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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, May 2023 has been set aside as Asian American and |
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Pacific Islander Heritage Month to recognize the accomplishments |
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and wide-ranging contributions of individuals who trace their |
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ancestry to Asia and the Pacific Islands; and |
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WHEREAS, Originally established by the United States |
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Congress as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week, the observance |
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celebrates the diverse culture, traditions, and history of people |
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from the Asian continent and the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, |
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and Polynesia in the Pacific; it was officially expanded into a |
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monthlong celebration in 1992; and |
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WHEREAS, The month of May was chosen for this commemorative |
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period because of two key events in our nation's history; on |
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May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the U.S., and |
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on May 10, 1869, a workforce largely composed of Chinese laborers |
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completed the Transcontinental Railroad; and |
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WHEREAS, According to a 2022 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, |
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around 6.2 percent of Americans identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian, |
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or Pacific Islander, with approximately 24 million Americans |
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claiming Asian ancestry and nearly 1.6 million tracing their |
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origins to Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands; and |
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WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is home to generations of |
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Americans who take great pride in their family roots in Asia and the |
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Pacific Islands, and this annual observance provides a welcome |
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opportunity to celebrate their significant contributions to the |
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prosperity and cultural vibrancy of our nation; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby recognize May 2023 as Asian American and Pacific Islander |
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Heritage Month. |