AAPI Heritage Month: What AANHPI Means and Speakers to Book

AAPI Heritage Month, now officially called Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, is celebrated every May in the United States. It honours the achievements, history and culture of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, and the next observance runs from May 1st to May 31st, 2027. It is also a natural moment for organisations to book a speaker who can bring those stories to their teams.

What does AANHPI stand for?

AANHPI stands for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. You will also see the month called AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American and Pacific Islander) or Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The longer AANHPI name is increasingly used, including in recent presidential proclamations, because it explicitly recognises Native Hawaiians alongside Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Why is AAPI Heritage Month in May?

AAPI Heritage Month is in May because it marks two significant anniversaries: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States on May 7th, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10th, 1869, built with major contributions from Chinese labourers. The observance began as a week in 1978, was expanded to a month in 1990, and was made a permanent annual observance by Congress in 1992.

What is the AANHPI Heritage Month theme?

Each year the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) designates a theme for the observance. In 2026 it was "Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together", with imagery of a bridge symbolising innovation, resilience, connection and belonging. FAPAC sets a new theme every year, so events, resources and speaker programming shift accordingly. For the fuller spread of what else is being marked in May, see our Awareness Days & Cultural Calendar for May.

How can your organisation celebrate AAPI Heritage Month?

Booking a speaker is one of the most effective ways for organisations to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The right speaker offers real insight, encourages dialogue and gives your inclusion work a focal point for the month. Pair a keynote with employee resource group events, a book club featuring AANHPI authors or a spotlight on AANHPI colleagues who want to share their stories.

PepTalk gives you access to a diverse range of AAPI speakers, thought leaders and experts, with clear pricing and personal support from brief to booking. If you're planning heritage-month content across the year, our DEI Days and Events in the United States guide and our piece on Hispanic Heritage Month speakers are good next stops.

Who are the best AAPI Heritage Month speakers?

The best AAPI Heritage Month speakers bring their own experience together with expertise your audience can use, from national security and space accessibility to mindful leadership and robotics.

Asha Rangappa

Asha Rangappa brings a distinctive perspective to AANHPI Heritage Month conversations, drawing on her career as an FBI Special Agent in counterintelligence and her role teaching national security law at Yale University. A graduate of Princeton and Yale Law School and a regular analyst for CNN and ABC News, she offers audiences a grounded view of identity, ethics, leadership and public service.

PepTalk Fact: Asha conducted undercover operations as a Special Agent in the FBI's counterintelligence division 🕵️

Learn more and book Asha Rangappa →

Sheila Xu

Sheila Xu brings representation and innovation in STEM to AANHPI Heritage Month. As Deputy Director of Development at AstroAccess, she champions disability inclusion in space exploration. In 2021 she became the first deaf Asian female pilot, and she has since completed commercial analogue astronaut training and zero-gravity flights on her way to becoming a deaf astronaut, showing how determination and technology can challenge assumptions about who gets to lead in STEM.

PepTalk Fact: Sheila's call sign "Cool" was earned after she handled an emergency plane landing ✈️

Learn more and book Sheila Xu →

Pandit Dasa

Pandit Dasa's parents moved from India to the United States in 1980, and he later spent nearly 15 years as a monk in New York City. Now the author of Urban Monk, he helps leaders and teams handle pressure and change, showing how Eastern philosophies and practices can shape a more mindful, inclusive workplace culture.

PepTalk Fact: Pandit has spoken to organisations including NASA and Google about mindful leadership 🧘

Learn more and book Pandit Dasa →

Marita Cheng

Marita Cheng is a tech entrepreneur and advocate for diversity in STEM, named by Forbes as one of the World's Top 50 Women in Tech. She founded Robogals to bring more young women into engineering and robotics, and her companies Aipoly and Aubot use AI and robotics to help blind users and people with disabilities. Her career reflects the resilience, creativity and drive for inclusion the month sets out to celebrate.

PepTalk Fact: Marita's Robogals has taught robotics to more than 140,000 girls across 13 countries 🦾

Learn more and book Marita Cheng →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does AANHPI stand for?

AANHPI stands for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. The heritage month is also known as AAPI Heritage Month, and the longer name is used to explicitly recognise Native Hawaiians alongside Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

When is AAPI Heritage Month?

AAPI Heritage Month takes place every May in the United States. The next observance runs from May 1st to May 31st, 2027.

Why is AAPI Heritage Month in May?

AAPI Heritage Month is in May to mark the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States on May 7th, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10th, 1869, which was built with major contributions from Chinese labourers.

How do I book an AAPI Heritage Month speaker?

To book an AAPI Heritage Month speaker through PepTalk, send us your date, audience, format and what you'd like the session to achieve. May is busy for heritage month speakers, so start the conversation early in the year. Send us a message to start.

💡 Would you like to mark AANHPI Heritage Month with an expert speaker? Let us know, and we'll find the perfect PepTalk expert for your organisation. Send us a message and we'll set up a free strategy call. Remember, it's always a good time to get a PepTalk!