Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month This May
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| My little one in a Chinese outfit, hanging out at the library. Photo: Maria Adcock |
The month of May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. It’s an ideal time to reflect on your culture if you’re Asian, and if you’re not, it’s an opportunity to learn more.
For those living near cities with large Asian populations, there are likely events taking place throughout the month to attend.
Even many companies also hold celebrations. When I worked at Time Inc. in New York City, I was part of the company’s Asian American Association. We planned everything from displaying artwork by Asian employees and holding dragon dances to Asian food sampling parties and movie viewings by Asian filmmakers.
I live in the suburbs now. Depending on where you live, there may not be as many organized events surrounding this heritage month. They’re definitely farther and fewer events out here.
Since I know many Bicultural Mama readers may not live in large cities that offer many Asian Pacific American Heritage Month events, I’m listing things that parents and their kids can do at home or in their neighborhoods to learn and reflect on Asian culture.
Cook Chinese Food (or any Asian food) with Kids
When people think of Chinese food, most think of stir-fry dishes. Stir-fry recipes typically require a lot of cutting ingredients into small pieces, so these may not be best suited for young kids to try. An easy alternative is to buy frozen shumai and Chinese dumplings at the grocery store. These frozen delicious morsels of meat and/or vegetables stuffed within dough simply require boiling. Kids can help by placing them in a pot and filling them with water while parents turn on the stove. For those who don’t live near an Asian food store, many regular grocery stores like Trader Joe’s carry these items in their international sections.
Crafts
Origami is the traditional art of Japanese paper folding that began in the 17thcentury. Origami does not require tape or glue. Kids can make everything from a bear to a boat. Check out an Origami instruction book from the local library or visit a site like Origami-Instructions.com which offers step-by-step instructions for kids (for grades 3 and up).
Eat at an Asian Restaurant
Bring the family out to an Asian restaurant, but don’t just eat there. Use this as an opportunity to teach kids by learning about the people behind the business. Talk to the wait staff and/or owners. If the people working there are from another country, hear about their experiences — find out where they’re from, if they have kids themselves, what brought them to America, and more.
Read a book
Visit a local bookstore or library to pick up children’s books by an Asian Pacific American author. The Magic Brush by Long Island author, Kat Yeh, incorporates Chinese language and characters into her story. Greetings from Kiwi and Pear by New Jersey author, Joyce Wan, features the adventures of two monkeys who travel around the world.
Chinatowns, where traditions are still maintained, offer a snapshot of life in China. Bring the family to a local Chinatown to taste, see, and smell the culture firsthand. Take pictures of unique Chinese signs, statutes, and landmarks. Eat dim sum at a restaurant or visit a local supermarket to try foods not found in American grocery stores. From Long Island, the closest Chinatowns are in New York City or Flushing, Queens.