As we mark the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, designated in this year’s White House proclamation as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Seattle University affirms the rich tapestry of cultures, ethnicities, and experiences of this diverse and vibrant community – representing a broad diaspora of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi Americans.
To explore more of the texture offered by our colleagues, you are invited to take part in a number of on-campus and external community-based events scheduled throughout the month. Please visit the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for the full list, as well as a range of resources on the history behind AAPI Heritage Month, a toolkit for addressing and responding to anti-Asian racism, and other educational resources to celebrate and learn AAPI history, along with special Zoom backgrounds you can use during May.
As we honor AAPI Heritage Month, let us hold in our hearts deep gratitude for the AAPI community’s rich contributions and sacrifices, as well as determination to work against ongoing racism, xenophobia and violence against those in the AAPI community. Justice takes the courage to listen deeply enough to be changed by what we hear and moved to act in solidarity to build a more just and inclusive world.
Sincerely,
Eduardo Peñalver, President
Natasha Martin, JD, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion