Make Us Visible Virginia

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’ve released a new educational resource! “Celebrating May: A K-12 Teacher’s Toolkit” was created for the Virginia Department of Education. This free resource has been shared with all teachers across the state through the Virginia Education Update Newsletter. The Toolkit provides background on the identity terms that describe our many communities; guidance on how to get started; and activities and resources that align with Virginia History Standards of Learning as well as important themes like Family & Community, Migration & Identity, and Civic Contributions. While the Toolkit is aimed at addressing the Virginia Standards of Learning, this can be used by educators across the country to celebrate May. Access the Toolkit at makeusvisible.org/resources In 2024, the Virginia General Assembly allocated funds to create model curriculum, tools, and resources to teach Asian American and Pacific Islander history and to support programming for Asian American and Pacific islander Heritage Month in May. Make Us Visible and state chapter Make Us Visible Virginia will be working with the Virginia Department of Education in implementation. We’re looking forward to bringing the vibrant history of our communities to students and educators across the Commonwealth! #MakeUsVisible #MakeUsVisibleVirginia #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth #AsianAmerican #AAPI #AANHPI #Education #EducationalResources

Calling all young artists! 🎨✨    Make Us Visible VA is excited to launch our 2026 Asian American and Pacific Islander Art Contest, and this year’s theme is “Reflections of the Past, Visions for the Future: What Culture and Heritage Mean to Me”.     Open to students ages 3–18. We can’t wait to see how young people express their cultures, stories, families, and communities through art.     Send submissions (image or photos) with child’s name & grade to 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚@𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦    👉Submissions due: May 22  👉Winners announced: May 23 at the AAPI Heritage Month Celebration hosted by Fairfax County Dept of Planning & Development @ the Eileen Garnett Civic Space (7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale) - yes, this is happening at the same date/time/place as DMV Asian Night Market- so come for the cultural programming, stay for the deliciousness!!

April 30, 1975, remembered as Black April, marks the fall of Saigon and the beginning of displacement and resettlement for many Vietnamese families.     For the past few weeks, we’ve been engaging students in reflection on the history of the Vietnam War and how it’s covered in schools.      One theme came through clearly across all the students: they want to learn the human side of this history; the stories of families, displacement, and rebuilding that are often left out.      As we remember Black April, how can we do a better job of teaching and learning these experiences?      #BlackApril #April30 #vietnameseamerican #vietnamwar #asianamericanhistory

Our 5-year celebration was an incredible night of community, food, and art! Last month, Admerasia and Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP co-hosted the event to reflect on our milestones and raise funds to continue our work to bring Asian American history to K-12 classrooms across the country. Swipe through for a recap of the night. Thank you to everyone who attended and made this night possible! Thank you to our hosts: Admerasia @admerasia Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP With appreciation to our illustrator and performers: Jade Sta Ana @creatingwithjade Kinding Sindaw @kindingsindaw And with gratitude to our sponsors: Weil @weilgotshal Neon Foundation Asian American Business Development Center @aabdcorg Beveridge & Diamond Janelle Andes Darin C. Arita Sungkwan Jang Spark Nakamura Thank you to our food and beverage sponsors: Dassai Blue @dassai_blue Sweet Jae Gelato @chefjaedecastro Grateful for the generosity of our in-kind donors: Abi Balingit @theduskykitchen Hana Makgeolli @hanamakgeolli Electric Sunshine @electricsunshine.nyc Suntory Whisky @suntorywhisky New York Giants @nygiants Möet & Chandon @moetchandon Veuve Clicquot @veuveclicquot Belvedere Vodka @belvederevodka Ellen Song @eun.makes #MakeUsVisible #NonProfit #AsianAmerican #AsianAmericanHistory

04.17.2026. At the @apacgmu Night Market at Mason, students and community members added their names in support of teaching Asian American stories.    It was a perfect night of music, food, and community…and a reminder that festivals can also be spaces to connect and engage around issues we care about.    Thank you to APAC for the opportunity to table on campus. 💛 Shoutout to Vietnamese American artist @ihatebixby for stopping by our table to say hello!!   #AAPIHistory #GeorgeMasonUniversity #AsianAmerican #northernvirginia

Festival peeps! Calling models! Volunteers! VACF is hosting a gigantic tent at @fiestaasia 2026! Come join the fun, share the culture & engage with our community at large! Saturday May 16, 2026. 💃VACF All Stars Áo Dài (ao zai) Fashion Show slated in afternoon. Don't be tardy to this street party! 💃 @makeusvisibleva @fairfaxchinesedancetroupe @republicofuyen @longo_6 @kait.ly_ @vietnoodlez @ewengc @loandanghoang @thuylan.phan @ecoco85 @ga88ie @h3monty @allyvle

On March 25, 2026, we were invited by the Asian Pacific American Network (APANET) to table at their Lunar New Year celebration at the United States Patent & Trademark Office in Alexandria, VA.    We shared stories of Asian American inventors whose patented work shows up in everyday life. It felt especially meaningful to bring these stories into the very place where innovation is recognized and protected.    Many of the inventors we featured built their lives and careers in the United States. Their work reflects how people from many backgrounds have contributed to American innovation.    We’re grateful to APANET, one of the largest federal employee affinity groups supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander employees, for the opportunity to share this with USPTO staff and leadership.    #asianamericanhistory #aapihistory #americaninnovation #sciencehistory #techhistory

On February 7th, Dim Sae Traditional Art Institute performed traditional Korean drumming and dance at the 2026 Lunar New Year celebration at the Fairfax County Government Center, organized by Make Us Visible Virginia, the Asian American Community Center, and the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia. Last Saturday, Di Dim Sae invited us to visit their studio and we had to take the opportunity to recognize their performers for the time, dedication, and talent they bring to their craft. Most of them are students in elementary through high school!     We were joined by Kathy Smith (Vice Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors), who shared about the importance of highlighting cultural traditions like these in our public spaces.    We’re grateful to be a long-time collaborator with Di Dim Sae and so many more amazing performers who help ensure Asian arts and culture continue to be seen, shared, and valued across Virginia. 📷 Photo credits: Christina Perez and Daniel Vu

On March 5, Admerasia and Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP co-hosted a joyous celebration in NYC for Make Us Visible’s 5-year anniversary. Everyone enjoyed delicious bites from restaurants across the city, a performance by @kindingsindaw , a silent auction, and portraits drawn by @creatingwithjade . State chapter directors from Florida, New York, Virginia, and Washington also got to meet each other in-person! Thank you to everyone who attended in support of our continued work to teach Asian American history! Thank you to our hosts: Admerasia @admerasia Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP With gratitude and appreciation to our sponsors: Weil @weilgotshal Neon Foundation Asian American Business Development Center @aabdcorg Beveridge & Diamond Darin C. Arita Sungkwan Jang Janelle Andes Thank you to our food and beverage sponsors: Dassai Blue @dassai_blue Sweet Jae Gelato Grateful for the generosity of our in-kind donors: Abi Balingit @theduskykitchen Hana Makgeolli @hanamakgeolli Electric Sunshine @electricsunshine.nyc Suntory Whisky @suntorywhisky New York Giants @nygiants Möet & Chandon @moetchandon Veuve Clicquot @veuveclicquot Belvedere Vodka @belvederevodka Ellen Song @eun.makes #MakeUsVisible #NonProfit #AsianAmerican #AsianAmericanHistory

02.21.2026 | We were grateful for the chance to table again this year at the Lunar New Year celebration at Twin Lakes Golf Course, hosted by the Fairfax County Park Authority. The evening included hands-on crafts, cultural games, live martial arts and dance performances, food samples, and stories about the holiday’s traditions. Thank you to @fairfaxparks and the Asian American Community Center for inviting us!    #lunarnewyear2026 #fairfaxcountyparkauthority

02.16.2026 | Make Us Visible Virginia traveled to Richmond alongside our community partners at the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia (@capava2002 ) for a day at the General Assembly.    Senator Stella Pekarsky (36th District) invited us to the Senate Gallery, where we were recognized for advancing Asian American history education in Virginia. We are grateful for her remarks and for the kind words shared by Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi about the importance of this work for students and communities across the Commonwealth.    Later that evening, we attended a Lunar New Year legislative reception hosted by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia, the Asian American Society of Central Virginia, and the Virginia Asian American Store Owners Association, where Governor Abigail Spanberger, Lieutenant Governor Hashmi, and members of both parties from the House and Senate came to celebrate and honor our AAPI communities across Virginia.     As we enter the new year, we’re encouraged by the strong partnerships shaping Virginia’s future 💫

Lunar New Year 2026 celebrations got off to a great start in Fairfax County with cultural performances, costumes, arts and crafts, Asian cuisine, and -- best of all(!) -- book readings for children! Authors Hanh Bui and Pat Tanumihardja enchanted kids and families with their books, reflecting their own Asian cultures and backgrounds. Both authors have participated in the @rifnova Authors in Our Schools program. Such a wonderful beginning for the Year of the Horse! #rifnova #bookschangelives @hbui333 @ediblewords @makeusvisibleva @theveryasianfoundation