This May we observe AA and NHPI Heritage Month knowing that we are living in a time like no other. While we have enjoyed an unprecedented level of representation in film, television, the media, and public service, we continue to experience perpetual violence against and within our communities. We continue to endure erasure and disenfranchisement. One thing we can learn from this moment is that visibility alone is not enough, especially if it is only afforded to some of us.

We invite you to mark AA and NHPI Heritage Month this year by reflecting on what it means to be Visible Together – to recognize that AA and NHPI does not describe a singular population or demographic, but rather a coalition that is powerful for its vastness and complexity. Let us honor the historic efforts that have led terms such as AA and NHPI, AAPI, and APA to become more commonly known and used, and commit to empowering all who are encompassed within this coalition – especially those who have historically been marginalized within. Let us remember that representation cannot be selective – true representation must be collective. This year and into the future, we strive to be Visible Together.

It has become customary for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) to partner every year on identifying a theme for AA and NHPI Heritage Month. This year we invited other AA and NHPI-focused organizations to join the conversation in hopes of generating a theme that more widely represents our communities. We would like to thank the White House Office of Public Engagement and our community partners: Armenian American Action Network, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, Ka Aha Lahui O Olekona Hawaiian Civic Club, National Museum of Asian Art, Pacific Island Knowledge 2 Action Resources, Sikh Coalition, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center. In recognition of April as National Arab American Heritage Month, we are also grateful to the following organizations for joining us in discussions toward mutual support across our communities: Arab American Civic Council, Arab American Women’s Association, Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, and National Iranian American Council.