Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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Portland Taiko Drum performers at the 2025 AANHPI celebration at Midland Library.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI). It’s a special time to honor and celebrate the remarkable role of the AANHPI community. Stop by your local library in May for fun events, book displays and much more!

There’s a lot to get excited about for this year’s programming. From musical performances to dance parties to crafts and more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The AANHPI community is rich and diverse, with around 50 different cultures speaking over 100 languages. Every May, we celebrate our community members who trace their heritage to a vast region. This includes China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, India, Cambodia, Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Native Hawaii and many more countries.

“I deeply appreciate learning about the many remarkable AANHPI individuals who have enriched our societies through their contributions to science, technology, entertainment and beyond,” says Mid-County Regional Librarian Toan Lam-Sullivan.

The library can support you year-round in many different ways. Many libraries have events that are in Chinese and Vietnamese like storytimes, crafts, and more. You can also get help with technology, learning English, citizenship classes, reading suggestions and beyond. We have staff happy to support — just reach out.

“I appreciate the efforts and thoughts put into making AANHPI communities feel included and valued,” says Library Assistant Trang Oliver. “Seeing and hearing people excited about the events and celebrations around town and at the library brings me joy.”

Looking to check out some books to celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month? Our librarians have curated a few booklists honoring the rich cultures and contributions of our AANHPI community members: