City Hosts Events and Activities to Commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
April 11, 2023 2:58 PM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – May 1, 2023, marks the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and the City of Santa Monica has organized a list of events for the public to celebrate the unique contributions of the AAPI community. The list of events for this month-long celebration was curated by the Coalition of Asian & Pacific Employees of Santa Monica (CAPE SM), an affinity group of City of Santa Monica staff.
- May 9, 2023, 5:30 p.m., Council Proclamation of AAPI Heritage Month: The City Council will present a proclamation declaring the month of May as AAPI Heritage Month to Anna Wong, niece of the famous actress and former Santa Monica resident, Anna May Wong. Watch in-person at City Hall or view the livestream on the City’s YouTube channel.
- May 15 – 31, 2023, Lighting of Historic City Hall: City Hall will be illuminated in red, gold, blue, and green lights representing colors common in themes across Asian and Pacific Islander cultures.
- May 16, 2023, Virtual Book Discussion, 7 – 8 p.m.: Meet and chat with Joe Ide, crime novelist and author of the award-winning IQ book series. The latest book in the series, Fixit, will be released on May 9, and Snoop Dogg has signed on to executive produce a forthcoming TV series based on IQ. Follow the Library on Twitter @SantaMonicaLibr or visit smpl.org for more details.
- May 19 – 20, 2023, Library of Congress Veterans History Project, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at the Main Library: The Library of Congress celebrates AAPI Heritage Month by collecting stories of AAPI veterans. Give your oral history, which will become part of the permanent collections of the Library of Congress. The event is open to all US vets, regardless of race or ethnicity. Volunteers are also needed to conduct oral history interviews, operate cameras, and assist veterans. No experience is necessary; training is provided. Email ahub@loc.gov or call (202) 707-1819 to reserve your interview time or volunteer.
- May 20, 2023, Melissa de la Cruz in conversation with Stephan Lee, 2 – 3 p.m. at the Montana Branch: Melissa de la Cruz discusses her page-turning new adult novel Going Dark- with Stephan Lee, author of the buzzy K-POP Confidential novel series. Going Dark’s twisty, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller is about a social media influencer who goes missing while on a road trip with her boyfriend. Melissa will also share info on her role as founder and principal of Melissa de la Cruz Studio, a new venture she recently founded with Disney Publishing. A book sale and signing follow the authors' discussion.
- May 23, 2023, Rhythm and Spice: From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., all are invited to beautiful Ken Genser Square at City Hall for this lunchtime event. Presented by CAPE SM, the event will feature food trucks and performers that offer a taste of a few cultures from the AAPI community.
- May 30, 2023, Santa Monica Reads 2023 Book Discussion: The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee, 6 – 7 p.m., via Zoom: Join the community discussion of Heather McGhee’s nonfiction title which illustrates how racism is harmful to everyone and makes the argument that we all have an interest in fighting it. Register in advance for this meeting via Zoom.
This year’s events and activities provide something for everyone, and all are invited to participate. To learn more about the City of Santa Monica commemorating AAPI Heritage Month in 2023, visit santamonica.gov/blog/asian-american-and-pacific-islander-aapi-heritage-month-learning-our-history-celebrating-our-accomplishments.
Media Contact
Tati Simonian
Public Information Officer
Tati.Simonian@santamonica.gov