County Legislator David Imarmura, at podium; Assemblyman Nader Sayegh is far left
Also Calls for Diwali and Eid to be Added to Public School Holiday Calendars
On Wednesday, a group of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations, advocates, and elected officials called on Westchester County public school districts to integrate AAPI history into their regular annual curriculum. This call to action comes at a time of increased hate incidents and violence directed at the AAPI community, fueled by the COVID pandemic. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing minority population in both Westchester County and in the nation.
The importance of teaching AAPI history was pinpointed by the AAPI Needs Assessment conducted in 2022 by the County’s Asian American Advisory Board. 800 Asian Americans were surveyed about their experience living in Westchester County. Feelings of isolation and a lack of belonging were identified, along with anxiety regarding the uptick in anti-Asian sentiment. By promoting school curriculum as well as lobbying to recognize Diwali and Eid as official school holidays, the hope is to address these concerns proactively.
Legislator David Imamura, Westchester County’s first Asian American Legislator, spearheaded Wednesday’s event. He said, “Today we are launching a campaign calling on every public school district in Westchester to include AAPI history as part of their curriculums, and to add Diwali and Eid to their school calendars as holidays. The time has come for schools to no longer just talk the talk, but to walk the walk when it comes to Asian Americans. When Korean grandmothers are assaulted on the street in White Plains, when Filipino women are viciously attacked in the lobbies of their Yonkers apartment buildings, our County must take a stand that Westchester’s Asian American residents are valued and protected. Ensuring that Asian American history is taught to our children and that Asian American holidays are celebrated and recognized are necessary steps towards that goal.”
New York State Assemblyman Nader Sayegh said, “In the New York State Assembly, I’ve been proud to support various initiatives to support our diverse communities. A hallmark of my time in office has been promoting cultural diversity and combatting polarization through greater understanding. Whether it’s participating on the cricket pitch or taking legislative action, including co-sponsoring legislation Governor Hochul recently signed to celebrate Diwali in New York. Now is the time to build on this momentum and support our Asian American and Pacific Islander neighbors in urging all our leaders to promote further reforms in our schools and communities so we can fully recognize the innumerable contributions and traditions of one of our fastest-growing diasporas.”
Westchester County Asian-American Advisory Board Co-Chair Marjorie Hsu said, “Our children deserve to learn our rich history as Asians in America, that we have earned a seat at every table. And all our children need to learn about the Chinese Americans who built the first transcontinental railroads, the Japanese- Americans who fought in WWII even as their families were interned in camps. All children should learn to respect our diversity of ethnic and cultural traditions through celebrating the Lunar New Year, Eid and Diwali, in addition to Western holidays. Only by understanding each other’s cultures can we embrace our differences in order to combat hate together.”
Other participants included Ardsley School Board Member Vikas Agrawal, India Center of Westchester President Jagruti Patel, Edgemont High School Senior and Westchester Youth Congress Co-Founder Janice Lin, City of White Plains Youth Bureau Deputy Director Bhavana Pahwa, Board Member and Co-Vice President of Advocacy for OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates’ Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter, William Kaung, and County Legislator Tyrae Woodson-Samuels.
You can watch the video of the press conference here: https://vimeo.com/885283384
