Celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month with Us!

Join AARP California as we recognize Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) culture and contributions to the United States.

A Message from AARP California – Care and Compassion:
May is Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time to honor the many contributions that generations of AANHPIs have made to American history, society, and culture. It also offers us a time for reflection to better understand the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander experience today.

AARP’s vision is a society in which all people live with dignity and purpose and can fulfill their goals and dreams. Even though the heightened news coverage of anti-Asian hate crimes has slowed down, the on-going hate and violence continues. AARP is committed to ending age discrimination, embracing a culture of inclusion, and advocating for the financial security, personal fulfillment, and health for all.

To help further this vision, we invite you to act with care and compassion towards one another this month and beyond. Caring for one another, regardless of differences, is important to building strong communities and we hope you will embrace compassion with us.

Sincerely,

Joe Garbanzos, State President & Nancy McPherson, State Director


AARP California Events – Celebrating Culture and Contributions:
Join us in celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month. To learn about upcoming events, visit aarp.org/local or continue reading below.

Where I Belong Author Talk: Healing Trauma & Embracing Asian American Identity (May 3 at 11 a.m. PT | Zoom)
Join authors, Soo Jin Lee, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Linda Yoon, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) for a conversation about their best seller book, Where I Belong. Their book illuminates how trauma perpetuates through generations and impacts relationships, emphasizing the Asian American experience for better understanding and healing of racial and intergenerational trauma. During this event, hear from the authors and learn about their book, how it came to be, and how to address a unique form of trauma that encompasses both racial and intergenerational suffering. Learn more and register HERE. This virtual event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Film Screening & Discussion of “Because of You, I am” (May 10 at Noon | Zoom)
Join us for a film screening of “Because of You, I am” by filmmaker and artist Doug Menuez and executive producer Pear Urushima. The film is a short documentary about Roy and PJ Hirabayashi, founders of San Jose Taiko and pioneers of North American taiko, a form of drumming with roots in Japanese culture that is influenced by other notable genres. Taiko is more than a musical form for the Hirabayashis – it is about way of life and a medium of expression that allows you to find your voice. Following the film screening, Pear, PJ, and Roy will converse about the film, their 50 years of taiko, and what’s next. Learn more and register HERE. This virtual event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Make Us Visible with Color and Voice (May 17 at Noon | Zoom)
Join us for a virtual conversation and coloring session focused on Asian American pioneers who have shaped our country’s history. The presentation will be by Make Us Visible, a grassroots coalition building a curriculum and advocating for the integration of Asian American contributions, experiences, and histories in K-12 classrooms. Participants will be emailed coloring pages from the organization’s coloring book, which is intended to help educate and spark conversations about Asian American history. Learn more and register HERE. This virtual event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

OCA Sacramento’s 29^th Annual Dragon Boat Festival (May 23 at 5:30 p.m. PT | Sacramento, CA)
Join us as OCA-APA Sacramento celebrates local community champions. OCA Sacramento represents Asian Pacific American Advocates a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. Learn more and purchase tickets HERE.

Let’s Take It Outside: Explore Angel Island (May 24 at Noon | Angel Island)
Join AARP California for a leisurely hike at scenic Angel Island State Park and a guided tour of the Angel Island Immigration Station. Angel Island State Park, the largest natural island in the San Francisco Bay, offers stunning views of the surrounding Bay Area. This visit will begin with a 1.2-mile scenic hike from Ayala Cove to the Angel Island Immigration Station. The staff from the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation will then facilitate a guided tour of the immigration station that was once known as the “Ellis Island of the West” and has strong historical ties to Asian American communities in the region. After the tour, enjoy a leisurely hike from the immigration station back to Ayala Cove. Learn more and register HERE. This virtual event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Please note, the visit will require a hike of approximately 2.5-miles in total. Access to Angel Island State Park is by public ferry or private boat. All attendees will need to coordinate their own transportation to Ayala Cove where all arriving vessels to Angel Island State Park dock.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander Night Market: Honoring and Celebrating Diversity in Downtown Sacramento (May 31 at 5 p.m. PT | Sacramento, CA)
Join us as the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce hosts their annual AAPI Night Market in Downtown Sacramento. Enjoy a vibrant celebration of the diverse community and discover the richness of AAPI cultures with over 40 food and drink vendors, local merchants, and special live performances. Learn more and purchase tickets HERE.

AARP California Video Series – Spotlighting Creative Spirits Using Art to Strengthen Community:
AARP recognizes, honors, and celebrates the contributions of AANHPI communities by highlighting their diversity and rich culture through compelling stories, customs, and highlighting diverse leaders from the community. In honor of the 2024 Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Wood Dragon – which is known for creativity – AARP California is highlighting four creative spirits who are using the power of art to build and strengthen community!

Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Ninette Tenza-Umali

Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Vic Bicomong

Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month: PJ & Roy Hirabayashi

Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Thao Huynh French

Embrace Your Inner Dragon - Sweepstakes:
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon and enter the Embrace Your Inner Dragon Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for 2 to Los Angeles for a VIP screening of the film, “Enter the Dragon” featuring Bruce Lee. But don’t worry, even if you are not the grand prize winner, you have the opportunity to win a pair of limited-edition sunglasses inspired by the renowned martial artist and the Year of the Dragon.

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!

#embraceyourinnerdragon