May 24, 2022
May is Asian American and Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), where we recognize, celebrate, and honor the contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and embrace AAPI communities that have enriched our country for generations. First established in 1979 and then reaffirmed by Congress in 1992, APAHM was created to highlight the rich histories of Asian immigrants within the United States and acknowledge the resiliency of Asian and Pacific Islander communities throughout a history in an often unjust and inequitable America.
The label Asian Americans was coined by Yuji Ichikoka in the 1960s to give a political voice for those coming from the broad swath of countries deemed “Asia”. Asian Americans have played, and continue to play, an important role in shaping farming and food culture in America. Their contributions to the American agricultural and culinary landscape are reflected in our farms and on our plates today.
Resources to celebrate APAHM:
- Check out our Local NY Dried Beans Guide for a delicious Korean-Braised Black Bean (Geomeun-kongjorim) recipe.
- Incorporate inclusive books and curricula in the K-12 classroom that celebrate the Asian and Asian American experience:
- Watercress by Andrea Wang
- Hot Pot Night! by Vincent Chen
- Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed
- OCA K-12 AANHPI Curriculum Project
- Watch the movie Minari or read Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (the essay of the same name can be read on the New Yorker website) or Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
- Support New York Asian American farms and purchase produce from Good Chi Farm in Kingston, Asian Vegetable CSA in the Hudson Valley, Gopal Farm in New Paltz, Choy Division in Chester, or Sang Lee Farms on Long Island.
- Read about Asian American history and resiliency in agriculture: