Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities face unique forms of macroaggressions and microaggressions every day in the United States. The term AAPI includes a wide range of people, all with diverse faces, skin colors and ethnic backgrounds. One of the most common mistakes made by Americans is making the assumption that all Asians look alike, have the same accents, speak the same language and have the same religious and cultural backgrounds. Often, Pacific Islanders are forgotten altogether.
The AAPI identity I’m focusing on means the world to me because it’s mine. Filipino Americans make up about 17% of the Asian American community, making them one of the largest Asian American groups in the United States. In 2022, around 4.1 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans were here in the U.S., yet so much of our culture and identity so often stays unknown or ignored.
October was Filipino American History Month where around the country Filipinos of all ages celebrated their heritage and shared it with their peers. At Ohio State, the Pilipino Student Association (PSA) sold out the Ohio Union’s Performance Hall on Nov. 2 for their annual Filipino Culture show, “Barrio.”
There is so much you can do for AAPIs and Filipinos in the U.S. beyond celebrating our history months, whether it be learning about our cultures, supporting AAPI-owned businesses or educating yourself on Asian and Pacific Islander hate and discrimination in America. Big or small, there are so many steps you can take to show your support for our communities. Here are three specific things you can do right now to take action and show your support for Filipinos and all AAPIs.
1. Learn about cultures through OSU STUDENT groups
There is an incredible number of AAPI interest groups at Ohio State that are open to people of all cultural, racial and ethnic identities. From the Vietnamese Student Association to the Korean Student Association, the Malaysian Students Association to the Indian Students Association or my very own PSA, there is a group for every Asian culture on campus. All of them are led by talented and passionate groups of students whose cultures and identities are very important to them.
Campus cultural organizations have events throughout the year that are focused on every possible aspect of their cultures. Most recently, I had the privilege of performing in PSA’s “Barrio” this year, the annual Filipino culture show. The theme for 2024 was “Walang Hiya,” which means “without shame.” Usually, the term is used as an insult. But this year, our organizers chose to reclaim it as a positive phrase. For us, “walang hiya” means being proud of our identities and having pride in where we come from.
“Barrio” featured Filipino dances, both the Filipino and American national anthems, a fashion show of cultural Filipino clothing and so much more. All of these incredible aspects of our culture can also be seen in so many other culture shows run by the other organizations on campus. Attending the shows, which are typically fundraisers for either the clubs or nonprofits they support, is one of the many ways you can learn about AAPI cultures. You can also attend meetings, many of which are open to the entire student body, or support other fundraisers either at places like Bibibop or through merch sales and other club flash sales.
These organizations provide incredible community and support to their members, and they do such positive work both here and for nonprofits in Asia. Learning from them and supporting them is one of the easiest ways you can show your support for AAPI people right here on campus.
2. Support AAPI-owned businesses
Another easy and low-commitment way to support AAPI people is to support their businesses. There are tons of AAPI-owned businesses around Columbus and throughout the country. The ones I find most accessible are restaurants, since eating is, of course, one of the most important parts of our daily routines.
Eating at an AAPI-owned restaurant combines learning about AAPI cultures through food, supporting AAPI-owned businesses and having an incredible meal with ingredients and dishes you may not have had before. My favorite that I’ve had here so far has to be Bonifacio, a Filipino restaurant that was just a 10-minute Lyft ride away from my dorm on south campus. It’s a PSA staple, especially the karaoke nights (and Boodle Nights — if you know, you know).
There are so many other AAPI-owned businesses in this area, restaurants and otherwise. You can support AAPI-owned businesses in other ways too — a quick Google search can lead you to hundreds of local and national businesses and brands that you can buy from to support our communities every day. No matter which kind of business you choose, local or national, big or small, beauty brand or family restaurant, your choice to support AAPI-owned businesses is a meaningful one and one of the ways that you can support AAPI communities without breaking your routines (or the bank!)
3. Contribute to or volunteer with AAPI-focused nonprofits
If you are willing to go out of your way and give some of your money or time to AAPI communities, there is always the option of volunteering or donating. There is an endless number of AAPI nonprofits, here in Columbus and nationwide, that you can contribute to in lots of ways.
Whether through a consistent and repetitive volunteer position, a one-time volunteer job in an event or fundraiser, a donation or some other method, you can have a real impact on these organizations. Asian American Community Services, for example, is a nonprofit here in Columbus with a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.
When you help out a nonprofit like AACS, you’re contributing to essential services like English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, voter registration and door-to-door canvassing, tutoring and other youth programs. Every dollar and every minute given to them can do huge things for AAPI communities in the U.S.
No matter how big or how small, there are endless ways you can support AAPIs across America. During the pandemic, Asian hate crimes spiked dramatically in this country. Even in the absence of violence, AAPIs of all ages frequently face stigma around our accents, our foods and our faces. The best way to fight stigma is to learn the truth.
As a girl who watched a classmate pull his eyes up at the corners, making fun of our faces and yelling how he was Asian when she was eight years old, a teen who was never given the same time of day as some of her classmates and a woman who’s spent years advocating for and embracing her culture, I want to say thank you for taking the time to read this article. And thank you in advance for taking a step to support the AAPI communities around you. So much is taking a toll on minorities in the U.S. right now, and it is so important that we come together to support each other, no matter what time of year it is.