What is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? 🤔
AAPI Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the cultural differences, contributions, and impact of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Congress made this an official American holiday during the 1970s! Nowadays, it's celebrated during May. However, we hope your DEI program celebrates the cultural backgrounds of your diverse workforce all year round.
Keep reading to discover inclusion activities perfect for celebrating the occasion.
Why you should celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at work 🏮
The AAPI community is full of diverse backgrounds, with over 16.6 million people hailing from places like Hawaii, India, China, Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Cambodia, and more. There are over 100 languages spoken among the population - and that's in the United States alone!
Despite the rich heritage of the AAPI community, many AAPI employees face workplace bias and inhibiting stereotypes in corporate America. Did you know:
- The EEOC workforce data showed white-collar AAPI workers are the least likely racial group to be promoted to a management position
- The AAPI community makes up 27% of the American workforce, but less than half hold executive positions
- Asian Americans only represent 1.5% of corporate officer positions in Fortune 500 companies
(source)
Recognizing the many forms of anti-Asian hate and discrimination is the first step to improving your workplace and building an inclusive culture for all.
By taking time to recognize AAPI Heritage through inclusion and diversity activities, you're taking serious steps toward unpacking unconscious biases and creating a work environment that champions workplace diversity.
9 AAPI Heritage Month activities to celebrate cultural diversity and create an inclusive work environment:
1. Explore AAPI Art
One of the best employee engagement tools to learn, and celebrate culture is art! In an interactive lecture setting, participants will explore the history and tradition of various mediums, including physical forms of art beyond the canvas like dance, calligraphy, and tattooingry.
Plus, teams will explore how AAPI art has impacted culture in the United States and the world at large. 🎨
Why is this a great activity for diversity and inclusion? Passionate AAPI educators & art historians created this inclusion activity to share their cultural heritage & knowledge with other groups across all demographics.
How to get started 👉 Celebrate diverse talents in Exploring AAPI Art!
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2. Play a round of educational trivia
Educational fun with a competitive edge - you've gotta love it.
Led by a knowledgeable host, AAPI History & Culture Trivia is a virtual game show that aims to entertain and educate your remote team. Questions span all across Asia and Polynesia, asking traditional dances of Hawaii, famous monuments in India, delicious foods of Vietnam, and more!
Education is paramount to a company's DEI activities. But making educational team bonding interactive is one of the best efforts to help your team retain what they've learned.
How to get started 👉 Celebrate different backgrounds with AAPI History & Culture Trivia today!
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3. Take a Thai Cooking Class
DEI initiatives can be delicious too! Thai food is an Asian cuisine that's well-known for its heat worldwide.
Now, you can learn to make an authentic Thai dish with no cooking experience required. A Thai culinary expert will guide you through every step in this virtual cooking class!
Cooking traditional dishes from different cultures is a great way to create an inclusive environment! Consider encouraging AAPI employees to share their family recipes, too.
How to get started 👉 Taste the flavors of Southeast Asia with a Thai Cooking Class!
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4. Enjoy a Boba Tea Making Class
Boba tea has exploded in popularity lately, but even if your team drinks it, do they know how to make it?
Once you take a virtual Boba Tea Making Class, that answer will be a yes. Plus, you'll have the chance to explore the history behind this Taiwanese milk tea!
Boba tea has taken the Western world by storm! This class presents a unique opportunity to connect with the drink's roots & gain a newfound appreciation for its deliciousness.
How to get started 👉 Book a Boba Tea Making Class today!
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5. Take an AAPI Month Wellness Class 🧘
Plan an activity that brings some zen to the office. Explore Asian mindfulness practices, from the ancient Hindu and Buddhist traditions of yoga to the Chinese art of martial arts, in an AAPI Wellness Class.
This class offers a serene journey into relaxation and self-awareness, led by a culturally representative expert.
While immersing themselves in AAPI culture, your team will benefit from guided exercises focusing on breath work, meditation, and mindfulness, tailored to combat stress and foster inner peace and well-being.
How to get started 👉 Help your team relax with an AAPI Month Wellness Class!
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6. Create an interactive map 🗺
Here’s a creative idea for AAPI heritage month: ask your colleagues to contribute to an interactive map that you can share with the entire office.
To get your data, ask your employees to share/highlight the Asian and Pacific Island countries where:
- They were born or lived
- They worked or studied in
- Their family immigrated from
- Their family still lives
- They hope to visit one day
Compile your team’s data in a digital map with a clickable legend that displays everyone’s answers!
An interactive map creates a personal and contextual visualization of your team’s backgrounds and diversity and spurs conversations about our similarities and differences!
How to get started 👉 Send your teams a questionnaire so you can start compiling your data!
7. Make a playlist 🎵
Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with an expansive library of music! Invite your employees to share their favorite tunes by AAPI artists to create a diverse and collaborative company playlist.
From K-pop sensations and indie rockers to hip-hop artists and classical virtuosos, AAPI musicians have profoundly impacted the global music scene. By curating a playlist featuring their music, you pay homage to their talent and creativity but also celebrate the rich musical history of the AAPI community.
How to get started 👉 Ask your employees to send in their HR-friendly tunes to compile in a playlist using Spotify or YouTube!
9. Play AAPI Mini Games 🧩
Who said learning about culture couldn't be fun? You can entertain your team while you discover more about Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, including famous activists, the current pop culture scene, and some lesser-known facts that are sure to fascinate you.
For this activity, you'll break your larger teams up into groups and give them a chance to go head-to-head in a few culture-based brain teasers and puzzle games. Not only will your team get to relax and build camaraderie, but every point you earn will help farmers in the Philippines protect their crops through a partnership with Share the Meal. Your team will be smiling inside and out, knowing you're having fun and doing good in the world.
How to get started 👉 See which of your teams will come out on top! Book Confetti's AAPI History & Culture Mini Games experience today.
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9. Get creative with AAPI crafts ✂️
Crafting is a great way to help your team showcase their creative skills while learning about the vibrancy of AAPI culture. However, crafts are so much more than just a creative outlet — they can also serve as a reminder of the beauty of Asian-American and Pacific Islander heritage. Making crafts together is a way to celebrate that legacy while building community and preserving cultural traditions.
If you're not sure where to start, consider having your team create paper lanterns. All you need is a paper template, markers or colored pencils for decorating, and some glue and scissors for putting it together. Shadow puppets and origami cranes are a fun option as well, as these colorful creations can bring out your team's imagination.
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander culture all year ✨
AAPI Heritage is technically honored in the month of May, but that doesn’t mean celebrations & inclusion efforts shouldn't continue all year.
The resources above are meant to be used all year to help you improve on your DEI efforts. We at Confetti encourage celebrating your Asian American & Pacific Islander workforce to promote inclusion for many, many months to come. 🎊
P.S. Looking for more virtual DEI activities to put on your calendar? Check out our full AAPI Month collection to start celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with Confetti!
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Frequently Asked Questions ❓
Why is it important to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month?
Recognizing AAPI Heritage Month celebrates the rich cultural heritage and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Promoting awareness and understanding of AAPI history, culture, and experiences helps organizations foster inclusivity, combat stereotypes and discrimination, and create a more equitable and welcoming environment for all employees.
How can Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities benefit my organization during AAPI Heritage Month?
DEI activities increase cultural competence and empathy among employees, promote teamwork and collaboration across diverse backgrounds, and strengthen relationships with AAPI communities both internally and externally. All of these things contribute to a more inclusive and innovative workplace culture.
What are some practical ideas for DEI activities during AAPI Heritage Month?
You could host cultural awareness workshops or seminars on AAPI culture and contributions featuring AAPI speakers and leaders. You could also plan team building activities showcasing Asian culture including art, music, literature, and cuisine, facilitate discussions on topics related to AAPI identity, representation, and allyship, and support AAPI-owned businesses or community organizations through partnerships or fundraising initiatives.
