Celebrating AANHPI heritage through food & community
May 27, 2025
As May comes to a close, we want to honor Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month—and the cultures and contributions of AAPI communities across Colorado and beyond.
At the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, we recognize the vital role that our AANHPI neighbors and leaders play in shaping a more just and abundant food system that belongs to everyone—from growing and cooking to owning businesses and advancing local solutions.
Preparing and sharing meals is a way of honoring our roots, passing down traditions and telling stories, building community through abundance, and envisioning a collective future where everyone has what they need to thrive. For AANHPI families and individuals, food has long been central to preserving history, keeping cultural wisdom alive across generations, and bringing people together during both joyous and sorrowful moments.
This month and throughout the year, we encourage you to embrace that richness by connecting through food and togetherness. Here are some ways you can engage:
Support local AAPI-owned businesses like farms, markets, restaurants, and other retailers. Doing so helps sustain cultural foodways while strengthening Colorado’s food economy.
Cook and share a recipe connected to AANHPI cultural heritage. Knowing the meaning behind a dish—how it’s prepared, when it’s served, and why it matters—can open up space for deeper conversations about history, identity, and belonging.
Learn about and uplift AANHPI-led food justice efforts in Colorado like Kaizen Food Rescue. The grassroots nonprofit was founded by Thai Nguyen, a refugee (and Blueprint Advisory Board member), in 2019. They’re focused on fresh-food access and distribution, as well as food justice education and advocacy, in the Denver metro area.
Explore the work of other organizations that center AANHPI histories, stories, and futures like Colorado Asian Pacific United and AAPI Circle. You also can scroll through this extensive list compiled by Colorado AANHPI for Action.
Let’s all remember and carry forward this simple truth: food is more than nourishment—it’s a powerful expression of love, joy, care, and belonging. AANHPI communities have long shown how food can sustain culture, build community, and inspire change. By continuing to uplift these contributions and show up for one another, we’ll move even closer to a Colorado where everyone can access the food they choose, where they want it, and when they need it.