Asian American and Pacific Islander Month 2023

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated from May 1-31. The month of May commemorates the many contributions and achievements made by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

AAPI Heritage Month first began in 1977, according to asianpacificheritage.gov. Rep. Frank Horton of New York introduced House Joint Resolution 540 to proclaim the first 10 days in May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week. Senator Daniel Inouye introduced a similar resolution in the U.S. Senate.

Since neither of these resolutions passed, in June 1978, Rep. Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 1007. The resolution was a proposal to President Jimmy Carter to proclaim the first 10 days of May 1979 as Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Week. This resolution was passed by the U.S. House and then U.S. Senate, and finally signed by President Carter on Oct. 5, 1978.

For several years, presidents passed annual proclamations for Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Week. In 1990, Congress passed Public Law 101-283, which expanded the week to a month. In 1992, Congress passed Public Law 102-450 recognizing the entire month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The month of May was chosen for AAPI Heritage Month due to two events. On May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States and on May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad was completed. This honor recognizes that most of the workers who laid the tracks for the transcontinental railroad were Chinese immigrants.


The Triton College Library Will Be Celebrating AAPI Month

Please visit the Triton College Library website on May 1 to view their “Celebrating Diversity” book display! The display will feature AAPI books and authors. Take a look at the Library's Virtual Display for AAPI.

Triton College Library celebrates several May Heritages in Film EVERY Thursday in May. Each film is showcasing the richness of our streaming media databases.

Come watch with us in the Library Classroom, then go home and stream it to watch again. See our featured films below:

Nurses: If Florence Could See Us Now (honors National Nurses Week)
Thursday, May 4, 2 p.m.
Triton College Library, Room A-215

Long Story Short
Thursday, May 11, 2 p.m.
Triton College Library, Room A-215

The Story of The Sons of Hawaii
Thursday, May 18, 2 p.m.
Triton College Library, Room A-215

Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (honors Jewish American Heritage)
Thursday, May 25, 2 p.m.
Triton College Library, Room A-215


PDC May Calendar of Events

Download PDC May Calendar featuring a 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge © AAPI Heritage Month. 


Asian American Alumni Spotlight

Chef Bill Kim

Chef Bill Kim is an award-winning Chicago chef and restauranteur. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Kim immigrated to the United States at the age of 7. He graduated from Triton College in 1989 and then graduated from Kendall College in Chicago with a degree in culinary arts.

After he graduated, he worked with industry greats such as Pierre Pollin at Le Titi de Paris in Arlington Heights, Ill., and Jean Banchet at Ciboulette in Atlanta. After gaining experience, Chef Kim worked as a sous chef at notable kitchens around the country.

After moving back to Chicago, Chef Kim opened urbanbelly, a noodle, dumpling and rice restaurant in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood in 2008. He also opened bellyQ, an Asian barbeque restaurant, on Randolph Street in 2012. After many successful years, Chef Kim decided to move urbanbelly next to bellyQ in the West Loop. In 2016, he opened a second urbanbelly in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood

Chef Kim is the author of the cookbook Korean BBQ: Master Your Grill in Seven Sauces, which was a James Beard Award Finalist.

Follow Chef Kim on Instagram at www.instagram.com/chefbillkim/.


In-District AAPI History Month Gatherings

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration
Sunday, May 21, 1-3 p.m.
Oak Park Library
Main Library Veterans Room
834 Lake St.
Oak Park, IL


Other AAPI History Month Gatherings

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Celebration
Sunday, May 21, Noon-4 p.m.
Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at the Chicago History Museum!
Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL


Support AAPI-Owned Restaurants

New Star Restaurant
7444 W. North Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL
(708) 453-8242

Inari Sushi
7428 W. North Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL
(708) 583-2300

White Crane Creative Thai & Sushi
819 S. Harlem Ave.
Forest Park, IL
(708) 689-0969

New Pot Restaurant
727 Lake St. #1406
Oak Park, IL
(708) 383-1625

Mantra by Indian Garden
9438 W. Irving Park Rd.
Schiller Park, IL
(847) 260-5777


Support AAPI Owned Businesses

Lee Spa Nails
8907 Grand Ave.
River Grove, IL
(708) 583-3020

Divine Beauty Salon
10106 Grand Ave.
Franklin Park, IL
(224) 781-2993


AAPI Books and Authors

  • The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee.
  • Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong.
  • Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of An American People by Helen Zia.
  • The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
  • How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa.
  • Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong.
  • Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.

AAPI in Careers


Other AAPI Links