Juniata High School

Asian American Pacific Islander Month (AAPI) officially started since it is May. Since 1990, we have dedicated the month of May to Asian American Pacific Islanders. We celebrate and appreciate all the different cultures and traditions that they have brought to the U.S. since their arrival. Currently, 7% of the U.S. population is Asian, and 0.5% are Pacific Islanders. Asians have influenced our day-to-day lives in countless ways. They’ve added to our food, fashion, entertainment, and much more. They’ve influenced our entertainment by introducing Bollywood, k-pop, j-pop, manga, and anime. They’ve introduced food like ramen, sriracha, curry, boba tea, sushi, tempura, soy, and rice, and that’s just a few out of many different foods. Asians have impacted our fashion by introducing us to intricate patterns and a much wider color palette. Many Asian countries have people wearing bright colors and clothing with cultural animals, like tigers or dragons, for example. Pacific Islanders have also impacted our lives in many ways. Many people don’t know what a Pacific Islander is. They are people who are divided into three major groups, Polynesians, Melanesians, and Micronesians. They have most impacted our lives through their food. They have introduced us to taro, plantains, sweet potatoes, coconuts, and cassava. It’s important to acknowledge all the struggles that both of these races go through each day. They are both minority groups that face racism from every other race on a day-to-day basis. We need to keep teaching kids in schools today and reminding them about the genocide of both Asians and Pacific Islanders. Remember that these people are no different and human, just like the rest of us. Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Month to Asians and Pacific Islanders!