Asian American Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month at Alvernia

Asian American Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month at Alvernia

AAPIDA Heritage Month

On Campus & Local Events, Book Recommendations, History & More

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Desi American (AAPIDA) Heritage Month. This is a time to educate yourself and celebrate the cultures of countries within the Asian continent, the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, along with the Indian subcontinent. We celebrate this month and all year long by uplifting and honoring the identities, history, and experiences of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi Americans. To fully acknowledge and appreciate AAPIDA Heritage Month before the end of the semester, we are sharing information, events, and activities in April.

June 1978, Rep. Frank Horton introduced a resolution that the President should “proclaim a week, which is to include the seventh and tenth of the month, during the first ten days in May of 1979 as ‘Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.’” This resolution signed by President Jimmy Carter on October 5, 1978. This law amended the original language of the bill and directed the President to issue a proclamation for the “7 day period beginning on May 4, 1979 as ‘Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.’” During the next decade, presidents passed annual proclamations for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week until 1990 when Congress expanded the observance to a month for 1990. Then in 1992, Congress annually designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants. Here's an informational video to learn the locations being recognized for this month. Here is another video that provides some highlights on influential AAPIDA figures.

If you are interested in helping to create opportunities to celebrate this occasion and others to come, please email Arielle Phillips-Law, Ed.D., Director of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion, at arielle.phillips@alvernia.edu. We would love to meet and connect with you!

On Campus and in the Area

Boba, Bingo, and Brainteasers: April 17
  • Time: 6:00 – 7:00pm
  • Location: Bernardine Hall Lecture Hall
Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month Chef Spotlight: April 20, 27, 28
  • Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  • Location: Student Center Dining Hall
  • Description: We’re celebrating Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month by honoring chefs who have enriched our community and continue to inspire future culinary leaders.
Art for Resistance: Lessons from the No Arena Movement: April 23
  • Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm
  • Location: Black Box Theater + Gallery, Asian Arts Initiative: 1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia
  • Description: From banner-making to flash choruses to poetry anthologies, art was at the heart of our community-building and resistance. Join us for a conversation with key artist-activists including David Acosta, Spiral Q, and Son Revoltura, as they reflect and share insights from No Arena organizing. After hearing from the artists, we'll break out into art-making groups to create signs, learn movement songs, and share stories. 
AAPI Heritage Month Celebration 2026: May 3
  • Time: 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
  • Location: Seneca Valley High School, Germantown, MD
  • Description: The Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) and Office of Community Partnerships (OCP) invites you and your whole family to our fifth-annual AAPI Heritage Month Celebration! This year, join us for captivating cultural performances, discover resources in the AAPI community, participate in our health fair, kid-friendly activities, and explore the rich cultures of our diverse community! 
AAPI Heritage Month Gala: May 8
Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center: Wednesdays - Sundays
  • Time: 11:00am – 5:00pm
  • Location: West Fairmount Park Horticultural and Lansdowne Drives, Philadelphia
  • Description: Designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura, Shofuso was built in Japan in 1953 using traditional techniques and materials. This historic site and museum includes a hill and pond garden with a tiered waterfall, island, and koi fish, a tea garden featuring a traditional tea house, and a courtyard garden leading to a bathhouse. 
Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park: Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31st
  • Time: 10:00am – 6:00pm
  • Location: 1500 Pattison Avenue & S. Broad Street, Philadelphia
  • Description: The Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park is a community of refugees and immigrant members who have called the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Park their home since the 1980’s. For 35+ years they have cultivated an open community space all their own, providing a cultural hub for social gatherings, sharing of ethnic cuisines and business opportunities through vending. 


Book Recommendations from the Frank A. Franco Library

Check out book recommendations from Information Literacy Librarian, Jo Dienst. Bolded titles below and starred titles in the attached PDF are available in the Franco Library collection, with other titles available through the Berks County Public Libraries.

Adult Fiction
  • The Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara Roy, 2024
  • Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto, 2023
  • The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson, 2025
  • On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, 2019
  • The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff, 2023 
Non-Fiction
  • Go Home! By Rowan Hisayo Buchanan (ed.), 2018
  • Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen by Lili’uokalani, 1898
  • We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future by Deepa Iyer, 2015
  • World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, 2020
  • Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, 2021 
Academic Research
  • Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India by Sujatha Gidla, 2017
  • K-Pop: The International Rise of the Korean Music Industry by JungBong Choi and Roald Maliangkay (Eds.), 2017
  • The Idea of Qi/Gi: East Asian and Comparative Philosophical Perspectives by Suk Gabriel Choi and Jung-Yeup Kim (Eds.), 2019
  • Opium’s Long Shadow: From Asian Revolt to Global Drug Control by Steffen Rimner, 2018
  • Asian Art by Michael Kerrigan, 2017
Jo’s Favorites (Your Information Literacy Librarian)
  • The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar, 2023
  • Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, 2021
  • The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, 2019
  • Displacement by Kiku Hughes, 2020
  • All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews, 2022


Let’s Eat!: Restaurants in Our Area

Hipoke Ramen
  • Address: 520 E. Lancaster Ave., Shillington
  • Website: hipokeramen.com
  • Description: Relatively new to Shillington, you can enjoy ramen, bubble tea, poke, fried rice, and other fresh and flavorful dishes close to campus.
Spoonful Thai Bistro 
  • Address: 610 Penn Ave., West Reading
  • Website: spoonfulthai.com
  • Description: They endeavor to bring you the authenticity of Thai food served family style and prepared individually using fresh ingredients and homemade sauces.
Sprout: Rice & Noodles Vietnamese Eatery
  • Address: 58 N. Prince St., Lancaster
  • Website: riceandnoodlesrestaurant.com
  • Description: As a 3rd generation Vietnamese eatery, Sprout uses fresh and local ingredients that convey the chef’s love of cooking. They prepare authentic Vietnamese foods such as fresh spring rolls, French bread sandwiches (bánh mì), entrée salads, soups, rice platters and a variety of noodle dishes.  
O2 K-BBQ
  • Address: 600 W. Uwchlan Ave., Exton
  • Website: o2kbbqpa.com
  • Description: O2 K-BBQ PA offers an authentic Korean BBQ experience with a modern twist. Their restaurant is a great place for you to enjoy a variety of fresh meats that are grilled right at your table, along with our traditional Korean side dishes.
Dim Sum Garden 
  • Address: 1024 Race St., Philadelphia
  • Website: dimsumgardenphilly.com
  • Description: Their story began in 2003 when head chef Shizhou Da came to the US with the original recipe for Xiao Long Bao —Chinese steamed soup dumplings. She is the 5th generation of the original chef who created the very first Xiao Long Bao in China and has over 30 years of experience in making fresh, traditional homemade Shanghai style dim sum.