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May 3, 2023

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month


Boulder County, Colo. -- The Boulder County Commissioners have proclaimed May 2023 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Boulder County and encouraged residents to learn about the contributions of AA and NHPI communities and to commit themselves to combatting anti-Asian bias, xenophobia, and harassment.

The commissioners delivered the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month Proclamation (included below) at Tuesday’s Business Meeting.

Resources

The Smithsonian Museum of American History website has many online exhibits available, including resources for K-12 classrooms. The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) “Standing Together Against Hate” portal provides links to exhibitions and resources from across the Smithsonian museums focusing on Asian-American and Pacific Islander voices.

The History Colorado website has a collection of oral histories and articles, including an online exhibit about Camp Amache, where approximately 10,000 Japanese Americans were wrongfully imprisoned during World War II.

For some Boulder County specific history, visit the YWCA Boulder County website.

Denver was once home to the largest Chinese community in the Rocky Mountains, and at its peak, nearly 1,000 residents lived along Wazee and Blake streets from 15th to 17th in what is now Lower Downtown Denver. You can find out more by watching, “Reclaiming Denver’s Chinatown”, a 50-minute documentary that debuted at last year’s Denver Film Festival. More information about the history of Chinatown and the making of the documentary is available on Denver’s website.

The Louisville Public Library’s librarians have put together a AA and NHPI book list. These books are available at libraries throughout Boulder County and online through the Marmot Library Network and other online library networks.

A Proclamation Declaring May 2023 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Boulder County

WHEREAS, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities represent a multitude of ethnicities, languages, and experiences that enrich our country, our state, and our county; and

WHEREAS, AA and NHPI individuals and communities are vital to the American story, serving our country in uniform, advocating for civil rights, starting new businesses, winning Olympic medals, enriching academia, science, and the arts, and serving with distinction at the highest levels of Federal, State, and local government; and

WHEREAS, the Boulder County Commissioners condemn anti-Asian hate crimes across the country, including incidents of anti-Asian bias, xenophobia, harassment, and violence since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, as we combat xenophobia, hate, and discrimination against the AA and NHPI communities, we must not forget the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were unjustly imprisoned during World War II resulting in one of the most shameful chapters in American history.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County hereby proclaim May 2023 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Boulder County and encourages residents to learn about the contributions of AA and NHPI communities and to commit themselves to combatting anti-Asian bias, xenophobia, and harassment.

2023 Board of County Commissioners signatures Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin, Ashley Stolzmann


Collage of all three Boulder County Commissioners