What is AAPI Month?
May is a month of celebration and remembrance as we honor the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community with AAPI Heritage Month. This annual observance recognizes the significant contributions, rich history, and achievements of the AAPI citizens here in the U.S.
This month provides a perfect opportunity to participate in various events, festivals, and exhibits held across the country that showcase AAPI culture and history. It’s a time to learn, celebrate, and support the AAPI community as a whole. One great way to show support is to shop AAPI-owned businesses and support AAPI organizations. Whether that’s through social interaction, sharing their business, or better yet, making a purchase- here are a few AAPI owned brands we’re loving. Don’t see one of your favorites here? Send their social links to @giantpropeller on Instagram.
- Tower28 Beauty; Tower28 Beauty is a clean and non-toxic makeup and skincare brand. They focus on easy-to-use, multi-purpose products designed for sensitive skin types. Plus, they have awesome packaging.
- Glow Recipe; Glow Recipe is a K-beauty inspired skincare brand that uses natural & fruit-based ingredients to create effective products for healthy, glowing skin.
- Hero Cosmetics; Hero Cosmetics makes effective and minimalist skincare products that target specific concerns, like acne, with a focus on using simple ingredients. A few members on our team swear by their “Mighty Patch.”
- Miyoko’s Creamery; Miyoko’s Creamery is a vegan & organic brand that revolutionized plant-based cheese and butter alternatives. All of their products are made from high-quality, whole food ingredients, without compromising on taste or texture.
- Blogilates by Cassey Ho; Initially a YouTube Channel. Blogilates and Cassey Ho have since created workout programs, activewear, and more. Blogilates focuses on Pilates-inspired workouts and promotes a body-positive message in an upbeat way.
- Emme NYC Luxury Candles is a luxury candle brand that uses high-quality, natural ingredients and beautiful design to create hand-poured, long-lasting candles with unique scents like Yuzu, Lychee and Lemongrass.
- Sandy Liang is a New York based fashion brand known for playful and nostalgic designs. With a knack for blending avant-garde with casual styles and unexpected details, this is a must-know brand.
AAPI Representation Matters
According to a 2021 study, Asian and Pacific Islanders account for less than 6 percent of speaking roles and less than 4 percent of leads and co-leads in Hollywood films. So, while supporting a business is a great way to participate in AAPI month, so is watching AAPI created content like film and television. Representation matters. Stories and media help us see ourselves, and understand each other better. While there is still a long way to go in terms of representation in the media, we wanted to share some films directed and written by members of the AAPI community. These movies have helped people feel seen, connected to their community, broken records and have paved the way for future AAPI successes in the industry. This list is by no means exhaustive, what is your favorite AAPI created story?
- Beef; this series from A24 Studios on Netflix follows Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) as they seek revenge on one another in this feud fueled suspenseful dark comedy.
- Everything Everywhere All at Once; sweeping the awards season and becoming the most-awarded film in history, this iconic film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert is a mind bending must-see
- Never Have I Ever; this coming of age series created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher explores themes of grief and identity, while highlighting the experiences of a first-generation Indian-American teenager navigating the ups and downs of a high school experience in Los Angeles.
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; Not only was the highest grossing film of 2021 a fun feel-good superhero movie, but it features a long-awaited portrayal of an Asian American Superhero.
- Turning Red; Pixar’s hit Turning Red centers around Mei, her traditional parents and her group of great friends as they deal with the rollercoaster ride that is puberty. This coming of age film puts celebration of Asian culture at the forefront, providing resources and representation around a delicate time of life.
- Pachinko; Available on ApleTV+ and based on the NYT bestseller, this epic story follows one Korean family through generations as they leave their homeland and strive to thrive.
- Parasite; Bong Joon-ho’s dark comedy thriller was the first Korean film to win the Palme d’Or at the famous Cannes Film Festival. The film also earned countless other awards and honors and explores themes of social inequality, the desperation of poverty and class conflict. If you haven’t seen it yet, this one is a must-watch.
Diversify your Feed
In addition to supporting AAPI Businesses, we encourage everyone to make it a habit to diversify their social media feed and engage with AAPI creators and individuals online. Here are some of our favorite social follows right now. Have an account in mind you think we would love? Send it over!
- Hueman; Allison Hueman is a California based Visual Designer with an incredibly aesthetic feed and some exciting brand collaboraitons.
- Soey Milk; This account showcases beautifully detailed paintings and lets you in on the process from beginning to end.
- Hannah Sung; Hannah Sung’s account provides a behind the scenes look at her creation process, along with some lighthearted commentary, cool merch, and her very sweet family.
- Prabal Gurung; You may be familiar with fashion designer Prabal Gurung from this year’s Met Gala coverage, the designers social profile is a lovely mix of high fashion moments and every day life.
- Raissa Gerona; A personal favorite follow of our Senior Brand Strategist, Raissa’s account is an inspirational photo collage of her role at Revolve, her aspirational travels, and her relationship with her daughter, who is already more fashionable than any of us.
- Jeanne Grey; Pronounced Jaahn, Jeanne Grey’s account showcases beauty, lifestyle and luxury travel in a relatable way. Littered with motivational tidbits and funny videos, this follow is sure to bring some good vibes to your feed.
- The Korean Vegan; Joanne Lee Molinaro, a lawyer turned chef and social media personality focuses on developing plant based versions of traditional Korean dishes. Her feed is colorful and delicious. She’s also active on Youtube, and has a podcast Are You Ready with Joanne Molinaro designed to help listeners live a more purposeful and connected life.
In addition to supporting the AAPI community as consumers, Giant Propeller is proud to work with incredible AAPI brands like Annie Inc. By supporting AAPI-owned businesses in reaching their goals, we help contribute to a more diverse and inclusive marketplace. Our partnership has been rewarding, and we’re only just getting started!
Let’s continue to uplift and support AAPI-owned businesses, stories, and creators beyond the month of May. By making a conscious effort throughout the year, we can help promote the economic growth of the AAPI community and gain exposure to diverse perspectives and products and create more opportunities for the AAPI community.
