Asian American & Pasifika Heritage Month
"It not only gave me a strong sense of community and support, but also provided me with lasting friendships, valuable mentor relationships, and the opportunity to develop my leadership skills."
MICHAEL '11 MS '11
Asian American & Pasifika Heritage month (or more commonly Asian American & Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month) is celebrated in May to commemorate the achievements and contributions of people of Asian and Pacific American descent in the United States. Following a Congressional Resolution in 1978, Asian American Heritage Week was celebrated during the first 10 days of May. This timing was chosen because two important anniversaries fall during this period: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad by many Chinese laborers on May 10, 1869.
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush and Congress voted to expand the celebration, and since 1992, May has been designated as AAPI Heritage Month. In 2021, President Joe Biden expanded the official proclamation of the month to AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month.
At Stanford, the Asian American Activities Center (A3C), Native American Cultural Center (NACC), Asian American Studies Program, Okada House, Pacific Islander Student Union (PISA), and the Asian American Students' Association (AASA) intentionally adopt the term ‘Pasifika’ in renaming the month to "Asian American & Pasifika Heritage Month" to recognize and honor the unique histories, culture, and political movements of Indigenous Island communities that are often silenced through aggregate terms like ‘Asian American’ or ‘Asian & Pacific Islander.’
Each year, Asian American & Pasifika Heritage Month is celebrated with community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational activities for students.
2024 CALENDAR

2024: In collaboration with Native American Cultural Center (NACC), Asian American Studies Program, Okada House, Pacific Islander Student Union (PISA), and the Asian American Students' Association (AASA), the 2024 theme for Asian American & Pasifika Heritage Month is “Unsettling Asian America: Amplifying Voices for Global Liberation".
This year’s Asian American & Pasifika Heritage Month theme centers solidarity with ongoing movements for global liberation, inspiring us to both interrogate the limitations of “Asian America” and explore its possibilities for deepening intersectional solidarities. We intentionally adopt the term ‘Pasifika’ to recognize and honor the unique histories, culture, and political movements of Indigenous Island communities that are often silenced through aggregate terms like ‘Asian American’ or ‘Asian & Pacific Islander.’ “Asian American” has always been a strategic term–as such, we call careful attention to the harm of these monolithic labels, while also recognizing the collective power in banding together, not to reduce or equate, but to address the interconnected systems of Western imperialism, racial capitalism, and empire that enact violence on our communities.
Asian America is intertwined with Indigenous, Black, Latine, and Arab movements for liberation, and we have a responsibility to complicate and challenge narratives to build coalitions--including with Palestine and the Pacific, to co-create a new vision of freedom that unites us beyond the global systems of oppression that link our histories. Freedom, as Angela Davis has taught us, is a constant struggle. We are not free until we are all free.
Please see 2024 event information below on how to engage in and register for each event online.
Sunday, April 14 - 2:00 p.m – 4:00 p.m PDT at Terman Fountain.
Hosted by Bangladeshi Students Association of Stanford.
POHELA BOISHAKH ~ BENGALI NEW YEAR FESTIVAL!
A celebration of the first day in the Bengali Calendar. RSVP here.
Friday, April 19 - 4:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at Terman Fountain.
Hosted by Lao and Laotian Student Union, Cambodian Student Association, Stanford Myanmar Student Association, Thai Student Association.
THERAVADA NEW YEAR WATER FESTIVAL
Come celebrate Theravada Buddhist New Year with us!
Sunday, April 21 - 7:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m PDT at Dinkelspiel Auditorium.
Hosted by Stanford Vietnamese Student Association.
VIETNAMESE CULTURE NIGHT
SVSA's spring showcase of Vietnamese heritage and culture through the performing arts. RSVP here.
Saturday, April 27 - 7:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m PDT at Dinkelspiel Auditorium.
Hosted by Stanford Chinese Dance.
SCD SHOWCASE - ODE TO SPRING
Chinese dance showcase, representing different styles of Chinese dance. RSVP here.
Tuesday, April 30 - 12:00 p.m – 1:00 p.m PDT at Stanford Zoom Webinar.
Hosted by Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club (SAPAAC).
OUR STRENGTHS & OUR STRUGGLES: AANHPI MENTAL HEALTH AT STANFORD
Join SAPAAC and special guest, Dr. Helen Hsu, as they discuss mental health strengths and struggles in the AANHPI community.
Please see RSVP link for more information. Flyer link.
Tuesday, April 30 - 12:00 p.m – 1:00 p.m PDT at Native American Cultural Center Lounge.
Hosted by Asian American Activities Center (A3C), Native American Cultural Center (NACC).
FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE & CLIMATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES IN THE BAY AREA
Lunch & Learn session on environmental sustainability and climate resiliency with AA & PI environmental justice changemakers: Jason Su (Guadalupe River Park Conservancy) and Violet Wulf-Saena (Climate Resilient Communities). RSVP here.
Wednesday, May 1 - 6:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m PDT at Clark Center Auditorium.
Hosted by Stanford Medicine 1st Generation Mentorship Program.
SEARCHING FOR KAPWA DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
Screening and Q&A of the documentary Searching for Kapwa, which follows the Filipino filmmaker’s quest to heal from a sense of cultural alienation.
Thursday, May 2 - 9:00 a.m – 5:30 p.m PDT at Bechtel Conference Center, Encina Hall.
Hosted by Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center.
INNOVATE TAIWAN: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF A POSTINDUSTRIAL SOCIETY
A conference to inaugurate the Taiwan Program at Shorenstein APARC.
May 2, 3, 4 - 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m (plus a 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. matinee on May 4) PDT at Nitery Theater. Hosted by Asian American Theater Project.
MAN OF GOD PERFORMANCE
Theater performance of an Asian feminist rage play by Anna Moench. RSVP here.
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 - 12:30 p.m – 2:00 p.m PDT at A3C Couchroom.
Hosted by Stanford Asian American Action Committee, Asian American Activities Center.
ONE STRUGGLE, MANY FRONTS: ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORIES AND FUTURES
A Lunch n' Learn series surveying Asian American political struggle. RSVP here.
Saturday, May 4 - 10:00 a.m – 2:30 p.m PDT at Bishop Couchroom.
Hosted by Asian American Students' Association (AASA).
LISTEN TO THE SILENCE CONFERENCE
Join in on AASA's annual Asian American Issues Conference: LTS! RSVP here.
Saturday, May 4 - 11:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m PDT at Stanford O'Donohue Educational Farm.
Hosted by Materials & Culture Research-Creation Workshop.
ANCIENT FUTURES
Join us in co-making playful speculative technology with traditional materials and ancestral craft techniques (land-based & transpacific).
Sunday, May 5 - 5:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at 1018 Campus Drive.
Hosted by Stanford alpha Kappa Delta Phi.
BÁNH MI AND CHÈ CULINARY CLASS
Learn how to make Bánh Mi and Chè with aKDPhi. RSVP here.
Monday, May 6 - 5:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at Memorial Church.
Hosted by South Asian Society.
RHYTHMS
South Asian Society's annual multicultural benefit showcase. RSVP here and donate here!
Monday, May 6 - 6:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at People's University for Palestine.
Hosted by SAAAC.
ASIAN AMERICAN ORGANIZING AND SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE
A conversation with an organizer from the Chinese Progressive Association of San Francisco about Asian Americans and solidarity with Palestine!
Thursday, May 9 - 6:00 p.m – 9:00 p.m PDT at Paul Brest Hall.
Hosted by Asian American Activities Center (A3C).
25TH ANNUAL STANFORD ASIAN AMERICAN AWARDS
Community celebration to recognize the contributions of students, faculty, alumni, and staff. RSVP here.
Friday, May 10 - 12:00 p.m – 1:15 p.m PDT at TBD.
Hosted by Asian American Studies.
ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES CONFERENCE INFO SESSION
Learn about the AAAS Conference from students who recently attended.
Friday, May 10 - 3:00 p.m – 5:00 p.m PDT at Haas Center, DK Room.
Hosted by Stanford alpha Kappa Delta Phi.
HEART OF DINNER BAG PAINTING
aKDPhi x Haas Center painting bag event for Asian elderly communities. RSVP here.
Sunday, May 12 - 7:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m PDT at Roble Theater.
Hosted by Stanford Noopur.
MUDITA: AN EVENING OF INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE
Stanford Noopur’s annual spring show. Come enjoy an evening of Indian classical dance and South Asian snacks! RSVP here.
Tuesday, May 14 - 6:00 p.m – 7:30 p.m PDT at A3C Ballroom.
Hosted by Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership (ECL).
ASIAN & BLACK SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP (PART 2)
Interactive student workshop (second in a 2-part series) discussing opportunities for solidarity between Asian and Black communities; facilitated by Dr. Nikkia Young. Dinner provided! RSVP here.
Wednesday, May 15 - 3:00 p.m PDT at Stanford Women’s Community Center.
Hosted by Women's Community Center, Asian American Activities Center, and the Filipino American Community at Stanford.
BOX OF DREAMS: A READING & BOOK TALK WITH AUTHOR FAITH KAZMI
Faith Kazmi will be sharing her creative journey, the story behind BOX OF DREAMS, and information about children’s publishing. RSVP here.
Wednesday, May 15 - 4:00 p.m – 5:30 p.m PDT at Hartley Conference Room, Mitchell Earth Sciences Building.
Hosted by the DEI Office in the Doerr School of Sustainability.
AAPI AWARENESS MONTH AFTERNOON SOIRÉE
AAPI Awareness Month Afternoon Soirée.
Wednesday, May 15 - 6:30 p.m – 7:30 p.m PDT at Okada.
Hosted by Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA).
YAN KADA HINAGONG GI GEFES-HU. WITH EVERY BREATH FROM MY LUNGS: THE MISNARRATIONS OF PASIFIKA & ASIAN AMERICAN RHETORICS
Yan kada hinagong gi gefes-hu. Presentation about detangling the conflation of AA and PI identities.
Saturday, May 18 - 5:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at White Plaza.
Hosted by Taiwanese Cultural Society.
TCS NIGHT MARKET 2024
Come enjoy delicious food, fun activities, and live performances. RSVP here.
Saturday, May 18 - 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m PDT at Wilbur Field.
Hosted by Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA).
PASIFIKA FEST
Pasifika festival with vendors, music, food, and community. Contact Leila ltamale@stanford.edu or Camille cslagle@stanford.edu.
Tuesday, May 21 - 12:30 p.m – 2:00 p.m PDT at A3C Couchroom.
Hosted by Asian American Studies, the Asian American Activities Center, and Asian American Research Center at Stanford (AARCS).
CHINESE AMERICANS IN CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD: FROM CHINATOWN MOVIE EXTRAS TO ANNA MAY WONG
Presentation on Chinese Americans in early Hollywood with William Gow and Katie Gee Salisbury, followed by conversation and audience questions. Moderated by Professor David Palumbo-Liu.
Wednesday, May 22 - 6:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at Stanford Health Library and via Zoom.
Hosted by Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE).
HYBRID PANEL DISCUSSION: BREAKING THE SILENCE ON UNTREATED AUTISM AMONG ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES
Candid conversation with experts and individuals with lived experiences on the underlying factors contributing to the lack of access to autism treatment among Asian American children. RSVP for in-person. RSVP for virtual.
Saturday, May 25 - 4:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m PDT at Wilbur Courtyard, in front of Okada.Hosted by Okada Frosh Service Liaisons.
STANFORD BLOOMING ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA (FOOD INCLUDED!)
Fundraise Asian Health Services’ FREE clinic through FOOD and ART! RSVP here.
Saturday, May 25 - 4:30 p.m – 6:30 p.m PDT at TBD.
Hosted by Stanford alpha Kappa Delta Phi.
SOUTH ASIAN CULINARY CLASS
Come learn how to make South Asian cuisine with aKDPhi!
Saturday, May 25 - 6:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m PDT at Markaz Center.
Hosted by Bangladeshi Students Association of Stanford.
END OF YEAR BANGALI BANQUET
One last dinner with the Bangali community and allies!
Sunday, May 26 - 3:00 p.m – 5:30 p.m PDT at Dinkelspiel Auditorium.
Hosted by Stanford Kayumanggi.
PHILIPPINE CULTURE NIGHT
A performance and celebration of Philippine cultural dance, music, and theatre. RSVP here.
Thursday, May 30 - 12:00 p.m – 1:00 p.m PDT at Historic Campus at Li Ka Shing - Berg Hall, Stanford Redwood City Campus at Cardinal Hall - C104, and Zoom.
Hosted by Asian Staff Forum and Filipino American Community at Stanford (FACS).
AAPI Heritage Month Lunch 2024
Featuring Dr. Alok Patel, who will highlight the diverse medical and cultural needs of the AAPI community. RSVP here.
Thursday, May 30 - 12:00 p.m – 1:15 p.m PDT at A3C Couchroom.
Hosted by Asian American Studies.
STANFORD ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ACTIVISM
Panel featuring Stanford Asian American student activists.