In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we asked alumni, “How do you honor AAPI Heritage Month?”
Highlighted Alumni:
- Michael Chu CC’20
"I first started celebrating AAPI Heritage Month during my undergraduate years, and loved participating in the many festivals that cultural clubs hosted throughout the month. This year I will be reconnecting with other alumni to explore new AAPI restaurants and participate in the many cultural fairs that take place around the city!" - Nancy Pak CC’90
“This year, I will be honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander month by celebrating my Korean immigrant parents with a home cooked, authentic Korean meal that my family and I will cook together. My parents came to the U.S. for a better future for themselves, and they stayed in the U.S. for a better future for their two daughters. My mother was a very caring and kind person who was an inspiring role model for me and my sister. She came to the U.S. on a college scholarship to study - she became a dietitian and met my father in California. My father was an engineer and entrepreneur who supported not only our family but his extended family. My parents have been gone a long time, yet I feel their presence everyday when I look at my own two thriving teenage kids who are positive examples of perseverance, with love for each other, for their family and thankful to have the opportunities that my parents came to this country for." - Brandon Shi CC’22
"I am honoring AAPI Heritage Month through my involvement in my company's Asian affinity group and participating in shared community with others across the Asian diaspora. Living in New York, I am also excited to support the many AAPI businesses, visiting new ones in addition to my usual favorites!" - Ying Yen CC’95
“I am honoring AAPI Heritage Month this month by acknowledging the wonderful contributions of Asian Americans day in and day out to the fabric of America.” - Elizabeth Yuan CC’96
"I'll run the AAPI 5K from the World Trade Center on May 6. The event is a fundraiser for nearly a dozen AAPI nonprofits. These groups: build the political voice of AAPI communities; bring together scholars in Asian and Asian American studies; expand the representation of Asian American performers on stages; normalize mental health; help immigrants become better informed citizens; aid children and families; advocate for Southeast Asians; and celebrate Chinatown. It’s always important to show up." - Rita Zhang CC’17
"2023 began with Asian filmmakers’ historic wins at the Oscars and it’s a hopeful sign for more recognition and celebration of the AAPI community. I’m dedicating this month to educating myself about my Chinese heritage and reading books by Asian authors and women of color to honor the fearless voices that led us here."
More Reflections:
Augustinus Ong CC’76
"How I celebrate my Chinese heritage? Why, every time when I’m visiting cities to attend various conferences, I always make a beeline dive to the Chinese neighborhood restaurants. Soy sauce chicken over rice with plenty of choy sum on the side. So far, Philly’s Chinese restaurants are nearly just as good as those you find at Brooklyn’s numerous restaurants. Washington, DC’s ones are pretty dismal. Seattle’s Chinese restaurants are pretty good and worthwhile to try out (but need to order food without MSG). I will be back in Seattle in August and will definitely visit Bruce Lee’s favorite restaurant and order his fav dish of beef with oyster sauce over rice. And, of course, I took plenty of pictures of Chinatown, the streets and the storefronts, and post them on my desktop."