Read.Watch.Listen. AAPI Heritage Month
- SE3 Committee
- May 21
- 3 min read
May 2025 Issue
A monthly forum to share diversity, equity, and inclusion resources.
Welcome to the next installment of Read.Watch.Listen. This month, we are highlighting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which is celebrated each May in the United States. AAPI Heritage Month honors the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of individuals and communities with roots in Asia and the Pacific Islands. Building on our May 2021 issue, the resources provided below aim to recognize the diverse experiences of AAPI individuals and reflect on the challenges faced by AAPI communities. In addition to these resources, we also want to recommend the Last Week Tonight episode on Asian Americans, which shares the history of the model minority stereotype and why our conversations need to be better-informed.
Image by Freepik
Read.Watch.Listen is a monthly forum hosted by the NCSEA SE3 Committee to share and promote conversations on diversity, equity and inclusion within the structural engineering profession. Each month, we will curate a series of articles, audio-visual and digital media to facilitate self-education in matters that affect our professional practice as structural engineers. Whether you choose to read, watch, or listen (or all three!), we hope you will join us in this important conversation. Missed the previous issue? Check out the NCSEA SE3 Committee News and Publication page.
Share your thoughts and/or recommended resources for the next issue at ncsea@ncsea.com.
Asian Americans in STEM: Perceptions vs. Realities – All Together Blog
Hang Loi explores the complexities and nuances of the Asian American experience in this article. She explores how, as a minority group, Asian Americans encompass both ends of the prosperity and representation spectrums which often masks the disparities and underrepresentation of Asian subgroups. Allies can help by advocating for disaggregation of data, teaching Asian American history in schools, including Asians and Asian Americans in DEIB strategies in the workplace, and supporting and sponsoring Asian Americans at work and in life.
Estimated Read Time - 12 minutes; May 31, 2024
Overcoming Toxic Invisibility – SASE
Toxic invisibility refers to the sense of erasure and psychological pressure AAPIs (Asian American and Pacific Islanders) experience due to racism, cultural suppression, and internalized guilt, often leading to negative self-perception and constant stress. Storytelling emerges as a healing strategy, helping AAPIs express themselves, challenge stereotypes, and foster emotional connections through shared experiences. In the workplace, AAPIs face systemic challenges such as underpromotion and lack of psychological safety, which hinder their professional growth. Solutions include fostering inclusive environments through cultural synthesis, emotional safety, and ongoing storytelling practices to reveal and address hidden pain points. Ultimately, building inclusivity requires mutual effort, emotional openness, and recognition of diverse mindsets shaped by each individual's cultural journey.
Originally aired Apr 4, 2024; 01:00:09
Addressing Mental Health Stigmas in Asian Cultures – SWE
This podcast episode from the SWE’s Diverse podcast focuses on the intersection of two categories celebrated in the month of May - Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage and Mental Health Awareness. Host Sarah Koenig interviews Dr. Katherine Nguyen Williams, a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCSD and supervising psychologist at Rady Children’s Hospital, and Vandana Khanna, head of global digital finance transformation at Kenvue. Despite the diversity within the broader Asian American label, most subscribe to a “Keep your head down/don’t challenge the status quo/don’t bring attention to yourself” attitude that can make it difficult to ask for help or seek treatment for mental health concerns. The conversation talks about this stigma and how it is changing, as well as immigrant experiences and fitting in at work.
May 7, 2024; 00:28:06
This article was originally published in the May 2025 issue of NCSEA's Structural Connection newsletter. For more information, check out NCSEA's DEI Resources.
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