'There's diversity among us': May is AAPI Heritage Month and this year's theme is leadership and resilience

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Every year, the contributions of Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders are celebrated both here in Wisconsin and across the country.

According to the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC), this year's theme is "A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience."

For Alex Hanesakda, that means honoring his family, who were put in a refugee camp in Thailand during the war in Laos before they were sponsored to come to America.

"I came here when I was 1-year-old," Hanesakda said. "I felt like it was my job as a first-generation refugee in using my platform to tell not only my story but other southeast Asian refugee stories.”

Now, he's the chef at SapSap, a food truck opening up at Zocalo in Milwaukee on May 22.

“It’s interesting because at my dinners, a lot of people don’t even know where Laos is," Hanesakda said. “The goal was using food as a platform, food as a vehicle to steer that ship and open up that conversation to people."

He noted that food can be a connection between cultures, heritages, and even generations, which is why he heavily focuses on the education aspect to diners.

“You know the smell of the food really takes me back to my parents' kitchen, helping them prep, sourcing ingredients, having a big neighborhood community party," Hanesakda said. “The whole scope of my work is always what happened in Laos.”

That same education vibe can be found in Toan Ly, who is first-generation Chinese and also serves as the board president for the Wisconsin Chinese Chamber of Commerce (WCCC).

“We’re trying to help Asian Americans who want to be entrepreneurs and start their own business," Ly said. “Americans see us as one group but under this Asian American umbrella you have such diversity in itself.”

Ly added that he collaborates with other AAPI groups in the state with an overall goal of building a long-lasting and supportive community.

“We’re not just asking for visibility but we’re demanding representation in the community," Ly said. “To celebrate means a lot more visibility, to say hey, we are here, there’s diversity among us, and we want people to embrace us as Americans.”

The WCCC is hosting an event on Thursday, May 15 with the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce (HWCC) to "honor and uplift the voices, culture, and contributions" of Wisconsin AAPI.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.