Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Awareness (APIDAA) Month highlights the importance of identity, whether in social circles, family, or community. For the students featured in this month’s Lens, identity is built around the cultures that they have been immersed in, the family that they grew up with, and the lessons that they have been taught about how to navigate spaces.
Whether first or second generation, these students may at times feel disconnected from their heritage because of the difference in narratives of their birth country and American experiences. Some of the ways that have been used to reconnect or bridge their connection has been through integrating cultural clothing, such as kimono tops, into everyday life or telling stories of Hindu mythology by performing classical dance, such as Kathak.
We celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Awareness Month through an interaction with a myriad of cultures by learning, listening, communicating, appreciating, and treating others with respect.
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