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Welcome to our May resource page! This month we highlight Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, National Mental Health Month, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Month, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Malcolm X Day and Cinco de Mayo. We have carefully put together a collection of timely and relevant resources related to these significant dates--please explore the links below to access them now!
Asian American and
Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) is an annual celebration that recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States. The AAPI umbrella term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
Please listen to Grace Pai, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Chicago, talk about the history of AAPI Heritage Month and efforts to expand the teaching of Asian American history. Follow the link below for a plethora of AAPI Month resources!
Jewish American
Heritage Month
"During May 2023, hundreds of organizations and Americans of all backgrounds are joining together to discover, explore, and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the dawn of our nation to the present day.
Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month helps to strengthen our communities and promote a sense of belonging, shared civic life, and deeper understanding of cultural heritage." (Source: JAHM)
National Mental Health Month
Together, we can realize our shared vision of a nation where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live healthy, fulfilling lives.
Help us spread the word through awareness, support and advocacy activities.
Learn more by following the link below!
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Month
May is designated as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Month, and May 5th is the National Day of Action. Every year, individuals wear red and attend marches, rallies, bike rides, fundraisers, and more to raise awareness for the MMIW cause and to amplify the fight against the injustice that's happening to Native women and their families every day.
Cinco de Mayo
Do you know the history of Cinco de Mayo? Did you know that this historic battle helped prevent a Confederate victory in the Civil War? Please watch the video and follow the link to learn more!
Spanish for “the fifth of May,” Cinco de Mayo is a minor Mexican holiday. It’s the celebration of a mostly symbolic victory over the French in 1862.
It’s not Mexico’s Independence Day, nor is it a big holiday in Mexico.
Over time, Cinco de Mayo was taken up by Mexican Americans to celebrate their Mexican heritage, like Irish Americans might celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo has also become a way for businesses to sell food and alcohol. Ads for all kinds of things pop up in late April, urging people to get together and celebrate on the 5th of May.
If you're a teacher, please read the linked article below for tips on how to incorporate this historical day into your curriculum!
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is observed on May 17 and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.
The founders of the International Day Against Homophobia, as it was originally known, established the IDAHO Committee to coordinate grass-roots actions in different countries, to promote the day and to lobby for official recognition on May 17. That date was chosen to commemorate the decision to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990.
Malcolm X Day
May 19 is Malcolm X Day. On May 19, 1925, Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, NE. On this day, we celebrate and commemorate Malcolm X and his legacy.
Learn more by following the link below!
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