AFLCMC Recognizes Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Published May 3, 2022 By AFLCMC Public Affairs May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the theme for this year's celebration is Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration. The month of May was chosen for AAPI Heritage Month because it commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1843. Asian American and Pacific Islanders communities consist of approximately 50 ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages, with connections to Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Hawaiian and other Asian and Pacific Islander ancestries. According to the US Census Bureau in 2020, about 20 million Asians live in America. Hawaii has the largest percentage of Asian residents in America.