About
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AA&PI Heritage Month) is a university-wide celebration of the Asian American & Pacific Islander communities. While the month is federally recognized in May, the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA), the United Asian American Student Organizations (UAAO), and the Oceanic Student Association (OSA) celebrate the month from mid-March to mid-April, with a diverse range of events that honor AA&PI histories, heritages, communities, and identities. To celebrate the Pacific Islander (or Oceanian) community, we also host PI Heritage Week dedicated to the histories, heritages, communities, and identities of the Oceanian community.
Throughout the month, events will be added to the list of events below so please check back often for updates. All are invited to join us! For more information on AA&PI Heritage Month and regular updates, follow us on the AA&PI Heritage Month Instagram!
If you have questions or further inquiries, contact Aia Hawari, aiah@umich.edu.
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2023 calendar
This year our theme is Generational Change and Healing. Our Planning Committee selected this theme after conversations around wanting to build toward unity and increase self-awareness within our communities.The historical resilience of both the Asian American and Oceanian communities are clear and, despite the violence we have faced and continue to face, we choose instead to center our healing. Our communities often draw from inherited knowledge and wisdom, invoking inspiration and a push for change in the younger generations and generations to come. This heritage month, we hope to reinforce our healing by hosting events and conversations that build, uplift, and challenge our communities.
Please note that Pacific Islander Heritage Week will take place during the week of April 9th. See details below!
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Kick-Off Event and Art Fair
Thursday, March 9th | 6:30 – 8:00 PM ET | Register HERE
Michigan League, Michigan Room, 911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join us for opening remarks from Dr. Connie Tingson Gatuz, Dr. Melissa Borja, and Dr. Ian Shin about the significance of healing and generational change in our communities. We will be having an art fair and performances where students can showcase and sell their art. Official AA&PI HM Merch will also be distributed to attendees.
Call for artists for the Art Fair: FORM HERE
Hosted by: Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Chinese Student Association Culture Night
Sunday, March 12th | 1:00-3:00 PM ET
Location: East Hall Psych Atrium
Let's celebrate Chinese culture together with a fun night filled with mahjong and calligraphy making. Stay after the event to learn Chinese prop dances with dance group rXn! Find more info: @csaumich on Instagram.
Hosted by: Chinese Student Association
Weekly Mental Health Dialogues: Redefining and Reimaging Self Care Practices
Tuesday, March 14th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
To kick-off our first Weekly Mental Health Dialogue, we will be having a presentation and conversation about the radical applications of self care in the Black Panther Party, and how the term 'self-care' has been co-opted by various institutions and corporations. Join us for interactive activities and dinner from Jamaican Jerk Pit.
Hosted by: Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Queer Asian American Short Screening of Little Sky
Wednesday, March 15th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
This is the first event in our two-part Queer Asian American Short Film Screening where we showcase the work of Asian American auteurs and their exploration of queerness in cinema. The film that will be featured at this event is Little Sky by Jess X Snow, about Chinese American drag sensation Sky, who is haunted by their childhood memories and returns to their hometown to confront their estranged father.
Jess X. Snow is a non-binary film director, artist, author, and educator who creates genre-defying queer Asian immigrant stories. Currently an MFA thesis student at NYU as an Ang Lee Scholar, they merge eastern modalities of healing, community arts activism with film directing to create stories that explore intimacy, intergenerational trauma, and abolitionist futures.
Hosted by: Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
UAAO x MSP Restorative Justice and Transformative Justice Training
Thursday, March 16th | 6:00 - 8:00 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join MSP, UAAO and AA&PI HM for a conversation about Transformative Justice and Restorative Justice on Thursday, March 16th from 6-8pm at the Yuri Kochiyama Lounge at South Quad (U-M Ann Arbor). There will be free dinner from Earthen Jar as well as a number of opportunities to talk, build community, and consider how to apply TJ & RJ in our student organizing spaces and own communities. There will also various visioning and reflections activities and a take-home resource to continue our learning.
Hosted by: United Asian American Organizations and MSP
Being "Americanish"
Friday, March 17th | 6:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Hussey Room of the Michigan League (2nd floor), 911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
This is an LSA Student Government event, a collaboration between the Student Life Committee and Diversity Affairs Committee. The Being "Americanish" Event will take place on March 17th, from 6:00-8:30 pm in the Hussey Room of the Michigan League (2nd floor). There will be a film screening (about one hour and thirty minutes) beginning at 6:00, followed by a panel of Egyptian-American director/co-writer Iman Zawahry and Pakistani-American lead actress/co-writer Aizzah Fatima. They will share their insights on the film as well as answer questions from the audience. This is a great opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of the film and its themes (such as the experience of being a Muslim woman in America in various careers, a first-generation American, the impact of a women-centric production team, etc.) and engage in a thought-provoking discussion with the filmmakers. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Hosted by: LSA Student Government and Student Life Committee and Diversity Affairs Committee
Weekly Mental Health Dialogues: Be Flexible with Traditional South Asian Wellness Practices Dil Se x AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Tuesday, March 21st | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
School of Public Health, Cornely Room, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
This Weekly Mental Health Dialogue is a collaboration with Dil Se, an organization dedicated to South Asian mental health. We will be having a presentation on the history of traditional yoga practices in the South Asian subcontinent and providing opportunities for individuals to practice.
Hosted by: Dil Se and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
MESA Anti-Racism Teach-In
Wednesday, March 22nd | 6:30 - 8:00 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join us at this Anti-Racism in collaboration with MESA's very own Peer Inclusive Educator (PIE), Shereen! We will talk about topics such as East Asian dominance and colorism within AA communities, anti-Blackness within AA communities, and unlearning generational harm and educating our elders. There will be some free dinner as well!
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee and the MESA PIE Team
AHM x AA&PI HM Collaboration: Healing Histories of Henna and Mehndi
Thursday, March 23rd | 6:00 - 7:00 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join us at this AA&PI Heritage Month and Arabic Heritage Month collaboration as we explore the cultural significance of Henna/Mehndi and the roles they play in self care and healing. This event will have food and interactive activities.
Hosted by: AA&PI HM and Arab Heritage Month Planning Committees
A Conversation with Putsata Reang - Ma & Me: A Memoir
Friday, March 24th | 2:00 - 4:00 PM ET | Register HERE
UMMA Auditorium, 525 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Ma and Me: A Memoir can be described as an excellent interwoven story of the refugee experience, the Americanization of immigrant children, tension and drama between mother and daughter’s cultural expectations, the lingering effects of war, and the pursuit of the American dream. With a journalist’s eye and a creative writer’s heart, Cambodian-American journalist Putsata Reang has crafted a memorable narrative with poignant lines, rare clarity, and lyrical wisdom. Her story reflects the long legacy of inherited trauma, as well as the crushing weight of cultural and filial duty carried by many immigrants and refugees as they navigate transnational, first-gen, queer, and ethnic and racial identities in the US.
Please join us for this conversation with Putsata Reang in the Helmut Stern Auditorium, UMMA on Friday, Mar 24, 2023. Time: 2:00 - 4:00 PM (Door opens at 1:30 PM and Book Signing is at 3:30 PM)
This event is open to all UofM community members and registration is required. The first 50 UofM students who register and show up to attend the event will receive a free copy of the book at the sign-in on the day of the event with the presence of UMID.
Hosted by: The Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs and co-sponsored by The Spectrum Center, The University of Michigan Museum of Art, The Trotter Multicultural Center, and The First-Generation Initiatives.
Japan Culture Festival
Sunday, March 26th | 12:00 - 4:30 PM ET
Mason Hall - Posting Wall Aud A, 419 S State St., Mason Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Japan Culture Festival (JCF) is an annual cultural festival celebrating Japanese culture. The event is open to both Umich students and faculty as well as the Japanese community in Ann Arbor and surrounding areas. It is a day of catered Japanese food, performance, and various themed activities. This year's theme is Natsumatsuri (Summer Festival). Some activities and performances may include, judo and kendo martial arts demonstrations, Japanese water balloon fishing, traditional Japanese dance, and calligraphy activities, among many others! Find more info: @jsauofm on Instagram.
Hosted by: Japan Student Association
Weekly Mental Health Dialogues: VSA x AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Tuesday, March 28th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
This event is a part of our Weekly Mental Health Dialogue Series. Join us for a conversation about mental health with the Vietnamese Student Association.
Hosted by: Vietnamese Student Association and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Queer Asian American Short Screening: Skin Can Breathe
Wednesday, March 29th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join us for a short film and great food! Then after, enjoy a guided arts and craft/journaling session.
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Michigan Healthy Nail Salon Cooperative Advocacy
Thursday, March 30th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Asubuhi Lounge, West Quad, 541 Thompson St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join AA&PI Heritage Month in collaboration with Michigan Healthy Nail Salon Cooperative's Aurora Le for a conversation about the health and safety issues faced by salon workers. This event has an interactive nail decorating aspect with nail stickers. It is also highly encouraged to bring nail polish from home to this event.
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Cultivating Generational Knowledge: Kimchi demo with Ji Hye Kim of Miss Kim
Friday, March 31st | 5:00 - 7:00 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join Chef Ji Hye Kim of Miss Kim Ann Arbor for a Kimchi-making demo, some delicious tastings, and a conversation about food as generational knowledge and cooking as care and nurture.
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee, United Asian American Organizations
PERMIAS Michigan Indonesian Cultural Night
Saturday, April 1st | 6:00 PM ET
Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3, 812 Washington St Ann Arbor, MI 48109
We are thrilled to announce that after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, PERMIAS Michigan is bringing back the highly anticipated Indonesian Cultural Night (ICN) to the university community! Hosted annually by the University's Indonesian Association Club, ICN showcases our rich culture and heritage to the Ann Arbor community. This year's event will focus on the history of Eastern Java through a skit and short performances, featuring the school's Javanese Gamelan group. The event promises to be both exciting and interactive, and the best part is that it's completely FREE !We cordially invite you to join us for a night of festivity and wonder. Delicious food will also be provided for everyone to enjoy, so don't miss out! Find more info on @permiasmichigan on Instagram.
Hosted by: PERMIAS Michigan and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
MANRRS x HM Refugee Garden Initiative Tours
Sunday, April 2nd | 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM ET | Register
Matthei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Join AA&PI Heritage Month and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRSS) for a tour of the Refugee Garden Initiative located at the Matthei Botanical Gardens. This two-hour will consist of free transportation and a presentation from Phimmasone Kym Owens, a UMich student and founder of the Refugee Garden Initiative, regarding the mission of RGI and how students, staff, and faculty can get involved in cultural preservation.
Hosted by: Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences of the University of Michigan and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Weekly Mental Health Dialogue #4: Asian American Popular Music vs The Model Minority Myth
Tuesday, April 4th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
This iteration of our Weekly Mental Health Dialogue is in collaboration with Conner Singh Vanderbeek, a PhD candidate in ethnomusicology. Join us for a presentation and conversation around the interactions between music, the model minority myth, and mental health practices. Dinner will be provided!
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Cultivating Generational Knowledge: Zine Release Party and Community Celebration
Wednesday, April 5th | 5:00 - 7:00 PM ET
Cahoots Cafe, 206 E Huron St Suite 2, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Join AA&PI HM and UAAO at Cahoots for an evening of food, art, community, and celebration. Free copies available of the accompanying zine, Cultivating Generational Knowledge, plus music and entertainment from local Asian American artists, a variety of hands-on activities, and plenty of food from vendors such as Tiffin Tonight, Miss Kim, and Ginger Deli!
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee, United Asian American Organizations, Student Sustainability Coalition, APIA
Open Dialogue: Representations of Mixed-Race identity in Asian-American Communities
Thursday, April 6th | 6:00 PM ET
Location: TBD
What does it mean to be mixed-race in Asian American? How do different cultures acknowledge (or not acknowledge) mixed-race identity? Join Mixed at Michigan for an open dialogue on how mixed-race identities impacts individuals in Asian-American communities.
Hosted by: Mixed @ Michigan
AHM x AA&PI HM Collaboration: Untold Stories
Thursday, April 6th | 7:30 PM ET
2435 North Quad, 105 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Untold Stories - an event brought to you by Arab Heritage Month and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Months where they showcase and present stories of Arab and Asian American people throughout the generations.
Hosted by: AA&PI HM and Arab Heritage Month Planning Committees
Open Dialogue: Representations of Mixed-Race Identity in Asian-American Communities
Thursday, April 6th | 6:00 PM ET
Location: TBD
What does it mean to be mixed-race in Asian American communities? How do different cultures acknowledge (or not acknowledge) mixed-race identity? Join Mixed at Michigan for an open dialogue on how mixed-race identities impact individuals in Asian-American communities.
Hosted by: Mixed @ Michigan
Uncover x UAAO x HM: Podcast Reveal Event
Friday, April 7th | 5:00 - 6:30 PM ET
Yuri Kochiyama Lounge, South Quad, 600 E Madison St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Hosted by: Uncover: A/PIA, United Asian American Organizations, and the AA&PI HM Planning Committee
Avatar: The Last Airbender Jasmine Dragon Tea Party
Friday, April 7th | 5:00 - 7:00 PM ET
IGR Office, 2nd Floor 48103, 1214 S University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Hosted by: The Program on Intergroup Relations
Free Taiwanese Film Screening: A Letter to A’ma
Friday, April 7th | 6:30 - 9:00 PM ET
Rackham Graduate School, 915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
This MTSA event is co-host with Formosa Forward and co-organize with Taiwanese Student Association at MSU and Ann Arbor Taiwanese Association. This event consists of two components: film screening and a Q&A session.
A Letter to A’ma culminates a decade’s endeavors of community-engaged art, in which a group of Taiwanese artists, led by Director Chen Hui-ling, traced their family stories by turning to Elders’ knowledge, oral history, and arts. Precipitated by the passing of the Director’s own grandmother (A’ma), this project made possible a journey of intergenerational storytelling, tapped into Taiwan’s collective memory from the past and present, and reshaped the island’s own identity through the retelling in the documentary.
Through the film screening and the subsequent Q&A session with Director Chen, this event will showcase Taiwan’s contemporary art practice as it relates to the recording and retelling of public history. In doing so, we aim to introduce the island’s rich cultural heritage and artistic praxis, especially those with the transformative potential to break down boundaries–generational, national, and cultural all at once.
A Letter to A’ma won the Gold Award at Women Make Waves International Film Festival and Best Documentary Feature at Les Rimbaud du Cinéma. It was also nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.
Hosted by: Michigan Taiwanese Student Association (MTSA)
GenAPA Culture Show
Saturday, April 8th | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
GenAPA, a UAAO-affiliated culture show, has been a proud tradition on the University of Michigan campus since 1995. As one of the largest student-run pan-Asian cultural programs in the nation, GenAPA consistently attracts nearly 200 performers along with a culturally diverse audience of over 500 people. It showcases the unity and strength of the Asian/Pacific Islander American community by alluding to the past while collectively moving the whole community into the future. Promoting cultural diversity through tradition and history remains intrinsic to the core values of GenAPA. Each year it strives to improve its program while preserving the cultural foundation upon which it was built.
Generation Asian Pacific American (GenAPA) is proud to present our 27th show this year. Our theme this year is Invigorate, which we feel captures the state of the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) community. With an upswing of Asian hate crimes amidst our efforts for activism, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of stagnation. It may be difficult to gather the energy to continue our fight, but we believe that by remembering the progress we’ve made so far and how far we’ve come from the beginning of our movement, people will be re-energized. Invigorate to us means to breathe new life into our movement and re-energize members to continue fighting. As such, we want everyone to“reflect on yesterday, and pursue your tomorrow”. Through the show, we want to increase visibility for the APIA community and give them an opportunity to showcase their achievements. When we hold auditions, we invite all APIA performance groups on campus and any individuals part of the community who are interested, so we can showcase the diversity within the APIA community. Outside of the show, we strive to educate the general student population about APIA issues by inviting guest performers to our show and holding workshops leading up to the show. GenAPA is working with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) this year, and we’ve donated to worthwhile causes such as tsunami relief in the past.
Hosted by: Generation Asian Pacific American
AA&PI Heritage Month Gala
Monday, April 10th | 7:00 PM ET
Rogel Ballroom in Michigan Union (2nd Floor), 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee
That Brown Show
Friday, April 14th | 7:00 PM ET
Michigan Theatre, 603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Hosted by: Michigan Sahana: Indian Classical Music & Dance
Pacific Islander Heritage Week 2023
Lei Making Workshop
Sunday, April 9th | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM ET | Register HERE
MESA Office in Michigan Union (3rd Floor), 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join us for a lei making workshop where we will use ribbon to make flowers.
Hosted by: Oceanic Student Association and Michigan-Hawaii Student Association
OSA Performance at AA&PI HM Gala
Monday, April 10th | 7:00 PM ET
Rogel Ballroom in Michigan Union (2nd Floor), 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Hosted by: AA&PI HM Planning Committee
CE & A/PIA Studies Research Symposium
Tuesday, April 11th | 5:30 - 8:30 PM ET
UMMA Forum + Auditorium, 525 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Our RIW will host a combined undergraduate and graduate student research symposium for students interested in/working on Asian American Studies, Pacific Island Studies, and fields related to Ethnic Studies. The event, which will be held in the UMMA Forum and Auditorium, will consist of poster presentations as well as short (~10 minute) paper presentations.
This will be a great chance to receive feedback on final paper ideas, participate in a low-stakes academic event alongside graduate students in the field, and have an opportunity to add to your CV.
Hosted by: Critical Ethnic & Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies RIW
The Orator Film Discussion
Thursday, April 13th | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM ET | Register HERE
3512 Haven Hall 505 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Join us for discussion on The Orator (2011): the first ever Samoan feature film, "entirely shot in Samoa, in the Samoan language, with a Samoan cast and story." The film was selected as the New Zealand entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.
Hosted by: Oceanic Student Association
Indigenous Health Models Talking Circle
Friday, April 14th | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Trotter Multicultural Center, Large Meeting Room 428 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Hosted by: Oceanic Student Association and Native American Student Association
-Nesian Social & Performance Showcase
Saturday, April 15th | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Trotter Multicultural Center, Multipurpose Room 428 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Hosted by: Oceanic Student Association
Acknowledgements
Planning committee members
- Aia Hawari, AA&PI HM & MESA Program Manager
- Amber Wei, AA&PI HM Student Coordinator
- Dalena Hoang, AA&PI HM Student Coordinator
- Cynthia Li, AA&PI HM Opening Event Lead
- Lola Yang, AA&PI HM Closing Event Lead
- Tina Vu, AA&PI HM General Programming Lead
- Gina Liu, AA&PI HM Collaborations and Community Lead
- Wren Palmer, Pacific Islander Heritage Week Lead & OSA Representative
Committee members
- Parvathi Nagappala, Sophomore
- Matthew Lee, Sophomore
- Mira Simonton-Chao, Senior
- Simrun Bose, Junior
- Aarushi Ganguly, Junior
- Phoebe Yi, Junior
- Tarana Sharma, Sophomore
Graphic artist(s)
- Minahil Raheel, First Year - minahil@umich.edu
- Adrianna Farmer, Senior - farmera@umich.edu
Photographer
- Tarana Sharma