Friday, May 6, 2022
Dear Colleagues,
The month of May is designated as Asian Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month, a celebration of the ways in which Americans of Asian and Pacific heritage have enriched and shaped United States history.
At Orange Coast College, the contributions of our AAPI community are extensive. Not only are we proud of our qualifying status as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI), OCC also serves the educational needs of a diverse population of international students, many of whom come to our College from countries located within the Asian continent. Additionally, a large percentage of faculty, classified professionals, and administrators identify as Asian and Pacific American.
This month, OCC's Global Engagement Center, Multicultural Center, and Student Equity and Student Life programs have teamed up to organize and host several events celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander culture, including an API cultural festival, which took place this past Tuesday (see event photos), and a virtual discussion on anti-Asian hate and civic engagement, which took place on Zoom this Wednesday.
Next week's events include a hybrid event on the topic of "Spam: Specially Processed American Me" on Monday, May 9; a presentation at OCC's Multicultural Center titled "Korean Drama: What I Learned During Quarantine" on Tuesday, May 10; and a virtual book club meeting on the graphic memoir "They Called Us Enemy" on Thursday, May 12.
I want to thank those individuals who helped organize this month's events, which not only celebrate the diverse experiences of the API community but also help to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment within our own institution and the broader community.
To learn more about API Heritage Month, you can visit these resources:
● History Channel
● Library of Congress
