The Biden-Harris Administration Celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Explore interactive activities provided by:

• The National Endowment for the Arts
• The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
• The U.S. Mint
• The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Musical performances provided by:

• Jennifer Kim (violin)
• Regino Madrid (violin)
• Philippe Chao (viola)
• Danielle Cho (cello)

Performed by the E Ala E Hawaiian Cultural Center

Remarks by event emcee Richard Lui, Anchor and Journalist, MSNBC/NBC News

Performed by Angelica Hale, Singer, Songwriter, and Actress

Featuring:

• Secretary Xavier Becerra, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative
• Acting Secretary Julie Su, U.S. Department of Labor
• Neera Tanden, Chair of the Domestic Policy Council and Domestic Policy Advisor to the President 
• Krystal Ka‘ai, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders  
• Kota Mizutani, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement and AA and NHPI Liaison, The White House Office of Public Engagement 
• Dilawar Syed, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
• Congresswoman Judy Chu, Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Senior Biden-Harris Administration leaders reflect on their public service journeys.

Featuring:

• Erika L. Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Liaison, The White House (moderator)
• Acting Secretary Julie Su, U.S. Department of Labor
• Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative

Featuring:

• Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General
• Mark H Taiko Connection 

Introduction by Kevin Thurm, Chief Executive Officer, Clinton Foundation 

Performed by Iam Tongi, Singer

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander stories and voices have long been erased and disenfranchised – but hard-won progress has been made. Trailblazers in media and entertainment will examine our communities’ challenges and triumphs – and how far we have come in writing (and being represented in) America’s story.

Featuring:

• Bing Chen, CEO and Co-Founder, Gold House
• Lucy Liu, Actress
• Kelly Hu, Actress
• Christine Ha, Chef
• Maulik Pancholy, Actor
• Hudson Yang, Actor

A special performance by David Kwong, Magician

A first-ever conversation between Executive Directors of the White House Initiative from across five presidential administrations.

Featuring:

• Ambassador Christopher P. Lu, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform (moderator)
• Shamina Singh, Founder and President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Executive Vice President, Sustainability at Mastercard
• John Quoc Duong, Chief Executive Officer, GreenQuest Energy Development 
• Kiran Ahuja, Former Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
• Tina Wei Smith, Founder, Rural Up
• Krystal Ka‘ai, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders  

We recommend spring festive or cultural attire – wear what makes you feel fabulous!

The current program will begin promptly at 12 PM ET and conclude around 3:30 PM. Attendees can arrive at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium starting at 10:45 AM for event check-in.

Attendees can arrive at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium starting at 10:45 AM ET for event check-in. Come early to get some great selfies and explore our interactive resource tables before the program begins!

Please be ready to present the QR code in your Eventbrite ticket, or we will manually match your name against our registration list.

Transportation: We strongly advise you to arrive via public transportation. The closest metro stations to the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium are Federal Triangle (Silver/Orange/Blue WMATA lines) and Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (Green/Yellow lines).

If you are using a rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft, the venue address is 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

Due to space constraints, in-person seating is limited and on a first come, first serve basis and advanced registration is required for entry. We are unable to accommodate walk-ins for this event.

All participants are required to check in upon arrival to the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Please be ready to present the QR code in your Eventbrite ticket, or we will manually match your name against our registration list.

If you are bringing any guests, please ensure they are registered prior to entry – if any guests are unregistered, we are unable to guarantee entry on the day of the event.

Members of the press who pre-registered to cover the program may visit the designated media check-in table to pick up a media credential at the specific time communicated through email.

Individual registration is required for all in-person attendees. Due to strict space constraints, we are currently unable to accommodate walk-ins for this event.

Please register through Eventbrite to:

• Be added to our in-person waitlist (we are unable to guarantee that a slot will become available); or
• Receive the link to the livestream on May 13 (and host a watch party with your employee resource groups, friends, and family!)

We’re sorry you can’t make it to the event! We kindly ask that you cancel your Eventbrite registration as soon as possible or email whiaanhpi@hhs.gov to manually process your request. This way, we can release your spot to someone on our waitlist.

Even though you will not be able to join us in-person, we are pleased to be able to offer a livestream of this event. Please RSVP through Eventbrite and click “Get tickets,” then select “Virtual Admission” to receive the stream link on the day of the event.

This event is open to the public and will be livestreamed for those unable to join in-person. Please encourage your networks to RSVP for our event here.

Here are some ways you can get involved in our AA and NHPI Heritage Month celebrations:

#1 – Host a watch party: Gather your colleagues, friends, and family to stream the event on May 13 and celebrate our communities’ rich heritage and history wherever you are!

#2 – Get social: Use the hashtags #AANHPIHM and #LastingLegacies! Tag the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) on social media, and share your favorite memories from the past 25 years.

• Instagram: instagram.com/whitehouseaanhpi
• Threads: threads.net/@whitehouseaanhpi
• Twitter: twitter.com/whiaanhpi
• Facebook: facebook.com/WhiteHouseAANHPI
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/whitehouseaanhpi

#3 – Amplify our theme: This year, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and WHIAANHPI are celebrating AA and NHPI Heritage Month under the joint theme “Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future.” Learn more about the theme here and start a conversation around what it means to you.

For more than a decade, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and WHIAANHPI have collaborated to identify a national theme for AA and NHPI Heritage Month in consultation with the White House and community partners. Previous themes such as "I Am Beyond" (2014) and "Visible Together" (2023) have been warmly embraced, both by federal agencies and community-serving organizations, and have served as catalysts for meaningful dialogue around AA and NHPI identity.

The 2024 theme, “Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future,” embodies the spirit of our collective journey – one rooted in resilience and hope – and encourages us to forge intergenerational connections to honor our past and pave a durable path forward.

As the Nation observes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month in May, we reflect on our rich heritage and storied past. From Indigenous Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities whose wisdom and knowledge helped to shape this country and continue to guide us today, to the immigrants and refugees who came to our shores in search of better opportunities, to the trailblazers who paved the way for progress across generations – our communities’ journey has been one of tragedy and triumph, adversity, and resilience.

Knowing our histories gives us power. Throughout the month, let us embrace the interconnectedness of our stories and honor the visionaries who came before us. Let us commit to spotlighting the myriad ways diverse AA and NHPI communities have enriched every facet of American life. And let us endeavor to build bridges across generations, experiences, and cultures to forge a future where all of us can thrive.

Since the late 1970s, our nation has recognized the invaluable contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities during May. The month was chosen to commemorate several key moments in history, including the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant in the United States in 1843, and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, driven by the labor of thousands of Chinese immigrants.

Discover more resources from across the federal government:

• The Smithsonian
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
• Library of Congress
• The National Archives
• U.S. Census Bureau
• National Park Service