May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month & Jewish Heritage Month

The month of May prominently featured but also showing May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and Memorial Day as celebrations occurring throughout the month.
The month of May represents many occasions!

But did you know it’s ALSO:

Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States. It celebrates the histories of Americans hailing from across the Asian continent and from the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.               

It was permanently designated as such in 1992 to mark the arrival of the first known Japanese immigrant to the U.S. on May 7, 1843, and to honor completion of the transcontinental railroad — built by as many as 20,000 Chinese workers — on May 10, 1869.        

Many Unitarian Universalist congregations have been working to address issues of racial justice and to support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. For example, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark sponsored a panel of various Asian-American Pacific Islander speakers who presented stories from their lives and experiences. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has also joined leaders across the country in decrying the recent surge of hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans.

&
Jewish Heritage Month
 May is Jewish American Heritage Month in the United States declared as such by former president George W. Bush back in 2006 to honor the Jewish communities’ continued achievements.  The president wanted to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to America and the American culture.

In 2020 the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia repositioned Jewish American Heritage Month to empower communities across the country to celebrate the inspiring history of Jewish people in America; educate diverse public audiences about Jewish culture; and spark crucial conversations about the American Jewish present and future.

Learn more on the UUA’s page on Jewish Unitarian Universalists:
https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe/beliefs/judaism