Why May?

May commemorates the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and marks the anniversary of the May 10, 1869, completion of the transcontinental railroad, which was mostly laid by Chinese immigrants.

Asian Pacific Americans of many nationalities have contributed to American society and culture. Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett, Tye Leung Schulze and Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee were instrumental to the women’s suffrage movement. Dr. Kazue Togasaki was one of the first Japanese American women to become a doctor in the United States. Leah Hing was the first Chinese American woman to earn a pilot’s license. Discover their stories with the National Park Service.

Asian Pacific Americans also have distinguished themselves in the military. Read, watch and listen to veterans’ stories from World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

A Complicated History

As we witness the increasing attacks and hate crimes against Asian Pacific Americans today and grapple with the events that took the lives of eight people in Atlanta in March, including six women of Asian descent, it’s important to look to our history and learn from it.

While APAHM was intended to commemorate the arrivals and contributions of Japanese and Chinese immigrants, we must recognize that those groups were not always appreciated or even treated humanely in America.

During the gold rush, the United States saw an influx of Chinese immigrants. Many Americans on the West Coast attributed declining wages and economic ills to Chinese workers. To placate those concerns, President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act into law in 1882. It suspended Chinese immigration for ten years and declared Chinese immigrants ineligible for naturalization. Chinese immigrants remained ineligible for naturalization until 1943.

In 1942, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which put people of Japanese descent into internment camps. The policy lasted through 1945 and is now considered one of the most atrocious violations of American civil rights in the 20th century.

Acknowledging and learning from our past allows us to strive for a more positive outcome in our present and future.

How You Can Get Involved

As we continue to navigate the pandemic and racial unrest, it’s up to all of us to prevent the injustices of the past from resurfacing. Here are some ways you can educate yourself and others and take action:

• Learn about the “Model Minority Myth” — how it hurts Asian Pacific Americans as well as other Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and what you can do to dispel harmful stereotypes.
• Read books and watch TV shows and movies about the Asian Pacific American experience — check out the resources on our D&I Sharepoint.
• Teach your kids about Asian American history — this book is a good start.
• Donate to organizations helping Asian Pacific American communities — see the list on our D&I Sharepoint.
• Support Asian American-owned businesses, like the ones on this list.
• Take a class in bystander intervention — this workshop is happening May 18!

Dig in further on our SharePoint site that highlights our four pillars. 

Learn More: BR supports each employee’s process of self-discovery about topics related to diversity, inclusion and belonging. We do this by providing resources and opportunities for employees to educate themselves.

Listen Harder: BR leadership commits to listening to employees about topics related to diversity, inclusion and belonging, and encourages employees to have open and honest conversations with each other. We do this by providing a range of feedback channels and spaces for discussion.

Change Faster: BR executes on action plans to become a more diverse and inclusive organization that fosters a sense of belonging. We do this by providing training for our employees, implementing talent acquisition plans and tracking our progress.

Give More: BR gives of its resources to support diversity, inclusion and belonging, and encourages employees to do the same. We do this by offering our employees service days, partnering with local organizations on pro bono work and making monetary donations.