Lisa E. Kirkwood
THE TRUE STORIES MERCHANT
Lisa E. Kirkwood is a diversity and leadership expert, storyteller, and
advocate for cultural understanding. Through her work, she highlights the
experiences and contributions of diverse communities, helping to build
bridges of understanding and inspire future generations.
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The first Asians documented in the Americas were mostly Filipinos and Indians, who arrived as early as 1587 and
1635. The next groups of Asians who came here in the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s were Chinese, Japanese, Koreans,
Samoans, and Vietnamese. Filipino Americans are the third-largest Asian ethnic group in the U.S. after Chinese and
Indian Americans, making their inclusion vital for AAPI data and advocacy.
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May
7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The
majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
Various federal agencies, the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National
Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United
States Holocaust Memorial Museum offer a wealth of materials, documents, toolkits, and other resources to help
people observe the month. Every May, during AAPI and throughout the year, the USA celebrates the cultural
heritage, hard work, and achievements of Asian and Pacific Americans with community festivals, government-
sponsored events, exhibits, programs, and educational activities, as well as traditional and social media campaigns.
Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made countless contributions to society and culture
through art, activism, athleticism, literature, scientific achievements, and political involvement. A diverse, vast, and
inclusive segment of the US population, immigrants of all nations, and particularly Asian Americans, are an integral
part of local, regional, and national history, and their lives have been intertwined with this young nation's
development, growth, and progress.
This month, we take time to reflect on and recognize the major role that the elderly, Jews, and AAPI communities
have played in our society by establishing a foundation for future generations to thrive and adapt to change and
adversity. As we learn from the experiences, perspectives, and continuing legacy of outstanding leaders and
pioneers...
“We honor the past, inspire the future, and realize
that we are all involved and invested in our collective
success as we share the same country, USA - the
“land of all possibilities”.
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