The Office of Racial Equity and the Vermont Human Rights Commission are proud to announce a 1-month series to commemorate National Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Every week in May, we will share video interviews featuring voices of Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and Desi Americans. Hear their stories, their dreams, and their experiences as part of Vermont's cultural tapestry. We will also host a community dinner in Randolph VT on Saturday June 3rd. This dinner will feature traditional and modern Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and Desi dishes. We will also bring our video interviewees together for a panel discussion where they will take questions and dive deeper as a group into their experiences.
Register for the dinner+panel here: Register for the AAPI dinner on June 3, 2023
Learn more about AAPI Heritage Month here:
- Library of Congress: "Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month"
- NPR: "The story behind Asian Pacific American Heritage, and why it's celebrated in May"
"Voices Uplifted": The interview series
We sat down with Asian, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, and Desi Americans to hear about their experiences and more. Check out their stories below, and see them in person on June 3rd at the community dinner in Randolph VT.
Joan
Hear from Joan as she shares about her journey to Vermont, finding inter-generational connections, and the restorative power of sharing food. Joan’s story tells of the ways in which we stay connected to our culture, even in a changing world. She holds roles as parent and faith leader and neighbor and daughter and Vermonter and so much more. We are grateful to Joan for sitting down with us and uplifting her voice.
Paul
Hear from Paul as he shares about reclaiming our identities and instilling our littlest generations with healthy senses of self, especially in very homogenous places like in Vermont. Paul’s story tells of the ways in which the mentors and educators in our lives can change the trajectory of our paths. Paul shares how he incorporates traditional dress as an outward expression of cultural identity. We are grateful to Paul for sitting down with us and uplifting his voice.
Kheya
Hear from Kheya about the impact of her ancestors’ accomplishments on her and the importance of being involved in social justice efforts. Kheya’s story tells of the art, governance, and community service that shaped her family and made a mark on the people around them. She shares about the restorative effect of gathering with loved ones to share time, joy, and food. We are grateful to Kheya for sitting down with us and uplifting her voice.
Daisy
Hear from Daisy as she shares about her immigration journey between different states and territories. Daisy tells of how she infuses her culture into her work as a human resources professional, and how the strong values she learned from her upbringing help her weave strong family connections today. She also reminds us of the contemporary media portrayals of Polynesian and Samoan people, and how representation matters in our journey to tell our own stories. We are grateful to Daisy for sitting down with us and uplifting her voice.
Brian
Hear from Brian as he shares about his connection to the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi (APIDA) community in Vermont. Brian’s story tells of the ways in which we stay connected to our culture across generations, and how we sometimes look to our peers for guidance on how to find culturally relevant outlets for learning and exploration. Brian shares the importance of standing up and demonstrating that our communities are not invisible, especially at times when bias and hateful messaging drive people to target racial and ethnic groups for violence. We are grateful to Brian for sitting down with us and uplifting his voice.
Phet
Hear from Phet as she shares about growing up in Vermont. Phet discusses some of the traditions she carries with her from her own culture, and the ways in which we can still feel connected to others who share our experiences. Phet’s story shows the value of mentorship and the importance of questioning our history and the narratives we are told about cultural histories. We are grateful to Phet for sitting down with us and uplifting her voice.
Ita
Hear from Ita about the ways in which U.S. occupation has shaped the identities and experiences of the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi (APIDA) community. Ita’s story tells of how their culture is rooted in a sense of community, and how critical mutual aid is in times of crisis. We are grateful to Ita for sitting down with us and uplifting their voice.
Elaine
Hear from Elaine as she shares about her tenure in Vermont and the different ways we are treated based on how long we have been in the state. Elaine’s story shows how visible we sometimes are in public spaces, and the intentional practice of not averting our gaze. Elaine wears a multitude of hats and identities that reveal how race, gender, occupation, and generation all intersect. We are grateful to Elaine for sitting down with us and uplifting her voice.
Sarika
Hear from Sarika about the aspects of her culture that are most precious and present in her daily life. Sarika’s story tells of the satisfaction and the pride of passing on cultural traditions to the next generation, and about how it feels to be able to bring a joyous celebration from our homeland to a new community in Vermont. We are grateful to Sarika for sitting down with us and uplifting her voice.
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