May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage month, as we celebrate Asian and Pacific Islanders in the United States.  The celebrations often include eating in Asian restaurants, and attending one of many festivals or parades organized by local Asian American community.  This is the month that you can taste various Asian cuisines, learn about the culture and history, and watch cultural performances.  I watched one of the HBO specials this weekend called, “Asian Aloud”, which different individuals were interviewed to talk about being Asian Americans.

Here’s a trivia question for you.  Do you know why May was picked to be the Asian-Pacific American Heritage month?

The month of May was chosen 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. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.  Click here for full report