| R 251 |
| 2021 -- H 6333 Enacted 05/12/2021 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CELEBRATING MAY OF 2021, AS "ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
| Introduced By: Representatives Fenton-Fung, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Phillips, Slater, |
| Date Introduced: May 12, 2021 |
| WHEREAS, In 1978, a Joint Congressional Resolution established the first ten days of |
| May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. These particular days were chosen because they |
| coincide with the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants in May of 1843, and |
| the contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad which was |
| completed in May of 1869; and |
| WHEREAS, In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a month-long celebration |
| known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and in 2021, President Biden |
| issued a Proclamation declaring May as "Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
| Heritage Month"; and |
| WHEREAS, In 2019, the number of Asian-American residents in the United States was |
| 22.9 million, with more than 54 percent holding a Bachelor's degree or higher level of education, |
| and an estimated 577,835 Asian-owned employer firms. In addition, Asian Americans |
| encompassed more than 2.5 percent of America's military veterans; and |
| WHEREAS, There are 1.6 million Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders as of |
| 2019, and the percentage of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders who were military |
| veterans in 2019 was 7.2 percent. More than twenty-three percent hold a Bachelor's degree or |
| higher and 6,653 own employer firms; and |
| WHEREAS, The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander work force can |
| be found in numerous fields including professional, scientific and technical services, as well as |
| teaching, financial management, engineering, nursing, health care, medicine, social assistance, |
| retail, construction, and repair and maintenance; and |
| WHEREAS, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have added to the |
| diversity, strength and vibrancy of our state through their culture, language, and religion and it is |
| fitting and vital to honor and acknowledge their invaluable contributions; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims May of 2021, as "Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage |
| Month" and urges all Rhode Islanders to learn more about the history of Asian Americans, Native |
| Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and |
| activities; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Association of Chinese |
| Americans, the South Asian Student Organization at the University of Rhode Island, the Brown |
| University Korean-American Student Association, the Center for Southeast Asians, the Filipino- |
| American Association of Newport County, Inc., H.O.P.E Foundation International, the India |
| Association of Rhode Island, the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education |
| (ARISE), and Providence Youth Student Movement for Justice & Love (PrYSM). |
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| LC002858 |
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