Are you looking for ideas to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander) also known as Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month or Asian American History Month? Since our film touches on numerous themes, here’s some ideas on different ways Far East Deep South and other resources we have can be used. Use these to catalyze conversations and spotlight Asian American history we never learned in school.
1. HOST A SCREENING
Host a screening of FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH and discussion with director, Larissa Lam and producer, Baldwin Chiu. Our team has done virtual and in-person screenings and discussions at numerous Fortune 500 companies, universities, non-profit organizations, churches, museums and schools to educate more people about the AAPI experience and AAPI history. We’ve also participated in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives to address anti-Asian racism and bring diverse affinity groups together in the spirit of unity and solidarity. Numerous ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) have hosted our film such as Apple, Experian and Sega. Learn more and inquire about booking here.
2. SHOW A FILM IN THE CLASSROOM
Show FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH in a classroom and have students discuss the film. Better yet, we have a free Discussion Guide you can download here. Furthermore, if you’re at a university, see if the film is on Kanopy or your school’s library.
3. WATCH AND TALK WITH FAMILY
Watch FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH with family or friends. Talking about family history and sharing immigrant stories is not always at the forefront of people’s mind. Our film helps spark conversations with those who may have been reluctant to share about the past. Ask your family and friends, especially older ones, to share about their experiences.
4. SHARE ASIAN AMERICANS MAKE HISTORY
Share Asian Americans Make History music video. – If people only have 3 minutes to learn about AAPI history, then this is the video for them. Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu aka Only Won plus their Lil’ Won put their entertaining twist on the Hamilton song, “The Schuyler Sisters.” They sing and rap about trailblazing Asian Americans and key moments in Asian American history.
5. SHARE IMAGES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Share our social media factoids. – We’ve created several images perfect to post on social media with historical facts and quotes from our film. This is a quick entry point for more people to learn AAPI History. Go share some of these on your accounts and tag us Instagram/Facebook @FarEastDeepSouth and Twitter @FarEastDeepSo #DiscoverMoreHistory.
6. TAKE A DNA TEST
Take a DNA test or search Ancestry.com – If you want to do the DNA test to find out more about your heritage, especially if you’re of Asian descent or suspect you might be, this would be a great time to do it. You can also search the extensive database on Ancestry.com for names of relatives and ancestors. They offers a trial but we’re an affiliate and if you sign up through this link, a percentage may go towards our ongoing education campaign.
7. EAT ASIAN FOODS
Invite a friend or co-worker out for Dim Sum or other Asian cuisine. If you’re a good cook, invite them over to your house. The best way to get to know others and to exchange stories is over a good meal. It’s also a great way to share and learn about other cultures and family traditions. Larissa and Baldwin like to call it “Dim Sum Diplomacy.”
8. CREATE AN AAPI Heritage Month LIST
Create a recommended watch and read list. Share a list on your blog or social media. Besides including FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH on your “what to watch” list, may we suggest AAPI focused films from New Day Films. You can see some suggested books on our resources page on what to read.
9. SHARE VIDEO CLIPS
Share clips from our film on social media – We have some shorts clips from our film on our video page you can share with others that give some quick historical nuggets. You can also embed them on your own websites and blogs.
The main thing is to do what you can to shine a spotlight on different AAPI experiences and history. Hopefully, we’ve provided you a good list to start from. Share your ideas and tag #DiscoverMoreHistroy and we’ll try to repost them to our social media.
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