Places to Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is AAPI Heritage Month, where we try to learn more about those people who helped build the country that we live in. I frequent a handful of AAPI-owned businesses just in the town where I live, but I try to find others in greater Portland and also when I travel, because when minority-owned businesses are uplifted and thrive, the whole community benefits.

Here are some places to visit on your travels to celebrate and support the AAPI people there:

Chinatowns

Most large cities have a Chinatown, but there are some that aren’t that well known that are steeped in history and have amazing food that should be on your radar:

• Las Vegas – Believe it or not, amongst all the other crazy things in Vegas, you can visit a completely separate Chinatown that’s not on the Strip. It has over 150 restaurants and is home to 6 supermarkets. This has been on my list for over a year, and I hope to spend some time here on my summer trip.
• Oakland – Often overshadowed by San Francisco’s Chinatown, Oakland can be a bit more chill. It’s mostly a neighborhood rather than a tourist destination, but there are 45 restaurants and 9 tea shops, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Madison Park, where you can see people doing Tai Chi in the mornings, and Oakland Fortune Factory, where you can customize your own fortune cookies.
• Honolulu – Hawaiian/South Pacific culture is different than Chinese culture, and Honolulu’s Chinatown is it’s oldest and most artistic neighborhood, with an eclectic mix of Asian vendors, from lei makers, dim sum restaurants, the Japanese Izumo Taishakyo Mission Shrine, and Chinese Kuan Yin Temple.
• Houston – Although it seems like an unlikely place to find authentic Chinese culture, Houston has a younger, thriving Asiatown, as it brings diversity, instead of just Chinese merchants. You’ll also find Malaysian, Vietnamese, Korean, and more within the 6 square miles, including the Hong Kong City Mall and Teo Chew Temple. You can also take a bus tour of this sprawling neighborhood through Asiatown Houston Bus Tour.

Japantown

At one point there were many Japantowns, like Chinatown neighborhoods, but they got pushed out of towns, so now there are only three: San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles. There is also a Japantown in Vancouver, BC. I had a goal to visit two others besides San Francisco, but I didn’t have time in my schedule when we traveled to LA and Vancouver, so they are still on my list. 

Museums

I love a good museum and when I can learn about a new culture or heritage (or even my own), even better. There are some great ones that can educate you on the history of Asians in America. Here are just a few:

• Wing Luke Museum in Seattle – Located in Seattle’s Chinatown, this museum is named after a city council member who was the first Asian American to hold a public position in the Pacific Northwest. Inside you can view paintings, photos, other artwork, and textiles. The museum also offers programming and city tours.
• Angel Island Immigration Museum on Angel Island, California – Thought of as the West Coast’s Ellis Island, an estimated one million immigrants came through Angel Island, though Asian immigrants were discriminated against, so not nearly as many were allowed in as wanted to come. Now, Angel Island is a state park that is home to a recreated detention center that will show you what life was like for those Asians who were forced into these types of centers due to the Chinese Exclusion Act.
• Hmong Cultural Center Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota – You might not think of a large Asian population calling the midwest home, but make sure to visit this museum that tells of the Hmong people from Laos who sought refuge in the US after the Vietnam War. Even know, there are around 90,000 Hmong people living in Minnesota, as they were given help through the University of Minnesota Agricultural Extension Service to set up farms in the Great Lakes area.

• China
• Japan
• Myanmar/Burma
• Polynesia/Pacific Islands
• Tokyo
• Vietnam

Another great idea is to get ready for a future trip by learning a new language, like Mandarin, Japanese or Korean.

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