as she's the first Asian American and second woman to win Best Director in Oscar history!
Virtually visit Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Keystone Initiative
Check out Eater LA's Best Thai Food Spot
Watch Minari as it stars Steven Yuen and actress Yuh-jung Youn is the first korean actress to win an Oscar for best supporting actress
Learn a basic greeting like "Hi how are you doing?" in one of the following languages Korean, Tawainese, Japenese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Thai etc
Spotify Playlist from GG's employee's recommendations
Know People, Know Their Stories - explore Asian history, traditions and culture through this PBS collection
They called us Enemy: An intergenerational Coversation on Racial Injustice
Fijan Contemporary Dance by VOU
Support ways to give back in May
Watch HBO Max's 'See Us' Campaign Video
Learn to cook a dish from Chrissy Teigen and her Thai mom's cookbook 'Cravings'
Asian owned businesses in LA
People Spotlight
National Park Service - visit Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders heritage through our nation’s parks, memorials, and historic sites.
Kids books - 9 Books to Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Support Asian-owned businesses in NY. Restaurants/Businesses in NYC Chinatown in particular have suffered tremendously since the pandemic.
Check out youtube siblings #ranzandniana dance superstars from Phillipines
15 Best Books by Asian American Authors on Identity
LA Times Asian Enough podcast that features chats with celebrities about the joys and complexities of being Asian American
Visit the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) online with your family & friends
Support @aapiwomenlead on Instagram!
Tune into MTV's See Us Unite for Change on 5/21 at 8:00 PM EDT hosted by Hangover comedian Ken Jeong
Explore SLAYASIAN, created by celebrated artist and independent curator, Jenny Lam
Listen in on the My Second Life podcast with guest influencer Aimee Song
Check out Instagram extraordinaire, Eva Chen's daily shennanigans
Attend the "Free Bystander Intervention to stop Anti-Asian / American Harassment and xenophobia" workshop
Catch up with author Amy Tan as she reflects on Joy Luck Club
Want to laugh? Start your day with some Lilly Singh skits on Youtube
Watch Queen Lili'uokalani - The First and Last Queen of Hawai'i on PBS
Check out the Library of Congress Reading Room on a quiet afternoon
Recommendation,Tip,What to check out!
