President Joe Biden declared today that the month of May will be Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, urging every American to learn more about that community’s history.
The President said he wants to help more Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders see themselves “in the story of America.”
“This country’s fundamental promise holds that every person is created equal and deserves to be treated equally throughout their lives. We have never fully lived up to that ideal, but we have never walked away from it either,” he said.
He said the month would celebrate the stories of “brave immigrants” who picked up their lives and found new homes here “motivated by the promise of possibilities,” of “native people who have stewarded these lands” and of community leaders “shaping a brighter future for us all.”
He listed a litany of achievements including bringing in AANHPIs at all levels of government starting with Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Vice President of South Asian descent and Ambassador Katherine Tai, the first Asian American United States Trade Representative.
He addressed the recent devastating murders in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay and the rise of anti-Asian hate and the tragedy of the Atlanta spa shootings that left 8 dead, including six Asian women. He heralded the signing of the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law and what he called the first “national strategy to advance equity, justice and inclusion for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
“This month, we renew our work to put the American Dream within reach of all people, and we celebrate the vibrancy, contributions, and future of AA and NHPI communities across America,” he proclaimed.
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