In 1992, May was officially designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) by the George H. W. Bush administration, but more than 30 years later, this May marks the first time Memphis celebrates AAPI Heritage Month in an official capacity, thanks to the work of SunAh M. Laybourn, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Memphis.
“I just didn’t want another AAPI Heritage Month to go by and for there to be nothing [in Memphis],” she says, especially after last year. “I was feeling sensitive with the rise of and attention to anti-Asian hate, and with it being the one-year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shooting and then what happened with Tommy [Kha’s portrait being removed and reinstated] at the airport, it really just made me so upset. … Last year, I remember googling ‘AAPI Heritage Month list’ just to see if maybe I missed a news story, or maybe I missed some sort of celebration, but I couldn’t find anything. I’m seeing national celebrations where my Asian-American friends in other cities are having this great month of events, and there’s nothing here in the city that I love, in the city that is my home. And so I said, ‘I’ll do it.’”
For this first AAPI Heritage Month in May, Laybourn and community partners have planned a number of activities, including happy hours, screenings, book displays, and the upcoming “Asian American in the South” art exhibition, presented by Google. The exhibition will include artists Tommy Kha, Erin Kim Siao, Anna Cai, Shameka Carter, LiLi Nacht, Yidan Zeng, Sharon Havelka, Vivian Havelka, and Neena Wang.
The exhibition, throughout the planning of AAPI Heritage Month, was a priority for Laybourn, stemming from a conversation last year with Tommy Kha following the airport saga. “I was like, ‘We have to have an art show if nothing else.’ I felt like we needed more visibility of Asian-American artists — because it gives the opportunity for people to understand who Asian Americans are in the South.” After all, the art featured in this exhibition reflects a gamut of experiences, offering unique insights into the Asian-American community in the form of paintings, sculptures, videos, photography, and graphic illustrations. “Oftentimes we can have a limited view of other cultures and ethnicities,” Laybourn continues, “and, for me, when talking to the different artists, I said, ‘The theme of the show is Asian Americans in the South, and you can interpret that in any way you want.’”
In addition to perusing art, the first 100 guests will also enjoy a limited-edition, custom AAPI Heritage Month Phillip Ashley chocolate collection, and Inkwell will have themed cocktails available. Admission to the exhibition is free, but make sure to RSVP at aapiheritagemonthmemphis.com/events, where you can also find more information on other upcoming events.
“This is definitely just the start of creating community, not just in May, but throughout the year,” Laybourn says. “And Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month — that’s not just for Asian Americans — it’s for everyone.”
“Asian American in the South,” Museum of Science & History, Thursday, May 18, 6-9 p.m., free with rsvp.
