The beginning of Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month dates back to the 1970s when a congressional staffer approached Representative Frank Horton of New York with the idea to honor Asian Pacific Americans.  In 1977, Representatives Horton and Norman Y. Mineta of California introduced a resolution to proclaim the first ten (10) days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week.  A month later, Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga, both from Hawaii, introduced a similar bill.  Neither of these resolutions passed.  In 1978, Representative Horton introduced House Joint Resolution 1007 which passed and proposed a week beginning May 1979.  

The proposed resolution determined that May would be the designated month for two (2) reasons. The first Japanese immigrant arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843, and on May 10, 1869, the golden spike was driven into the first transcontinental railroad which was built using Chinese labor.  On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution for the celebration, and on May 1, 2009 President Barack Obama signed Proclamation 8369 recognizing the month of May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Equity & Belonging invites students, faculty, and staff to check out featured print books celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month from our New School Libraries LibCabinets. The cabinets are located in the lobby of 66 W 12th Street and on the second floor of 39 W 13th Street (Student Hub). Be sure to check out our Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month guide for more resources online.

Say something here about why we feel these external organizations and their initiatives are important to highlight. If any are offering discounted tickets or additional resources to students, it would be good to mention it also.

Explore NarwhalNation to learn more about clubs and organizations across the university that foster belonging by way of an array of events, meetings, and socials. Below are some New School clubs/organizations that are centered on supporting the student community at The New School:

- Tadka (South Asian)
- Taiwanese Student Association

- Hong Kong Student Association

- International Culture and Music Organization
- Global Art Innovator Club

- IN2M2
- Indonesian Student Association

- Pakistani Student Association (South Asian)
- Japanese Creatives
- Chinese Student and Scholar Association
- East Asian Feminist Collective

The Equity and Belonging unit within Student Success is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, safe, and supportive learning environment for all students at The New School. It focuses on cultivating community, providing access to opportunities, and valuing diversity through education and outreach. This area also encompasses the Higher Education Opportunity Program and New School Firsts.

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