Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month

In October 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution designating the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week - a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States - a celebration that was extended to the full month in 1990, when President George H.W. Bush announced May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Celebrated with community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational programs for students, this year's theme is "Leadership to Meet the Challenge of a Changing World." Among the thousands of diverse and dynamic speakers on APB's roster are many prominent Asian speakers who fit this year's theme of leadership in a changing world.

The first Asian American reporter to win a Pulitzer Prize, Sheryl WuDunn is a best-selling author and well-known lecturer. She is co-author of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Thunder from the East, and China Wakes. WuDunn is recognized for vocalizing women's worldwide issues and issues in China. In the Fall, she will be co-teaching a global affairs course focused on China.

Juju Chang is a news anchor for ABC's Good Morning America and special correspondent for 20/20 and Nightline. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a founding board member of the Korean American Community Foundation, Chang speaks on a wide variety of local and global issues, including politics, environmental disasters, gender equality concerns, and headlining news.

Eric Liu inspires his audiences everywhere as a passionate leader, educator, and author. The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker - his book about race, identity, and assimilation - was a New York Times Notable Book. Liu motivates new possibilities amongst all his listeners as he discusses politics, media, global affairs, business, and American identity.

Asian speaker and astronaut Leroy Chiao is involved in several education enterprises. With much experience from his own life, Chiao is an important speaker on issues surrounding diversity, education, and global relations. He is also an active consultant and speaker of motivation and teamwork.

Dr. Michio Kaku is an internationally recognized scholar in the field of science and a distinguished lecturer on scientific issues. He often keynotes major business conferences in computers, finance, banking, and commerce.

Stanford University graduate Tess Gerritsen is an internationally best-selling author. Gerritsen is a renowned health and literary speaker, and is the author of award-winning books such as Harvest (1996) and The Surgeon (2001).

Recognized not only for their work but for their impact in the Asian-Pacific American community, these speakers demonstrate outstanding creativity and leadership. For a full list of APB's Asian speakers, view our Asian Speakers page.