May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. First designated by Congress in 1977, AAPI Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the ways the AAPI community has enriched America's history and continues to be vital to its success.
Join Sonoma County Library in celebrating AAPI voices during the month of May and beyond. Below, check out AAPI events, book lists, movies, music, and more—all available for free through your Sonoma County Library. Connect with local AAPI organizations and community resources listed below to keep learning.
Library Events:
Year of the Rabbit - Family Book Reading
(grades PreK-3)
Say hello to Rosie, a rascally rabbit with an enormous ear for adventure.
The Discovery of Anime and Manga
with Oliver Chin
(grades K-8)
Say hello to Rosie, a rascally rabbit with an enormous ear for adventure.
Intro to Chinese Calligraphy for Teens
(grades 7-12)
This workshop introduces teens to the essential elements of Chinese Calligraphy, including how to hold the brush, basic strokes, and simple words.
Anime Drawing Workshops
with Oliver Chin
(grades 7-12)
In this 2-hour workshop, author and artist Oliver Chin will teach you have to draw in the Japanese comics and animation (manga & anime) style.
Sonoma County Taiko Performances
(all ages)
Sonoma County Taiko has been bringing the thunderous excitement of Taiko drumming to two libraries this May!
Faith Ako: Traditional and Contemporary
Hawaiian Music
(all ages)
Faith Ako whisks you to the islands with original songs and Hawaiian classics.
Queer Book Club: Light from Uncommong Stars
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.
Dial a Story
Call (707) 755-2050 to listen to a recording of your children’s librarians reading storybooks in both English and Spanish. This Month’s titles will include books by AAPI authors and featuring AAPI stories.
Celebrate AAPI Beyond May:
Asian Art Museum Lectures: Meets virtually the second Saturday of every month at 11:00am.
https://events.sonomalibrary.org/events/upcoming?keywords=Asian%20Art%20Museum
Books, Collections, And Resources:
History And Genealogy Resources
Genealogy
- In search of your Asian roots: genealogical research on Chinese surnames
- Chinese American names: tradition and transition
- Asian American genealogical sourcebook
- A genealogist's guide to discovering your immigrant & ethnic ancestors: how to find and record your unique heritage
- Hawaiian genealogies: extracted from Hawaiian language newspapers
- Tracing Your Philippine Ancestors
Sonoma County History
- The Chinese in Sonoma County, California, 1900-1930: the aftermath of exclusion
- Giri: the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League oral history project
- The loss of property of the Japanese during World War II: with special emphasis on Sonoma County, California
- Samurai of the wine country: a biography of Kanaye Nagasawa
- Japanese immigrants in the North Bay region: their movements, achievements and settlements 1870-1930
Archival and Digital Collections
- Verified written reports in compliance with Section 5 of the Alien Land Law of 1920
65 depositions regarding Japanese-owned properties in Sonoma County, filed between 1921 and 1949. - Newspaper Clippings from the Petaluma Argus-Courier of local women and Japanese Americans enlisted in the armed services during World War II. More information here: Japanese Americans in Sonoma County - Documenting a conflicted past" by Joanna Kolosov
- DVD – Remembering Our Manongs: Sonoma County’s Filipino history
- DVD - The Chinese-American experience in Petaluma: an interview with Lance Lew
Local community information and organizations
- AAPI Coalition of the North Bay
- APIAFSA (Asian Pacific Islander American Faculty and Staff Association of Sonoma State University)
- FAASSU (Filipino American Association of Sonoma State University)
- FANHS (Filipino American National Historical Society Sonoma County Chapter)
- RECA (Redwood Empire Chinese Association)
- Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens League
- Sonoma County Matsuri Festival
- Sonoma County Taiko
- Sonoma County JACL (Japanese American Citizens League)
- SOVA (Sonoma County Vietnamese Association)
- A report on the history of discrimination against Chinese Americans in Sonoma County
- An article that discusses the origins of the term “Asian American” and how it came about from the struggles of the Black Power Movement, anti-war movement, and American Indian Movements
- Information from the Asian Mental Health Collective and NAMI
- California community resources collected by the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
The library stands against bigotry and intolerance, and supports equity diversity and inclusion. See our statement on racism and social equity here.
