Blog by the Asian Pacific Islander South Asian American (APISAA) Employee Resource Group
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, or AAPI Heritage Month, is celebrated every May. It honors the contributions, presences, and experiences of AAPI communities in the United States. It is also a time to acknowledge dark times, including when more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. To share our history is to make sure it is not repeated.
As part of One Book, One Coast, we’re reading They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, a powerful graphic memoir that explores patriotism, family, identity, and what it truly means to be American. They Called Us Enemy is a graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei's childhood experience within American incarceration camps during World War II.
Join us all month to learn, reflect, and take part in the conversation. Free copies of They Called Us Enemy will be available while supplies last.
Celebrate AAPI Month with AC Library!
Join us this May at AC Library to experience and celebrate diverse AAPI cultures.
- Author Talk with Ellie Yang Camp – Louder Than the Lies: Asian American Identity, Solidarity, and Self-Love, at Albany Library on Wednesday, May 6, 6:00 pm– 8:00 pm
- RCOZ South Asian Women’s Support Group, at Newark Library on Thursday, May 7, 11:00 am– 12:00 pm
- Painter’s Space: Yayoi Kusama and Polka Dots, at Union City Library on Saturday, May 9, 2:00 pm– 3:00 pm
- My Two and a Half Years Behind Barbed Wire During World War II in the United States, presented by Yukio Shimomura, at Dublin Library on Saturday, May 9, 3:00 pm– 4:30 pm
- Kids Yoga and Movement, at Fremont Main Library on Monday, May 11, 5:00 pm– 6:00 pm
- Love in the Library Storytime, at Dublin Library on Wednesday, May 13, 6:30 pm – 7:15 pm
- Sashiko Mending Workshop, at Dublin Library on Thursday, May 14, 1:30 pm– 3:30 pm
- Stories with Neighbors, at Newark Library on Saturday, May 16, 2:00 pm– 4:00 pm
- Loyal Americans: The Story of Eden Area Japanese Americans During World War II, an exhibit at Castro Valley Library, Sunday, May 17– May 24
- Film Screening: Kintsukuroi, at Castro Valley Library, on Sunday, May 17, 1:30 pm– 4:00 pm
- Gentle Energy Exercises, at Dublin Library, Sunday, May 17, 2:00 pm– 3:00 pm
- From the Ground Up Film Screening, at San Lorenzo Library, Sunday, May 17, 2:00 pm– 3:00 pm
- They Called Us Enemy: A One Book One Coast Discussion, at
- Castro Valley Library, on Tuesday, May 12, 7:00–8:00 pm
- Albany Library, on Thursday, May 14, 1:00–2:00 pm
- Fremont Library, on Sunday, May 17, 1:30 pm–3:30 pm
- Fremont Library, on Monday, May 18, 6:30 pm–7:45 pm
- Online, on Tuesday, May 19, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm
- Fremont Library, on Friday, May 22, 11:00 am–12:30 pm
- Dublin Library, on Saturday, May 23, 3:00 pm–4:00 pm
- Watch Party Livestreams, on Sunday, May 31, 2:00 pm
- Tamil Storytime - தமிழ் கதை நேரம், at Fremont Main Library, May 18, 6:15 pm–6:45 pm
- US Citizenship Exam Preparation Class, at Newark Library, Wednesday, May 20, 10:00 am–12:00 pm
- Origami, at Dublin Library, Thursday, May 21, 5:00 pm–6:00 pm
- 廣東話故事會 / Storytime in Cantonese, at Cherryland Community Center, Saturday, May 23, 10:30 am–11:00 am
Celebrate AAPI Month in Alameda County and the Bay Area
- One Book, One Coast – Author Talk with George Takei. A conversation with George Takei and Library Directors from LA County Library and Long Beach Public Library. 2:00 pm–4:00 pm on May 31, 2026 via Livestream – YouTube Live
Online Resources about Asian American History
- Asian Life in America: Explore over 35 million newspaper articles and personal stories about Asian American life from 1704 to today.
- Ethnic Diversity Source: Find articles, books, and videos about the experiences and traditions of different ethnic groups in America, including AAPI communities.
- My China Roots: Learn about your Chinese ancestry with access to family trees, historical records, and old photos.
Booklists
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, here are some books for young readers of all ages from authors across this diverse community.
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, here are some books for teens and adults from authors across this diverse community.
Join Alameda County Library and participate in the community read, One Book, One Coast with They Called Us Enemy by George Takei. For additional information and stories about the WWII Japanese internment camps in the United States, check out one of the following selections.
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