Auburn recognizes, celebrates Asian American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month

This month, Auburn is excited to recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, Heritage Month and celebrate the vast contributions and influence those with AAPI heritage have made to American society, history and culture.

Asian people first came to the Americas more than 15,000 years ago and since then have served an integral role in the achievements and success of the continent, all while maintaining a thriving and vibrant culture. The heritage month is celebrated every May, specifically to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese people to the U.S. on May 7, 1842, and the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which was primarily built by Chinese immigrants.

As of 2019, about 22.9 million people of Asian or Pacific Islander descent lived in the U.S., representing about 7% of the total U.S. population. Even as the population in the country grows, people from AAPI backgrounds have continually faced discrimination and violence.

These instances saw a concerning rise with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the White House and many other national organizations taking a stand against this hate. This type of hatred, intolerance, and violence against the Asian community is unacceptable, and Auburn stands in support of the AAPI community.

Auburn University draws its strength from a wide range of individuals with varying backgrounds, perspectives, viewpoints and experiences. To ensure that as many students as possible were able to participate in events that celebrate and recognize APPI heritage before students leave for the summer, various Auburn organizations held AAPI heritage month events throughout the month of April. More information about these events is available here.

At Auburn, The Korea Center - King Sejong Institute allows members of the Auburn Family to have meaningful experiences learning about Korean language and culture. A complete list of the center’s programming is available here.

To learn more about Auburn’s events and initiatives from this past year, along with information on Auburn’s commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive campus community and other notes of cultural recognition, please visit the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, or OID, website, Instagram page and Auburn’s DEI landing page, or sign up for the OID newsletter.