How will you celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month?

Will you visit Chinatown in Chicago, read a book by an Asian American author, learn more about the Asian and Pacific Island countries and cultures that are part of the celebration or join our industry partner organization, the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)?

Illinois REALTORS® invites you to do any or all of these activities to recognize the great contributions of Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.

Of course, you can visit the website put together by the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park Service the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum have put together. Visit https://asianpacificheritage.gov/

AREAA Greater Chicago

Go to AREAA Greater Chicago and learn about the organization’s history, and learn about President Cleo Aquino, its executive committee, board of directors and more. Vicky Silvano is a member of its board of directors, serves as sponsorship committee chair and was the national organization’s 2016 president. Illinois REALTORS® Senior Director of Advocacy Programs Gideon Blustein is a member of the AREAA board of directors and is its policy committee chair.

History of AAPI Heritage Month

Since 2009, Americans have observed AAPI Heritage Month during May, although Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played important roles in the history, culture and development of the United States for centuries.

In 1978, legislation was passed in the House and the Senate, and signed by President Jimmy Carter, to designate the first 10 days of May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week. Early May was chosen to correspond with two historic events: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the U.S. (May 7, 1843), and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (May 10, 1869), which was largely constructed by Chinese workers.

In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to annually designate the month of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.