Since 1992, the United States has designated May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. The month offers the opportunity to recognize Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians who have enriched our history, while also shining a light on the challenges they face. This year, it feels especially urgent to support the AAPI community following a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes. To amplify the voices and highlight the achievements of AAPI staff and community members, PAH’s Cultural & Community Awareness Council (CCAC) organized a month-long celebration.
Throughout the month, Café 1751 featured Fijian chili chicken, Sri Lankan coconut shrimp laska, and other dishes from East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The CCAC also showcased the contributions of AAPI staff and encouraged all staff to be better allies. For example, training sessions were held to help staff practice bystander intervention when witnessing xenophobic harassment, and PAH partnered with The Yellow Whistle — a non-profit organization fighting anti-Asian discrimination and violence — to distribute whistles to patients and staff.
Left: Nurses Cindy Nguyen, BSN, RN, and Michael Chau, BSN, RN. Right: Van Nguyen, RN, shared a photo of her parents dropping off gloves and masks to support Pennsy at the beginning of the pandemic.
The highlight of the month, though, came in the form of personal stories that many AAPI staff shared about their connections to their heritage. For example, Cindy Nguyen, BSN, RN, a nurse in the ICCU and a first-generation Vietnamese-American, wrote, “I always knew I wanted to have a career that would benefit the Vietnamese community while caring for others. Being bilingual has allowed me to connect with Vietnamese patients, whether as a primary nurse or a resource for a fellow coworker.” Similarly, her husband, Michael Chau, BSN, RN, a nurse on 4 Spruce and a first generation Chinese-American, was drawn to behavioral health nursing because he wanted to fight the stigma attached to mental health struggles among many Asian-American communities. His unique perspective and fluency in Cantonese have “allowed him to build a rapport with Chinese patients whom others may not have been able to connect with.”
Sara Kealoha Cohen, MSN, RN, offered a glimpse into the family history behind her Hawaiian middle name; Filipino ICN nurse Edelyn Ebora, RN, wrote about what inspired her to follow her mother’s and grandmother’s footsteps; and Vietnamese-American ED nurse Van Nguyen, RN, shared a photo (right) of her parents dropping off gloves and masks to support Pennsy at the beginning of the pandemic.
To read these and other staff stories, visit the PAH Intranet site.