Throughout the month of May, members of the IMS Asian American Pacific Islander Affinity Group came together to honor and increase recognition of AAPI Heritage Month. Students began the month by creating and hanging posters around the school of eighteen notable Asian American figures, including Naomi Osaka, Steven Yeun Kamala Harris, Tammy Duckworth, and Jeremy Lin. These individuals represent just a small glimpse into the many ways Asian Americans contribute to and shape our modern US society. The posters featured mini-bios and fun facts for each person, acknowledging the wide range of ethnicities, mixed-race backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds that make up the Asian American community.

We wanted to highlight and celebrate the rich diversity within the Pan Asian community and recognize the many ways individuals of Asian descent positively contribute to our world.

Nora Yasumura

Nora Yasumura, IMS Health and Wellness Educator, and Lucy Dong, Mandarin Teacher and Advisor, worked with students to develop these posters and helped spearhead other initiatives this month, including presentations about specific festival foods from their cultures and a fundraiser to support the education of a young boy in rural China through the American Chinese Culture and Education Foundation.

Thirteen students worked together to prepare their presentations and were divided into teams based on the country they were representing. After a month’s preparation, students bravely stood in front of the school to share information about the festival foods they had researched. The presenters highlighted that these are not just dishes people enjoy — they carry deep, meaningful significance tied to a person’s cultural identity.

We are grateful to these student leaders, Ms. Yasumura and Ms. Dong, for fostering an educational environment that gives voice and agency to members of our AAPI community throughout the school year.