2021 -- H 6333

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LC002858

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING MAY OF 2021, AS "ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND

PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Fenton-Fung, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Phillips, Slater,
Biah, Casimiro, Alzate, Vella-Wilkinson, and Filippi

     Date Introduced: May 12, 2021

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, In 1978, a Joint Congressional Resolution established the first ten days of

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May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. These particular days were chosen because they

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coincide with the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants in May of 1843, and

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the contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad which was

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completed in May of 1869; and

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     WHEREAS, In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a month-long celebration

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known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and in 2021, President Biden

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issued a Proclamation declaring May as "Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

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Heritage Month"; and

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     WHEREAS, In 2019, the number of Asian-American residents in the United States was

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22.9 million, with more than 54 percent holding a Bachelor's degree or higher level of education,

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and an estimated 577,835 Asian-owned employer firms. In addition, Asian Americans

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encompassed more than 2.5 percent of America's military veterans; and

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     WHEREAS, There are 1.6 million Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders as of

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2019, and the percentage of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders who were military

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veterans in 2019 was 7.2 percent. More than twenty-three percent hold a Bachelor's degree or

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higher and 6,653 own employer firms; and

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     WHEREAS, The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander work force can

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be found in numerous fields including professional, scientific and technical services, as well as

 

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teaching, financial management, engineering, nursing, health care, medicine, social assistance,

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retail, construction, and repair and maintenance; and

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     WHEREAS, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have added to the

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diversity, strength and vibrancy of our state through their culture, language, and religion and it is

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fitting and vital to honor and acknowledge their invaluable contributions; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

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proclaims May of 2021, as "Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage

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Month" and urges all Rhode Islanders to learn more about the history of Asian Americans, Native

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Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and

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activities; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Association of Chinese

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Americans, the South Asian Student Organization at the University of Rhode Island, the Brown

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University Korean-American Student Association, the Center for Southeast Asians, the Filipino-

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American Association of Newport County, Inc., H.O.P.E Foundation International, the India

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Association of Rhode Island, the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education

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(ARISE), and Providence Youth Student Movement for Justice & Love (PrYSM).

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