AAPI Heritage Month
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843 and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
The annual recognition of AAPI Heritage Month in Cincinnati is coordinated by community representatives who volunteer on the AAPI Heritage Celebration Committee. The team, hosted by Asian American Cultural Association (AACAC), helps promote and support initiatives across Cincinnati for AAPI Heritage Month.
Learn more at aapiheritagecincy.com
"Where Are You Really From?" Zine
“Where are you really from?” It’s a question nearly every Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) person has been asked countless times. By the person asking, it may seem like a harmless query - a desire to know more. But to the individual being asked, it's an entirely different experience. For the 2022 AAPI Heritage Month, we gathered 23 AAPI artists with ties to the Midwest to share their experiences in the form of personal essays, poetry, photography, and illustration. The resulting art encompasses the depth and heart of our community, and reaches far beyond, “where are you really from?”
"Food Is Our Love Language" Mural
In 2021, AACAC commissioned a mural on the east side of Saigon Market, Cincinnati’s oldest surviving Asian market, located close to Findlay Market. “Food Is Our Love Language,” created by Cincinnati artist Anissa Pulcheon, is her first commissioned mural project. By choosing the universal theme of food and community, AACAC and Pulcheon also wanted to celebrate Asian-Americans’ joy and resilience, especially during a year in which they have experienced a rise in discrimination and hate crimes.