REACH Coalition backs AANHPI history bill at advocacy day

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — The Representing and Empowering Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Community History (REACH) Coalition held its third annual Advocacy Day on Wednesday. They want lawmakers to pass bills that would add AANHPI history to school curricula.

At the New York State Capitol, advocates and lawmakers pushed for new social studies classes teaching about the impact Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have had on the U.S. To that end, REACH threw support behind S3334/A4638.

The bill from State Sen. John Liu and Assemblymember Grace Lee—both Democrats—makes public elementary and high schoolers learn AANHPI history. The Department of Education would develop a syllabus for each age group that covers AANHPI people in New York and the Northeast, their contributions to society, their connections with other marginalized groups, and the cultural movements and government policies that affected them.

Community members from across New York—including students, parents, and teachers—drove the push for inclusive education. They lobbied during 18 meetings with state senators and assemblymembers.

Lawmakers approved the bill in past legislative sessions, and gathered 49 co-sponsors during 2024. Liu said, "For far too long, the contributions and struggles of Asian Americans have been marginalized or whitewashed entirely from our classrooms, leaving a void in our understanding of our nation’s true history."

And "AANHPI history is American history," according to Lee. "Integrating AANHPI history into our schools is a vital step toward fostering greater appreciation and inclusivity, helping students value the diverse fabric of American society."

Earlier in February, a group lead by Make Us Visible NY released an open letter asking legislators to back the bill, citing a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and political attacks in recent years. They encourage readers to sign on to that letter directly.