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APIA Heritage Month thread: Listen, if you want May to just be Asian America Heritage Month OR Pacific Islander Heritage Month--then disaggregate. There's no rule against it. However, if you claim AAPI, APA, or API, you have the ethical responsibility to fairly represent both...
if you fail to represent both, you risk dismissing, erasing, belittling, and offending. if you are not knowledgeable of AA & PI, then just don't do it...instead spend this month educating yourself.
for the past 15 years, I have been written, edited, published, taught, advocated for, and raised awareness about Pacific Islander literature nationally and internationally. I have also studied Asian American literature as a comparative ethnic studies scholar.
Besides creating space for Pacific Islanders over that time, I have also collaborated with Asian American and writers and literary organizations. I have learned to appreciate our shared histories and experiences, as well as our vibrant differences.
To me, it's absolutely necessary for our peoples to have our own spaces since we have unique cultures and experiences. I also believe that AAPI spaces are important for solidarity and collaboration.
Moreover, itʻs important to remember that there are many mixed-race AAPIs. I myself am part-filipinx and my wife is Hawaiian and Chinese. I support AAPI spaces because I want our daughter to have space where they can explore all parts of their genealogies.
In 2012, I wrote this short blog post reflecting on AAPI heritage month through literature. Itʻs titled, "Reading Across the Acronym." I wrote a follow-up, which should be published this year. I hope you will read it, and I hope we can continue to celebrate and respect each other
