Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

It’s May, and you know what that means! It’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI, also referred to as Asian and Pacific Islander American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Asian and Asian American and Pacific Islander, APIA, API, A&AAPI) Heritage Month! 


The third grade students have been learning about the history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in San Francisco and the United States through read-alouds in parallel with their Change Makers unit. In the previous Social Studies unit, students learned about the history of Chinese immigration to the U.S including railroad workers, paper sons and daughters, and the Chinese Exclusion Act. As we celebrate AAPI heritage month, students are making connections between what they  learned in the immigration unit and what they are learning during AAPI heritage month. 
 
Teacher Chou has also introduced their students to new people, such as Bay Area rapper Ruby Ibarra, who raps in Tagalog, and Larry Itliong, a Filipino-American Labor Activist. Teacher Chou believes “It’s important for students to get a chance to see and empathize with people who are different from them, and I get to learn about new changemakers too! It’s pretty cool.” 
 
In the Upper School, students made a presentation entitled, "Stop Asian Hate" to bring attention to hate crimes and attacks against the Asian Community that have been increasing during the pandemic. They discussed the harmful impact of false narratives that Asians are responsible for the pandemic, as well as rising xenophobia and sinophobia. The students highlighted organizations that are working to spread awareness about hate crimes and provide support to the Asian community including Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. As a special highlight, they shared information about the Asian Youth Support Network run by a Burke's alumna that offers a support network, mentoring, and leadership programs for 8-12 graders.
 
At the end of May, the entire school will have a special author visit from Oliver Chin, a San Francisco Children's Book Author. He will read his book Year of the OX, discuss his new book showcasing Awesome Asian Americans, then do a quick guided drawing, followed by a short Q & A. Students have also participated in read-alouds of The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by  Supriya Kelkar and illustrated by Alea Marley, and Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore and illustrated by Kristi Valiant.
 
Teacher Chou was kind enough to share some of the historical facts they compiled for AAPI month. Did you know that…
 
  • Jeannie Jew, a Chinese American and former Congressional staff member, started AAPI History Month in the 1970s. 
  • AAPI Heritage Month is in May because it’s when the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States (May 7, 1843) and when the Transcontinental Railroad, which was built by Chinese immigrants (May 10.1869), was completed.
  • Dalip Singh Saund was the first ever Asian American and Sikh-American person in congress, and he helped Indian Americans win the right to citizenship.
  • The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin, but many people also speak Taiwanese (Taiwanese Hokkien).
  • San Jose has the most Vietnamese people in one city outside of Vietnam.
  • Larry Itliong was one of the leaders of the Delano Grape Strike in 1956, which completely changed farm labor movements and impacted 10,000 farm workers. 
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Burke's mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.
Burke's admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.