Wisconsin AJR 48: Relating to: recognizing Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month as a time to honor the important contributions of Asians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Desi Americans to the history of the United States.

Bill Text

LRB-3140/1
JKS:cjs
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
2021 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 48
May 4, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives SPIROS, ANDERSON, ANDRACA, BALDEH,
BOWEN, CABRAL-GUEVARA, CABRERA, CONLEY, CONSIDINE, DRAKE, EMERSON,
HEBL, HESSELBEIN, HONG, KITCHENS, MACCO, B. MEYERS, MILROY, MURPHY,
NEUBAUER, OHNSTAD, POPE, S. RODRIGUEZ, SHANKLAND, SHELTON, SINICKI,
SNODGRASS, SNYDER, SPREITZER, STEFFEN, STUBBS, SUBECK, TITTL, VINING and
VRUWINK, cosponsored by Senators KOOYENGA, AGARD, BERNIER, BEWLEY,
CARPENTER, COWLES, DARLING, JOHNSON, LARSON, PETROWSKI, PFAFF, RINGHAND,
ROYS, SMITH, L. TAYLOR and WIRCH. Referred to Committee on Rules.
Relating to: recognizing Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage
Month as a time to honor the important contributions of Asians, Asian
Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Desi Americans to the history of the United
States.
Whereas, the people of Wisconsin join together each May to pay tribute to the
contributions of generations of APIDA who have enriched the history of the United
States; and
Whereas, the history of APIDA in Wisconsin is inextricably tied to the story of
Wisconsin; and
Whereas, there are approximately 22 million U.S. residents who identify as
Asian and approximately 1.6 million U.S. residents who identify as Native Hawaiian
or other Pacific Islander, comprising nearly 7 percent of the total population; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's APIDA population totaled 194,173 in 2020 and has
increased 82 percent since the 2000 Census; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

- 2 -
LRB-3140/1
JKS:cjs2021 - 2022 Legislature
Whereas, the APIDA community is an inherently diverse population, composed
of more than 45 distinct ethnicities and more than 100 language dialects; and
Whereas, the immigration of Hmong refugees from Laos to Wisconsin from
1975 through the 1990s enriched the state immeasurably as Wisconsin has the third
largest Hmong population in the U.S.; and
Whereas, the month of May was selected for Asian/Pacific American Heritage
Month because the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States on May
7, 1843, and the first transcontinental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, with
substantial contributions from Chinese immigrants; and
Whereas, APIDA Heritage Month provides the people of Wisconsin with an
opportunity to recognize and celebrate the achievements, contributions, and history
of APIDA communities and understand the challenges they face; now, therefore, be
it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin
State Legislature recognizes APIDA Heritage Month as an important time to
celebrate the significant contributions of Asians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders,
and Desi Americans to the history of Wisconsin, and recognizes that Asian, Asian
American, Pacific Islander, and Desi American communities strengthen and
enhance the rich diversity of Wisconsin.
(END)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20