The more than 600,000 individuals in our state who can trace their roots to Asia and the islands of the Pacific have made invaluable contributions that have enriched our culture and society. With substantial contributions to the arts, health care, law, military, public service, science and technology, as well as a myriad of other professional contributions, Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities are deeply ingrained in the history of our Commonwealth and nation.
 
That is why we will be introducing a resolution to recognize the month of May 2026 as “Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania. May is a significant month in Asian-American and Pacific Islander history, as it commemorates the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the United States on May 7, 1843. Furthermore, on May 10, 1869, the first transcontinental railroad was completed with the aid of 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese immigrants, whose labor was vital in paving the way to the American West.

Please join us in co-sponsoring this resolution so we can honor the accomplishments and of  Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities in the past and the present.