Asian Americans Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders Month
A proclamation for Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month
WHEREAS, Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is observed annually in May to celebrate the contributions that generations of AANHPIs have made to American history, society, and culture; and
WHEREAS, the month of May was selected for two reasons: First, to commemorate the arrival of the first known Japanese immigrant to the U.S. on May 7, 1843; secondly, to honor the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which upwards of 20,000 Chinese workers helped to construct. The month pays tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched the United States history and are instrumental in its future success; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, the Federal Asian Pacific American Council announced the 2023 national theme is: “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity”; and
WHEREAS, leadership comes in various forms and varied places. From students at (NAME) High School who will take command of the future, to those like Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu, a prominent member of the Manhattan project, to the late Kalpana Chawla, one of the first women of Indian descent to go into space, Philip Vera Cruz who, alongside Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, formed the United Farm Workers union, and senator Tammy Duckworth, who is the first Thai woman and women with a disability elected to U.S. Congress; and,
WHEREAS, what each and every name mentioned, and countless other Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders do every day, is find opportunity, and when there isn’t one to be found, they create it; and
WHEREAS, while the United States has been synonymous with being called “The Land of Opportunity,” it is through the stories, the hardships, the triumphs, and the inspiration of both our immigrant community and those who have their families’ culture instilled in them, that we see new businesses, new leaders, new elected officials, and a shift in American society which makes it more than “The Land of Opportunity” and more so the country which allows places like (Municipality) to be called home.