Asian American and Pacific Islander Life and Culture Digital Display

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center is proud to present We are not a stereotype, a video series for educators, by educators. This series explores and challenges the complexity surrounding the term Asian Pacific American, breaking it down into topics that span multiple timelines, geographies, and identities. Here you will find educational videos and resources about migration, occupation, racial and gender identities, cross-community building, and how to support student learning on these topics. We have also included links to collections in the Smithsonian Learning Lab that complement some of the themes in this series. Finally, to learn more about all of our speakers, you will find their biographies near the end of this page.

In schools and classrooms, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month is an excellent time to explore the rich history and culture of people who are AAPI as well as analyzing the bias and discrimination faced by them. As with other similarly themed months, it is important not to isolate exploration of AAPI history and culture into one month during the year. Asian American Pacific Islander history is American history and should be integrated into the curriculum throughout the school year.

A rich collection of online resources "to uplift Asian and Asian American voices, encourage self-education, and offer solace from the Smithsonian Institution." Resources for educators, exhibitions, videos, activities, blogs and more available from museums and units within the Smithsonian.

A look at the long history of Asian Americans and its role in shaping US identity. The essay also looks at the push-pull factors that have helped define demographic trends in the United States to present day and also covers some darker periods of American history, including the Congressional Exclusionary Act restricting immigration based on race and the Japanese American Internment during WWII.

o help students learn about Sikhism, this collaboration between C3 Teachers and the Sikh Coalition offers a collection of teaching tools and support materials for teachers using the C3 framework. These include an elementary inquiry, a high/middle school inquiry, and a viewing and discussion guide to CNN’s United Shades of America episode about the Sikh community with W. Kamau Bell.