Honouring Asian Heritage Month

Heritage & History Months

Canada is a collection of many heritages and histories. As mentioned in Beyond Black History Month:

These months are powerful reminders that Canadian history is as diverse as the different communities that make up this country. They are also hard reminders that many of these histories have been untold (or unheard). You can find all the commemorated heritage and history months on the Government of Canada’s website.

While more time is needed, these months offer opportunities for us to build empathy for others by learning about their lives and struggles. The UNIVERSITY of WISCONSIN–MADISON’s Department of History shared beautifully that, “Studying the diversity of human experience helps us appreciate cultures, ideas, and traditions that are not our own – and to recognize them as meaningful products of specific times and places.”

It is critical to recognize the learnings and celebrations highlighted in a single month should happen year round (especially in a country as diverse as Canada). Rather than confining celebrations and education to 30 days, these months should serve as a reminder on how we can continue to learn about others and create a sense of belonging for everyone.

📌 During these months, celebration must be coupled with reflection and unlearning.

Asian Heritage Month

May is declared Asian Heritage Month in Canada, and is observed as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States.

“The people of this diverse, vibrant and growing community have contributed to every aspect of life in Canada — from the arts and science to sport, business, and government… Asian Heritage Month offers all Canadians an opportunity to learn more about the history of Canadians of Asian heritage and to celebrate their contributions to the growth and prosperity of Canada” (Government of Canada, 2022).

As you honour and learn more about Asian heritage, please keep in mind that it is diverse. Canada is home to folks with East Asian, Southern Asian, Western, Central and Southeast Asian heritage (you can learn more here).

Celebrating Asian Heritage Month

These are some ideas for how you can dedicate some time this month (and even after). Heritage and history months are opportunities for us to:

• Honour and respectfully celebrate these diverse cultures and communities by learning about pan-Asian diversity and the unique identities and cultures across Canada ( → a 🔥 way to learn about culture is through food)
• Appreciate their achievements and contributions to the Canadian multicultural landscape (check out Asian Canadians x STEM below)
• Amplify diverse voices and resources
• Reflect on and interrupt your own assumptions or biases of these groups 
• Examine the way in which these communities are viewed within Canadian history and current discourse (learn more about a group’s history and current experiences)
• Challenge stereotypes and consider how they are rooted in the history of racism
• Learn more about Anti-Asian Racism

Anti-Asian Racism

It is our collective responsibility to unlearn and challenge harmful actions fueled by misinformation and discrimination in all of its forms. Again, this applies beyond anti-Asian racism. 

Here are some curated resources to help with your learning about Anti-Asian Racism:

• This is what anti-Asian racism looks like in Canada (CBC, 2021)
• Increase in anti-Asian racism incidents reported across Canada (CTV News, 2022)
• Anti-Asian racism is soaring in Canada. These numbers tell the story (Toronto Star, 2022)
• Addressing anti-Asian racism (Government of Canada, 2022)
• Resources for Combatting Anti-Asian Racism & Learning About Canadians of Asian Descent (Asian Pacific Foundation of Canada)

It is also key to reflect on the following: 

• To address anti-Asian racism, we must examine it within the broader context of racism against Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities.  [👉🏾 Are you learning about the experiences of other communities and trying to support them?]

• Combatting racism requires us to look at the intersectionality of race, gender, sexual orientation and parts of our identity. [👉🏾 What do you already know about the impacts of other forms of oppression on each other?]

• Meaningful representation does matter. [👉🏾 How are you creating safe for conversations that might be uncomfortable? Who is sitting at the table? Who is not? How can we change this?]

Without this reflection, you lean towards appreciating aspects of a heritage without understanding it. During these months, celebration must be coupled with reflection and unlearning.

With gratitude, Abbey