LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month ends, WHAS11 sat down one-on-one with a University of Louisville (UofL) professor.
Dr. Andrew Zhao helped create an organization after tragedy struck the Asian community.
Zhao teaches courses on cultural anthropology as its related to East Asia at UofL. He's also the president of the AAPI Faculty and Staff Association to promote diversity and champion change among the campus' AAPI population.
He said they formed the group in the aftermath of the Atlanta spa shootings and the rising anti-Asian hate in 2021.
That national story sparked anxiety within the community.
“I think there's an awakening for the AAPI community that we realize that we cannot just stay in the shadows. We need to be the voice for our community and make sure all members of the community are taken care of," Zhao said.
The group holds events celebrating the rich history and culture across the campus, while bringing awareness to issues they face and staying inclusive to all students.
"At the end of 2020, the University of Louisville had 624 AAPI identifying employees," Zhao said. "As an organization, we're an open membership group. We welcome not just AAPI members, but also advocates for AAPI.”
"We want to celebrate the AAPI Heritage, because the AAPI community has made tremendous contribution to American society. AAPI history is American history," Zhao added. "By celebrating the AAPI Heritage Month, we are recognizing the contribution of our members of the community and also creating awareness for our community.”
Educating on every level is important, but the knowledge of awareness is key.
"As an educator, we encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and to expand the horizon. On a society level, a lot of our problems in our society today stem from a lack of understanding of other cultures," Zhao said. "I think learning about cultures will address a lot of problems on multiple levels.”
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