Asian-
American Heritage
Month
Retired National Guard Lieutenant Colonel
US Senator - Illinois
Born: 1968 in Thailand
Natural born citizen b/c dad was US citizen - family moved to US when she was 16-years old
Asian-Americans
like Tammy Duckworth proudly serve our country
in the armed forces and
in the government
There are over 300,000 Asian-American veterans in the US Military and 44,000+ currently enlisted
In this ‘CBS This Morning’ video, Senator Duckworth writes a letter to her younger self and shares her journey with all of us
Theoretical Physicist
Professor + Futurist
Born: 1947 in San Jose, CA
3rd generation American of Japanese descent
Asian-Americans
like Dr. Michio Kaku
are mathematicians
and scientists making important discoveries
There are many Asian-Americans in STEM, but many face wrong
In this PBS Nova video, Dr. Kaku talks about Einstein, working on a ‘Theory of Everything’,
and the elegant physics
of figure skating
White House Executive Chef
Iron Chef America Champion
Born: 1962 in the Philippines
Immigrated to US at 23-years old
Asian-Americans
like Cristeta Comerford work in the food industry
as business owners,
chefs/cooks, and servers
Asian cuisine is amazing - here you can learn
about types of food + ingredients, and find recipes to make at home
Chef Comerford shows us how to make a delicious pasta dish with orzo, broccoli, and avocados
Best Selling Poet + Novelist
Macarthur ‘Genius’ Grant Recipient
Born: 1988 in Vietnam
Immigrated to US at 2-years old
Asian-Americans
like Ocean Vuong grapple with their heritage and experiences to write beautiful verses and powerful stories
to learn more about the history of Asian-American identity, contributions, and the challenges they faced
he discusses his debut
novel, refugees after the Vietnam War, and trying to help his mother learn to read
Architect + Sculptor
Recipient of the
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Born: 1959 in Athens, Ohio
2nd generation American of Chinese descent
Asian-Americans
like Maya Lin design places for us to live, work, play, and most significantly, to memorialize our history
Many Asian-American architects and engineers belong to professional associations where they can network and help empower each other
In this Time Magazine profile, she discusses
her career, persevering
through controversy, and
never staying complacent
Television + Movie Actor
Best Actor Oscar Nominee
Born: 1983 in South Korea
Immigrated to US at 5-years old
Asian-Americans
like Steven Yeun are getting more visibility and recognition for their talented acting skills
Like many immigrants,
1st generation Asian-Americans have varied, important, and interesting stories to share
In this ‘Good Morning America’ video, he discusses the film,
his Oscar nomination,
and how he is blessed
knowing his wife and her family
Asian-Americans
like Nabela Noor create social media content to share their knowledge and ideas
with fans around the world
Many Asian-Americans are actively working to change long held stereotypes about the way they look and the ways they should behave
she discusses the power of makeup with how it can be ‘an amazing art form and a great way of self-expression’
Entrepreneur + Activist
Influencer with over 1B views
Born: 1991 in New York City
Parents emigrated from Bangladesh
when mom was 5-months pregnant with her
2x United States Surgeon General
Vice Admiral of the US Public
Health Service Commissioned Corps
Born: 1977 in England
Immigrated to US at 3-years old -
parents born in India
Asian-Americans
like Dr. Vivek Murthy work
in our country’s health care system as doctors, nurses, therapists, and technicians
During the Covid pandemic, Asian-Americans are facing increased racist verbal abuse and violent physical attacks
In this NBC ‘Life Stories’ video, Dr. Murthy encourages everyone to focus on
‘the now’ to get the most out
of their current experiences
Professional Skier + Model
2x Olympic Gold Medalist
Born: 2003 in San Francisco, CA
2nd generation American of Chinese descent
Asian-Americans
like Eileen Gu compete
in sports at the highest levels and are role models for younger athletes
There are more Asian-American athletes today on pro sports teams, and this site features their many accomplishments
from Aspen, CO in 2021,
she breaks down some new tricks in the Women’s Freeski Slopestyle event
DJ + Record Producer
12th Ranked DJ in World in 2020
Born: 1988 in Berkeley, CA
Father’s side of the family from Kashmir
Asian-Americans
like KSHMR create music
in a variety of genres from Classical, Jazz, and Pop to Hip-Hop, R&B, and Electronic
Here is a site with a mission
to increase knowledge and awareness of Asian-American history + experiences through musicians and their music
KSHMR just released a
new album - it’s free on his
website and youtube channel - here’s a cool track called ‘Midnight Lion Walk’