Image Credit: Yoli Bergstrom-Lynch

Join CT State Manchester’s Damato Library in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month by exploring this mini collection of books, films, music, short talks, podcasts, and online exhibits and archives. The collection includes books you can borrow from the Damato Library and from the libraries in the CSCU Library Consortium (i.e., the 12 CT State Community College campuses, the 4 Connecticut State Universities, and the State Library). 

AANHPI Heritage Month began in May 1978 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week but was later expanded to a month-long celebration in 1990 under Pub. L. No. 101-283. In 1992, Congress passed Pub. L. No. 102-450 to permanently establish the month of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Through a series of Presidential proclamations, the name of the commemoration has shifted from Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month under Obama in 2009, to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month under Biden in 2021. To learn more about AANHPI Heritage Month visit: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month

The panethnic designation of AANHPI encompasses a wide range of ethnicities, languages, national origins, and (intersecting) identities. See for example, “Are You ‘AAPI’ or ‘Asian American’? It’s Complicated. | A People’s History of Asian America.” With this in mind, the materials in our mini collection are meant to spotlight the diverse histories, cultures, and achievements within and across Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

"This special one-hour program features Asian American women musicians and performers who draw on different deep cultural heritages and contemporary genres--from performance art and ritual, to hip-hop, rock, and singer-songwriter pop. Music heals and reveals. It anchors us to the toughest of realities while also letting loose our imaginations. For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we are honored to feature Dohee Lee, Ruby Ibarra, June Millington, and MILCK, with a special message from activist Amanda Nguyen."