Official Celebration
This is the official celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month for the City and County of San Francisco.
© Copyright · APA Heritage Foundation
Designed by Thomas Li, Made in San Francisco, CA
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The San Francisco Public Library has put together a list of fantastic Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month 2021 resource guide that illuminates Asian American stories.
All materials can be accessed for free with a library card. Don’t have a library card? No problem! You can sign up for a temporary one, today.
Upcoming Events Presentation APIA Author Panel Book Club Author Talk
Presentation: Asian Rock by Richie Unterberger
Saturday, May 01, 2021
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Category: Music & Performances
Richie Unterberger, rock historian, covers artists based in or from more than half a dozen countries, covering genres from rockabilly, indie rock, girl groups, progressive rock, singer-songwriters, synth-pop and more.
Presentation: Kristian Kabuay, Pre-Philippine Scripts
Sunday, May 2, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
Inspired by a 100-yer-old photograph in the belongings of his great Uncle Kim, author Russell Low will share his story of his decades-long search to find the stories behind the photograph.
Author: Alka Joshi, The Henna Artist
Tuesday, May 04, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
The Henna Artist is a vivid and compelling portrait of one woman’s struggle for fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the modern, opening a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.
Book Club: World Literature, Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-up Bird Chronicle
Thursday, May 06, 2021
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Category: Other Special Events
We discuss Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s surreal, wildly popular 1995 novel, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle.
Demonstration: Wok with Chef Martin Yan
Friday, May 7, 2021
2:00 – 3:00pm
San Francisco’s own Chef Martin Yan helps us celebrate AAPI by providing a virtual cooking class suitable for all cooks, young to old, if “Yan Can Cook, So Can You!”
Chef Martin Yan has WOWed audiences from Shanghai to San Francisco for over 40 years on American Public Television, promoting Chinese and Asian cuisine. Making it easy for home cooks has been his life-long mission.
Panel: Trese writer Budjette Tan and artist Kajo Baldisimo
Saturday, May 08, 2021
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
Join us in a book talk with Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo, creators of the award-winning serialized urban fantasy graphic novel, Trese. Set in Metro Manila, Philippines —a place where the dark worlds of Philippine folklore and lower mythology and their creature exist side-by-side with the human world. Baldisimo and Tan will also talk about their upcoming Netflix series and more.
Presentation: Facing Mecca: Reflections of Islam in Art
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Arts & Crafts
This presentation will showcase the Asian Art Museum’s Islamic art collection. Islam has inspired a variety of sacred art, but the scope extends far beyond religious objects into the secular and cultural realms.
Author: Mia P. Manansala and Gigi Pandian in conversation
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
Mia P. Manansala and Gigi Pandian will discuss the art of mystery writing, publishing and being part of Crime Writers of Color.
“Where Are You Really From?” Park Rangers Converse on the Power of Place
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
NPS park rangers will reflect on their experiences as Asian and Pacific Islander, Americans and Park Rangers.
Performance: Shoko Hikage performs Music for Koto
Sunday, May 23, 2021
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Category: Music & Performances
Acclaimed musician Shoko Higake performs traditional and contemporary music for koto. The performance features works by Yatsuhashi Kengyo, Hyo-shin Na, Tadao Sawai and Jon Raskin.
Book Club: Vanessa Hua, A River of Stars
Sunday, May 23, 2021
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
A gathering to discuss SFPL’s May On the Same Page selection, Vannessa Hua’s, A River of Stars.
Author: Vanessa Hua in conversation with Yalitza Ferreras, A River of Stars
Monday, May 24, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Other Special Events
Vanessa Hua is an award-winning, best-selling author and columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Her novel, A River of Stars, was named to the Washington Post and NPR’s Best Books of 2018
Author: Andria Lo and Valerie Luu Chinatown Pretty
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Arts & Crafts
Hear about Chinatown Pretty, the book that captures the street-style of seniors citizens across six North American Chinatowns: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Vancouver.
Performance: The Romance of Chinese Poetry
Thursday, May 27, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Category: Music & Performances
Poet Clara Hsu and Guqin master David Wong offer insights into the intricate relationship between word and music in ancient China.
Reading Lists for Non Fiction Kids Teens Fiction Graphic Novels LGBTQ+
AAPI Heritage Month 2021 for Adults
Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month with the SFPL! Here are some recommended titles by Asian American, Pacific Islander & Asian authors celebrating the diverse Asian/Pacific Islander cultures, communities and people spanning the globe. You can pick up these titles at a SFPL to Go site or check them out virtually!
Non Fiction
Fiction
Graphic Novels
Kid Picks
Teen Picks
LGBTQ+ Books
List of Films from CAAM for Adults
Films for Adults
Films from CAAM
The San Francisco Public Library
During Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Heritage Month, the San Francisco Public Library honors APIA communities and their history and traditions in San Francisco. The Library is proud to share online programs, book clubs, recommendations for timely and inspiring reads and films to engage, honor and learn more about our city’s exceptionally rich heritage, this May and all year long.
Online Guide