
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month | May 2022
Showcase
Every May we take time to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by shining a light on AAPI experiences and filmmakers. Why May? you ask. In 1977 the U.S. Congress (spearheaded by Representative Frank Horton of New York and Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawai'i) chose the first ten days of May to commemorate the history and contributions of Asian American communities here in the U.S. The week's observance became a month, the very month in which the first Japanese immigrants came to the U.S. in 1843. We also commemorate the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869 as the majority of workers who laid those railroad tracks were Chinese immigrants.
Enjoy this collection of films premiering this month as well as some gems to revisit.

Independent Lens | Watch Full Episode
Try Harder!
At San Francisco’s Lowell High School, stressed-out seniors chase college dreams.
Pacific Heartbeat | Watch Full episode
The Healer Stones of Kapaemahu
Discover the Hawaiian tradition of healing and gender diversity that is all but unknown.
Asian American Stories of Resilience and Beyond
On All Fronts
A biracial family navigates conversations about racial reckoning and its impact on them.
American Masters
Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha | Trailer
Jason Momoa narrates the story of five-time Olympic medalist and surfer Duke Kahanamoku.
American Masters
Tyrus | Trailer
Tyrus Wong's pioneering artwork led to iconic works like Bambi and Rebel Without a Cause.
America ReFramed | May 19
Geographies of Kinship | Trailer
The rise of Korea's global adoption program through the stories of four adoptees.
American Experience | May 24
Plague at the Golden Gate | Trailer
How the bubonic plague in 1900 set off fear and anti-Asian sentiment in San Francisco.
America ReFramed | May 26
Chinatown Rising | Trailer
A chronicle of the battles for social justice in the historic San Francisco neighborhood.
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