Did you know May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month? It began and was influenced in the 1970s with the rise of the Civil Rights movement, the founding of Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. It started as just a week in May when President Jimmy Carter signed it into law in 1978. Then President George Bush signed a bill in 1990 extending from a week to a month, and President Obama changed the name to what it is now in 2009. May is significant because it marked the first immigration of Japanese to the USA on May 7, 1843, and the transcontinental railroad’s completion.

There are 24 million people in the USA that identify as AAPI. A recent Pew Study showed that AAPI is the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. To learn more about AAPI check out this incredible documentary here and follow some influencers like Tim Chantaranngsu  and David So.

May also celebrates and raises awareness of the following as well:

● ALS Awareness Month

● American Stroke Month

● Better Speech and Hearing Month

● Bladder Cancer Awareness Month

● Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month

● Brain Cancer Awareness Month

● Celiac Awareness Month

● Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

● Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Month

● Fibromyalgia Awareness Month

● Gardening for Wildlife Month

● Hepatitis Awareness Month

● High Blood Pressure Education Month

● Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month

● Jewish American Heritage Month

● Lupus Awareness Month

● Lyme Disease Awareness Month

● Mental Health Awareness Month

● Mobility Awareness Month

● Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month

● Myositis Awareness Month

● Older Americans Month

● National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

● National Cancer Research Month

● National Clean Air Month

● National Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

● National NF (Neurofibromatosis) Month

● Oncology Nursing Month

● Pet Cancer Awareness Month