Five Fun Facts About AAPI Month

1. The period of celebration was chosen to be in May because it was the month when the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the US and when the transcontinental railroad was completed.

• The first Japanese immigrant, a 14 year old fisherman named Manjiro, arrived in the States on May 7th, 1843. Additionally, the transcontinental railroad, built mostly by Chinese immigrants using labor, completed its construction on May 10th, 1869!

       2. About 5 out of 10 Asians work in business and science fields.

• Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised. Many Asians have immigrated to the US in hopes of finding better job opportunities. The generation before mine only hopes the best for our generation, aspiring for us to be businesspeople or doctors.

       3. Some well known Asians and Pacific Islanders are Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bruce Lee, and Patsy Mink.

• Dwayne Johnson is known for being an actor, and notably a past professional wrestler. He is partly Hawaiian! Bruce Lee is famously known for martial arts with Asian descent from Hong Kong. Patsy Mink served as a house of representative as the first women of color with Japanese descent and Hawaiian heritage.

      4. Less than 1% of the US consists of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders (NHPI).

• Surprisingly, not a lot of our population consists of NHPI!!

      5. The celebration period was signed into law in 1978.

• The president at the time, who you may know from American History (because I do too), Jimmy Carter, signed the celebration period into law in October 1978. That’s pretty neat if you don’t ask me!