Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in Los Angeles
The month of May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month – which is essentially a time to celebrate Americans with Asian and/or Pacific Islander heritage. AAPI is a pretty broad term that encompasses people from/with heritage from countries in Asia, the Pacific Islands including Fiji and New Guinea, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Within the AAPI community, there are so many ethnicities, backgrounds, and cultures to celebrate.
Los Angeles’ Department of Cultural Affairs made the theme for the month to be AAPI Included. The theme was selected to recognize the significant contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in a variety of industries. From film to art exhibits and books to live performances, there are so many ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in Los Angeles this May. Check out some of your options:
Museums
Exhibition:
the boba show: history, diaspora, & a third space
Where: The Chinese American Museum
About:
Boba: The chewy tapioca balls in flavored tea drinks so many of us love! Dive into how this drink exploded in American culture and learn about its roots.
Exhibition:
Common Ground: The Heart of Community
Where: The Japanese American National Museum
About: Travel through Japanese American history with objects and photos from the museum’s collection. Start in the late 1800s, from the Issei (first generation) pioneers and venture through World War II incarceration, post-war resentment, and the redness movement. You’ll even see an original structure preserved from a concentration camp in Wyoming.
Film
What:
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Where: Various locations
here
When: May 4-13, 2023
About: Established in 1983, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) is the largest film festival in Southern California dedicated to showcasing films by and about Asians & Pacific Islanders around the world.
You may also like to check out The Many Things We Love Living in Koreatown
Festival
What:
Pacific Islander Festival
Where: Aquarium of the Pacific
When: June 3-4, 2023.
About: The Aquarium’s 20th annual Pacific Island Festival features traditional music and dance, cultural displays, and crafts celebrating Pacific Islander cultures including: Chamorro, Hawaiian, Maori, Marshallese, Samoan, and Tahitian.
This month is also a great time to visit Koreatown to enjoy all of the delicious cuisine and cultural attractions it has to offer. We made a list of some of our favorite spots too!
