The first day of May marks the beginning of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a time to recognize the culture of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), as well as the achievements that they have made to society! While anti-Asian racism has been long embedded in the history of our country, the recent surge of harassment and prejudice due to the pandemic has made it more important than ever to lift up the AAPI community. 

The festivities and events that usually occur every year have been canceled, but there are still many things that you can do to support AAPIs from the comfort of your couch. From enjoying free films to podcasts, here are some ways you can tune in to celebrate!

Spotify’s Amplify AAPI Month 

While you may not be able to hear your favorite artists live this year, you can always listen to them through online streaming platforms! Spotify has recently launched Amplify: AAPI Heritage Month, which contains playlists, podcasts, and other listening experiences. The “Our Roots. Our Sound” campaign highlights flagship playlists coming directly from Asia, while their “This is: Us” series features songs from many Asian American artists. Furthermore, they’ve even added podcast episodes discussing important parts of Asian culture, such as food.  

Netflix’s Celebrating AAPIS

If you’re someone who’s more into video streaming and television, Netflix’s Celebrating AAPIs page has made it easy for viewers to access series, movies, and documentaries featuring Asian American stars. The all-time favorite Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, as well as newer shows, such as Never Have I Ever and The Half of It, have all been compiled onto the section. 

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 

Throughout the month, LAAPFF will be presenting free films and panels to keep the entire community connected. Documentaries like Ric Burn and Li-Shin Yu’s The Chinese Exclusion Act, which emphasizes the impact of the law targeting Chinese Americans, and Fawzia Mirza’s We are Together, which explores being LGBTQ+ and AAPI, are all available for free streaming. 

#MuseumFromHome

The Asian Art Museum, which is home to one of the largest collections of Asian artwork in the U.S, produced a full suite of #MuseumFromHome online offerings. Over 13,000 pictures of artwork have been uploaded on the website for their online collection, while their Youtube channel is being regularly updated with behind the scene videos, storytelling tours, interviews with installation artists, and guided meditation from Zen masters. 

April showers bring May flowers, so AAPIs should take some time out this month to heal from all the hateful acts that have been aimed towards them by celebrating what makes their community so special.