AAPI Heritage Month Cincinnati
AAPI Heritage Month Cincinnati started in 2021 as a series of events so more Asian Americans in Cincinnati had spaces for joy, safety, and belonging.
Together with JP Leong, Nikki Siababa, and many others, we built a grassroots initiative that grown into a month of public programming, an independent community calendar, and a public education and outreach campaign to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month across the Greater Cincinnati area. The calendar is still managed by Asianati,
I led organizing and outreach to encourage institutions and AAPI organizations to host events and public education throughout May. I also managed a programming team that organized events, programs, and public art initiatives, and oversaw a robust marketing campaign to increase public awareness for the month. I was always very tired in June.
Cincinnati City Council passed an official city resolution in 2022 recognizing May as AAPI Heritage Month. The campaign also inspired fellow Korean adoptees to launch AAPI Heritage Month Memphis in 2023 and AAPI Heritage Month 518 (Upstate NY) in 2025.
AAPI Heritage Month Cincinnati designs by Kara Henry @chunkofchina
By connecting organizers to resources, marketing, and partnerships, multiple groups and major institutions recognized AAPI Heritage Month for the first time, and established annual celebrations at Cincinnati Public Library, FC Cincinnati, and Esquire, Mariemont and Kenwood Theatres.
Since 2021, Asianati’s AAPI Heritage Month events have invested an estimated $25,000+ into the Asian American community through grants and compensation to Asian American artists, businesses, and organizations