This month, May 2021, marks the first-ever Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The AAPI community is comprised of many rich cultures, and each deserves to be respected and celebrated. However, this past year has been especially difficult for many AAPI folks as we have seen an increase in anti-Asian racism, violence, and discrimination. Honoring the AAPI community with an official Heritage Month is long overdue and needed now more than ever, and we also cannot stop there. We must continue to stand in solidarity and show up for the AAPI community, not just this month, but always.

Here are a few ways you and your club can show up for AAPI folks right now:

• The Asian American Psychological Association is participating in a Bullying Awareness Campaign that you can learn more about here.
• Netflix recently launched a hub dedicated to AAPI content called “Our Voices, Our Stories” where you can watch TV while supporting AAPI creators and learning about their experiences.
• Hollaback! is hosting free virtual bystander intervention workshops where you can learn how to stand up against AAPI harassment and xenophobia. Sign up here.

Asian American and Pacific Islander minds matter. The following mental health resources offer an array of options for folks to seek services in a way that works for them:

• The Asian Mental Health Collective offers an Asian, Pacific Islander, and South Asian American therapist directory
• The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance is a space for LGBTQIA+ people to find resources and join advocacy movements
• The National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association offers a therapist directory and resources specifically for the intersection of racism and mental health