May 1 marked the beginning of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. To celebrate, a Google Plus hang out was held with television host Lisa Ling; Angry Asian Man blogger Phil Yu; the director of the Smithsonian APA Center, Conrad Ng; and Kiran Ahuja, director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Lisa Ling admitted as a child she was ashamed of being Asian and was embarrassed when her friends came into her home and notice the distinct smells of Asian cooking. She said it is extremely gratifying to be hosting a national television show and to be able to celebrate an entire month devoted to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Yu said every month is heritage month for him. He sees this as a great time to share in our culture and to celebrate Asian America.
He pointed to AAPI pop culture heroes, people in politics and being a part of the American story as all positives.
You can watch the entire Google Hang out on Hapa Mama Grace.
