May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the U.S. The theme that the Federal Asian Pacific American Council has selected for 2023 is “Advancing Leaders through Opportunity.” This theme offers an invitation to remember and celebrate leaders of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent throughout American history. It also calls us to advocate with and for the empowerment of people who identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander and to redress injustices that have obstructed and devalued these communities’ experiences and leadership.
To help Christian communities amplify Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander voices in American and church history during May and throughout the year, we at Building Faith want to share a list of resources. This list includes new and recent books, reading lists, podcasts, documentaries, virtual exhibits, and church resources. Our hope is that this compilation will provide churches with fruitful avenues for attending more deeply to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander histories and futures.
Books
History and Cultural Criticism Books
- Detours: A Decolonial Guide to Hawai’i, edited by Hōkūlani K. Aikau and Vernadette Vicuña Gonzalez (Durham: Duke University Press, 2019)
- Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong (New York: One World, 2021)
- Opening the Gates to Asia: A Transpacific History of How America Repealed Asian Exclusion by Jane H. Hong (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 2019)
- Our Voices, Our Histories: Asian American and Pacific Islander Women, edited by Shirley Hune and Gail M. Nomura (New York: NYU Press, 2020)
- Remembering Our Intimacies: Mo’olelo, Aloha ‘Āina, and Ea by Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2021)
Histories and Stories in Christianity Books
- Invisible: Theology and the Experience of Asian American Women by Grace Ji-Sun Kim (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2021)
- Our Unforming: De-Westernizing Spiritual Formation by Cindy S. Lee (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2022)
Reading Lists for All Ages
- “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Reading List for Kids” at the New York Public Library website
- “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Reading List for Teens” at the New York Public Library website
- “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Reading List for Adults” at the New York Public Library website
- “The May Book Project,” produced by the Very Asian Foundation and We Need Diverse Books – includes reading lists for all ages as downloadable PDFs
Article
- “What Is the Model Minority Myth?” by Sarah-Soonling Blackburn, Learning for Justice (Mar. 21, 2019)
Podcasts
- “31 Asian American Podcasts for AAPI Heritage Month 2022” at the Asian American Podcasters Association website – a list of podcasts by and about people who identify as Asian American, which includes the podcasts below and more
- Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast, hosted by Ken Fong – episodes about 45 – 60 minutes long, new releases weekly
- Asian Americana, hosted by Quincy Surasmith – episodes roughly 30 – 60 minutes long, new releases monthly
- Immigrantly, hosted by Saadia Khan – episodes about 30 – 45 minutes in length, new releases weekly
- Scrolls and Leaves: World History Podcast, hosted by Mary-Rose Abraham and Gayathri Vaidyanathan – episodes 15 – 40 minutes long
Videos
- “The Asian American & Pacific Islander Experience” at the PBS website – a collection of videos, documentaries, and articles focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander history
- “Asian Americans,” produced by PBS (2020) – a documentary series on Asian American history
- “Documentaries to Watch for Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month” by Trent Nakamura at the International Documentary Association website (May 25, 2020) – an article that provides a list of documentaries centered on Asian American and Pacific Islander biographies, stories, and experiences
- “A People’s History of Asian America,” hosted by Dolly Li and Adrian De Leon, produced by the Center for Asian American Media and PBS (2021) – a miniseries that addresses the history and impact of anti-Asian racism in Asian American lives
Virtual Exhibits
- “Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” hosted by the Library of Congress website – a hub of resources, exhibits, and events to commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (Note: As of this article’s publication date, the site lists events for 2022, so be on the lookout for updates as May 2023 approaches.)
- Japanese American National Museum – digital resources, collections, and exhibits provided by the Japanese American National Museum that illuminate Japanese American history and experiences
Church Resources
- “#AAPI Alive! Eastertide Devotional,” produced by The Gathering, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles – daily devotionals for the Easter season created by Asian American and Pacific Islander writers, artists, and musicians
- “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Worship Resources” by David Kim and Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church (Apr. 29, 2022)
- “Church leaders suggest ways to mark Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” United Church of Christ website (May 18, 2021)
- “May: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage” at the Beloved Community Initiative website, a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa – a collection of articles, videos, interviews, reflection prompts, and prayer
Featured image from “Rise Up with Asians Rally and March” in San Francisco, CA (Mar. 26, 2021) is by Jason Leung on Unsplash