Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month when the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States is celebrated.
AAPI Heritage Month is not the end of learning about and celebrating the AAPI identity but is a doorway to acknowledge the contributions of the AAPI community. We, at Vanderbilt, are using AAPI Heritage Month to recognize the amazing stories and impact the AAPI community, past and present, have made on our campus, locally, nationally, and globally.
Besides the university’s efforts to honor and reflect on the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander community at Vanderbilt University, many student groups are actively working with university offices on leveraging the existence as well as promoting the awareness and acknowledgment of the AAPI community at Vanderbilt University:
One of the most successful events AASA hosts annually is the cultural showcase, Lunar New Year Festival (LNYF), with over 1300 attendees.
“Seeing the showcase come together this year, back in full force, I truly felt the strength and heart within our community. LNYF builds bonds that make Vanderbilt home. It was really an honor to create that space for students, especially underclassmen, who found their home through LNYF.” — Reena Zhang, LNYF Vice-President.
As we are wrapping up for this school year, Tabitha Lee, the incoming AASA President 2022 – 2023, is expecting a bright future. “For me, being in AASA has always felt like coming home. As I return to the AASA board as next year’s president, I hope to continue spreading that feeling to others through our outreach efforts to alumni and many more inter-organizational collaborations.”
One of the proudest events SACE has put on is SACE Speaks, a dialogue series that engages with social issues that affect the South Asian community. SACE Speaks has recently won the Vanderbilt Award for Leadership Excellence: Lori Groves-White Award for Advocacy and Courage.
“I really love how SACE has been able to really showcase what it means to be South Asian, from the celebrations we have during TDS to the educational conversations we have during more serious programming. It highlights the dynamism of the South Asian experience.” – says Rohit Kataria, the SACE Advocacy Chair.
- The Asian American Advocacy Project (TAAAP) is established to serve the entire Asian and Asian American community at Vanderbilt, including students, faculty, and staff in all 10 of Vanderbilt’s schools.
“Seeing all the faculty and student support we’ve gotten for TAAAP is so affirming. Because of their support, we’ve accomplished so much for the Asian and Asian American community. Looking forward, we’re advocating for more Asian and Asian American representation in all spheres of Vanderbilt.” – says Angela Yan, the TAAAP Co-Director.
“The last several months have been so amazing, and we cannot wait to continue to create spaces where Asian and Asian Americans at Vanderbilt feel celebrated.” – Rohit Kataria, the TAAAP Co-Director.
For comprehensive campus resources, upcoming events, and updates on the AAPI community, please visit the AAPI Identity Initiative website or follow us on EDI Instagram @inclusive_vandy.