Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2012

Vol. 77

Friday,

No. 87

May 4, 2012

Part IV

The President

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Proclamation 8806--Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,
2012

Proclamation 8807--National Building Safety Month, 2012

Proclamation 8808--National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, 2012

Proclamation 8809--Older Americans Month, 2012

Proclamation 8810--Law Day, U.S.A., 2012

Proclamation 8811--Loyalty Day, 2012

Proclamation 8812--National Day of Prayer, 2012

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8806 of May 1, 2012

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage
Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
(AAPIs) have helped make America what it is today.
Their histories recall bitter hardships and proud
accomplishments--from the laborers who connected our
coasts one-and-a-half centuries ago, to the patriots
who fought overseas while their families were interned
at home, from those who endured the harsh conditions of
Angel Island, to the innovators and entrepreneurs who
are driving our Nation's economic growth in Silicon
Valley and beyond. Asian American and Pacific Islander
Heritage Month offers us an opportunity to celebrate
the vast contributions Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders have made to our Nation, reflect on the
challenges still faced by AAPI communities, and
recommit to making the American dream a reality for
all.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders comprise many
ethnicities and languages, and their myriad
achievements embody the American experience. Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders have started
businesses, including some of our Nation's most
successful and dynamic enterprises. AAPI men and women
are leaders in every aspect of American life--in
government and industry, science and medicine, the arts
and our Armed Forces, education and sports.

Yet, while we celebrate these successes, we must
remember that too often Asian American and Pacific
Islanders face significant adversity. Many AAPI
communities continue to fight prejudice and struggle to
overcome disparities in education, employment, housing,
and health care. My Administration remains committed to
addressing these unique challenges. Through the White
House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders, we are working to expand opportunities for
AAPI communities by improving access to Federal
programs where Asian American and Pacific Islanders are
currently underserved. To learn more about the
Initiative, visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/AAPI.

As we also take this occasion to reflect on our past,
we mark 70 years since the Executive Order that
authorized the internment of Japanese-Americans during
World War II. Last month, I announced my intent to
posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom--
the country's highest civilian honor--to Gordon
Hirabayashi, who openly defied this forced relocation,
and bravely took his challenge all the way to the
United States Supreme Court.

This year, we also commemorate the 100th anniversary of
the first Japanese cherry blossom trees planted in
Washington, D.C., an enduring symbol of the friendship
shared between the United States and Japan and a
reminder of America's standing as a Pacific nation.
Over the centuries, we have maintained a long, rich
history of engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, and
our AAPI communities have been essential to
strengthening the economic, political, and social bonds
we share with our partners around the world.

This month, we reflect on the indelible ways AAPI
communities have shaped our national life. As we
celebrate centuries of trial and triumph, let us

rededicate ourselves to making our Nation a place that
welcomes the contributions of all people, all colors,
and all creeds, and ensures the American dream is
within reach for all who seek it.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim May 2012 as Asian
American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I call
upon all Americans to visit
www.AsianPacificHeritage.gov to learn more about the
history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and
to observe this month with appropriate programs and
activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand
twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.