The Essential

As we celebrate Asian-American and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, it's important not only to highlight the richness of the cultures and contributions represented among our AAPI community members, but also their resilience. Resilience is the capacity to withstand or to recover from difficulties. Resilience does not come without adversity. We must also, as with all cultural and ethnic groups, recognize the struggle and history of exclusion. Equity work in education is about elevating voices and experiences. It is also about recognizing and removing barriers and learning from history. Many of us know the value of telling our story. In our district, we've been working on paying attention to whose stories get centered whose stories have been ignored, misunderstood, or disparaged. This month, we are privileged to learn from and with our AAPI colleagues and students as we center their stories.

May is also a time to highlight the role Jewish Americans have played in US culture and society. In our efforts to notice, listen to, and engage with the values and cultures of different folks in our greater community, we must stay open to learning from others. As a late addition to the Essential is a great resource for learning from and about Jewish Americans linked, shared by a staff member. While it's unlikely we will do justice in recognizing the full spectrum of diversity in our community, we want to do our best to listen and respond.

Asian Student Union is an after-school club that meets after school every other Tuesday in room 172. ASU aims to build community and friendships, as well as educate our DDHS student body about Asian American history, culture, and interests. We have organized various goodie bag fundraisers at school, volunteered at and decorated the district's Lunar New Year event, and even facilitated our very own K-POP dance group, which recently performed at the middle school multicultural nights! The primary goal of ASU is to strengthen cultural pride and appreciation on campus, while also facilitating a welcoming and inclusive environment. While ASU celebrates Asian heritage, it also welcomes students of every racial background to become members and participate in events. Thank you ASU for your leadership and presence!

Join together to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the AANHPI (Asian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander) community, its resilience, and commit to combat the continued rise anti-Asian hate.

On May 20, 2023 the Portland Art Museum is offering free admission for guests with special activities centered around the celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage. Please follow the link on the image for more information regarding the special programming that will be offered. They will be updating the information soon. Please check their website by clicking on the image..

Celebrate AAPI with the Multnomah County Library. The event will have live performances and activities and crafts.

The Indigenous Students’ Union and the David Douglas High School Library are excited to host award winning Native American author Cynthia Leitich Smith on Wednesday, May 24th, during 2nd period. Students who attend will meet the author and get a free copy of her newest book, Harvest House. Cynthia is a bestselling author, on the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts, and the author-curator of the Heartdrum line at HarperCollins. Ms. Leitich will also be the honored guest at a districtwide event hosted on 5/24 in the evening. More details will be sent out to staff soon.

A couple of weeks ago, staff from around DDSD gathered at Kingpins to connect and have fun together (see photos below). These events provide an opportunity for fun, learning, and collaboration. Staff of color often take on unseen roles with students of color. Connecting with each other is a gift. We look forward to creating more opportunities for staff of color to connect throughout the district.