Members of the local Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and other Asian communities will discuss Asian American history and current issues as part of Asian American Awareness Month.

The theme for the month is Roots. A progressive series of events, the month builds upon itself, starting with cultural roots, moving towards the development of Asian Americans in history, and arriving at goals and ideas to empower the community. This theme also alludes to the first time that the Asian American community organized itself for a common goal. Forty years before Hawaii earned its statehood, immigrants from China, Japan, Korea and the Phillipines joined together as a working class for fair wages and humane treatment on sugar cane plantations. With the same spirit, we are coming together on a united front to create programming that will educate participants inside and outside the Asian community about our roots, our collective family histories and what it means to be Asian American.