AAPI Heritage Month takes additional significance this year with new legislation
May 25, 2021
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month is May and serves as a destined time to identify the historic and cultural achievements of this diverse population within the United States largely consisting of Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese residents. The Library can help as it offers books, ebooks, streaming videos and more about this community.
One way is through the library booklist specifically entitled for AAPI month with 32 titles for multiple ages. Another related booklist with 12 titles for adult readers is Asian American Authors to Celebrate Heritage Month.
Access AAPI Month Booklist Access AAPI Adult Booklist
This year, that observation takes a heightened alert as concerned individuals nationally and locally have drawn attention to the rise in instances of hate and violence directed towards Asian Americans. Tragically, these citizens are being accused and blamed by some for the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
On May 17, The Charlotte Observer published a guest editorial column from a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student about the urgency to protect Asian Americans locally. The column also included signatures from a city county member, county commissioner and several officers of associations affiliated with the Indian, Chinese and Asian American communities. The article concluded with a charge to encourage Charlotteans to extend their “Southern hospitality” to protect and to share awareness about the rise of anti-Asian violence.
Regrettably, that violence has occurred as reported in local news when an Asian grocery store owner was shot in east Charlotte by an assailant intent on inflicting bodily harm last month. On the national news scale, President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act last Thursday, as a response to the growth of violence against Asian Americans related to the coronavirus pandemic.
To delve further into the background of the AAPI community’s assimilation into the United States and, conversely, its bouts with periods of racism then look at the booklist entitled “Experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” with newer titles from the Library collection.
Access Experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Booklist
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This blog was written by Lawrence Turner, adult services librarian, at South County Regional Library.