May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. As a Filipino born, Chinese American, I continue to be proud to acknowledge how my Asian heritage has impacted my life and growth as a person and mental health provider. I hope you will take time to learn about AAPI Heritage Month via this link here and a post I wrote about this month last year here.
As I make time to reflect upon my Asian heritage this month, I want to give a personal list of ways I will navigate this part of my identity:
Visit/support AAPI owned businesses in the Somerville, MA area and all conveniently at one location - Bow Market: MacaBoston: a French macaron shop Tiny Turns Paperie: a stationary store Nine Winter’s Bakery: a Korean bakery
Experience AAPI local art: Some intimate and robust exhibitions of Asian art can be found at museums in the Boston area: Museum of Fine Arts: I highly recommend the Japanese block print collection in addition to their Hokusai exhibition they’ll have on display. Pao Arts Center: They exclusively focus on working with local Asian artists/performers/makers in Boston’s Chinatown. Harvard Art Museum: Their scroll wall collection is a go-to along with their general collection of AAPI art. Rayna Lo: A local AAPI artist I’ve enjoyed working with who I’ve known for her beautiful calligraphy work and art. Rayn's work honors the tradition/style through workshops and events she leads at venues like the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Louis Vuitton store.
See the world through AAPI authors: Although reading doesn’t come easy for me, I have found meaning and connection in reading from AAPI authors. A few I highly recommend are: Haruki Murakami: A Japanese author whom I enjoy for his short stories more so than his novels. Mia P. Manansala: A Filipinx author whose fiction writing includes Filipinx recipes at the end. I recently found her books at Wild Child, a culinary bookstore in Bow Market hosted by natural wine bar Rebel Rebel (click on the link to read their story and stance on antiracist accountability).
Lastly, here’s one more resource to consider as you navigate through how to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month that is a bit different from the other resources linked here and in my post from last year.
Today kicks off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Looking Glass Counseling is pleased to make a donation to the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW). AARW is a member-led organization committed to building grassroots power through political education, creative expression and issue-based and neighborhood organizing. They envision a world that is free from violence and oppression, where people can live with dignity and have their basic needs met with ample opportunities to thrive. Currently they are working on housing justice, immigration and deportation issues, abolishing surveillance/policing/incarceration and promoting civic engagement.
Lou Lim, LMHC, REAT is a licensed mental health counselor and registered expressive arts therapist (REAT) with a master's degree in Expressive Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University. He is a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association and on the committee for REAT credentialing. He has 13 years of experience in counseling and expressive therapy working with children, adolescents, teenagers, adults, and retirees.
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