TAAF Launches Critical Resource Hub for K-12 Educators to Advance AAPI History in Classrooms
The AAPI History Hub allows teachers across the U.S. to access high-quality, classroom-ready materials to effectively teach Asian American and Pacific Islander history.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
taaf@ssmandl.com
TAAF Launches Critical Resource Hub for K-12 Educators to Advance AAPI History in Classrooms
The AAPI History Hub allows teachers across the U.S. to access high-quality, classroom-ready materials to effectively teach Asian American and Pacific Islander history.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. (September 10, 2024) - The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today announced the launch of its AAPI History Hub, a first-of-its-kind online educational platform designed to provide K-12 educators with access to high-quality curricular resources covering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history. The AAPI History Hub can be accessed at https://www.aapihistoryhub.org/.
The landmark Illinois TEAACH Act, passed in 2021, mandated the inclusion of Asian American history in public elementary and high school curriculums in the state. While it was a significant step forward for the representation of Asian Americans in K-12 classrooms, as more and more states have adopted similar legislation, educators have been faced with a new challenge – finding standards-aligned materials to effectively teach AAPI history across all grade levels.
The AAPI History Hub creates a solution to this problem by providing a dynamic, easy-to-use database of vetted, classroom-ready resources including lesson plans, activities, articles, books, films, and other digital tools that can be filtered based on topic, time period, grade level, ethnicity of focus, and more. Users can not only save resources into personalized lists of teaching materials, but also share resources with colleagues and contribute feedback, fostering a collaborative space for education professionals.
Following a historic period of discrimination against Asian Americans, TAAF believes the incorporation of AAPI history into K-12 learning fosters a greater sense of belonging for young people who do not always have the opportunity to see themselves mirrored within traditional curricula. According to TAAF’s 2024 STAATUS Index–a study examining attitudes toward Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders–55% of Americans are unable to name a single historical event related to Asian Americans; according to the same study, Asian Americans were also the least likely racial group to feel that they belong in the U.S.
“Belonging starts with learning,” said Norman Chen, CEO of The Asian American Foundation. “When AANHPI students see themselves represented in the curriculum, and their peers learn about the profound impact that Asian Americans have had on this country, we can cultivate a sense of shared humanity. We believe the AAPI History Hub will help equip educators to foster that feeling of belonging and inclusion in classrooms across the country.”
The AAPI History hub will continue to grow and evolve with educators’ needs. In future updates, TAAF hopes to include video content, locally-focused materials, data maps displaying the AAPI student population and policy efforts (legislation and state standards around the teaching of AAPI history), and a community space for educators to learn about professional development opportunities and share examples of AAPI history lessons in action.
The AAPI History Hub is an ongoing collective project funded by The Asian American Foundation and co-created with key partners and contributors including Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago, OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, and The Asian American Education Project.
To learn more about the AAPI History Hub and TAAF’s work in inclusive education, please visit taaf.org.
About The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)
TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AANHPI communities, TAAF mobilizes the community to fight against hate and violence, reclaim our narratives and celebrate our stories through our core pillars of Anti-Hate, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation. Through their high-impact initiatives, events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, they are creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AANHPIs in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org.