Are You “AAPI” or “Asian American”? It's Complicated. | A People's History of Asian America

[@giladbarcelon7987]

Can we celebrate a distinct month just for Pacific Islanders! Apart, from Asian American! Pacific Islanders(Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian) deserve to be recognized for there identity, culture, customs, storytelling, etc;! So plz set a Month we all can celebrate the Songs and Pride of the Pacific!

[@metalflorida]

I kinda agree with this, May used to be called Asian Heritage month. It felt nice now it feels kind of awkward.

[@AR15andGOD]

No. You don't deserve a month to celebrate your race, racist race obsessed freak

[@KitKat-kg4ku]

Please include Australians.

[@Ac_a]

Most Pacific Islanders ancestors were Asian. You mixed with AlbinoWhiteColonizer or what?

[@lalakuma9]

As someone who grew up in Southeast Asia, I'm always confused why Asians are lumped together with Pacific Islanders by Americans. I think this is very much an American (USA)-centric view because there are a lot of East & Southeast Asians in Hawaii and their cultures mix together, and because the USA broadly lumps together all their military bases in Asia and Pacific Islands regardless of the fact that these are completely different regions and cultures. In East & Southeast Asian, we almost never think of Pacific Islands as part of the same region or larger race group as us. Same thing with South Asians, Central Asians, and Middle Easterns, even though they are all technically also in Asia. So when people talk about "stop AAPI hate", I always wonder who are the people actually getting attacked. Are all sorts of Asians & Pacific Islanders actually getting attacked, or just the Asian people that are "Chinese-looking"?

[@kiwifruitkl]

- Yes, it is a US view. In New Zealand, they may have a category for Maori people, a category for Asians (East Asians/South Asians/Southeast Asians) and a category for non-Maori Pacific Islanders. Maoris tend to have a special focus over there because they are the indigenous people of NZ. Other peoples came later. - I wouldn't be surprised if all those people who get attacked are actually yellow people. I use *yellow people* because it is the best fit for physical race. People who have mongoloid appearances. It is these people with the closest associations to China, the "evil" country on the other side of the world of the USA that manages to defy US-centric western imperialism.

[@gman786]

Be cause Pacific Islanders migrated from Asia and Asians & Pacific Islanders are part of the Austronesian family.

[@digitalzombee8783]

@@gman786 that means nothing in the grand scheme of things. The human race is linked in some way shape or form. What sets us apart is our culture and traditions. Pacific Islanders understand each other on a basic cultural level, Asians can't relate to us like that. The cultures are too different. So unless your culture and traditions are similar to ours then you're not a Pacific Islander, stop trying to be one or claim our identity. Be proud to be Asian, just like we are proud to be Pacific Islander.

[@gman786]

@@digitalzombee8783 The usos in Long Beach don’t think culture is any different

[@digitalzombee8783]

@@gman786 just like the original post mentions, only Americans seem to think this way. You just added to what they said by talking about more Americans. Those of us islanders and Asians who live outside America don't think this way. We know we are similar, but we acknowledge we are different. Ask a Filipino or Islander on this side of the world if we are all Pacific Islanders and they would probably laugh.

[@jlee4039]

Why are we differentiating between Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander? Is it because Hawaii is a US state (as opposed to Guam and American Samoa, which are territories)? Is it because Native Hawaiians are culturally distinct from other Pacific Islanders (but then, shouldn't we recognize the cultural differences between, say, a country in the Polynesia region and one in the Micronesia region)? The video didn't go into the reasoning behind this (for me) new development. Thanks!

[@sailorm4y4ri]

In a short answer, yes to all of ypur questions! different islands have different history and culture :)

[@malenaboy]

I think yes as well to the other commenter’s point, I think because also Hawaiian sovereignty movement has gained momentum in the past couple of years, plus other islanders Samoans, Chamorro are not just one monolithic some are Micronesians and Melanesians plus depending on people’s definitions Papua New Guinea is south East Asian but culturally more akin to pacific island culture

[@nogirlIonlyusevenmo]

It really should just be Pacific Islander because Native Hawaiians *are* Pacific Islander lol, it’d be like saying South Korean Asian American month, it doesn’t make sense

[@dianileslie4555]

@@malenaboy I'm sorry what definition places Papua New Guinea in the south eat Asian category and not the Melanesian catergory?

[@joshfazuk8796]

Chinese. vietnamese. Phillipinese. thianese. Burmese. Indonesian. Laoanean. Singaporean. Korean. Taiwanese. Japanese Born in America..they can call them self asian Americans. Polynesian. Micronesian Melanesian. Born in America..they can call them self.pacific islander American. critical racial theory..not agree👎👎👎

[@bn3807]

Asian!!! Leave Pacific Islanders alone and let them be their own people geez!

[@Ac_a]

Most their Ancestors came from Asia. How about you mind your own Damnbusiness.

[@inclusiveoutsider6854]

Im South Asian American and I think the race should be split into two groups especially because my group is rarely, if ever represented. Even in this video, they only showed one South Asian and showed more of the other Asians that look more closely related. I think they should have got a real dark South Asian as well. South Asians are usually the faceless Asians, the ones that are never shown.

[@Blixmoon]

As a south Asian myself I agree ♥️

[@jasoncappello]

I've been doing a research project around this. Nielsen had recently done a report regarding percentage of population vs percentage of representation thru media. South Asia 2.19% population/3.72% representation, East Asia 2.04% population/1.72% representation, Southeast Asia 1.78% population/0.72% representation Interestingly, the report shows South Asians are over-represented in American media, with Southeast Asians being vastly under-represented. Literature, however, does seem to suggest an East-Asian bias in regards to Asian-American representation. Yes, personally - I do agree we're now at a place where specific sub-categorisations for Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Asia seem a good step forward, especially to deviate away from pan-ethnic lumping and viewing the notion of "Asian" as a homogenous singular culture and identity. I think it is valuable to also keep an overall AAPI etc layer of identity too though to show unity and acknowledge commonality in shared experiences with "otherness"

[@nunyabiz2117]

@@jasoncappello with all due respect that's kind of a straw man point , the op is not talking about American media in general op is talking about when discussing being Asian. The video is about Asian American History month. Also I don't know if the stats you mentioned are true or false but like I said it isn't what op was talking about. it is also probably not representative of reality where in certain significant areas there is probably the opposite. Growing up we all heard of Chinatown in New York .. where is Indiatown or SriLankatown in New York ... Op I think was saying South Asia is Asian and especially if there is an Asian Pacific Islander month it is important to show South Asians / Indians are part of it. South Asians too fill in Asian on demographic questions just like East Asians do etc Historically Southeast Asia was culturally and still is culturally connected with South Asia. South and Southeast Asia are Historically very connected with Hindu/Indic culture part of history all the way to Vietnam and beyond. That's the Pacific coast etc. Sorry if this seems insistent but I think it is important to understand. It is mainstream history that is just not as well known to westerners. See about the Chams or Champa peoples of Vietnam Cambodia also in other Countries

[@jasoncappello]

​@@nunyabiz2117 Thanks for your insightful response, Nunya! Interesting perspective and I do agree with all you've said in actuality! I might add and acknowledge I’m not from USA so I lack intricate knowledge of a USA specific perspective, although live in a Western nation with similar context. Yes, that statistic doesn’t acknowledge the fact that South Asians are the last thing a non-Asian would immediately associate the word “Asian” with. UK may perhaps be one deviation from that notion though. Beyond that Nielsen statistic, like I said, I think the word “Asian” is super misrepresentative of a diverse continent with many unique cultures, faces, voices etc. South Asia is definitely an afterthought. I do see a noticeable change happening as of late that I hope continues on. There is most certainly a *huge* East Asian bias in regards to anything “Asian”. 100% agree with that. I wouldn’t include Southeast Asians though. Even within Southeast Asia, representation can be dominated by Vietnam - a heavily East Asian culturally influenced country - and East Asian diasporas of Singapore and Malaysia. I think one good example is Indonesia, one of the most populous nations in the world with little representation - similar to South Asia. But in general, we do agree...just too much to type on a youtube comment hahaha

[@nunyabiz2117]

@@jasoncappello also of note is the major influence of Buddhism part of the Hindu tradition is throughout South Southeast and East Asia. Hindu means Indian, it is a Persian pronunciation of Sindhu i.e. Indus River... Indicating the Indic/Indian/Dharmic civilization etc etc

[@neoblood1989]

I do identify with being Asian American/Vietnamese American. To me, it incapsulates my experience of being of two worlds - constantly oscillating between one culture and the other, but never fully being apart of either. There will always be someone more Vietnamese than me and there will always be someone more American than me. Do I feel ownership of this month? Not particularly, but I have noticed as I get older, the month has empowered me to seek out voices like my own and to take an active part in reaffirming or reshaping how I view myself and my identity. Thanks for doing this video series. Keep up the good work!

[@matiascarbajal2508]

dpt

[@queenbbeaute2654]

U cnt be 2 nationality at once

[@maapauu4282]

​@@queenbbeaute2654Yes you can. Please do your research

[@oliverwilson11]

In New Zealand we don't lump together Asians and Pacific Islanders, but we do have the even stranger census category of "MELAA" for "Middle Eastern / Latin American / African".

[@amehak1922]

Why?????

[@starfruitiger]

interesting.....🤔

[@xpez9694]

its because of skin color of course. I am sure the WHITE New Zealanders are KIWIS or New Zealanders...even though they came from Britain...Its funny how people from an entirely different continent can come over to a new land set up shop and tell everyone else that came from somewhere else or that arent like them that are actually from the island...hey this is our country...you all are just Mari or MELLAA...then New Zealanders...but we are just NEW ZEALANDERS!!! CAUSE OUR GRANDPAPAS CAME HERE WITH PISTOLS AND RIFLES!!!!

[@oliverwilson11]

@@xpez9694 Accurate

[@lordbaylish3187]

Obey

[@metalcactuarjumpman7605]

Asian and Pacific Islander are two very distinct groups. I dont know why theyre being group together, they have very different cultures and physiology.

[@bunnybird9342]

They're two different groups with very different issues. The only reason they are lumped together is because Hawaii exists.

[@ufa7429]

I love our Asians brothers and sisters but we REAL pacific islanders need our own community. We need our own voices to be heard. Melanesians, Micronesians Polynesians. We are beautiful dark, olive and brown skin ppl ✊🏾✊🏼

[@SonGoku-em1go]

PREACH!!!

[@lalalele5399]

Agreed

[@Taeyangsmissingjacket]

Maybe skin colour isn’t the best way to identify someone. Consider Indians, contrary to what westerners think, Indians have the whole range of skin tones, not just brown lol

[@deeksha611]

Im S Asian, and I find that me and a lot of PI’s agree on this topic, in my experience as a S Asian, I think that the term “asian” doesn’t shine enough light on S Asians. To be frank, I think that its a bit colorblind, to force an entire continent and nearby islands made up of 3 different races under a singularity. Pi’s deserve their own acknowledged community and so do South Asians.

[@Poedoco]

u can just say siblings to include other genders!!. but i agree. im glad u also included light-skinned PI ppl tho

[@sailorm4y4ri]

Thank you for exploring all of the nuances of this identification label. Growing up, I always felt identifying myself as a Filipina American shifted a lot as I learned more of my history and history of SE Asian and Pacific Islanders around me. It feels so affirming to watch this. Thank you :)

[@ivan_a_6717]

Out of all the places, I didn’t expect to see AJ Rafael here😂

[@swapnilkarmakar3299]

Why did they cut off the Middle East region from the Asian map in 1:15? Isn't Middle East also part of Asia....

[@Plraska]

Yes, but culturally they are very different

[@thegreengatsby9803]

@@Plraska Asia’s culture is not a monolith Middle Eastern region is in Asia

[@nunyabiz2117]

Middle east is essentially the majority Islamic world etc it includes North Africa.

[@nunyabiz2117]

Kinda funny that they left Russia tho... Russia is in Europe and also Asia ... Really Europe should be part of Asia it is part of the same landmass!. Why not call it EurAsian Pacific Islander lol

[@foozballguy]

Indian married to a Middle Eastern person. We don't feel represented in any of the acronyms 🙁

[@AyanAli-py7ci]

Middle Easterners are white people

[@foozballguy]

@@AyanAli-py7ci 😲 does it include Iranians?

[@AyanAli-py7ci]

@Zaden Uchiha they're white

[@taylor_05]

At this point, it’s not AAPI, its just AA. Usually in AAPI the main focus is always on Asians (which there is nothing wrong with that, they’ve had their fair share of struggles as anyone else). I just hate that both are grouped together in a single month but then the main focus is usually on one group. Plus you barely even see any pacific islanders in videos like this, the closest you’ll get are Filipinos but a majority of them consider themselves Asian anyways, so do they really count?

[@Eelybrecstendt]

AAPI why are they lumped together? AA is a very big continent and race of people from the Orient and South East Asia. It doesnt make sense. Pacific Island peoples/Hawaiian/Maori is separate. They make up of islands and peoples in the large Pacific Ocean i.e Polynesia Melanesia and Micronesia.

[@gman786]

Cause Asians and Pacific Islanders are both part of the Austronesian family

[@mokesangnem]

​@@gman786 Not all Pacific Islanders/Oceanian are Austronesian. Are you forgetting the Australian Aborigines and Melanesians? Second of all, Maritime South East Asians are clearly different from the Polynesians and Micronesians despite similarities.

[@Gilamath.]

I think that it makes more sense to talk about “Oceania” when referring to the geographic mass associated with API folks. So maybe we start using Ocianean and Native Hawai’ian, or ONH, as a more descriptive yet general term? The term would also include people like the Maori who share a cultural connection to the Pacific Islands, but are currently excluded. Something like ONH is also more likely likely to mitigate some of the bias towards East Asians when we talk about “Asian”. I remember as a Pakistani American kid in high school, I was explicitly told multiple times that I don’t “count” as Asian. I have definitely seen a bias towards East Asians as the default Asian, while people from places less familiar to white Americans are excluded. We could still use terms like Southeast Asian or South Asian, for specificity

[@TommyWashow]

or you could call them by their nationality and shut up

[@anawkwardsweetpotato4728]

I agree with you. This video helped me understand how and why AA(NH)PI came to be, but in so many ways, AA & NHPI alone are still vastly distinct, Plus, in my experience, even growing up in the largest Tongan American-concentrated city in the US, AA is much more recognized/highlighted compared to NHPI. Your coinage of the term ONH seems to give the various peoples of Oceania a platform to express themselves and develop a more distinct voice. This is despite the fact that Asians and Pacific Islanders are proximate to each other especially in a post-Imperial US context. While AAPI works for now I guess, I still believe AA & ONH are too distinct to share a common term. Concerning the rise of hate crimes amidst the Covid pandemic, I've seen no coverage of Pacific Islanders (at least leaving out the Japanese, Filipinos, Indonesians/Malays, and Oceania-born Asians), yet we still use the hashtag #StopAAPIHate as if they are equally in danger of xenophobic hate crimes (please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just really desperate to get to the bottom of this). And I also feel for with your experience as a Pakistani American. Growing up, I've had to remind myself that Desi people are equally as Asian as East Asians, and that the term "Asian" doesn't really even qualify for a racial category given the immense diversity of the continent. Funny how in the UK though, the inverse to your struggle occurs and East Asians become othered from the term "Asian". Honestly, I'm also down for learning and educating ourselves about people's nationalities and ethnicities/tribes. Race and geographic categories can become way too convoluted and riddled with error.

[@Gilamath.]

@@anawkwardsweetpotato4728 what an interesting comment to read! Thank you! One thing I am grateful for is that the political coalition-building we’re doing really has given me so many new opportunities to hear people share their experiences, connections, and difficulties. It helps me feel both connected and distinct, you know what I mean?

[@AyanAli-py7ci]

Race means somebody you look like White Americans are called white because they look white East Asians are called Asians because they have Asian features Pakistanis don't count and look like middle eastern people.

[@romanski5811]

So what would be the _most_ inclusive terminology then (while still keeping it short)? AAONH?

[@artesiningart4961]

As a Filipino from the Philippines, we all identify ourselves as Filipinos in terms of our nationality and citizenship, and we are either natural-born or naturalized citizens, but we also identify ourselves and even first by our ethnicity aka our ethnic or ethnolinguistic identities, ethnic or ethnolinguistic groups, ethnic or ethnolinguistic communities, ethnic or ethnolinguistic tribes, or ethnic or ethnolinguistic nations, and yes, some of us even call these as "nations" aside from communities, groups, identities, and others, and that the Philippines is a nation-state made up of unique but mostly similar and related nations. I myself am a Filipino by nationality and by citizenship, and also natural-born, but I am also a Zamboangueño from the City of Zamboanga in the Zamboanga Peninsula Administrative Region, in Western Mindanao aka Southwestern Philippines, in the island of Mindanao, in the island group of Mindanao, in the Philippines. A Zamboangueño/a is a Spanish-based creole language-speaking ethnolinguistic group, identity, community, tribe, or nation in the Philippines, which primarily and natively speaks one of the three or up to five and still living and thriving, out of the originally and historically six, variants, varieties, or dialects of the Chavacano or Chabacano language (called Chavacano de Zamboanga, Zamboangueño Chavacano, or simply as Chavacano but with a "v" instead of a "b"), which is the only Spanish-based creole language in the Philippines and in Asia, and one of the oldest creole languages in the world. We are also mostly Roman Catholic Christians, originating from or had our ethnogenesis, ethnolinguistically-wise, from the City of Zamboanga before spreading out more throughout Western Mindanao or Southwestern Philippines and then elsewhere in the Philippines, and in the world. Our cultural, historical, and artistic identities are also highly influenced by the Spanish colonizers, occupiers or occupants, and imperialists, both from elsewhere in the Philippines during those times, from Spain, and from Mexico. Many people questioned and still questions our ethnic or ethnolinguistic genesis or origins, our roots, our influences, our ethnic and ethnolinguistic identity, community, group, or nation, and our historical, cultural, artistic, and especially linguistic identities that sets us unique, different, and apart from others in the Philippines, yet we are not and we do not belong nor identify with the other ethnic or ethnolinguistic groups, communities, identities, and nations in the Philippines, so by our native variant, variety, or dialect of a Spanish-based creole language in the Philippines, we did and still do identify by being and as Zamboangueños (sometimes generally accepted but erroneously and mistakenly called or reffered to as "Chavacanos" or "Chabacanos", even in reality and actually, we are not just the ones who natively speaks this Spanish-based creole language in the Philippines). This is also true with the other two up to four groups or communities of Filipinos who natively speaks the other two up to four variants, varieties, or dialects of the Chavacano or Chabacano language (The Ternateños or Ternateños Chabacanos, Caviteños or Caviteños Chabacanos, and/or with the Cotabateños or Cotabateños Chabacanos/Chavacanos, and the Davaoeños or Davaoeños Chabacanos/Chavacanos). Gladly, in our national census, we are treated as our own ethnolinguistic group, community, identity, or nation as Zamboangueño-Chavacano. I am a natural-born Filipino by nationality and by citizenship, a native Zamboangueño (or native Chavacano, native Zamboangueño Chavacano/ native Zamboangueño-Chavacano, Chavacano-speaking native Zamboangueño/ native Chavacano-speaking Zamboangueño, etc.), a Zamboangueño by demonym based on the place where I was born, raised, studied, grew up and still growing and maturing, and still currently living and residing - Zamboanga City, and I take enough pride for all of these. I am also and proudly identify as a Southeast Asian, an Asian, and an Austronesian too. I am also and proudly identify as Hispanic or partly/partially Hispanic due to link to Spain and Mexico in the history of my people and ancestors, and in terms of high-influence in arts, culture, and language, but I am not and I don't identify as Spanish, Spaniard, Latino/Latinx, Latin-American, Hispanic Latino/Latinx, Hispanic Latin-American, Hispanophone/Hispanohablante, and the like. If ever I am asked of my identity, I would usually say that I am a Filipino, but I would also definitely ask first if in what context of identity is someone referring to like language, dialect or language variant or variety, ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, etc.

[@agirlcalledshiv309]

My husband is part Filipino, but because his grandfather died when his father was very young, the family never had a chance to learn more about that side of his heritage. I’ve been doing research in order to learn more so that I can teach our future children about their cultural heritages. One thing I’m worried about is “imposter syndrome” my husband feels guilty whenever he identifies as Filipino, in part because he knows so little, and wasn’t born there. Since it was only his grandfather that was born there, he feels as though he can’t identify himself as being Filipino. Can you give me advice? I want to teach my children to be proud of where they came from, but We are too afraid of being labeled imposters to act on it. Help!

[@micahlazo8011]

So true being Filipina American to me is still quite an umbrella term. I was born in Malaysia to my parents who were born and raised in the Philippines, but gave up that citizenship when we became American citizens. We lived in various countries due to my dad's work at first, but have lived here in California the longest of my life. So long that my younger brother is the only natural born citizen in our house. At home they speak more Tagalog with us but I'd say English is my most fluent language because I use it most at school and work; however I feel like that definitely helped me to learn Spanish well in school. I didn't get to learn much of Ilocano, though that is my dad's main native dialect, and my mom learned it later on. It's interesting finding out that most Filipinos we've interacted with in our trips to Hawaii said they are (or their families were born) from where my dad grew up. So it can be complicated but I'm glad I have such a variety in my life and am grateful to be living in such a time that we can learn and grow more with many other AANHPI people.

[@txiabneeb]

I too applied Asian American to myself until April of 1999 when I went to a conference in Seattle. It was there that I first met some of my Asian Americans relatives in their elements. I have since resorted back to simply being Hmong although I was born in Laos with known heritage ties to China. Thanks for this video. -Tzianeng (TxiabnNeeb) Hmoob Day - May 14th (May 14, 1975) Volunteer

[@notmyname9072]

APPI means “Poo” in Malayalam, the native language of the people in Kerala, Southern India.

[@ALNicEX]

I really appreciate the vibe and the presentation of this video! It kept me engaged all the way through and I learned so much hearing from different perspectives in and around Asian communities in the west.

[@deeksha611]

Just to preface this, these are my specific feelings of this large umbrella term of “asian-american” very specifically as a South-Indian-American 9:14 RIGHT HERE this exactly explains my experience and thoughts on this month and title as a South Indian, Tamil-American. If I’m being frank I really don’t like the idea of grouping an entire continent into a singularity. I am of a different race than people from east, southeast, and nhpi countries. Being a separate race means a separate experience and i feel like “asian-american, aapi, apa, and even apida” erases that experience. I also feel like the concept of an “asian-american community” doesn’t exist. I and so many other s asians I know have constantly felt excluded from this community. And I think that all these other terms are honestly colorblind, and don’t bring attention to the different groups within this label, and hide the fact that we are not one large community even if America says we’re from the same continent

[@cantfindausernamedam]

nothing like new legislation to help promote labeling and segregation. I doubt we will see any classes on "what type of white person are you?" People need to be aware of the global history of others for sure. I am just suggesting that the way this has all come about is disheartening.

[@Peace_And_Love42]

Big topic, but I can at least answer the question in the title. "No, I am not included in any of those letters." I'm here to learn. :)

[@amehak1922]

Same here.

[@skylinez4793]

Willie D live just posted a video with some strong racist remarks about Asian Americans. Where is the Asian American community leaders to address this?

[@Treasurelee10]

I’m Vietnamese/Chinese and Native American (mixed tribes) ✨ my dad is from Vietnam 🏮and my mom is indigenous to America 🪶

[@Organizer14669]

Thank you PBS! We can hardly remember AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islanders) so no more letters please (we are from the Pacific Islanders)! Let’s focus on the message some of us want to remind all Americans and the human family, ie there are no winners in a nuclear war. Let’s remind all Americans to have our political leaders know the priority is to get all leaders to agree NOT TO WASTE OUR parents retirement savings on trying to separate Taiwan from China. This is like Russia or China trying to separate Hawaii or California from the USA. Or someone trying to separate your leg from your body. It is insanity. If you really want to help, let those in Taiwan move to America instead. It will prevent world war 3 nuclear insanity. Let’s remind our leaders not to waste American savings on war. Choose Love, collaboration to solve problems of One Human family. Learn from all the money wasted already on wars and military bases. American military approach causes Chinese to have to spend more on military also. You are teaching the lesson. Teach only LOVE for that is what Americans are.

[@MrH_LSHS]

This is a great video that covers a lot of what I want to cover in World History! Welcome to the classroom discussion!

[@Abigael317]

Hi! Dropping a comment for the algorithm! I'm just here to listen because I'm not BIPOC. I'd also just like to note that sometimes having a month to recognise different vulnerable minorities makes people in power across educational, political, & other systemic sectors feel obliged to say something inclusive/representative about the "demographic of the month". I wish this kind of obligation wasn't necessary because inclusion was just a regular part of life, but for many people it isn't. I hope that obligatory representation/inclusion helps unaware people to get aware & include all vulnerable minorities: race, LGBTQ+, & disability.

[@howellwong11]

I am 1/4 Hakka, 1/4 Cantonese, 1/4 Japanese (Kyushu) and 1/4 Hawaiian. I am definitely an AAPI.

[@ApeHideGaming]

aren't native hawaiians pacific islanders imooo

[@62701221]

We can say the base or origin of Pacific Island are people are from Taiwan or descendant of Asian , Whether they deny or not denying or pretending that they aware or not, the truth is they are mainly looks Hawaiian, Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodian, Cook Island or Samoan, mostly not surprising they look resemble in many angle or in many shape, The truth is they are ashame to recognise that they are Asian actually.

[@celow4446]

Representation feels weird, but good. Thanks for this!

[@chewy6487]

Filipinos will hate it if we Pacific Islanders got our own month lol They’d hate to just say Asian 😂

[@jocosus3]

8:08 Merica is still colonizing; it's not just history. #SolidarityWithTheOppressedEverywhere

[@mr.b7412]

Where is america still colonizing?

[@hangdazhang7876]

Love this! Would love to know how AANHPI became a thing

[@aloha_uehara]

I'm AA and PI. Grandparents were from Okinawa and moved to Hawaii in the early 20th century. We're Uchinanchu.

[@masterpooshi6031]

Wow I didn’t know Hawaii was a Asian country. Learn something new everyday.

[@salesiteisina7098]

It's not....

[@lalalele5399]

Its not

[@masterpooshi6031]

It’s full of Philippines so ?

[@mokesangnem]

@@masterpooshi6031 So, America is full of Whites but USA is not a European Country.

[@masterpooshi6031]

@@mokesangnem no US in North America. Go to school fool.

[@alexwyler4570]

Native Americans included? i embrace my roots from Asia 10000 years ago.

[@Poedoco]

that’d be lumping a whole other group of people in this already big thing. asians and pacific islanders are way different- heck, asia is already super culturally diverse!

[@greenmachine5600]

Sure 😊. Native Americans are the same race.

[@abrarrahman4844]

@@Poedoco agreed

[@gman786]

@@Poedoco Not really different. They are part of the Austronesian family

[@andrewadam1890]

As a ethnic Korean American I have always hated Asian American. To me it’s racist and a political way to breed racism in America for political votes. My last census I wrote in black as ethnicity since I believe that question is government racism and think everyone in America should do the same in the next census

[@lelekahalepuna-wong9902]

C'MON KIKI!!! YOU BETTAH WIT YO SPIRITUAL SELF, SIS!!!

[@miguelitoreyes3047]

Pacific Islanders are mad , just give them what they want 😒 Even THE ROCK is making an Asian and Pacific Islander movie Set them free

[@dianascrimger284]

Since jeremy brett is the yes on prop 8 man then does this legally means that asian month is unconstitutional on pbs!

[@wilfredmotosue2615]

Should be Japanese American, Chinese American, Korean American. Not Asian American, as far as I know. When you say Asian American, it will include many ethnicities. Pacific Islanders are not Asian , of course. So that's always separate.

[@kay6096]

Yeah, in the UK the public had to stop BAME (Black, Asian and Middle Eastern) from becoming a thing.

[@vamps_rock]

That is not what it means. It is Black and minority ethnic. A dreadful label that as a brit I refuse to use.

[@blue_champignon5738]

I played with census data on Asian Americans for a sociology project and it is a nightmare trying to disaggregate everything, you're lucky to get the data you can on SE Asian or PI populations

[@zeitgeistx5239]

Because the concept of race is racist, it has no basis in science. The term Asian has no meaning on connotation in Asian countries. Asian countries do not accept the White people invented term of an Asian race.

[@matiascarbajal2508]

mj

[@DadePomsouvan]

I found it almost sarcastic and pathetic that you used the term "Refugees" as all Asians came here as "Refugees", whereas the Europeans came here as "Immigrants" without even giving it a thought that you are well conditioned to use it in that way by the oppressors just as most Asians will also described themselves as being yellow, the label that was given to us by the oppressors even though some Asians are as white, if not whiter than the Caucasians. We keep using these degrading racist terms without giving it any thought, some of us anyway. I am an Asian American and proud to be, but I am not a person of color, a yellow person nor an Oriental; I am much whiter than most white people. Don't accept the degrading racist labels and stop using these degrading racist terms by design to put us in category as others and educate yourself and those who are not so educated.

[@queenbbeaute2654]

U aren't oppressed!

[@DadePomsouvan]

@@queenbbeaute2654 Thanks Queen B, but so many people are and they don't know it!

[@phadenswandemil4345]

If anything AANHPI month has taught me, a chinese-malaysian, about the different ways my brethren in the US identify and relate to their identity.

[@5inistermm_109]

anyone that says crazy rich asians has never heard of SoCal.

[@lesa1226]

Can I use this video for a couple talks I’m doing?? Your videos are amazing! Funny, educational, and inspirational. Thanks! 💗

[@momalwayssaiddontplayballi3973]

I don't want to be classified I'm just Larry

[@howell7136]

Larry, the cable guy?

[@manuelmoraleda9684]

OK, actually no matter how you label somebody, it's always wrong.

[@youaregoingtolovethis]

I consider myself just a certifiable badass and nothing more.

[@ILooKs33]

What is the best way for me/or say people to celebrate the heritage of Asians and Pacific Islander Americans? I would love to show my love for all heritages.

[@EleazarCruzEusebioPsyD]

Difficult topic and I think people should identify with whatever resonates with them. I feel APA is more encompassing and have chosen it for both it's inclusion and broader sense of my own identity.

[@edwardkim8972]

I consider myself an East Asian American. I have very little in common with Pacific Islanders (except maybe Filipinos). I also don't have much in common with people who are from the Indian sub-continent.

[@edwardkim8972]

@Islndstyles I call myself that too.

[@AyanAli-py7ci]

Indians are dravidians

[@AyanAli-py7ci]

@Islndstyles most Indians in America are south indians

[@edwardkim8972]

@@AyanAli-py7ci no. Indians are a mix of ethnicities. The only Indians that are Dravidians now are the Tamil people in the far south.

[@KB-dj2cg]

@@AyanAli-py7ci No they are not. A language census was held to find out most commonly spoken languages by Indians in USA, Hindi was first, Telugu was second followed by Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi. The Indian community in the US is very diverse. If you live in a region where there are more South Indian Americans that does not mean all Indians in US are South Indians

[@Swordsman-gr9qc]

The Asians in the North East like China, Korea , and Japan are linguistically different than the Asians in the South East. As we move of Continental Asia into the seas of the Pacific the Phil Indo Malay have similarities. Then moving to the greater Pacific Ocean the Pacific Islander s seem to have older traditions with less metal and tech than the Phil Indo Malay.

[@whilykitt]

awesome, really informative!

[@williamharding1319]

What about the chinese? I don't believe their history is steeped in colonization yet they are placed under the AAPI umbrella.

[@neo1072]

Someone please explain why AANHPI is any better than using the word "oriental?" All we are doing is redefining what we call non-whites with ancestry east of Europe. It's ridiculous that this is even a conversation. Asia and the Pacific comprise MORE than 50% of the WORLD population, and yet these people from hundreds of unique cultures are lumped into one box, given one month as a token. Is this unity? Can you call this solidarity? Does the Chinese person have the Persian's back any more if we tell them that white people see them as equally less than human?

[@yomama9538]

Persians are white, they're freaking Aryans.

[@KB-dj2cg]

Bro our population in the USA is very small. if we divide Asians into different groups, our voices will not be heard and our issues will not be addressed When we act together as a group, we make 7% of population and as you know politicians only care about votes so they will adress our issues but if you divide Asians, the largest group is Chinese American who make only 1.5% of US population.

[@neo1072]

@@KB-dj2cg bro we are not monolithic groups. Do you seriously expect a pan-Asian identity to be politically consistent? People originating from the SAME country often have different identities! Lump us all together in a desperate attempt to make our voices heard, and they will only hear cacophony. My original question still stands: why is AANHPI any better than oriental? Both words implicitly use racism to define a pan-ethnic identity.

[@kasrasanatkar4348]

@@yomama9538 Persians are not white??

[@Poedoco]

@@neo1072 exactly 👏

[@honu100]

Hello people... This video 'is for people' who lost their identity, Or are trying to gain one. Simply put. I was born Asian /Hawaiian in a land where it was Not yet America. The land was 'a territory' [ stated on my birth certificate & through history ]. Knowing 'nowadays' mixed marriages are common. All I can say is, 'pass your' "culture" onto your little ones. So we can thrive and perpetuate!!

[@vonoiteuo]

How old are your? 😂

[@shanie1109]

Native Hawaiians are Pacific Islander……………….

[@CallemJayNZ]

0:43 He's gorgeous 😊

[@aldoogie824]

I think we should celebrate our differences. Everyone is important. Having these specific months will definitely alienate and divide us, even if their intentions are good.

[@markchirhart8275]

What about Iran? Iraq? Nepal? Syria? Israel? Jordan? Saudi Arabia? Do they count, too?

[@manuelmoraleda9684]

The most enlightened label I heard that's quite enclosive is from Tiger Woods.

[@Ulmanor]

Good video, but Samoa is not a territory of the U.S.! Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) is an independent nation. American Samoa (the eastern part of the island chain) is an unincorporated American territory.

[@Kristy770]

That LAOSangeles shirt❤️

[@bunnybird9342]

I will die on the hill that AAPI is Pacific Islander erasure This is why you keep ending up with stuff like Pacific Islander characters being portrayed by Asian actors, or words like "hapa" being appropriated (I hate it for other reasons as well).

[@IsaacKuo]

I am Asian American, or usually I say East Asian American. My parents are immigrants, but my dad's Taiwanese and my mom's Japanese. So I'm not comfortable calling myself Taiwanese-American or Japanese-American.

[@AR-gu2no]

Your just an American , don’t give your self stress for no reason

[@IsaacKuo]

@@AR-gu2no You don't get it.

[@AR-gu2no]

@@IsaacKuo yes I do , my mother and father are not from the us from two different cultures , but I’m just American now , be happy with your situation to the best of your ability , don’t let others opinions deter you from your home , the US , Asian American , Hispanic American etc are all just Americans , we need to stop separating ourselves into groups and realize we are all one. There will always be ignorance in people , but don’t let them change you , we know our ancestry but we now live in the US , we are no different from each other , me and you are just Americans , the same way in Brazil for example , everyone is just Brazilians , regardless if your Japanese decent , African , German etc , group separations creates racial biases and racism in itself , we are all one !

[@islandvibez]

Have you seen Seediq Bale? It epitomizes the complex relationship of Taiwan and Japan.

[@howell7136]

I am an AAPI. Das because I m 1/2 Chinese (Cantonese/Hakka), 1/4 Japanese (southern) and 1/4 Hawaiian (Polynesian).

[@betsydavid7996]

It's because we're ALL AMERICAN. in THIS nation. america is freeam. america is the eagle. AMERICA in doG we TRUST

[@BB-BA55akaMR-BLEGH]

Proud Filipino/Puerto Rican/British/Irish/Scottish/Welsh/German/Polish American. It's a mouthful, but that's what I am. 😀

[@chewy6487]

Not it’s not. Your Asian and White

[@mjurney]

Eurasian-American ;)

[@carendudley4288]

My grandkids are Philippine/American. I have struggled with what to refer them to as. Thank you.

[@chewy6487]

Philippines is part of maritime Southeast Asia. Obviously they are Asian.

[@CambodianPeaches]

Asian lives are so diversified! I identify as, Khmer Cambodian Asian American 🇰🇭x🇺🇸

[@apocalypse487]

Is it just me or if your group is given a month, the less significance it has politically.

[@mr.b7412]

It's probably you. It seems like those given months are very politically active. There isn't a day I don't hear something regarding those individuals in the news/media or having a new law passed for those to benefit. Maybe it's the news where I live.

[@thecodexclub4742]

Yes! Thank you for making this!

[@katherinerobinson1998]

I wish we could celebrate different cultures all the time, not a month here or a month there.

[@mjurney]

Usually I identify as Eurasian-American or Multiracial-American, I'm half Korean and half German/Scots-Irish.

[@lazlolorintz-independentre459]

Im from Yugoslavia and we got plenty of all kinds of eastern and gypsy folks. I didn't know about these asian pacific ppl until I moved to America lol.😅

[@blessings310]

Is America lazy to separate other races? Like why mush other cultures together and consider that "Asian"

[@Swordsman-gr9qc]

Americans are not lazy, but they’re not Bi-Lingual either. They are forced to make generalized categorizations because the the minorities are fewer in numbers.

[@patriciaangelapainter8278]

i am playlist confused.

[@nigelralphmurphy2852]

You Americans need to drop the hyphen in Asian-American (etc) If you check English grammar you only need to use a hyphen when there might be any chance of misunderstanding with an adjective for a noun. This is rare. Most of the time an adjective describing a noun is quite obvious, for e.g., red cup, blue car, young person, AND Asian American, Chinese American, Black American, Laos American. So, please, please, PLEASE drop the hyphen. No-one else in the English-speaking world use it and it drives us made. (that last sentence had two examples of the correct use of the hyphen in English. OK?)

[@Californiansurfer]

Lee Trivino Texan Golfer. He won so many awards , he took the name. Super MeX. No matter where he went , he was still Mexicano , so he craved Super Mex..

[@daviancasey6200]

Thanks, interesting

[@ajax3017]

My father was conceived in Okinawa on account of his father raping an asian woman there. Proud Asian American!

[@curln6821]

1:16 that's not even all of Asia smh

[@gachalife-gk4qz]

So I guess the black inhabitants that live on islands like vanuatu aren't considered to be pacific islanders?

[@anawkwardsweetpotato4728]

That's what I'm saying. The Oceanian community is extremely marginalized even within the AAPI umbrella.

[@aceghani1327]

Come on NSA, im not an American, i thought you guys have access on informations regarding me, why are you asking this question? Or is it that you have certain security clearence to access certain information. You get confused arent you, when you see a foreign citizen who could use english online, (i dont have american accent) I used english online as a medium of communication, and I could practice my english too. If i use my own language, you guys will have to translate it, and it would be harder when i used short forms.

[@samreynolds3789]

Of AFRICAN ORIGIN! Look at HAIR & NOSES !

[@vonoiteuo]

Africans have wigs islanders have real hair.so what hair you want us to look at? The only blacks that can grow hair are the lightskin ones.so what hair buddy?

[@vonoiteuo]

The ones that are mixed whit white or someother kind of race😂you're not us and we're not you

[@pdxwy]

I'm American. "Where are you from"?. America. (City). "You know what I mean" ... No? Yeah sure I was born somewhere else. That doesn't mean I'm not American.

[@AR-gu2no]

Yes your an American 🇺🇸, don’t let ignorance of either side of the political spectrum deter you from your home , the US

[@notmyname9072]

Why not just answer the question? You make it an issue with all that attitude. 😂. Not everyone is racist. Some of us just want to know about where your from.

[@queenbbeaute2654]

But ur not

[@Sound557]

Congratulations, you’ve just recreated the term “oriental”. Grouping Koreans, with Indonesians, with Hawaiians is reductive and insulting.

[@Ac_a]

Says who MF? What are you? Most their ancestors came from Asia. Ever here of the Austronesian languages?

[@nickivy9758]

Shoutout to my fellow Ilocanos and mestizos

[@metalflorida]

Thank you.

[@miguelitoreyes3047]

Thanks a lot 😌🤥

[@samreynolds3789]

EVERYONE CAME FROM AFRICANS !

[@vonoiteuo]

The only thing we have in common with Africa is reggae music.😂😂😂

[@dianascrimger284]

Is not asian month unconstitutional on pbs? Wgbh the home of both masterpiece theatre and mystery on pbs were started by Joan Wilson Sullivan the wife of Jeremy brett! So are you not insulting pbs not enjoying the series that made pbs watchable for over 50 years! The british shiws on pbs! Yet no award for him yet! Pbs should not be showing shows about them when they had the nerve to complain against the classic pbs shows!

[@budokbathan7585]

Amboy(American Boy) . Some people love that term in my country.

[@kshinokevin]

Guamanians/Chamorros American Samoans & Puerto Ricans/Boricuas can't vote (for the U.S. President) ?!? Sad. Ethnic Studies are cool; it reminds me of the "Boxes" in the U.S. census form: "Asian-American"; the Laotian-American guy is right: East or South(-East) Asians and/or Pacific Islanders (like the Native Hawai'ians, Marshallese, Melanesians or Fijian/Indian) are usually not recognized... The same goes for the FSOM: Federated States of Micronesia.

[@powailai9886]

earth American. or earth Yankee. or human being america or whatever, whoever.？ does it matter？ does anyone bother？

[@jeffreyacido3677]

Ilokano in Canada Represent!!!!

[@sariosepeta663]

I'm from planet Mars and I leave here in Blue Lagoon Micronesia, peace to all AAPI, in case you guys need some alien 👽 technology, I'm just a planet away.

[@vonoiteuo]

😂😂😂yessuh

[@AMM0beatz]

Waste of tax money

[@thomasciarlariello3228]

Europeans conquered Americas for wives from Asiatic Mongols and Asiatic Mongols conquered Europe for wives from White race so my dad resembled Kim Jong Eun while my grandmother's brother resembled Xi Jinping so I wonder if my uncles during the 1950s fathered such leaders as illegitimate cousins out of wedlock.