This month in May, we’re calling attention to 3 important cultural observances: Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Jewish American Heritage Month. We pledge to continue to battle the stigma of mental health in our world while providing helpful resources, and to amplify the voices of AAPI and Jewish members of our community. Come celebrate with us!
Mental Health Awareness Month:
Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives, to celebrate recovery from mental illness, and to help fight the stigma mental health carries in modern-day society.
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month:
AAPI Heritage Month celebrates Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The month of May was chosen by Congress to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869 (of which Chinese immigrant workers were a majority).
Jewish American Heritage Month:
In April of 2006, the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously passed resolutions proclaiming May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Why May? The 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History celebration in May 2004 was highly successful, organized by the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History.