Asian American Heritage Month – Resources, Ways to Celebrate & More!

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Find out how we’re celebrating the month, honoring our Asian American leaders and how to get involved.

SAVE THE DATE FOR AREAA CHICAGO’S CELEBRATION

Why Do We Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in May?

According to History.com, “The month of May was chosen for AAPI Heritage Month because it commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843. May is also a significant month because it recognizes Golden Spike Day, May 10, 1869, which marks the completion of the transcontinental railroad that was built with significant contributions from Chinese workers.”

Ways To Celebrate Around Town

Stop By Asian-Owned Businesses

Meet the people behind a James Beard Award-winning restaurant, a bookstore dedicated to Asian art and history, a group showcasing Chinese culture and more.

Enjoy Chicago’s AAPI Restaurants Week

From May 17-26, you can sample various cuisines, learn about the history of the AAPI community in Chicago and support local businesses by eating at AAPI restaurants around the city and suburbs. Check out all the participating restaurants here.

Attend an Event

Choose Chicago put together a full list of Chicago events, exhibits, and beyond to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024 here.

Enjoy AAPI Shows, Movies and Books!

MEET OUR AAPI LEADERS

AAPI Homeownership Statistics

Here’s what you need to know about the AAPI population in the United States and locally. This data was gathered from the 2023 State of Asia America report, which is released by the Asian Real Estate Association of America.

AAPI homeownership barriers include:

• Homeownership gaps by race and ethnicity
• Credit thin population and credit access
• Mortgage-ready population – older millennials are more likely to be mortgage ready
• Home affordability

AREAA has established a three-point plan to address these barriers through legislation, advocacy and policy, which includes:

• Downpayment Toward Equity Act. For the second year in a row, AREAA is supporting the Downpayment Toward Equity Act. This legislation would provide down payment assistance to first-time, first-generation homebuyers to address multigenerational inequities in access to homeownership.
• Real Estate Valuation Fairness and Improvement Act. This legislation would create an Interagency Task Force, consisting of representation of the 14 regulatory bodies and government agencies that currently preside, in one form or another, over real estate lending practices and the valuation of real estate collateral for mortgage lending purposes.
• Advancing Equity, Justice and Opportunity for AANHPI | Executive Order 1401. One of the overarching goals of the Executive Order is to examine and assess opportunities for data disaggregation. This point is of utmost importance to the AANHPI community; on a governmental level, there continues to be a limited amount of disaggregated data on specifics subgroups. This makes public and private initiatives and policies to address inequalities and disparities much more difficult to effectively develop and execute.

Fair Housing Resources

Ensure you’re upholding fair housing practices and equal treatment to all, especially prospective and future clients. Access our Fair Housing resources, featuring training, classes and videos to ensure your knowledge and compliance with the Fair Housing Act.

Get Involved With Our Industry Partner, AREAA Chicago

AREAA is dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities by creating a powerful national voice for housing and real estate professionals that serve this dynamic market. The Chicago chapter is one of our Industry Partners! Visit their webpage to find out how to get involved.