The Norwalk Board of Education is proud to recognize May as National Asian-American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. National AAPI Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the unique experiences, traditions and cultures of the fastest growing racial groups in the United States.

Asian and Pacific Islander encompasses all people from the Asian continent as well as the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia [Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati (ki-ree-bas), Nauru (naa-oo-roo) and the Federated States of Micronesia] and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

The celebration of Asian/Pacific Americans heritage began as a week-long celebration in the late 1970s. Since 1992, Congress has authorized an annual presidential proclamation that designates May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. 

In 2021, President Joe Biden expanded the name to include Native Hawaiians in a broader effort to create a more inclusive celebration, directly recognizing the distinct history and contributions of Native Hawaiians as part of the United States.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to immigrate to the United States on May 7, 1843. It also marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

According to the STAATUS (Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S.) Index Report 2022, Asian-Americans are the least likely to feel like they belong in the U.S. With that in mind, the Norwalk Board of Education feels it's more important than ever to let our Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students know that they are safe, they are seen and they are appreciated.

By declaring this National Asian-American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Board of Education encourages everyone to learn about these diverse communities that have enriched this country for generations, from STEM and human rights to art and cuisine, and are critical to our future success.