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May is – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. This broad term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, honoring the contribution of many Chinese laborers who laid the tracks. The term “Asian American” was, Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka. Gee and Ichioka promoted solidarity, rejected other offensive terms, .

CU Boulder Engineering recognizes that the terms “Asian American” and “Asian Pacific Islander” may not fully capture the unique experiences of individuals who identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander. We also recognize that a term that feels right for one person may not adequately capture the experience of another. The term sometimes has the practical effect of omitting cultural differences and masking the needs of specific communities and has excluded the experience of South, Southeast, Central, and West Asians.

During the month of May, we celebrate the contributions of researchers, instructors, student leaders and alumni of our college. We seek to celebrate as broadly and inclusively as possible, and to encourage individuals to proudly claim whatever label(s) best describe how they personally identify. As a college we come together to educate ourselves, offer allyship, oppose all expressions of AAPI hate and affirm and appreciate the AAPI members of our community. 

Keith Molenaar
Acting Dean

Terri Wright
Assistant Dean for Access, Inclusion and Student Programs