Chicago Asian Network Honors #AsiansWhoCAN

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have been making and contributing to U.S. history since time immemorial. Yet, countless generations have been facing discrimination and being left as footnotes on different accounts.

The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) that happens every May is a battle cry to always remember and pay tribute to all AAPIs who have contributed to the progress of America as a nation.

Today, more admirable AAPIs have emerged who are highly accomplished, have inspiring stories, or are simply giving back to the community. However, only a few are being highlighted as changemakers, while others who have also contributed significantly to our community are not duly recognized.

In celebration of the APAHM, we are casting a spotlight on unsung modern-day heroes who continue to make waves in our community with our latest campaign, #AsiansWhoCAN! This campaign aims to feature Asian Americans who have been promoting leadership, inclusivity, understanding, social justice, and a sense of community.

This is open to everyone who is part of the AAPI community. You can nominate one person, multiple people, or even yourself by answering this form, which will be evaluated by our team. Though, if you know someone whose deeds should be recognized, feel free to send the form his/her way. Once accepted, expect an online feature on all our digital assets to give you or the people you know proper recognition!

We are also aware that everyone has a contribution to making our current reality better. Therefore, we are launching a related campaign called #iCAN to celebrate all of AAPI's big and small wins. You only need to:

1. Share what you've been doing or can do to help uplift the AAPI community and fight anti-Asian sentiments. Complete "I can _____" using this template.

2. Nominate three (3) friends or people you’d like to connect with who will do the same by tagging them in the boxes located at the lower-left corner.

3. Publish on your Instagram or Facebook story, and tag us @chiasiannetwork! We will make sure to share it on ours as well. Let us create a snowball effect and come together as a community! We're excited to see all of your stories.

By doing this, we are once again making a statement as a community: we are staking our claim as citizens deserving of respect and recognition as we embrace our heritage in solidarity.
‍

This is us, celebrating our time of the year in a nation of immigrants—progressing through diversity. We are proudly AAPI.