SR0278 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0278 LRB103 32372 MST 61785 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The month of May first commemorated Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage in 1979 and has been celebrated as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month since 1990; this commemoration uplifts the stories of more than 50 distinct ethnic groups and more than 100 languages that comprise Asian American and Pacific Islander communities; and

WHEREAS, The month of May was chosen to commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to mark the first arrival of Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869 through the incredible effort of mostly Chinese immigrant workers; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is home to more than 870,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, according to the most recent American Community Survey data available from the U.S. Census Bureau; the five largest communities represented are Indian Americans, Filipino Americans, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, and Pakistani Americans; and

WHEREAS, Through immigration and refugee resettlement and as multi-generational families, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have taken many pathways to call Illinois home; and

WHEREAS, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders comprise the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the country, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are vital parts of communities across Illinois in cities, suburbs, and rural areas of the state; and

WHEREAS, The history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is deeply intertwined in the history of the United States and is often fraught with discrimination, exclusion, and violence; despite these and other challenges, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities continue to arise; they have been a vital part of the development of Illinois and of the United States in every facet of public life and in the advancement of civil rights; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May of 2023 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in honor of the contributions made by the Asian American and Pacific Island residents and communities across Illinois.