May 5, 2026
Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is recognized as National Asian American, Native Hawai’ian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, an opportunity to recognize the diverse people, cultures and communities whose contributions have enriched American life for centuries.
The United States first recognized AANHPI heritage in 1978. A week-long recognition was extended to a month-long celebration in 1992 commemorating the rich heritage of the AANHPI community. The 2026 recognition theme is “Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together”, highlighting the importance of leveraging collective strength, building communities and promoting resilience.
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrant workers.
Did you know? The AANHPI community in the U.S. spans 50 ethnicities and has more than 100 unique languages and dialects.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2020 there were more than 24 million Asian American, Native Hawai’ian and Pacific Islander people living in the U.S. The Asian American population is among the fastest-growing in the U.S. and is expected to continue over the next decade.
In the Pacific Northwest, AANHPI communities have long been integral to our region’s history and cultural heritage, with documented settlements in the area dating to the early 19th century. Some historical records suggest the presence of Pasifika peoples (Native Hawai’ians and Pacific Islanders) as far back as the 18th century, prior to the first Asian immigrations.
In the Pacific Northwest, AANHPI communities have long been integral to our region’s history and cultural heritage, having first settled in the area as far back as the early 19th century. Seattle’s first Chinese settlers came to the northwestern United States in the 1860s and 1870s, providing a labor force for the booming lumber mills, fishing operations, and railroads of the region. On UW campus, some of the beloved cherry blossom trees were gifted by the Japan Commerce Association of Washington to the UW Department of American Ethnic Studies in celebration of the Japanese-American relationship at the university.
However, the region also took part in harmful and discriminatory practices, such as redlining, which had significant impacts on access for the AANHPI community. In Washington state, over 12,000 Japanese were incarcerated as part of Japanese internment programs during World War II.
This month — and every month — we celebrate the many ways that AANHPI people enrich our communities.
Banner for Asian American. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May. Waves and tropical flowers
Get involved at UW
UW Asian American & Pacific Islander Faculty & Staff Association
Recognizing and honoring the rich ethnic, cultural and social diversity of UW Asian and Pacific Islander American faculty and staff, the purpose of the APIAFSA is to create, engage, maintain and sustain a visible and supportive APIA community.
From the Hui Hoaloha ‘Ulana – Hawai’i Club to the Filipino American Student Association to the Polynesian Student Alliance, the UW is home to dozens of student organizations that not only bring people into community. Discover Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander student groups on campus.
May 1, 9 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Spring 2026 CSEAD Student Conference will feature a keynote presentation and panels by current UW undergraduate and graduate students across a wide range of topics and disciplines in Southeast Asian studies.
May 1, 3:30 – 5:00
Writing history demands rigorous editing and the willingness to cut material. This talk revisits sources excluded from Unmaking Botany to reflect on monograph making while advancing a conceptual argument aligned with the book’s central interventions.
The Deep Time in Korean Literature
May 14 – Wednesday, July 22, 2026 (Opening day May 14, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm – RSVP here)
Gowen Hall – Tateuchi East Asia Library, George Beckmann Reading Room
Korean literature has evlovled over five thousand years, shaped by nature, history and everyday life. This exhibition traces the enduring flow, showing how the past lives on in modern Korean literature.
Ehtnomusicology Visting Artist Concert: Heri Purwarnto, Javanese Gamelan $
May 21, 7:30 p.m.
The master Javanese gamelan musician Heri Purwanto from Indonesia performs with his UW students and special guests in this evening of music from Java, Indonesia.
Upcoming Events
Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration
May 2, 2026, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., Armory Food & Event Hall
Seattle Center Festál presents Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration in partnership with the Asian Pacific Directors Coalition (APDC). The festival marks the beginning of the officially proclaimed and recognized Asian Pacific American Heritage Month of May in the Greater Seattle area. It aims to preserve and promote the culture, heritage, and contributions of Asian Pacific Islanders and Asian Pacific Americans.
Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America
May 3, 2026, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, Wing Luke Museum
Join the community for a film screening of the documentary, Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America. Filmmaker Jon Osaki will be present for a Q & A after the screening.
Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Move Movement Film
May 4, 2026, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
North Creek Event Center, UW Bothell
Join Anida Yoeu Ali and the community for a film screening featuring the work of visionary artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto.
Learn more
Take a look at the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month site compiled by the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, Smithsonian’s, National Archives, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Part Services, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Check out the National Park Service exploration of AANHPI stories.
The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle’ Chinatown-International District is the only community-based museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the history of pan-Asian Pacific Americans.
The Panama Hotel – National Historic Landmark is situated on Seattle’s Nihonmachi (Japantown) before World War II. The hotel has a long history of providing temporary lodging for immigrants from Japan who immigrated to Seattle and houses one of only two intact sentos (public bathhouses) in the United States.
Visit Seattle’s Chinatown Historic District, which has been the focal point of the city’s Asian community since the early 20th century and is in the National Register of Historic Places. Chinatown was the heart of the most extensive Asian community in Washington state and the size and vitality of the district attracted thousands of immigrants to Seattle
No Longer Invisible is a project that launched in 2014 as a means of expression for UW students, staff, faculty and alumni within the AANHPI communities to use their own words in voicing their stories and lived experiences. Diversity in aspects of identity such as culture, religion or spirituality, language, and tradition, among many others within and of the AAPI communities.
The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial is a poignant testament to the plight and resilience of Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II.
The Seattle Asian Art Museum, in an exquisite 1933 Art Deco building in lush Volunteer Park, is Seattle Art Museum’s original home and the location of its extensive collection of Asian art. It’s also home to the Gardner Center, which hosts lectures, readings, performances, films and events with visual artists to present diverse perspectives on Asia’s many cultural traditions and contemporary issues.
Support
Consider making a one-time contribution or setting up payroll deduction to a UWCFD member organization working to advance human rights and justice for Asian Americans, Native Hawai’ians and Pacific Islanders.
Supporting a nonprofit in your community or on campus is simple and meaningful. You can make a one-time gift or set up an ongoing payroll deduction through the UW Combined Fund Drive (UWCFD). Search by charity name or by the type of work they do to find a cause that resonates with you.
Can’t find the organization you’re looking for? We’re here to help! Email us at uwcfd@uw.edu and we’ll reach out to invite them to join the CFD.
Your generosity and engagement make a difference.
