This month is Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! We at the Mosaic would like to recognize all the amazing AAPI individuals that have made a difference in UMBC as well as throughout the nation. The month of May was chosen as AAPI Heritage month to commemorate the first immigration of the Japanese people to the United States (May 7, 1843) in addition to celebrating the contribution of the Chinese people in the completion of the transcontinental railroad (May 10, 1869).
While the roots of this month is to recognize the Japanese and Chinese, we would like to recognize just how diverse the AAPI community is, and celebrate that diversity. In addition to celebrating the Chinese and Japanese, we would like to recognize the amazing cultures of Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bengali, and many more heritages. If you are interested in learning more about any of the cultures listed above, there are student-lead organizations for each! We encourage you to seek them out if you would like to celebrate the many diverse cultures of the AAPI.
Happy AAPI month, and best wishes on your finals.
--Mark Gabriana, East Asian and Pacific Islander Student Engagement Intern
