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News Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month

A group of women in cultural Micronesian attire are seen walking in a line. They are followed a group of men, who are also in cultural attire.
A cultural performance delegation from the Federated States of Micronesia head to the main stage of the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts, held on Guam in 2016.

Each year in May, the nation celebrates and pays homage to the histories, cultures, and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPI). Often seen as resilient and resourceful communities, these peoples have greatly contributed to innovations and actions that benefit the country as a whole.

But the road to equity and inclusion for AA and NHPI is a long one. For our region, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are not consistently represented in data collection across the nation, as most recently noted in the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Because of this information gap, these communities are overlooked when addressing disparities in sectors such as health, education, and economy. The U.S. recently has been making more efforts to make our region’s issues more visible through policies, initiatives, and educational programs — one being the annual recognition of AA and NHPI Heritage Month.

Since PI-CASC’s inception, it has been our ever-present mission to provide the best science and resources available on climate change and other environmental stressors for Pacific Islands. We strive to elevate Pacific Islander voices through our continued support of traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous knowledge in research and science products. Where available, we also support translation of our products in the languages of the islands we serve.

Learn more about how we serve our region by visiting our research page or view our Education Hub for climate resources.