Elevating Pan-Asian Voices
The Office of Inclusion and Diversity shares how Yale SOM commemorated Pan Asian American Heritage Month.
Yale SOM recognizes the immeasurable contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent to the United States. The AAPI umbrella term includes a broad range of cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast, and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. As we honor this important month in the United States, we aim to celebrate the wide diversity of the Asian diaspora, as well as explore the distinctiveness of the Asian-American experience.
While the month of May is observed nationally as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, the Asian American Cultural Center at Yale celebrates it throughout the month of March and into early April. For Pan Asian American Heritage Month (PAAHM) 2024 at Yale, we shared a month-long series of events that explored the theme “Nostalgia and the Path Forward.”
SOM’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity worked with students, staff, and faculty to honor PAAHM. Events and programs included a curated Spotify playlist, book giveaways, a beginner’s tae kwon do class, a cuisine takeover highlighting recipes from across the Asian diaspora, and a presentation on the 4B feminist movement in South Korea by sociology PhD candidate Meera Choi. Throughout March, Evans Hall’s large video walls highlighted notable figures from the region and their stories; we also supported local and national Asian-owned restaurants, bookstores, and venues throughout the month.
The Asian American and Pacific Islander Association at SOM hosted a variety of programs, including panel discussions and a Vietnamese cuisine class to celebrate the richness of the Asian diaspora across the Yale community.
OID hosts multiple cultural immersions throughout the academic year to encourage the SOM community to deeply engage with and experience different cultures through sound, taste, touch, and thought in support of our mission to foster understanding, empathy, and inclusivity. We invite you to learn more about our commitment to celebrating diversity and fostering inclusion at SOM.
Happy Pan Asian American Heritage Month!
The Office of Inclusion and Diversity
som.inclusion.diversity@yale.edu
