According to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, “APIDA Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the cultures, contributions, and traditions of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi Americans [APIDA]. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the beginning of Japanese immigration to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad (built primarily by Chinese immigrants) on May 10,1869. While APIDA Heritage Month is nationally recognized in May, many colleges and universities celebrate in April.”
This past April, multiple organizations on Stevens campus hosted events to celebrate APIDA Heritage Month. The Indian Undergraduate Association hosted a Masquerade Ball Night, the Chinese Student Association hosted Dim Sum Night and a Chinese Painting Workshop, FAST Game Show was hosted by the Filipino Association at Stevens Tech (FAST), and a Science Fair was hosted by the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. Additional events included Lore El’s Henna Night, Sigma Psi Zeta’s SA Awareness Workshop, and the Korean Student Association’s Family Day event.
While APIDA Heritage Month is celebrated across the country, readers may be more familiar with the term “AAPI” or simply the phrase “Asian American Heritage Month.” The term APIDA is relatively new, but characterizes the struggles activists have faced overtime in order to coin a more inclusive term to recognize different cultures within the broad Asian American community.
As discussed by the nonprofit Asian American Organizing Project, “The new term APIDA is one attempt at de-generalizing both the terms Asian American and AAPI. It does this by specifically highlighting the inclusion of folks with Desi (South Asian) ancestry within the community. It is a similar concept as BIPOC in relation to POC.”
While APIDA does have some of the same issues as its predecessors, such as being too broad and potentially erasing the experiences of specific communities, its usage is still regarded as a step in the right direction towards inclusivity.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Inclusive Language Series notes, “To fully understand these acronyms it’s important to remember that they reference a diverse population of more than 20 ethnic groups living in the United States. When referring to folks in the APIDA community, you should use the most specific language available. If you are referring to a large group of people of varying ethnicities within the APIDA umbrella, using the acronym is appropriate. When referring to individuals, or specific ethnic communities, you should avoid using the acronym and instead opt to use their specific ethnic identifier.”
When celebrating the many cultures and traditions of APIDA Heritage Month, it is important to recognize the complexity of this month’s name and its broader representation of the Asian American and Pacific Islander experience when it comes to being identified. There is a lot to learn from these diverse communities and some places to start are looking through resource guides, attending local events, and making an effort to reach out and ask others about their experiences and perspectives at such events.
