AANHPI Heritage Month

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month May 2026 The roots of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage month in the United States trace back to the late 1970s. This month seeks to honor and recognize the lives, histories, and contributions of AANHPI community members. AANHPI is a broad term for many unique identities including approximately 50 ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages, with connections to Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Korean, Hawaiian, and other Asian and Pacific Islander ancestries. The Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) has designated the 2026 theme of AANHPI Heritage Month, which is “Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together.” According to FAPAC, this year’s theme highlights the importance of AANHPI community members leveraging their collective power, telling their stories, and being bridge builders in their communities. This month also observes the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was born on May 18 and murdered in a hate crime in 1982. His murder fueled a national Asian American activist movement that continues to this day, and May 18 has been recognized in previous years as the annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate. We, the City Council of the City of Boulder, Colorado declare May 2026 as

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month And encourage everyone in the community to join in honoring and celebrating by supporting organizations and causes that uplift and empower AANHPI communities; learning about their cultures and histories; buying from AANHPIowned businesses; amplifying AANHPI creators, educators, and activists; and celebrating the accomplishments and joy of this community.

_____________________________ Aaron Brockett, Mayor