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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! The month provides the opportunity to celebrate AAPI culture and historical contributions in the United States. Originally, the AAPI commemoration took place the first week of May when President Carter signed a joint resolution from Congress in 1978. Celebrations were extended to a month-long observance in 1990 to encompass two historically significant dates:

Demographic trends

The term Asian American and Pacific Islander refers to people in the U.S. with heritage from all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. These communities make up more than 6% of the U.S. population and are comprised of about 50 ethnic groups who collectively speak more than 100 languages. AAPI Americans are also the fastest-growing racial demographic group. In Indiana alone, the AAPI Hoosier population grew by 64% since 2010 and currently makes up about 2.5% of state’s population.

On average, AAPI Americans tend to have high median household incomes and educational attainment rates. However, these rates and other social determinants of health can vary greatly among different ethnic groups within the AAPI umbrella. Further,  AAPI Americans are the least likely demographic group to seek and receive mental health treatment. In 2020, under 21% of AAPI Americans with a mental health condition received treatment. These disparities can be attributed to systemic barriers for accessing culturally appropriate services, compounded by stigma within the community. Furthermore, language barriers present challenges as nearly one third of AAPI Americans don’t consider themselves proficient in English, with these rates varying by ethnic groups and older generations.

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