Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month has its roots in the 1970s. It began as a week-long celebration in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter signed a resolution to mark the first 10 days of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. This timing was chosen to commemorate the significant contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander communities, including the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, largely by Chinese immigrant laborers, on May 10, 1869.

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed a bill expanding the observance from a week to a month, officially designating May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. In 2021, the term "Asian Pacific" was changed to "Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander" to better recognize and honor the diverse ethnicities and cultures within these communities.

Since then, May has served as a time to celebrate the rich histories, cultures and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to the United States. It's a time for education, reflection and appreciation, with various events, festivals and educational programs held nationwide to honor and raise awareness about the experiences and achievements of these communities.

The Nonprofits

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Coalition for Asian American Children and Families

This organization’s mission is to advocate for equity and opportunity for marginalized Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) children and families. Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) is the United States’ only pan-Asian children and families’ advocacy organization, bringing together community-based organizations, as well as youth and community allies, to fight for equity for AAPIs. 

CACF used a Give Lively-powered Campaign Page, “Give in May,” for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in 2024. CACF also uses a Simple Donation Widget with dedications enabled to collect donations on its website.  

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Think!Chinatown

This intergenerational nonprofit based in New York City’s Chinatown (in Manhattan) fosters intergenerational community through neighborhood engagement, storytelling and the arts. Through this work, Think!Chinatown aims to overcome barriers of community organizing where socio-economic factors, language and cultural barriers create challenges for immigrant communities’ autonomy to make decisions about their own neighborhoods. Think!Chinatown is built to push from within the neighborhood to shape better policies and programs that define public spaces, celebrate cultural heritage and innovate how collective memories are represented. 

Think!Chinatown uses the text code “THINK!” in coordination with its Give Lively-powered Core Profile. Think!Chinatown also uses a Simple Donation Widget to collect donations on its website.

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The Indo-American Center

The Indo-American Center (IAC) improves the lives of South Asian immigrants by providing services that facilitate their adjustment, integration and friendship with the wider society, nurture their sense of community and foster appreciation for the diversity of culture and heritage. The Indo-American Center addresses the needs of South Asian immigrants as well as people from more than 30 nations around the world.

IAC used a Give Lively-powered Campaign Page for its “33rd Annual Gala: Building Our Future Together.” IAC also uses a Branded Donation Widget with dedications enabled to collect donations on its website. 

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Asia Art Archive in America Incorporated

This organization’s mission is to act as a catalyst for new ideas that enrich understanding of the world through the collection, creation and sharing of knowledge around recent art in and of Asia. By collecting, preserving and making accessible information on contemporary art from and of Asia, Asia Art Archive in America (AAA in A) facilitates public understanding and specialized research, instigates dialogue and critical thinking, and seeks to raise awareness of and support for the activities of Asia Art Archive in Hong Kong, which AAA in A is the American branch of. To achieve this goal, AAA in A maintains a free-of-charge, open-to-the-public reading room in Brooklyn Heights that comprises over 5,000 monographs, exhibition catalogs, reference books, periodicals and audio-visual materials. AAA in A also organizes a regular program of talks, screenings, workshops, participatory projects and panels with artists, curators, critics and scholars.

AAA in A used a Give Lively-powered Campaign Page for its “AAAinA 15th Anniversary Benefit Dinner, celebrating Norberto Roldan.” AAA in A also uses a Simple Donation Widget to collect donations on its website.