Cal State LA has once again gotten a head start on celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM). 

Throughout April and early May, events will be held on campus to commemorate AAPIHM, which is traditionally observed in May in the United States. But Cal State LA’s AAPIHM Planning Committee decided to celebrate early so as not to overlap with finals and Commencement during May.

This year’s events include a Tongan tapa-making demonstration, film screenings, a night market, informational webinars, a lei-making workshop, a student mixer, a Solar New Year celebration, and the 3rd Annual Tricontinental Conference.

The theme for 2025 is “Woven in Resilience.”

“Just as fabric woven tightly can stretch and bend without breaking, communities thrive and become stronger when they face adversity together. Join us in celebrating our collective strength, resilience, and unbreakable faith in the power of solidarity and community,” stated the committee, which is comprised of staff and faculty from various departments.

One of this year’s featured events is the Tongan tapa-making workshop on April 16. Two artists originally from the Kingdom of Tonga, Tui Emma Gillies and her mother Sulieti Fieme’a Borrows, will demonstrate the art of making tapa, a traditional Tongan form of art on fabric.

On the same day, the Solar New Year celebration will mark the sun’s movement into the Aries constellation, signaling the end of the dry season and start of the harvest season. The tradition is celebrated in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, India, and other Southeast and South Asian nations.

On April 15, the 3rd Annual Tricontinental Conference will be held on campus, with the theme of “50 Years of Anticolonial Resistance Against Imperialism in Southeast Asia.” Artists, scholars, activists, and organizers will discuss Southeast Asian arts and rock music, global solidary movements, community organizing and activism in Los Angeles, and more.

There will also be a number of film screenings, including one for the beloved classic Joy Luck Club on April 10. The Pacific Film Festival on April 21 will double as a meet-and-greet between students and members of the film industry members of AAPI descent.

And, of course, an AAPIHM commemoration would not be complete without food. A night market celebrating the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi community will feature food, boba, cultural performances, and fun activities on April 25. Additionally, an engaging discussion about cultural appropriation of Asian foods will be held on April. 15.

For more information on all the events, please visit the AAPIHM page.

AAPIHM Calendar of Events

• Through April 30: Hygiene Kit & Non-Perishable Food Drive, Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good – Lower Level of the Career Center, Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• April 10: Reel AAPI Stories: Joy Luck Club screening, Los Angeles Rooms A&B, University-Student Union, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
• April 15: 3rd Annual Tricontinental Conference, University Library North, Community Room, Room B-131, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• April 15: “From Tradition to Trend: Cultural Appropriation of Our Food” discussion, San Gabriel Rooms, University-Student Union, 1-2:30 p.m.
• April 15: College of Ethnic Studies Spring Semester Student Mixer, Los Angeles Room, University-Student Union, 3rd Floor, 1:30-3 p.m.
• April 16: Tongan Tapa-Making Workshop, Golden Eagle Ballroom 1, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• April 16: Solar New Year Celebration, University-Student Union Plaza, 1-3 p.m.
• April 16: Pacific Wednesdays Webinar, Zoom Meeting, 5 p.m.
• April 21: Pacific Film Festival, University-Student Union Theatre, 5-8:30 p.m.
• April 23: Spotlight on American Samoa Wednesday Webinar, Zoom Meeting, 5 p.m.
• April 24: APIDA Rising Night Market, University-Student Union Plaza, 5-8 p.m.
• April 28: Reel AAPI Stories movie screening, Los Angeles Rooms AB, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
• April 29: Crafting Connections: Lei-Making Workshop, San Gabriel Room, noon-2 p.m.
• April 30: Spotlight on American Samoa Wednesday Seminar, online, 5 p.m.
• May 1: AAPI Alumni Network Inaugural Reception, Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 6-7:30 p.m.

# # #

California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.